Stratford Half Nov 17th 2012

Getting my half time down had stuck in my mind as vital for spring marathon target. Flu bug the day before the half I'd aimed at all year was so frustrating, with running & half season virtually over till 2013 and no decent races nearby. Or was there? Found a half in Stratford for £20 described as fast and flat, just over 2 hours drive & chip timed. Even found a travelodge down the road for £26. Perfect!

Course is a 5k around a speedway track & old airstrip, so 4 of those laps plus an extra out/ back to make up the 21.1k distance. Flat as a pancake? Probably flatter! Sounded do-able, but looking at speed required, sub 6:50 mile / 4:15 km pace all around, meaning four 5kms under 21m25s. Yikes! Have made lots of progress this year, but only got 5k time under 21 min in June. HTFU! Pace band printed for 1:29. Grit teeth.

Conditions perfect, 8 degrees, cool, bit damp. Lots of people but mostly 5 & 10k race, not the half. Course well organised, km AND mile markers, if windy would be exposed but okay. Water or electrolyte just after the 5k mark each lap. Clock visible at end of each lap. Spot on.

First 5k, got an idea of the course lap, roughly an oval but with 3 big spikes off it, just needed to concentrate in some bits with sharp dead turns, also odd rubber surface on last 0.5k of a lap, very squeaky - but fast, maybe for bike start? On garmin, manual km splits, all under 4m20s. First 5k lap, 21:25. promising.

2nd lap, course making more sense, could run a better line. On this lap caught up to fast female runner that had been 200m ahead, also after sub 1:30, ran with her for a minute or so, but kicked on, her pace was dropping a touch, gotta run my race. Shouted to Missus that I was on target, under 42:50 for 10k.

3rd lap, early on, tight in left calf so took a painkiller. Grabbed some electrolyte, paper cups, managed to drink some but also pour a lot over Garmin. Beep beep. Watch started going a bit mad, had to take it off to dry. Managed to wipe it - with buff and under control. Only a few to pace against ahead, and catching most of them. Keeping splits under 4:17. Lap under 21:25 again. Looked at pace band, ideal 1h04 for 15k. Legs starting to ache, with illness & league races, not many recent long runs (checked after, lots of speed work and fast runs but only 2 LSRs of 12 miles+ in 6 weeks). I was bang on time, this was going to hurt, but hey, you really want it? Pain can wait. Steely focus time.

Last lap. Max effort, aiming for nothing left in tank by end. That calf was really tight, could it go or cramp? Down the last section of lap, 1:25 ish showing on watch and clock by finish line. Round again, little out & back, 1.1km to go, teeth very gritted now, this was HURT-ing, full speed, turned corner, still half km left but finish line in sight - sprint legs! Through line, watch said 1:29:29 - Yes!. I was jumping for joy. Guy in front gave funny look, 10 secs outside his best, me 6 mins plus off my PB - understood & big high five. Sooo happy. Elation-wise as good as last marathon, maybe better?

Checking after, had paced it well, course obviously helped. Each 5k lap under target & faster than the previous one (21:25, 21:22, 21:18, 21:10 mat times), with a 4min last km. Negative split, and then some! Equalled my June 10mile PB and that was flat out & collapse after then. Oh Legs are very sore but couldn't care less. All ready for 2013 now.

Splits Km Time
1 4:14 /2 4:17 / 3 4:19/ 4 4:17/ 5 4:12/ 6 4:16/ 7 4:17/ 8 4:17/ 9 4:18/ 10 4:15/ 11 4:19
12 4:15/ 13 4:14/ 14 4:18/ 15 4:15/ 16 4:10/ 17 4:15/ 18 4:15/ 19 4:14/ 20 4:11/ 21.1 4:24.

Ripon Ultra Oct 6th 2012

Had been planned this as my first ultra for awhile but work got in way, only registered 10 days before. Two days later, pulled up at end of long run, knee felt like it was jammed in a cage. Really tight & sore but able to shuffle after stretching. Honestly thought I would have to pull out. Injury cleared, managed a steady 5m run Thu but a nagging feeling, would my leg hold out for 7-8 hours & 35 miles? I'm usually very optimistic but I wouldn't have put a bet on myself finishing :(

Was running with Jovi who had done the route twice so no major navigation to cope with, plus had the course on my Garmin as backup. Jovi had run this in 7:32 and 7:50 so knew there was nothing to be gained from a fast start, just a slow finish. Course is hilly from mile 15 onward so aim was to take it at a steady 9-10 min miles till then, walk the hills and run where possible.

