Reflecting back to last w/e I think that I enjoyed the NY course better than any of the others I’ve done – I was totally absorbed in the sightseeing on route, had plenty of space around me, and the crowd support was overwhelming and atmospheric but it didn’t seem claustrophobic like London!  I have always liked NY and enjoyed seeing many new areas.

The weather was meant to have been the most brutal in recent years, according to reports and runners who had done it before.  The strong winds were already forecast the day before but during the night the organisers issued warning of severe cold (0 to 2 degrees C) and wind conditions (30 to 40mph gusts), and that they were removing a lot of hoardings and signage at start/along course/end for safety and recommending to dress warm.  Done a bit too much walking around town on the Friday, after going to the Expo for registration, and feet started suffering the horrible recurring ‘plantar fasciitis’ again.  On top of that, must have slept at an odd angle and woke up with a bad back ache and crick in neck such that I couldn’t turn my head without pain, so that was a good start to the big day and indeed troubled throughout the run – I seem to have a very feeble and fragile body !  Coach to the start was held up in the busy traffic and I only just got to my designated start line corral in time for the cutoff – in fact I didn’t, but along with other protesting ‘latecomers’ allowed in just in time for the cannon blast.

I had two long sleeve running tops plus a thick fleece on for the start, and gloves (but forgot to bring a woolly hat), and was still freezing – didn’t even discard the fleece until 7 miles and even then regretted it for a while – the second top came off about halfway and the gloves stayed on as the hands were frozen throughout!  The first mile across the very long and high Staten Island suspended bridge was horrific as the gusts were blowing me backwards and 3ft sideways at times – it was a bit scary and I actually thought that I could be scooped up and blown over the side a few times!  Although a number of ‘strategic’ walks, I was maintaining my target 9min mileing pace fairly well despite the conditions for my target time of 4 hours which was realistic following some reasonable training/good recent performances/ and all the pacing work.  (My previous marathon PB was 4h09m in Berlin !).  Cruised comfortably to about 14/15 miles where the grueling and gloomy long Queensboro Bridge took a lot out of me, although the fantastic crowd coming off that lifted my spirits.  It was getting tough but plodded on until several attacks of the stitches around 19 miles but have learnt to deal with these nowadays. Approaching 20 miles, having been going northwards so far, I was looking forward to turning south and getting a tail wind to boost my pace….but it never came …instead it seems to be a side swirling gusting – hmmm ! Hip joints started to ache really bad and started thinking better book some replacements when home (!) so it became hard going with some mini-recovery walks as damage limitation policy had to take over.  At 22/23/24 felt pretty sickly but that’s usual by then but the nearing end cheered me up, albeit a pretty feeble final walk up that very unfair hill in Central Park at the end …but got there – 4h14m24s  - actually very happy with that considering the conditions.  Heard a report that the leaders were down 20s/mile, and that would slow them by about 8/9mins, and for many ‘more normal runners’ times were down by 15/20/30mins so I think I had it in me to have achieved my targets, but was beaten by the weather !  Didn’t like the ridiculous 2 mile exit route after the finish in the freezing cold wind as it was nearly dark when I fell into my hotel room but managed to muster myself quickly to go out locally for recovery beers.  Great medal though, and name in the New York Times on Monday – roughly about 19,000th out of 50,000+  which put my ageing bones a reasonable bit above average ! Oh well, onwards plod …back to parkrun next Saturday !

Name dropping time ....went to NY with Mike Gratton's 'team', and ran some miles with him Friday morning (he won the 1983 London mara amongst much else), crossed the line and shook hands with 'finisher greeter' Kathrine Switzer (always be best known as the woman who, in 1967, challenged the all-male tradition of the Boston Marathon and became the first woman to officially enter and run the event), wandering (er…hobbling) around the streets the day after saw winners Wilson Kipsang and Mary Keitany being escorted to a press conference and shook his hand, and David Bedford was on the same flight back ! Wonder if any of their magic will rub off on me ...probably not !

Joe Nolan

You may be interested in adding this info about my recent visit to Boston on the 12th Oct for the half marathon. It had always been my ambition to run this race and my wife Elaine and I flew out there on the 10th for the Sunday race.  We stayed at the Ramada which provided a free bus to the metro station where the runners were picked up and taken by shuttle buses to the start in Franklin Park near the Fenway stadium. The race itself was all in the park which was very up and down and finishing in the George White stadium after passing through the Boston Zoo.

It was a fine day around 6 degrees for the 8.30 start. Very similar to London with segregated pens. It took me 17mins for the first mile with the heavy congestion of 6,211 runners trying to get through the start.

After the initial beginning I soon got into my stride and although the course was undulating, over the course of the next 6 miles I was able to reduce my mileage times considerably.  My aim was to try and achieve a chip time of under two hours. Although this did not materialise I nevertheless was able to maintain an even pace throughout the rest of the race especially going uphill at10 miles and then through the zoo with the front runners coming down the opposite direction. A bit demoralising as they had only 1,000 yards to go and I had two and half miles.  Nevertheless with the last 500 yards downhill I was able to finish in, for me, a reasonable time of 2hrs 9mins.

Despite being up and down I would recommend it. The weather was great very autumnal and a picturesque course. The organisation was superb and their was enough food and drinks for the runners twice over. Afterwards shuttle buses which were always there at the finish ran us back to the metro station to make our way home .

All in all it was a very good day especially when I found out I had come third in my age group in front of numerous 60 as well as 70 year old.

Best Regards,

Tony Barnwell

BT Tower Ascent 31st October 2014

Having completed the ascent of the 842 steps of the BT Tower on Oct. 31st, I would like to report that it was fun, as well as hard work. We started at one minute intervals, and were not allowed to run (H&S I guess).  Most of the other 170 participants looked much younger, & did it quicker, but the chip timing(!) placed me as 135th of the 171, with a time of 12' 32 or 752 seconds. There was champagne, & a grand view, at the top (the former rotating restaurant, 34th floor), & there was a lift down.

I don't recommend trying to beat the time of the fastest, one Patrick Gallagher, since he did it in 5'34" = 334 seconds, or two and a half steps/second!

Knee survived OK, so next step is to try walking down a hill, then running again.

I raised, thanks to a lot of generous people, a grand total including gift aid of around £500 to aid the work of Action on Hearing Loss.

David Barnard

mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/davidbarnard2pperstep

Although I should have known better I ran the Grand Union Canal Half Marathon on Sunday. I should have stayed in bed - did a PW of 2:08:22! The hamstring problem {see above} got a whole lot worse but I'd paid my money and didn't want to give up the chance of getting another medal to add to my collection (in an old shoe box)! Still it was a great scenic course and the weather couldn't have been much kinder for this time of year. I wouldn't have thought it a PB course but about 10 Ealing Eagles managed to bag a PB.  

Piers Keenleyside  

Retired Runners Lunch

Thursday 4th December, Barnes Bridge, 12.30 p.m. (for 1 p.m.)

contact Steve Newell