Ten weeks until London

Ten weeks until London.

First off I hate it when people refer to a marathon just by the name of the city it is in but predictably I have become one of those people.

The London marathon, a race I will be running in ten weeks

Ten weeks until the Virgin Money London Marathon then.

London, it is a city, it is here, it is not ten weeks away

The headline news is that I am actually following a marathon training plan, it's quite a change in my whole running ethos.

I always had the notion that if I ever got into London (FFS I've done it again) then that would be my impetus to follow a plan/train harder/lose weight/eat properly/do more strength and conditioning, all the things I feel would improve my marathon performance but haven't quite had the motivation to implement before.

So far it's working.

I'm following a training plan, the asics target 26.2 sub 4 plan (there would be a link to the relevant webpage but it has been wiped from the internet and now replaced with asics frontrunner) to be precise.

I'm eating a bit better, not loads better but trying to cut back snacking and controlling my portion size.

And I'm putting an emphasis on incorporating some strength and conditioning work into my routine, mainly plank based exercises and techniques from James Dunne @kineticrev.

Time will tell if they all make a difference but early signs are encouraging.

Training recap:
I really enjoyed a great interval session on Tuesday hitting 5x10K paced 1K intervals.
Last night I tolerated a bitterly cold steady paced 14 miles, so demanding maintaining a slow pace when it's so cold!

The week ahead:
Some marathon paced running and maybe a hill session mid week.
Greenwich 10K on Sunday, following the plan this will be HM paced.

So far so good.
Trust the process.
Enjoy the ride.

Thank you for all the sponsorship so far, to donate to my fundraising efforts for PARC (Essex) please click here: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/gareth-davies109 Thanks!

Going for the full fat Bacchus option

After having a great experience running the Bacchus half marathon last year I some how found myself running the full marathon this year with running buddies Chris and Tony. 

In case your unfamiliar with Bacchus you can get a feel for the event from my previous post here but basically its a trail run in and around Denbies vineyard where fancy dress is strongly encouraged with wine and a whole host of snacks available to runners on route. 

So you are correct to assume that its an event that is basically a party with a bit of running thrown in. You would also be correct to assume that running 13 miles as opposed to 26 miles as part of this party would make it more enjoyable and less of a strenuous test of fitness and endurance. 

Never the less I found myself up at 5.30, out of the house at 6.30 having a lift to the station (thanks wife, much appreciated) to catch the 6.51 train. 

I soon found myself on the 8.04 from Waterloo heading deep into Surrey with a good supply of coffee and jaffa cakes as a magical transformation took place to transform three average runners into three suitably attired gallant musketeers looking the part as 18th century French gentlemen ready to defend King and Country if necessary. 

Our transformation complete we made our way into race HQ to pick up our race packs and drop our bags off. Having successfully negotiated the crowds of pirates, bees, pixies, minions, unicorns, Roman centurions chilling out before the later start of the half marathon we took our place on the start line with a little over 100 other hardy souls ready to take on the full fat marathon experience.

So the race is pretty simple, drink stops every 2 miles or so and 2x 13 mile laps for us marathon runners. 

The course is predominantly trail, very pretty in parts, some great views over rural Surrey as we ran through vineyards, fields, shady woods and up steep hills. 

The drink stops provided much needed rest bite and refreshment on what was a hotter than expected late summers day.

A full range of wines were available at the different stops along with a variety of snacks including mars bars, jaffa cakes, biscuits, cakes, fruit, sweets, crisps, popcorn and even cocktail sausages at one stop which were an unexpected treat. 

Our costumes were well received and we merrily greeted runners, cyclists, motorists and walkers alike with enthusiast cries of 'Bonjour!', 'Allez!' and 'En Guard!', well we were enthusiast on the first lap in any case!

It was great to chat with the marshals on the course and at the stops and of course with other runners on route, special mention so Scary Spice and the Stormtropper! 

The party atmosphere was definitely missing from my experience from the previous year as we missed pretty much all the bands (with the exception of the last few tracks from Paparazzi at stop 4), drink stops despite enthusiast marshals were sparse of runners as opposed to the heaving, buzzing party venues they would have been for the half marathon runners. 

