Race report by Andy K:
As part of my preparation for the marathon there in a few weeks, I thought I’d better get acquainted with the surroundings at Delamere Forest. In hindsight, picking a half marathon that started after the sun set probably wasn’t the best way to do this but avoiding trick or treaters and a glow in the dark medal was enough to make me grab my head torch anyway.
Starting next to the main car park and cafe, 92 runners gathered in various states of fancy dress for a 6pm start. It was dark and cold as we set off on two laps along the undulating paths round Blakemere Moss and through the woods. It was difficult to see much beyond the tree line anyway and a light fog reduced visibility further. Thankfully there were plenty of glow-in-the-dark signs and friendly marshals to keep us on track.
I had settled into a steady pace and was going well until, 7km in, I came to the horrible and winding 2km climb up Old Pale Hill. Apparently the views normally make the climb worth it but I had to make do with a quick 1km descent to finish the first lap.
Whilst grabbing a drink from the water station, I saw the almost 300 runners waiting to start the 10k run and started to worry about how many times my heavy legs were about to be overtaken. I pushed on and although I lost my fellow half marathon runners, I found my rhythm and enjoyed a steady 8km of peaceful solitude before the 10k runners caught up with me.
Old Pale Hill was even more arduous the second time round, but encouraged by a pumpkin and a zombie nurse, I dug deep and finished with a time of 1:51:49, coming 15th overall and 5th in the open age category. I definitely feel more prepared for the marathon but I’m not looking forward to tackling that hill again!
