Felixstowe Half Marathon

11am 13.1 miles in 1 hour 46mins 16 seconds

Week to date mileage 24

Month to date mileage 33

Average weekly rate 30.3

Average Monthly rate 132

Year to Date 1218

Life time 9238

Today I travelled down to the Suffolk coast to take part in the Felixstowe Half Marathon. I was feeling far from confident based on recent training but thought I would give this race a try having never run here before.

There was plenty of parking at the seafront carparks and having arrived early there was time to venture along the beach before the race. The headquarters for the race was the sports centre and brisk business was being done on the late race entries, the weather being so good sunny warm and dry.

This course is 2 laps with plenty of contrast starting along the coast and promenade before venturing up hill in to more rural countryside before returning into town and downhill back to the seafront. Talking to runners I had been warned about a sharp hill which obviously being a 2 lap course you need to run up twice. However whilst there is a hill it really isn't that steep and on the first lap I was still waiting for the steep hill when we reached the end of the first lap.

Along the promenade you have the advantage of a very well supported crowd of spectators lining the walls on both sides shouting encouragement. The race also boasts 2 comperes who entertained the crowd with their unique sense of humour. Dressed as hooray henries or spivs they kept a conversation going with the crowd at the start.

The good weather encouraged a record entry for this race of 456 and in good warm sunshine the race set of at 11am. I felt good for the first few miles of this race. My aim being to beat my time I ran at the Norwich Half Marathon in June of 1.49.03. My plan was to make sure every mile I ran was under 8 minutes and then to see how I felt later in the race as to whether I could push on.

My splits for the race were as follows

Mile 1 7.23
Mile 2 7.32
Mile 3 7.50
Mile 4 8.00
Mile 5 7.57
Mile 6 7.42
Mile 7 7.38
Mile 8 8.25
Mile 9 8.13
Mile 10 8.19
Mile 11 9.15
Mile 12 8.38
Mile 13 8.17
Mile .1 1.00
Total 1 .46.16

As can be seen my plan worked up to 8 miles when my times started to slip badly and I began to be passed by a good number of runners. My legs felt like lead and I had a real lack of energy, my feet were burning (must look at getting some better socks) and my concentration went and rather than concentrate on the runner in front I was thinking of the finish. I supose mile 8 is rougthly where you encounter the hill on the 2nd lap. However there are plenty of downhills after this but I just didn't have the energy to pick up the pace.

My finishing time was better than Norwich by nearly 3 minutes but considering the heat I think my time at the Norfolk race was a bigger achievement.

This was a well organised race and a credit to Felixstowe Road Runners. I will certainly return again to have another bash at this course. It makes a good day out especially when you are as lucky as we were with the weather.

I finised 161st out of the 402 finishers,the winner running 1.12.57. There is a video of the race which you can watch at Felixstowe TV.