Marathon No. 28 - Fox @ 40 Marathon

Today I ran my 28th Marathon (16th Marathon of the year - 2012).....

It wasn't until Thursday evening, just gone that I messaged the Fox asking him if he still had spare spaces available for the Weekend Run. I knew he had Double Events happening over Remembrance Sunday Weekend but wasn't too sure if there were still slots available. When he came back to me saying he could offer me a space for Sundays Marathon, I told him that I was interested. My train tickets to Milton Keynes and my hotel at the Premier Inn at the lakeside was immediately booked. I still have no regrets in entering, even tho my next Marathon was a week away (My 2nd Beaujolais Nouveau Marathon on 17th November 2012)

The event was very well organised and most of the runners participating in both events were the same usual suspects running Foxys events....

The course was very Undulating, Trail Marathon (With more UPS than DOWNS).... Slight mud area towards the start but wasn't anything major! It was quite cold with slight frosty patches first thing in the morning, but overall it was just the perfect weather for a nice SUNDAY morning Run.. Even the SUN came out at some point!!

It was a Cold, Frosty Sunday Remembrance Morning - 11th November 2012. A TWO Minutes Silence took place just before the Race STARTED...

 Today was my 3rd Marathon in 2012 running ENIGMA EVENT around Caldecotte Lake (The Marathon was 7 laps around the lake).. Yup very boring you may think. Even I got lost at least twice on the route today!

Bags of Banana and Water left on frosty ground

The TENT - Enigma Baggage Area

The area we left our food and drinks!

Me and Ruth at the START - We both just did the 2nd Day of the Fox @ 40 Marathon!

Liz Smith, Me and Kelly Jackson - At the FINISH LINE!

RUNNING BiB '400'

Me showing off with my MEDAL at the Windmill!

The ENIGMA Race Directors - Foxy & Karen in YELLOW Outfit having their MEETING Before & After the RACE!

Lee Radley with TOY Foxy!

Karen Webber - Enigma Race Director (With the BELL)

Fox @ 40 Marathon MEDAL - My FINISH Time was 5 Hours, 29 Minutes & 14 Seconds!

Marathon No.27 - Dublin Marathon

Dublin 2012 was my 27th Marathon, My 2nd Dublin Marathon, My 15th Marathon of the year and my 3rd best 26.2 Mile time in all my running years.

1) Berlin in 2010 ~ 04:51:04
2) New York in 2009 ~ 04:54:04
3) Dublin in 2012 ~ 04:58:16

Dublin Marathon EXPO - 2012  - It was the 33rd Dublin Marathon, an unforgettable day indeed.

Registration Section...........

RDS - The Main HALL (For BiB Collection)

DUBLIN Marathon 2012 STARTS @ 9.00am

The organisation, atmosphere, and Irish hospitality was absolutely wonderful. 

Sign the WALL!!

When I ran my 11th Marathon in Dublin 2011 it was horrendously wet and cold throughout the second half and managed to complete the course in a time of 05:15:39 and still enjoyed the experience enough to want to go back again this year!

 An amazing 14,352 runners in total.

 Mile 'ONE'

 

 Mile 'TWENTY SIX'

It was a little congested for the first couple of miles even with the staggered start and then spreads out through Phoenix Park. The biggest hill is just after that at Chapelizoid, there was a small hill at 22 miles passing 'University College Dublin' but after that you are back in the city centre and on the home stretch. The undulating course gives your legs a chance to recover, so DEFINATELY a 'PB' potential.

The baggage Area!

Runners at the FINISH!

Me at the START. This years Dublin stayed dry for us, but it was very cold indeed.

I had my gloves on for most of the time as every time I took them off they got even colder.....

 My 27th Marathon BLING!!

The Pint of Guiness at 'The Kennedy's at Westland Row after the Marathon was well deserved. I met a new group of friends through 'Eddie' who've been persuading me to do the Connemarathon one day. A very picturesque Marathon that should not be missed in Ireland so I've been told!  ** Oh and Eddie if your reading this, Thank You for the Guiness!!

DUBLIN Marathon

Sunday, 28th October

 The Irish Independant Newspaper - (Marathon RESULTS) Tuesday 30th October 2012 Edition.

2012 FINISH Medal!

Marathon No.26 - Liverpool Marathon

Ran it! Lived it! Loved it!

It takes dedication and commitment to get to the Start Line..........

 The Marathon START

A Marathon Running Buddy Kelvin Dickenson/Caz took this photo of me whilst running - Fort Perch Rock, Liverpool!

Wow! Wow! Wow! - What an amazing day............

Thanks to all the spectators, volunteers and organisers. A great day all in all. Hills and tunnel energy zapers, but Newton said 'What goes up must always come down' 

I enjoyed the race and proud that I managed to finish it in 5 Hours, 11 Minutes and 42 Seconds. It was mind over matter by Mile 22. I thought the organisation was superb, so clever to get the weather so perfect.

Really loved the sections of the course, the tunnel was an interesting new environment for me, just before the 12 Mile marker we entered Queensway Tunnel.  It was around 2 Miles long and the drums at the exit were epic, crowd support at the finish was phenomenal and the little square just before the tunnel entrace was wonderful after the tedium of the industrial estate/docks.

The volunteers really helped me keep on going and those drums coming out of the tunnel overwhelmed me, I had to try not to Cry!

The 26.2 Mile Race began at Birkenhead Park in the Wirral at 9:30am before heading through the Queensway Tunnel and into Liverpool City Centre...

I was BUZZING as we started into Sefton Park which sure flew by.  I had to leave the Gentleman I was running alongside with as he went to fetch some water, so I could press on as he was slower somewhat.  I ended up finishing in 05:11:42 which I was absolutely overjoyed with!

Royal Liver Building, Pier Head, Liverpool

Port of Liverpool Building

Liverpool City Centre

 Having a downhill section for the last mile and then the city centre crowds to take you over the FINISH Line was inspired.

Liverpool Pier Head

The Baggage Area at the FINISH

Baggage Trucks

On top of that to Finish and be able to collect my bag within 1 minute, especially for a City Centre marathon, not only that to be texted my RESULTS before I even got home is unbelievable!

Proud of have completed Marathon No.26 in Liverpool...

Great Shirt given out (Although there were no Size SMALL left when I got there) & Great MEDAL!

You arrive in Birkenhead a MORTAL, You leave Liverpool a HERO!!!

 The Albert Dock, Liverpool