April/ May 2024 race report
After paying £250 for a Run Through Annual Run pass for all midlands and north races, I thought I better “make my money’s worth” by getting my backside back into gear and get some racing done.
First race was Shakespeare half marathon on 21st April 2024, apparently it’s named so because Stratford-upon-Avon was the birth place of Shakespeare. The race itself started off in the town centre, absolutely beautiful, albeit the start was very chaotic, very narrow pavement to negotiate into the starting pen. At the end, I started just after the 1:45 pacer, but with the fast downhill start, I managed to overtake 1:45 and 1:40 pacer, within the first 2 miles, the course was nice and flat, all on road until the last couple of miles where it was on gravel paths which were not great for the Nike Alphafly soles, anyway good day out, 1:34:43, overall position 114/1760.
Second race was East Yorkshire Half Marathon on 28th April 2024, starting at Burton Constable Hall in Hull, it was a rainy and windy day, the start was delayed and the course was entirely on country lanes, headwind after headwind, nothing to see for miles, not even a sheep! It was that cold that I could not even open the energy gels. Finished in 1:36:22, overall position 83/774. To make the day even worse, the car park was on grass and because of the rain, majority of the cars were stuck and had to be pulled out.
Third race was Newcastle – Gateshead Half Marathon on 5th May 2024, started from the Gateshead International Stadium, very nicely organised, good day for it too. The marathoners started first at 9am then half marathoners and 10ks started at 9:25am. The route started from basically an industrial estate then down and alongside to the River Tyne and eventually looped back to cross over the bridge. Great scenic route, good support. Finished in 1:35:56, overall position 85/720.
