Southampton half marathon, 2019

Another cold, bright, early start.  This year the Southampton marathon/half/10k was clashing with the Isle of Wight Randonnee.  Rather than risk a travel and parking nightmare, the lovely Mrs S and I caught the train from Totton, and met up with a variety of OS, Romsey and Hares runners at the Guildhall Square.  This was an especially big day out for Rob and Jo, who were doing their first ever half marathon.

This was my third half at this event.  In 2017 I finished in 1:24:53, but I was really chasing my 2016 time of 1:22:08.  I was also hoping to chase down Alex Prinsep, who has been consistently beating me by just a second or two over recent races. 

With the Hares at the start

I was told stories about a bit of a scrum getting to the startline last year, and I was quite anxious as the procession of runners inched towards the start zone, but in the event I had plenty of space and even managed a few dynamic stretches.  The temperature was cool, but it was very pleasant out of the wind and in the May sunshine.

We endured some terrible music (someone had let the teenagers loose on the selection) and a lady on the PA system endlessly hectoring us about exactly where our race numbers should be pinned.  And then at last we were off.

A race this size really needs some policing of the start line.  As we shuffled into a run, I nearly tripped over several very slow folk who had chosen to put themselves right up front.  Then past Carlo in his Cookie Monster costume ('I can't see a thing in here, mate') and through the old part of Southampton and on to the Itchen Bridge.  It's only 20m high, but it's quite a feature of this race.  I glided past Alex on the way up, and he went past me again on the way down the other side.

The trip around Woolston was a new feature on this race, and I really enjoyed the path along Southampton Water.  Heading back north again, there were plenty of opportunities to wave at folk on the way out, including Mrs S, who was pacing OS runner Dave Ball (who was getting infuriated by spectators failing to pronounce the name 'Bally' on his race number incorrectly).

Back over the Itchen Bridge, through St Mary's stadium, and up a long gradual incline over Northam Bridge to Bitterne.  Somewhere around here I took a water bladder, a funny floppy thing, and by the time I looked up after a bit of a drink and a headspray, Alex was some way ahead.  I kept a reasonable pressure up through Riverside Park and got a great slingshot from a metal pole while taking a hard right on to Cobden Bridge.

Not far now.  Up the hill through Portswood and Highfield to the Common.  I was mentally prepared for a long old drag, but it was actually fine.  It was great to see the Allans cheering outside their road, and it was soon after this that I realised that I was catching Alex.

I took him just after the underpass leading onto Southampton Common.  I sensed that he was flagging, but I was nonetheless nervous about breaking too soon.  It was all downhill to the finish from here, and I tried to capitalise with long strides.

The final few hundred metres seemed to go on for ever.  There was a cacophony of noise at the finish line, and I was done for as I crossed it.  Alex arrived a few seconds later and we both congratulated each other - it had been a tremendous battle.

Without having arranged a rendezvous point, there was a lot of subsequent shuffling around a rammed Guildhall Square to meet everyone, but we got there in the end.  It seemed that everyone had something to smile about on a terrific morning.

Correction... Mark T wasn't doing any smiling

The Hares had all done famously, including the HM debutants

My head looks strangely huge

I finished in 16th place with a time of 1:21:36, about 30 seconds faster than in 2016, and respectably close to my time on a flatter course in Bath.  Here are my stats, and here's a flyby of the tussle between me and Alex.