2016 Events – Take 3

January 31st – Hyde Park 10km –

Although this event is part of a series I have chosen to do just this one due to other commitments. It’s a gentle run around one of London’s great parks.

February 28th – Brighton Half Marathon – Brighton Half

A flat course, where according to my friends, that is ideal for setting a PB – so this is to be my second challenge. We shall see if Chris and John have deceived me and in fact the huge head winds slow you down to a walk!

I love visiting Brighton and so running here will be a welcome change to my usual alcohol fuelled visits with friends.

May 8th – Hackney Half Marathon – Top 10 Half Marathons

I am really looking forward to this one.

This is a flat, fast half marathon that shows off Hackney and its many green spaces as well as the iconic Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and attracted over 13,000 runners in 2015.

Apparently from the blurb “Hackney knows how to party! And you too can join the carnival as the streets are lined with supporters and live entertainment punctuates the route lifting you across the finish line”!

May 15th – Reading 10km – Green Park Royal Berkshire 10km

Having run this last year in 54 minutes I want to see if all this exercise since then has made me quicker over the same course. This was actually the race that got me started (well the prodding by a friend and fellow runner Dorian did that) and so the pair of us will be seeing what we can do to our times.

June 12th – Wargrave 10K – Hilly in Berkshire

This is the course that holds my fastest 10K so far (as at Feb 2016) of 52:08 so looking to better that this year; being well prepared for it though may back fire. Anyway here is what they say about the course.

2016 sees the 34th Wargrave 10K event. Starting and finishing on grass with the rest of the course on undulating country lanes and some residential streets within village.

The race is again selected as the 10k event for the Berkshire County Championships.

June 26th – Swansea Half Marathon – Swansea welcomes 8000

Swansea Half Marathon is now Wales’ second biggest half marathon. This time they will be opening it to 8000 runners, and is one of the UK’s fastest growing races and in the top 10 half marathons in the country.

Starting in the heart of the city it passed by Swansea Castle, St Helen’s Rugby ground, Swansea Bay and out to Mumbles with its iconic pier and lighthouse. Then heading back you can see as far as Illfracombe on the Devon Coast.

The return leg of the race heads off towards the Meridian Tower – Wales’ tallest building – apparently providing the perfect opportunity for a PB with a flat, fast run towards Swansea Marina, crossing the Millennium Bridge and back towards the city centre finish line.

July 10th – Bath Two Tunnels Half Marathon – Tunnel Running in Bath

This will be interesting as it takes on running through 4km of dis-used railway tunnel. Although they run many events here the July HM is a 2 lap out and back course which is flat and fast – apparently perfect for setting a PB! 

The first mile of the course is on an incline and then entering Devonshire Tunnel – at 408m long, through to Lyncombe Vale. After 1km of running along the top of the embankment you then enter the second tunnel at Combe Down which is 1672m long (making this the foot race with the longest underground section in Britain). Next stop is Tucking Mill viaduct and heading back along the same route to the start/finish line to take on the 2nd lap. 

This is a beautiful part of the country so will make for yet another long weekend of sight seeing.

August – Reading and Rewind Festivals – So beer and burgers, not pasta, salad and alcohol abstinence. 

September 4th – Maidenhead Half Marathon – Half Running Back in Berkshire

Close to home and so soon after my festival indulgence I am assured by a running buddy (Ian) that this is a sure-fire opportunity to smash my PB! But don’t listen to me this is what the experts say.

A great opportunity to run on closed roads on a fast, flat course! Voted 3rd in the ‘PB POTENTIAL’ category in Runners World Races of the Year 2013 Awards.  This road race has been designed to showcase the glorious scenery around Maidenhead and will rival all other local half marathons.  

With a town centre start and a two-lap course, it’s a great spectator-friendly course. Oh good so whilst I am off sweating it up on the streets my wife can be off flexing plastic in the shops, pausing briefly to catch me as I pass by!

September 25th – Bristol Half Marathon  –  A bridge a gorge and a harbour – that’s Bristol Half

The course starts and finishes in Bristol’s historic Harbourside. The scenic, sea-level route takes runners past the Harbourside, out and back along the Portway, through the stunning Avon Gorge, and twice under Brunel’s famous Clifton Suspension Bridge, along Cumberland Road then around the old city before returning to Anchor Road.

October 9th – Henley Half Marathon – Running close to home

This one is literally on my doorstep and one of my favourite towns, if I wasn’t running I would be drinking in the Three Tuns and eating in one of the many fine restaurants. Alas I am not so I will have to settle for a course that follows a beautiful scenic route through Henley, over the famous Henley Bridge and out along the Thames.

This event is a relatively small one with just 2000 runners, even so and because it’s really local to me I am really looking forward to it (and I am sure my good friends-you know who you are- will be there in rowdy support).

October 16th – Wolfgangsee 27K – Austria – 5km, 10km, Half and Full Marathons

Whilst this is not an English website the general idea can be gleaned from the link below.

This looks like a fantastic challenge in a beautiful setting, on top of that we have friends who own and run accommodation and eating establishments in and around this village. Fancy Staying Here?

You don’t need to do the half marathon as they offer other distances, but I decided why travel all that way and not go the distance (well not quite just 27K of it). English Information Page

November 13th – Grand Union Canal Half Marathon – From Uxbridge to Watford

This will be the first event I compete in that does not start and finish in the same place.

It is written up as a lovely point-to-point race from Cowley Recreation Ground, Uxbridge along the Grand Union Canal to Cassiobury Park, Watford.

A lovely flat, scenic, unusual, multi-terrain course.

All I am hoping for is getting to this time in the year, injury free, as this is the last event in the charity challenge I set myself, and if I am not fitter by then than I have ever been then I conceded to age and will stay at home with my pipe and slippers sipping fine sherry and talking to my dog spot!