We got to York for 7:30am and got a shuttle bus to the University as soon as we had parked up at the adjacent NCP. First thing I noticed after getting out of the car was the wind. Upon arriving at the race HQ used the toilets as there was no queue and dropped my bag off. Had to quickly return as I had forgotten my gels.
Zone 1 was almost empty when I got in there so did a couple of jogs down the hill to the roundabout which doubles up as the finishing straight. Then positioned myself just behind the fast looking guys wearing the Nike’s and sporting bony features (i.e. proper runners).
The race started at dead-on 9:30am and I got going straight away with hardly any weaving or start/stopping as we dropped down the hill. I was into my stride immediately and with minimal effort as the fast downhill section evened out the field very quickly. There were a few people accelerating from positions further back but on the whole this was a more than decent start.
I had changed to kilometres only a few weeks previously in training which meant some mental maths had been taking place in the build-up whilst I adjusted to the new unit and paces. The first couple of km ticked by quickly but since I was running to HR (based on the last 3 recent marathons) I knew that avg 158-162 was my range to keep things within.
The first 5km sailed by very quickly with splits ranging from 3:56-4:02 to average 19:57 and 158 HR. I felt I had started well and get into a decent rhythm. The next few km also passed uneventfully as I settled and found myself trying to figure out who was running what pace. Around this point I was joined by a Kendle AC runner who stuck around and a group of sorts began to form although quickly disintegrated. The next 5km continued smoothly with pace ranging 3:59-4:02 to average 19:59 and 159 HR.
The hill at 8.5 miles cost me 10 beats as my HR rose to 170 momentarily but settled quickly as we continued along the rural roads. I didn’t lose anytime on this hill as I caught in all back on the descent. I didn't notice the wind at all in the first half of the race but I bizarrely do recall a small congregation led by the vicar blessing us as we ran past a small church :)
10-15km in 20:04 160 HR with pace ranging 3:59-4:01 and still running strong. The field had spread out now and I remember commenting that we needed to get into a group for the next 15km so help us a little. It never happened as we all ‘maintained’ and when we did catch someone we moved passed fairly quickly as they were slowing or presumably managing pace.
15km-20km confirmed I was still going along nicely as that passed in 19:59 with 159 HR with pace ranging 3:59-4:01. I reached the halfway point in 85:15, which I thought was a touch fast but not by much. I was still confident the course would not get any tougher than the hill at 8.5 miles.
I think the course got a touch twisty between 20km-25km as we reached the out and back section along the A166 and the first turnaround point where crowd support was excellent. I’ve decided I don’t like turnround points as they mess with my rhythm. This 5km was completed in 20:16 and 160 HR as we worked hard into a now very obvious cross wind which at times became a headwind. At 25km my Kendle AC partner began to fall off, at first to take on a gel, but then a 0.5 km later for good. Psychologically this may have messed me up a little as the grind along that road seemed to take forever and became that little bit more tougher now solo as my legs began to ache and the thought of what was still ahead of me first entered my thoughts.
25km-30km included saying hello to CW at 28km (for me) and the second turn around which again had some great support. This split was a bad patch as the grind on that road took its toll and was completed in 20:19 and 160 HR. However, the signs that I had got through the bad patch were evident despite a couple of splits of 4:10 and 4:08. I was reassured since the other splits were 4:03, 4:00 and 3:58.
30km-35km includes the left turn off the A166 at 32km which was a much needed mental boost to now be heading back to the University and the finish line. My right quad was becoming sore at this point and I began to feel my legs hurting and becoming even heavier. This split came in at 20:46 but HR had dropped to 158 as I now began to maintain pace.
35-40km I remember trying to not look at my watch anymore which lasted about 2km. My form began to deteriorate a little as I began catching the walk/runners from the 10 mile race. As I slowed I focused on passing anyone in sight. My right quad twitched a few times but I controlled it and it didn’t spasm. One foot in front of the other but the desire to stop was huge. I completed this split in 21:50 but HR was dropping all the time and was 156 HR now as I struggled to maintain the effort or the pace.
The final 2 km were 4:35, 4:41 as I desperately wanted that last hill to appear back up to the finish. It duly did and I managed to get up and over it for the very welcome downhill section to the finish line in 2:54:45 for a 37 second PB. No wild celebration or fist pump as that was a tough last 10km.
Whilst initially disappointed I took great encouragement from feedback received and after reviewing the splits it wasn’t too bad actually despite the big positive split. It was more of a gradual decline rather than a big blow up. I think fueling was good with a gel every 8km. I think the legs began to lose strength first which was exacerbated later on by running out of stamina. What I am most proud of is the mental strength I showed in toughing out that last 10km. I never quit and although it got tough I have to be very, very happy with an improvement, no matter how small.
