St Neots - Half Marathon - Sunday 21 November 2010

My first half marathon. Weather was cool but not too cold at around 7 degrees. There was also quite a bit of a breeze. With a forecast time of 1 hour 52 I decided to try to stick with the 1 hour 45 pacers.

The race started up the hill out of St Neots on Potton Road and then headed to Abbotsley. The first mile was quick at just over 7 and half minutes. The second mile was just under 8 minutes and the third about the same. Just after 3 miles the route turned right up a steep incline along High Green and continued uphill along Pitsdean Road. This was very energy sapping and the water station at the top of the hill was very welcome.

Just before the 4 mile mark the route turned left towards Waresley. This section was flat at first and then became a steep downhill stretch. Here I was able to open up a bit and pulled ahead of the pacers where there was less runners. The downhill soon became another uphill to the 5 mile mark. The total time at this point was still within 8 minutes per mile. The road flattened out again before turning right, the route was then downhill into the village of Waresely. At the bottom of the hill the road turned left again along the B1040. At 6 and half miles (halfway) we had another water station. Just before 7 miles the road again turned left back towards Abbotsley. I was starting to fall behind the pacing group at this stage so I took my energy gel.

I closed the gap a bit as we approached the 8 mile mark just before Abbotsley, but with the hill again at the Green and Pitsdean Road I decided to let them go, as I was already ahead of my target and didn't want to overstretch myself. The second time up Pitsdean Road didn't actually seam as bad as the first time. At 9 miles we were at the water station again. After this the road turned right at the top this time along Drewels Lane towards St Neots.

A flat section followed for the next mile. Then from the 10 mile mark the route was all downhill. The foul smell of a chicken and turkey farm (sorry about the pun!) was enough incentive to push a lit harder at the stage. The route then twisted its way past the Abbotsley Golf Course, before the final water station at 11 and half miles. Immediately after the 12 mile marker we were back on the B1046 having completed the figure of 8. The road then retraced our steps over the A428 and the railway line down into St Neots. Near the end of Potton Road the route turned into Ridgeway through the housing estate past the 13 mile marker and finally to the finish - in a time of 1 hour 47'15".

A Buzzard was seen soaring over the woods along the road to Waresley and 2 more over Waresley village.