Hedge End Running Club
Find us on Facebook & Twitter
  • Home
  • About Us
    • HERC Membership >
      • Membership Form
      • England Athletics
      • First or Second Claim?
      • EA Club Transfer Process
    • HERC Organisation >
      • HERC Committee
      • HERC Committee Affiliate Members
      • HERC Running Steering Group >
        • RSG Leadership Team
        • Run Leaders & Coaches
        • Team Representatives
    • HERC Documents >
      • Club Constitution
      • 2022 AGM Minutes
      • 2021 AGM Minutes
      • 2020 AGM MInutes
      • 2019 AGM Minutes
      • 2018 AGM Minutes
      • 2017 AGM Minutes
      • 2016 AGM Minutes
      • 2015 AGM Minutes
      • 2014 AGM Minutes
      • 2013 AGM Minutes
    • HERC's Social Media Policy
    • HERC's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement
    • HERC's Friends
  • News
  • Racing
    • Hampshire Road Race League >
      • Race Transfers & Eligibility
      • HRRL Race Results
    • RR10 Cross Country League >
      • RR10 Fixtures
    • CC6 Cross Country League
    • Hampshire Cross Country League (HCCL)
    • Lakeside 5K Series
    • London Marathon Places >
      • Club Ballot Results
    • Club Championship
  • Training
    • Training Calendar
    • Training Booking
    • Training News
    • Beginners
    • HERC COVID-19 Framework
    • Training Risk Assessments >
      • Maindens Risk Assessment
      • Mishmash Risk Assessment
      • Tuesday Intervals Wyvern Risk Assessment
      • Tuesday Intervals Boorley Park Risk Assessment Risk Assessment
      • Southampton Track Intervals Risk Assessment
      • Thursday Training Risk Assessment
    • Training Locations >
      • Ageas Bowl
      • Boorley Park
      • Botley Centre
      • Hedge End Train Station
      • Wyvern School
      • Shamblehurst Barn
      • Southampton Sports Centre
  • Members
    • Club Records >
      • Female
      • Male
    • Getting to know HERC
  • Merchandise
  • Mental Health

Race Report - London Marathon - 26th April 2015 - Richard Allen

4/5/2015

0 Comments

 
The day started early. Too early. The day before was spent with my in laws in Tonbridge, Kent, so after not a lot of sleep I was up at 5.30 getting breakfast and making final kit checks. The weather forecast was rubbish so I had to take with me (in addition to my running kit, drinks, food etc) warm clothes for the start and a change of clothes for afterwards.

After a breakfast of a bowl of granola, 2 bananas and a bottle of Lucozade sport, I headed off to Tonbridge station and caught the first train of the day to Charing Cross. Luckily it was on time, the 45 minute journey passed quite quickly and I was soon looking out of the window at the London suburbs we would soon be running through.

At 8 am I arrived at Charing Cross and met up with 6/7 others from the club. It was good to see the others and to be able to travel to the start with them as they helped me relax. So after another train journey back to Blackheath and a short walk we were on the common at the blue start. The weather, which had started wet windy and cold, had improved slightly to just windy and cold. Everything about the race, was organised to perfection so bag drops, last minute toilet stops etc were managed with ease. There were big screens so we could watch the start of the womens and wheelchair races, so the final hour before the start passed really quickly.

Just before 10 we all split up and headed to our starting pen. I was in pen 6 with Lauren and Anna from the club so we went and waited together. We were probably about a quarter of a mile back from the start line, and somewhere between the 4 hr 15 and 4 hr 30 pacers.

We spent the last few minutes discussing our race strategy (find a good bottom to follow to alleviate the boredom was one piece of advice passed on via another club regular). Finally, 7 minutes after the start of the race we finally crossed the start line and were off. I ran with Lauren and Anna for the first half mile or so and then headed off on my own. My plan was to run steady 8 min 45 second miles the whole way round and to finish somewhere under the 4 hour mark, but I found early congestion meant the first mile took 9 mins 15, 30 seconds slower than target. The congestion cleared slightly though and I settled into a steady 8 40 pace for the next few miles.

The first landmark on the route is at 7 miles when you run into Greenwich and around the Cutty Sark. The atmosphere here was incredible, with deep crowds on both sides of the road. Unfortunately I got stuck behind the 4 hour pacer, who had about 300 other runners with him so miles 7 and 8 were finished at 9 min 10 pace, some 30 second slower than planned.

After finally passing the pacer, again the race settled down and I tried to focus on maintaining target pace and relaxing for the next few miles through Bermondsey and Southwark.

Just after 12 miles the race comes to life. After a few miles of running through fairly dreary London suburbs you make a right turn and before you is London Bridge. As you come onto the bridge the noise and crowd levels increase and you get a great view of the London skyline. Just after the bridge I managed to spot my wife & kids on the side of the road that gave me a huge boost. I made it to the halfway point in 1 hr 55 mins and 25 seconds, at an average pace of 8min 49 seconds per mile. I was bang on target and feeling ok.

Next is a trip into and around the Isle of Dogs in docklands. I found it hard to focus on the surroundings though as slower runners kept getting in my way and there are thousands of drinks bottles on the floor to be avoided. Again the miles just ticked by, at and around my target pace. At around 20 miles you come off the Isle of Dogs and it’s a 6 mile slog to the finish. I saw my family again, another huge boost,  and got to the 35km (22mile) mark in 3 :12 at 8 min 50 secs average. I knew that all I had to do was hold it together for 4 more miles and my target would be hit.
The next 3 miles were just a wall of noise, as I made my way from London bridge along the embankment, under Waterloo Bridge and to Charing Cross. I was running on empty and feeling sick but managed to keep going without slowing down too much. In the final stages the course takes you to the end of Westminster Bridge, around Parliament Square, along Birdcage Walk to Buckingham Palace and along the Mall to the finish. I was so pleased to cross the line in the time of 3 hrs 56 minutes and 19 seconds, a new personal best in one of the worlds best marathons.
 
Would I do it again? Absolutely. The positives were the organisation and the crowd were like nothing I ever experienced before. The only negative was the congestion caused by all the other runners, meant I found it really hard to settle into controlled running as I was forever having to weave around others and dodge discarded drinks bottles. In the end I ran 26.75 miles, half a mile longer than the shortest route.
Finally, I want to end this report by thanking Hedge End running club that awarded me the place in the race through the ballot and to everyone I’ve trained with at the club. 
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    January 2023
    September 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    September 2021
    July 2021
    April 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    November 2019
    August 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    May 2010

    Categories

    All
    CC6
    Club Championship
    Club Competitions
    Club Runs
    Cross Country
    Getting To Know HERC
    HCCL
    HRRL
    Lakeside 5K Series
    Member Of The Month
    Newsletters
    Other Race Results
    Race Reports
    Rehabilitation & Exercises
    RR10
    SCCL
    Training

    RSS Feed

Interested in becoming a member of Hedge End Running Club?  Click here for information.
Copyright © 2012 - 2023 Hedge End Running Club