Zone 1 was almost empty when I got in there so did a couple of jogs down the hill to the roundabout which doubles up as the finishing straight. Then positioned myself just behind the fast looking guys wearing the Nike’s and sporting bony features (i.e. proper runners).
The race started at dead-on 9:30am and I got going straight away with hardly any weaving or start/stopping as we dropped down the hill. I was into my stride immediately and with minimal effort as the fast downhill section evened out the field very quickly. There were a few people accelerating from positions further back but on the whole this was a more than decent start.
I had changed to kilometres only a few weeks previously in training which meant some mental maths had been taking place in the build-up whilst I adjusted to the new unit and paces. The first couple of km ticked by quickly but since I was running to HR (based on the last 3 recent marathons) I knew that avg 158-162 was my range to keep things within.
The first 5km sailed by very quickly with splits ranging from 3:56-4:02 to average 19:57 and 158 HR. I felt I had started well and get into a decent rhythm. The next few km also passed uneventfully as I settled and found myself trying to figure out who was running what pace. Around this point I was joined by a Kendle AC runner who stuck around and a group of sorts began to form although quickly disintegrated. The next 5km continued smoothly with pace ranging 3:59-4:02 to average 19:59 and 159 HR.
The hill at 8.5 miles cost me 10 beats as my HR rose to 170 momentarily but settled quickly as we continued along the rural roads. I didn’t lose anytime on this hill as I caught in all back on the descent. I didn't notice the wind at all in the first half of the race but I bizarrely do recall a small congregation led by the vicar blessing us as we ran past a small church :)
10-15km in 20:04 160 HR with pace ranging 3:59-4:01 and still running strong. The field had spread out now and I remember commenting that we needed to get into a group for the next 15km so help us a little. It never happened as we all ‘maintained’ and when we did catch someone we moved passed fairly quickly as they were slowing or presumably managing pace.
15km-20km confirmed I was still going along nicely as that passed in 19:59 with 159 HR with pace ranging 3:59-4:01. I reached the halfway point in 85:15, which I thought was a touch fast but not by much. I was still confident the course would not get any tougher than the hill at 8.5 miles.
I think the course got a touch twisty between 20km-25km as we reached the out and back section along the A166 and the first turnaround point where crowd support was excellent. I’ve decided I don’t like turnround points as they mess with my rhythm. This 5km was completed in 20:16 and 160 HR as we worked hard into a now very obvious cross wind which at times became a headwind. At 25km my Kendle AC partner began to fall off, at first to take on a gel, but then a 0.5 km later for good. Psychologically this may have messed me up a little as the grind along that road seemed to take forever and became that little bit more tougher now solo as my legs began to ache and the thought of what was still ahead of me first entered my thoughts.
25km-30km included saying hello to CW at 28km (for me) and the second turn around which again had some great support. This split was a bad patch as the grind on that road took its toll and was completed in 20:19 and 160 HR. However, the signs that I had got through the bad patch were evident despite a couple of splits of 4:10 and 4:08. I was reassured since the other splits were 4:03, 4:00 and 3:58.
30km-35km includes the left turn off the A166 at 32km which was a much needed mental boost to now be heading back to the University and the finish line. My right quad was becoming sore at this point and I began to feel my legs hurting and becoming even heavier. This split came in at 20:46 but HR had dropped to 158 as I now began to maintain pace.
35-40km I remember trying to not look at my watch anymore which lasted about 2km. My form began to deteriorate a little as I began catching the walk/runners from the 10 mile race. As I slowed I focused on passing anyone in sight. My right quad twitched a few times but I controlled it and it didn’t spasm. One foot in front of the other but the desire to stop was huge. I completed this split in 21:50 but HR was dropping all the time and was 156 HR now as I struggled to maintain the effort or the pace.
The final 2 km were 4:35, 4:41 as I desperately wanted that last hill to appear back up to the finish. It duly did and I managed to get up and over it for the very welcome downhill section to the finish line in 2:54:45 for a 37 second PB. No wild celebration or fist pump as that was a tough last 10km.
Whilst initially disappointed I took great encouragement from feedback received and after reviewing the splits it wasn’t too bad actually despite the big positive split. It was more of a gradual decline rather than a big blow up. I think fueling was good with a gel every 8km. I think the legs began to lose strength first which was exacerbated later on by running out of stamina. What I am most proud of is the mental strength I showed in toughing out that last 10km. I never quit and although it got tough I have to be very, very happy with an improvement, no matter how small.