Running

Well, I went for it! Chip: 2:34:59 (HM splits: 1:15:39/1:19:20)

I set out at 2:30 pace from Wave 2, which meant fun and games overtaking slower runners, with judicious use of pavements and central reservations, plus the occasional slow-down at bottlenecks. Not ideal for pacing, or for my head! (That's enough excuses, I wouldn't have run sub-2:30 with a clear road, but it certainly held me up.) Was up on pace at 5k largely thanks to the downhill section at Woolwich, but slightly behind pace at 10k, and realised at halfway that I was already looking at damage limitation and B-targets, principally my London course-PB of 2:35:56.

The Docklands is never fun but it felt less-bad than I remember, and by this time the field had both thinned out and got faster, as I'd mainly be overtaking club runners off the Champs start by this stage. Definitely started feeling it coming back along The Highway (22 miles) but I gave myself a boost remembering that my lovely new daughter (oh, and wife!) were due to be spectating at Blackfriars, so I was telling myself it was only 2 miles to go, and the last couple would take care of themselves. That worked out perfectly, a nice little boost and I still had my head together enough to work out that a course PB was in the bag unless I slowed considerably. I'd only faded to just over 6min miling, so I actually enjoyed the finish, and as a final bonus my Garmin time of 2:35:01 became 2:34:59 on the official result.

Very happy with that, considering much lower volume of training than I've been used to (<50mpw and no x-training), plus new-dad sleeping pattern. I'm turning 50 next year and should probably give it another go, when I'll have a Championship place to go off.

https://www.strava.com/activities/6059002858