Onwards in 2011.... by Way_Too_Slow

• Reading Half

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  Mar2020113:41 p.m.

  To be honest I felt totally under-prepared for today's Half. I've only managed a couple of 10 milers and one 12 (with my running buddy Cyber Pixie), which didn't feel anywhere near enough. The last two times I've run Reading, it's been in the middle of marathon training, and has been a step-back week, only running 13 miles instead of 18 or 20 and the distance felt very easy. This year felt very different. I haven't run 13 miles since last years GNR, and had suffered a major mojo loss, so being realistic, I wasn't expecting too much from today.

  As it's fairly local I know how to get to the start without having to join the long queues off the M4, and so I was parked by 8.30 and at the start by about 8.45, early enough to beat the loo queues, and early enough to manage to meet Malcolms and have a good catch up with him. We chatted until I had to drop my bag at the baggage tent and then went our separate ways to our respective zones.

  There were pacers at the start in 5 minute intervals, and again being realistic, I knew 2 hours was probably a bit beyond me this year, so I lined up midway between the 2:05 and 2:10 pacers, the idea being to keep the 2:05 pacer in sight for as long as possible, and do everything I could not to be overtaken by the 2:10 one! Being realistic doesn't mean not having any goals at all!!

  Off the elites went, and the tannoy announced that they were through mile 1 before we had even started moving forward, but we started edging forward soon after that and after a few more minutes I was across the start line.

  Regardless of the pacer, I seemed to drop into a comfortable 9:30 pace, which I managed to keep fairly steady despite the crowds and other runners (and the people who started near the front but were walking within the first mile!!). The race itself was relatively uneventful and even though I lost sight of the pacer by about mile 4, my pace stayed really consistent, varying between 9:14 (downhill bit), and 9:45 (uphill bit) until about 11 miles, when the lack of long runs seemed to tell and my pace dropped a little. It picked up again by at 12.5 miles with the end in sight, and I tried to put on a sprint finish to cross the line in 2:07:05 according to Liz (my Garmin).

  I could be disappointed with that time as my last two Readings have been sub 2, but I decided for 9:30 pace, and finished with a 9:37 average, so I'm reasonably happy with that. It's about the best I could expect really.

  So with my next race scheduled as the London 10,000 at the end of May, I think I need to do some speed work so I don't show myself up totally. That will be fun!! :0)

  I hope you've all run safely today, specially all you VLM'ers, it's too close to have any injuries now. Have a good rest of the weekend. Take care folks.

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  Comments (6)

  • tinabee 'Well I think you did famously well. 2.07 is a very creditable time and with a little more training you will soon be able to knock a bit more off. Sounds like you ran a very sensible race.' added 20th Mar 2011

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  • malcolms 'Great run again and good to meet up with you again. We will have to hatch a plan for the GSR with our sons both entering...' added 20th Mar 2011

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  • judith 'A good time. Well done.' added 20th Mar 2011

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  • klebe 'Not bad at all for an underprepared half marathoner! There is definately something about the 11 mile point, I was always glad to see the back of it on the GNR. Well Done' added 21st Mar 2011

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  • Johanne 'I am just catching up as I haven't been posting for a while. Cyber Pixie??! Glad to hear you still at it :)' added 6th Apr 2011

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  • glen_b 'I ran about that when prepared at Gnr last year Mike, so you should be pleased! Glad to see another familiar face over on this section....' added 13th Apr 2011

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