Endurancelife Dorset half marathon, 2023

 

This was my first proper run since the Run Tatton half three weeks ago. I'd been missing running in wild open countryside and I couldn't resist the opportunity to run this event again. I'd previously done 10k and half marathon permutations of this event, albeit on different parts of the Purbeck coast, in 2019 and 2020.

After a wet few weeks and a very soggy night, the landscape was saturated as the lovely Mrs S and I drove to Dorset in the morning half-light. We arrived at Swanage where I got on a packed and excitedly noisy coach which took us along impossibly narrow roads to the start, somewhere near Kimmeridge.

Leaden sky at the start

The first section was inland over grassy fields and muddy tracks. I watched one guy (John) slip over in spectacular fashion. After 2km the field had spaced right out. There was a section of road which took us through Kingston where I missed a turn, losing about 30 seconds and a couple of places in the process - grrr.

After about 7km (one third done) I reached the coastline at the approach to Chapman's Pool. Up the hill and along a slippery ridge towards St Aldhem's Head; the clouds were now lifting but a crosswind was blasting me onto the barbed wire fence on my left and it was all I could do to keep my balance. I had John the Faller and another guy for company (having caught them up after the Kingston slip-up), and we intermittently passed each other along quite a long stretch of coastline.

What a technically challenging route! The risk of slipping on the mud was constant. Avoid the camber, stick to vegetation - two good rules, but often these rules conflict... trying to find the right line and stay upright was all-consuming for much of the course. Add in loose rocks and gravel, uneven steps and scratchy gorse, and it all made for terrific (if rather exhausting) fun. 

By now I had lost my two companions and I was on my own. My legs were smeared with a combination of peat (having waded through a thick sedge bog) and blood from running past the gorse. But the thick fog has lifted and the sun was just starting to poke through.

Lovely day for it

With around 6k to go, a man in a black t-shirt and hat (Tim) overtook me at a cracking pace. I couldn't understand why such a strong runner would have taken so long to get past me. He disappeared into the distance as I approached the lighthouse that signified that Durlston Head was close.

The drag up around Durlston Castle was not particularly steep or long, but I was reduced to a to a shuffle of a run, and I realised that I was weary. Through the woods alongside Durlston Bay, past some houses on the edge of Swanage and into an open section of green space... and things started getting weird.

I saw a little chevron sign pointing me off the gravel path and over a section of grass to a gap in some trees. I followed the sign, but shortly afterwards came across a fork in the path with no signage. I stopped and turned around. Two other guys were tearing towards me. 'Did I read the sign right?' I asked. Yes, they said, it's pointing us this way. On the other side of trees I could see Swanage beach and the finish gantry. Pragmatism ruled, and we carried on.

As I reached the road I found myself behind Tim. He looked bemused. 'I know', I said - 'I got lost and took an unexpected shortcut. I won't overtake you'. He had slowed down by now and the two of us trotted along the promenade. Just before the finish one of the guys who had made the shortcut with me tore past us both to the finish line. Tim was volubly furious.

The guy in blue (Mark) has just pipped man in black (Tim) to the line

 after taking a bit of a shortcut

Tim is jolly cross about this

  

The whole inadvertent shortcut business was a shame, as it took the shine off a wonderful experience. I comfort myself that I didn't gain any position as a result. I finished first M55 in 1:50:58; here are my stats.

Run Tatton half marathon, 2023

In the context of racing this year, this was my biggest single event - my A Race. Having tried but failed to qualify for the England Athletics Masters 10k at Telford last year and subsequently been injured out of a half marathon attempt in January, the Run Tatton half in Cheshire was my primary training focus.

The lead up to this had been terrific, taking in the CapTen and Clarendon races over September and October, and training going nicely to plan without any injury nonsense getting in the way. And so it was that Mrs S and I drove up to Cheshire on Friday and spent a happy Saturday exploring the Peak District before turning up at Tatton Park on Sunday under dark clouds and a forecast of light rain.

I had dug around for details of my M55 competitors - specifically, those who had registered for the EA Masters competition. There were six of us, and according to Run Britain rankings and Power of 10, I was in with a shout of finishing in the top 3 to make the cut. On paper it looked like I was a shade behind a guy called Langdon Williams. 

