When did Coventry get so hilly??!! I did this half marathon last year, and although this year they started in a slightly different location, the course was pretty much identical – I’d just forgotten how much it hurt J
The plan for the day was simple, beat my colleague and friend Rich. A triathlete and cyclist more than a runner, I feared his greater fitness would overcome my more extensive experience at the distance. He also has the advantage of being a few years younger and possibly a few pounds lighter, he’s certainly leaner.
We set off together at the front of the pack – Joe would have been proud of our positioning, but after about a mile of what felt all up hill my legs were lead, my breathing was shallow and my throat was sore. I thought it was a really bad idea to continue……so I pushed on to see if I managed to relax into a stride and breathing pattern. Two more miles of gradual up, Rich had stormed out of sight and I settled for focusing on my stride as my hip had by now let it’s unhappy position apparent and I could feel myself swivelling my pelvis to force my right leg forward, not good, slow, relax, it’s a run, not the be all and end all.
A few more ups, downs and arounds and I’d settled for a steady pace, which remarkably didn’t drop below 7minute miles on average. When we hit the University my pace picked up as I am really sensitive to my surroundings, I run better with leaves and paths than flat open roads. A water station was looming and I grabbed a bottle, I was just throwing some down my throat when a figure I recognised came into view – Rich. We’d just past the 8mile mark and I knew what was coming, a shallow dip in the road which inclusive of down and up lasted just over a mile. I drew level with him just before the up stretch. The conversation went along the lines of, me: “I thought you’d left me for dust”, Rich: “oh for (enter what you think is appropriate)……..I’ve had enough”.
If I have a strength, it’s pushing hard up hill and keeping going over the top – Mr Lynock taught me that, so I surged past him, and may have slightly annoyed him by looking back at the right hand turn to check he wasn’t on my heels.
The last three miles are tough (not that the first ten weren’t), they feel all uphill and there’s a lot of weaving through parks, very nice parks, but parks on an incline. Until you’re nearly back at the city centre there is very little respite from gradual up, you then come round the ring road island, inhale the smell of Subway sandwiches, and finish on a very welcome descent.
I came through the line at 1:30:37 by my watch, followed a minute and a half later by Rich, who’d knocked a good 3minutes off his PB. Our colleague Luke, on his first half marathon outing, was a couple of minutes behind. I suggested maybe he should have started with a flatter one, but apparently, coming from Leeds, the hills were the best bit. Russ, the final Goodrich runner, came in just over the 2hour mark, a PB by a couple of minutes, and all sporting a bright orange top and pink headband – he likes to co-ordinate!
All in all, a good run, a time to be proud of, a sore hip and sorer throat, a nice t-shirt and goody bag, supplemented by Chi-Chi type grabbing of the goodies of offer (everyone who ran it last year will know what I mean!), and an achievement.
Linda
Race website here, results here (no club listing, so apologies if I've missed anyone else)
Race 17 of BvH GP Series
