Today I run the Retford Half Marathon which starts at
Retford Oaks Academy. L and the boys come along to offer vocal support.
Some folk from Sheffield Running Club described what is to come as pan flat which, as there
is nothing anywhere near ‘pan flat’ for them to compare it with in Yorkshire, could mean anything. As it turns out the course is remarkably flat for the first five miles but then
becomes quite undulating thereafter with several long but gradual inclines.
The race is well organised, on closed roads, but very low key e.g. somewhat lacking in atmosphere. Outside of Retford itself, it’s a case of spot the
spectator and it’s also not hugely scenic, which I don’t mind at all.
As is the way with races early in the year there
are not
many slow runners so the pace is brisk. I make a good start but
after three miles my thighs stiffen up and I gradually get slower and
slower. This is where actually doing some training might have helped.
My time of almost 1:49 leaves a lot of room for
improvement
although, being very early in the season, there is plenty of time for
that. If I was to ever get among the awards here I have some serious
work to do. First 40+ Male clocked 1:14,
first 50+ Male 1:18 and first 60+ Male 1:23. Ouch. So, just half an hour
to
knock off my time to get first 50+ Male next year. I suppose I did want a
challenge for my 50th year.
I also entered the Nottinghamshire Amateur Athletics
Association Half Marathon County Championships which was part of the race, and
I didn’t win that either.
There is no goody bag, just a bottle of
water and an orange t-shirt. It was ominous at registration, that they gave me a pile
of leaflets with my race number as this is the sort of tat that usually weighs
down the goody bag. T-shirt wise, as orange t-shirts go, it’s not too bad.
If I found the lack of a goody back disappointing
then MD found it positively soul destroying. He is so upset at the lack
of crisps and/or biscuits that he
starts to eat my race number in frustration.
