On Sunday, I accidentally ran a half marathon, a very hilly and very tough half marathon, in Uttoxeter.
After the wonderful but exhausting experience of the Greater Manchester Marathon, I should really have been resting - my right foot has some nasty blisters (and now blisters on blisters) and my left calf is a bit tight. I'd set myself up for a rest for a couple of weeks and was aiming for the Clayton 10k as my next real effort - at least that was what I wrote on my blog post last Monday.
On Tuesday, I went out for a "recovery" run with Bobbie and Liz at Potters Trotters - I didn't feel too bad as we chatted are way around a very easy 5 miles. Someone asked about the Uttoxeter Half Marathon - not a good idea I thought to myself, even though it was the next NSRRA event and 50 points were up for grabs in Group W (I'd managed to be first home in Group W in my first two events at Alsager and the Newcastle 10k). By Thursday, my energy levels were increasing again. Liz was running and so I had a lift to Uttoxeter if needed. I decided to make a decision after parkrun on Saturday - I managed a fast-ish last mile and didn't suffer too much afterwards. By the time I left the café, the odds had shifted from 50/50 through 60/40 to 70/30 in favour of running. I thought through a possible strategy and worked out a sensible running pace - I knew I couldn't aim for a PB but I thought a sub 2 hour run might be a possibility. The only unknowns were the weather (sunshine was forecast) and the course - I knew it was going to be hilly... but just how hilly?
And so I made the decision to run - motivated by wanting to test myself as well as chasing points for the NSRRA. Just seven days after my marathon, I lined up at the start of the Uttoxeter Half Marathon, alongside just less than 400 other runners including 8 ladies from Potters Trotters and familiar faces from parkrun. Ready? Well, let's see.
Cheered on my Mr T and Meg, the race got underway at 10.30am just outside Uttoxeter Racecourse. The hills start almost immediately and the first mile was tough... I ran for a little while at the start with Bobbie before catching up with Andy from parkrun and we ran the first 4 miles in about 36 minutes - thanks Andy for the pace-making! It was great to be cheered on by Justine and Harry as we climbed those early hills - great support as always. Miles 4 to 6 included some welcome relief with some downhill sections and I reached half way in about just under 59 minutes.
The run couldn't have been more different from my marathon experience - country lanes and the occasional spectator compared with the deafening crowds along the roads of Greater Manchester. For some parts of the run, it was actually quite lonely. I tried to draw some inspiration from the scenery but for a lot of the run it was just head down, one foot in front of the other. I did manage some enthusiasm to smile and wave at Bryan Dale (race photographer) when he popped up at about mile 5.
Just after halfway came a really steep uphill section lasting about one third of a mile. It was a real challenge for me to keep running but I did and managed to overtake a few other runners at this point. There was a brief plateau before another climb to the highest point of the course at about 8 miles. Then more downhill - I think the road sign gave this road a gradient of 12%.
I kept pushing and miles 10 to 12 were another hard slog - not quite so steep a climb but it felt relentless. I could feel myself tiring. But the end was in sight - a mile from the finish and all downhill from here (according to the marshal at this point anyway). I did manage to pick up the pace over the last section and my last kilometre was actually the fastest of the run. Mr T was there cheering me on with just a few hundred metres to go. Then there was a small loop around the racecourse and a flat run to the finish. I was clock-watching at this point - I knew that I had made up enough time on the downhill last mile to achieve my sub-2hr objective - my official finish time was given as 1:57:37 in 225th place (14th in my age category).
As I came to the finish line, I received another big cheer from Justine and Harry and was presented with a mug by Sue and Ken Rushton - I was actually first of the group W runners to finish the race and this was my award! Mr T appeared again and brought me an extremely large cup of hot sweet tea and my recovery was underway. I felt more tired than last Sunday but was really pleased with my run - those hills were tough and I conquered them. I felt like I'd managed my pace well too... not too fast at the start, strong enough to "sprint" for the finish; another negative split.
We stayed at the finish area to cheer home the rest of the Potters Trotters and chat with other running friends too - some had good runs, others more disappointing, but everyone got home.
Then it was off to Cheadle, via a lovely lunch in Checkley with Liz and Mr T, for an afternoon of cricket watching. I think the next week really will involve a rest...
Happy Running!
LizT
After the wonderful but exhausting experience of the Greater Manchester Marathon, I should really have been resting - my right foot has some nasty blisters (and now blisters on blisters) and my left calf is a bit tight. I'd set myself up for a rest for a couple of weeks and was aiming for the Clayton 10k as my next real effort - at least that was what I wrote on my blog post last Monday.
On Tuesday, I went out for a "recovery" run with Bobbie and Liz at Potters Trotters - I didn't feel too bad as we chatted are way around a very easy 5 miles. Someone asked about the Uttoxeter Half Marathon - not a good idea I thought to myself, even though it was the next NSRRA event and 50 points were up for grabs in Group W (I'd managed to be first home in Group W in my first two events at Alsager and the Newcastle 10k). By Thursday, my energy levels were increasing again. Liz was running and so I had a lift to Uttoxeter if needed. I decided to make a decision after parkrun on Saturday - I managed a fast-ish last mile and didn't suffer too much afterwards. By the time I left the café, the odds had shifted from 50/50 through 60/40 to 70/30 in favour of running. I thought through a possible strategy and worked out a sensible running pace - I knew I couldn't aim for a PB but I thought a sub 2 hour run might be a possibility. The only unknowns were the weather (sunshine was forecast) and the course - I knew it was going to be hilly... but just how hilly?
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| Pacemaker Andy |
Cheered on my Mr T and Meg, the race got underway at 10.30am just outside Uttoxeter Racecourse. The hills start almost immediately and the first mile was tough... I ran for a little while at the start with Bobbie before catching up with Andy from parkrun and we ran the first 4 miles in about 36 minutes - thanks Andy for the pace-making! It was great to be cheered on by Justine and Harry as we climbed those early hills - great support as always. Miles 4 to 6 included some welcome relief with some downhill sections and I reached half way in about just under 59 minutes.
 |
| Waving for the Camera |
Just after halfway came a really steep uphill section lasting about one third of a mile. It was a real challenge for me to keep running but I did and managed to overtake a few other runners at this point. There was a brief plateau before another climb to the highest point of the course at about 8 miles. Then more downhill - I think the road sign gave this road a gradient of 12%.
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| Elevation Chart - Ups and Downs of the Uttoxeter Half |
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| Down the Hill to the Finish |
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| "Group Winner" Mug |
As I came to the finish line, I received another big cheer from Justine and Harry and was presented with a mug by Sue and Ken Rushton - I was actually first of the group W runners to finish the race and this was my award! Mr T appeared again and brought me an extremely large cup of hot sweet tea and my recovery was underway. I felt more tired than last Sunday but was really pleased with my run - those hills were tough and I conquered them. I felt like I'd managed my pace well too... not too fast at the start, strong enough to "sprint" for the finish; another negative split.
We stayed at the finish area to cheer home the rest of the Potters Trotters and chat with other running friends too - some had good runs, others more disappointing, but everyone got home.
Then it was off to Cheadle, via a lovely lunch in Checkley with Liz and Mr T, for an afternoon of cricket watching. I think the next week really will involve a rest...
Happy Running!
LizT
Well done, you!
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