Yeah, I know. I said I’d never do it and wasn’t interested. I didn’t want to spend months as a slave to a training schedule and I would much rather yomp for 10 hours over the hills than spend 4 hours pounding the streets. Nevertheless, yesterday I finally did my first actual marathon at the Bauble Bimble in Peterborough.
3 reasons:
1 – As it was a bit of a last minute decision, I only had 3 weeks of training (albeit off the back of a pretty busy race schedule in recent months).
2 – It didn’t quite take 4 hours anyway.
3 – Most importantly, this was for the set.
So yes, this year I have recorded Personal Best times for all the standard road race distances, as follows:
5K Warwick parkrun
5 miles RAM 5, Derby
10K Down in a Shot, Cromford, Derbyshire
10 miles Derby 10, Derby
Half marathon Tissington Trail, Ashbourne, Derbyshire
Marathon Bauble Bimble, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire
I also got PBs at non-standard distances:
6 miles Stratford Summer Six, Stratford-upon-Avon
50 miles (trail) Shropshire Way
61 miles (fell) The Fellsman, North Yorkshire
Conclusions:
1 – There are a lot of fast courses in Derbyshire,
2 – Better shoes do make a difference. This year I have been mostly wearing Hoka Rocket X2 on the road and Salomon Speedcross 6 GTX on the hills.
3 – At the age of 54, I’ve still got it. In a year I became the slowest ever person to win the Massey Ferguson RC Male Runner of the Year (serious imposter syndrome going on here), I’m well chuffed I’ve been able to keep improving.
Anyway, the run itself – 5.3km laps of a scenic country park, do as many as you want in the time (4 or 6 hours), mainly on dry tarmac path but with one woodland section being covered in leaves and a bit of mud but still fine to run on.
Most runners were in festive gear, including one or two in full Santa suits – given it was very warm for the time of year, I’m amazed they managed it.
Lots of encouragement from fellow runners, many of whom I passed several times and we started to get to know each other, plus organisers and passers by in the park. A well stocked aid station at the start/finish and being a public park, a proper toilet block. Loads of tea, coffee and cake and a massage at the finish. So quite a lot to recommend it.
– Steve Glaze
