local running club (Beckenham AC) league table having not run since Sidcup 10m Feb last year (69.12).
Good opportunity to get some points on the board before being crossed off their list altogether for too many DNS.
Secondly my mate Peter was under doctors orders not to start so I took his place on Wednesday. Just enough time to work out the route down there in the car
and put a race number on.
I've been going well on the bike over the last couple of weeks but haven't done any running since November last year.
My half marathon pb is 1.32.02 but planned to stick at 7.30/8.00 mile pace.
I make my way to start. It's packed with around 4000 runners. We gradually pull away over the timing mat with a bleep bleep bleep.
Great crowd and ideal weather conditions for running. The wife is cheering me on and I'm waving back as I go past but the kids are shouting abuse at each other and just ignore me.
After half a mile we turn away from the beach and head in to the town.
I'm told the first four or five miles are hilly. I see what's ahead and it's not good. We're going up what feels like a 12% hill.
I'm starting to think I over did it on Saturday's clubrun as my legs are feeling very heavy. I knew that would happen if I went out in the training group with Serge and Rob then mix it with Ant Dan G and Steve on the way back.
We reach the top of the first climb there's a sharp decent and then another hill which kicks up around a corner. I'm keeping the pace 7.30 mile pace. I'm worried about cramping if I go any faster. The repition of hills continue for a couple of miles.
I'm at mile four knowing there's a long way left and trying to access how I'm really feeling. There's a bloke with a camera looking for the action shot. I try to give it a smile but it's more a grimace as I'm going up another hill.
Some runners who've gone out too aggresively are pullling up already. They've run a good 8k but this is a half marathon.
We reach another hill and this is the long one that everyone warned me about at the start.
It's not steep just steady climb and I start pick up a few places trying to keep my breathing down and keep relaxed.
We reach the top and it levels off for a while. We're past the five mile marker and a crowd lines the road and a float blasts out Radio Gaga. People are cheering from their houses.
Mile 6 and the half point pass quickly and the route stays flat for a while. I'm running well for my pace.
If I cramp at this point I'm in big trouble so I keep taking on water whenever there's a stop.
Haven't mastered how to drink while running so it goes everywhere apart from in my mouth.
Mile 7,8 go and 9 approaches we're heading towards the beach front. I feeling pretty good running down hill.
A couple more ascents past mile markers 10 & 11 and I'm onto the beach front. The wind has been kind today but I'm feeling it now heading for home.
I reach mile 12 and I've slowed up. Some runners who I've kept up with all the way are pushing on and I can't respond. I can see the finish for the first time since leaving earlier. I know I'm nowhere near my pb 1.32 but pleased I've got round so far.
I can't put in a sprint finish just slow down and walk over the line in relief. 1.39.33 race time, 1.38.44 chip time - my slowest half marathon yet. I'm knackered. It's done me in.
I get changed and head over to the fish n chip shop for a load up. Back to the bike for me.
