So on Saturday, I did my first trail half marathon around the lovely reservoir of Bewl Water. It was a lovely setting the lake looked beautiful in the sun it was quite a hot day.
I met up with some friends who run as a group who I know from parkrun, as we got our stuff sorted we walked to the finish line, the Start is on a hill! People got nervous already! this isn't hilly is it? no its around a lake, they are flat!
Off we went and sure enough going up the hill and on to the reservoir's dam, I had lost my friends already. So I just ran along at my own comfortable pace, it was nice to be running on towpaths and not the normal pavement.
With about 8k gone a friend of mine caught me up, I decided to up my pace a bit and run with him, which was a good thing as I had just started bumbling along.
Then the first hill came at 10k! Apparently, it doesn't follow the lake all the way round! It was quite a hill lasting 1km but managed it with no problems if not a bit slow! then straight after a second steeper hill but shorter! Up it again even slower this time!
On the down hill we caught up with another friend, she was in trouble and had not taken on enough salt's (she has a problem) so was running slow trying to keep her levels correct. We stayed with her and made sure she was ok.
It was about 17km that my legs started to fade quite fast and the other two started pulling away from me, but I was determined to get back with them so with all my might I sped up and caught back up with them. Closing in on at the end of the race there was one last steep hill, we decided to walk up to make sure she was ok and get to finish line.
It was all then downhill my legs felt quite good going down hill! It was nice all 3 of us finished together although I think I have to work on my finish line celebrations!
I got a nice fish medal that also doubles up as a bottle opener and an ice cream from the shop.
I also learnt that if I going to be ready for Beachy head marathon I best start running up some hills!
Written by
benwill
Marathon
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great report, great race.... gotta love hills!!! Have you signed up for the Strava run Everest in May challenge? I have but not sure I am going to make it!! Its good to focus oneself on the hills....! well done you
thank you! no i haven't signed up for it, I saw it but I figured if you can't make it I haven't got any chance. I start doing more and more hill work keep my distance around what is now then build up the distance in September time. But its all about the hill for me from now on!
Congratulations! Well done 😃 I love that medal. Useful bling! 👍
Hills at the end of a long run are a bit dispiriting aren't they 😕 Still they have to be conquered if you want to get home 😜 It's strange how you get to feel like death at say 17to19k but rally at about 20 . It's amazing how the body responds in such circs.
I felt ticketyboo post race on Sunday, and although not due to run til tomorrow, I thought I might take my legs for a spin yesterday, so got ready but couldn't get my shoes on as my feet had swollen. They felt ok, no ache or pain or anything but my feet were definitely not going comfortably into my shoes. I wasn't surprised mind you so gave up on the idea.
Well done Ben - great report and well done for tackling what sounds like a tough old course, probably made a lot harder by the heat. Unusual medal too!
Sounds like a great race, and I love your description of it. A lake with hills, who'd have thunk?! Hard work, but you got through it, and with bling that even doubles up as a bottle opener... what more can anyone wish for? Well done you!
Well done Ben, I'm still a bit of a wimp where hills are concerned, but have got a trail HM booked for October.......so am bringing them in slowly......😱,
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