Oh the St Neots Half. The race that wasn't overly planned and really in my current condition shouldn't have happened. When the plan for 2014 was put together the idea was to complete just three halves, Brentwood, Helsinki & Richmond. Then once the California road trip was booked the US Half in San Fran was added into the mix. My thoughts were to run it as a tourist, take photos, enjoy it. Whilst I did do just that, I still managed to drop comfortably under the 2 hour mark.
So 2014 already had four half marathons, although only two were the end point of training plans. Then our friend Fergie moved to St Neots and sold us all on their immensely popular half marathon event in November. It was just a fortnight after San Fran, although I wouldn't target a PB, why not run it? A plan then formed, why not run with Joel & Fergie and try to attack the 2:15 mark. I'd be running well within myself and could provide pacing. The last time I'd paced Ferg hadn't quite gone to plan (Check out the Edmonton 10k report from October 2013), but I was confident everything could run to plan.
Then three weeks out from the race Fergie quite rightly decides that his Berlin Marathon exploits had taken too much of a toll and that he wouldn't be making the start line. As soon as we got the news I consulted with Joel and he was still good to go.
Fast forward to Sunday morning and I'm lying in bed wondering why I'd signed up for the race. My enthusiasm for putting my weary body through another 21km was minimal. A quick message to Joel confirmed he was still heading to the start line, we'd been chatting goal times in the days leading up and he was adamant that it would be a gentle run with no attempt to break his PB.
Once the fog had been negotiated I found myself parked up in St Neots and picking up my race pack. Credit to the organisers, they'd printed our names on the front. This lead to lots of encouragement later on as we made our way around the course. As Joel & I chatted before the start it turned out that neither of us really wanted to run, we were both there out of a sense of obligation! Although Joel was still clear that he didn't want to go for a PB, but had mentioned a 6:30/km pace, this was a surprise as his 2:19 PB would be breakable with 6:35/km. So there wasn't a goal, but a pace that maybe we could maintain.
So 2014 already had four half marathons, although only two were the end point of training plans. Then our friend Fergie moved to St Neots and sold us all on their immensely popular half marathon event in November. It was just a fortnight after San Fran, although I wouldn't target a PB, why not run it? A plan then formed, why not run with Joel & Fergie and try to attack the 2:15 mark. I'd be running well within myself and could provide pacing. The last time I'd paced Ferg hadn't quite gone to plan (Check out the Edmonton 10k report from October 2013), but I was confident everything could run to plan.
Then three weeks out from the race Fergie quite rightly decides that his Berlin Marathon exploits had taken too much of a toll and that he wouldn't be making the start line. As soon as we got the news I consulted with Joel and he was still good to go.
Fast forward to Sunday morning and I'm lying in bed wondering why I'd signed up for the race. My enthusiasm for putting my weary body through another 21km was minimal. A quick message to Joel confirmed he was still heading to the start line, we'd been chatting goal times in the days leading up and he was adamant that it would be a gentle run with no attempt to break his PB.
Once the fog had been negotiated I found myself parked up in St Neots and picking up my race pack. Credit to the organisers, they'd printed our names on the front. This lead to lots of encouragement later on as we made our way around the course. As Joel & I chatted before the start it turned out that neither of us really wanted to run, we were both there out of a sense of obligation! Although Joel was still clear that he didn't want to go for a PB, but had mentioned a 6:30/km pace, this was a surprise as his 2:19 PB would be breakable with 6:35/km. So there wasn't a goal, but a pace that maybe we could maintain.
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| Just before the start. Deluded smiles |
The Race
Having raced the past two weekends in California, this was an unwelcome reminder of how cold autumnal UK can be. Sure the temperature was around eight degrees, but in a long sleeved shirt I was feeling the cold! Joel did have half a dozen layers and bases on, thankfully he realised this might be overkill!
We lined up a long way from the front, way behind the two hour pacers. The PA system appeared to be a bit hit or miss and depending on who was announcing the race start was either ten or five minutes away. Both of us were entirely relaxed, this was not a day for heroics, we'd decided that already.
Soon we were underway and taking on a gentle climb out of St Neots. Pace for the first couple of kilometres was pretty much on point and we'd heard that the last three miles was downhill, so there was potential in the course.
My job was fairly easy, maintain what for me was a gentle pace and ensure Joel was fine. The fog wasn't clearing so there were times when you couldn't quite grasp what the course was going to be like. The only other course tips I'd seen were some roadworks later in the race and a mention of the Abbotsley hill on twitter.
