The Forum of Benfleet Running Club

Karl C · Posted: Thu Apr 17, 2008 4:08 pm Post subject: Halstead Marathon 11.5.08...?

anyone care to join us on this one..??

London Marathon should be well out of our legs by then.

drunken

Jez · Joined: 18 Feb 2007 Posts: 201 Location: Eastwood

Ill be there cheers

Steffan · Joined: 10 May 2006 Posts: 543 Location: Basildon

Entered aaaaaaaggggges ago!
Can't wait for Halstead!

Graham · Joined: 11 May 2006 Posts: 246

I'm supposed to be there but I'm really hoping Toddy is doing it...or another fast lad? My knee is truly buggered, I havent done any speed work for weeks, I cant train and I dont want to take any more pain killers to try and be competitive in a race. But geez wouldn't it be just grand if the boys could defend the BRC team title.

Seriously, let me know, coz if it looks like I'm third man I might go back to physio and will certainly do some more pool running & staircase machine work over the next 3 weeks.

mikemoreton · Joined: 23 Apr 2007 Posts: 559 Location: Hockley, GORC.

Wish I could help you speedy ones. But as my team consists of a tortoise a snail, and myself, then Its no good.

Shame you cant make it Graham, hope Toddy can. Anyhow, good luck to whoever runs it

MM2

Graham · Joined: 11 May 2006 Posts: 246

Toddy is away that weekend and can't make it. Bugger. So I tried running this morning and managed a good 1km before I stopped turned round and limped home swearing at the kids on their way to school. Made a nice change from them sledging me.

Provided Jez & Steff run really well I reckon in another 3 weeks I should be OK (bring on the painkillers!) but you boys gonna have to go some to compensate coz I'm gonna be anything but match fit.

Steffan · Joined: 10 May 2006 Posts: 543 Location: Basildon

Graham,

DO NOT RUN IF YOU ARE INJURED..........

Don't do it mate, health comes first.

(This is me being sensible for a change)!

blackeye

Graham · Joined: 11 May 2006 Posts: 246

Shut up Dad.

Steffan · Joined: 10 May 2006 Posts: 543 Location: Basildon

Point taken!!

(Slaps self in the face)!!

blackeye

debbie g · Joined: 11 May 2006 Posts: 313

Everyone who ran today you were awesome. What you did today far outweighs my efforts 2 weeks ago in perfect cool and windless weather you were all brilliant.

In case you don't know our boys Graham, Andy and Stef got Essex bronze team magnificent! Stef's knee gave out at 8 miles but he carried on to finish carrying the injury. Graham just went from strength to strength moving from 3rd of our boys to 1st running on the outside of his foot to carry his knee injury and blistering his foot to pieces but hey the heat was nothing to our desert marathoner. Andy ran just brilliantly too. I'm am so impressed guys I'm glad I was there to see it.

But my award of the day goes to Louisa. She finished that race after being violently ill at 21 miles. She never gave up and was determined to finish you are my hero Louisa.

Bob you looked amazing all the way round as I told your wife though she didn't believe me till she saw you bounding in at the end!

Rest all of you and be very proud of your efforts today. cheers

Ernie · Joined: 26 May 2006 Posts: 193 Location: Hockley GORC

Well done to all Benfleet Runners "brave" enough to race in that heat.
Race Results are posted- http://halsteadroadrunners.net/forum/showthread.php?t=754

I like that previous comment of yours Steffan-
DO NOT RUN IF YOU ARE INJURED......
I'm not a good one to give advice also but ......we do try to do the right thing.

Stevie · Joined: 10 May 2006 Posts: 418 Location: Benfleet

Well done all, was thinking of you having to run in that heat, running 5 miles was bad another so another 21.2 miles must have been hell.

That's one hell of a final push Louisa, very well done for finishing compress

Graham · Joined: 11 May 2006 Posts: 246

Louisa threw up first at 14 miles and this continued until the finish. 12 miles of vomiting! Like staggering back from Tots in my college years. 21 was I believe her lowest point when she ended up ill in a ditch. Well done girl, gutsy bloody running indeed.

