6th Nov The Lancaster Half Marathon

This was my third successive year of doing the Lancaster Half Marathon. It is hard to turn this race down, as it one of the few races that I can walk to the start of from home. Despite my lack of specific training I decided I was probably fit enough from my UTMB and RRR training to achieve a PB. So I lined up with just over 700 other runners to try and beat last years’ time of 1 hour 28 m 40 s, which is also my Half Marathon PB.

I set off well doing 6 min 35 s miles in perfect sunny cool weather, on the usual course which is pretty much an out and back to Glasson Dock from Salt Ayre athletics track, with a loop at the turn onto a road and then back on the same outward cycle path. Just after half way there is the only hill on the course, I decided to take it easy on the ascent, as it was here that my race unravelled a bit last year. This strategy worked and I managed to maintain my speed all the way to the end, overtaking those that were slowing in the last 3 miles by the river Lune. I had to push in the final mile when I felt the lack of training kicking in, but manage to push through and get a PB of 1 hour 26 m 4. I was pleased with this new bench mark and with the way I finished. I was 46^th out of 706 which is also pretty pleasing.