White Peak Half Marathon 19 May 2007 Matlock






OK, I look nervous... its raining. I've dragged Billy and Nick up here to the Peak District to run this half marathon and the rain is lashing the windscreen of the campervan! The start is about a half a mile from where we parked and everyone is miserably cold. Nick and I started at the very back as everyone looked like pretty serious runners. Finally, we notice that the crowd is moving forward... I guess that's it then, we're off. Its about 2 minutes shuffling ahead until we get back to the starting line, I think.



By the time we get back to Billy and Nelly at the campervan, the sun is out and the gloom has lifted. We toss Billy our jackets and he cheers us on with Nelly pulling on the lead - she wants to run too, she's done all the training with me!


Nick is fit from climbing but hasn't run for a month because of hay fever. But he's pretty confident he can keep up with me, as he cruised easily through the last half marathon and only really gave it his best when he left me in the last few miles, and beat me by 4 minutes! But I've been running at least 3 times a week and doing long runs on the weekends up to 11 miles long. I feel like I'm ready for this one!


The race was described as "swift" and promised downhills, but we only found uphill runs and flats in the first 8 miles. Every time I got to a crest, I thought to myself, "OK, its sure to be downhill now" but there were dozens of false summits. Finally, the abandoned railway grade did steepen at High Top and we enjoyed a good long downhill which much have been a scary ride for a steam train filled with iron ore or coal! I followed the advise to lean forward and just relax and my pace picked up considerably! But then we were back into the low hills until the next roller coaster ride down to the river 800 feet below. I lost Nick racing down the hills, but I couldn't run but one speed downhill... and just hope I wouldn't fall down. That last mile stretch along the river was really tough, because my legs were used to the incline - they just felt dead. But I just kept putting one foot in front of the other and finally rounded the bend to find Billy and Nelly waiting for me before the finish line. My time was 2hr 05 min 35 sec (compared to the wining time of 1hr 11 min 38sec!) but I figure I can take off the two minutes it took me to get to the starting line - so 2hr 03 it is! A PR for me.



Nick came in a few minutes later. His thighs had really suffered in the decent as he hadn't been training. I think I'd better enjoy this win - its likely to be the only one I'll get! He's sure to be back in winning form by the Phidippidations World Wide Half in October!

Here's a short video of the race (click triange bottom left on screen below).