New Forest Half Marathon 2012

Where is New Forest? If you ask me 6 months ago, I am most probably should be the one asking the question.

In life, if everything goes according to script, it will be monotonous. Just do it, when the opportunity presents itself.

I am on a business trip to Reading UK. Check out any event around the period in England, ask around and it seems New Forest – New Milton, Hampshire England UK is a doable destination.

I was late in registration and couldn’t get into the full marathon, so have to settle for 21km. There are only 2 categories and attracted a couple of thousand runners. It is a small town event. Well it will be enjoyable nevertheless.

Date: 23 September

Time: 9:15am

Distance: 21km

Event: New Forest Marathon

Starting Point: Station Road(South) in New Milton town centre

Route: abundant of rolling slopes(multi-terrain)

It was 6:30am when I head out of the house for a 20mins ride to town given normal road conditional. Event newsletter has indicate that we should put in extra hour more due to high traffic on the road. After a mini scare as GPS bring me to a strange location(or wrong GPS co-ordinate given). It took me 10mins of thinking, before I reach the designated carpark(which is about 150meters away) around 7:05am.

Today is a typical English weather – Wet and Cold. A welcome embrace to me! I have to hide in the car until 8am before heading out to the race site (which is 1mile away on the map), in actual face it is like 250meters away! If my bladder can hold it, I wouldn’t have left the car early and stood in the rain, waiting for the race to start!

Not a stranger to this kind of cold weather. For unknown reason, I totally forgotten to bring my Garmin and gloves for the run! Strange!

With my trusted full length CWX and Northface windbreaker, I am ready to tackle any cold runs! Still remember the day I ran with Raven in this attire in falling snow in Japan a few years back.

It is like a small town fanfare run, at least at the starting point. MC speak like they know everyone in the run. The VIP(Not in formal attire), stand tall on a trunk. One of those truck that carry rubbish in local context. One thing do look different, all runners do look like runners! The last time I experience this is at New York Marathon.

The picture is just before the start. I am standing somewhere behind, since there is no running pen for me! Runners are encourage to stay in the pen with their estimated finishing timing. But the slowest pen is for 61-210 minutes. Where should i stand?

The race start exactly on 9:15am without heavy music, hype up atmosphere. Just GO! Just like a training run. Out of town and the rolling slopes start.

Trying not to get pull away from enthusiastic runners, I control my pace. My right shin is tight. It starts to get worsen as distance is extended. Hoping that the feeling will subside but it didn’t until 5-6miles distance. Which is a worrying sign as what kind of injuries I might sustain.

I just hold on the pace and hope that the water point is somewhere in front for me to take a break and given the shin a stretch or rest. The first water point is slightly after 3miles! Wow, that look like an awful long for first water point. Not that I need water(it is raining and cold), but more on taking the opportunity to access the aching shin.

First water point is served by young children. Lovely children braving the rain to serve water! Bravo to them! Some of the supporters are lovely as well, standing in the rain to cheers us along.

Running through old English roads, animal farms, long meandering routes, beautiful sceneries at times, it is something to cycling in Neo Teo area back home. With the different of English weather( Cold and Wet).

Next water point is close to 6 miles. By then I have to resort to walking up the slopes. First the shin is still giving me the creeping feeling. 2^nd the body not use to running non-stop anymore. No point pushing hard.

Saw a couple of fireman in full gear overtook me at this point. Wow impressive. I want to push faster, but with the body condition, I have to hold back.

After miles 9 to miles 10, there is a steepest slope on this stretch. The supporter give us a cup with something sweet(jelly beans?). Just telling us, 3 miles with a climb ahead. I remember a steep climb at the last stretch but at this distance. Hmm…Well, I walked up nevertheless.

Almost reaching the top of the slope, heard a familiar sound. Rima has appeared! She suppose to meet up with me at miles 5-6. Not catching her earlier, I thought that is the end of it, and most probably meet her at the end of the run. One of her Taiwanese tenant is with her and we walk and chat along for a while. Her coughing is very bad. No wonder she can’t run with me or miss a few of her recent signed up runs.

I pressed on with the knowledge I am 3miles out to the end. A good and strong 3 miles as I push on the pace, trying to gain the time lost chatting with both the ladies a while back.

Last 2 miles, I am accompanied by 2 lovely English ladies as we push all the way till the end. I could have pushed harder but didn’t. Just enjoying the last few miles of the run.

Crossing the finishing line in 2:18:11. I expect faster time given the cold weather, but guess the body still has to adapt to running on the road. But did finish strong and feeling good that there is reserve strength not tapped.

At the end got a finisher medal. Grab 4 cups of orange water. 1 biscuit(muslie bar) , 1 bottle of water, 1 small sachet of isotonic energy drink tablets on the way out. There is a silver piece of warmer that given to runner as well. Given the number fingers, it is hard to unwrapped it and even take pictures! Just so difficult to punch the passcode to a sensitive touch screen!

An enjoyable first run in England. A typical Wet and Cold Run.

Next time will join Rima for the kind of run she have experienced. 42km event cost 5 pounds! Food abundant before the start, mid and end point. Runner given a map to find their route, get the map stamped(at certain check point) with no road closure or marshall! A finisher certification is given at the end.