And now, some photos are published.
The marathon-photos site has them (watermarked of course), you need to choose Bath Half Marathon (duh..) then enter my number - 11903.
There's 7, some of which are hideous. But hey, it's a race, not a fashion show.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Sponsorship update
As of now - March 20th - i've raised £250 for the British Heart Foundation.
The sponsorship site - http://www.justgiving.com/nashley - is open til the end of May 2008.
The sponsorship site - http://www.justgiving.com/nashley - is open til the end of May 2008.
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
The End.
Well, I haven't updated this for a long while.
Since the last update, I had a few days off. Then carried on, getting up to 10 miles' long run. After a rather hungover weekend, where I postponed my 11 miler, I ended up doing three 6 milers during the evenings. So it was patchy training for a bit.
The week before, I felt I had to make a conscious effort to get in a really long run; so the Saturday before the race, I did 12 miles, and came in 1:55. I was quite happy with that time, and gave me a kind of 2:10 figure for the real thing.
Had the rest of that week off, and didn't go out at all. Stayed off the booze, ate the right things, kept it calm. Had a small trot up the village and back on the Friday.
Race day - Sun 16th March 2008 - came along. I was a bit apprehensive, mostly since i'd not been in a formal race, but also since i'd not run a full 13 as yet. I was comfortable that my 12 did me good - psychologically if anything, I knew I could do it. It was raining all morning, and I got a lift into town with a friend who was also running. A lot of people seemed to be pulling out...
So, we put in our bags and waded across the Bath Rec through 2 inches of mud. It was cold, miserable and nobody looked too happy about it. About 40 minutes before the race was due to start, they announced it was postponed, for an hour. Something about the park-and-ride, and something about needing to borrow a new first aid tent. Saw my old fried Jon, and his friends (all much more serious runners - 1:45 territory) but chatting to them gave me a confidence boost.
Everyone huddled in the tents around the field, like penguins trying to keep warm. There was talk of a cancel. The sun just came out, the rain stopped, and at 11.30, everyone started moving towards the start line. It was a bit more chaotic than I expected it. I was heading for a '2:10 pen' but there were so many people milling about that runners were just queued up where they could. I snuck in around the 2:15 marker, and felt quite calm about it, but nervous about getting started and running around a large group.
The gun went, and nothing really happened; perhaps a small cheer. The PA system was rattling out the usual local DJ type stuff. After about 5 minutes, we started walking, then jogging, and we were off.
It was quite hard, since people were running all over the place, people were ducking and diving around the course through Widcombe, over the bridge, then up to Queen's Square. I settled into a pace, and saw my family, again; a welcome confidence boost. I had to keep reminding myself to keep a slow even pace, and not exhaust myself too soon.
Coming to the far end of the course - Twerton Fork? - and the leaders were coming, we all kept over. They eventually passed me closer to town, near Twerton itself; storming past...
The first lap ended, around the 6 mile mark. I'd had a drink, had settled in and the field had spread out nicely. Coming round the square, I saw my family again, and set off on the final lap feeling nicely energetic. I think I consciously increased the pace, nice longer, even strides, a rythmic breathing. The last long straight back to the end was ok, people were straggling, walking and stopping, but I managed to keep running. I hadn't stopped at all, which was a first.
Coming back through Widcome, through the crowds in town, I tried to keep up the pace, go a little faster. The race had spread even further. Queen's Square again, and I heard my family cheering and shouting, so I kept going. I'd settled nicely by now, the road up to the hospital was quite clear, along the upper Bristol Road went fast, and slowed by the Twerton Fork. I was thirsty again by now, and wanted to really up the pace for the last stretch back.
That last leg went really slowly, my legs were getting tired. I'd had none of the aches & pains in my knees or ankles, I was in a good shape, albeit getting tired. I had to keep reminding myself it was only a straight run back to the finish. People were really struggling now, so it was nice to cruise past people. I was glad i'm kept some reserves from the first lap.
