I ran the Eastbourne half marathon yesterday in 2:01:53, being 549th out of 900 finishers or thereabouts. The time itself is acceptable. I would rather not have been on the wrong side of the two hour barrier, but under the circumstances, a reduced training programme on doctor's orders, and no running at all since last Sunday, I'm not too disappointed.
But I did not enjoy the experience. My feet, knees and toes hurt from about eight miles onwards, I had nothing extra left for the finish, and I had odd cramps and pins-and-needles afterwards. These physical symptoms are as nothing compared with the existential runner's crisis I had in the latter stages. While the early stages of the race take runners through the Victorian and Edwardian villas of Meads, up an impressive hill, and then a nice fast downhill, followed by a stretch along the front, the latter half goes through the new, but already shabby, Sovereign Harbour. Twisting and turning round the housing estates and the harbour itself, I wonder why, as a rule, the east end of a town or city is always the rough end. For all the yachts, whose owners can probably no longer afford them, the development looks as if it is on its way to slumhood.
Some good things: crowd support was enthusiastic and cheered me up no end. I ran for the first time in Seaford Striders kit though I think most of my fellow Striders finished way ahead of me. One of us, Geoff Gray, won the men's race in 1:16:36.