Stayed overnight in Ripon, 5 mins from 9am start at Studley Roger village. What could go wrong? 8.10am Stuck post code in from last email, followed directions - to a racecourse? Wrong place. Panic, no mobile signal. Put the village in, different place about 10 mins away, then stuck in one way system went wrong way twice. Finally found it and arrived just as briefing starting. Grabbed my number, passed a bag to my pal Jovi's husband who was driving around following her, a change of kit if needed on top of my backpack. Panic. I was so nervous getting there late, I couldn't put my number on. Jovi's hubbie helped, he would pop up all over the course and very welcome sight every time.
Outside found Jovi and she introduced me to pal Mark, we would be running together steady pace as agreed. M had done Berlin the Sunday before so tired legs. Finally off, able to get running. All pleasant, people to say hello to off Facebook group, a few surged ahead. We took our time, stuck to plan. A few streets then straight into countryside. Very pleasant weather, warm, pretty muddy in parts so wet under foot made it harder work. Checkpoint one came up pretty quick, 7 miles, water with electrolyte if needed, jelly babies, cake, flapjacks, very civilised.

First 8 miles felt fresh, legs great but 9 miles right calf below knee tight. 10 miles really starting to feel sore. Through one section, I got stuck behind another runner so a little gap between me & pals, leg feeling really sore. For what felt like ages I was going to say to them, go ahead, I need to slow down and maybe even drop out. Was feeling a bit down. No giving up though, also thought of coach Shaggy, passed away recently :( :) Took 2 pain killers, gritted teeth for a few miles.

CP2 coming up so chance for a little rest. Scenery really lovely, along streams, woods but very muddy. We came to a nice section where trees had been felled. Path not clear, garmin suggested a bit further up. Ground looked fine...Splat, dropped into 2ft of thick mud over the tops of compression socks. Could only get one leg out before sucked back in, helped out by 2 people. Couldn't help but laugh, I looked like I was wrapped in brown muddy paper. Shoes stayed on thankfully. We moved on, past a Theakstons brewery, so unfair!
Made CP2 16 miles. Phew. Stretch calf & quad. Difficult considering legs caked in mud but feeling better. Electrolyte & gorgeous stodgy fruit cake helped. Slight pain there, but could run. M tells me he is a GP, and took a neurofen off me. Got my second wind, the miles seemed to fly by. 17,18 more than half way.

Hills started properly now, power walk up, crest to the top and run down. Run more like a shuffle 10-11 min mile pace. Is there such a thing as an ultra shuffle? Right leg still a bit tight, Asked M about neurofen doses, no more than 800mg in 8 hrs or can affect kidneys. I'd taken 3 or 4 x 400mg and had planned to take another. Oops. Keep drinking water, more at next CP.

CP3 was a bigger food stop, same as before plus pork pies, sausages. We'd had a few blok shots, but you get sick of the sweet stuff. Pork pies! way more fun than a marathon, the big hard section now coming up, miles 20-29 before final CP4. A few times we checked Garmin when unsure, a few jokes about "computer says no!" but it did help. Think we ran through our 3rd farm on the smelly side of shitty, proper slurry, greeny looking mud. Picking our way through this. Jovi couldn't see if solid ground so grabbed a brick and dropped it in, splashed all over her. Funny. Also had to run interference on various cows, dogs. Miles kept clicking by, now past marathon distance & still fine. Expected to explode or collapse but legs still moving.

CP4, 6.5 miles to go, though some slow drainy hills and boggy land to finish, ups felt tough now, really slowed you on tired legs. 2 miles to go, Jovi was on for a PB so shouted back & sprinted off. M & I happy just to finish. Turns out he was struggling same time as me, we'd kept each other going. 

 Lovely last mile through a deer park, turned the corner, agreed a joint finish, arms locked & raised through the line. Lovely way to end the run. 

7hrs 23 and done. Beers to follow. And a big pork pie on way home.
Really enjoyed the day, would definitely do another ultra, even longer, perhaps sometime soon.

Edinburgh Marathon May 27th 2012

Let's see how brave you are...


