Wokingham is known as a PB course and I had unfinished business from last year
when I managed a Personal Worst instead. I’d done some interval sessions and a
13 mile training run in preparation and had even restricted myself to just 1
beer the night before. I had a target of 1:51 but harboured hopes of getting in
under 1:50 if conditions were right.

Sunday morning things didn’t look good though! I dragged myself out of bed at
6am to find my throat was sore and the glands under my ears were swelling up to
keep my blocked nose company and I’d got a red sore pimple right on top of the
knuckle of my big toe. Sleet and rain were coming down outside at a 45 degree
angle. I was having trouble ignoring a gremlin who was telling me it would be
unhealthy and foolish to run and I ought to just go back to bed.

Still, plaster on toe and the medicine cupboard duly raided I drove through the
sleet and fog and was soon standing in the pouring rain in the queue for the
baggage tent. I was still in the queue, along with many others, when the race
started 15 minutes later! I eventually shoved my soaking over-clothes in my bag
and refrained from moaning at the volunteer. A 20 yard jog through the mud to
join the shuffling queue of confused starters did for my warm-up.

The rain disappeared as we crossed the start line – late for an appointment in
Bungay I understand. The dark mumblings about the messed up start died down.
I’d no idea what pace group I was in but my Garmin told me I was going a bit too
fast at the first mile marker so I eased off a bit. The wind died down and the
sun came out!

By mile 7, about where I’d started falling apart during last years effort, I
calculated I was at least a minute ahead of schedule and was going fine. Must
have started pretty near the back as I seemed to be overtaking more than
overtaken. I added a caffeinated energy gel to the pharmacy in my system. The
‘hill’ (the motorway bridge) at mile 10 didn’t slow me much and I found enough
ooomph at mile 12 to wind it up a bit. A dash for the line and I finished in
1:47:02 chip time – that’s 5 minutes of my PB and I was very chuffed as you
might imagine.

I chatted with Ade Gibbon at the finish who wasn’t over pleased with his
1:39:35. This rather put my 1:47 in perspective but also reminded me I am in
some ways lucky to have only started running recently as I should should be able
to look forward to continuing to get faster for a while. I didn’t see Mary
Davis who had been on the starters list but did see Vegan Runner Maria Hamilton.
I felt a little worse for wear by mid-afternoon but still managed to struggle
down the pub, the sore toe was completely forgotten about till I found the soggy
ball of plaster in my sock.