Sunday 11 November 2012

Poppy Half Marathon

After having a good time at Great South, I went on-line to find a Half Marathon as doing 10 miles in 1:23, I should be able to get under 2hrs for a half and reach my goal for the year.  There no more halfs in Kent this year so I looked further afield and found Poppy Half in Bexhill. I had a look at the race info and had to enter that night as it was going to close as nearly reached full capacity for 750 people. The info read that it was 4 laps and it was a flat and fast course and coke was on offer at the water station!!

After running Deal last week I was really hoping for some good weather. I woke up to glorious sunshine - yay!!! I was the only club runner for this one.  I arrived at Bexhill in plenty of time and sat on a bench along the seafront chilling reading my book in the sunshine.

The course was made up of 4 laps. First lap being slightly longer than the rest of the 3 laps.  I turned on my garmin and to my horror, my watch hadn't charged, showing low battery and I was gutted!!!  I was just hoping my watch would hold out for most of the race.  I was planning on running on just over 8 minute miles which would get be in under 2hrs and have got bit of a buffer if I slowed down.

I set off for the first lap and felt good, the majority of the course was along the seafront and you were running in the wind, luckily it wasn't too strong. Coming off the beach there was a little slope.  The second lap was ok but coming for the 3rd lap I was struggling.  By mile 8 I was beginning to tire.  I was running around 8 minute miles up util this point and I had now crept up to 9 minute miles and then my watch died, I was gutted. On lap 4 I had really slowed down, the finish line was in sight and I saw the clock on 1hr56 so I was pleased.

After finishing I got a print out of my result which was 1hr56:10, position 276, category 21 and gender 40. There were 750 runners. I was really chuffed that I got by sub 2hrs.

Splits 27:49, 27:54, 29:22, 31:24

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