Surrey Half Marathon 2023

Race Information

Goals

GoalDescriptionCompleted?
ASub 1:38No
BSub 1:40No
CPB (sub 1:42:30)Yes

Splits

KilometerTime
14.39
24.43
34.37
44.37
54.52
64.36
74.37
84.36
94.38
104.46
114.46
124.41
134.40
144.41
154.47
165.09
174.52
185.01
194.58
204.54
214.56

Training

Had trained well going into this using Hal Higdon’s Intermediate 1 Plan, setting 5km and 10km PBs. I had been concentrating on running my slow runs below a HR of 143 and that had been working well for me. This was my second 1/2 marathon and I was looking forward to it after really enjoying my first one.

Pre-race

I was away travelling with work the week before the event, not sleeping so well and eating and drinking badly so maybe that had a little impact, although I felt fine on Friday and Saturday. The HRV training app I use also showed I was in a good place on Sunday morning.

I had a piece of toast at home, and made a flask of coffee then headed over to the event around 7.20. I had a banana and a flapjack bar on the way to the event, dropped my bag and visited the bathroom several times.

Weather was mild, no wind and conditions were really good so I was looking forward to a good run. I had a chia caffeine gel on the start-line and set off.

Race

From the start I was about 100m or so behind the 1:40 pacer flags but I thought if I just keep them in sight and them aim to overtake them before the finish I should be good for a sub 1:40 time. In hindsight this was maybe a mistake and I should have got with the group and stayed with them. I wasn’t able to find a good group to sit with during the race and ended up flitting between pacers. I had some good stretches running side-by-side with various people but missed that consistent group to run with.

I felt a few niggles during the run but nothing serious. My heart rate was worryingly high at above 170 though, and I couldn’t really get into the audiobook I was listening to. The pace was good and I was still in sight of the pacing group so all good.

Then I got to about 15k in and the wheels started coming off. This was when I was expecting to start getting my next wind, but it wasn’t happening. I had a caffeine bullet and changed onto some high-tempo music but there were a lot of people going past me now.

Legs felt incredibly heavy, I kept thinking should I stop and walk for a bit but I managed to keep moving forwards. The last 5k was really a slog, with none of the runner’s high and euphoria that I experience last time! I was also thinking that the race was 21.3k rather than 21.1 for some reason which didn’t help. Towards the end I just wanted it to be over, and I finally got across the line in 1:41:03, completely spent.

Post-race

So missed the A and B goal but still a 90s PB. My 5k and 10k times suggested that I should have been faster, so I don’t know if it was the week of travel or something else but I couldn’t have done any more. I’m a bit disappointed with the performance as I really felt that based on my 5k and 10k times I was in with a chance of going sub 1:38. But only my second half-marathon so still a lot to learn.

I probably went off too fast, and should have tried to accelerate from a 4:45 min/km, rather than from a 4:40. Last time out I ran 5:00 min/km and then killed the last 5k and that was a much more enjoyable experience, although I probably left some time out there. I wonder as well if I would have done better being in the pacing group, and then just relaxing into it rather than wasting mental energy thinking about pace and who to run with.

Learnt a lot though, and I really enjoyed the training and the post-run beers. Now to find another half-marathon to do in the next few months and see if I can get under than 1:40 mark. Pretty sure I’ve got it in me with some better race-day tactics and a less-stressful week beforehand.

It’s a great event though and will definitely be back again

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