Early start today (05:30 wake up) as Cheryl (wife) is massaging at The Robin Hood Marathon/HM in Nottingham and I am running in the HM with our friend Hilde who has entered the full marathon and I am to pace her around the first 13 miles. Cheryl has to be there for 07:45 to set up her massage equipment in time to give some pre- event massages to participants (including Hilde & me) so we leave home at 06:30 and drive to Nottingham on empty roads. Fortunately it's not too windy yet (remnants of hurricane Katia are due tomorrow) but it's building and the large massage tent is begining to flap quite loudly in the wind. I don't think I've ever seen so many massage tables (known as 'plinths' to those in the know) in one place, there must be around 30, and sitting there empty it reminds me of a field hospital awaiting the arrival of wounded participants in a war, which in a way I suppose it is. It's not long however before it's full to the brim with runners wanting some pre-event treatment, there's even a queue going out the door as demand exceeds supply. Looks like Cheryl (and her fellow masseuers) are in for a busy day.
Hilde arrives looking nervous and gets her pre-event massage from Cheryl, as do I and we both agree it's ideal preparation for what lies ahead.
This being Hilde's first marathon she is targetting a conservative 5hrs for the event and we discuss pacing speed and I worry about her decision not to take any gels (they make her sick) and to rely just on the isotonic drinks to be handed out on the course. However now is not the time to raise problems so at 09:40 we set off for the start line.
At the start area we are divided into pens dependant upon the estimated finish time stated on the race entry form. Hilde's estimate places us in 'Orange' near the rear of the field. I am surprised that for such a large event (around 10,000 participants) there is so much room in the pen, we can move about quite freely and it's quite hard to find enough shelter from the strengthening wind behind other runners while we wait for the start gun. The race starts promptly at 10am and around 6 mins later we cross the start line, hit 'go' on our Garmins and we're off. I try to keep the pace at around 10 minute miling but it's a bit up and down while we negotiate the city centre with some narrow sections and the usual street furniture. It's the first time I've ran this race, my only other race in Nottingham being a 5 miler some years ago which left me with the abiding impression that Nottingham was extremely hilly. Either I wasn't as fit then or the route is very different, but the hills don't seem too bad to either of us and we cruise along quite nicely through the city for miles 1 - 4. At mile 4 we enter a park and the scenery improves considerably as we run along tracks by the University. Hilde even spots her old Hall (Rutland) as we run by. After mile 6 we leave the University grounds and hit the roads again and I notice that Hilde's head is begining to droop a little so I remind her to keep looking ahead so she can get good oxygen intake. A couple of miles later we enter Wollaton park and after a brief uphill climb into the park we are again on trails until after mile 9 when we leave the park and head back for the city centre on roads again. Hilde is getting slower but we are still averaging around 10:15 miling and it's looking good for Hilde to achieve her target. Wishing her all the best I eventually leave her after we pass the 12 mile marker (as I'm not certain where the course splits for HM and Marathon runners). I seem to sprint past quite a few runners in the last mile and cross the line in 2hrs 16mins feeling quite fresh and relaxed. It has been very interesting to run in a race at a slower pace then I would normally do. There seems much more time to look around and the runners around me seemed much more relaxed than those I'm normally surrounded by. Before leaving Hilde it did cross my mind to stay out and do the whole event with her, but this would have been a BIG jump in race distance (my last marathon was in 2008) and would mean I'd most probably not run in the Great North Run next Sunday....not a good idea then really.
After feeding myself and looking in on Cheryl (who is busy giving post-event treatments) I set off for the 24 mile point to cheer Hilde back home. The wind is still strengthening and it means that the final 5 miles of the Marathon course will be directly into the wind....not really what you want after a 21 mile slog. Hilde eventually appears and it is clear that the wind has taken it's toll. She is tired but pleased to see me, and has that steely look in her eyes that say 'I'm going to finish no matter what'. She finally arrives at the finish 15 mins over her target time, quite exhausted by the conditions. I don't broach the subject of 'another attempt' but suspect that once the pain has gone it will happen sometime next year....
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