Ok, so it’s not for everyone, but I love the Brass Monkey half marathon. As long as my legs are strong enough, and my internet speed is quick enough, I’ll enter this race.
What better way to start the year?
The plan was to head out somewhere near PB pace or a little quicker and see how I felt. Never likely to trouble the lead pack in a highly competitive field this was more about seeing where ‘I’m at’ at the beginning of 2018.
After a fairly frantic start, I settled at the back of the second group, with the front-runners disappearing into the distance with the lead car. There was another break at 5k and I was in or around 15th position with some familiar faces, many from the North East (I was to finish 13th).
I found the first half (the ‘out’ of the out-and-back race) the hardest, I think this was due to the brisk start coupled with a headwind. I actually felt better at 10 miles than I did at 5. I ran from just before halfway with Michael Hedley from Tyne Bridge Harriers, not for the first time over the half marathon distance.
The conditions were good; cold but not freezing, no rain, not too much wind.
It was all there for the taking but in the end, I felt I had a good race, not a great one. This is a race you can achieve something special and I fell just short based on the high standards I set myself. That said, a PB is a PB – you shouldn’t be disappointed with a personal best: it is exactly what it says on the tin.
Also, if you’ve got the time – take the bus with fellow club members to a race this year. I know it’s difficult for people with families etc. to justify the best part of the day out of the house, but it really does make it a social ‘team’ event.
Overall Position | Bibno. | Finish time | Chip time | Participant | Category |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1240 | 01.07.15 | 01.07.12 | Jamie Parkinson THAMES HARE & HOUNDS | (M) Open Senior |
72 | 1854 | 01.19.06 | 01.19.02 | Tracy Millmore Birtley | (F) V35 |
13 | 829 | 01.12.45 | 01.12.41 | Stephen Jackson | (M) Open Senior |
30 | 1311 | 01.15.05 | 01.15.01 | Gareth Pritchard | (M) V35 |
69 | 975 | 01.18.50 | 01.18.44 | Michael Littlewood | (M) V40 |
85 | 242 | 01.19.48 | 01.19.43 | Chris Callan | (M) V35 |
102 | 40 | 01.21.26 | 01.21.19 | Matthew Archer | (M) V35 |
144 | 1337 | 01.23.07 | 01.23.00 | Phil Ray | (M) V35 |
194 | 759 | 01.25.41 | 01.25.25 | David Hinton | (M) Open Senior |
195 | 641 | 01.25.43 | 01.25.38 | Mark Griffiths | (M) V40 |
265 | 1628 | 01.28.48 | 01.28.28 | Emma Thompson | (F) V35 |
269 | 32 | 01.28.52 | 01.28.45 | Michael Anderson | (M) Open Senior |
433 | 1348 | 01.35.51 | 01.35.24 | Allan Renwick | (M) V45 |
445 | 85 | 01.36.15 | 01.35.49 | Michael Barlow | (M) V40 |
516 | 1121 | 01.38.25 | 01.37.57 | Dan Mitchell | (M) V40 |
597 | 670 | 01.41.30 | 01.41.01 | Jonathan Hamill | (M) V40 |
771 | 1848 | 01.47.35 | 01.46.48 | Katy Walton | (F) V35 |
782 | 390 | 01.47.54 | 01.46.54 | Andrew Davies | (M) V40 |
792 | 707 | 01.48.11 | 01.47.09 | Peter Hart | (M) V40 |
800 | 1444 | 01.48.38 | 01.47.36 | Anna Seeley | (F) V35 |
852 | 543 | 01.50.40 | 01.49.39 | Mark Foster | (M) V35 |
936 | 1450 | 01.53.48 | 01.52.46 | Chris Shearsmith | (M) V40 |
1016 | 976 | 01.56.46 | 01.55.58 | Wendy Littlewood | (F) V35 |
1070 | 1412 | 01.58.17 | 01.57.15 | Lisa Sample | (F) V35 |
1086 | 197 | 01.58.39 | 01.57.37 | Alex Brown | (M) V45 |
1113 | 1500 | 01.59.44 | 01.58.42 | Catherine Smith | (F) V40 |
1168 | 86 | 02.01.50 | 02.01.02 | Stephanie Barlow | (F) V40 |
1180 | 1245 | 02.02.21 | 02.00.57 | Joanne Patterson | (F) V35 |
1306 | 740 | 02.09.47 | 02.08.02 | Alison Heslop | (F) V45 |
1328 | 862 | 02.11.37 | 02.10.02 | Debbie Jones | (F) V45 |
1330 | 1056 | 02.11.42 | 02.10.06 | Debbie Mcfarland | (F) Open Senior |
1333 | 1298 | 02.11.56 | 02.10.21 | James Potter | (M) V35 |
1344 | 511 | 02.12.47 | 02.11.01 | Kirsten Fenwick | (F) V35 |
1367 | 212 | 02.16.26 | 02.14.41 | Vicky Brown | (F) V35 |
1450 | 90 | 02.30.46 | 02.29.01 | Kerry Barnett | (F) V45 |
1464 | 602 | 02.36.47 | 02.35.01 | Rebecca Gilmore | (F) Open Senior |
1481 | 1656 | 02.51.54 | 02.50.12 | Rachel Toth | (F) V40 |
1486 | TOTAL RUNNERS |