Wooo whoo- PB time

Day 253 Sunday 9th September 13.1 miles : miles to date 1675.4 The Voldemort training schedule kicked in big time today. I ran the Grunty Fen half marathon with the Flying Scotsman George Arbuckle in a new massive PB time of 01:27:41 watch time, which probably puts me in the top 5% of the 800 field based on last years times (official results not out). As this is my blog, its difficult not to talk about me, but the truth is I am still on a massive high. My previous PB for a half was this race in 2005 on the same course, with a time of 01:40:41, so a nice neat new PB by 14 minutes or about 2.2 miles. It was a blisteringly hot day but for once, the sun didn't effect me. I had wanted to go below 1.30 and set out trying to run an average 6.50 mile pace. I went through the first mile at spot 6.30 and didn't feel like slowing, so I cracked on. George had by this point slipped past me as I expected and I settled into my plan of steady miles. At around three, I thought I ought to slow a little given I went past the 5k mark just a minute off PB pace and tried to run evenly. I could see George in the distance, but no part of the plan had me running anywhere close to him. I'm not sure who was surprised the most as I eventually drew level at 6.5 miles and with some reluctance went in front. I then spent the next 6.5 miles waiting for him to retake me. The course was mainly long, straight Cambridgeshire country roads with three or four 90% turns where you could look sideways to see those behind. At every one, I just focused in front and didn't look once, to avoid telling speed boy I was flagging, which I was. After the race, he told me he could see that I didn't look so the mind games worked! It was still a massive shock to cross the line in front and in the 1:27's, with an average overall mile pace of 6.40 for the race. Me, an average of 6:40? I still cant quite believe it. George was totally magnanimous and if I thought before my respect for him couldn't increase, I was wrong. He missed his PB by a minute and was behind me. To top it off, after the race as we were talking to Carolyn O'Connor and Catherine Course, when the former asked the Sean Connery sounding Jockster if he was Welsh. The highlight of the day. Almost.