Bratislava Half Marathon - 6th April 2014

Except, I didn't win, I came 146th.

After a slow winter on the running front, the idea was to get back into it by doing a marathon. What a rather optimistic idea, considering I have never ran that distance, especially on a road. So the marathon idea was out the window thinking i had missed the entry deadline, nothing like the entry on the day in many fell races. The Wednesday prior, after a few investigative phone calls, there was a slight chance i could still enter but I settled for the half marathon. The Friday before I ran to register and when inquiring about space they said they were full but asked where I was from. On answering the UK they, said, 'Well..... maybe we can fit you in.' Going to register I clocked up about 10k and the carbo-loading and the rest began.

Sunday morning came soon enough, after a movie day on Saturday and i ate at about 08:30, thinking it was early enough, but lining up at 09:50 i was still feeling a bit full. Well a quick hello to someone I knew on the start line discussing time we were wishing to achieve. I just knew my target was 1:45 because that's the category i had picked. I had previously ran with Peter in the Student race in November and he guessed I would probably do a sub 1:30. I haven't done that much road racing so concentrating on pacing and using sub times is all new to me.
So we began and i proudly show off the Bowland Fell Runners vest to all the sidelining photographers, thinking if they knew what 'fells' were they would think i was at the wrong event. 

Orange and green.

Due to my last minute preparations and underestimation on the amount of runners running, i ended up a good distance from the start line. Therefore, I was stuck in a compact bunch of runners, just behind the 4 hour pacemakers. With some impressive overtaking maneuvers completed I found a rhythm of about 4 minute kilometers and slowly caught up with the faster marathon pacemakers, first the 3:45 and then by about 6km the 3:30's and by 14 km i had caught the 3:00 pacemakers, and made an effort to get in front of them to push me along. I stayed infront for about 5km before dropping behind them and slowing to around 4:15 minute kms. By this time some mental maths had suggested if i kept a good pace now i would make the sub 1:30. And i did, I finished in 1:28:07. This has opened a new window of races, and intend on doing a full marathon before the year is out.

Paddy

Studentsky Beh - Students Run Bratislava

The to commemorate the International day for Students on the 17th of November, a run is organised in Bratislava. The run signifies the running the students had to make from police and military personal after a peaceful demonstration turned nasty in 1989. The demonstrators were themselves celebrating the 50th anniversary of the International day for Students and used it was an opportunity to voice their displeasure with the communist party of Czechoslovakia. The demonstration, starting in Bratislava marched to Prague picking up numbers on the way until mass demonstrations sparked what was to develop into the Velvet Revolution.

The 12.5 km route passes many current University faculty buildings and spans the river Danube twice crossing both the Stary and Lafranconi bridges.

Studentsky Beh Route 2013

A cloudy start to the day turned bright and sunny with a slight chilly breeze blowing in from the Austrian border in the west.
The later start of 11 I'm sure was appreciated by many of the student runners.
My quick start was a bit too quick and I found myself at 18kmph according to my watch so slowed it down and found my rhythm once at the river. I had aimed to finish under the hour as a ballpark figure due to my inexperience in roadraces. By the first bridge at 5k I had slowed a little reflecting the lack of any training since the summer. A warm tea was questioned but welcomed as a drink at the halfway station and I found a pace with a guy in red, this helped the focus on the otherwise boring(it was flat) stretch along the river embankment. Some calculations at this point pretty much confirmed my planned time, as long as I didn't mess up. After the second bridge, at around 10k I started to feel a bit weak but kept at it uphill(slightly) to hold my position across the line.

Start Most - Old Bridge

I finished in 52.29. Just under 10 mins behind the winner, he was giving it some. Coming in 37th of a field of 312.

I hope I will not get swept into a hobby of road running with the ridiculous amount of warm clothing and gadgets plugged into everywhere.

Until I find some cross-country races or even a fell race, they will have to suffice.

Paddy Walsh