A tale of several halves, some very ill-timed snow and ice and some compensatory Treadmill heroics.
Amongst the racers, The Big Half was a super day for Serpentine, with the strongest team in the race which incorporated the UK Athletics Championships. Coaching highlight had to be Will Green, at 43 setting a super PB of 68.16 which in late March is currently the UK’s leading UK V40 time for 2018. Also fine new PBs by coachees including Chris O 68.50, Xavier G 69.57 sneaking sub 70, Nick I 73.00.
Further West another 43 year old whippet Martin G has been in the handy and enviable position of using strong training efforts as race winning results in his London build up – recently leading home the Wrexham Half in 2.38 and two week laters setting a 20 mile PB to win in Trimpnell in 1.55.
Heading North, Jennifer E notched up a 81.07 to place 3rd woman in the strong Inverness Half, while looking across the Baltic Paul R won the V45 category in the Danish 10k Champs nipping home in 33.55 on a bitingly cold windy day. Guardian running blog readers may have seen his more expansive report.
While in Milton Keynes Alex B negotiated 20 miles of roundabouts to place 6th woman in a controlled 2.21 which bodes well for marathon progress next month.
Surrey Half proved a swift option for Jon S, at 55 years winning the V50 category in a very fine 80.35 – his debut at the distance too. Also fine PBs for Jack B, Ciro, Alex C, Demetrios and Andy Y all shaping up for April Marathons. Particular shout for Deborah who as new long distance runner, and at 50+, has been dividing her winter months between freezing UK, and hot and humid Bangkok and Sydney and managed to clock a pleasing 3.20 20 miles in Milton Keynes.
The weekend of 18th March had some major Treadmill efforts in both quality (a 24k fartlek splitting mid 72 mins at half marathon) and quantity (24 miles the max and several in the 20-22 mile category. By different runners, I should make clear).