Waiting in the sheep pens before the start was very chilly so I was glad I had looked at the forecast and opted for my warm gear. I prefer to be too hot than too cold. My supporters said I looked very much focused at the start. I think they meant I ignored them. Well I didn’t know they were there. Picked them out later at Queen's Square.
The size of the event truly hit me when I came round the first corner at the end of Poultney Street and saw the crowd or runners ahead of me spread to the distant horizon. Kept a fairly easy pace at the beginning - no other choice really, being hemmed in all around.
Tried to get into Zen mode early on by thinking of all the important landmarks I was passing - the hotel where our wedding reception was held, the ugly office block where I worked in Room 101, the Old Register Office where we were married, the B&B that I stayed in on my first ever visit to Bath, the pub - now tarted up - where my mates and I would go to play pool and eat a curry, the stretch of Newbridge Road where I got cramp in my thigh on a training run - oops Zen moment gone - don’t think about cramp. But some other poor guy has just got it near the same spot!
Despite the Keep Left rule on lap 1 the officials had to clear the way for the elite runners doing their 2nd lap along the Lower Bristol Road. The elite runners got applause not just from the spectators but from us 1st lappers also.
Got some refreshment at a drinking point and then further on, after safely disposing of the bottle in one of the bins provided (and not under the feet of other runners), I spotted a vacant loo with no queue. Tactical wee stop with minimum down time.
The 10Km point turned out not to be an arch at all but a trip-strip taped to the ground.
At Churchil Bridge round the circuit 2nd time. Ran to the rhythm of the music provided by roadside groups - drums spurred me uphill into Queen’s Square again.
I had been told that the hardest part is the second lap along Lower Bristol Road where you are tired and can see for miles the distance still to cover. This was true. It did require some grit and determination.
From Widcombe concentrating on a steady pace over the last mile seemed to work - and I did not succumb to the forbidden temptation of a sprint finish - although some around me did and suffered for their art.
Very impressed by some of the costumed runners. It must be hard to run strapped to a big boob. There was a group from the RUH pushing an occupied wheelchair. An heroic effort and the guy in the chair was brave.
Legs did strange things after end of race - my Groucho Mark impression.
Official chip time - 2hr 12min 56sec
Within "Hard Target" time of 3 hours and "Stretch Target" time of 2.5 hours.
Bonus?
Smug Old Git.
Discovered afterwards I had lost my heart rate monitor chest strap.
"There it was - gorn".Upset Muchly. Must have left it on the floor of the mixed changing tent. Much Costly.
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