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PROVISIONAL Helphire Bath Half-Marathon
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Here here on the improved organisation - it also did'nt feel like the entry had been doubled.
1:32.11 - 4/10, but lots of excuses and happy just to have got round today (may reclassify as 'training run' !!)
A little under the weather, I set-off embalmed in Vicks and Oilbas, taking it easy but clock watching all the same - this done a little anxiously as the splits did'nt leave me too much "in the bank" if I were to dip under the magic 90 mins
All was OKish though, and better than expected all things considered - helped by the fine samba band and support on route and knowledge that I ALWAYS run well for the last part of the race (ho ho..)
And so came mile 8, which is normally when I wake up and get going, but when today the chicken flu caught up with me and I hit something of a wall (a first time experience). I tried to keep things together but things went from bad to worse v.quickly
Stupid oft - never race when not well !
Amazing what a difference a nap + several mugs of tea make. And I do rather like the medal (I have a weak spot..) and 'reflector' (the kids will pinch).
The wretched details :
1 6.47
2 6.40
3 6.52
4 6.51
5 6.52
6 6.57
7 6.43
8 6.52
9 7.06
10 6.49
11 7.14
12 7.17
13 7.14
13.24 miles according to the onboard computer. Hope Hilly, Blisters and others faired better..
PS One niggle for the organisers to address next year - loo paper ! By 9.30am some portab*gs had already run out. And is it possible to shoot those who line-up literally on the start line and then walk ??!
-1½ miles - hobble back to finish area in time (just!) to watch everyone finish - gutted! Ice and alchol seem to be working!
Hilly - so sorry your back played up - just take it easy - rest up(?) for FLM.
Well done to everyone, it looked fun! Nice looking medal too :-((
Bath - I'll be back next year to at least try and finish :-))
RD
What a lovely day, perfect for running in fact. The organisers had put a lot of effort into resolving the root causes of last year’s problems – no postal strike, no rain, more tentage, more toilets, and a new attitude of insisting that the start time was sacrosanct. It was lovely to meet up with all sorts of forumites, and there’s a team photo somewhere.
At the start LLL, Hilly and myself squeezed up towards the front, but we couldn’t see Alan Pitt. It’s hard at the best of times, but impossible in a crowd. It took 5 seconds to cross the start line, so that’s not too bad. The first mile is gently downhill, and we are pretty much together. I heard Hilly’s name called within the first mile, but she had drifted behind me, and LLL was ahead. Mile 1 was reached in 6:35. I needed to reel in LLL and did that in the next mile, clocking a 6:15 I think. As the race progressed I noted that my mile times gently faded, so that all advantage that I had over target was annulled by halfway. A-n-y-w-a-y, at about mile 4 this short green thing buzzed by my ankles. It was Alan Pitt. There wasn’t much time for conversation, he just zipped past and was gone. I guess that he started a bit too far back and was now on an adrenaline rush. At mile 5 there’s a shout for Sarah, and a fit looking young lady in Lycra comes up against me. (I’m dreaming again, sorry). I discover that she wasn’t Sarah, but there was no denying that she was a brilliant advert for crop leggings. Pace upped a bit. (Elevated HR – possibly due to terrain).
Halfway and we are lapping people. I’m feeling good, but know that I’m off the target pace. I check reflections to see if I can spot LLL. I didn’t need to. I could sense his presence like a spirit in the night, tugging at my shadow, like some great dark gravitational force.
Mile 10 was reached in 65:45, spookily the same as at the Gloucester 10. It’s now that I need to relax and try to push in a 90% sort of fashion. I spy Not Sarah ahead, and make my way towards her assets. Spirits lifted. At mile 12 it’s time to think of the final push. There’s a holler of abuse from The Black Hole behind me. Lift pace on downhills. Give up on verbs. Push. The last mile is (you guessed it) a reverse of the first mile, i.e. uphill. 1000m or so left. Black Hole draws level. “I’m just about spent” he says. I give up on words. I need all my efforts in my legs. Try not to get dropped. No avail. 400m and still uphill. GO FOR THE MAX. Close back some. Final straight. He’s off, I am undone. 15 seconds the gap. (pb 1:26:19, by 1:36 margin). Also got trounced by Ratcatcher. Well done you.
Nice to meet everyone I met by the way. And good eatery located, well worth the "warm down walk".
Hope everyone else had a good one.
Any idea when official times will be on net?
Me & Mr Mitten were both V pleased with our 1:57:12. Good course, excellent marshalls & first aid etc but peeved that I didn't get a goody bag.
Anyone know who the company taking photos were?
