Felt a bit happier post-run than the previous Saturday, I'd managed to keep pace with 2011's pacing up until the last climb losing a minute on the up and a minute on the down.
Buoyed with this meant a relaxed attitude to the prospect of the longest Tarmac run I'd done for a good while. So relaxed, that I was still stood in the queue for the loo when they were calling runners to the start line. I still had to choose my socks and put my trainers on. Shades of EtU!
Got myself there with a minute to spare to bag myself a nice comfy spot mid pack for the downhill start. Felt a bit weird though running with just a set of car keys and not all the usual paraphernalia that accompanies me on my fell runs. Early pace seemed to settle at about 9min/m and by the 4m marker I'd decided that to keep checking my watch wasn't going to make me run any faster and the maths was getting harder to work out. I was only working with 'real' time and not 'stopwatch' time. So settled for a 'what will be, will be' time.
The course is hilly, but not excessively so, the gradients enough to challenge a little but pleasant all the same. Scenery, well that was a given, weather perfect.
The lead runner passed me on his way back at about the 5m point, the turn for home at about 6.5m. A Horwich vest appeared just after 6m, but didn't get a good look at it's owner as it got close as it'd tucked in behind a couple of other runners (results sheet revealed it to be Paul M, who won first V70 - well done that man)
I had a sneaky look at the watch at 10m . Working out 90 mins plus start meant the maths had just got easier. All I had to do was work out how mins adrift of 12:59pm I was. Maths got even easier, spot on 12:59pm. So in the last 3.1m I gave myself 3 targets (each with increasing difficulty) 1) break 2hrs, 2) pb ie better 1:58:27 3) break 9min/m pace by a clear margin.
My quads and hamstrings are complaining now, but it was worth it for 1:55:44.
At the finish we got given a bottle of water, a good size flap jack and a commemorative mug. This allowed us to obtain a celebratory cup of tea to sup with the flap jack. The steps up to the 'tea ladies' nearly saw me off, but they reassuringly informed me that they'd only summons for help if I hadn't been able to get the words out to ask for my cuppa.
My thanks to Eden Valley runners for a well organised event and allowing me to break a record that had stood for eight years in such beautiful surroundings.
TF
(Ps I'll post a link to any photos when I find them)
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