With 5km banked we were just over the 32:30 target but still under a 2:19 pace. Joel's PB was a mid 2:19 so I was also factoring in that we might have seconds to play with if required. The course was full of gentle undulations, so I encouraged Joel to carry on working at the same rate uphill, take a moment and then enjoy the downhill. We were soon in Abbotsley and the hill was in focus. In truth it wasn't overly taxing, a sharper incline, though the climb then continued as we left the village. At this point we saw the nine mile marker so were aware we'd have to climb through Abbotsley once more.
Joel's pace was remaining consistent and although there was another relatively tough climb as the first hour completed, he was on track for getting close to a PB. The 6:35/km 10k target was 1:05:50 and we were through with around ten to fifteen seconds of buffer. If this pace could be maintained then at 20k we'd be at 2:11 and then Joel could essentially walk to a PB.
I had taken gels at fifty and one twenty, unsure what strategy to take as this would be one of my longest duration runs. I had four with me, my usual half quota. Just after 10km there was a true downhill section and for a couple of clicks we were able to make decent progress, though every kilometre appeared to have some form of climb! The pace carried on, under 6:40/km as we passed through Abbotsley for the final time. As we reached the crest of the climb I encountered some sharp momentary pain in my left glute. Hardly a surprise, but something I didn't want to share with Joel whilst he was still going strong. After a couple of (hopefully) subtle winces the terrain thankfully evened out enough that I wasn't working it so much and everything loosened off again. A reminder that I'm overdue some rest!
Once Abbotsley was done we were approaching the 9 mile marker and the friendly water table. I picked up just to top up my bottle. The climbing was now over and the pace was still excellent. My job here was just to keep Joel talking, make sure he's comfortable and I did this partly by identifying runners in front that we'd reel in. Soon we were turning right and back towards St Neots. Just after 9.5 miles we entered the road works area, they'd stripped back the road surface so we had a bizarre firm trail footing to contend with for the next one and a half miles.
During this trail we crossed the 10 mile marker and Joel now had around 34 minutes to run a 5km. 34 minutes and the course was now downhill. The 17th km was a 6:40/km pace, but as we got closer to the finish line the faster Joel got. And sure enough we started reeling people in and passing them. With 4km the equation was to run seven minute clicks and still get a PB. Be the slowest you've been all race and still PB! But Joel wasn't slowing up and we started to push. Eighteen through twenty went 6:22, 6:26, 6:23, and true to form we were at that 20km marker at 2:11 and we could now practically walk and score a PB.
This wasn't on the agenda though a Joel dropped the hammer with a 5:47 final kilometre! This include a kick the moment we turned into the housing estate at the end of the course. For a moment, my legs felt shaky as Joel kicked, I hadn't expected that and thankfully recovered straight away. Of course the housing estate stint was a bit longer than Joel thought and it was now me urging him to keep going to the finish.
We reeled in our final target just as we crossed the line, Joel delivering a two minute PB of 2:17:26!!!! Post race my job changed to holding him up and giving a moment to recovery.
We lined up a long way from the front, way behind the two hour pacers. The PA system appeared to be a bit hit or miss and depending on who was announcing the race start was either ten or five minutes away. Both of us were entirely relaxed, this was not a day for heroics, we'd decided that already.
Soon we were underway and taking on a gentle climb out of St Neots. Pace for the first couple of kilometres was pretty much on point and we'd heard that the last three miles was downhill, so there was potential in the course.
My job was fairly easy, maintain what for me was a gentle pace and ensure Joel was fine. The fog wasn't clearing so there were times when you couldn't quite grasp what the course was going to be like. The only other course tips I'd seen were some roadworks later in the race and a mention of the Abbotsley hill on twitter.
With 5km banked we were just over the 32:30 target but still under a 2:19 pace. Joel's PB was a mid 2:19 so I was also factoring in that we might have seconds to play with if required. The course was full of gentle undulations, so I encouraged Joel to carry on working at the same rate uphill, take a moment and then enjoy the downhill. We were soon in Abbotsley and the hill was in focus. In truth it wasn't overly taxing, a sharper incline, though the climb then continued as we left the village. At this point we saw the nine mile marker so were aware we'd have to climb through Abbotsley once more.
Joel's pace was remaining consistent and although there was another relatively tough climb as the first hour completed, he was on track for getting close to a PB. The 6:35/km 10k target was 1:05:50 and we were through with around ten to fifteen seconds of buffer. If this pace could be maintained then at 20k we'd be at 2:11 and then Joel could essentially walk to a PB.
