Much ado about nothing

Well I haven't blogged in a while mainly because there has nothing really to report!  But on reflection in 4 months I have run 6 races, entered 2 more half marathons,1 10miler around Donnington Park 1 5k in Dublin (running for bling!)

Maddog 10k, the 1st race of the year.  It is a great race early in February so the weather can be rough! And this year was no exception; basically we ran in to a head wind for the 1st 2.75 miles then you turned and run back with the wind behind you for the last 2 miles.  You can see from my mile splits the effect the wind had (8:30, 8:37, 9:14, 8:23, 7:51, 7:18)

Angelesey Half, my first race of many races which are going to take me outside of England (I know that this is a bit of a stretch, but we call it artistic license :) ) I had no plan going in to this race other than enjoy it.  I was that laid back about the race as I was still in the line for the Loo as the gun went off!  I took my time and jumped on to the back of the field and just ran the race steady, it was quite night nice picking people off as you through the field.  The race was very scenic you start on the world famous Menai Suspension Bridge and then along the coastal road in to Beaumaris Castyle and beyond, then a switch back and back along the coast road and finish in the town which means you get to see the dragon twice!!

Stafford Half, I hadn't planned on running Stafford Half, I haven't run it for a couple of year now, not really sure why as it is a great race which starts and finishes in the town centre and you had great support, but I kinda feel

been there and done that.  But I had a couple of friends who were running it as part of team Lucas (in memory of a very brave little boy call Lucas Williams, who was taken too soon)  so I had agreed to run with them and support them on the way round.  It was Sarah's first ever half marathon and was my pleasure (as her coach) to run with her and make sure she had everything she needed.  I had the most fun not only supporting Sarah but everyone who was in my orbit was getting some much needed Coach K help!

Dougie Mac 5k, Sean loves running this race and this year they had brought it back to the original route, which is out from Wedgewood, around the village and back.   This year I deceiced to join him.  As I am in Marathon training I decided that I would run the race easy and then add extra miles on the end. Little did I imagine that I would win it, which was a very nice surprise.

Market Drayton 10k, this has also been a firm favorite race of mine and it is fast becoming a firm favorite.  I think this year there was 5,000 runners taking again it is one of those races were the weather can play a big part, this year it was very very warm, but again I do like to run in the sun.  I hoped to get under 50 minutes but with the weather it wasn't going to happen!! It would be have been nice to beat my Maddog 10k time, but unfortunately I didn't have the wind helping the pace.  With great organisation, brilliant support and a fantastic goody bag it had been voted as one of Runners World best 10k for the last 4 years and you can definitely see why. 

Liverpool Half this is my most recent race and the 1st of my 3 Rock and Roll half marathons of 2016. Again it was another warm day out.  I have run a half in Liverpool before but this was a bit of a different route; we had longer in the city which was nice although I am sure there is a hotel with a statute of Billy Connelly I am sure that it isn't but I can't remember the hotel name so I can't even check.   Then as we were trotting along, we disappear up a little side street and a rather short switch back and I thought why are we going up here, surely they could have just move the start and finish a little…then as I reach the top of the switch back and there was music blaring out and then the penny dropped…you might be there before me but yes we ran up and down Penny Lane.  The finish was long coming but I managed to put the hammer down at the finish and made it under the 2 hours.

Work wise I have moved contracts, I seem to have left London just as the city was coming to life..... thats about right !!  But I am now working closer to home which is nice, I get to sleep in my own bed every night, see my other half every day and get to run with the club again! The commute is pretty simple and a little tedious but it is only short term, so I can cope with that.

The two races I have entered is Robin Hood Half which I have done 3 times and Birmingham Half which I think this will be my 5th time.  It should be a good few months race wise we have: Stone St Michaels 10k, Donnington 10miles, Potteries Marathon, Thunder run, Dublin 5k and half, Robin Hood half, Birmingham Half and finally Las Vegas half marathon!!