We still very much enjoyed ourselves though chatting and joking  amongst ourselves and trying to convince passers by that we felt as 'cool as a cucumber!' in our costumes. (For the record they were a bit toasty but not too bad). The red wine and cheese at stop 7 and the sparkling wine and chocolate brownie at stop 4 provided a much needed sugar rush on the second lap. 

Overall my verdict would be that that the marathon is too tough as the course is actually pretty brutal and you cant afford to take it lightly by messing around with wine and snacks. Secondly you miss all the party action which is really why you sign up to this event in the first place. it was also disappointing to find most of the drink stations packing up shop on the second lap and the race HQ closing down by the time we finished in just over 6 hours. Not that slow a marathon time and certainly not a slow time when you consider the time spent stopping to chat, drink wine or eat snacks. 

For me personally the race was tough as since Spitfire Scramble 4 weeks ago I haven't really trained and have only managed 9 miles as my longest run. Compared with Chris and Tony who are both well into training for Autumn marathons posting some impressive times and distances in recent weeks I struggled to keep pace. The first lap was OK and up to around mile 15 was just about bearable but after that it became painfully tough and the last 2 miles were struggle as my knee started playing up. Thanks for slowing down for me guys, all for one and one for all! Still we weren't looking to go to fast as we were aiming for a collective worst marathon time which we smashed by 19 minutes! Woohoo! PWs all round! 

Further disappointment was with the medal and finishers t-shirt as although I really like the designs of both the medal is exactly the same as last year and the t-shirt is incredibly similar.

Spot the difference?

Minor moans aside the event is very well organised and incredibly well supported by the marshals, what a very enjoyable way to bring up marathon number 10 and a brilliant event to provide my temporary swansong from longer distances. I am very proud to be becoming a father for the first time in the next month or two so running will have to go on a bit of a back burner for the time being but I will be back!

Making the most of the Bacchus experience

The Bacchus half marathon and marathon running events form part of an exciting day of running activities at Denbies Wine Estate in Dorking Surrey. This is no ordinary running event as it comprises a heady mix of long distance running, wine tasting, fancy dress and fun. 

I am by no means a seasoned Bacchus veteran having only taken part in the event once as a half marathon runner last year but I feel Like I got a good idea of the spirit of the event. By the way I was St George chasing my brother in law the Dancing Dragon.

To see how I got on last year and to get a feel for the event you can read my blog here, or watch this great video of last years run. 

Here's my advice on making the most of this fun filled event:  

1. Fancy dress - it's got to be done, don't worry about looking odd, this is an event where you will look out of place if your not dressed up! 

2. It's all about the fun not the run - yes it's a running event but if you were to focus solely on the running aspect you would miss out on so much, so be ready to soak in the full experience. 

3. Make sure you make the most of tasting Denbies mighty fine wine range.

Sure you will be able to taste plenty of wine during the run but try to take the time to experience a full glass as well. 

Why not incorporate a glass into a pre race stretch as part of your warm up? 

4. Eat, drink and be merry

You will get the idea very quickly that the event is pretty much a party with a bit of running thrown in so make sure you enjoy the party atmosphere! 

Make sure you replenish those calories.

From the wine stops mid race to the heavily laden tables of snacks at the fuel stops and not forgetting the hog roast burger at the end there's plenty of opportunity to fill your boots! 

Whether running the half marathon (good choice) or the full marathon (you crazy fool) you will need to consume plenty of calories to keep you fueled during your race.

Luckily there is a plentiful supply of food and snacks on the course to keep you going! 

5.Take the time to take in the views 

Its a stunning course with some brilliant scenery, so don't be afraid to stop staring down at that Garmin and take in the sights!

6. Take home a souvenir or two, and I'm not talking about the race medal or tshirt. 

A bottle or two of something to take home to help reminisce on the day doesn't sound like such an awful idea now does it?

However you approach the race and however you choose to enjoy the day I hope that you indeed do.

