Almost there...
The penultimate race in the Series was the Cheddar half marathon. Renowned for it's flatness (surprisingly, given the location) and very popular because it's such a nice course.
We didn't run it last year because of my injury, but had run it for the few years before and in 2005 I got a PB there with 1.37.22, which stood until Burnham half a month or so ago.
I have had so many problems in latter parts of the longer races in the series that I decided to do something that I'd never done before, and had always considered to be wrong. I took some strong painkillers just before the race, because I wanted to finish just one decent race pain free, without worrying about what was going to happen in the last mile.
So, with that I had three targets in mind...
Target 1.. it would be nice to end the year with a PB
Target 2.. a course PB
Target 3.. sub 1.40
I was quite near the front but felt ok with that so when the race started I went with everyone around me. In the first mile though, I became boxed in to the side of the road and one particular female runner was making it very difficult for me..I was constantly changing my stride to miss clipping her heels, turned my ankle a couple of times as I was forced right into the side of the road, and everytime I tried to move forward through a gap it was immediately closed!
After a while I got very fed up with it, put my right arm out sideways and said "sorry, I'm getting out of here", forced my way out and into my own free space just ahead of the little pack.
From then on I just concentrated on my own race and pushed on. By 10 miles I knew I was just about on for a PB of 1.34 something, at 11 miles I confirmed it, at 12 I was fine one minute...but the next my leg went suddenly and I pulled up. I couldn't believe it...the same as ever, only more sudden. What happened to the painkillers?! I was so angry and frustrated that I kept running as much as I could and for as long as I could before the pain was too much. Then I'd walk a few steps and pick up the running again. I think my body realised I wasn't going to give it a break this time and I managed to run just about all of the last third of a mile, if a little slower. What made it worse though, was the female runner who had given me such a hard time in the first mile, came running past me during one of my enforced walks
I crossed the line in 1.37.44, no PB, missed the course PB by 22 seconds, but inside target 3. So I should be grateful for that time, which after all is a good time. But I'd worked so hard for 12 miles I felt I deserved more, which is why I was really disappointed.
Rich had a tough race too, and for the first time we both came away from Cheddar feeling as flat as the course.
The cakes were real good as always though... it's a shame that later on I was very sick and upchucked... probably due to the painkillers
