Liverbird marathon 2011

This event consisted of two marathon over two days on the same course. I could only do Day 1 which I wasn't too disappointed about as I got to know the course pretty well from just doing Day 1. The course consisted of a run down the River Mersey Promenade until you got to the end and then back to the start/finish area and repeat that four times. It was very flat. It was a fairly warm afternoon/evening (I have never started a marathon this late before, I think I prefer morning starts) and we had the breeze behind us on the way out and in our faces on the way back. It was good to have the river right next to us, it provided something interesting to look at.

I discovered on lap 1 that 6m+ was a bit too long to go without a drink (the only water station being at the start/finish) so I carried a drink for the last three laps. It was good to see the other runners all the time (it was a very small field, 23 starters and 22 finishers). The field included the runner who has run the most marathons in the UK (800+ which can be thought of as one a week for about 16 years...) and several regular marathon runners. I tired on the final lap, but I did manage to keep going a bit better than I have done recently and came in with a time of 4hr 33min. Time for a break and a bit of recovery now

Brathay Windermere marathon 2011

Well tomorrow the clock ticks over and my age category will have moved on 

It has been a lovely weekend. I went over to the Lakes for the third weekend running on Friday and on Saturday I went to see the start of Day 9 for the 10 in 10 runners. Some of them looked a bit stiff and there was more tape visible than on Day 2, but they were all still going. Just amazing 

I then followed then round the lake with ultrakazz and bumped into various Fetchies and people I knew on the way round 

Pictures : https://picasaweb.google.com/105792896882008304219/10In10RunnersDay92011

On Saturday night my two children and my daughter's partner arrived and yesterday it was the Brathay Windermere marathon itself. We got there to find very changeable weather. The forecast was sunshine and showers. The showers were brief but heavy and we had hail in one outbreak. But once we formed up for the briefing, the wether improved and sunny intervals for the rest of the day. I think we were very lucky  It was a bit windy, in our faces in the first half and behind us in the second half 

I was running with fats from my club. She was worried that she had had only one long run since our WHWadventure with dizzie1981 and I was worried that I had done too much running. Ideally she wanted to get a pb, that is under 4hr30 but we just thought we would see how it goes.

We started fairly quickly 

and all the way down the west side we seemed to be averaging under 9.5min/miles. We knew we should have stuck to 10 min/miles but we didn't seem to be able to do that. One or two other Fetchies who ran with us clearly decided we were going too fast and backed off. Halfway in 2hr 2min. The difficult third quarter was next and Fats' feet were starting to hurt so we walked up most of the longer undulations. Once we got through those we seemed to speed up. We lost a bit for a loo stop, but we were still 6 minutes ahead of 10 min/mile pace at 19m.

I slowed a bit at 20m, then we picked it up to the base of the 21m hill. My children were cheering us on at this point and then we got lots of shouts at Fetchpoint from RooA, Slowboy, YP1 and L  And a lovely jaffa cake. I had been taking Kendal Mint cake at most of the water stations and my stomach started to feel a bit bad and as we approached the 23m, I knew I was going to struggle to keep up with fats. We jogged to the water station at 23m and then I finally persuaded her to go on. I knew we would get home in under 4hr30, but she had the chance of a big improvement in her pb. She did that and got 4hr19 and I got home in 4h26, so I was happy with that.

My new Hoka Bondi shoes were lovely, I had only done 6m in them before, but they were lovely and bouncy 

Pictures : https://picasaweb.google.com/105792896882008304219/BrathayWindermereMarathon2011?gsessionid=K8PavWYZjFHOhwdY0SZ3wQ

Druridge Bay marathon 2011

I didn't sleep very well last night and I was up at 5.30. I think this had a major effect on what happened later.

Stratford didn't go well last weekend and I hadn't had any time to run this week apart from yesterday, but I thought a bit of recovery might help. It didn't appear to change anything.

I was pacing angpp474 on her first marathon at Druridge Bay. It was a complicated course, three big laps and one smaller lap. The big lap include two miles on the beach. I normally like running on sand, but I found it tough today, the wind was in our faces, the hard sand was often on a camber. There was also softer sand at the bottom end and then you had to get across a section of very soft sand to get off the beach. We did 2hr 15min for the first half, but we slowed soon after that, which was fine with me, I was starting to tire. Then at 22m I mentally lost focus and I just wanted to walk/run the rest. I sent angpp474 on (she was very reluctant to go, but did in the end) and I took it easy for the last four miles. angpp474 did great on her first marathon and finished in 4hr42 with me coming in 4min later.

Bomb had a good run coming in under 4hr and it was good to have Banjobox's support as he marshalled. It was also good to see ToonStroller again as we passed each other many times 

I do like these North East Marathon Club events, low key and friendly 

Hopefully I will be able to pull things round for Windermere on Sunday

Royal Shakespeare marathon 2011

I drove down from the Lake after Hawkshead and I was surprised how tired I was. Sleep on Saturday night would be no problem then.

No such luck, it was a very warm night even though it was throwing it down with rain. My hotel room was like an oven even though there was no heating on. A very poor night's sleep.

I drove the last twenty minutes to Stratford and found somewhere to park easily. Found the finish and then made my way to the start. It was good to see some familar Fetchies and to meet some new ones. I was way back from the front, but it all seemed a bit odd. There was a man with flag down the road who would apparently wave it if there was a false start. I wonder how many times that has happened ?

Anyway there wasn't one this year and off we went. I met more new Fetchies as I ran. The plan was just to see how it went and I seemed to settle quickly into ten minute mile pace. That made the Maths easy and it all seemed fine. I was aware that from an overcast start, it was getting sunny and I didn't have any sun cream on. I was taking water from very drinks station of which there were quite a few. Hundreds of marshals as well, it was very well organised. 

Good support from the locals as well, orange segments and jelly babies on offer from some houses. I also liked Stratford-on-Avon itself, it was very pretty.

It was a two lap course and about two thirds of the runners were doing the half marathon and just one lap and just before the split I came across Trumpton Riots who I hadn't seen for ages, it was good to see him again. He went off to the finish and I went off on the second lap which was much quieter. 10 min/miles continued fine until mile 18 when we came to the long hill. My energy levels had gone, so this was walked. It was probably a combination of Hawkshead yesterday, lack of sleep and the increasing heat and humidity. I was now getting two cups of water, one to drink and the other to throw over myself.

The last six miles along the Greenway were covered with a walk/run strategy, but I was happy to make it back in 4h36.

Then off the pub to chat with Fetchies and clubmates from the NE marathon club 

The long drive home was taken slowly with frequent stops as the tiredness started hitting me