Competitor analysis

Waiting for the start, I looked around for other EA registrants (we were obliged to sport our categories on our backs) and met a bloke called Richard Johnson, whom I couldn't recall from my competitor list. He casually told me that he had already qualified for the Masters three times. The bastard. 'But I don't think I'll be qualifying today', he added.

Warming up

      

Waiting to start (or possibly ascend into heaven)

A nervous countdown later, we were off. Steady, steady, I told myself, trying to pace to a sensible 3:50 first km (which is mightily hard to do when your primal brain is shouting 'it's a race!'. After a short while I spotted Richard ahead of me. 

We're off

I was feeling good, and the kms fell away. I felt myself slowly edging through the field. It started raining, but I barely registered it. Before long I was back in the start field; first lap done.

First lap; keeping it steady

The second lap was slightly shorter than the first, without a making-up-the-distance extra dogleg. Before long I passed the tailwalker for the 10k race, and after this the route became increasingly busy. Passing slower runners can be a hazard when they move unexpectedly, and I had a couple of close encounters, but thankfully no drama.

Second lap, starting to catch the 10k runners

Into the final 5k, and as per standard procedure I was upping the intensity to retain my speed. I could still see Richard ahead of me and it seemed that I might be gaining on him. But I wasn't going to catch him with the remaining distance almost done.

On to the finish field, and a push to the line. The finish gantry was fifty metres off the gravel path, involving a sharp turn to the left over sodden grass (it was by now raining steadily). I slid like mad and for a moment thought I was going down... but just managed to stay aloft to get over the line.

A great demonstration of poor running form as I slide around on the grass finish

My chip time was 1:22:12. And my position? I was fourth. Langdon Williams was second (21 seconds ahead of me) and Richard was third, 11 seconds ahead. It turned out that both Richard and first-placed Andy le Roux (Fleet runner, super bloke, now connected on Strava) had both registered for the Masters competition during the previous 48 hours. Here are my stats.

Next time...

Initially I felt a bit crushed. So much effort, so close, but no cigar. But by the end of the day I had become a lot more upbeat about it. I was close, and that's great. The quest continues, and it'll be all the sweeter when I get it. The journey is proving to be a lot of fun.

Clarendon half, 2023

 I've run variations of this race so manty times over the last 20 years that I've lost count. I ran the half marathon from Broughton to Salisbury three or four times in the 2000s and then from Salisbury to Winchester in 2007, when the direction was reversed for fun on the tenth race and has stayed the same since. I've subsequently run the full marathon route nine times. So I was well overdue to give the half another crack.

Furthermore, I hadn't run a half - possibly my favourite distance - for three and a half years, thanks to a combination of pandemic and injury. After a summer of steady running and a good smattering of races under my belt, I was very much anticipating this jewel of local races.

Shortly before leaving home I followed an endurance tip I had cut out of a newspaper and drank a solution of sodium bicarbonate. It was predictably foul. After washing it down with a hefty glug of coffee, Mrs S and I collected Steve M-H and set off too Broughton where we said hello to lots of familiar faces and I limbered up.

Hello Broughton

It was a warm, humid, overcast sort of a day. I chatted to Neil Jennings at the start line. Neil was the clear favourite after achieving a storming first place last year, but he was being as modest as ever about his readiness for this race. There was a countdown and we set off.

With Neil, last year's runaway winner

After a minute or so I found myself at the front of the pack. This always makes me nervous at the start of a race! But a feature of Clarendon is that you're never alone; with multiple races (full, half and relay) and the option to start ahead of the massed starts, there are always runners ahead. I like this - it gives you targets to aim for and it's companionable, but on a trail route it does sometimes involve some negotiated overtaking.

It was a bonus to have the lovely Mrs S waving to me in Houghton and again in King's Somborne. I was feeling strong and enjoying the course. Bastard Hill felt quite straightforward (much more so than it does on a full marathon), and I found myself in buoyant mood on the climb to Farley Mount, simply enjoying the feeling of steady ascent. I passed JJ (the race director) who said hello and promptly sprinted in front of me to take a photo.

