Tuesday 13 December 2011

Turkey Trot

The race that very nearly never was!!

This is the one race in my local area which for some reason seamed to completely elude me.

First Attempt:- missed out due to race being full

Second attempt :- got a place but got injured at the Worksop half (knee)

Third attempt :- got a place but got injured at the Clowne half  (same Knee)

Fourth attempt: Race filled in 2 days, so I thought I had missed again, however a friend who did get in but couldn’t participate and generously gave me his number.
 
The training had gone well this time far better than any other half this year and I was determined to bust 1:45, a few years ago that time would be disappointing but this time I knew it was going to be challenge. Typically the night before i  lost my number and all the race information, which obviously I couldn’t pick a replacement up the next day as technically I wasn’t running, however eventually we found so I put it down as a little test to see if I really wanted it.

Race day

Wake up with the usual nerves don’t know why this happens have done enough by now, where I shouldn’t worry, and it’s not like I am going to contend, just a standard mid pack runner with nothing to prove out to enjoying the day. Still nervous all the same.

I can’t tell you much about splits and what the scenery is like a certain points, to be honest there are long spells when I just follow the back of the person in front and kind of zone out.

In general the course was a quite nice undulating course, the weather turned out perfect nice and cool with no rain, wind was a bit blustery at times but nothing to really make any difference.

From the start in Keyworth it weaves around the country lanes of Nottinghamshire and goes through a couple of very pretty villages,(I remember these because that’s where the water was lol) and back again.

There were three very distinct hills one near the beginning one about 2/3rds in and the evil Satan spawn at the end, what kind of sadist sticks a bloody 1/2 mile long hill at the end, should have guessed it wasn’t going to be nice by the 12mile marker sign, just wish I got a picture of that.

The only criticism I had was the marshalling of the traffic, easily the worst I have ever run in, and in the latter stages could see an accident waiting to happen, especially for some of the slower runners were then pack had thinned out.

In the end I came in, (well Kevin did) in 1:44:50 which I was really pleased with especially as at one point I know I was a 1 minuet down, I know this doesn’t sound a lot but is hard work to make the time back.

And to top it off at the end I got to meet fellow Dailymiler James O who broke his PB, it was really nice to put a face to a name.



So officially I still haven’t run this race but I did cross the line 332nd.

All in all a good mornings work.