MUD, WATER, HILLS and then more MUD.
This really is a multi-terrain half marathon. Organised by Forfar Road Runners it advertises itself as a race NOT FOR NOVICE RUNNERS. In hindsight this is probably designed to make you train properly for it and not to underestimate the event or to enter aiming to run/walk it. Throwing this advice to the wind I entered before it sold out and set about getting ready for my first half marathon.
The morning started by getting up far earlier than I needed to. Having my usual pre run breakfast of 3 slices of toast and nutella, washed down with loads of water. Not exactly the breakfast of champions but then again this isn't Mo Farah's blog. After that, my pal picked me up and off we went on the short trip to Forfar.
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| Bromance |
We arrived safe and sound but as both of us are totally unfamiliar with 'club race' protocol, we were unsure of what the acceptable pre-run routine is. Turns out it's the same as any other run and you all huddle together in the warmest place. Forfar Road Runners were out in numbers offering people maps and pointing us in the right direction.
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| Nipples. Just nipples |
At a very civil start of 11:00 we all walked out to the start line which was on the rugby fields by the loch.
The race organiser then struggled to tell everyone something about route changes and how to drop out. Also explaining the river crossing would be left out and we would follow the diverted route ran last year. Making it a slightly shorter race.
I decided to go off slow for the first 6 to8-ish miles and try to stay with enough people that I didn't get lost.
My overall aim was less than 2 hours but as this was my first half marathon race and it is renowned as a tough race I thought anything less than 9 minute miles for the first half then just see what happens.
The elevation shows a fairly small and constant incline for the first half but as the scenery changed so often you didn't really notice it.
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I tried to keep to a steady pace and found that chatting to people was a great way of doing so. I spoke to quite a few people before the inevitable spread of people began. The woman from Fife athletics club in the 2nd mile was lovely and encouraging telling me about a few other interesting races. Then I met someone who had ran the glen clova half 7 times and like me was using this race to train towards a marathon (if you read this good luck). After encouraging reports from both the Fife lady and Glen Clova 7 girl I will definitely be signing up to that race when it opens. After I left the Glen Clova 7 girl it got really muddy as we went along a farm track. Initially you could skirt around the puddles but this was just the water Gods toying with you. Eventually you had no other choice but to run through them. Easily above trainers but below knees at this point. Once wet, my legs felt really heavy but thankfully not too cold. This took about half a mile to pass but once again the changing scenery was helpful.
Split
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Time
| ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8:41.2 | ||||||
| 2 | 8:25.9 | ||||||
| 3 | 8:34.8 | ||||||
| 4 | 8:27.3 | ||||||
| 5 | 8:30.5 | ||||||
| 6 | 8:48.5 |
I think it was at about this point that we discovered a new loch. To call this thing a puddle would do disservice to the giant fish that inevitably swim within the 'puddle/loch'. I had thought he farm tracks were the water feature for the day so when I saw this I was more than a bit gutted. But with nothing to do but keep going I tried to keep running through it rather than wading. eventually the water was past my thighs I just had to power wade. This all passed mercifully quickly and we were back to running.
When the hill finally came I thought 'F@#k it' tried to kept running, thinking I could see the top. As I reached 'the top' I discovered it was just a turn and the now mountain just kept going. On and on. It was horrible. Finally at the top I didn't have the energy to speed back up and my splits suffered.
| 7 | 08:50.8 |
| 8 | 09:08.9 |
| 9 | 09:23.3 |
| 10 | 10:08.9 |
A firm sign I need to do more hill training I think.
At the top we passed a brilliant and impressive looking monument for something. Sadly I didn't exactly have time to stop and look around but maybe some hill training opportunities in the future.
Once I finally got my breath and legs back The down hill was fun, being steep enough to speed up but not so steep that it was hard on your quads. The final section takes you off the tracks and back through the industrial estate that surrounds the rugby club then back along the Loch, the real one this time. I managed a good pace for this final section and finished fairly strong in 84th out of 164, with a time of 1:50:22. With my terrible statistical analysis, I think this makes me almost average.
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| Post run 'glow' |
I finished with a smile on my face and happy with my time and my experience. It really is a brilliant event with really varied and challenging terrain. The finish is fairly low key but I think probably typical of club races. This certainly isn't a negative. Everyone was really friendly and my god the food.
If the post run spread is typical of Forfar road runner events sign me up for more. There was everything you could want from soup, to sandwiches, to cakes. With the bar open everyone seemed to be getting into the party atmosphere. Just after finishing Anna turned up and was horrified she had missed me finish but I was secretly quite happy as it meant I was quicker than I thought. I chatted to some more friendly people I had meet at Camperdown park run and then once my pal had finished we headed back off home to Dundee then to relax at Murray Park hotel in Crieff and sooth my muscles in the Crieff hydro Victorian spa. I have to say this was a brilliant way to recover and importantly clean up after a tough but enjoyable run.
Once again thanks to everyone I spoke to on the race, to all the marshalls and race organisers who did a brilliant job.
I'll put another post about how my Lochaber training is going very soon. Woop Woop
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