In Houghton

Into West Wood and now well into the second half, I was starting to feel some weariness. I felt glad that I had decided to bring a backpack with a water bladder. The Tailwind was helping. At the top of a grassy ascent I encountered Derek Jennings carrying a selfie stick. Derek ran just ahead of me and conducted a mini-interview. I wasn't expecting this and I didn't make the best interviewee, mumbling half-responses to his questions and spitting for good measure.

Into the closing miles, I became increasingly protective of my position in the field. It's one thing being overtaken halfway into a race, but quite another when you're pushing to the finish. I was keeping mentally prepared for the final rooty, rocky steep hill with just over a mile to go; from here on I tried to lift my pace, motivated by the fear of Neil's distinctive footsteps behind me.

Derek was at the top of the final hill with his camera. No time to talk; I pushed forward along Sarum Road, which I swear was longer that it used to be, into the grounds of King's School and a raucously noisy playing field where I heaved over the line.

I'm in a state of shock

I had somehow finished in first place in 1:34:30. What just happened there? It turned out that Neil had had a difficult run and finished much slower than usual. I was thrilled! Here are my stats. 

At the finish

The implication is that the bicarb may have helped. I now feel obliged to drink this dreadful concoction whenever I do a longer race.

It's awful, but it might just work

Oh, and here's Derek's video compilation of the day. I feature from about 11:20. Sorry about the spitting.

CapTen, 2023

Last year, this race was a single loop (with a two-way stretch) of the west Dorset coastline. This year the course was different - a double circuit of east then west legs, converging on Seatown.

We met up with Alice at the start.

The delightful thing about this race (actually two races - the CapTen and the single-loop Bosun) is its competent organisation and understatement. It's very clearly marked out with little pink flags everywhere, but absolutely no razzmatazz. A couple of guys welcomed the field, but there was no PA system and no start line as such - just have fun and off you go.

It's hard to gauge how to pace this, when the first km has a hoofy 96 metres of ascent. I reckon about 16 people were ahead of me at the crest of the first hill. Getting to the top of Thorncombe Beacon involves three stages of climb with little dips in between. Then we skirted around to the left for the first of two steady descents - and then back on the coastal path for the steep climb up the eastern flank.

I was mentally counting off the hills. Two down, six to go. I passed the lovely Mrs S and Poppy on the way down to Seatown, and she said I was about tenth. after a juddery, steep descent and through the carpark, I swerved inland to begin the climb to the Golden Cap.

At 189m, this is a tough grind. Nothing too steep, but it really does go on. I was snapping at the heels of two guys ahead and feeling OK. The steps make it tough - you're forced into a lollopy gait. Then downhill - skip skip skip down more steps, keeping a very beady eye on your footing and then a plough down steep grass. I overtook one of the guys, and was not far behind the other as we pushed up the last of the hills on the first lap. He (Mark Peddle from Poole) pulled ahead on the second steady downhill section which went on for a mile on a narrow stony path. I passed Mrs S back at Seaton. 'Fourth place!' she called.

This was good news - it meant that some of the runners ahead were doing the shorter Bosun race. I glided ahead of Mark P on the climb back to Thorncombe, and was now on my own. Third place was now mine to lose. I glanced around on the big turns but I could never quite be sure I'd escaped him.

It was now getting really tough. The weather was warm (24 or so and humid - but thankfully the heatwave of the last week was breaking. Running downhill from Thorncombe, the weight of my sodden shorts threatened to pull them down and I had to hastily retie the string. Heading back up to Golden Cap, I struggled to walk with hands on thighs because they kept slipping off. 

After the Cap, one last minor hill, and the back on the downhill path. I was done for, but kept the pressure up, dreading the sound of feet behind me. Then onto the road, and finally the finish.

I was thrilled, but absolutely done for. I could barely move for a few minutes, and I was greedy for water. The sea swim was just the job. Here are my stats. The extra mile and 180m more climb than last year were behind my 16 minute longer time.

First lap: chasing him...

...Got 'im

It's really rather nice here.