Bacchus is a very social race so stay in touch on social media by following event organisers Events to Live and Denbies reporter, Denbies Big Twit and follow all the goings on with #BacchusTime. I will be more than likely live tweeting my own escapades during the race  so follow me to see how it all pans out!

St Petersburg White Nights Marathon Race Review

On the 3 July 3016 I embarked on my first marathon abroad as I ran the St Petersburg White Nights marathon. The aim of this post is to share my experiences of this race and my experience of running a marathon abroad without turning into the running equivalent of Karl Pilkington's an idiot abroad.

First things first why was I taking part in this race? My visit to St Petersburg was part of a trip to Russia to visit my brother in law and some time running buddy Tom who is currently working in Russia. Several potential dates for the trip had been muted but when Tom suggested the opportunity to run the marathon as part of a trip that sealed things.

The White Nights marathon is so called as it takes place during the White Nights summer period in St Petersburg where as the name suggests the nights are white and light with the night not turning dark until around 11pm with the sun reappearing again at around 2 or 3am. However despite the white nights title the marathon was very much the usual day time affair with the race starting at 9am. 

We arrived in Moscow on the Wednesday with the marathon taking place on the Sunday. Thursday and Friday provided the chance to do plenty of sightseeing in Moscow before we boarded a sleeper train at midnight on Friday night which would take us the several hundred miles overnight north to St Petersburg.

Having a marathon as part of a holiday did take a bit of focus away from the race. I knew I was running on the Sunday and although I kept to my usual pre race schedule of a run on Thursday and a mile or two on Saturday I don't think my mind fully appreciated I wasn't just running on Sunday but running an actual marathon!

My build up to the race had been OK with my main focus being on enjoying this unique opportunity rather than taking the race super seriously. Having ran Halstead marathon at the beginning of May some two months previously I kind of believed that I would carry my fitness over and therefore I didn't focus as much of my training on 'marathon training' as perhaps I should have. Needless to say I felt this during the marathon and struggled with a bit of stamina and definitely felt I was at least one long slow run short of where I would have liked to have been. 

The more immediate build up to the race was probably far from ideal. Travelling naturally tires you out and we had hit the sightseeing pretty hard packing a lot in and racking up plenty of walking miles in the process. Coupled with a few nights of not sleeping that well due to being in a new bed, the nights being so light and rather hot and humid I wasn't in perfect condition but didn't dwell on these things and just tried to focus on running as best I could and enjoying the race experience. 

The actual race

The day of the race was expected to be hot, and I mean hot, 30degrees hot! I knew this race was going to be a warm one and after my bad experience of hot and humid running at Halstead I was somewhat apprehensive of running in the heat. I felt pretty prepared though as the UK had been pretty warm in the few weeks before the race and I had tried to get out to run in the hotter middle part of the day as well this in addition to the the several hours a day walking around sightseeing which I felt had helped acclimatise me somewhat. Nothing can prepare you for running in the heat though! I think the race temperature varied from around 28 degrees up to highs of around 30 degrees and was the hottest race in over ten years! 

My first observations of the differences between this race and UK races were apparent at the start line. Half an hour before the race start and there was already a lot of running going on, people running in circles near the start area and people running up and down adjacent roads. There was a 10K happening as well as the marathon but the amount of pre race warm up running was definitely more than I can ever remember seeing at a UK race.

One thing that remains constant at races everywhere is the pre race queue for the toilets! Our apartment was only a 20 minute walk from the start area but we arrived with the aim of giving us enough time for a toilet stop before taking our places at the start. The queues were enormous though, under estimating demand for toilets seems to be an international problem. Luckily we spied what can only be described as a 'toilet bus' a large bus decked out with toilet cubicles. There was a charge for this 'premium' service and there was only a line of half a dozen people waiting so we handed over our rubels and joined the line. The facilities were not any better than the portaloos but we were happy to not have to endure a lengthy wait.

