Reports

London Marathon - 28/04/19

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By David Aspin

My marathon journey started in 2010 when Kath and Nick ran the inaugural Kielder Marathon. Since then I had been with Kath to marathons in Manchester, Edinburgh (twice) and London (five times).  At first, I was not inclined to run a marathon, but after attending the London Marathon as a spectator, you can’t help but want to get involved and do one.

I always said that if I did one, it would have to be London first in case it was my last.  So, the journey began several years ago, Ballot Entries, Club Ballot Entries, Competition Entries all to no avail until… :2019 - Club Ballot: we managed to get 2 places and both Paul Brown, and I met the selection criteria.

Note: you are much more likely to get a place through the club ballot than the general ballot.  Remember the criteria for next year will include: Joined before 01/03/17, not had club number or run London before, rejected in ballot, undertaken volunteer duties 01/03/18 to 31/08/19, competed for NMH in a team competition between 01/3/18 and 31/08/19 (Cross Country / Road Relays / Track & Field). If you meet all the criteria you have a better chance.

The hardest part for me was getting to the start line in one piece, loosely following a marathon plan I steadily increased my mileage, never having done more than 15 miles before.  Things were looking more positive by the time I ran the South Park 20.  Finishing in 2:40 at 8-minute mile pace with something left in the tank, or so I thought…  Then the taper.  All sorts of niggles appeared during my taper, whether they were real or not I am unsure!

Race day: 

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A gentle 1 mile walk from the hotel up to the start meant we had a leisurely breakfast. After leaving Sharon at the championship pen I looked at the toilet queue.  Good job I only need the urinal as what a queue, never seen a longer queue with only 10 minutes until the zone closed.  Ladies get practicing with those shewees! 

With thousands of runners I thought it unlikely I would meet anybody I knew, but there in the Zone Trish Speedie, Katie Coulson and Lou Trainor appeared (I won’t detail their loo experiences!).  So 8 minutes after the gun, seemed along time given how close to the start we were, we were off.

Trish and Lou soon disappeared off in to the distance, it would have been so easy for me to go off much too fast.   The first 5k included a downhill, perhaps a bit quick for me but I soon got into a rhythm.  Kath and Olivia were there at 7 miles to grab my profile picture, still happy then!

I ticked the miles off, breaking it down into 5 mile segments with a gel at the end of each segment.  Things started not feeling quite right in the mile up to Tower Bridge which seemed slightly up hill, that came and went and Tower Bridge was amazing with the crowds.  Shortly after I hit the half way point, spot on my target pace.  At the same time Charlotte Ellis was going the other way having set of an hour earlier, quick cheer. Next marker was the 16 mile point where Kath and Olivia were waiting.   This is where the wheels came off.  The pace I had been comfortably managing became more difficult.  No specific injury just lack of energy. Looks like I peaked at South Park.  So the last 10 miles was just about getting to the finish, but with a smile on my face, taking in the atmosphere which was amazing.   In the last 3 miles I started running with Catherine McShane from NYMAC who was in a similar position to me.  One of us would go ahead and the other catch up and visa versa.  But the last 1km or so we ran together.   When I saw the 365 yards to go banner I was determined to enjoy the finish, could have done without that headwind in the home straight though!

So that’s it, marathon done, will I do another?  So many people I have seen finish a marathon have said never again!  Well maybe I will do another, but if I don’t I have had a great experience which I would recommend to anybody.   The hardest bit was probably managing the expectation (probably self generated) that you have a club place so must do it, everybody is watching you on the tracker so you don’t want to mess up.  Perhaps the best way to do a marathon is just to enter one and not tell anybody!

There were some amazing results from other New Marske Harriers.

Charlotte Ellis  representing GB in the IPC World Para Marathon Championships PB 3:23:47

Kay Neesam   V50 Club Record and 4th in her age category 3:04:10 and best club age graded result

Sharon Bulman V40/V45 Club Record and PB of 3:00:52

Paul Brown PB of 2:42:40

Paul Cleasby PB of 2:54:54

Trish Speedie PB of 3:17:09 and maybe the stat of the day, only passed by 1 person in the second half, 66 in the whole race and she passed 5794 runners.

