Ben Houston writes…
After my last effort at Henley where the hill cost me some time I was determined to pick my next event on terrain more suited to my physique!
So early on Sunday morning I was driving through the fog on the M25 and A1M to take part in the Stevenage Half Marathon.
Luckily what was described as a flat / undulating course involved only a few long drags, bridges and underpasses – nothing too tough! The 2 lap course also suited me better, in that I knew what to expect in those final miles, having run through them on the first lap.
The fog was replaced by sunshine as the race started, and I could immediately feel the benefits from an increased training program over the last few weeks.
A good time looked to be on the cards when I went through 10km (6.2 miles) in just under 49 minutes. The race finished with one lap of the athletics track, so a sprint finish for the crowd was mandatory.
On finishing I looked at my watch and had exactly equalled my lifetime personal best for the distance – 1:45:51
A personal best of any sort is a rare thing for me these days, so very pleased with that result. Next time I will start the sprint from the 200m mark instead of the 100m !
