Therefore, there was just this race and an end of season Yorkshire 10 mile to complete before I sign off. This report is how I found Chester Marathon 2024....
Pre Race - stayed at Travelodge at Knutsford Services that was 35-40 minutes away from Chester. Pasta party at Park Gate inn which had great food, and then left the hotel at 7 to arrive at the car park opposite the Racecourse at 7.30 - it got very busy thereafter so perfect timing. Sat in the car for a bit and then headed over for bag drop and find the others for which I failed. Weather was overcast and there was rain as we lined up for the start. A good 5000 runners or so but all things nicely managed and easy enough to navigate.
Race time...
Having done Yorkshire Marathon in 2022 at 3:18, I knew I was not quite in that form, and with a tougher course, I set out to be between 3:20-3:30, to achieve this I would mark the 3:15 pacers until about mile 16, and then if the pace dropped in the second half, then I would be able to control a sub 3:30 finish. I lined up, and started directly next to those pacers and all was well.....
... for about half a mile, and then the pacers I saw no more, they had gone up the road, not because I was off the pace, but because they were well ahead. My first few miles ticked off at 7:20/7:13/7:19 - so I knew I was on for pace knowing that 3:15 pace is 7:27 per mile and in fact the first 12 miles only saw one mile above that level and that had a climb in it - therefore felt good as we hit half way where I was inside 3:15 pace by a handful of seconds. It was biting though, and with the field stringing out there were less and less runners to draft and at that stage I started to put in miles that were 20 seconds above my first half pace - I figured that would be OK though. At mile 16/17 we hit a climb that I thought was Heartbreak Hill but know I know there are two more late on and I'm still not sure which it is.... anyway, I conservatively climbed the first one and at the top of that saw my pace drop to just above 8 minute miling for 5 miles, putting in 8:06/8:08/8:06/8:06/8:09 up until and including mile 22.
The last 4 miles averaged 8:30 as my legs really started to tighten up and running became ungainly and uncomfortable - I was nearly empty and could feel that my feet were very sore and blisters had formed. Hobbling back into Chester I managed each mile at a time and avoided the wheels completely falling off. Finishing in 3:24:07, that was a more than acceptable way to sign off from my last competitive run for a good while.
Finishing stats :
750/4587
MV50 53/293