Alas us boys couldn't scale the heights of last year. Andy ran superbly, he'd only been back training for 5 weeks after a considerable injury lay off, and he deosnt much like the heat. Stef, for all his advice above when plagued by his knee managed to limp round, run/walking/hobbling in considerbale discomfort for the final 18 miles, probably putting back his recovery a month. Legend mate! Alas I couldn't blame the heat at all for my time. I love it! Truth be told after averaging 1.25 miles per week for the past 4 weeks (slightly more than Kev's weekly milage) my legs had turned soft and that was pretty much maximum pace for me. If it had been 10 degrees cooler I would have still managed the same time. I only appeared to get stronger as the majority of other runners wilted in the heat and as my knee slowly warmed up and the pain killers took effect I felt more and more comfortable. Still, we are all well happy with the team bronze and will back fitter, stronger and fingers crossed all injury free next year!

Well done to Steve, Big Phil & Bob. Everybody finished, whilst loads of runners dropped out. I see some MdS potential out there kids.......

And thanks for all the great BRC support. Clive popped up everywhere, reckon he's got a twin!

debbie g · Joined: 11 May 2006 Posts: 313

Hey Graham I didn't know you got the individual bronze medal too - just seen the ECC results - bloody awesome mate!

You guys should be very proud if you can achieve that bruised battered and injured and in Andy's case on 5 weeks training (wow!) Billericay Striders should start quaking now! I'm booking my ringside seat at the 4 mile spot where I see you 4 times already!!

bom

mikemoreton · Joined: 23 Apr 2007 Posts: 559 Location: Hockley, GORC.

Excellent running to you all. What can I say?

Where did Jez finish?

debbie g · Joined: 11 May 2006 Posts: 313

He finished on his sofa Mike, Jez wasn't there!

Sorry Jez didn't mean it!

mikemoreton · Joined: 23 Apr 2007 Posts: 559 Location: Hockley, GORC.

Typical Man U supporter. Footie before a marathon huh?

(works for me, welcome to MY world)

Jez · Joined: 18 Feb 2007 Posts: 201 Location: Eastwood

Its lucky Im in such a good mood today that i wont take offence cheers

I was out on my push bike for a swift 60 miles hoping to get to the start of the bluebell 5 for an 11 0 clock start as per the website, only to find it started at 10.30 cyclops

Had decided that only the foolish would attempt to run a marathon in that heat!But congratulations to all who did my sunhat goes off to you all....

Graham · Joined: 11 May 2006 Posts: 246

Ha ha! How funny. Got thoroughly whipped by lots of older Essex chaps but such are the vagaries of the AAA classification that they get medals for their age groups and somehow I slipped though the net and got a bronze for being young.....well relatively.

debbie g · Joined: 11 May 2006 Posts: 313

Don't knock it Graham ! At least you don't have to wait to get to my age before you start winning medals I think at my age they give them out just for being alive cyclops

Graham · Joined: 11 May 2006 Posts: 246

I forgot to mention - when I got home and stuck a needle in my toe the blood shot about four foot up the wall. Awesome!!!

debbie g · Joined: 11 May 2006 Posts: 313

Have I told you that you are disgusting Graham?! I hope you don't get a medal for that!

mikemoreton · Joined: 23 Apr 2007 Posts: 559 Location: Hockley, GORC.

Pammie · Joined: 30 Jun 2006 Posts: 317

Indoors graham, decorating?????

Well done everyone in the Marathon just glad i wasn't doing it.
_________________
I'll put something interesting here when i've thought of something, in the meantime heres some music.

Lee O · Joined: 30 Aug 2006 Posts: 337 Location: Canvey Island

Well done to you all who ran, the only thing missing was my wonderful photos, pity i had to work.
But I must mention special praise to Bob, who was not sure on Thursday to do bluebell5 or Halstead.
So Halstead he does and to think in 2 weeks he is off to do Edinburgh Marathon, all on top of doing London and the other week Shakespeare Half.
All this on his special diet of Stellas and Walkers sensations. Who needs Gels and a good diet. Next for Bob is Loch Ness!
Hope you get your result on Weds, enjoy the Game.