Had been training hard for this marathon since January - smashed my comfort zones on most runs and even gym work. Everything seemed right; body felt great and had made massive progress since then joining a running club & tough gym, my 5k & 10k pace maybe improved by 20 seconds. Even so, going from 3h48m(45s!) first marathon October 2011, to sub 3:30 6-7 months later felt like a big ask. Also a big difference between knowing you can do something and actually doing it.

However from December 31st, we were living under a cloud, our eldest cat with us for 17 years diagnosed with terminal cancer and given a few days to live. It was tough but we carried on, very stressful for us but such a brave cat.
Unexpected, but she fought on right till April. At start of peak mileage monthApril, she passed away over 2-3 days, really tore us up and I came close to calling quits on training. Lots of sad times. Just before she passed, having a serious case of CBA, was sat on train and honestly crying my eyes out. A favourite song randomly came on and lyrics seemed apt and stuck in my head for weeks, popping into my head even when in a half sleep.

Let's see how brave you are,

Let's see how fast you be running

Let's see how brave you are

- Yes Madelena .. (name changed from song orig)


After every run, I always came in, give her a hug & chat so fitted in. I carried on training, felt I needed to do this. Everything else excluded, even reading was mostly about athletes & running :)

Also decided to do the run for charity, Dravats Syndrome UK, not well known but great cause, severe childhood epilepsy, a work colleague's nephew Will has this but a brave little fighter. So this race was for the little ones.

Jump forward to day before Edinburgh. Staying in Glasgow, on the way up in car, upbeat, last hilly training race was on target for sub 3:30 time with 2:37. Mentally was very upbeat, but worried about the weather forecast. Drinking loads of water. For some reason, maybe after talk by sports psychologist last year about getting into Flow state (being in “the zone”) or due to the Runners World forums good luck "Don't be Shit" motto (sorry guys, I really hate this one), we jokingly played a little positive word association game... all sorts of things coming out. Focused, be brilliant, do us proud, fear nothing - dominate everything, 15-20 words/ phrases from friends and sources.. All got me in really focused mode, even the sun was now a positive since road tarmac would be faster! I really wanted that sub 3:30 time. Sip more water.


Glasgow very hot 23-24 degrees arriving, a little 3 mile jog in the Saturday afternoon heat to test chosen kit out. All fine but baking outside at 2pm. More water, probably drank 8 litres+ between Friday - Saturday, with zero salt tablets in some. Forecast for Edinburgh better, a bit cooler and decent breeze.

Taxi across to Edinburgh early Sunday, weather promising. Mist across city and cool but sun coming though. Listened to some music including my “mantra” lyrics above then relaxed. Garmin set to manual laps not auto mile marks so I ran the proper distance and a 3:29 pace band on wrist to double check if brain started to fail (likely!).. had to stick at just under 8 minute miles whole 26.2 miles. Bright Hi viz buff on to protect head & neck from the sun, pour water over and hopefully keep cool. (Susan if you're reading, genius tip! Drink at the bar for you), plus a full water bottle to keep well hydrated.

Start well organised. Race went off bang on 9.50am and through the start line quickly. Checked pace on Garmin, nicely into stride and took first mile carefully at just over 8mm. Past first mile marker...9m10s and that was downhill? Do not panic! Something weird going on. Tapped Garmin and showed 1.2 miles run so marker in the wrong place. No change in pace, next marker, 6:40... Okay, panic over perfectly on track. Mile 3 chatted to a guy, Paul seemed to going my pace and also aiming for sub 3:30 time, so agreed to team up. Nicely hitting 7:55-58 pace. I don't like gels so had my preferred clif blok shots, packs of 6 cubes equal to 2 gels, not gooey, less waste and easier on stomach. 2 cubes every 4 miles from no4 and carried on doing roughly 8mm miles for next 3-4 miles. Every water stop, top up bottle, pour another overhead. It was hot but really felt a comfortable temp to me, not breathing hard at all and sub 8mm easy. Hit 10k in 49:43 so perfect pacing. Looking at London marathon runners splits aiming for particular times really helped here.. People who went too fast first half going for their chosen time had got me holding pace back to aim for a fairly even pace, slight drop off maybe.

Lots of Edinburgh & Macmillan people supporting so good atmosphere. Parents had their garden hoses out, kids their water guns... Wave and you got a kindly spray, even a few kids chasing you and shooting 2-3 times if lucky. 9-10 miles hoped to see my Missus around Musselbrugh but no sign (train overcrowded & delayed it turned out). All miles on track but had dropped pace 5s or so a mile and getting closer on garmin virtual partner to going into 3:29 range. Paul said "when you want to go, just leave me". Left him at 11 miles but probably helped hold me back a touch and not fly off. NB If Paul ends up reading this, get in touch!

