This is the second time I've completed the event, last time I suffered an injury which curtailed my training, I ran it anyway and enjoyed it enough to promise myself a re-run at some point.
At the end of last year, with a season of triathlon events in mind, I signed up again with a view to giving myself that excuse to get out and train through the winter.
It's safe to say that the route is thought of as tough, seasoned runners generally react only by wincing when you mention you're doing it. Good reason too.. take a look at this bad boy..
I'd be lying at this point if I said I wasn't damned proud of my performance on the day. Off the back of far less training than I wanted to have done, I managed a very respectable time (for me, given that I ain't a runner) of 1hr 47.. giving me a placing of 579th out of 1834 runners.
Doing the event having done a 13 mile run during the training for the event gave me a massive mental boost, I knew I could do it, even if my training had tailed off during the last 6 weeks. I tagged onto the back of two runners at around mile 6 who were aiming for 1hr 45 finishing times after they had admitted their target to me, I'd made note that I was aiming for 1hr 59. 59 if it meant I came in under the 2hr mark. Being told I was well inside that marker gave me confidence and I made damn sure that I kept them in view for the remaining miles.
For some reason the miles passed easily, far more easily that during my last attempt at the race and I felt as though I was running within myself for the majority of the distance - hovering between 7,50 and 8.30 min mile pace felt comfortable and I'm confident that carrying on from this point will give me a cracking base for summer events that I'm now looking at
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