Spent the first hour of the day debating wheter to wear a long sleeved top or go with the URWFRC vest. The expected frost and rain failed to appear so I set off with just the vest and a sweatshirt towards Fleet.
Arrived about 45 minutes before the start to find myself as one of three cars in the carpark.Wrong day ? wrong place ? can't be, I've done this before.
Just as I got out for the obligatory pre race toilet search the heavens opened and I realised how cold it was turning out to be.(Put it this way I didn't have to look too far to find somewhere to hang my coat...)
Bumped into BK,dressed in about 6 layers ready to take on the permafrost.I left it to the last minute to pop back to the car, take off the sweatshirt and joggers and run to the start.
Underway,and an assault on the sub 42pb over two undulating laps of Fleet.First mile in 6.10 - strange didn't think I was going THAT fast, so slowed a little and was pleased to be through mile 2 in just under 13.Back past the start/finish area for the second circuit and through the 3mile point in 19.20 , so far so good - sub 41 maybe even sub 40 looking likely.Into the wind again for mile 4 and I was slowly reeling one or two people in, passed 4m in 25.58 then a steady 5th mile , 32.32 , before making a concerted effort to speed up.
Back round to the start area and mile 6 and the last few hundred yards, managed to sprint for the line and crossed in 40.13 (by my watch) But I'll wait for the official time which hopefully is a second or so faster.
Very pleased to run that fast (didn't go below 45 before this year) and even more so after the debacle at Windsor (illness).
This was supposed to be my last road outing this year, but I may find another halfM to lower the pb that I was aiming for at Windsor.
Feel confident now that I can get below 40 comfortably, ran hard today but felt afterwards that I probably had something left in the tank.
Cheered BK home in another pb for him in the low 42s before ducking out of the rain and heading home.
Excellent organisation and a good race.
Oh, and once I got going I was glad not to be wearing long sleeves!!!
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Dustin, if you do find a decent (i.e. fast)half marathon course in the SE soon, let me know. I reckon I should be able to push 90 mins for that soon (here's hoping anyway).
venom
Caz.
Venom, re the half , will do , I'm aiming for close to 1.30 now.
MartinH - normally I don't look at the watch until 5km, but usually I go off way too fast and suffer.However if I'd done the 2nd mile in 6.30ish then perhaps I would've ducked under 40.(all the later miles were around the 6.30 I was aiming for)
Still, we live and learn from each race...
40th out of 436
I thought it was a really nice race - well organised, enough people, and a well stocked goody bag.
Just a shame about the weather!
Thanks for pointing out the results.
i have been checking the fleetandcrookhamac website every day and couldn't find the link. Just checked back, and still can't find the link! Very odd.
Technology eh?
7 minutes , phew thats some going - over a minute a mile improvement , you must be well chuffed!
Congrats to BK and slomo too..
I have looked at the website again - and I still can't see anyway of getting the results.
I just see "new - FLeet 10k results coming soon".
anyway.
chuffed.
yes.
very.
http://www.hants.gov.uk/fleetandcrookhamac/FleetNews.htm
and click on the here. I must abmit it doesn't work for me as my pdf reader is not working. If you want me to send you the file then mail me.