The time soon came to line up for the race start and Tom and I both managed to squeeze into the cramped starting pen somewhere between the 3.30 and 4.00 pacers as we both felt we had the potential for a 4 hour marathon in us if things went our way. 

I was expecting a prompt and efficient race start but the start was delayed by several minutes and so we waited in the cramped pens with temperatures already hitting 28C.

The race was soon underway and I had planned to take things easy for the first few miles, this decision was taking out of my hands though as the course was so congested with both 10K and marathon runners sharing the route for the first 7K. 

I happily set into a rhythm and tried to take in the sights of St Petersburg and all the beautiful buildings. 

The first noteworthy point came at the 5K water station, there were no signs to say it was approaching and this caused a near stampede as runners swarmed the first set of marshals handing out water. It was the scariest running experience I have ever had, a gentle paced run suddenly turned into a shouting frenzy of runners sprinting to get their hands on some water. I wisely swerved the masses and grabbed some water towards the back of the station. 

The 7K point soon came and the 10K runners departed which made the course far less congested. 

With the heat increasing and the sun blazing runners unsurprisingly headed for the side of the road offering the most shade. This along with the roads being so wide led to the majority of runners often being so far away from the racing line which was marked with a blue dotted line. I generally tried to stick to the racing line where practical and often found myself running 10 or 20m away from any other runner, almost like running in my own race, which I enjoyed! The disparity in runners racing lines must have led to some very long and very short marathons! 

My first problem during the race came at around 17K (at this point I was still going along at around 4 hour pace) when the uncontrollable urge to empty my bowels started to appear. 

I had seen some portaloos for the race earlier so consoled myself with the thought that there would be more along the route shortly. Several hundred metres passed and no toilets, I asked the Marshall at 18K, she didn't seem to understand English and her reply started with a harsh sounding word beginning with a 'N' which I took as a negative answer to there being any nearby toilets. I had to take some walking brakes to help control the urge and this obviously slowed my pace. We passed through some parkland areas and I scanned the area as I ran for any sign of suitable facilities but nothing, at 19K I again asked the marshall, he looked around and shrugged his shoulders, not a good sign. Things were getting desperate, I was confident there would be a toilet at either the 20K drink station or near the 21/22K point where the race crossed past the starting area but could I hang on till then? 

It's OK I managed to make it to 20K where I found relief in a foul smelling portaloo by the side of the course. Now I felt like the race could begin again after a difficult few miles. I cracked open an energy gel and started to assess my objectives which I summarised as follows: 

• The heat was starting to get too much and I knew it would only get worse, finishing in one piece was the real aim now.
• A four hour finish time was off the agenda 
• My gold standard objective was a sub 4.10, but that was dependent on an awesome second half of the race. My silver objective was a 4.15 with my bronze target being to beat my debut marathon time of 4.26. Additionally I tried to motivate myself further by convincing myself I had to finish in under 4.30 in order to have a respectable time.

All these objectives were set without me having any real idea of my actual race pace as I was running completely naked from all timing technology, my only barometer was that I knew that the 4 hour pacer was still behind me, how far though I didn't know!  

I passed the half way mark in 2.05 but knew this was gun time and I wasn't sure how far behind gun time I had started. 

On I pressed through the 20-22K mark which provided a brilliant carnival atmosphere with lots of support as the course passed by the race start area. After that the course went through some quiet back streets and the battle began as the heat intensified.

The next mile or so were difficult until I decided to unleash my trump card by taking on a caffeine energy gel. Once this kicked in I started to find running a bit easier and was moving at a decent pace. 

The course took us back through the more central parts of St Petersburg and with it shaded streets which made things feel easier. At some point after the half way mark the 4 hour pacer had passed me but I still felt I was only 5 to 10 minutes behind 4 hour pace with some faster splits following my caffeine injection. 

The caffeine was starting to wear off as I approached 30K which coincided with leaving the shaded streets and heading out onto a soulless dual carriageway which would eventually bring us back towards the finish. 

I had been warned of this difficult stretch of the race on twitter by @pawsonkeyboard who had previously ran the event. A big thank you for all you advice and support it was really helpful! 