In the end I was comfortably ahead of Mark P

Poppy serving as a handy cushion on the beach

Overton 5 mile, 2023

Being part of the Hampshire Road Race League, this race attracts a strong field. It's also unusual in being held as an afternoon event, and over the weekend the temperature had steadily built up. It was about 25 degrees when Mrs S and I arrived in Overton after a very cutting-it-fine journey. We had to run to the finish line, dump the bags and then run to the start line where we collected our numbers and luxuriated in the whole 10 minutes we had to spare.

I found myself next to Dave Shepherd and Jon Osman, two old rivals, at the start line. If ever there was a need to set off cautiously it was today, on this new course with a fast field on a hot afternoon. But the first km was all downhill, and I completed it in what I hoped was a sensible 3:27.

Settling in to the first hill, I overtook Jon. Dave was still ahead of me and he was looking strong, but as we crested the hill I could hear him gasping. This gave me a real boost. I cruised past him, and found myself gradually overtaking other runners. I felt myself tiring in the final third, but the heat was not the issue it had been on the Exbury 10k.

On the final section before turning into the playing field I saw the lovely Mrs S looking fresh. She had very wisely pulled over when her knees were sounding the alarm. I thought I was all set for a good finish, but a guy (Barry Dolman) I'd overtaken a few minutes earlier stormed past me and I couldn't hold him.

Spent, I flaked out for what seemed ages at the finish line. I looked at my watch and was delighted to see that I'd done it in 30:10; My best time at this distance for... well, since the very flat Romsey 5 in February 2019. Here are my stats.

The identically-shod bugger's behind you!

Outclassed

 

Lightning Bolt 10k, 2023

This was my first race in a few weeks. I hadn't done a heap of training, but enjoying being injury-free. So, low expectations of a strong result. And I wasn't in the best frame of mind when we arrived at the carpark in a field outside Chippenham - I had to sprint across the field in a squall of rain to get my number.

After this the rain eased, and by the time I was at the start line it was pleasantly cool conditions. I set off at a sensible pace, lifted it a bit in the second km and just kept going. This was also a Wiltshire championship race so there was a very strong field. In the later stages I found myself among some fast ladies. Going into the final stretch I had to dig deep to pursue a couple of ladies who accelerated brilliantly. I couldn't hold them, but it gave me a push just when I needed it.

I crossed the line in a chip time of 37:11, my best 10k result since Stubbington in 2020. I was delighted how it had come together. Here are my stats.

PS I tried this bicarb trick before leaving home. It was disgusting. Did it help? No idea!

Lordshill 10k, 2023

The last time I'd run this was in 2018, when I was taking it slow after recovering from a glute injury. I was curious to see what I could do today, on an ostensibly quite quick course on a thankfully much cooler morning after the recent heatwave.

Mrs S and I parked at OS and walked to Oasis Academy, race HQ. There were friendly faces everywhere. There was a very friendly atmosphere, although not helped by awful music pumping relentlessly. Why? It added absolutely no value.

I had planned to clock the first km at a very sensible pace - say 3:44 - but realised walking to HQ that the first section is significantly downhill. And so it came to pass that the first km was a pacey 3:31; yikes. I could have gone slower, but I was feeling calm and relaxed... it's tricky to judge these downhill starts.

After about 2k I was becoming familiar with the people around me. One guy (I later established that he's Rob Agar from Southampton AC, a familiar name) was close by, and we stayed in formation, one or the other of us ahead, throughout the race.

It's a straight out-and-back course, which made for a lot of waving as I passed friends. Around a bollard at 5k, and then into the second half, where I was working at the top of my threshold but feeling OK. Much less gruelling than in last week's cauldron. Rob was ahead, then behind, and so it continued.

The final km was, of course, uphill - only a dozen metres or so, but enough to count. As we entered Oasis Academy, Rob was looking vulnerable. I moved close up behind him, and made my move with about 100m to go. I pelted for the line like a mad thing and managed to scrape in 2 seconds ahead. 

The time of 37:49 was not my best, but it had been a highly enjoyable contest. Here are my stats. And the lovely Mrs S was thrilled with her time, well ahead of last week's triumph.

That's the last of the recent series of 10k races. Back soon!

