Swansea Half Marathon - June 2016

I hadn't run a half marathon for a few years, my first was 2008 in Llanelli, a mildly undulating course (had a few short hills) exposed to the elements on the coastal path. Then I did both the Forest of Dean Trail Half Marathons, the spring one and the autumn one. It's on one of these that I had my personal best time of 1hr41. These trails routes are hilly so I was intrigued what I might post on a flat course like Swansea, which has a total elevation of less than 10metres I think. Coming into this race I'd been getting the long hilly miles in for my July marathon and had done a few tempo runs but I hadn't followed a race plan and I hadn't focused on any particular pacing, I was just going on feel throughout my training. This is what I decided to do in the race, not focus on pace but rather start out on a pace that I felt I could maintain and then try and pick it up in the last few miles. Even though my main focus was the marathon in a month's time I still tapered for this race, just to see what I could do but the last couple of runs before the race I noticed a pain on the outside of my left knee which I wasn't pleased with as I hadn't noticed it before, it had come from nowhere even though I had tailed back the training that week.

Race day came and I was wearing the colours of my running club Run4All for the first time. I'm still with my triathlon club Celtic Tri and it felt very strange and disloyal to be wearing another club's colours, but I've had more to do with the running club of late and I liked the fact that the R4All race vest was nice and tight and that they had race pins in club colours, plus a nice buff to keep the hair under control. I had no support at this race so off I toddled in the morning, getting to Swansea by about 7:30am to be sure of parking and the place was deserted almost! Still, at least I got to use a portaloo that hadn't been used before...a clean portaloo!!!!!!!!!!

The weather was great, not too cold, but not hot, a very slight breeze but nothing that would affect running...Upon entering we'd had to enter an estimated finishing time and as a result we had been grouped into pen starts. I can't remember what time I had put down but I was in pen B, the one behind the elites/fastest club runners! In my mind I'd like to go sub 1hr40 as that would be a PB but if I could get anywhere near 1hr35 I'd be well chuffed. I didn't think 1hr35 was on as that would be consistent 7:15 minute mile-ing and whilst I was running well in training I hadn't done much consistent speed work or threshold work so thought keeping that pace up for 13 miles would be too much. So I thought I'd hang out by the 1hr40 pacer and then towards the end up the pace and move ahead. As it was in my pen I was much nearer the 1hr30 pacer which wasn't intentional but I thought I'd start and see how long I could keep that pacer in my sights as long as the pace felt OK for me. 

The start was delayed by 1/2hr due to road closure issues so this meant we had all been standing around in the pen waiting to go for at least 45 minutes, not ideal by any means and thankfully I didn't need the toilet having gone 3 times since getting to Swansea in the morning! The organisers had gone to a big effort and there was a choir singing in the starting area, and there was another part way down the course which was fab. The support to be fair was amazing out on the course, the best I've experienced and the shout outs I had for being in R4All colours was fab and I found that I overtook someone every time I had a shout out, which wasn't intentional, lol! I was also thoroughly enjoying myself, having been so long out from racing, to now be in a race and loving every step was an amazing feeling!!!! 

Clearly enjoying myself!!!!

The route was a little route out from the city centre starting point and then out and back along the coast road, out on the road and back on the cycle path, this meant supporters could see you on both ways which is great as a spectator and as a runner in terms of maximising support. It also meant you could see the runners ahead/behind you on the route so extra shout-outs for fellow club runners. I also got chatting to a celtic tri bloke at the turnaround point, Gary, had to say I was in that club too but in different colours for the day, lol! I surprised myself immensely when I looked down at one of my mile lap times and saw that I was clocking sub 7 minute miles! This wasn't intentional but the pace I was running at felt comfortable so I stuck with it. As it was, post-race, looking at my pacing, I was pretty consistent other than the last 2 miles when the pain from my knee hampered efforts, but otherwise I had stuck to a pace based on feel alone, and that pace had been both consistently fast and consistent! Happy Days for me!

Just before mile 12 - this is me trying and failing for sub 7 min pace - sheer agony!

So...It got to around mile 10 and I decided to ramp it up a bit, caught Gary back up and overtook him and didn't see him again, I always try and finish a race strongly so I was pleased that I was able to do this. However, the pain in my knee had been there from the off but it was just a mild niggle initially. However, from about mile 10 on it got steadily more painful until it started to actually hamper my running. I was now running in pain and I know it was showing on my face. Right before mile 12 I looked down at my watch and I was on 1hr23, the first time I'd looked at my time - f**k me!!!!!! I was on for a great time and if I could nail a great final mile I might get sub 1hr30!!!!!!! Unfortunately, the pain was just too much and as much as I was trying to push I just couldn't. I did manage a last final sprint though, just got to haven't you, as I had spiderman in my sights in the final straight so gave a sprint from about 100m out but I was in sheer agony, lol, and when I crossed the line, f**k, the pain of trying to slow down!!!!!!!!! The marshals were asking if I needed St John's Ambulance, lol. Nah, but I did decide to head straight to the massage tent, and slowed limped my way over. Thankfully the massage was free as all my cash was back in the car, but she was able to loosen things up slightly, but I was still in heaps of pain walking and spent the next few days limping around!

Spiderman in my wake...this was through gritted teeth though, not pretty on the eye, but at least I'm flying!

As it was I managed 1hr32:27 - BOOM!!!!!!!!! I was well chuffed with this given I hadn't thought I'd get near 1hr35 and know that if it hadn't been for the injury I could have gone faster, so the next target is sub 1hr30!! I'm also hoping that I get a 'good for age' time with this for the New York Marathon. This year for my age-group 1hr35 was the magic number, which is why I'd looked at 1hr35 pacing, so in January I can see if this time is good enough for me to try and get a 'good for age' slot in next year's New York marathon which would be amazing!!!! There's no guarantee of a place, but there's far more chance than if I entered the ballot. Just so happy with this result...I know there's more to come too if I get some consistent speed work in me once I'm over the injury.

So the injury is ITB syndrome so who knows what will happen for Snowdon Trails Marathon 4 weeks after this race...