Surrey Spitfire 20

Boy, was that hard work. Our aim was to run a marathon pace of 8:30 minute miles (we are going for 3:45 in Brighton) to see if we could hack it. It was a rainy, dank morning and I really didn't feel like running and neither did my brother. But run we did and the weather was kind as by mile 4 its had stop raining and was a very nice temperature. We started way too fast running sub 8 for the first 2 but we settle down and we hit just below the 8:30 pace every mile on the first 10 mile lap.

We had over 4 minutes 'in the bank' as we started lap 2 but it was starting to hurt. My stomach was horrible due to the gels and maybe the clams I had last night. I felt I was hanging on and it wasn't surprising give I hit the half marathon point at about 1:46; my PB until the Brighton Half.

I dug in, knowing I just had to keep going to beat my previous PB of 1:53:26. My brother has bursts of speed but I could see he was working hard. The last mile was agony but I was under the 2:50 mark. My brother decided to sprint the last 500 meters but I let him go.

I was delighted with my PB and it gives me a real chance of a 3:45 in Brighton.

Time: 2:47:05
Position: 235 out of 661
First: 1:50:39
Last: 4:16:53
Nutrition: Water at every opportunity. High5 gel (x1), Clif Blocks (x1), SiS Gel (x1).

100 races and still I make school boy errors

Today was my 100th race.  After starting running in 2002, I have now completed 100 running races in one form or another.  For a 5K race to a 28 mile cross country, I've loved pretty much all of them.  I do really really love running.

This was apparent today.  As I set off on the Spitfire 20 from Dunsfold Airfield (where they film Top Gear), we ran down the runway before turning back on ourselves.  I was very far forward for some reason and as we turned, I looked back at the big crowd of runners in the cool, crisp, clear morning and it was about perfect.

The race stayed pretty perfect for a while.  I was running at 8 minute miles with my heart rate firmly in zone 2 and loving it.  This lasted until mile 7 went we did a big loop and re-entered the airfield from the opposite end.  It was then  3 mile slog into heavy winds which wasn't pleasant.  It was then onto lap too and it started to feel like a struggle.  I still kept up sub 9 minute miles but not without considerable effort.  This shows in my heart rate that goes up and up as the race goes on.

At mile 16, my ipod switched from podcasts to music and it gave me a boost.  Linkin Park got me to mile 18 in good time but that left the 2 terrible, windy, exposed miles to go.  I latched onto another runner and she pulled me round to mile 19.  Then my elementary mistake rared its ugly heard.  I had forgotten to put vaseline on my feet and my little toe on my left foot had a big, nasty blister on it and it really hurt.  I hobbled the last mile and finished in 2:55.  A very pleasing time.

We got a great medal. Its very heavy and shiny. I thought the race was ok. The 7 mile section outside the aerodrome is lovely but the 3 mile inside is horrible. The wind is bad but the worse thing was being able to see everyone else on the route as it was so flat. That is mentally tough.  But having just watched Eddie Izzard and his marathons, day after day, on some terrible roads in terrible conditions, I shouldn't complain.

So, 100 races done.  Only 14 days before 101st race.  Here's to my 200th.