March was another month of records as I set a new personal best in three of the four races I entered. At the Silverstone Half Marathon I set a new PB, two and a half minutes faster than my time at Sleaford and I set a 10k PB in Gainsborough followed by another 10k PB by 1 minute and 44 seconds just two weeks later in Spalding.
In the first weekend in March I headed down to Northamptonshire for the Silverstone Half Marathon, a regular fixture on the race calender for my family. Originally I had intended to run the race at Marathon pace, although curiosity got the better of me and I decided to go for it and see how fast I could run on Silverstone's notoriously flat course. The result? A new PB by two and a half minutes and even beat an Olympic athlete on my way.
I had started to feel a little run down a couple of days before the Silverstone Half Marathon, but by the time of the Newton's Fraction Half Marathon this had turned into a full blown cold with a chesty cough. I was anxious going into the race as I knew overdoing it could have some serious knock on effects for this challenge, so I settled for a steady pace aiming for as close to 8:00 min miles as I could, but being prepared to slow down if necessary and ended up crossing the line at just under 01:47:00 on the clock. If I remember the Newton's Fraction Half Marathon for anything though it will be the two neverending hills that I stubbornly ran up whilst the majority tactically walked.
Next up was the Gainsborough & Morton Striders 10k, another first time event. This year I have set myself the target of running a sub 40 minute 10k and this race was my first true attempt at reaching the time. Whilst I began the race at the necessary pace for the first mile, the lingering effects of the cold I had been suffering from and stiffness in my legs meant that I soon started to slow down. Despite this I crossed the line in just under 44 minutes setting a new PB on my way.
The freezing, cold grip of winter was reluctant to let go in March and what was scheduled to be my fourth race of the month, the Rother Valley 10k was postponed due to heavy snow fall. So, instead I took the opportunity and more than doubled my planned distance for my solo run by running a Half Marathon.
My final race in March, the Tulip 10k saw me set another PB in my first of two races on Easter Weekend. I had no real strategy in place for the run, but when the race started I set off running at 06:30 minute mile pace and I decided to go for another PB. The course was probably the most true to the letter 'out and back' route I will run this year, with running round the marshall at the 5km, but it made for a fast, flat run. By the time I got to the water station I was in desperate need of the refreshment and powered on, crossing the line just 12 seconds over 42 minutes. Still a long way off my sub 40 target, but I managed to knock over a minute and a half of my PB set just two weeks ago.
This month was rather uneventful and there was not many things to write about other than my races. I did however, much to Jenny's delight, start baking every week in practice for a fundraising bake sale I am hosting in May. Whilst my decorating skills certainly leave a lot to be desired, the cakes are getting dangerously tastier with each batch and I'm afraid I'm getting slightly addicted to baking.
March Stats:
1000KM Challenge Distance: 83.84km
Time Running Total: 06:37:27
Total Running Distance: 167.12km
Bananas Eaten: 48
Medals: 2
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1000km Challenge Stats:
1000KM Challenge Distance: 244.81km
Time Running Total: 20:48:30
Total Running Distance: 534.60km
Bananas Eaten: 142
Medals: 4
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A look ahead to April
07/04 - Lincoln 10k
21/04 - London Marathon
28/04 - Shakespeare Half Marathon
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