It's the green flashes that do it

Great to see Gerry supporting

Exbury 10k, 2023

This was the first time we'd run this local race. It was a boiling hot day, and thank goodness it started at 9am, when the temperature was already heading into the mid 20s. Yikes.

We both imagined that it would be a low-key rural affair, but no - the place was rammed with a thousand runners plus families. It took ages to get ourselves parked, and there was minimal time to get ourselves sorted once we arrived - there was just time for a bog visit and then off to the start line, where I found myself next to Alan Graham and Chris Sansome from Lordshill.

I tried to be sensible when we set off. The first km took 3:43, the second 3:37, which I knew was not sustainable. I loved the scenery, some of which I dimly recognised from the Solent Half. The terrain was a gradual downhill.

Before long I had a view of the sea and was on the dog leg to Lepe beach where we were turned around. Quite abruptly, I found myself having to work harder. It was now net uphill to the finish, and I was really feeling the effect of the heat. I kept my position, but I was starting to struggle. I was really steaming by the time I reached the entrance to Exbury Gardens, where the adventure started.

There were two entrances to the gardens, and I didn't appreciate that we were directed back a different way to which we had emerged on the road. My mental map was wrong; I was set on bearing to the left for the final approach to the finish. I saw the gravel path bearing to the left so I followed it, while vaguely hearing an amplified voice announcing my name... but I didn't hear the bit about taking a wrong turn. A young bloke arrived in my field of vision waving like mad. I turned around and saw the huge finish gantry to my left. A Hardley Runner was running towards the line. No you don't, pal... I pushed frantically to get over the line before him.

My highly original route to the finish line

I finished in a rather unsatisfactory 38:38, having seriously slowed down in the second half. Here are my stats.

Green out, blue home

Check out this video from 3:20, which shows how I lost 5 places as a result of being a right eejit.

Meanwhile, the lovely Mrs S had an absolute blinder of a run, nailing her best 10k time this decade, having started conservatively, picked up the pace and hung on to pacer extraordinaire Rob Kelly. And poor Tom Wharton, the Romsey vicar, really lost the plot. He had to be helped over the line (he remembers none of this) where he collapsed and really thought the end was nigh for him. Thank goodness he's now OK.

I have unfinished business with this race!

Wytham Woods 10k, 2023

I'd never heard of Wytham (White'm, not With'm) Great Wood before. It's a really special and beautiful ancient woodland in Oxfordshire, and the site of much ecological magic, including a 500+ year old badger sett. And it hosts an annual set of races around the quiet forest trails. Race HQ (some barns around a working small-scale timber outfit) was 10 minutes walk from the carpark, and we were in tranquil countryside before we'd started, with a great dollop of humid June weather thrown in. After a 5-minute cursory warm up I was sweating like a good 'un.

It was my first proper race following a hamstring encounter, which has become a recurrent risk. After a few weeks of reduced intensity, I knew my speed had dropped, but I was eager to see what I could do on a reasonably hilly off-roader. It was a reasonably-sized field of about 450, including 15 or so competitive-looking runners at the front. After a bit of a delay (no one minded in the warm weather) and a droll race briefing we were off.

It was a quick downhill first km before encountering some natty little hills on soft grassy tracks (it had rained during the night). It was a bit technical with a few holes and roots and I very nearly took a tumble. At 4km we started on a long uphill grind upto the Swiss Chalet. By now there were two other chaps with me, taking it in turns to pull ahead.

It's hard to remember much of the second half, as we were taking a series of turns in the heart of the forest and I lost my sense of direction. I was glad to overtake my two adversaries. After completing a looped section I emerged back on to a short two-way stretch at a T-junction with no marshal. I flapped briefly about which way to go, but thankfully runners on the outward leg pointed me right. 

The final 2k or so were fairly uneventful. I emerged out of the woods to be directed towards a big open field, sloping downhill to the finish line. I pushed hard, but my goodness it was difficult in that heat, and with no one directly in front or behind it was a tough gig.

I finished in 12th place in 43:11, and 2nd M50. Here are my stats. I'll take that - I felt as though I had maintained a reasonable pace and in my post-injury state I couldn't have gone any faster. The lovely Mrs S came bombing down to the finish a few minutes later, and it was a sweaty but happy stroll back to the car.

