Shakespeare Marathon and Half  27/04/08

Seven of us had trained hard for the Shakespeare Marathon with one other, Catherine Warner entering the half. Unfortunately both Ray and Janet Smith were struck down with a nasty virus and were too ill to even travel and have a weekend away. Our hearts went out to you both. I tweaked a calf muscle four days before and although movement was limited that day the physio said it was minor and I would be fine to run on Sunday. He appeared to be right. No pain and full mobility – but should I run? With the Three Forts Marathon the following week I decided this one might be fun to cycle instead. So the seven became four. 

The route is a gently undulating two lapper that takes you through pretty Warwickshire villages then onto the Greenway path – a cinder track footpath that, in part, is adjacent to Stratford race course. In total you run seven miles on this very flat, straight path which, for whatever reason, saps the energy more than the hills do. 

The forecast was for heavy showers, although at the start it was pleasantly warm. My bike pannier was not only filled with the various liquid and confectionery requirements but also jackets, hats and gloves. 

With respect to all competitors I knew I couldn’t cycle with “The Team” until the runners had thinned out a bit, so I decided to cycle the route myself then catch them up. Having passed the 5 mile mark for the second time I knew the longer it took to find them the more impressive their efforts. Just after 7 miles is a fairly lumpy hill and from the top of this I could see four luminous green figures bunched together. Keith had only just broken away from the pack but Dave, Julie, Marie and Catherine were smiling, chatting and in good spirits. Did they all realise the magnitude of what they were taking on or were they treating this like a typical Sunday Hall Place social run? 

I cycled ahead to Keith who was similarly relaxed and very chatty. After a progress report on the rest of the team it was back to the pack who were eager to know how Keith was doing. 

The pattern of cycling between the two continued. Dave by this stage, after seeing my legs go ten to the dozen, had renamed me Millie Whizz. At just before 12 miles the route split. I wished Keith good luck and waited for the others. Very soon they appeared, still together and still smiling. I bade the marathon runner’s farewell and stayed with Catherine until the finish. And what a finish she had. A final 800 meters round the park to the cheers and applause from the waiting spectators. What an atmosphere and what a time. 2:06 – that’s a PB by 39 minutes. Well done Catherine. After a quick photo session it was back on the bike and a race to catch up with The Team. 

Once again each mile marker was passed with excitement with the others nowhere in sight. Once again it was the view from a different hill that highlighted this time three luminous green tops. How fantastic that they were still together. 

Marie was suffering though. Her knees were causing her great pain and she was now only interested in finishing. Julie was still smiling and her running was relentless. Dave asked me to turn the heating off or get off the bike and do a rain dance. How could the forecasters get it so wrong. We were all burning. 

On to Keith. It was now hard work and required a lot of peddling to catch him up. He was still buoyant and running well. He’d passed the 20 mile mark and wasn’t suffering. No worries there so it was back to the others. Marie was in pain but not really slowing, Julie was still smiling and Dave had a stomach ache caused by being too greedy with the jelly babies.  

Back to Keith. Gosh he was making me work hard. He had passed 23 miles and I greeted him with the usual “Come on Unitt. Head up shoulders back” but he didn’t give me his usual witty response. I thought telling him to run keeping his arms close to his body and not gesticulating to me was perhaps not wise. Rather than go back, as he so politely requested, I cycled on to 24 to see if he’d run through his rough patch. He hadn’t so this time I did as he said and cycled back to the others. 

Guess what? At 23 Julie was still smiling. Why was she making this look so easy? Both she and Dave were confident that they would break 4:30 so I decided to stay with Marie. 

Marie wasn’t far behind but her sleek running style had shifted to a shuffle. Mentally she said she felt great, physically she felt strong, but her knees didn’t want to play. But what a determined, fighting Brit she proved to be. Marie adopted a fast, effective shuffle for the last three miles. Stopping for only two stretches she actually picked up her pace and overtook many fellow runners.  

With just 800 meters in the park to go I left Marie and cycled to the group of luminous green supporters I could see by the finish. With cheers and applause she crossed the line in 4:36, just 10 minutes behind Dave and Julie. A very sunburnt Keith had done run it in 4:05. Well done to you all. 

It was a fantastic event and the five runners did brilliantly and in celebration of achievements all round, liquid refreshments flowed freely that night. A great event, a great day and a great weekend.  

Janet Cobby