Halfway point, reached in 1:44:11, ideal for sub 3:30 with 50 seconds spare. Teased you to think the job was nearly done but only half way, still hundreds of things that could go wrong. Oh, one point here, hamstring slightly stiff, not an injury but just a dull pain from long term tight muscle, Physio has worked on it loads, elbows & all but it's partly neural. Maybe unconventional but took a neurofen painkiller, and never really registered again.

14-16 miles ran past ace Brazilian band, also first sign of elite runners going past on other side of road... 4-5 Kenyans including John Mutai flying past for a world class time. About this time, just had to concentrate to not lose pace. Brain started to play tricks and make you doubt yourself. Workshop last year talked about "central governor", getting body to accept a hard task really is do-able and postponing perceived pain. Wife studying psychology knew about the reverse, monkey mind giving you negative thoughts. It was really weird but I can remember thinking NO, negative thoughts are just not allowed, and being able to block nearly all out.


Easy as A,B,C, Be awesome, be brave, concentrate, .Steel eyed, Focus - on the task & person ahead. Detail is important so being totally honest..I actually laughed out loud at one point when some of these positive thoughts came back into brain as just:-

"...Steel" ??!...What? I'm Steel? WTF? Weird.

Okay.. Will go with this if you (brain) say so..., Steel doesn't not bend or break so thoughts then became..

 "Steel! Steel! I AM Steel !" 

    (it's the new "I'm Spartacus" for runners, and I've already copyrighted it, It's mine!).

Yes, it was funny, and made me smile. But no way was I going to fail on the task. My strength & conditioning coach (Mike may even read this...) called me "a man possessed" a few weeks before and I was beginning to feel a lot like that.

20 mile marker came up, getting a little hotter too, coming through forest, gravel track, and out the other side of forest, trees pushing out more heat. Split at 20 miles means you only have 6.2 miles/ 10k left to go - also very little you can do to get back on track if gone wrong. 20 miles, was in low/mid 2hr38mins so absolutely perfect. Relaxed a little, even thought of Maddie (made me sad). Dangerous still a long way to go. Focus, concentrate. Eyes on the prize.

Temperature now noticeable, others without water bottles struggling? And certainly a few with major injuries, one guy screaming every step sounded hideous, others needing to stretch with cramp – but no fade in pace from me. On other side, runners only at 12-13 miles guy in full Chipmunk outfit about 7 foot high.. Must've been so hot inside, everyone shouted his name & cheered him - some guts. Also saw the 101 year old runner Furja Singh doing his lap of relay marathon. Only downside I remember is running alongside a woman and both of us having to veer sharp when an ambulance guy walked across road with his back to the runners and didn't look. Pretty silly, plenty of time but ignored us. Also a near wardrobe malfunction, my shorts with draw string waist, with all that water over my head and back, now weighed a lot more and started to drop a bit... extra knot.. that could've been embarrassing!


Still families out with garden hoses spraying you plus their kids. All used with thanks. Had kept to my 2 gel cubes every 4 miles, and 2 waters every stop with one going over head. Mile 21ish... Only managed to get one water, most on head, tiny bit in bottle. Feeling thirsty within 5 mins but pace still on track. Manna from heaven, people handing out orange segments which tasted wonderful, and finally some water too. Last mile minor panic that I’d zoned out, but had hit 3:19 for 25 miles so nearly 2 minutes up on 3:30 time.. Legs a little tired, had to grind out the last mile a bit, pulling feet right through stride.
Hit 26 miles and could see the finish line… I just flew, full sprint for the line, the prize was in sight.

Absolutely euphoric at the end.. task achieved 3:28:02.  (slight negative split on 1:44:11)

My wife saw me cross the line and could see what it meant to me. Gave her hug and explained why. Lots of hugs and tears for us both. Big smiles and we both remembered Maddie, I had a photo of her and little William with me all the way in my belt. Literally felt like I would've run through a brick wall, or jumped over it to achieve the goal. Fitting tribute I think. 

Last Word though.. Maddie - 1995-2012

And if youve enjoyed reading this and would like to sponsor me/us/ William, the sponsor page for him  & his warriors is here