Lesley Proctor reports: Originally 3 BVH members were going to be running this marathon but unfortunately, Martin Foster was injured and had to defer until 2013. This left just 2, Helen Lawrence and me!
We did a lot of our training runs together and both felt pleased with how they‘d gone.
On the morning of the marathon, Helen and I met in Preston Park, where the race starts, in the queue for the loo of all places! It was a 9am start. The weather was sunny, cool and breezy and runners were held in starting pens. I think we were in the third wave. Whilst waiting to start, we were able to see the ‘elites’ run by as the first mile consisted of an uphill loop around the outside of the park!
We’d agreed to run our own races and I managed to keep Helen in my sight for the first 6 miles and then she disappeared among the 12,000 other runners. We ran down to the front, turned and went inland again turned and ran back down to the front before turning left and out towards the Marina.
It felt as though this turning off in different directions had to be done to ‘make up’ the mileage and it continued throughout the course. This messed with my head a little bit and I found the course psychologically difficult, especially as we had to run passed the finishing line on our way out to the other end of Brighton.
This was towards the power station and an extremely dull industrial estate, affectionately known as’ the road to hell’ and it was!! There were a couple of long, slow inclines but the majority of the course was flat. We did run along the seafront for a lot of the run too and here, the crowds were plentiful, enthusiastic and extremely encouraging!
Passing the big wheel for the third time meant that I was finally approaching the finishing line and I couldn’t wait to get there. I was really pleased to get a PB but did not particularly enjoy the run partly because of the route and partly because I could feel a blister developing under the ball of my right foot from early on in the run and it was uncomfortable.
I can’t fault the organisation of this event but I thought the route was tough. Even the winner of the race said that it was the 2nd hardest course he’d ever run… So perhaps I am elite after all!
Results
Lesley Proctor 04.08.51
Helen Lawrence 04.02.22
Well done both sad to miss race but I can look forward ( I think) to 2013.
Fantastic performances ladies and very well deserved after the training you have put in over the last few months!
Thankyou for your Race Report Lesley.Clearly a challenging Marathon as regards the Course itself.Well done, and Congratulations to you both on running close to 4hours.It takes me back 30 years!
PS.It was a shame that Martin had to defer until 2013;especially as he had been training so hard in recent months.
Barrie Roberts
Brilliant runs Les and Helen- great to see that all your hard work paid off – awesome! You are indeed elite ladies 🙂
These are great times for you both – well done!! A massive PB for Leslie and I think a women’s age record for Helen?
Well done ladies. Fantastic times well deserved. Sorry Martin was unable to run.