This week I ran the 11th official race of my #12in12months #ManProject the #RanelaghHarriers #Richmond #HalfMarathon, in Richmond, Surrey….about 5 minutes from where I live! After trekking around the world for all of my official races so far I have to say it was such a pleasure to have one so close and simply be able to sleep in my own bed the night before!
PRE-RACE
As great as it was the race being in Richmond for a change, the start time of 8.30am was a bit rubbish for an Owl such as myself. What God gives with one hand he takes with the other I guess! Kristy had two 11am – 11pm shifts fighting crime on Saturday and Sunday, so it was left to my long time friend Brendon Hopkins to accompany me to Nando’s the night before for my usual pre race feast. Having achieved both my previous two PB’s after Nando’s I knew this was the best preparation I could undertake. One half chicken, double fries, 5 chicken wings and a Savanna Cider later I had a good feeling about the following days race and was happy with a fairly early night at 11.00pm.
I had a bit of an interrupted sleep overnight the night before, as usual. Part nervous anticipation, part Kristy coming in late, part #GeorgeAndCharley fidgeting in bed and part wishing I’d had mild peri-peri sauce on my Chicken Wings rather than extra hot. It was a bit Johnny Cash because of that I have to say. Anyhow, the night passed and before I knew it the 7.25am alarm was going off and it was time to get up and go and run race 11. A quick shower, half a bowl of porridge, bottle of Lucozade Sport and then little Brendon and I were off to the race. Kristy was on another 11am – 11pm so Brendon had to take on the role of Chief Supporter and Official Photographer.
We arrived at just before 8am and met Fiona from work and Nic (Pam Cappucino) who also works at NOTHS at the pub where the run was based. A long queue for my usual pre-race ritual in the pub toilets meant a bit of a dash for the start line, a quick photo with Fiona from work and Pam, the hooter sounded and then we were off. I was still starting my App, sorting my music and plugging in my headphones as I crossed the line so fair to say not the best start. You would have thought that by race 11 I would have all this stuff sorted….nope!
MILES 1, 2 AND 3
The race started at the junction of the Star and Garter Hill and Petersham Road and then immediately headed back up the slight hill in the direction of Richmond. Once we reached Bills Restaurant we turned left across Richmond Bridge and headed out towards Twickenham. These first 3 miles were odd. With the roads still being open and starting at the very back of the pack I already felt like I was ‘struggling’ near the back. I made an effort to try and find my natural place in the pack as we ran along Petersham Road and up the hill, but once we headed across the bridge and out towards Richmond it felt quite hard, and a bit awkward, to try and overtake people so I kind of felt stuck where I was. The pace in the group I ended up in felt a little slower than natural but I figured any energy or effort I saved at this early stage I could hold and use later on. The splits for my first three miles were 7m46s, 8m06s and 7m56s all of which were quite acceptable despite the early rain that had started by this stage.
MILES 4, 5 AND 6
As we headed out past Twickenham, by the outskirts of Teddington and towards Kingston I felt an empty feeling inside. By this I don’t mean I felt hungry, or that I had overdone my pre-race ritual, more that I felt I had no fight in me even at this early stage. In some training runs, and some races, I have felt this before and found it literally impossible to counteract. It’s hard to explain because whilst it is a physical feeling it is also a state of mind, and I’m genuinely unsure which feeds the other. All I know is that I find myself looking for, and justifying, a host of reasons why it’s ‘tough’ today. The rain is going to make it tough! It’s a pain there’s no where to overtake! There’s so much stepping on and off kerbs! The route has so many twists and turns! I wish they’d pick a surface snd stick to it! Road, paths, trails, cobbled streets, bridges, steps, FFS! What I do know is that when you are in the right frame of mind none of these matter, you are focussed on your stride, your splits, the width of your feet, the beautiful view…in fact absolutely anything that isn’t an excuse. When you are searching for excuses, especially this early, I know 100% that I’m not going to be able to step-up, push on or dig deep when I need it and that it’s going to be a battle the whole way round. Miles 4, 5 and 6 took us right out towards Hampton Court Palace, past my boss Ben and his family who had come down in the rain to support (God bless them), as we then turned to head back along the river towards Kingston Bridge again. I hated this whole three mile section so was really happy with my splits which were 8m03s, 7m41s and 7m53s.
