Dead Runners society race report
Sheffield Marathon - Sunday
27th June 1993
Hi folks
as
promised here's a report from sunday's
marathon.
Prologue
Way back in the mists of
time (1983) an overweight chemistry student at sheffield university took up
running to lose some weight. He got to enjoy running and ran in the 1983
sheffield half-marathon (held in conjunction with a full marathon). This was my
racing debut and every year I've gone back to Sheffield to run the half-marathon
(except in the world student games year of 1991 when I ran the full marathon
against the 1992 olympic champion). This year I decided celebrate my 10th year
as a runner by running my 10th full marathon in the city where it all
started.
Saturday
I awoke on saturday to the sound of
rain, I did 2 miles very easily in the rain before I drove to Sheffield, I was
hoping that this weather was going to stick around for the marathon but as soon
as I crossed the border into South Yorkshire the sun came out. I was going to
stay with my brother
(sheffield university computer student) for the
weekend.
Sunday
I awoke to see that saturdays sunny
weather was still with us, it was going to be a warm day :-( :-(. My brother
dropped me off at Bramall Lane football ground at about 8.30am, this was
it.
Start 10.00am
With all the half and full marathon
runners it was a bit crowded at the start, I didn't try to go off too fast. The
warm weather meant I was just going to try and get round in one piece today, I
wasn't going to try for sub 3 hours. The first mile took 7.50 but the field
gradually thinned out and I was able to speed up. Between 1 and 2 miles I ran
past the university and my brothers house, I ran for about 3/4 mile on one of my
old student training routes.
5 miles 36.30
I was
moving reasonably well by now at about 7.15 pace, I wasn't trying to race anyone
although runners were starting to come back to me. At about 6 miles a local
runner warned me of a steep hill approaching, sure enough at 7 miles we started
to climb. It was a long hill (about a mile long) with some steep bits, it was a
tough climb but the most difficult bit was weaving my way through the runners
struggling up the hill.
10 miles 1h12.58
Once
we got over the top of the hill I started to get passed by a lot of
half-marathoners, I wasn't too bothered about this, I was moving at sub 7.00
pace down the hill back to the football ground so I was satisfied with the way I
was running.
halfway 1h34.13
It started to get a bit
lonely now as I started the second lap, most of the runners had gone to finish
the half-marathon and there weren't too many runners around now. I knew the real
race had started for me, I decided that I would run this lap for Stephanie, I
would think of her when it started to hurt.
15 miles
1h47.46
I was passing a few marathoners now although the field was
spread pretty thin, still feeling comparatively fresh but the big hill was still
to come :-( I knew that if I could get over the hill and still be running
reasonably well by 20 miles I had a chance of a pb!
By 16
miles it was starting to hurt a bit, my left ankle was a bit painful but I was
still passing runners. The crowd support was helping now, they had put the names
of all the runners in the local papers so occasionally some of the spectators
would call out my name :-) It was hard work up the
hill but with Stephanie's
help I managed it, one runner passed me but I passed a few more. 47 minutes for
the last (downhill) 10km for a new pb, a 47 minute 10km didn't sound that
difficult :-)
20 miles 2h25.22
20-23 miles was downhill and
although I was very tired I was moving at about 7.10 pace, still passing
runners. I passed a clubmate at 22 miles (he was walking), I gave him some
encouragement but he didn't look happy. At 23 miles they took us off the
(downhill) main road and round a twisty
undulating little loop to make up the
distance, this was *not* fun, I slowed to 8.00 pace but I knew a pb was still
possible so I didn't give up.
25 miles 3h02.39
After
25 miles I knew if I kept going I had my pb, fortunately we were going back
downhill again. I picked up the pace slightly as I saw the football stadium
ahead and cruised into the stadium managing a wave to the spectators before
crossing the line for a new pb :-) :-) :-)
FINISH 3h11.32
PB!!!!!!!!!
I had taken 68 seconds off
my old pb, I was rather pleased with my run in the conditions (hottest and
hilliest marathon I've ever done). All those sunday morning long runs were worth
it after all.
Epilogue
The morning after the race I
dragged myself out of bed and put on my running gear. Clad in drs-shirt, shorts,
socks and spare running shoes I staggered down the hill from my brother's house
to a park where I trained as a student, after about 15 minutes I turned round
and staggered back. I was carrying my brother's key ring so I could get back
into his house and in the park I noticed that it had a picture of Mickey Mouse
and the legend "Walt Disney World", is this an omen for my next marathon?
:-)
now what do I do with my life
carpe marathon
recovery
tony
bell
! keep on running live long and prosper
serc daresbury
laboratory ! Pheidippides: "Rejoice we conquer
uuurrgh..."
A.M.T.Bell@uk.ac.daresbury ! Athenian: "Sorry could you repeat
that"