Not my first running event (I’ve finished a couple of non-virtual Marathons and a 10k) but this is my first non-virtual HM.
I was due to run the Bath HM about now but that was postponed (again!) There was some discussion about entering the FoD, the training plan for my next long event had me running about 21k this week so I decided to enter.
I approached this as a training run so my preparation for this consisted of getting my kit together the day before, agreeing a car share to get there and figuring out what time I needed to set off. It’s a hilly course (OK, Cmoi would probably describe it as almost flat but it’s hilly for me). However, since my focus is on training for a flat run, I hadn’t done any hill training.
With hindsight, I realised that it would have been really useful to have looked at the run profile beforehand. As it was, I’d picked up from the discussion in the car that, after a flat start, there was a long descent to a lake and then a long, shallow, climb. My only plan was to take it easy and to beat my 2:40 walking time for the autumn version of this event a few years ago.
Since I planned to take it easy, I started off well down the field. The pack started off at an easy pace and I spent a little while chatting to someone I know who I came across. Getting to the initial downhill, my aim was to pick up the pace so that I could use gravity to propel me along without having to put in extra effort. However, on a narrow track with loads of runners, it was very difficult getting past and I think that cost me some time. After that, I made my way up the long gentle incline at a moderate effort and dropped to a walk on some of the steeper sections.
Part of the way round, I was chatting to someone from the Forest of Dean running club who told me that there was a steep climb about a mile from the end followed by “cobbles” which could be sprinted to the finish. I found that there were quite a few runners who I’d overtake on downhill sections and who’d pass me on the uphills.
As I’d been told, there was a climb a little over 2k before the finish. I ran part of it and walked the rest. As I came on to the cobbled section, Motörhead came up on my playlist followed by Rammstein which gave me a much needed boost. It was a bit of a struggle to maintain the faster pace right to the finish but, as I turned onto the grassy finish straight, I was able to put in a sprint. I paused my watch as I went over the finish line but it only showed 20.9k so I restarted it and added a bit of a jog to top up my distance to 21.1.
Given that I can run an HM in just over two hours, I added a bit to allow for the hills to come up with a guesstimate of 2:15. My chip time was 2:06:21 which I’m happy with. The time on my watch was exactly the same 2:06:21 but, given that I started my watch as I crossed the start mat and stopped it about a minute after the finish (as I was topping up to 21.1), it seems that something was astray.
All in all, a very pleasant morning run in the sunshine. After lunch at home, we went for a pleasant stroll in the afternoon sunshine along with a short visit to the pub.
HM training question
First HM - Things I've learned
HM Challenge!