The crowds picked up again near Churchill Bridge, through Widcombe, and back towards Pulteney. The start line seemed further back than I remembered, and I heard my children shouting from across the road near the start line.
I crossed the line on 2:07 or thereabouts. The huge queue and crowds after the line slowed things up, got my goodie bag, collected my rucksack. I was really pleased with myself, firstly, since i'd beaten my 2:10 target. And secondly, since after a while, I remembered about the chip time - in theory, I could claw back those 7 minutes and get a sub 2 hour time.
Finally worked my way across to meet up with everyone, about 45 minutes later. The last stragglers were finishing around the 3 hour mark, and we went home.
About 7 that night, the results were published. Not quite 7 minutes, but a respectable time of 2:01:49. Very happy with that.
Time to hang up my trainers...
I've already had Bristol and Chippenham half marathons mentioned, but i'm resting for now. :-)
Since the last update, I had a few days off. Then carried on, getting up to 10 miles' long run. After a rather hungover weekend, where I postponed my 11 miler, I ended up doing three 6 milers during the evenings. So it was patchy training for a bit.
The week before, I felt I had to make a conscious effort to get in a really long run; so the Saturday before the race, I did 12 miles, and came in 1:55. I was quite happy with that time, and gave me a kind of 2:10 figure for the real thing.
Had the rest of that week off, and didn't go out at all. Stayed off the booze, ate the right things, kept it calm. Had a small trot up the village and back on the Friday.
Race day - Sun 16th March 2008 - came along. I was a bit apprehensive, mostly since i'd not been in a formal race, but also since i'd not run a full 13 as yet. I was comfortable that my 12 did me good - psychologically if anything, I knew I could do it. It was raining all morning, and I got a lift into town with a friend who was also running. A lot of people seemed to be pulling out...
So, we put in our bags and waded across the Bath Rec through 2 inches of mud. It was cold, miserable and nobody looked too happy about it. About 40 minutes before the race was due to start, they announced it was postponed, for an hour. Something about the park-and-ride, and something about needing to borrow a new first aid tent. Saw my old fried Jon, and his friends (all much more serious runners - 1:45 territory) but chatting to them gave me a confidence boost.
Everyone huddled in the tents around the field, like penguins trying to keep warm. There was talk of a cancel. The sun just came out, the rain stopped, and at 11.30, everyone started moving towards the start line. It was a bit more chaotic than I expected it. I was heading for a '2:10 pen' but there were so many people milling about that runners were just queued up where they could. I snuck in around the 2:15 marker, and felt quite calm about it, but nervous about getting started and running around a large group.
The gun went, and nothing really happened; perhaps a small cheer. The PA system was rattling out the usual local DJ type stuff. After about 5 minutes, we started walking, then jogging, and we were off.
It was quite hard, since people were running all over the place, people were ducking and diving around the course through Widcombe, over the bridge, then up to Queen's Square. I settled into a pace, and saw my family, again; a welcome confidence boost. I had to keep reminding myself to keep a slow even pace, and not exhaust myself too soon.
Coming to the far end of the course - Twerton Fork? - and the leaders were coming, we all kept over. They eventually passed me closer to town, near Twerton itself; storming past...
The first lap ended, around the 6 mile mark. I'd had a drink, had settled in and the field had spread out nicely. Coming round the square, I saw my family again, and set off on the final lap feeling nicely energetic. I think I consciously increased the pace, nice longer, even strides, a rythmic breathing. The last long straight back to the end was ok, people were straggling, walking and stopping, but I managed to keep running. I hadn't stopped at all, which was a first.
Coming back through Widcome, through the crowds in town, I tried to keep up the pace, go a little faster. The race had spread even further. Queen's Square again, and I heard my family cheering and shouting, so I kept going. I'd settled nicely by now, the road up to the hospital was quite clear, along the upper Bristol Road went fast, and slowed by the Twerton Fork. I was thirsty again by now, and wanted to really up the pace for the last stretch back.