Despite knowing about this challenging stretch of road it didn't make it any easier and the fact that it was accompanied by heading back into the blazing sun was just a double whammy I couldn't cope with. A lot of walking followed before I pulled myself together to adopt a walk/run strategy which comprised of walk to a lamp post run to the next one, walk one lamp post, run two lamp posts, walk one lamp posts, run three lamp posts then trying to keep a 3:1 run/walk lamp post ratio going for as long as possible before an extended walking period and repeating the sequence again. 

The section of 30K to around 38K dragged big time but eventually I was in the final stages. It was during this section that the 4.15 and 4.30 pacers passed me which provided a depressing mental equivalent to a kick in the balls. The race was now all about keeping it together to finish in one piece with the most respectable time I could muster. I think in these kind of situations I have found your body gives you two options, one is to stop and call it a day, two is to keep going at whatever pace you are able to squeeze out of you weary body.

The finish

Luckily I managed to squeeze enough out of my achy tired legs and dehydrated heat affected body to get to the closing mile or two where I was greeted by so many cheering supporters. I obviously didn't understand any of their support or encouragement but they provided the required adrenaline boost to spur me.

I had prepared myself for a final assault on the last two kilometers where I was going to squeeze everything out of my legs to finish as strongly as possible but as I tried to increase my pace a debilitating sensation shot through my back. It didn't feel good so I was reduced to a walk, every time I tried to run faster than a hobble the pain returned so I just did what I could to keep moving until the adrenaline over powered me in the last few hundred metres and I ran through the finish. 

I crossed the finish line with a official time of 4.42.44 coming 1496th of 2311 male finishers. I was pleased I was around 40 minutes faster than Halstead in May but somewhat disappointed it represented my slowest city marathon. However it was a PB for marathons abroad as well as being a PB for me for marathons ran in Russia! You have to find the positive somewhere! 

In summary I feel privileged to have ran the event in a spectacular city in a race that not many runners from Western Europe take part in. There were not too many differences with a UK race and there were no real criticisms with the race organisation although there are places where this could be improved but then there are in most races. 

Overall I was blown away away with the friendliness and support from the Russian people, runners and supporters a like. I don't think I have exchanged high fives with as many spectators during a marathon as I did during this race. There were several occasions during the race where members of the public had gone out of their way to provide water to runners which was happily appreciated by runners. There were also two or three instances during the race where I was struggling where fellow runners gave me a tap on the back, a thumbs up and a smile and/or words of encouragement. In any race it is always great to experience support and camaraderie from other runners but in this instance it felt even more special that people were supporting me even though I was unable understand them. Despite the language barrier the sense of friendship and support for a fellow competitor was clear to see and this is probably the overriding memory I will take away from this experience.

Here's my Russian tourist board bit, I would recommend anyone to visit Moscow and St Petersburg if you get the chance they are amazing vibrant cities. The White Nights marathon I would similarly urge anyone to take part in if you get the opportunity, its a super flat course with strong PB potential if the temperatures stay down and is a great alternative to the usual European circuit. 

So with that challenge done and dusted I am turning my attentions to marathon number 10 in September which will be Bacchus and hopefully a new 10K PB over the summer.  

Running is a cruel bitch sometimes, or is it...

Last weekend (18th & 19th June) was meant to be another great running weekend. 

The plan was pretty simple, here is what was supposed to happen:

Saturday was my long awaited appointment to smash the 21 minute barrier at Hackney Marshes Parkrun.

Whereas Sunday was going to be all about having a fun time at The London city Mile, similar to the great time I had at the recent Westminster Mile.

Sadly neither of these things happened.

Here is what actually happened on Saturday....

In recent months I along with running buddies Chris and Tony have been working on our speed with the view of pushing towards a sub 20 minute 5K, alas trying to combine this with marathon training has resulted in us all struggling to knock on the door or 21 minutes let alone 20! 

Recently though I have felt like I have managed to successfully combine longer endurance training with my speed work and was feeling confident on dipping below 21 minutes on a speedy course like Hackney Marshes.