Mitts x
Crossed the line in a PB of 1.30.17 , improving by 2 mins every year , annoying close to my sub90 target again , much like my 10K sub 40 target that always seconds away........I suppose it wouldnt be quite the same without these frustrating goals !!
Lots of confidence for my fav 10K in 3 weeks now, ATLANTIC COLLEGE (South Wales)!!
Sorry about your disappointments, RD and hilly. It must have been miserable to have to stop. Hopefully neither will be too much of a setback.
I'd like to second all the positive comments on the excellent organisation. I stopped doing this race a couple of years ago because, frankly, I find that route too tediously boring! I'm now pleased I came back - it's not quite that boring when you're fitter ;-) I thought it was a fantastic race.
It was PB for me, 1:25:25 by my watch, which was a lovely suprise when I've been trying without success to break 1:29 in my last few halves.
I did go to the beer tent after reclaiming my baggage and Mr RC but didn't see anyone. Sorry to have missed you.
Thanks once again to BB for the phantasmogorical support!
Great to see so many of you,had a lovely meal after with Hilly,Mr Hilly,Blisters and Miss LLL but abit gutted about missing my buddy Rogerdodge but he was in good company anyway with Stace and Ufm so he had a good time.
Hope i can get back in next year.
Special well dones for all those who got a pb.Ace racer and Ratcather,awesome times well done.
RD, take care of that leg! I'm resting tonight!:o) Will see how tomorrow is.
Lovely to meet so many and enjoyed your company too LLL, blisters and Miss LLL!
RC, cracking time! A great confidence boost for London! Hope to be able to run with you a bit longer at Londone-maybe:o)
As for the race, I would've like to finish as it sounds like it was really well organised. I'll be back next year!
Bad luck to Hilly and RD. Hope everything mends soon.
Good to catch up with some of you before and after.
I managed 1.39.45ish by gun time. Pleased that this was within my target - Need to try to get more constant pacing (varied from 7.05 in mile 3 to 8.02 in mile 11, and I don't think the mile markers were to blame. BUt this is still a PB by almost 5 minutes, so I'm pretty happy
I think this is a good event on a good course - definitely do this again.
BB has just stuck a pint in front of my nose - off to imbibe
Sorry we missed you at the beer tent Ratty.
Hilly and RD , hope you both mend quickly.
Nice to put a few more faces to names.
Some one commented above about the course distance - my doodaah made it 13.35 miles but then again GPS can easliy be off by a coupule of precent.
Well done to everyone today - take it easy for the next day or so.
Mike
My only difference was the time. Official time was 26 seconds different from mine. It didn't take me that long to get over the start at the beginning. Am awaiting to see what my chip time is.
Anyone know if the people at the end waving the wands over the number chips was to account for not being picked up by the big wire above you?
Wrinty
I was also impressed with the person who noted my race no (1966) and said something along the lines of "...all over, it is now". V.good - made me chuckle !
What time did you good people gather by the bar/beer tent ?! I hung about for a few mins but left not feeling too bright. A beer might have hit the right button...
Get well soon Hilly / RD - live to fight another day etc. Horrible seeing other runners in trouble. H, did you pull out soon after the 'sharp' turn ? Apols for being so dim and not adding 1+1 together - for a sec I wondered if it might be but dismissed the idea
diff - is that a Les C diff ?! If so, did you finish close to Graeme D and Ben F ??
Just to post my question again 'anyone know which company was taking photos?'
I waved frantically at a photographer at 8/9 miles.
Mitten
ps - long journey home to Hertfordshire & have just got back from well earned pint :-)
Ken is suffering big time nad has retreated to his bed with a beer! He fell asleep during dinner with my parents this evening, poor lamb - got cramp at mile 9 and suffered all the way to the line, recording a PW by twenty minutes.
Think we might branch out next year and try some other half marathons.. a little too crowded for me.. and bring back the T-shirt, even if it is rubbish quality, and sort out the goody bag fiasco, helping yourself to chocolate is not what you want to be doing after 13.1 miles, and would a bootle of water have been too expensive at the finish too?
However, to finish on a postive, the Lucozade was a lifesaver.. wouldn't have got around if that hadn't been there at mile 5. Well done organisers for that bit!
I agree about the water, was looking around for a bottle at the finish, seems daft they omitted that.
She finished way down on her best and unfortunately collapsed after race and was taken to hospital most likely with exhaustion, although discharged herself later due to long wait.
Shes ok now, but surprisingly off the drink. She's promised to be back very soon, most likely Frenchay. Nice to see a few of you today - RD get well soon.