Just another half..
Last weekend I competed in my second half marathon, at Downton, near Salisbury. I reserved my place online, via the runners world website.
The idea at the time was to get another half marathon in before Christmas (God how I hate the c-word) to keep the momentum going. I have my places for the Bath and Reading half marathons next year, but that won't be until March/April.
My final training session was on the Thursday beforehand, a fartlek session with Anthony. As always, it was tough but I thoroughly enjoyed it (although he did make me feel tired even thinking about the training he has planned for me next year to get me ready for a full marathon).
For some reason, though, after that I really couldn't get motivated for the event. I sort of wished the weekend away. Not being able to enjoy my wine on a Friday and Saturday night was a big part of it, and I kind of had things on my mind.
But I guess the real problem was the event was never going to live up to the excitement of the Swindon half marathon. I had had that date in my mind for so long, so much so I could hardly sleep the night before, and in my nervous state was cracking my usual bad jokes on the start line (e.g. "I'm more frightened than Charlotte Church when she is told the restaurant is non smoking").
To try and take my mind off things I went to see "Flightplan" at the cinema on Saturday night on my own. Good, but hardly worthy of an in-depth review. But I will forever be dreaming of Erika Christensen as my in-flight attendant..
Anyway, back to the race. I awoke bright and early, had a good breakfast and set off on my way. By this stage I was feeling strangely optimistic. I had a good drive down and found the place quite easily.
The race was obviously a small affair, I estimated about a couple of hundred participants (I later found out there were 163 finishers).There wasn't even a horn - we were just off.
For the first three miles I felt awful - my legs felt heavy (despite two days' rest), and I generally felt out of breath and, well, knackered. About the five-mile marker, however, I really hit my straps. I started to feel comfortable with what I was trying to achieve and with my surroundings.
The scenery was indeed beautiful. We were on the edge of the New Forest and at one point I even saw ponies on the track. The weather was also good - cold and crisp, but dry at least and no ice underfoot. This, I thought, is what it is all about - out in the open air, enjoying miles of beautiful countryside. Now I know what my mate Pete was on about when he said being in a spinning class could never match the great outdoors. Amen to that.
The race was tough - some of the hills were challenging, to say the least. But I took it at my own pace, aiming for a 2hr 10min finish. At no point did I feel faint, as I did in the latter stages of the Swindon half.
In the end I was very happy with my 2hrs 5mins time (a lot more so later when all the boys from the running club concurred it was a lot tougher than the Swindon half marathon).
So after a well-earned cup of tea and a bun I picked up a copy of the Sunday Times and headed home. I decided not to undo the good work and only drank diet coke when I got home.
You didn't REALLY believe that last sentence did you??!! Have a word with yourself!! I of course enjoyed my beer that afternoon like it was going out of fashion. And I think I had every right to. To do a race like that, when you are revved up for it, physically and mentally (like I was with the Swindon half) is one thing, but to do it when you are not looking forward to it and are praying for snow so you have an excuse to not turn up, is quite another. At the end of the day it's all in the mind.
More importantly, it proved the Swindon half was not just a "one-off" and I am getting comfortable with the distance.
Marathon training in 2006?? Bring it on!!
The idea at the time was to get another half marathon in before Christmas (God how I hate the c-word) to keep the momentum going. I have my places for the Bath and Reading half marathons next year, but that won't be until March/April.
My final training session was on the Thursday beforehand, a fartlek session with Anthony. As always, it was tough but I thoroughly enjoyed it (although he did make me feel tired even thinking about the training he has planned for me next year to get me ready for a full marathon).
For some reason, though, after that I really couldn't get motivated for the event. I sort of wished the weekend away. Not being able to enjoy my wine on a Friday and Saturday night was a big part of it, and I kind of had things on my mind.
But I guess the real problem was the event was never going to live up to the excitement of the Swindon half marathon. I had had that date in my mind for so long, so much so I could hardly sleep the night before, and in my nervous state was cracking my usual bad jokes on the start line (e.g. "I'm more frightened than Charlotte Church when she is told the restaurant is non smoking").
To try and take my mind off things I went to see "Flightplan" at the cinema on Saturday night on my own. Good, but hardly worthy of an in-depth review. But I will forever be dreaming of Erika Christensen as my in-flight attendant..
Anyway, back to the race. I awoke bright and early, had a good breakfast and set off on my way. By this stage I was feeling strangely optimistic. I had a good drive down and found the place quite easily.
The race was obviously a small affair, I estimated about a couple of hundred participants (I later found out there were 163 finishers).There wasn't even a horn - we were just off.
For the first three miles I felt awful - my legs felt heavy (despite two days' rest), and I generally felt out of breath and, well, knackered. About the five-mile marker, however, I really hit my straps. I started to feel comfortable with what I was trying to achieve and with my surroundings.
The scenery was indeed beautiful. We were on the edge of the New Forest and at one point I even saw ponies on the track. The weather was also good - cold and crisp, but dry at least and no ice underfoot. This, I thought, is what it is all about - out in the open air, enjoying miles of beautiful countryside. Now I know what my mate Pete was on about when he said being in a spinning class could never match the great outdoors. Amen to that.
The race was tough - some of the hills were challenging, to say the least. But I took it at my own pace, aiming for a 2hr 10min finish. At no point did I feel faint, as I did in the latter stages of the Swindon half.
In the end I was very happy with my 2hrs 5mins time (a lot more so later when all the boys from the running club concurred it was a lot tougher than the Swindon half marathon).
So after a well-earned cup of tea and a bun I picked up a copy of the Sunday Times and headed home. I decided not to undo the good work and only drank diet coke when I got home.
You didn't REALLY believe that last sentence did you??!! Have a word with yourself!! I of course enjoyed my beer that afternoon like it was going out of fashion. And I think I had every right to. To do a race like that, when you are revved up for it, physically and mentally (like I was with the Swindon half) is one thing, but to do it when you are not looking forward to it and are praying for snow so you have an excuse to not turn up, is quite another. At the end of the day it's all in the mind.
More importantly, it proved the Swindon half was not just a "one-off" and I am getting comfortable with the distance.
Marathon training in 2006?? Bring it on!!
posted by Jon | 9:48 pm
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