Scorcher part 2: Serpent Trail half marathon

The Lovely Mrs S and I set off for a day of madness - a half marathon what could be the hottest day of the year.  We collected Brenda from Romsey and buzzed up the road to the Petersfield rugby club.  This had an adventure race feel to it - the timing was based on dibbers, not chips.  There were 50k and 100k races happening the same day... I struggled to comprehend how anyone could do these on a day like today.  By 11am it was already really, really hot.

The half marathon crew

We were bustled on to a coach which had no legroom and no ventilation.  It was pretty awful, but had the consolation that the air felt quite cool when we got off, just outside Midhurst.

A quick briefing later and we were off, on to sandy heathland.  I quickly counted 10 runners ahead of me, and over the next 10 minutes overtook 4 or 5.  There was an extra little loop to make up the full distance which included what turned out to be the toughest hill of the race, which meant going up it twice - it was good to get this out of the way.

I had set off at a moderate pace, I was trying to keep to the shade when possible, I was sipping water continually... in other words I made every effort to be sensible in the full-on heat, but I could feel myself working harder and harder as the minutes went by.  At around half way I was told that I was 3-4 minutes behind the runner in front.  I kept at it, having to focus hard to spot the little purple signs that marked the way, and with around 5k to go overtook someone... but apart from this I was on my own for most of the race.

I was really wilting in the final sections, and the finish line was a joy to behold.  I crashed over the line, and it took me a while to understand that I was the first one home.  WHAT?? I couldn't believe it.  Several minutes later two guys finished saying they set off at the front of the field but got lost and done 15 miles at a jog - but I still don't know what happened to the others.

Here are the results, and here are my own stats.  I'm still in shock!  Mrs S did a blinder, and we waited to see Ian and Abi come home from the 50k event, while roars from the clubhouse told us that England were through to the World Cup semis.  What a day!

What the dibber machine said

Mrs S finished 26th

Still a bit dazed at what happened

Abi and Ian finishing 50k

The Romsey gang