Last Sunday was the Great Eastern run otherwise known as the Peterborough Half Marathon. It was a great race last year which I did with several friends. This year I ran with my friend Chris again and my friend Lee was also there supporting his girlfriend Anne.
Again I really wanted to try and get a PB and beat 1:30 for a half marathon. Again I promised myself the new Peter Kay book as an incentive but again I didn't quite manage it. I got 1:32:19 which is 0h:0m:07s slower than my time last year. I was still 255th out of 2780 people though and the fastest runner of my department (and quite a few people went) for the 2nd year in a row (http://www.peterborough.gov.uk/leisure/events/great_eastern_run/results.aspx) so I guess I can't complain.
I think the course was slightly different than last year though it finished in the same place. I still enjoyed it though and I tried out some of the new Skins compression socks, which seemed to work quite well. They cost a lot but worth the cash I think.
You can see pictures at
http://www.marathonfoto.com/index.cfm?RaceOID=23172009M1&LastName=JONES&BibNumber=989&Mailing=23328
Ely run tomorrow and then I turn 31 on the 23rd. I'll be in Lingfield for a family do so may have to do the old long run there on the Sunday.
Signed up for the Stevenage Half Marathon on 1st November as well.
Saturday, 17 October 2009
Cheltenham 10km
On the 3rd Oct I did the Cheltenham 10km. I had to get up quite early to get over in time for the 10am start but I was hopeful I could get a good time. The run was run entirely on roads within Cheltenham Race course, starting in front of the grandstand there was opening loop of the TV/emergency vehicle road circuit inside the race track, a return past the front of the grandstand and a short out & back section before a second circuit of the race course circuit at the end before finishing in front of the grandstand again.
The weather was cold and windy so I ran in my running jacket and gloves. I really pushed hard to try and get a PB but the wind (which certainly made the undulations seem worse) and course (very soft ground) were against me and I only managed 00:44:56 (http://www.racetimingsystems.com/public/results.aspx?raceid=925) Still that did make me 36th out of 327 people. I had promised myself I would treat myself to Peter Kay's new book if I broke 40 minutes though.
In the afternoon I went for the Aquasphering session that my friends kindly got me for my birthday last year. This involves getting in a large inflatable ball with water in it and being pushed down a hill so it's like being in a washing machine. My friend Paul came in with me but unfortunately my experience with cold water last week seems to have made more of an impression than I thought. I had a bit of a panic attack in the sphere and really didn't want to do it at first. I got over it though and after I had finished I got dry and went for a really nice meal with my friends, many of whom had come a long way to see me. I really enjoyed that. The next day I ran the Ely run and did a lot of training in the week for the Peterborough half marathon that is coming up soon.
You can see pics of this race at http://www.perfect-timingphotography.com/eventshow.php?sid=3b8d8a9b31e63b5d6b8880c1e4a52063&e=20091003_Cheltenham%2010km and put in runner number 588.
The weather was cold and windy so I ran in my running jacket and gloves. I really pushed hard to try and get a PB but the wind (which certainly made the undulations seem worse) and course (very soft ground) were against me and I only managed 00:44:56 (http://www.racetimingsystems.com/public/results.aspx?raceid=925) Still that did make me 36th out of 327 people. I had promised myself I would treat myself to Peter Kay's new book if I broke 40 minutes though.
In the afternoon I went for the Aquasphering session that my friends kindly got me for my birthday last year. This involves getting in a large inflatable ball with water in it and being pushed down a hill so it's like being in a washing machine. My friend Paul came in with me but unfortunately my experience with cold water last week seems to have made more of an impression than I thought. I had a bit of a panic attack in the sphere and really didn't want to do it at first. I got over it though and after I had finished I got dry and went for a really nice meal with my friends, many of whom had come a long way to see me. I really enjoyed that. The next day I ran the Ely run and did a lot of training in the week for the Peterborough half marathon that is coming up soon.
You can see pics of this race at http://www.perfect-timingphotography.com/eventshow.php?sid=3b8d8a9b31e63b5d6b8880c1e4a52063&e=20091003_Cheltenham%2010km and put in runner number 588.