Mrs S puts her best foot forwards

I am being controlled by wires connected to my right ear

Happy sweatfest

Lymington 10k, 2023

I last ran this way back in 2017 - feels like an age ago 0 in which I overcooked it at the start and had a messy second half, finishing in 37:50. So today I was determined to ease into it, pace it properly and ideally land a faster time. But I was also had a wee bit of trepidation about my left hamstring, which had been a bit tender over the last few days.

It was an overcast morning when Mrs S and I arrived, but the forecast was warm sunshine and the clouds were steadily breaking up. We met up with Sam from RRR as well as Richard Woodling, looking good six weeks in to his retirement. 

Hello Old Richard

I set off at what I hoped was a sensible pace. The first few hundred metres took us gently uphill - in fact 10m elevation of the 18m of the whole course. Left turn at the top of the road and then gently downhill to Keyhaven, from where much of the course was now along the flood defence.

It was flat, the wind was negligible, but it was surprisingly hard work on the gravel, which was well-packed but a bit uneven. It was a relief to get off the embankment and down to the road for the last leg. I kept the pressure up and pushed hard once into the park, although there was no one in reach in front or behind.

Result - 37:30, nearly 20 seconds faster than last time. Here are my stats. Comparing the km splits between today and 2017, it seems that going just 5 seconds slower (3:46 versus 3:41) in the first km paid dividends later on. I was ve4ry chuffed to get 1st M50, although the pleasure was slightly marred by (a) having to wait ages, way past the promised time of 1130 for the prizegiving, and (b) the lovely Mrs S not getting a F50 3rd place award when other age categories were getting top 3 awards. But enough griping... this was a very friendly community event and it was a lovely day to be by the sea, i which I got my first sunburn of the year.

This came with the trophy, and is a bit more interesting

Corsham 10k, 2023

Mrs S and I headed back to Corsham after a 4-year absence for its big-event-in-a-small-Wiltshire-town 10k race. There were over 1100 runners taking part on a cool morning that alternately threatened showers and sunshine, but unlike the London marathon stayed thankfully dry - as it would have been a bit miserable getting wet on the playing field or huddling in the village hall.

Keeping warm

Thoroughly warmed up

As I'd hoped I met Craig before the start and we had a good catch up as we waited for the countdown. There were about a dozen super-keen young guys on the start line. 'Easy, easy' we kept telling in each other throughout the first km, in which Craig went ahead of me, until I took him at 2km. It was almost entirely uphill for the first 4km, and I enjoyed steadily catching people.

Through the second half I felt good and kept the pressure on the pace. There's a sharp little hill at 9km, after which you're back on the finish road. I was right on my threshold. The distance countdown signs - every 100m with 500m to go - took an age to chew through, and I was done for at the end.

But check this out - a split time of 37:20, 2 seconds ahead of my 2019 time. I was thrilled - and especially because I managed to bag the M50 prize. Here are my stats. The km split comparison is interesting - 2019 on the left, 2023 on the right.

  

The lovely Mrs S came busting in soon afterwards, very pleased with her race. We sat in the sun for a while, picked up my trophy and headed to Frome for a very nice late breakfast. Fabulous!

The fast and the furious

Some shiny glassware for the mantlepice

Southampton 10k, 2023

Friday morning, and I had cold insistently making itself felt. Groan. Where was this going to leave me for Sunday's race?

Twenty four hours later, and I managed to get around Dunstable Downs parkrun without too much bother. But my lungs were full of gunk. What should I do about this 10k?

I ended up going with pacing rather than racing. I accompanied Mitch Robson, son of Gerry, around the course. He was looking to go sub 39 minutes. We kept to a respectable pace, with me having to encourage him more and more volubly as the course progressed. We picked up a lady called Beth at about 8km and by the end there was a small gang of us.

The course was about 250m long, which meant that our finish time of 39:23 reflected a sub-39er, and Mitch was happy. And no viral harm done to yours truly, so it was all good. And the lovely Mrs S was very happy with her race too. From the ashes of disaster grow the roses of success!

With Gerry and Mitch

Mrs S with the ladies