In recent weeks I have tested myself on the unforgiving hilly terrain of a course at Harrow Lodge Parkrun (22.51) and put my speed to the test at the super flat fast course of Barking Parkrun (21.17). In addition to this my speed work times have been impressive (even if I say so myself) and much improved from similar sessions earlier in the year. 

Barking Parkrun, surprisingly picturesque and very speedy

Regular speed work sessions have included:

• 1K intervals
• 400m sessions comprising of 400m efforts with 200m recoveries
• Treadmill sessions of 2minute efforts @14km/ph and higher with 1 minute recoveries

With the date of 17 June marked in my diary for several weeks I had really focused on my speed work in the weeks leading up to the date and even did a mini taper of sorts to ensure I was rested and ready to perform at my best. 

However come the day of the race I didn't feel 100% and in truth I hadn't felt great all that week but my running had oddly still felt brilliant so I figured a great time was still on the cards. 

I knew I was in great shape and I felt focused and ready to turn my goal into an achievement. 

It didn't quite happen though, the first two Ks went to plan and I was on a perfect pace to achieve my goal. Somewhere into the third K I realised I had no energy, I felt slightly sick and had the feeling of indigestion this was coupled with the re occurrence of my long standing tightness in my calf, all in all not good racing condition ms to finish the race in. I limped home in 22.40.

Running is a cruel bitch sometimes.

Speed training is hard and I had really invested a lot of time and effort into working on my speed, I felt I had got fast enough to hit my target but this was all dashed by my body letting me down when the time to perform came.

Running is a cruel bitch sometimes.

So here is what happened on Sunday....

Not feeling 100% I knew the city mile wasn't a great idea and also with a marathon in 2 weeks time I knew my efforts were better placed in focusing on a long run. 

So that's what I duly did, instead of one fast mile I did 18 slow ones. I know conventional marathon training advises not to do such a long run only 2 weeks before a marathon but I had had a nightmare of a run the weekend before when I had scheduled my longest long run. An overgrown trail route of shoulder high grass, a path overgrown with stingy nettles and torrential rain meant I was restricted to 14 as opposed to the planned 18 miles. 

Trapped laughing at rain around 12 miles into a long, not ideal

Sunday's run then turned out to be a run that very much reminded me that although running is undoubtedly a cruel bitch at times it is also an enlightening and inspiring force quite unlike anything else. 

Somewhere around mile 10 of my run a fellow runner pulled up alongside me and started to chat. Happy of the company I happily chatted away expecting the exchange to last for a few hundred metres before we went our separate ways. In fact we happily chatted for 4 or 5 miles keenly sharing our running experiences at what I found a more than challenging pace! 

Out hitting the trails, a great way to get away from everything

As if this friendly encounter wasn't enough the gentleman I spent an enjoyable time chatting with was a runner in his mid 60s who's times across all distances more than rivaled mine and in some cases bettered my times! Thank you Mike for sharing your experiences and your joy for running and indeed life, it was a pleasure to chat with you. 

So thank you to running for teaching me not to dwell on my disappointments and to remember that despite the set backs running is undoubtably a positive thing in my life. 

Looking forward to my first marathon abroad

Two weeks today on 3rd July I will be running my first marathon abroad! 

For my ninth marathon I will be running the St Petersburg White Nights marathon in Russia. Any marathon is a challenge in itself but running a marathon abroad presents its own set of unique challenges.  

Too be honest I am not sure exactly what to expect, I know it will be different, but how different I just don't know. I suppose the main things I am considering are:

• Will the language barrier present any difficulties during the race? What if I don't understand instructions or get lost due to misreading signs? 
• How different is the race organisation going to be from what I have come to expect from UK races? Will it be well organised and all run smoothly allowing me to run at my best?
• I am very much a creature of habit and a lover of routine especially when it comes to my running so how will I cope with being away from home, being in a different country, and a different culture? 
• What affect will this have on my running? Who knows...