MILES 7, 8 AND 9
These miles really started just after the turn at Hampton Court Palace and took us along what felt like the longest bit of River Thames towpath ever built and on a seemingly never ending run back down towards Kingston Bridge. Despite everything I’ve said so far, at this stage my pace was still consistent, my stride strong, my breathing measured and I felt like I was running well within myself. And yet I still couldn’t muster up any more than I was already giving. There was group of about 5 of us along this towpath who were overtaking each other, then breng overtaken by others and then overtaking again as we slogged down this section. It was genuinely like being part of a very badly organised Conga Dance where everyone had to go to the front and take their turn. This was hugely annoying, as was the MapMyRun App starting to crack up. All of a sudden it figured I had cracked out a 6m58s mile – absolutely no chance, not a cat in hells chance. With the App going through its nervous breakdown I had to try and do some maths on the move to try and figure out how I was going, but a combination of the rain, the towpath, being overtaken by the same person 5 times and my poor attitude meant I stopped trying to figure it out and with that went any chance of a PB. The three splits for (round and about) these miles were 6m58s (nonsense), 7m44s and 7m55s.
MILES 10, 11, 12 AND 13
With the abandonment of any possible chance of a PB came a feeling of relaxation, contentment and oneness with the task ahead that actually went to make the last 4 miles very enjoyable. I just ran as my body felt comfortable. The App was in the epicentre of its bi-polar episode and fired out random split times with the enthusiasm and randomness of an eccentric school teacher. 5m39s, 5m09s, 5m56s and 5m50s were the splits for miles 11m, 12, 13 and 14 and I hadn’t even passed mile marker 12!?!?! I didn’t have the slightest clue what was going on with the App, so I just kept smiling, thanking the Marshals and spectators and enjoying the run. Eventually I passed a mile 12 marker so I decided to try and at least open my stride for the last mile and a bit which felt good. As I neared what I thought was the finish, where I could see the larger crowd, tents etc, I decided to try and give it the big Hollywood finish and push on to the end. As I passed the slowly growing crowd and the tents got larger I felt strong, proud and inspirational. Then I saw the 13 mile marker, out away from the crowds and tents, and realised that there was still a fair bit to run including a huge out, hairpin bend, and back and I understood how shattered I was. With that I took about 10% off the ‘gunning it’ and smoothly glided towards the finish line.
I am not ashamed to admit that there was a little tear in my eye as I crossed the line on Sunday after race number 11. I jokingly said afterwards that this wasn’t the emotion of finishing race 11 but rather because it meant that my next race is due to be a full marathon. I say jokingly but there was actually a lot of truth in it! Why on earth did I suggest a full marathon for my last race? What was I thinking of for Christs sake? It genuinely seemed like a good idea when the last race was over 6 months away but now it’s so close it doesn’t seem that clever at all, in any way shape or form!
1 hour 48 minutes and 11 seconds was my official time, which considering my less than perfect preparation and my feelings of melancholy throughout, is more than respectable and something to be proud of. I was also very proud of Pam Cappucino romping home in under 2 hours (1h58m and change) and also with Fiona from work, who despite some serious knee pain in the weeks preceding the race managed around 2 hours 2 minutes. Amazing efforts from both considering the fact that neither of them really ran much 10-12 weeks ago. Go #NOTHSHarriers
It was also nice to see an old colleague Paul Swanbury (Swampy) there celebrating a 1 h 46m run after taking up half marathons after coming and supporting me at my first #12in12months at Wimbledon Common in July. Inspired people all over the place!
THE FINAL RACE
All of which leads nicely on to the final race, and what my plans are for this. Presently I have no firm plans. No definite race, no charity and no idea what, where or when. Definitely a full marathon, definitely in June and definitely somewhere interesting in the UK…or Europe. All ideas or suggestions are most welcome at this stage and if anyone fancies running it with me then don’t be shy!
Thanks
antonysmanproject 