Potters Arf 2012

This is our local half marathon and it is a toughie! the headlines speak for themselves, in race speak it is known as undulating! ha, if you have never run it is it undulating, if you have run it you will know that it is bloody hilly!!

I ran this for the 1st time last year; when it was unseasonably cold and wet (in previous years it had recorded record temperatures and was always known as a sunny race ), it was tough and despite the cold and rain there were still a number of spectators out on the course, but numbers where understandably down.It was only my 4th half marathon and I had never run the course, it was all new!

This year was significantly different, since I had re-invigorated my running and started more regularly I had run parts and the full course on a number of occasions. I ran it with Phil 6 Towns Runner as part of his 12 half marathons in 12 days, on my own as a training run, and the Tuesday before the Sunday with Sharon and Laura, in an attempt to get the last long run in before the race. The only expectation I had of myself was to beat last year’s time, as I knew there was no way I could beat my Half Marathon PB from Edinburgh but I would have been happy with a course best.

The weather had promised to be dry, not sunny, no warm, but dry is the best we can hope for in the UK anything else is a bonus, the weather in the days prior where horrible, pure evil .  However the morning of the race and the sky was looking rather favourable, a few fluffy white clouds, but that was about it and there was even a hint of blue!!  the running gods were looking down and smiling on us! 

The race itself was great, tough in places and easy in others, I knew the course and knew what was coming. However because of the nice weather the crowds where really out in force! Every step of the route there where people out cheering us on, giving out jelly babies, ice pops, water, juice and even hosing down the runners (after all the rain we had no one can say there wasn’t some to give away to hot runners).  I do hope that the spectators realise that it is there support on the route that really spurs the runners on, it gives us the motivation to carry on when we think we are about to give up and help push us that extra mile or two!

Potters Arf’, has a notorious hill at 11:50 miles in, they re-name the road “Heartbreak Hill”   I have heard that some cars struggle to get up there!  however the crowds along the way and right at the top give you such a cheer you think that you were winning the race!

So did I achieve my aim, yes I beat last years time and came in at 1:54:24, which is a big improvement on last year and I got a Bronze medal for my efforts. 

Jazz hands

Westbrigde 5

This race has a little bit of history and I think I mentioned it in last years post, it is one of my 1st real races and one I originally thought was only a 5k . 

How things have changed, this is a nice little run, in and around Stone and Aston in Staffordshire.  It is shaped a little like and lolly pop, long out along the canal and around Aston and then back along the canal.  I am not sure if it is shaped like a lolly but that is how I think about it.  Due to the nature of the run, there is no room for spectators other than the boats along the canal and those speeding along the A34, so it is really feels like a race.  

I didn’t really have any aims other than do my best, I think I was still on a high from getting a PB at Edinburgh the week before and I had done my first DOUBLE, “DO THE DOUBLE”.  I had ran into work and then ran home, a total of 14 miles, should I get in to the Marathon I feel this is the best way to get my mileage in and save on my fuel bill!

The day itself was rather dull and over cast , fortunately it stayed dry but it was very cold , as the run is along the canal there are very few over taking spots so you have to try and position yourself well at the start.  I felt really comfortable during the race and I was clocking sub 8 minute miles, which I was very impressed with.  There was lady in front of me, who I was determined to keep up with because I thought she was a fellow group “W” and I thought I need to make sure I get those points, however around mile 4 I noticed she was an “M” the next group up! then I just thought knuckle down and hang on in there.  Which I did and managed to knock 2 minutes of my Olympic Park time  at real thumbs up moment!