A few days before the race the weather forecast was totally rubbish showing strong winds and heavy rain but, on race day it couldn't have been more different. There was hardly a breath of wind and we only had a couple of light, drizzly showers, which were quite cooling.
25,000 runners were lined up in four colour coded pens, our designated pen being based upon the predicted finishing time we gave when we entered the race. I'd positioned myself towards the rear of the 2nd wave green pen with fellow club mates Alex and Veese.
I had a goal and a plan. My goal was a sub two hour finishing time, which meant running 9 minute miles, or better, and my plan was to keep an eye on my pace and estimated finishing time being shown on my Polar M430 watch. I've had a tendency lately of setting off at a 10k pace and running out of steam at about 9 miles, so I had to stay fairly strict with my pace, so I was trying to keep my estimated finishing time showing at about 1:58 ish.
10 AM came and the first wave, (white), in front of mine set off, and about 5 minutes later we were off too, and immediately our pace was way to quick, so we had to slow it down.
By mile 4 Alex had dropped back a little on the hill but was still in touch with Veese and myself, but as we got onto the barrage at mile 5 I couldn't see him behind us. We did catch up with Joanne Henshall and exchanged the usual pleasantries before passing her. And we did also spot a grey haired gent in front of us shortly afterwards who I recognised as Steve Smith, who wasn't enjoying his race at all.
Mile 6 is at the Millennium Centre where Veese and I took on water. Veese was obviously feeling that the pace was a little slow for her and she went off on her own. I didn't want to try and keep up with her faster pace and then finding I'm burning out too soon, so I kept to my plan and and let her much younger legs plough on ahead.
The route then takes us more into the centre of the city. The crowds lining the route were fantastic from there and right into the Roath area, clapping and cheering on their friends and family.
Mile 10 is at the bottom of Roath park and the lake, and I had totally forgotten that the next half mile or so is on an incline, right up to the traffic roundabout at the very top of the park. I popped another energy gel into my mouth and tried to keep up with the same race pace, with my watch still showing an estimated finishing time of 1:58 ish.
Running along the opposite side of the park I was able to relax a little and try to recover as my thighs were by now feeling quite tired and a little achy after that climb, and I knew that very shortly we would be turning right and coming to the steepest hill on the course, which is a large hump backed bridge going over a railway line. I have to admit that halfway up that hill I did, very briefly, contemplate walking, but I dug in deep and slowly powered my way up to the top.
Cathays Terrace is a long straight road and slightly downhill. My watch was showing a finishing time of 2:03 at the top of that hill and I knew that would come down along this stretch of road, particularly if I let gravity help me and I could quicken my pace just a little, which I did but, my calf muscles would only let me go so fast and began complaining if I tried to push to hard by giving me the first indications of cramp setting in. If I did cramp up, a PB would most certainly have gone out of the window.
At the end of the straight, the road turns right with a smaller railway bridge to go over, and my watch was showing a 2:00 hour finishing time with about 1/10th of a mile to go to the finish line. By now my tired legs were going as fast as they could but, they weren't going fast enough to complete this race in under 2 hours, I just had to push as hard as I could as I was still in with a shout of a new personal best time, to beat the time which I got in Swansea back in July of 2:02:42 .
Me acknowledging someone that has called out my name
Veese coming in 5 minutes before me. She must have been flying from mile 6.
I turned the final corner to see the finish line and ran as fast as my little legs would carry me, but they had no more umph left in them. My thighs were burning and tight and I was feeling some muscles a little further up towards my pelvis really groaning and complaining, and I crossed the line in a official chip time of 2:01:32 . Initially I was disappointed that I hadn't got a sub 2 hour finish, but then I felt pleased that I had set another new PB. There is always next year, although with my 58th birthday looming in a couple of weeks time, I don't know how much faster I can go.
There were a lot of very tired legs crossing the finish line, but for Yangi, who had been running with Paul, who was acting as a pacer for a few guys and girls, it was a little too much as she collapsed only 200 metres before the finish line and Paul had to help her up and get her across the line. It can happen to the best of us, pushing ourselves to our maximum limits over our maximum distance, maybe not taking on board enough fuel and water, plus maybe the conditions on the day don't suit us. Fortunately Yangi recovered quite quickly and will be running again very soon I'm sure.
Paul and Yangi. The picture was taken from the television highlights program of the event
I took some video of the event so, make yourself a cuppa tea, grab a digestive biscuit and enjoy. I'm afraid the video is a little bouncy due to the running motion. Hopefully I can upgrade my camera soon to the latest version with digital stabilisation built in which will eliminate most of that.
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