Why Russia and why St Petersburg I hear you ask as opposed to the usual foreign forays into overseas marathons that UK runners usually make to Paris or Berlin? The reason is that my brother in law and occasional running partner Tom is currently living in Russia and this presented an opportunity of a life time too strong to turn down, so when he suggested how could I not give it a go?!

So what are my main concerns?

• Heat and humidity - Despite the perceptions of Russia being of a cold country in the summer it is likely to be very hot and humid, not ideal running conditions. Just read how I got on running the recent Halstead marathon on the hottest weekend of the year. 
• Holiday festivities - The marathon will fall in the middle of a week long holiday in Russia and while I take any marathon fairly seriously I am not going to give up having fun on holiday. So we will see what affect what I am sure will be an enjoyable holiday will have on my running and if any indulgences into sampling local food and drink (especially the famed Russia vodka!).
• Being out of my routine - As I have mentioned I am a creature of habit and I am concerned that being away from my usual routines will have a negative impact on my running although I am conscious of this being a mental issue to overcome rather than anything physical.

So have you run a marathon away from home or overseas? How did it go? What are your tips?

Even better have you ran a marathon in Russia or have you ran the St Petersburg marathon? It would be really great to hear of your experiences, please get in touch!  

Halstead Marathon Race Review

May 8th was a lovely day across most of the UK, temperatures in the mid 20s, bright strong sunshine and not a cloud in the sky. A brilliant British summers day, a lovely day to spend in a beer garden, out for a country walk, sitting in the garden, lounging by a pool, relaxing with a cold drink, a lovely day to do anything a part from run a marathon. 

And what was I busy doing on May the 8th? Yes you guessed it I was running a marathon, my 8th marathon, a marathon that I had trained well for, a marathon I was in good shape for, a marathon that had the potential to bring me my long awaited sub 4 hour finish. Unfortunately as it turned out a marathon that almost reduced me to tears, turned my skin a lovely shade of beetroot and really challenged my resolve to finish.

The day started off so well, my running buddy Tony picked me and gave me a lift to the small picturesque Essex town of Halstead around a 40minute drive from where I live. With a race start at 10 am it was quite a leisurely start to my morning and I rather enjoyed being chauffeur driven to the race start, thanks Tony! 

Arriving at race HQ we found a busy mass of eager runners and a well drilled large number of marshals and organisers. Parking was achieved with military efficiency thanks to the assistance of local cadets and number pick up and bag drop off were similarly completed with minimal fuss. 

We sat inside the sports hall for as long as we could to stay away from the heat outside as the temperature was already rising, but before long it was time to venture outside to conduct a brief warm up and to line up with around 400 other runners to take on 26.2 miles of Essex countryside. 

My thoughts before the race start were of excitement at the race that lay ahead as it is regularly rated as a top ten race in the UK by readers of Runners World, trepidation as to what affect the heat would have on my race performance but anticipation as well at what I was capable of as I knew I was potentially in good shape to run a good time.  

I had scheduled in the first few miles to be gentle at a little outside 4 hour pacing and these were achieved with little effort or note other than a procession of classic cars that rolled past runners on their way to a classic car show, quite a surreal site.

After around mile 3 the first warning sign reared its head via a pain in the ball of my right foot. Its a pain that I have experienced a few times during periods of high training mileage but never during a race. My taper had been the most restful of any marathon preparation so I thought it was odd to get this pain and probably not a good sign.

I tried to put it to the back of my mind and pressed on with the race, soon enough the first 10K was up which I completed in around 56 minutes, perfect 4 hour pacing!

It was at around this point that I started to become very conscious of the heat and it started to creep into my mind that the weather might play a large part in my race performance. 

After around 12 or 13K I decided to try and shift up a gear to take the pace into sub 4 hour territory which felt OK for a short while but soon felt too taxing in the heat. Meanwhile the pain in my right foot began to worsen to the point that it was affecting my running. 

