My training leading into the Wokingham Half Marathon had been really positive following what I considered a bloody awful run at the Southern XC Championships three weeks before.
Not wanting to dwell on that race too much, I set about a three week lead in where I committed myself totally to April 15th and the Rotterdam Marathon. Hotel, flights booked. Race number sorted on the front start. Perfect.
A good run at Wokingham was going to be key as I felt that would see me perfectly into an eight week period of training specifically for Rotterdam. Straight after the Southern XC I hit mid 90's for two weeks. After discussion with people I trust I'm not going beyond this as a maximum volume now. I can muster 100+ mile weeks, but the chance of getting tired and stale is too much for me to risk, and I know I can run well off less anyway. A lesson was learned in the weeks before Toronto last year.
The highlight of those two weeks of running was a brilliant tempo session I did with Matt Janes on Bedford's Embankment during the coldest few days I can remember running in during my 23 years as a runner. We jogged the Embankment first to ensure it was free of ice, and unbelievably it was. We then set off for exactly seven miles at tempo, working together to keep the pace going. We stayed together for just over five miles before I moved away over the later stages. Knowing what a consistent trainer the fella is (65:44 half marathon pb), and despite his recent niggles, I was well pleased to average 5:14 over the seven miles, with the last two miles strong at 5:15 and 5:11. On the warm down I really did feel like I was back on it and ready to race on the roads.
The winter really did bite hard during the week. On the long run I did the Saturday morning after the tempo my clothes literally froze when I headed out of town. It was minus 12 degrees in town but as soon as I was amongst the fields a fog descended like a dense blanket of dry ice and turned everything I had on with moisture on it white. My eyebrows, tiny bit of stubble, hat, gloves. Despite this I got a good 21+ miles in the bank.
In the days leading up to Wokingham I really felt I had to have a good run as it has been some time since I raced well. In fact, since mid summer last year I've not really performed anything like decent, and then had my injury problems. I was honestly starting to think my legs had gone at 37.
Wokingham is a good half marathon, fairly flat and fast with a decent group of lads on the line. I slowly got word of who was entered. Phil Wicks, Phil Nicholls, Paul Martelletti, Kev Skinner, Steve Way, Dave Wardle - all were there.
Race day was bright, a little breezy but nothing to worry about, and a bit cold - pretty much perfect. I felt mint on the warm up so was fairly upbeat as I stripped down and dumped my bag before heading to the start. The first mile was going to be quick as it featured a short but steady downhill and long straight with the wind behind. I've done Wokingham three times, but not for years.
We got on our way and I felt good immediately, which was a great relief. I had a bit of company through the opening mile where Wicks had opened up a lead already ahead of Nicholls. A group of five followed including Skinner, Way, Martelletti and Wardle. My watch said 5:06 and I was more than happy with that.
At two miles I'd moved away from the guys I was with and was now alongside Steve Way, who'd dropped back to me. I gave my dad who was watching a thumbs up here as I passed him because I knew I was going to have a good run.
I ran to four miles with Steve and I did contemplate asking him if we could work together as I could see we were detached from the guys ahead. As I took a corner and waited to ask him, he'd dropped back, so I knew I would be alone for a while and put my foot down a bit, sticking in a 5:04 mile to five miles. This felt easy and I was moving really nicely through five in 25:45. Happy days.
I was ok still but didn't really feel I could go any faster at this point, but in hindsight would have appreciated a heads up on my projected finishing time, as I wonder if I could have squeezed out the few seconds that would have guaranteed a sub 68 clocking. I turned into the finish and was surprised to see 67:4x ticking away on the clock. I tried to muster something but didn't really do enough and stopped my watch at 67:59 - but could predict the additional second the official results always add. As it was chip timed I can't complain - 68:00 - my 4th fastest half ever and, as always with a good run, I felt pretty damned good from the off.
1. Phil Wicks 63:14
2. Phil Nicholls 65:15
3. Paul Martelletti 66:19
4. John Hutchins 66:49
5. Kev Skinner 66:56
6. Dave Wardle 67:06
7. James Lawler 68:00
8. Ben Shearer 69:15
9. Fabian Downs 69:29
10. Darrell Bellinger 69:43
Mile splits: 5:06, 5:14, 5:04, 5:14, 5:04, 5:15, 5:07, 5:08, 5:10, 5:14, 5:18, 5:15, 5:11 +32s
I've got the National XC next but can't get too excited as it's on the mud and I seldom do myself justice over cross country. It'll be a hard race but I'll race it full on and see what happens six days out from a half!
Training over the last three weeks:
30 January (week after Southern XC)
M - 10.5 miles with Janesy in 65 mins. Quads sore from Southern XC
T - AM 6.4 miles @ 6:16 pace, PM 7 miles @ 6:06 pace
W - AM 5 miles warming up/down then 4 x Bedford Park reps (1950m) in 5:56, 5:52, 5:51 and 5:58 - good efforts off 90s. Very cold, PM 5.6 easy at 7:00 pace
T - 8.9 miles at 6:09 pace.
F - AM 5.6 easy at 6:32 pace, PM 5.6 very cold at 6:56 pace
S - AM 4 miles warming up/down then session in frozen Chicksands Woods with Janesy - 8 x hilly lap off 90s - strong and consistent 3:45-3:48 throughout. Minus 6, PM 5.1 miles after Arsenal game and before huge dumping of snow
S - 20 miles on glorious gritted roads at 6:22 pace
93 miles
M - Two full laps of Chicksands to avoid snow - easy - 7.25 miles
T - AM 5.6 miles easy, PM Tempo with Janesy 7 miles @ 5:14 pace (5 miles warming up/down)
W - AM 7 bitterly cold miles easy, PM 7 miles as this morning
T - 10.5 miles at 6:04 pace.
F - AM 5.6 easy, PM 7 miles at 6:19 pace
S - 21.3 miles in the coldest temps I have ever run in. Beyond bitter. 6:30 pace.
S - 10.5 miles after weekend away with wife - thick head then got going. Second half all well under 6 minute pace. Chatted to a guy on a bike (who seemed interested in how fast I was running) for nearly a mile then noticed Garmin said 5:50 so knew I was going well.
93 miles
M - 7 miles steady
T - AM 5.1 miles easy, PM 5.5 miles warming up/down then 5x Kempston mile reps (actually 1490m) with Matt Janes off 90s. 4:30, 4:30, 4:32, 4:31 and 4:33. Felt a bit leggy so all easy now to Sunday
W - 7 miles easy
T - AM 5.6 easy, PM 7 miles at 6:39 pace
F - 7 miles at 6:25 pace - not moving too well!
S - 3.7 miles at 7:10 pace feeling good
S - Wokingham Half Marathon - 68:00 7th. 3 miles warming up/down
68.5 miles