Rave Run
I was looking forward to my last half marathon of the year in Lode. I ran it last year with a group of friends and enjoyed the totally flat course that is located to the north-east of Cambridge. It is a small race with less than 250 entrants run by a local running club with all proceeds going to charity.
In 2013 there was a strong wind that wasn't noticeable on the way out but on the return leg of this out and back course was directly in our faces. This year the weather had been calm, sunny and warm the day before but was due to turn on the Sunday we were running.
Sure enough as Pete, Marc and myself drove along the A14 the rain clouds gathered and promptly emptied on our heads shortly after we arrived. The start line is on a playing field in the village of Lode. Registration took place in the village hall which contained a table laden with home made cakes and offers of tea and coffee.
We pinned our numbers to out Parkklands Jog & Run t-shirts and waited under a marquee for the start of the race. As we were warming up a policeman arrived. After a short discussion with the organisers an announcement was made. There had been an incident along the route and the race had been delayed. We could be waiting anything up to 3 hours before we could run.
There was palpable disappointment among the entrants as people speculated what the incident could be. Five minutes later another announcement was made. If we were happy for the race to be shortened to eleven miles we could go ahead at 10:15, just a quarter of an hour later than planned. The general consensus was that this would be the best way forward. The incident in question? An illegal rave had been set up along part of the course. As Pete said, if we had known we could have made a weekend of it!
So at 10:15 we assembled for the Lode 11 miler. My aim for the day had been to set a new half marathon PB and Pete had agreed to pace me. As the distance had now been reduced I was happy for him to do his own thing and I decided to practice running seven minute miles. I knew if I could manage this for 11 miles then I was capable of a sub 1:32 half.
Maybe it was the fact that the race distance had been reduced, or the frustration that came from the possibility of not being able to run, but I went of like a greyhound. My first mile was 6:19 well under my target pace but I felt good. I slowed a little but kept pushing and trying to keep up with a small groups of runners just ahead of me.
The course took us out through the village and along a single track road before turning onto a gravel dirt track. There weren't many people spectating as the cold rain poured down but every now and then a marshal would clap and offer some encouragement. It couldn't have been much fun for them!
Over the next few of miles I managed to keep a steady pace of 6:36, 6:46, 6:41, 6.42. A couple of people overtook me but I was confident that I would reel them in later. At this point the leaders who had already doubled back began to pass us and I saw Pete running well in 5th. I worked out that I was in 25th. The second place woman was just ahead of me and I gradually drew closer and managed to overtake her just before we doubled back at mile six. I then overtook one of those who had passed me earlier and I was up to 23rd where I would remain until the finish.
The only uphill section on the course was a bridge over one of the dykes that rose about 2m. Other than that it was dead flat. Just before the next bridge we turned and headed back to Lode. I passed Marc coming the other way running much better than he expected given he had only decided to join us after some arm twisting the day before at Parkrun.
I was now on auto pilot as my times showed with a 6:41, 6:40, 6:54, for miles six through eight. In my head I set a goal to complete 9 miles within an hour. My previous best for the hour was 8.5. I pushed hard and passed the 9 mile mark at 1:00:15 with a 6:57 mile. However I was still managing to keep below the magic 7 minute mark and only had two miles to go. The group in front wasn't getting any closer but neither were they pulling away.
Mile ten passed in 6:59 and I re-entered the village giving it all I had left. A couple of sharp turns took us into the field again where the grass had become a mud bath. I kicked for home and crossed the line with a final time of 1:13:07. The course length was just shy of 11 miles at 10.9 and my last 0.9 miles was done in 5:53 still on pace.
Although I didn't get a shot at my Half Marathon PB I came away knowing that I have it in me to go quicker. If I repeated this performance and managed the last 2.2 miles in 15 minutes I would have my goal of a sub 1:30 time. But that's for Brighton in February next year. For now I am happy with my performance and the fact that we were able to run despite the incident.
I'll now focus on my Parkrun time chasing the ever elusive sub 19 and get some tempo runs in to prepare for next year.
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| Last year's Lode Half Marathon |
Sure enough as Pete, Marc and myself drove along the A14 the rain clouds gathered and promptly emptied on our heads shortly after we arrived. The start line is on a playing field in the village of Lode. Registration took place in the village hall which contained a table laden with home made cakes and offers of tea and coffee.
We pinned our numbers to out Parkklands Jog & Run t-shirts and waited under a marquee for the start of the race. As we were warming up a policeman arrived. After a short discussion with the organisers an announcement was made. There had been an incident along the route and the race had been delayed. We could be waiting anything up to 3 hours before we could run.
There was palpable disappointment among the entrants as people speculated what the incident could be. Five minutes later another announcement was made. If we were happy for the race to be shortened to eleven miles we could go ahead at 10:15, just a quarter of an hour later than planned. The general consensus was that this would be the best way forward. The incident in question? An illegal rave had been set up along part of the course. As Pete said, if we had known we could have made a weekend of it!
So at 10:15 we assembled for the Lode 11 miler. My aim for the day had been to set a new half marathon PB and Pete had agreed to pace me. As the distance had now been reduced I was happy for him to do his own thing and I decided to practice running seven minute miles. I knew if I could manage this for 11 miles then I was capable of a sub 1:32 half.
Maybe it was the fact that the race distance had been reduced, or the frustration that came from the possibility of not being able to run, but I went of like a greyhound. My first mile was 6:19 well under my target pace but I felt good. I slowed a little but kept pushing and trying to keep up with a small groups of runners just ahead of me.
The course took us out through the village and along a single track road before turning onto a gravel dirt track. There weren't many people spectating as the cold rain poured down but every now and then a marshal would clap and offer some encouragement. It couldn't have been much fun for them!
Over the next few of miles I managed to keep a steady pace of 6:36, 6:46, 6:41, 6.42. A couple of people overtook me but I was confident that I would reel them in later. At this point the leaders who had already doubled back began to pass us and I saw Pete running well in 5th. I worked out that I was in 25th. The second place woman was just ahead of me and I gradually drew closer and managed to overtake her just before we doubled back at mile six. I then overtook one of those who had passed me earlier and I was up to 23rd where I would remain until the finish.
 |
| Pete, Marc and myself |
I was now on auto pilot as my times showed with a 6:41, 6:40, 6:54, for miles six through eight. In my head I set a goal to complete 9 miles within an hour. My previous best for the hour was 8.5. I pushed hard and passed the 9 mile mark at 1:00:15 with a 6:57 mile. However I was still managing to keep below the magic 7 minute mark and only had two miles to go. The group in front wasn't getting any closer but neither were they pulling away.
Mile ten passed in 6:59 and I re-entered the village giving it all I had left. A couple of sharp turns took us into the field again where the grass had become a mud bath. I kicked for home and crossed the line with a final time of 1:13:07. The course length was just shy of 11 miles at 10.9 and my last 0.9 miles was done in 5:53 still on pace.
Although I didn't get a shot at my Half Marathon PB I came away knowing that I have it in me to go quicker. If I repeated this performance and managed the last 2.2 miles in 15 minutes I would have my goal of a sub 1:30 time. But that's for Brighton in February next year. For now I am happy with my performance and the fact that we were able to run despite the incident.
I'll now focus on my Parkrun time chasing the ever elusive sub 19 and get some tempo runs in to prepare for next year.