I had taken gels at fifty and one twenty, unsure what strategy to take as this would be one of my longest duration runs. I had four with me, my usual half quota. Just after 10km there was a true downhill section and for a couple of clicks we were able to make decent progress, though every kilometre appeared to have some form of climb! The pace carried on, under 6:40/km as we passed through Abbotsley for the final time. As we reached the crest of the climb I encountered some sharp momentary pain in my left glute. Hardly a surprise, but something I didn't want to share with Joel whilst he was still going strong. After a couple of (hopefully) subtle winces the terrain thankfully evened out enough that I wasn't working it so much and everything loosened off again. A reminder that I'm overdue some rest!
Once Abbotsley was done we were approaching the 9 mile marker and the friendly water table. I picked up just to top up my bottle. The climbing was now over and the pace was still excellent. My job here was just to keep Joel talking, make sure he's comfortable and I did this partly by identifying runners in front that we'd reel in. Soon we were turning right and back towards St Neots. Just after 9.5 miles we entered the road works area, they'd stripped back the road surface so we had a bizarre firm trail footing to contend with for the next one and a half miles.
During this trail we crossed the 10 mile marker and Joel now had around 34 minutes to run a 5km. 34 minutes and the course was now downhill. The 17th km was a 6:40/km pace, but as we got closer to the finish line the faster Joel got. And sure enough we started reeling people in and passing them. With 4km the equation was to run seven minute clicks and still get a PB. Be the slowest you've been all race and still PB! But Joel wasn't slowing up and we started to push. Eighteen through twenty went 6:22, 6:26, 6:23, and true to form we were at that 20km marker at 2:11 and we could now practically walk and score a PB.
This wasn't on the agenda though a Joel dropped the hammer with a 5:47 final kilometre! This include a kick the moment we turned into the housing estate at the end of the course. For a moment, my legs felt shaky as Joel kicked, I hadn't expected that and thankfully recovered straight away. Of course the housing estate stint was a bit longer than Joel thought and it was now me urging him to keep going to the finish.
We reeled in our final target just as we crossed the line, Joel delivering a two minute PB of 2:17:26!!!! Post race my job changed to holding him up and giving a moment to recovery.
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| PB for Joel, so he's allowed to look knackered! |
The Eat
Thankfully the freebies were perfect, some haribo, smarties and crisps, all much needed after the exertion. After chatting for a while with Ferg and the rest of the Oak Hill crew it was time to head home. As a bonus there was a donut waiting for me in the car!
Despite having a huge steak lined up for dinner, that was hours away and I fancied some dirty food! So as I left the M11 I headed into KFC for some takeaway. It certainly meant I had some very attentive cats to greet me upon my return.
Of course the steak was awesome, served up with sweet potatoes, asparagus & mushrooms, a well deserved treat.
Despite having a huge steak lined up for dinner, that was hours away and I fancied some dirty food! So as I left the M11 I headed into KFC for some takeaway. It certainly meant I had some very attentive cats to greet me upon my return.
Of course the steak was awesome, served up with sweet potatoes, asparagus & mushrooms, a well deserved treat.
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| Steak & Zubaz |
The Conclusion
The race that nearly never was became the race I'm glad I got out of bed for. Knowing that a PB was never on the cards for me meant a different focus for me. Being able to pace a friend to a PB is an amazing feeling, something I've been able to experience on multiple occasions this year. Running can be very solitary, yet to run alongside others makes for an all together different experience. To run with a friend and help them achieve a goal is something special and it was great fun to work with Joel and get him across the line.
And that's 2014 done for me. Apart from parkrun route planning I'll be doing nothing until Christmas Day, where I'll enjoy the festivities at Chelmsford parkrun. I've had an excellent year in terms of running form and now it is time to reward myself with an extended period of rest. After big personal bests at every distance and a lot of back to back training plans, now is the time to kick back for a little while. The next blog post will focus on what is already a blockbuster 2015.
And that's 2014 done for me. Apart from parkrun route planning I'll be doing nothing until Christmas Day, where I'll enjoy the festivities at Chelmsford parkrun. I've had an excellent year in terms of running form and now it is time to reward myself with an extended period of rest. After big personal bests at every distance and a lot of back to back training plans, now is the time to kick back for a little while. The next blog post will focus on what is already a blockbuster 2015.
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