Haddington half marathon 8/08/09
No matter how bad the summer is it always seems to be hot for the Haddington half, even when it rains. This year it stayed dry but overcast and generally muggy. This meant that one runner ended the race in an ambulance while for most of us times were off by a few minutes. Not all though, as Murray, Willie and Mark powered through in 1:22, 1:25 and 1:25 for 11th, 17th and 19th places overall, with Willie taking the o/50 prize. Jacqui had been escorted through the race by gentlemen runners Bert Logan and Jim Buick as part of her New York marathon training and found enough left to surge ahead, finishing 28th overall and second female in 1:30.
The start was delayed by a few minutes for traffic control and then we were off up the long slog out across the river and out of town into the pleasant countryside. The weasel word “undulating” is often used to describe this race as despite getting most of the hill work over with in the first half, no downhill seems to last very long before there is a sneaky incline to negotiate, often into the breeze, or the sun, or both. At about mile 5 we came upon a newly tarred and gritted road, melting in the heat. The smell of hot tar and slippery gravel only added insult to injury and it lasted for another 5 miles at least.
As usual, I hardly saw any Porty runners throughout the race, despite a turnout of 15. I kept Tom Harley in sight for at least half of the course but then he seemed to draw away effortlessly. I was still running at around 1:40 pace by mile ten when the hill put paid to any fantasies about breaking that particular barrier. Last year I was on track at the same point, creeping closer to Mary, when she maintained her pace uphill and I dropped back. Despite some long training runs recently the same happened this year and I had to watch the familiar figure of Izzy Pollard disappear into the distance. Shortly after Steven D’Arcy and new face Scott Rogerson from the club overtook me but it looked hard going. (No photos of Steve and Scott I’m afraid as we’re waiting for more race vests to arrive and Jennie didn’t know them.) I finished in 1:47, my worst half since running Loch Rannoch with a migraine and a full five minutes slower than last year’s race.
As usual, Jenni Owens hit the line with a big smile looking as though she had enjoyed the race. John F never copes well with the heat and had run the whole race with a novel vest arrangement. If it catches on with the fashionistas you can say you saw it here first.
Good marshalling, organisation and sandwiches from HELP, the energetic support from non-running PRC members Rachel Berry, Rebecca Gibb and Scott Hutchison plus Eric’s parents, Jenni’s mum and others made it an enjoyable race, as always.
Report: Douglas
Photos: Jennie Willies
Results: here
