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St Neots Riverside Half Marathon
Sunday morning saw me sitting in the car park next to St Neots Recreation Centre, watching lean fit runner after lean fit runner head into Race HQ and wondering if I was about to make a complete fool of myself…
The St Neots Riverside Half Marathon was my second half, the first being this year’s Great North Run. I ran the GNR in costume, along with 19 other pink fairies, and we ran it very very slowly indeed. In a fit of enthusiasm after the race, I’d decided I needed to see what I could do in a ‘real’ half marathon, and signed up for St Neots.
Sunday was a bright cold day – just below freezing when I left home. The Race HQ is in the Recreation Centre, but the race actually starts (and finishes) in the middle of an unassuming housing estate, presumably so that the runners don’t have to run across the main road next to the Rec. Centre.
After a minute’s silence (as it was Remembrance Sunday) we headed out of St Neots. I found myself running with a friend of a friend who normally runs sub-2 hours, but is working his way back to fitness after a cycling accident. Having him at my shoulder all the way really made me keep up the pace (and I think that I kept him going too).
The course is mostly rural, a figure-of-eight that takes in a couple of very picturesque little villages (with thatched cottages and tempting pubs…) and various ‘gently undulating’ (quote from the course description) country roads and lanes. What this actually means is that there are a couple of small uphill sections, with the corresponding downhill sections providing welcome relief. Because of the figure-of-eight nature of the course, it’s a comforting thought as you head up the first sharp little hill that 7 or so miles later you’ll be running down it!
I found myself keeping up a slightly faster pace than I’d planned, but it felt do-able so I stuck with it. Felt pretty good until kilometres 15 and 16 (9-10 miles) when I suddenly had an attack of the ‘why on earth am I here?’s, followed by the ‘remind me never to do this again’s. When we hit 10 miles we realised that it was gently downhill all the way to the finish, which cheered me up and gave me a renewed burst (dribble?) of energy. Crossed the finish line at 2.06.35, which I was delighted with – I’d planned to run 2.15 and secretly hoped to run 2.10. (My previous PB for this distance was 2.36 at the GNR – which I didn’t count! – and 2.17 in training.)
A great race, with lovely scenery, a fantastic atmosphere, and excellent organisation. The marshals were very friendly throughout the route, and the organisers seemed to have thought of everything the runners might need. And the official results were up on the Web by teatime the same day! What more could you ask for?
And despite my feelings during the 10th mile, I’m now looking out for a Spring half to enter… running these things must be like childbirth, you forget just exactly how much it hurt once it’s all over!
The St Neots Riverside Half Marathon was my second half, the first being this year’s Great North Run. I ran the GNR in costume, along with 19 other pink fairies, and we ran it very very slowly indeed. In a fit of enthusiasm after the race, I’d decided I needed to see what I could do in a ‘real’ half marathon, and signed up for St Neots.
Sunday was a bright cold day – just below freezing when I left home. The Race HQ is in the Recreation Centre, but the race actually starts (and finishes) in the middle of an unassuming housing estate, presumably so that the runners don’t have to run across the main road next to the Rec. Centre.
After a minute’s silence (as it was Remembrance Sunday) we headed out of St Neots. I found myself running with a friend of a friend who normally runs sub-2 hours, but is working his way back to fitness after a cycling accident. Having him at my shoulder all the way really made me keep up the pace (and I think that I kept him going too).
The course is mostly rural, a figure-of-eight that takes in a couple of very picturesque little villages (with thatched cottages and tempting pubs…) and various ‘gently undulating’ (quote from the course description) country roads and lanes. What this actually means is that there are a couple of small uphill sections, with the corresponding downhill sections providing welcome relief. Because of the figure-of-eight nature of the course, it’s a comforting thought as you head up the first sharp little hill that 7 or so miles later you’ll be running down it!
I found myself keeping up a slightly faster pace than I’d planned, but it felt do-able so I stuck with it. Felt pretty good until kilometres 15 and 16 (9-10 miles) when I suddenly had an attack of the ‘why on earth am I here?’s, followed by the ‘remind me never to do this again’s. When we hit 10 miles we realised that it was gently downhill all the way to the finish, which cheered me up and gave me a renewed burst (dribble?) of energy. Crossed the finish line at 2.06.35, which I was delighted with – I’d planned to run 2.15 and secretly hoped to run 2.10. (My previous PB for this distance was 2.36 at the GNR – which I didn’t count! – and 2.17 in training.)
A great race, with lovely scenery, a fantastic atmosphere, and excellent organisation. The marshals were very friendly throughout the route, and the organisers seemed to have thought of everything the runners might need. And the official results were up on the Web by teatime the same day! What more could you ask for?
And despite my feelings during the 10th mile, I’m now looking out for a Spring half to enter… running these things must be like childbirth, you forget just exactly how much it hurt once it’s all over!
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(And perhaps I will be one of the only other readers who will get the childbirth reference, lol.) ;)
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Woman, YOU ROCK!! *is fabulously impressed*
And I'm so glad you had such a good experience, with all the little details that can make-or-break a race.
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You know if you ever want to run any of the marathons here in California, you more than welcome to come stay at my house. :)
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Gina