City of Norwich Half Marathon

10am 13.1 miles in 1 hour 49 minutes 03 seconds

Week to date mileage 30

Month to date mileage 53

Average weekly rate 31.7

AverageMonthly rate 138

Year to Date 734

Life time 8512

On a whim last week I entered the Norwich Half Marathon partly so we could go shopping in the city afterwards. I had entered before the warm spell of weather had arrived but this is the lottery you always face when entering any race, unknown weather conditions!.

It was warm extremely warm as the guy on the pa before the start mentioned on several occasions it was 30c. To be honest this was too warm for me and as it turned out for most of the runners as there was little shade out on the course.

The race start was from the Norfolk showground and this is an excellent venue with all the facilities you would like layed on ( apart from showers just 3 for a field of over a 1000 runners and they only dribbled!) some stalls selling running gear,water food and drink for spectators. Here there were a few trees and before the race the order of the day was to rest up in the shade.

Just before 10am almost reluctantly I had to emerge from the shade and line up for the start of the race. It took some time to get to the start line hence my official time of 1 .49.20 differs from the chip time of 1.49.03. For the first time I ran with a bottle of water and this was sensible and kept me going though it was rather cumbersome.

My splits were as follows

Mile 1 7.36
Mile 2 7.32
Mile 3 7.59
Mile 4 7.48
Mile 5 7.58
Mile 6 8.23
Mile 7 8.36
Mile 8 8.14
Mile 9 8.30
Mile 10 8.43
Mile 11 8.32
Mile 12 9.12
Mile 13 9.06
.1 of a mile 0.47

My initial plan which I felt I would be able to keep to was to run miles under 8 minutes. As long as they were under 8 I was happy. I achieved this until mile 6 which included the only off road up hill section which takes you back into Norfolk Showground.

At this point a lot of people decided to drop out. Whilst 2 lap courses are great for spectators they do provide a temptation to drop out if you are not running well. On such a warm day it was sensible to drop out and this went through my mind but I was feeling well hydrated from the regular water stations and sponge stops even though I was baking hot.

The marshals and officials were very well organised and they were supplemented by the public several of whom (don't tell anyone from the water board!) had hoses and were spraying runners who were very grateful for a shower. I used every water station to tip a whole cup over my head and drink a whole cup and I stopped to do this. I was actually running soaked through and it wasn't until I finished that I realised that my feet were sodden wet and this was obviously the cause of my getting blisters. During the race this was my worst discomfort, my feet felt as if they were burning as my socks were stinging.

From mile 6 my times became progressively worse as the race became just a case of survival and keeping moving. I was no where near my pre race target of achieving a 1.45 time though with the heat I am pleased to have completed this race and would consider again.

I did see one other runner from St Edmundsbury Pacers in the adult race and there were a couple in the junior race. The winner of the race was Simon Tonui in 1 hour 10 mins 26 seconds.

Of the 729 finishers I was 165th according to chip time and 18th in my age group.So although I was disappointed with my time on a flat course considering the conditions and nearly a 3rd of the runners dropping out I was just pleased to complete the course. After the race my right foot badly cramped and I think I have a reemergence of a previous injury a tight plantar fascia so no running for me for a day or two to see if rest is the cure.