Paddock wood half : So on Sunday was a... - Fun Beyond 10K & ...

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Paddock wood half

benwill profile image
benwillMarathon
25 Replies

So on Sunday was a race that I have been building up for since the start of the year, this is the race that I wanted to try and beat two hours for a half. This race is very well supported and flat as you can realistically get. Doing the distance is something I know i can do but this time I was going after a time which is something i had never done before.

So met up with my friends who live 5 minutes from the start the 5 of us (two first timers) headed off to the industrial estate, i mean start! We mingled went to the toliet etc stood around talking to others we knew. Prepared my watch etc, we were off.

Now I made a bit of a mistake at the start as all my friends were planning to do it in 2hrs +so stayed near the back and i should have moved forward but i didn't to busy talking! But over the start line and had to weave in and out of people to get up to my target pace, luckily the road was quite wide. But we were soon away from the horrible bland industrial estate and in to the lovely Kent countryside, past the oast houses and the houses I could only dream of living in.

After the 1st km of crowds I could finally settle into my own pace, I needed a steady 5:35/min km or 9/min mile. This would get me in at 1hr 58 minutes, allowing a little time for fatigue at the end. I had set my watch to buzz me if went to fast or to slow. As you can see from my pace in the photo i pretty much kept to that pace

All was fine i did start to fell my legs at the half way point, but the constant buzzing of my watch kept me at the pace, It was not until with about 5km to go, that the pain really started to hurt but some how i still managed to keep at the correct pace. Then a railway bridge which although was not a big slope (felt like a mountain) was hard work and I might have said a few bad words. Even going down the other side was painful i just want the flat! But it was the sign as we entered Paddock wood again with about 2km to go and my legs where screaming to stop, i told myself that i am not going to throw this away now its only 2km to go. I was swearing quite a bit more by now, and saying thank you to the marshals had long gone! (sorry marshals i do love you really) .

With one 1km to go and one more railway bridge it was all or nothing somehow I don't even know how I did my fasted KM.

So i finished to me being very emotional, the last time I felt pain like this was at the Brighton Marathon last year, that time my pace dropped this time kept to my pace. I think without doing that marathon I wouldn't have been able to do this. They say running gets easier, no it never gets easier or less painful but you do learn how to push yourself in new ways.

Congratulations to my two friends who finished their first half, I hope you come back for more.

As for the time 1:56:39

strava.com/activities/92463...

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benwill profile image
benwill
Marathon
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25 Replies
Sandraj39 profile image
Sandraj39Half Marathon

Wow Ben, that is a fantastic time - no wonder you were hurting! I completely agree that it never gets easier- we just get better at enduring it! Rest up well, you deserve it.☺

benwill profile image
benwillMarathon in reply to Sandraj39

Thank you i will rest for a few days, I do remember saying something along the lines of "I am never gonna run again, this is stupid"

ju-ju- profile image
ju-ju-Marathon

wow that is so fantastic, what a super time.....I bet that was tough. Its still my goal to do a sub 2 HM and I will one day.... really fantastic achievement :)

benwill profile image
benwillMarathon in reply to ju-ju-

thank you, you can do it! nothing stopping you!

ancientrunner profile image
ancientrunnerHalf Marathon

Well done - that's a great time. It is so true about not getting easier. Interested to hear it is mostly flat, I have friends live close to Paddock Wood and always assumed it would be very hilly - the walks we do often are.

benwill profile image
benwillMarathon in reply to ancientrunner

thank you. Yes paddock wood is flat but there is a hill ridge near by which is maybe where you go walking.

C3PO profile image
C3POMarathon

I'm so impressed! Especially because I'm struggling with intervals at your race pace - just a couple of minutes kills me. I can't imagine doing an HM that fast. You must be really thrilled!

benwill profile image
benwillMarathon in reply to C3PO

yes i am very happy it, but a couple of minutes of doing that pace constantly means you will be doing more and more minutes at that pace and then boom!

AndyD profile image
AndyDUltramarathon

Well done Ben... mightily impressive... don't think I've ever run at 5:30 pace... whats it like??... I bet everything around you is a blur :-)

Have a good break for a day or two...

benwill profile image
benwillMarathon in reply to AndyD

haha maybe if i take my glasses off its all a blur!

roseabi profile image
roseabiUltramarathon

Awesome awesome awesome - well done!!! :D

benwill profile image
benwillMarathon in reply to roseabi

thank you i dont feel awesome today!

roseabi profile image
roseabiUltramarathon in reply to benwill

Aw

Dunder2004 profile image
Dunder2004Half Marathon

Fantastic Ben, well done.

Your pacing was super-consistent. I think I mentioned that I am planning to do Paddock Wood next year and, likewise, would like to dip under two hours. If I do half as well as you, I would be chuffed to the nines.

benwill profile image
benwillMarathon in reply to Dunder2004

Thank you, I can't say the pacing was all down to me my watch defiantly kept me in check with that. The Paddock Wood half is good, a few railway bridges and a little hill at the start is all there is for hills so perfect for a fast time. It's all on closed roads and lots of support as well. You have plenty of time to get up to speed between now and next year.

misswobble profile image
misswobbleMarathon

Well done! I hope you are feeling ok now 😀 Have a few days off!

benwill profile image
benwillMarathon in reply to misswobble

Yes i am feeling ok although i can feel my knee when i go up the stairs, i think my osteopath is not going to be happy with me!

Madge50 profile image
Madge50Marathon

Well done Ben, that's great, nice bling too! 👏🏅

Mx

benwill profile image
benwillMarathon in reply to Madge50

thank you the bling is not so bad and quite weighty!

Eatcakeandrun profile image
EatcakeandrunMarathon

Well done Ben that is a great achievement! And very consistent times throughout too. It's amazing what determination can do! ( And some training I guess 😊😂)

benwill profile image
benwillMarathon in reply to Eatcakeandrun

Training? i just turned up! :)

aliboo70 profile image
aliboo70Half Marathon

well done Ben what a brilliant result! :)

benwill profile image
benwillMarathon in reply to aliboo70

Thank you.

Anniemurph profile image
AnniemurphHalf Marathon

Congratulations, Ben, that's an awesome time and a great report! Well done :)

benwill profile image
benwillMarathon in reply to Anniemurph

I think the time is better then the report, but thank you!

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