Chester Marathon 2024

 I don't know if I've mentioned it, but I have decided to have a year off running in 2025, and the reason for this is two fold - firstly, I have had this tendon injury that has been managed with acupuncture since June 2023, and secondly, there has been a decline in my time trialling ability, and I'd like to solely concentrate on the bike for the first winter in 16 years and see if it is reversible.

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