Thankfully after floods during the week in Cornwall the rain stayed away for race day & the weather was good a bit overcast but dry although a little windy over Bodmin Moor.
I like my flat European City centre marathons in general. Florence,Amsterdam & Berlin topping my list, but there are 2 beautifully scenic races in the UK that really capture my imagination - Windermere & The Cornish, both are hilly & challenging (the Cornish much more so than Windermere) & i love 'em both :)
East Cornwall Harriers put on a fantastic event every year, a field of just 200 but made it a friendly sociable occassion, I could say I loved every minute of it but that would be lying !!
i set off with my few mates Paul & Colin but within 2 miles realised that 7.50 min miling was gonna be too quick for me & eased back to 8.10's for the first 8/9 miles & then the course starts to really bite & there are some tough long hills, I dug deep & worked my way up them at a reasonable speed but then paid for that effort as the course flattened out over a windswept Bodmin moor En Route to Jamaica inn & those 8.10's became 9's, became 10's & even as bad as a 10.30 min mile over the half way point.My hamstring really tightened after working up the hills & I started feeing rather sorry for myself & just wanted it to be over :(
Reaching Jamaica Inn at 14 miles, coming off the moor & realising a sub 4 hour marathon was slipping away I realised I needeed to stop my internal whing pull my finger out & get going, I sped up a little (aided by a gentle downhill & I was back to 9 min miling, My mate Michael caught & passed me but I kept him in eye sight as long as I could & was subsequently joined by "Pikeman" Stephen Young & we chatted & wiled away another 4 or 5 miles before he disappeared into the distance too (I would catch him later).
I reached 20 miles in 3 hours & knew 10 min miling would get me home sub 4, but with the adrenaline flowing I sped up & averaged 7.25's over the final 6.2 miles, not sure where I found that kind of speed ? but started ticking off the miles in the hope of breaking 3.50 but with 2 to go I suddenly thought I have a shot at sub 3.45 & put my head down & went for it, the final mile was run in 6.45 & 1.20 from the 26 mile marker got me to the line in 3.44.57 - I'd done it by the skin of my teeth - so close I didn't even get chance to get the airplane out of the hangar.
The reward at the end was a Pasty, cup of tea & lemon cake from "Cornish Eva" (yes she really exists !!) & a bit of detective work meant we even found the bar which was very secluded & tucked away.
Today's champagne moment goes to Stephen Young for picking me up & helping me along when I really needed it, many thanks for your company out there :)
thankfully the November rain held off & everyone seemed pleased with a good day at "The Office"
keep on "sprinting" lol ;)
Foxy