I kept on at a good pace probably just outside 4 hour pacing feeling comfortable until around mile 11 when things took a turn for the worse. Quite quickly things didn't feel so great and the heat was really starting to hit home. Over the course of a few hundred metres I went from feeling OK to feeling like I had run over 18 miles and I was in the later stages of a marathon. I don't know about other marathoners but there is a certain level of fatigue you start to feel at around the 18 mile stage and I start to get a shaky, tingling feeling it was then that I knew I was in trouble and the remaining 15 miles were not going to be pretty. 

About a mile later I caught up with Tony who had gone out at a slightly faster race pace than I but had similarly been struck down by the heat. When I met him he was walking and talking about how close he had come to pulling out so tough was he finding running in the heat. We managed to encourage each other to keep pushing on and alternated between a few hundred metres of running and marching at a brisk pace. After a mile or two we started chatting with several other runners and before I realised Tony had pulled away into the distance. 

I kept up with another mile or two of fast paced walking mixed with regular bouts of running. 

However my next low point occurred pretty soon at around mile 16 when I started to experience significant discomfort in my quads and thighs, they simply had nothing left in them. The thought of walking 10 miles in the heat was an awful prospect.

I will be honest and say I did walk the vast majority of the remaining 10 miles, I just didn't have the energy to run in the heat and my legs just felt zapped of strength and power. 

Most of the remaining miles were characterised by an ongoing battle between the good angel on one shoulder that was urging me to keep walking until I felt strong enough to run again and the devil on my other shoulder who kept trying to convince me that walking was not helping and a nice lie down under the cool shade of a tree would reinvigorate me to run the remaining miles. Luckily my will power prevailed as I knew that once I sat down it would be so hard to get up and continue. 

All thoughts of finishing times had gone from my mind and the battle was just one to get to the finish, I have never been in that position before other than in the final miles of Beachy Head Marathon where a combination of poor training and the brutal seven sisters hills almost destroyed me. 

Its funny how your mind works though as my mentality changed when I reached mile 24 where I managed to start some jogging and then again at mile 25 where I was able to almost run most of the remaining distance. 

The finish couldn't come soon enough and the off road hill in the final half mile I found particularly cruel! 

I crossed the line with little adulation as the only thing I had to celebrate was the fact I didn't have to run any more! 

My finishing time of 5.19 represents my slowest ever marathon and although Halstead is certainly a hilly challenging course its nowhere near as tough as Beachy Head or even Vanguard Way marathon which takes in part of the North Downs Way, it was just the heat which had defeated me on this occasion.

My disappointing performance has led me to some stern reflections which have resulted in the following conclusions;

• Firstly that I was in great condition and on a flat course in good conditions I could have rivaled a 4 hour finish, if it hadn't been so hot I would have been more than chuffed with a 4.30 finish at Halstead.
• I am too much of a typical Brit to perform well in the heat, I tire at the best of times when the weather gets hot let alone when trying to run a marathon.
• Lastly my running performance is significantly affected by my enjoyment of a run. I wasn't let down by my physical preparation or my mental attitude but as soon as I stopped enjoying running, because it was just too hot for me to run, I struggled to perform at my peak. 

Anyway enough of me moaning about a disappointing run how was the actual race?

It is very easy to see why Halstead is rated so highly, it is superbly organised and administered from the car parking, to the bag drop, the marshaling and the drink stations. Tony and I summarised it as an excellent example of a grass roots running event, the community really seemed to come together to support the race and really wanted to be proud of putting on a great event for runners to enjoy.

As for the course its certainly not PB potential as the course has one large hill and several decent climbs as well as always seeming to be on a slight incline or decline. However if you can handle the heat and the hills then the scenery and landscape are really spectacular. Rolling hills, patchwork fields as far as the eye can see, quaint thatched cottages in peaceful villages and quiet country lanes, every example of picturesque English countryside was on show and it was a pleasure to experience it on such a beautiful day. 

I have saved the best to last, for a modest entry fee the race provides an awesome medal, a generous goody bag packed full of snacks for the journey home and a really attractive T-shirt. 

If your looking for a spring marathon next year why not stay clear of the big city options of Manchester, London and Brighton and come and see what lovely Halstead has to offer. Th