Peterborough Half Marathon

So this month was all about me completing my final half marathon of the season. I have ran 2 others prior to this competitively and I have managed to do a few half marathon training runs. This would be the race where I could truly see how far I have come. I ran my first ever half marathon back in February this year and I found it very difficult as I had no idea about pacing and I had never ran that distance before.

So on the 12th October it would give me a real idea how my training has come along. The race is flat and I heard it was a great course to achieve a PB time. It was also the perfect race as the two friends who called me fat back in January were both able to run the race. One of the friends I had already beaten at 5km and 10km distance now was time to see if I could do it at a half marathon.

RACE DAY
Weather conditions were really good, no wind and not too hot. I took two days rest before this event as I want to be really fresh and ready for this race. This wasn't me racing my friends like it may sound above. This was about me racing me. I have never felt this fit and healthy before and I knew that I could run this race well. The night before I worked out my pace I wanted to achieve and put that in to my watch. I had with me my two energy gels one to take just before the start of the race and one at around half way mark depending how I felt. I had a time in my head that I share with no one till I have ran the race that time was to run sub 1:40hrs.
I started off nice and steady and one of my friends went flying off, as much as wanted to follow him I hung back hoping that my race plan would pay off and that I would catch up with him. Well I think we got to the 5km mark I felt really good and I had already caught my mate up. So at the 5km I picked up my pace leaving my two mates behind me. This carried on for the next 5km. I thought to myself that they will come past me at any moment, Well only one of them did and he started pulling away from me. I thought to myself there is no way I can catch him now, so I went back to my race pace I had planned and by the 18km mark I had caught back up with him and had overtaken him again. I pushed on as hard as I could my legs were hurting and on the last Km my legs had started to cramp up. I managed to finish the race strongly and my finish time was 1:34:44. This meant I had knocked approx 15 mins of my previous half marathon.

That's not me smiling that is a pure grimace, was holding off cramp for ages

The website I use to work my pacing out you can find by clicking on the link http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/4/4_1/96.shtml 

September update

WE CLIMBED MOUNT SNOWDON.
So proud of my wife you managed to climb mount Snowdon with me on the 1st September. Very good climb but difficult. The year before we climbed Scarfell, so who knows in 2015 we may even climb Ben Nevis. I even found a lake where I go go for a quick swim, water was a little cloudy but not cold at all.

 

 

So this is my last triathlon of the year, I had signed up for the last minute triathlon in Southwell. Another sprint distance tri. I was really looking forward to this as I could go out and see how far I have come since January. The only problem was I had a wedding the night before and I would have to be up early to drive an hour to the event. So I had a late night with no booze. The event was also nicely represented with other members of the the sleaford Tri Club, so great atmosphere.
Swim 400m: 8:00
Bike: 17km: 35:00
Run 5km: 20:39

So this year so far has been me seeing events and signing up for them as and when I can, no real planning has gone in to it. So I decided that I really enjoy triathlons and the club that I am apart of has really help with that, making training enjoyable and it's also nice seeing friendly faces at events. so for 2015 I have decided that I wanted to step it up to the next level so I have signed up for the the Outlaw Half Triathlon and also the Full Outlaw Triathlon. Doing the full Outlaw is something that I have always wanted to do and I never thought for one minute that I could do it. I am one who likes a challenge and when I have a challenge I am focused and want to do well. So my main goal for 2015 is to complete a Ultra Triathlon.

August Update

It's the 1st August and I'm back doing another event this time I'm in Skipton ready to take on Tough Mudder. this is obstacle course which is very popular. at any opportunity they dunk you in mud and then make you run around until you get dry and then dunk you again muddy water. 

    

Took part in my first Aquathon this month and really enjoyed it. The event was ran by Sleaford Tri club and loved it. I'm hoping that I'm able to do it again in 2015. Managed to finish the course in 30 mins and for the life of me I can not remember the distance of the swim but the run was 5km. Swim was probably 400m

 

So now we get to my main event of the year, Sleaford 10km. This was the event that I said I would beat one of my friends who called me fat back in January. So the night before the event I work out what time I would like to get and set my pacing up to hit that time. We ran the race and I was very happy to get a PB on my time 10km time. I also did beat my friend but to be honest I was more happy than getting my PB. I managed to run it in 41:47. I had my watch set up to run 4:18mins per km , but I managed to run an average of 4:11 per km. I managed not to get carried away and go too fast. I kept with a good steady pace and when I got to the 5km mark I gauged how I was doing and was able to push on at the same pace.

  

Last event of the month was the sprint triathlon relay national championships. For me this was a big step as it was a big triathlon and was at Holmepierre Point lake in Nottingham. This event consisted of 4 people in your team, each member had to swim 750m bike 14km and run 5km. I have no idea how we got on really. I know I swam well and biked ok and I felt good on the run. I remember the run to be easy on the outward leg but on the way back in, it was head wind all the way. I still managed to run a 21:18 5km. so not all bad.

This would prove to be a good time to check out holmepierre point as I was thinking about signing up for the Outlaw Half Triathlon. 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike and 13.1 mile run. More about that later.