Sarah Rock reports: Who said that Wokingham was flat? Wokingham half marathon had a reputation in the Midlands for being a flat pb-potential course, and so I had entered it six months ago as London marathon preparation.
However, speaking to a few of the locals that had run it, they were of the opinion that 1) it wasn’t flat and 2) the weather is always atrocious. Not the news I wanted to hear after running in the cross country league race at Cofton the day before….
True to form, it was raining, miserable and overcast as we stood on the start line with bin bags for cover. The first few miles take in a few hills, more undulating than anything, through the Berkshire countryside, which I expect would be very pretty on a nice day!
Having started nearer to the front of the race than usual, I was passed by hundreds of runners, but looked at my watch and had completed the first two miles in 15 mins. I told myself I was recovering from injury and illness, had only done three weeks of marathon training and had raced the day before, and so I should let them pass, go steady and run my own race.
This proved good self-advice as I just kept trucking on over the miles – until mile 10, when there were a series of hills where we were running against the wind and rain and it was only the mixture of Shakin Stevens, Wham, and Billy Joel that kept me going.
Surprisingly I managed to keep the pace up and sprinted with all my might to get in in 1.39.39 (provisional chip time). I was a fair way behind the ladies winner, Liz Yelling, who won in just under 1.14, but very pleased with a good end to a racing weekend. Bring on London!!
Laura, Barrie,
Thanks very much for your comments and congratulations – I think part of the reason for my successful run was the fact that it seemed so much easier and flatter than cofton!
Sarah, you’re a machine! How did you manage that after racing round Cofton the day before?! Well done 🙂
I enjoyed reading about the Wokingham Half-Marathon. A sound run Sarah,and you you should be more than pleased with your efforts over the weekend..Well done! You were well within the first third of the field — And you weren`t that far behind Liz Yelling.
As long as you don`t race the day before,London should be ok. Barrie Roberts