The Bath half anyone?

[Blinkybaz]

Hello one and all,

I did the Bath Half marathon on sunday! Did any other forumites?

I thought the whole evnt was marshalled well but when it comes to organising a finish I think they lost the plot.


Now I finish in really bad 2.24.11 and thus forth got into the big finish time that it seems most fun runners try for. (normal time would be 2 hours or just under). But when it came to de chipping and collecting a drink a foil blanket and goody bag I must have queued for at least 20 mins in the cold. The sun was out but not on the queue. I mentioned the foil blanket above but it seems they ran out brefore I got there and cant believe they did. There must have been at least 4 or 5 thousand people behind me.

So what am I saying? I suppose its that I feel let down by the organisers about the finish set up. The race was good and the marshalls really did there job well.

I also need to thank the St Johns Ambilance man who came straight up to me as I finsh due to me sinking to one knee clutching my achilles which stiffened up at 7 miles. So if anyone here knows a st johns ambulance man or women who attends these events please thank them for me. They do a fantastic job and I dont think they get the credit they deserve.

Anyone else got any thoughts on the Bath half?

[ris]

i did it on sunday as well, my second half (bath last year was my first). i found it ok, i enjoyed it a lot more than last year and actually thought the immediate post-race bit was better organised than last year (last year they tried to get the medal, goodybags, chipping, and blankets into a much smaller space - the queues were immense!)

nothing makes the legs lock up like stopping still and standing around in the cold and big races like that need to be so slick to avoid that happening. it took 15-20mins for my bag to get recovered to me from the tents, which was unbearable at the time!

given the temps i'm surprised that they didn't overstock on foil blankets so everyone could get one, particularly as it is the people finishing in 2h plus who probably deserve them more!

a work colleague who did it for the first time was unimpressed and suggested that cardiff half is much slicker - you can roll up to the line 10mins before the off (no standing around freezing your arse off) and you aren't funnelled around the runners village so much.

well done on finishing blinky, i hope the achilles is revovering well now!

[Flavadave]

Man, that sounds like you toughed it out big time Baz!!! Great work!

[Runningmad]

Well done for doing it Blinkybaz. I did it last year and the year before. I think the finish last year, although still not brilliant, was better than the year before. I had the same problem. I was crammed in at the finish waiting for people to move and was freezing as all the foil blankets were gone. getting goody bag was a nightmare too.

Cardiff is a great half. Have done that twice as well and ran my PB there. It's as flat as a pancake. Am going back this year in the hope of running another PB. Would recommend it.

[Blinkybaz]

Thanks guys

Thye achilles is still a bit stiff, its where the tendon joins the calf muscle which is the most painful. The bit through the ankle is easier to move now I have rested it for a couple of days.
The physio said I hit not finish the race 2 days before when I said i was doing it he smiled "in an ironic you are joking way".

I am back to see him on Wednesday.


As for toughing it out? I did finish with gritted teeth and a small grunt with each step.


Cardiff half marathon? isnt that in another country? I think my half marathon days might be numbered for this season with the achille injury. i have been told n ot to run. But they do say I can swim and cycle still. This means the whole triathlon season may still be on at a sprint distance. Hurray!

[hitman786]

you yourself should pay thanks to those paramedics, this is what they deserve!

and by the way, good show!