Wednesday, 30 September 2009
Great East Swim Disaster
The Great East Swim this last Saturday did not go so well I am afraid. I have done quite a few swimming events this past year. I also did last year's Great North Swim (which was really good) and this year quite a few triathlons as well as the Great Big Open Water swim at Dorney Lake, which was 3km. Unfortunatly I had had to send back my triathlon hire wetsuit the week before this swim so I had decided to use my old surfing wetsuit.
However, disaster struck when I discovered that I have lost weight recently and I when I put on my wetsuit I discovered it was loose around the neck and arms. Not good as it kept in no heat at all and made it harder to swim but I thought it would not be too bad, especially seeing as there were several people swimming without wetsuits at all. Unfortunately the weight loss also seems to have affected my ability to deal with cold water. As the swim went on I got slower and slower and colder and colder. Eventually I was shivering and shaking so much it was obvious to the safety kayakers that I was in serious trouble. Although I really didn't want to I asked for help. I don't really remember that much of what happened but I was pulled out of the water put in a boat and rushed back to shore and then taken to the medical tent. By this time I was shivering so much I could not even say my name to the first aid people and was having trouble focussing on anything. I'm not a trained medical doctor but I am a trained first aider and so I recognise the early signs of what I suspect was hypothermia. I have never been that cold before and not being able to speak was quite scary. The medical staff were fantastic though. They had in in front of a heater, talking to me and calmed me down and although it took me quite a long time to recover I was eventually able to get myself home to Cambridge.
I am obviously bitterly disappointed to say the least. I really enjoyed the Great North Swim last year and had hoped to do all the great swims this year. Unfortunately work commitments meant the Great East Swim was the only one I could do. Having not finished the only event I could make I was absolutely gutted. I guess the important thing is to not lose the lesson and to do better next year. I will be back and I will do every Great Swim event I possibly can.
PS; If you go here
http://www.eadt.co.uk/content/eadt/news/galleries/story.aspx?brand=EADOnline&category=Galleries&tBrand=EADOnline&tCategory=xDefault&itemid=IPED27%20Sep%202009%2022%3A05%3A17%3A040
and look at pictures 14 and 15 you will see me in a shorty wetsuit looking very cold (having just come out of the practise) this was a hint of things to come.
However, disaster struck when I discovered that I have lost weight recently and I when I put on my wetsuit I discovered it was loose around the neck and arms. Not good as it kept in no heat at all and made it harder to swim but I thought it would not be too bad, especially seeing as there were several people swimming without wetsuits at all. Unfortunately the weight loss also seems to have affected my ability to deal with cold water. As the swim went on I got slower and slower and colder and colder. Eventually I was shivering and shaking so much it was obvious to the safety kayakers that I was in serious trouble. Although I really didn't want to I asked for help. I don't really remember that much of what happened but I was pulled out of the water put in a boat and rushed back to shore and then taken to the medical tent. By this time I was shivering so much I could not even say my name to the first aid people and was having trouble focussing on anything. I'm not a trained medical doctor but I am a trained first aider and so I recognise the early signs of what I suspect was hypothermia. I have never been that cold before and not being able to speak was quite scary. The medical staff were fantastic though. They had in in front of a heater, talking to me and calmed me down and although it took me quite a long time to recover I was eventually able to get myself home to Cambridge.
I am obviously bitterly disappointed to say the least. I really enjoyed the Great North Swim last year and had hoped to do all the great swims this year. Unfortunately work commitments meant the Great East Swim was the only one I could do. Having not finished the only event I could make I was absolutely gutted. I guess the important thing is to not lose the lesson and to do better next year. I will be back and I will do every Great Swim event I possibly can.
PS; If you go here
http://www.eadt.co.uk/content/eadt/news/galleries/story.aspx?brand=EADOnline&category=Galleries&tBrand=EADOnline&tCategory=xDefault&itemid=IPED27%20Sep%202009%2022%3A05%3A17%3A040
and look at pictures 14 and 15 you will see me in a shorty wetsuit looking very cold (having just come out of the practise) this was a hint of things to come.
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