Different half marathon but same outcome.......Just like Bideford Kath and I decided to make a weekend of it and travel up the day before and treat the boys to a day at Woodlands park, then travel to Exeter and sleep in the camper, ready for the big race on Sunday.Yes you have guessed, 5 miles short of Woodlands and up went the temperature gauge, up went my blood pressure and out came the swear words .
The very nice man (Martin) from the RAC managed the bodge us up and follow us to Woodlands so at least the kids were happy, but we would require towing back to Camborne in the evening (turned out to be the head gasket) . I had to laugh when the man towing us back in the evening during pleasant conversation asked if i had ever used a SAT NAV !!!........SAT NAV i replied, why buy one when i can use the RAC ones on every trip.
Anyway enough about my wifes camper ( its hers when it goes wrong, just like the kids when they are playing up). Got up bright and early after very little sleep, not in the best of moods and really did not feel like running (but mother didn't raise no pussy !!) and headed off to Exeter. Great journey up but driving through Exeter i noticed the milage markers up some very unpleasant hills and realized that this was not going to be the flat race that i had expected. Parked the car and then went to meet the ladies from Exeter Community Transport who i was raising money for. This is the embarrasing bit, on meeting them i was handed a thick blue tshirt to run in, after explaining that i could not run in that as i would probably over heat at 5 miles, i was asked if i could carry a bucket round, a bucket i joked is that to throw up in at the end. I explained that i was after a sub 1.30 run and a bucket of coins would not help matters ! They were very good about it.
At the start i thought hard about race tactics (stop sniggering Gaynor!) .Shall i go balls out and try and hold on towards the end, or use my normal tactic of start slow and slowly crank it up. I went for option 1, so off to the front i went and stood amongst the Kenyans , just kidding! . I glanced over my shoulder and spotted a familiar face wearing a Carn Runners vest, Mr Paul Sawford. He informed me that he was also going for sub 1.30, great i thought i will tag along.
BANG and off we went 2 laps of Exeter hear we come, through the first mile in 6.30 right on Pauls shoulder untill he nearly got took out buy some idiot zig zagging infront off us singing along to his mp3( i thought they were not allowed). Stuck with Paul up and down the hills( not Launceston hills but bad enough) until about 5 miles when he started to pull away, do i go with him and risk blow out or stick with 6.45 pace that i was travelling at and feeling ok. I let Paul go he was running great. The crowds lined the streets , bands played and banners waved i felt pretty good.
As with any 2 lap course the down side is that you know when the hills are coming, there were some nice long uphills but you knew that soon you would be running the opposite way so could make up lost time downhill.
The last 2 miles was mostly uphill and i have to be honest that i was beginning to wilt, although cloudy it was still humid. I managed to hold on over the last 2 miles to finish in 59th place with a time of 1.29.10. My fellow Carnie Paul was there to meet me at the finish with a handshake. Thats what Carn Runners is about to me !!! Paul ran a fantastic race in a time of 1.25.50 (i want him drug tested! ) and 35th place.
A very enjoyable day, many thanks to all of you who sponsored me , i managed to raise £150 towards Exeter Community Transport.
PS. Hi to the 4 Camborne lads i met at the beginning.
T.T.F.N.......les
|
