Chester 1/2 marathon and a personal best

great day
i had tried to work out some tactics - perhaps 8min 20 per mile for 6 miles then speed up. However- with a slowish start- i thought- up the hill in Handbridge after the start on the bridge- and i took up a comfortable pace . I found myself miling at under 8 minutes, for first few miles and comfortable- so lets carrry on !. 5 miles in 38 minutes or so , which beat my 39 minute for the 5 mile race in Abergele in December- but that was hilly.
9 miles in 1hr 10 and ok.
on the return leg- to Eccleston i tokk a steady pace and tried to continue and perhaps drive forward, i caoght and passed a few, including scouser in hoops who did South Cheshire 20. Trying to get spectators to cheer- added a bit of momentum. Then turned into Chester College on the last mile and a half. And there Nige waiting to run with me - what a star. He ran alongside the difficult bit of the turn left in handbridge, the crossing of the Dee -where i tried not to look at those completing the race and going under the bridge along the path to the finish. A cheeky loop by the little Roodee car park, keeping going under the Grosvenor Bridge, and with Nige's encouragement -as he nipped to spectator area- i passed around 3 or 4 in the last 100metres for an exhausting sprint finish. AND A new personal best of 1hour 43. great.