One Long Twitten: Steel City Half

[OutAlongTheRiver]

Belated run report follows ... due to the annoying fact that there have been holidays this week, I haven't had the normal morning commute time to write up the blog. Ironic.

Sheffield turned out to be amazing in many ways - not least the crowds and support throughout the 13 mile route, from the city centre to the furthest reach out on the edge of Derbyshire, there were folks young and old cheering us on, offering jellybabies and high fives, and applauding the efforts of the more than 6,000 who ran the course.

Saturday had dawned surprisingly bright and clear - we'd been expecting lowering clouds over the weekend, and the temp though 3-4 degrees, felt fresh rather than chilly. We had decided to do our final 5k prep at the parkrun at Graves Park, a large park on the south side of Sheffield with views over to the top end of the half marathon course for inspiration. Turned out that the run was celebrating its 7th anniversary, so running the normal route in reverse and with some fancy dress. Since we hadn't done their normal route, it made little difference and a gentle 27 mins later we completed and headed back for coffee.

We were staying with my super hospitable sister, so she provided a lovely kedgeree & sticky toffee pudding Saturday evening and we opted for a small amount of craft beer before hand and a glass of wine. Relaxation being the aim to settle nerves before the next day's challenge.

We'd worked out the drive to the centre, since the main road in would be closed off due to the run. It turned out we'd opted for the quietest area possible just outside the inner ring road - but  as we walked to the centre we gradually joined a Pied Piper throng heading for the start.

With our target time of 2 hours we were in the second of four starting sections, red numbers, with the faster blues ahead, and yellows and greens behind. Some enthusiastic warm-up tannoy chanting was in progress which absolutely no-one was joining in with, and we made out way to somewhere behind a prominent 1:55 pacer flag.  I figured that if we had that somewhere in sight we would be on target, at least for the opening section.

All too soon the minutes ticked away and 9:30am start kicked off and we shuffled forward to the chip timing mats and the start. The stagger had been well planned since we crossed at a good speed and we were away, running central Sheffield streets that I had driven up and down and caught buses along homewards, but never run along and we took over the main route west along Ecclesall Road South, now a haven of pubs, cafes and restaurants.

We hit Hunters Bar (and very good craft beer place) at just about goal pace, and the climb up to Knowle Lane began. The 1:55 pacer group was still in sight, indeed as the climb continued, we were getting closer. It made me wonder what their pacing strategy was - I assumed not million miles away from ours - to take the climb c45s slower than the target pace and catch up with c30s faster on the downs.

Whatever it was, we were still comfortable and gaining and then passing them - the steady climb on broad well maintained tarmac roads was proving easier than I had thought, and we were just ahead as we turned up (past the back of my old primary school and local library) into Knowle Lane. This section was to prove the toughest section, as we tried to continue our constant effort - with no room to relax on any downhill sections.

Lots of folks were lining this section - almost like a Tour de France crowd with no barriers to hold them in as we were offer water, jelly babies, high-fives - sadly no champagne/brandy cocktails. Although when we passed the Hammer and Pincers (my very first pub experience situated as it is 2 mins from my secondary school) it was tempting to call for a pint.

Then the section which they had specially timed - for the King/Queen of the Mountain - as straight 1500m uphill section to reach the Round House at the top of Ringinglow Road and the edge of the Peak District National Park, which the route skirts the edge of.  Thankfully no-one around us was remotely tempted to speed up, else it might have been a temptation for me ...  but even so we were making good time, and the turn at the Round House at 8km which we had as a 48:30 target we reached in 47 .... this was the highest point of the route

Now I knew that we had done all the climb, the question was would a sustained downhill at 5:15 pace be manageable for c 10km  ... And the answer turned out to be it would, and more so!

We had chatted about downhills the day before, as I was convinced Paula was slightly holding herself back and braking with her running action, to avoid going "too fast". But with the idea of constant effort in mind, and the fact the surface held virtually no trip risks, we pushed on and started clocking sub-5min kms.

Rounding at Dore village - a posh suburb now - we were offered vegan jelly babies, but just as enthusiastic cheers and support. A short uphill and then more long slow descents through Limb Lane and an intersection with the Round Sheffield Run which we had completed 2 years before.

Now we had almost completed the loop back to Knowle Lane - and we hit this at just short of 1:30, some 4 mins ahead of schedule. The road down towards Hunters Bar felt like a joyous hurtle now ... and we found ourselves passing through the runners as we reached the flat final 3km section.  

Still the crowds cheered, and we pushed on for the finish. It was a tough last 2km, the sticky toffee pudding from the night before keeping us going, but we reached Pinstone Street finish with the gun time ticking to 1:55. And a chip time of 1:51:23. 

As we headed for the goodie bag and medals, we were amazed to have come in so far under target. We'd effectively used the downhill section and completed the second 10km in 48 mins ... the training and strategy had worked again.

And we got our reward of roast chicken and more of that sticky toffee pudding