PaddockWood Half Marathon
Arrived and went for an easy 3 mile jog to warm up covering the first part of the course, then doing some dynamic stretching drills and strides to finish the warm up and covered 4 miles in total.
Started off running strongly and freely watching the leaders dissappear up the road before me and covered the first mile in 5.35. Settled in running with a Larkfield runner and we were holding a good pace, second mile was a tad slower as this included the one and only hill in the course. The next two miles ticked by and at the water station at 4 miles I was pulling ahead of the Larkfield guy but was joined by two runners that had caught us up. I stuck in with these two new guys and legs were starting to feel a bit tired now. Went through 5 miles in 28.39 and I was thinking that would try and stick with these two as long as I could, we were starting to catch two runners ahead who were slowing slightly and this helped us push on. Went through half way and pace was still pretty even and I felt that I was still pushng on strongly, then at the water station at about 8.5 miles went through a bad patch and allowed a gap to open up and legs started to feel really tired. Went through 10 miles in 58.11 (last 5miles-29.32). Although tiring I was still maintaining an even pace which was not dropping too much, overtook two more in the last three miles and was caught by two from behind. However maintained pace right to the end and finished with 01:17:50. Position 26th and 5th Vet40. Splits were:-5.35/5.51/5.39/5.50/5.43/5.50/5.53/5.45/6.01/6.00/6.05/6.04/6.01/1.27.
Legs were very stiff afterwards and hamstrings felt quite tight, thus the cool down was a very slow 3 miles.
Total Distance: 20 Miles
Race Distance: 13.1 miles Time: 01:17:50 Pace: 5.52 m/m
Weekly Summary: 82 Miles
Overall having had two weeks with reduced milage due to cold, then putting a week of 82 miles in this week and not tapering or resting for race I have to be very pleased with the result. This was a confidence boosting run and now have my mind back on track, hopefully will get in about 70 miles next week, reducing to 50ish the following week and then about 25 the week before the Marathon.
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