Snowdonia marathon Eryri day minus 2

Thursday evening and last tapering run done. My next run will be a little 26.2 me jog from Llanberis via Pen y pass Beddgelert to Waunfawr to Llanberis on Saturday . I hope the weather holds for fellow runners and spectators.

Oxford half marathon - thank you pacers. & splash splish

I'd just like to add my grateful thanks to to pacers at the Oxford 1/2, after doing pacing duties myself at Chester marathon last week- it is a responsibility.  I didn't know how much I'd have left in legs. My plan   was to hang to the 2hr pacer and see if I could go ahead at 10mile. But my enthusiastic daughter persuaded me to start near the 1:55 pace. We kept him in sight for a couple of mile, then I had to really dig in as legs felt heavy, and daughter pulled ahead 6.5miles or so. Around 8 or so I could hear the 2hr pace group closing - so tried to stay ahead- didn't work for long-so I stayed in the group for  a while, a  mile or 2, at 11.5 or so I seemed to get second wind and pushed on , or so I thought . I could hear the group not far behind. Very pleased to finish 9 seconds inside my target of 1:59:59. It's probably a lovely course in the middle along the paths & river, but I was concentrating on keeping my feet    as I sploshed through the puddles. 

Oxford half marathon eve

Pasta eaten , day before Oxford half marathon with daughter .

Chester Marathon

This marathon has been rightly voted by runners & readers of Runners World Uk as the Uk no1 marathon . 

I'm proud to have been a runner and part of it for 4 years, and especially this year as part of the pace team. 

What a wonderful experience and a privilege to help other amateur athletes achieve their goals. Note to Brendan Foster and Steve Cram - yes we may not be at your level- but we are not fun runners , we are amateur athletes.

Having attended 2 training runs with a variety of other pacers and runners - I was confident that I could help folks run the distance. This was my 27th marathon and 4th in Chester.

Arriving super early around 0730 or even earlier the racecourse car park was beginning to fill up. As pacers we were looked after well having a tent to report to ,  meet and collect our 'pace lollipop '. 

As instructed we moved to the starting area early and very soon were surrounded by a vast number of excited and a little anxious runners. 

I gave out a few pace bands I'd made for a 4hr44 finish to allow us a little time for the slight incline at Sandy Lane mile 24. 

To be continued