FOURTH YEAR RUNNING by antcoleman

• E.D.F. BIRMINGHAM HALF MARATHON

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  Oct2520103:49 p.m.

  Not blogged since June but pleased to report I have kept up my running and since mid August have been busy training for the E.D.F. Birmingham Half Marathon.

  Although I’ve only been running three times a week the midweek runs have been quality sessions incorporating plenty of interval work and I’ve managed up to fifteen miles on my weekend long runs. Happy I’ve managed to stay injury free too, so I went into Sunday’s race (my tenth of the year) feeling as good as I’ve felt for a while.

   

  At 9:00 am It was an early start and at only three degrees a cold one too! However in my book with just a light breeze and plenty of Autumn sunshine this made for pretty good running conditions. The race started on time but I found it very congested getting over the start line and with dozens of inexperienced runners zig zagging and running diagonally through the field it was several miles before I could get in to my stride. The pre race plan had been to run at an even pace as possible throughout, but try to keep inside 8:30 pace which would beat last years time of 01:52:31.  In spite of the dodgy start I hit the three mile mark in 00:24:45 and had some supporters waiting for me at mile five which gave me a boost and kept me firmly on track. As the miles unfolded I became aware of how good I was feeling and was tempted to up the pace a little, however mindful of how badly I’d faded in the last few miles at the Malvern half earlier this year, I resisted the urge to commit hari kari and stayed with plan, (also having checked out the profile beforehand I knew it would be vital to keep something in the tank for miles eleven to twelve as this section was uphill and would prove to be the most challenging part of the course) Although I slowed a little on this the penultimate mile, I knew if I could sustain my earlier pace I would stand a half decent chance of beating last years time so with this in mind I dug in and pressed for home.

   

  Luckily the course allowed for a fast last mile which made me determined that what I’d lost earlier would be made up for here! As I came through the Five Ways underpass and on to Broad Street I heard shouts from a couple of people in the crowd I knew, which spurred me on! I started my sprint for the line far too early but with such a  huge crowd and great atmosphere along the the finish I managed to keep my foot on the gas right to the end for a time of 01:50:53 a new P.B. beating last years time by one minute thirty eight seconds so all in all a good day at the running office

   

  Suicide Six next month which should be fun!

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  Comments (4)

  • Keith_L 'June! June! People have been struck off here for not blogging in taht long Well done on the PB mate' added 25th Oct 2010

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  • Nick 'Welcome back, Ant! Congrats on the new PB!' added 25th Oct 2010

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  • JSIMMONDS 'Wondered where you had got to Ant and I had almost consigned you to the ever expanding group of FLM2009ers who have vanished from Real Buzz. Welcome back my friend! Huge congratulations on the PB mate - a great day's work. And glad to see you are still hard at it. Oh, and by the way - I am impressed with your discipline - "resisted the urge" and "staying with plan" are not in my vocabulary I am afraid!' added 26th Oct 2010

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  • moose10 'welcome back ant great to hear you're still running and many congratulations on the pb always good to hear' added 27th Oct 2010

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