Lm Results 2019

Photos

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Mermaid 10K - 19th April 2019

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Another glorious day at the Mermaid 10k in near perfect conditions.  A new clyb V50 record for Martin Murray beating Tony Livingstons record by over 30 seconds.  Plenty more PB's and good runs.

First home was Michael Joyeux of Quakers with Adam Mitchell and Paul Allan of Darlington 2nd and 3rd.  For the ladies, Alice Smith now running for Pontefract was 1st, Jane Halloran of Wetherby 2nd and Gemma Harcombe-Moore of Hartlepool 3rd.

Mermaid 10k Result NM

Results , Karens Photos 

 

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Spring Coast Road 5K - 10/04/19

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Another enjoyable 5k in cool, slightly breezy conditions.   A small change to the finish as a result of work on the footpaths which should be completed in time for the Mermaid 10K.   Paul Allen was first over the line in 16:10 with Paul Lowe picking up the 1st Age Graded Prize with 16:12, 90.27%!

For the Ladies Sophie Marr was first home in 18:37 with Sharon Bulman highest up the prizes for the ladies in 18:51, 84.04%.

For New Marske there were PB's for Thomas Aspin, Sharon Bulman, Martin Gunn with his first sub 20 and Lawrie Everitt.

Spring 5k NM Results 2019

Results    Photos on our Facebook page   Prizes

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East Hull 20 - 24/03/19

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East Hull 20 by James Allinson
 
As part of our London Marathon training, Paul Cleasby and I decided on a journey to Hull for the ‘East Hull 20’. The race is billed as the ideal 'warm up' for the London Marathon. Falling 5 weeks before the big day this should give us chance for a good 20 mile blast and plenty of time to recover.
 
Paul has done the race twice previously and his description of it being the 20 mile equivalent of Snake Lane 10 is spot on in my opinion. 
 
My race day goal was to average somewhere in the region between 6:25 – 6:30 per mile and finish with something left in the tank. The first few miles as you would expect passed without any problems. I’ve suffered with a pain in my lower right leg for the last couple of weeks and was very conscious of it in the early stages. It seemed to settle though and by the time I had passed through 10k it was forgotten about. 
 
The East Hull 20 route takes in long and exposed country roads with at times no shelter from the elements. In the second half of the race we had a few miles running directly into a head wind which at that stage of the race in my opinion felt absolutely BRUTAL! So much so that I decided to change the screen of my Garmin so I couldn’t look at my current pace. 
 
After a bit of sulking and an energy gel I managed to get to the finish in 2:11:01 which averages at 6:32 pace which I am fairly happy with and would have taken that before we set off……The massive positive split however not so much and it certainly wasn’t the controlled effort I had planned. 
 
Paul finished in 2:18:04 and after checking his Garmin stats in the car on the way home had hardly left the green zone of his heart rate! Paul’s splits were much more controlled throughout than mine. Strong running as always. 
The race its self is very well organised. It has great support from the marshal's and I wouldn’t hesitate to make the journey again as part of a marathon build up. The course is flat other than a few bumps and in good conditions, it would be fast. East Hull Harriers even include a post-race buffet as part of your entry. After refuelling we made the journey home and I still have no idea if the race memento is a thin towel or a flag? Who knows?!
 
Once I have recovered its back to the final few weeks of marathon training. Although that pain in my lower leg is back….Not ideal.
 
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Locke Park 20Ten - 17/03/19

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By Dave Aspin

Another great race at Locke Park, many thanks to the Organisers and Marshals for organising the race, fortunately, apart from the windy spot my wife was marshalling, the conditions were pretty ideal.  Usually on the other end of the microphone, I was tempted out to run my first 20 mile race, in fact my first ever 20 mile run.  What would it be like running 20 laps around Locke Parke?  Well, I found it very enjoyable.  I was able to tick off every lap with the help of Graham on the microphone, I could set points on the lap to check my times on the lap. In all it was much easier than going out for a run on my own.  Being lapped, and lapping runners and the excellent support from the marshals meant you never had time on your own to think about nothing as you do on some long races.

Well done to Kay Neesam and Shirley Gibson who were the age graded winners of the 20 miler and 10 miler.  Full prize winners, Results and Pictures below.

Thanks to Dave Robinson for the pictures, although I must have been going so fast at the finish that he missed me!

 

Results Prize Winners   Photos

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