Russell Turner | Happily Ever After

Happily Ever After

Life in The Rural Retreat with a beautiful wife, three cats, garden wildlife, a camera, a computer – and increasing amounts about running

Earlier posts can be found on Adventures of a Lone Bass Player, where this blog began life. Recent entries can be found here.

Oxford Half Marathon Malton 10k (And Excuses)One Step Forward Optimistic For Oxford Running Like A Pensioner Index

Almost Set For Oxford

by Russell Turner - 19:59 on 08 October 2024

It’s less than a week until the Oxford Half Marathon and I still don’t know what finish time to aim for. I suspect I won’t know until the day, when the weather and proximity of pacers will sway the decision. Anything under 2:10 will satisfy me. We’ll see.

The run up to race day could have been better. I turned up late for the River Ness 10k, having forgotten how much traffic it would create, and missed the baggage wagon, leaving me with the tricky decision of having nothing warm to wear at the end (I’d already declined the race shirt) or wearing/carrying surplus clothing (because the finish is a shuttle bus ride from the start). I decided to live dangerously and stick with just a T-shirt; fortunately, the weather stayed mild and hypothermia didn’t strike.

My tardy arrival didn’t mean I missed the start, but I did set off with barely 12 people behind me – something I remedied over the first few kilometres when I had the satisfaction of passing lots of slower runners. I paid for that after 7k, when some walking ensued, and finished in 1:01:35. If I’d run it all to finish in that time I’d have been happy, but the walk breaks were disappointing. Pace control is something I’m still learning.

Despite that, and yet another miserable goody bag (two tins of soup, some water and a banana), I enjoyed the event, finishing only four minutes slower than in 2019, and with a max HR lower than my average HR five years ago. My fitness has improved if nothing else.

A determined finish at the River Ness 10k.

A week later, my final pre-Oxford long run should have been a ‘relaxed’ eight miles (whatever that means – the plan didn’t specify) but I settled for another 10k on an uninspiring grey day. At least today’s final intervals went without a hitch. This training block was to be the one where I worked hard, walked three miles on non-run days and even (don’t laugh) tried some strength work. So much for that plan; maybe next time.

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