Watford Half Marathon

Today was a seminal moment in my running - went to Watford hoping for around 1:20 and blew the course apart in 1:17:25 - only 6 minutes off my best, with a hilly course and only 3 weeks of training. A tad emotional as I wandered to the drinks table at the end, after 3 years of angst and underachieving, am finally back. And it feels right. Can't really analyse the race in depth as from start to finish just felt extremely strong. Went through first km in about 3:40, felt pretty good but was a little worried as had forgotten to take a puff of my inhaler - felt a little wheezy but it didn't get bad at any stage (also need to mention customary shit in the bushes before the race). Settled in nicely on the back of a bunch of about 5 guys, and a familiar feeling of comfort mixed with adrenaline washed over me, that feeling when you are moving so effortlessly at a cracking pace, listening to the lads around breathing and just feeling a good rhythm. A few solid hills came up after 5 kms, and the second 5km split was about 18:35 and felt a little out of breath and struggling a tad. So backed off for about a km or so, got the heart rate down to about 168bpm and from 12 kms onwards started feeling absolutely superb. Kept two guys ahead of me within reach, and settled in for 13-16km to save energy for a long drive from 4-5kms out. Really nice downhills around that stage, and put in in a couple of 3:30 splits. Got to 19km and knew that a 1:17 was on, flew past the two guys and got into the park which was about 1.5km go. Last km really hurt but managed to punch out a 3:28 or so, good sprint for the line though couldn't quite catch a guy in front of me, and ironically ran 1:17:23, same as my Palmy time in 2003. Well and truly back. A wave of emotion came over me, haven't had that feeling for 3-4 years, have exorcised a demon. Need to carry on, good to be back.

Last 2 weeks of training as follows:

Tuesday January 26th - lunch 20km cycle (Blair's baby)
Wednesday 27th - Clapham Chasers - 2/4/7/4/2 round Battersea Park, hammer time
Thursday 28th - Run at lunch with Tim
Friday 29th - Bike at lunch 20kms
Saturday 30th - 5km TT; 17:40 + lap of Richmond (20km)
Sunday 31st - Rest day
Monday 1st - 11.5kms with Mike, 8.25kms work home 31:19
Tuesday 2nd - Weights
Wednesday 3rd - lunch 20kms bike, PM 10km treadmill 38 mins
Thursday 4th - Morning, 20kms on bike, PM 29:56 work to home; 8.25km
Friday 5th - 6km with Andy and Tim lunch (sore foot)
Saturday 6th - rest
Sunday - Half marathon 1:17:23