Well Done bom

_________________
My mind says I am still 19 and in My Prime......Body Suggests Otherwise!!!!!!

Steffan · Joined: 10 May 2006 Posts: 543 Location: Basildon

Thanks for the kind words Deb, G and Ernie!

Great big high fives to all of our finishers, that was a marathon medal very much earned!
No excuses from me, it was hell! I have a stupid weak left knee and not much of a brain when it comes to giving up on anything even if it means self destructing! Graham and Andy are stars, I am made up to come away with that team bronze, made the drop from 6.30 mmi to limp/jog/walk/jog/limp to the finish line worth every single step! As did the very nice tan!!!

Louisa, your a legend for finishing your first marathon on a rediculously hot day and after being ill on the course, well done to Bob, Steve and Big Phil too, all finishers.....

My knee is now surrounded by an ice pack! (blah, blah)!
Can't wait for next year!!!

mikemoreton · Joined: 23 Apr 2007 Posts: 559 Location: Hockley, GORC.

Think I need to talk to Bob.
I do the Stellas and Walkers Crisps, but am in no frame of mind to do a marathon. Did THE 1 last year, and thats it!!!
Anyhow, Well done to all, superb effort.

mArKw · Joined: 15 May 2006 Posts: 269 Location: Benfleet

boabmac1 · Joined: 26 Jan 2008 Posts: 60

Well done to Graeme, Steff and Andy (the fast guys) for achieving an amazing bronze award, particularly as you were all recovering from or suffering injury problems. Well done Louisa for finishing-especially when many others were dropping out.

This is a great course, very scenic with interesting challenges around every bend. I was going OK until around 16 miles. I took the view that I just wanted to finish and to enjoy the run-even at 12 minute+ mile pace.

The support for Benfleet runners was phenomenal particularly Clive and Debbie- I know Debbie is fast but to be in all those places on route, and get to the finish- probably 2 hours before I did- great effort and many thanks. Thanks to all who waited for my sprint finish it was much appreciated- I thought they might have packed up by the time I got there.

Debbie, I may have invented reversed negative splits.

Graeme I understand your frustration at being seemingly handicapped because your are young. I think their should be a medal for the finishser with the highest BMI!

A week off training now. Manchester here I come!

debbie g · Joined: 11 May 2006 Posts: 313

Well Bob I have to say that out of all the Benfleet runners doing this race you looked the most comfortable at every stage I saw you. And trust me this was no day (or course) for a negative split - a banana split maybe but not a negative one! I had a pretty impressive positive split here myself last year assisted by a 3 minute stop at the water station at mile 16 where I deliberated whether to carry on or drop out. The marshals persuaded me dropping out was for wimps and bearing in mind it was something like 10 degrees and light drizzle don't think I had much of an excuse.

Halstead as a race as far as I am concerned has only a couple of things going for it - a very pretty course (as Bob said) and the potential to win Essex medals if they took out the hills I might consider doing it again...

However for a spectator it has everything pretty course and a viewing spot where you can see the runners 4 times (ah Bob I have to confess it wasn't my speed that made me seem so ubiquitous just a good vantage point) but I saw you 4 times Bob and my record is seeing Louisa 6 times the end of the road at the start, at the finish and 4m 12m 15m and 23m and I got to run with her twice on the course too (only way I could catch up on all her news!) so I'm up for the award of champion spectator medal !! And I loved every minute of it including the sunburn!

debbie g · Joined: 11 May 2006 Posts: 313

Graham I think Roger Buxton on BBC Essex this morning evened things out for you on the positive age discrimination score as he said you won the bronze for the over 40 males!!

Hey you are aging fast now you'll soon be in my age group!

Look out for the Echo again Friday this week boys as I've sent in a piece about Halstead.

Graham · Joined: 11 May 2006 Posts: 246

Ha - I wouldn't have anywhere near bronze in the 40+ age group. The old buggers all stuffed me.