12 half marathons in 12 months - No such thing as a bad race

(First published in Hook Focus, January 2018)

A year in Hook Runners, a tale of 12(+) cities

Hook Runners are out training Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays and on club runs Sundays together.  There are also numerous organised events around the country that its members take part in, either individually or as a group.

There have been no shortages of personal bests and races run – even in the local club monthly handicap race people put in their all and get PB’s – including most recently club chairwoman Lou.

In 2017 one runner, Piers [me], had set himself the challenge to do a half marathon every month; then he added to this a first marathon as well.  This is his [my] tale of 12 cities (plus one).

A Strava movie with some stats in is also available at: https://youtu.be/KEANSU07f9Y

January – Farnborough (Time: 1:48.13 PB)

The new Farnborough half marathon was attended by a few of the club’s new members.  The obvious feature of 2017’s race was the temperature that was well into negative figures, so the usual standing around prior to the start was cold indeed.  The route went around the business park by the airship hanger before heading out into the countryside, on a twisty path through the woods before heading back along the canal.  As events go it was pretty good, they could have sorted the parking better; but a PB was a decent return on my recent running efforts on the wintry Sunday mornings around Hook.

February – Thorpe Park (Time: 1:44.55 PB)

Starting in the park entrance area this event actually goes around the outside without actually twisting between the rides.  However, it is fairly flat and an enjoyable course and a decently organised event; it just meant an early start to get there and get parked up.  Another PB felt good though, coming straight after the January record.

March – Fleet (Time: 1:46.57)

Fleet was the first really big club outing, a lot of people from the club were entered and several first-time half-marathoners were looking forward (or dreading) their first race at this distance.  My race was 9 miles of optimism and over-confidence followed by 5 miles of harshly felt fatigue, but the time still definitely meant something – and was still my third fastest half marathon race at the time.  This event was a real club team effort – everyone bonded a bit at Fleet in 2017.

The finish at Fleet

April – Southampton (Time: 1:48.06)

As a filler event that fitted around the school holidays and other commitments Southampton was a local race that ticked a lot of boxes: a big event, town centre crowds, no family commitments to juggle, and a lift down there.

It is a good course, although going up and over the Itchin bridge twice in the last 3 miles was hard work – and the time probably bears that out.

May - Windsor/Thames Valley (Time: 1:43.53 PB)

This is an event that is scenic (being 4 laps of Eton Dorney lake, home to Olympic rowing) and also somewhat boring (for the same reason).

However, as a smaller event it certainly has its place and is also “ironing board” flat and completely traffic and crowd free.  If you were designing a course for PB this is what it would look like.

Sure enough, the time nudged the personal best down another minute or so (incidentally, where it still is).

June - Hampshire Hoppit (Time: 2:27.48)

This is a local event, organised by runners for runners, on the hills around Kingsclere where Watership Down is set.  It is hilly, especially at the start and end, and this year was scorching hot – as one experienced runner said before the start, it was about “survival, nothing more”.

A finish time means one thing, I finished! – that was achievement enough.  Definitely a favourite event to go back and do again though!

July - Bewl 15 (Time: 2:14.54 – 15 miles)

Possibly one of the more remote events I ran, down at Bewl lake in Kent.  This slightly longer half marathon at 15 miles was a joy; great location, scenic, mostly flat, on trails and run at a temperature that was much kinder to the entrants.

Hook Runners at the Hampshire Hoppit

The time belies the fact that the distance of this race was a couple of miles longer than the other events, but it would definitely be one to repeat if the drive back hadn’t taken longer than the race itself.

August - Isle of Wight (Time: 1:49.31)

This was interesting as it involved driving to Portsmouth and getting a ferry across to Ryde for the start.

It is another locally run, friendly event at a great location and with route through the Isle’s countryside.  It wasn’t fast or slow, but by this point marathon training for the Bournemouth marathon was starting to determine the distances and paces of my runs.  It also fitted in around holidays and that was a big factor!

September – Winchester (Time: 1:52.08)

Another local race with a town centre start/finish and some great views around the Hampshire countryside, Winchester filled the month of September in the challenge calendar.

It is not too dissimilar to the other town-based races, but as anyone who has been to Winchester knows, the hills are very much a feature of the landscape.  This was run in a relaxed pace for a hilly event that came just one week before Basingstoke and two weeks before the full marathon at Bournemouth.

October – Basingstoke (Time: 1:56.15)

This, my favourite half marathon, is a regular fixture for me and this year fell just one week before the marathon in Bournemouth I’d also signed up to.

As such Basingstoke this year wasn’t a race, it was an exercise in getting marathon pace right for 13 miles and just damn well enjoying every minute.  The pace of 8:52 a mile was spot on marathon pace, every mile went to plan, every camera was posed for and at the end it felt fantastic – plenty left in the tank.

With one week to go till the marathon, running it was somewhat against expert advice – but I love this event.

Also October – Bournemouth Marathon (Time: 4:17.20 Marathon PB)

My first marathon was a success, I trained hard on a plan from Terry one of the coaches, had lots of input from all the experienced marathon runners and other coaches in the club (thanks to all of you), and by race day – after 800 miles of training over 18 weeks – I was ready.

The end of the Bournemouth marathon

The first 20 miles (anecdotally 20 miles is halfway on a marathon) went completely to plan, spot on pace, but a cramp at mile 21 meant a bit of delay while that stretched out and then more crampy twinges in the last 3 miles also cost some time.  The time was not as fast as I’d hoped, but I finished and was smiling – and I was a marathon runner (and I know I can beat that time in London in April 2018).

November – Downton (Time: 1:51.38)

The Wiltshire countryside is the setting for this small friendly event; hilly, rural and great fun, this race is similar to Basingstoke in many ways – except you get hot soup and a roll at the end.

When you are cold and tired, I challenge anyone to not enjoy a cup of hot soup and a roll.

December - Dorset Coastal Trail series (Time: 3:57.25 - 16 miles)

The final “half” marathon was really quite something – another event with a group of Hook Runners all in attendance this event starts and finishes in Lulworth and passes through the most picturesque and breath-taking parts of hell.

The Dorset scenery on the
CTS "half" marathon

The initial westerly direction sees three big, tough climbs and corresponding descents along the Dorset Jurassic coastline before an easier stretch along the ridge back down into the cove.

The easterly section takes in the beach at Lulworth and some more coastline before a hill at about mile 7/8 (I think) that is simply jaw-dropping.  You part run, part walk, part climb up it, loop round the abandoned wartime village of Tyneham, follow the top of the ridge back before descending an equivalent altitude (on very tired legs) to the sea shore for the last mile back.

As half marathons go, with its extended 16-mile length and 3,000ft of ascent (which is a lot, really a lot! It rates as 5/Extreme by the organisers own ratings) this really does put itself in a different category – sneaking in under 4 hours was a pleasure of the most painful variety, and a great end to the challenge.

A year in the life of Hook Runners

These races weren’t the longest that club members undertook during 2017, and the times weren’t the fastest people achieved in the same races.

Hook Runners has people of all abilities from those just starting out or getting back after injury, to sub 20-minute 5k runners (See the Basingstoke Parkrun times for proof of that), sub 3-hour marathon runners, ultra-marathoners and everything in between.

This 12-in-12-months challenge wasn’t unique, and not all the races were in cities, but it came with untold support from the club and lifted one person from a couple of half marathons a year to one every few weeks; and entailed a few other events besides.

See www.hookrunners.com to find out about joining and set yourself a challenge in 2018 – it doesn’t have to take in 12 races, it might be to just do one!