Worthing Half Marathon 2016

First race in my 2016 medal season took place this weekend with the inaugural (I think. There is some debate here in the office) Worthing Half Marathon. I have done several events in the winter and in my experience they are always cold, often wet, and sometimes cancelled due to ice and snow. Every year I vow that I will only run in the sun and every year I ignore my own rules and do winter events anyway. Up until Sunday morning this one threatened to be another cold and unpleasant few hours outside but instead we woke to a crisp (the good sort of crisp, as in cold if you're standing around but great if you're running) and sunny day.

There was a great turn out, the event was brilliantly organised, and was billed as a fast, flat, closed road half marathon. I had an idea that I might get my PB which has stood unbeaten for nearly 7 years, despite the fact that I have done next to no running since December.

I needed to find the 1 hour 50 pacers, but joining the start line late I ended up back behind the guys with the 2 hour 20 flags. Not a problem. I was feeling racy and this was billed as a fast course so I could catch them up. After the first kilometre which was the usual crowded affair I was able to settle into my cruising pace of about 5min kms (which is also my 5km parkrun pace… that got me wondering if I had set off too quickly). I slipped past each of the pacing groups ahead of me until by about the 8 mile mark I had the 1hour 50 pacers in sight. I continued to cruise at my 5min pace and slowly reeled in my PB targets ahead. I started to think I must take parkrun a bit slowly if I could keep that pace up all day but with 2kms to go it all started to go wrong. I bonked. Suddenly my legs felt empty, the pain from a few sores and blisters suddenly materialised and I felt hot and faint. I walked briefly but the bobbing flags of the 1hour 50 pacers, my Personal Best, was getting away from me. I got myself running again but it was a head down and grind it out sort of shuffle rather than a skipping along with a grin on my face sort of run. I crossed the line quite a long way behind the men with the flags but I didn’t care and had to take on some energy and electrolytes because I was feeling pretty sick.

Worthing half medal

I did get my PB by over two minutes though. 01:51:05 chip time. And do feel really pleased with the result. I hadn’t taken into account that I had started a couple of minutes behind the pacers I had spent the whole race trying to catch up so my chip time was a few minutes quicker than the gun time.

It was a great event, every bit as fast and flat as the organisers had promised and I might have to go back next year to go for an even faster time. Next time I will make sure to protect some areas which chaffed, use my hydration pack, and take on an energy gel or two to stave off the dreaded bonk.

The medal is pretty great too.