Forest of Dean spring half marathon

Race Reports

 

 

To confirm what Neil Taylor has already said…the running conditions in the Forest of Dean Trail Half today were perfect. It’s a really nice event to run and the conditions today amongst the trees were just right.
Unlike Neil, who arrived in plenty of time, I rocked up with about 10 minutes to spare, found there were no queues for the race number collection, no queues for the loos plus I got a prime parking spot right near the finish as the rest of the spaces were full!!! Probably not the best way to approach a race but it’s seems to be the only way I can manage it!

I ran this race last year for the first time and enjoyed it so thought I’d give it a bash again this year. I’ve been pootling along on quite long, seemingly very slow (not deliberate, just by default!!) runs in preparation for a coastal trail marathon (my first ever) at the end of April so I was lacking in confidence that I could actually run this half marathon distance at any sort of speed.
I’ve learned to quite like hills so was quite elated to find I could dash by people on the downhills and plod confidently up the ups today giving a reasonable overall average for me. So I was delighted to come round the last few corners to the finish line and achieve a PB of 1:54:30, the best ever for all my half marathon races! And in doing so knocking off nearly 9mins on last year’s time.

It must be because I’m now in the F45 catergory…getting older obviously has its advantages.
Even though near the end I was trying not to think that in a few weeks time I would have to have the courage to turn around and do it all over again plus a bit more to do the distance that will be required.
On that note, well done to the awesome Gemma who quite comfortably achieves these distances with style and great substance and probably wonders what my fussing is all about and to Neil who is just getting better and better…two wonderful role models.

A great morning’s excercise with a well deserved duck casserole once home!

2 thoughts on “Forest of Dean spring half marathon

  1. Superb run from the effervescent Young Tom – still setting PBs at the ripe old age of 45. We now have a written confession that you “quite like the hills” so I may appoint you as team leader when we resume hill training on Bircher Common next week. I will expect you to turn up just as we are preparing to head home.

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