Poppy Half Marathon

Bexhill-on-Sea Remembrance Race 8 November 2014

Becci and I set off on Friday evening for Hastings and we were fortunate enough to have a really smooth quick journey and arrived at our Travel Lodge in time to enjoy a drink in the bar with some of our running friends from The Commando Runners.

The next morning I was careful to choose a breakfast that would keep me sustained for as long as possible as our race was not going to start until 12.30. I had not run a race this late before and I have quite horrible sugar lows, feeling sick and light headed, if I miss my mid-day meal so I wondered how it would affect my running.

I had prepared by bringing jelly babies and two caffeinated sports gels and Becci and I had a coffee and small muffin from breakfast about 11.30.

The organisers had warned us that there would be very strong winds and the 'white horses' out at sea were spectacular. It was still quite mild and the rain was holding off as we joined everyone at the start line. The last post had been sounded and a little later we had the two minute silence but, sadly, it was not called in a way that everyone was aware and so it was not silent which was a shame.

The start

I just could not find the energy for anything other than a really slow start and hoped that I would get into my stride and speed up. I felt quite happy running on my own as Becci had got a terrific start and I never want to hold her up with my brand of start. 

The view along the seafront was amazing and it was all I could do to pull my eyes from the sea to concentrate on the route.

Mile one to four and a half

The first time round the route was fine and my splits show that I did this at quite a reasonable speed.

The conditions on the ground were quite difficult as there was a lot of foam and slippery areas to contend with and at a few points there were large deposits of stoney gravel washed up from the beach. This had been cleared before the start of the race but like Canute we cannot hold back the power of the sea and it soon covered the path quite deeply in places.

At a few points you pass some of the front runners and this is quite fun on the first lap.

I took my first caffeine gel at mile four and a half and was glad of it.

Mile four and a half to nine

The second lap was much like the first in terms of how I managed it. I felt happy and energised and coping quite well. I was a little dispirited by the arrival of a cyclist asking for us to make way for the front runner who then sailed past us. That is a bitter sweet moment when you feel happy and in awe of the strength of these young runners but then you realise he is on his last lap and you have almost two left. This then makes you feel sluggish. Hunger and thirst are robbing you of your strength and you are able to see the miles ahead of you along the sea front and that is hard.

Just before mile nine we had the completers peeling off for the finish line and I found myself momentarily disorientated as I struggled with tiredness to work out where I was supposed to run as the field had stretched so much I was the only runner going on for the third lap at that moment. Oh that was a horrible moment. People running next to you over the finish line while you have to continue - not a nice feeling.

By mile nine I had to have another gel and Mark, one of The Commando Runners, came and kept me company for a short section.

Mile nine to thirteen

Oh dear things started to go very wrong by mile nine when I realised I had completely run out of steam. I urged Mark to run on ahead and he quickly disappeared from sight - he had a very good run.

I slugged it out for miles along the sea front knowing exactly what lay ahead and that knowledge was the hardest part of all - nothing new coming along. Then I noticed that a runner had collapsed and was receiving medical treatment and she looked so young and fit. I began to panic about overdoing it and pushing myself too hard. I was dragging one foot in front of the other by this stage but people were encouraging us along and especially so by the collapsed runner, reminding us we only had a short way to go.

I dug as deep as I could to keep myself going and it would have been so pleasant to stop and walk. Where that strength came from to keep up the slowest jog ever I will never know but soon I saw the finish line and even though I knew I would not be able to 'sprint' finish I did at least try to look joyous.

The finish and summing up

Having got to the finish I was greeted by some of the Commando Runners and caught up with Becci who had had a very good run given the weather conditions. She pointed me in the direction of the tent where I could get a printout of my time and a cup of tea and several pieces of home-made cake.

Everyone was very friendly and excited and the cake was delicious and so welcome.

We popped over to the hotel where we had left our coats and bags in the storage room and had a glass of lime and soda before setting off to find the car and drive back to the hotel. Francis, another Commando Runner, had given us a lift there and he had also made some rocky road chocolate for us all which I tucked into despite having already demolished lots of cake but with no lunch it was not surprising.

The challenge for me had almost been too much. I think the timing of the race did not work in my favour as I could not get the fuel side of running bigger distances right despite using gels. I found this and having spent a night in a strange bed and running in difficult weather conditions all contributed to a poor run but most of all I did not cope very well with a three lap route. That being said my time was not a disaster and I was not last and managed to be 13th in my age group - that might just sound good as it is perfectly possible that there were only 13 in that age group anyway!

My Garmin gave up the ghost too after mile ten and no data was saved - this watch is definitely in need of a service (a bit like it's owner).

An evening in Hastings

Well after that I suppose I couldn't really expect the evening to be any better and indeed it was a bit of a disappointment too. 

We rushed back to the hotel, got washed and changed and met everyone else in the hotel bar. Then we went off to another hotel chain's restaurant where the greeting on the door said they could only take cash and the cash machine in the bar did not work so we had to go to the nearby supermarket before we could eat. 

The food was not great and I was longing for some home comforts after the run. Then we found ourselves in a supermarket and getting taxis back to our hotel where we were going to drink in someone's room. This was the point at which I politely said good night and went to bed. 

Ideally I would have liked to get back after the race and have a rest for a couple of hours and then gone to a comfortable pub for a meal and some socialising with a nightcap in the bar at the hotel afterwards. Ah such is the difficulty when others have different expectations for an evening relaxing after a race. One runner's meat is another's poison - you live and learn!

Overall thoughts about the weekend

I was very proud to have run the race in remembrance of those who had fought in various wars so that we can enjoy the freedom we have. I would not do this race again though as it was a bit too much for me but I am glad to have had the opportunity to take part.

I would also take more control over what I choose to do in terms of how to spend an evening after a race. Perhaps it is just me but going to a supermarket is not exactly my idea of a fun thing to do on a Saturday night in Hastings!!

I was very pleased with the medal and tee shirt and I had even managed to save up about twenty pounds since my last long race some of which I used when I was in Anthropologie in Regent Street. I bought a beautiful red cup with a poppy detail to remember the race and a Jane Austen novel "Northanger Abbey" (having visited Stoneleigh Abbey which was the inspiration for Northanger Abbey). It is lovely some time later to sit with a cup of coffee and a good book both of which remind you of somewhere you have been or something you have done.