Reading Half race report.
Such as easy plan - Get up early cycle to the train station, hop on board, get off at Reading and cycle the few miles to Reading Football stadium and be at the start nice and early.....and it could mean I could have a couple of beers afterwards. Sadly First Great Western had other ideas - like engineering works from Gatwick to Reading with replacement buses (only folding bikes allowed) - that`s no blooming good. So in best interests I got to Three Mile Cross (1.5M away) and ran in as a warm up.
Met up with my cousin, Colin who was also running (& who is doing GNR). As luck would have it we were near the Fetch pre-race meeting point and soon enough more fetches started to appear. Some I know & some new faces. After a quick chat & a couple of photos we were `pose`d out. I still had to drop my kit bag off and find my running partners - I was pacing a 1.50 run. Dropped bag off, found Sue and Jon but did manage to lose seeing off my cousin.
Made our way down towards the start area. Either everyone was late or the race had huge numbers but there were runners everywhere. Managed to find a gap in the crowds and started to run. Arms & elbows everywhere - Slowish but steady start. I knew we could easily catch up any time.
Mile 1 & 2 came around fairly quickly, by this stage Sue went on in front but knew it wasn`t a problem. Quick chat with Plodding Hippo & Footpad, saw andyp.
After the 3rd mile marker found a faster pace, under the flyover which is always a great place - that band - what a lift and into Reading itself. Spaces started to appear which meant room to run, however the bottleneck area in town seemed a lot busier this year. The miles kept ticking over. Saw loads of Fetches on the way.
Saw Ruth & HarryB at the Fetchpoint - just after 8 miles I think and saw Sue in front. Just passed the jelly baby station caught up with Mick n Phil but sadly didn`t have chance to chat much. Through mile 10 and into the homeward `straight` but it`s only 5 Kms to go. Took it steady here - still on pace just a bit more steadier than before. Soon enough the crowds started to appear around 12M, just down, up and round to go. 20 Kms sign appeared - it was going to be tight but still do-able.
Round the back of the Stadium, down the slope (in a safer fashion than last year) and with the help of the Stadium finish we sprinted and through the line.
Spilts - 8:48, 8:37, 8:39, 8:09, 8:08, 8:05, 8:28, 8:29, 8:19, 8:07, 8:20, 8:23, 8:24, 1.29 (0.19m).
Finish time = 1.50.24
Other split info;
5 KMs – 00:27:08
10 KMs - 00:52:36
15 KMs - 01:18:43
20 KMs - 01:44:48
Nice time but I suppose a little disappointed we didn`t sneak under the 1.50 but there again there is always another race and Sue had still loads of positives to take away form the run.
Nice chat afterwards, whilst recovering hearing all the race stories - some fast running going on.
http://www.heart.co.uk/berkshire/local/events/reading-half/30/#gallery
Could I have beaten my 1.38.20 time???Who knows but I kept telling myself that I`m in marathon training and shouldn`t be racing halves (or is that halfs). I still may have run this race too fast but another long run controlled. (I did enter Reading before I knew I was in London)
Did over hear someone saying that a runner pulled a moonie when finishing his race Can I just say that was NOT me......I was pulling a moonie ALL of the way round
http://www.heart.co.uk/berkshire/local/events/reading-half/31/#gallery
Afterwards I made my way back to Fleet but just missed out seeing that finish - I did mange to catch up with Mr C & Mrs E thou.
Reading is such a great event & I think become even bigger (!!!) and it was really good to see everyone but shame it clashed with Fleet Half. Different days next year please..and no engineering works please.
Next event - Cranleigh 21 next Sunday. Nice steady - 3hrs 10min+
(Latest news - I`ve entered the Athens Marathon on the 31st October 2010)
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