2007 Reports

Last updated: Sunday, 28 October, 2007

Not All Downhill At Bracknell

Event: 2007 Bracknell Half Marathon
Time: 9:00am
Date: Sunday, 29 April 2007
Venue: South Hill Park, Bracknell

There was an early start for this race at 9:00am, but it did mean an earlier finish and the chance to get home in plenty of time for lunch. The route started through a residential area and parks, but kept diving under the main roads around Bracknell. That meant lots of changes in direction and gradient which didn’t help with keeping a constant pace.

The first half of the race was mainly downhill, but that was not really noticeable. At half–way the route reached its lowest point, and it was mainly uphill from then. There was a hill from 7.5 to 8.5 miles that climbed 40m, and from 9–12 mile a steady ascent of another 35m. They climbs weren’t very steep, but seemed never–ending at the time. According to my watch, the total ascent over the course was 165m.

Pounding the roads at Bracknell.

I was up on my PB at half–way, but the hills put pay to that. By the end I finished a minute outside my PB (however I did set that in 1993 so I guess I shouldn’t be too disappointed), but it was my best half–marathon time for several years.

Certainly not the most scenic course I have ever run, taking in some industrial units and dual–carriageways. However, the marshalling was excellent, and there was a medal AND a t–shirt at the finish.

Simon Atkin