That last leg went really slowly, my legs were getting tired. I'd had none of the aches & pains in my knees or ankles, I was in a good shape, albeit getting tired. I had to keep reminding myself it was only a straight run back to the finish. People were really struggling now, so it was nice to cruise past people. I was glad i'm kept some reserves from the first lap.
The crowds picked up again near Churchill Bridge, through Widcombe, and back towards Pulteney. The start line seemed further back than I remembered, and I heard my children shouting from across the road near the start line.
I crossed the line on 2:07 or thereabouts. The huge queue and crowds after the line slowed things up, got my goodie bag, collected my rucksack. I was really pleased with myself, firstly, since i'd beaten my 2:10 target. And secondly, since after a while, I remembered about the chip time - in theory, I could claw back those 7 minutes and get a sub 2 hour time.
Finally worked my way across to meet up with everyone, about 45 minutes later. The last stragglers were finishing around the 3 hour mark, and we went home.
About 7 that night, the results were published. Not quite 7 minutes, but a respectable time of 2:01:49. Very happy with that.
Time to hang up my trainers...
I've already had Bristol and Chippenham half marathons mentioned, but i'm resting for now. :-)
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Run #19 Weds 13/2
Decided to go for a better run tonight, was feeling more energetic.
Did a good 4.5 miles, at a slowish pace and managed a respectable time too.
That's the other thing as well, i'm not so anxious about watching the clock for times as I was when I started (see early posts with convoluted calculations). I'm now more concerned with the distance, which, in hindsight, should always have been my main worry.
I think 13 odd miles is doable, maybe not easily, but I don't doubt i'll finish. Occasionally, I think 'could I do under 2 hours?' then think more realistic thoughts about 2.30...
Did a good 4.5 miles, at a slowish pace and managed a respectable time too.
That's the other thing as well, i'm not so anxious about watching the clock for times as I was when I started (see early posts with convoluted calculations). I'm now more concerned with the distance, which, in hindsight, should always have been my main worry.
I think 13 odd miles is doable, maybe not easily, but I don't doubt i'll finish. Occasionally, I think 'could I do under 2 hours?' then think more realistic thoughts about 2.30...
Run #18 Tues 12/2 3.5
Had a rest on Monday, that long run on Saturday (and the smaller one on Sunday) tired out my legs...
So, had a quick run round the block, 3.5 miles. Very quick it was too. One thing I noticed was that I only tend to know how long a run took when I get back home - I don't have a watch.
Perhaps I should buy one.
Without, I tend to have a feel for how fast things are going, which is often wrong. So if i'm feeling like it's going slowly, i'll speed up a wee bit, and it'll end up faster than if I knew I was going at a reasonable pace in the first place...
So, had a quick run round the block, 3.5 miles. Very quick it was too. One thing I noticed was that I only tend to know how long a run took when I get back home - I don't have a watch.
Perhaps I should buy one.
Without, I tend to have a feel for how fast things are going, which is often wrong. So if i'm feeling like it's going slowly, i'll speed up a wee bit, and it'll end up faster than if I knew I was going at a reasonable pace in the first place...
Monday, February 11, 2008
Run #17 Sun 10/2
After previous days effort, wanted an easy one. A quick 3 miler round the lanes near me. It was early evening; it was getting cold, and i'd been out all day with the kids.
So found it quite hard, and my legs were still grumbling about yesterday, even though they'd been find until then.
So found it quite hard, and my legs were still grumbling about yesterday, even though they'd been find until then.
Run #16 Saturday 9/2 - long run
Had a tinker with google maps, and found that from my house to Bradford On Avon - along the canal - was about 9.5 miles. So I did that.
A bit of cross country to join the canal, and then (obviously) flat straight through. Was a nice day too - set off about 11.30 - and it was getting warm. Did it in 1.5 hours, and didn't feel too bad at all, took it at a quite restful sort of pace (ie not out of breath, too much...)
A bit of cross country to join the canal, and then (obviously) flat straight through. Was a nice day too - set off about 11.30 - and it was getting warm. Did it in 1.5 hours, and didn't feel too bad at all, took it at a quite restful sort of pace (ie not out of breath, too much...)
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