100 Marathon Club AGM Handicap Marathon, Bromley: 9th January 2011:
This was the 2nd time I’d run this 5 lap part road and part off-road marathon. Having done no running over the Christmas period due to the snow it was hard work getting my legs moving and I was content to finish in 4:18:50
Fairlands Valley Winter Challenge Trail Marathon: 16th January 2011:
It was cold, damp and muddy. Furthermore I was too busy talking to someone at a critical turning point and we’d gone a mile before we realised that we’d gone wrong. By the time we’d retraced our steps a good many people had passed us. I eventually trailed in, 19th out of 44 in a time of 5:33:24. Still, everybody tells me that time on your feet is beneficial!
Gloucester Marathon : 23rd January 2011:
The last time I ran this was in 2007 and my time was 3:52:42. The start and finish have changed, but the 3 main laps appeared to be the same. I couldn’t remember how hilly the course was, but my friend Gary Wade advised Sally Onn and me that there was only one real hill per lap. Curious, as I counted 5 each lap and they were all considerably harder to ascend on the third lap than they had been on the first. I hope that this wasn’t a contributing factor to Sally having a hard race as it may have led to her setting off faster than she otherwise would have. She still finished 2nd lady in a very creditable 3:13:04 and 38th overall, with this vet 55 member of the club trailing in 191st out of 344 in 3:53:58.
Watford Half Marathon: 5th February 2011:
Whilst my timing chip didn’t work I struggled round in 1:47:21. Once again it was good to see so many familiar faces around the course.
Richmond Park Trail Marathon: 12th February 2011:
This was a small marathon comprising just under 4 laps of Richmond Park. For some reason my legs gave up on me at around mile 22 and I struggled for the last 4 miles.
The Punchbowl 30 Mile Trail Race: 13th February 2011:
I awoke to the realisation that the heavens had opened and it was blowing a gale. This wasn’t a good time to discover that I’d forgotten to pack a waterproof jacket and trail shoes. I spent the first 25 miles slithering over the mud and then wading through a 400 yard long swamp. By this time I was soaking wet and the wind along the ridges was making life distinctly uncomfortable. In addition my route description instructions had become so wet and torn that they were indecipherable and I had to resort to following one of the other runners to the finish. I was extremely grateful for the hot cup of tea awaiting me at the race headquarters.
Limassol Marathon, Cyprus: 20th February 2011:
Naively I though that February weather in Cyprus might be better than the constant rain and cold we had been experiencing in the UK, but race day started with torrential rain and the sort of winds that you have to fight your way through. At least I didn’t suffer as the Kenyans did when the lead car took them 2 kilometres past the point where they were meant to turn, but I didn’t have a good race and finished in 4:03:15, 90th out of 205.
Steyning Stinger Trail Marathon: 6th March 2011:
This is a trail marathon with a marked route. It has a reputation for being very muddy and hilly, but this year at least we escaped the worst of the mud and I finished in 4:39:51.
Bedford Clanger Trail Marathon: 13th March 2011:
Apparently a Bedford Clanger is a pie with sausage at one end and apple at the other end. The course was flat and the route description was excellent. Naturally there were Bedford Clangers available at the finish for competitors to sample. I had a leisurely run with friends taking 5:16:40.
Cotswold Marathon: 20th March 2011:
This is a 3 lap road marathon and there is one hill that is tough on the first lap and murderous on the third lap.
I had volunteered to take a blind runner round and after the first lap I started to wonder whether we’d beat the five hour cut-off time. Furthermore, I was so busy making sure that there were no obstacles in Paul’s way that I managed a spectacular fall myself over an uneven area of road. We actually crossed the line in 4:52:44 and there were still a fair number of runners behind us.
Waltham Forest Half Marathon: 27th March 2011: Almost from the start I was in excruciating pain where I’d hit my rib on the previous week’s fall. However, I soon became distracted as I had to apply all my concentration to not getting hit by cars or buses. I can honestly say that out of all the races I have ever done this was the most poorly marshalled and dangerous race by far. I finished in 1:49:17 grateful to still be alive.
The Great Welsh Marathon, Llanelli: 10th April 2011:
Who would have expected such a scorching hot day so early in April? This marathon is set within the Millennium Coastal Park and is traffic free, fairly flat and very well organised. It is also a good race for supporters as runners pass the start point on 3 occasions during the race. I was not in quite as much pain for this run, but could have done without it being quite so warm. My time was 4:03:26.
Limerick Marathon: 1st May 2011 and Belfast Marathon: 2nd May 2011:
I thought that Limerick Marathon was flat and fast, but Frank Dalton assures me that there were hills. Frank and I ran together up to about 20 miles. I eventually finished in 3:44:00 and Frank knocked over half an hour off his PB finishing in 3:56:09. As soon as we finished it was time to jump in the car and hurtle towards Belfast for their marathon the next day. I’ve never found Belfast to be an easy course and on tired legs I only managed 4:19:00.
Sheffield Half Marathon: 8th May 2011: I like this race, but only managed a mediocre run finishing in 1:48:42. Jill Jubb finished some way ahead of me.
Windermere Marathon: 22nd May 2011:
We had hail and rain prior to the race start, but the main impediments on this race were the wind and the hills. I did not feel particularly comfortable right from the start. I overtook Caroline Bailes at about halfway, but she soon came back past me and finished in 3:49:37. I was just happy to finish. My time was 4:02:32.
Kissing Trees Marathon, Stratford-upon-Avon: 11th June 2011:
This was a low-key trail marathon. I ran round with some friends just enjoying the scenery.
Vancouver Marathon, Washington, USA: 19th June 2011:
I flew out on the Friday, got the airport shuttle to my hotel and then met up with friends from Seattle. Vancouver is a pleasant little town nestled on the North bank of the Columbia river. It is also where the Hudson Bay Company was founded. The race went out through pleasant countryside with the last few miles following the river back into town and going past Fort Vancouver. There were a couple of sharp climbs, but generally the route was fairly flat. I finished comfortably in 3:50:56. The following day I’d arranged to meet up with a friend from North Carolina and we set off to tour the sights of Oregon. After visiting Seaside, Eugene and Crater Lake we arrived at our hotel in Bend ready to register for our next race.
Pacific Crest Marathon, Sunriver, Oregon: 25th June 2011: Sunriver is a pretty holiday resort at 4,200ft altitude. Their marathon comprises 2 laps following a well- paved path, which runs through the woods and fields that surround the resort. By the start of the second lap I was feeling the altitude and had to dig deep to finish in 3:57:34. Nevertheless, the route was extremely picturesque and all the other competitors were extremely friendly, so I really enjoyed the race. The following day we drove back along the Columbia Gorge back to Portland Airport and regrettably it was then time to head home.
Jack Brooks
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