Not often do both my wife, Yuk-Lam and I get the chance to run races on the same day but thanks to friends Gary and in particular Sandra and Finty who looked after our children we were able to both run at Liverpool. Yuk-Lam ran the Liverpool Rock and Roll Half marathon and I naturally ran the full with Gary.
I’ll get my moan out of the way first, due to the event’s road closures getting to the start by car on the morning of the event was hard work. I lost lots of time in traffic only a mile from the event whilst simply trying to get to one of the car parks listed on the events information leaflet. In the end I gave up, Yuk-lam left us in the car to go to the start while I eventually found and parked in an expensive council pay and display car park. If anyone does it next year be mindful of your travel arrangements.
Anyhow I swiftly move on to the event itself. The race start was held at the Albert Dock and the Echo Arena on Liverpool’s seafront which made for a great start venue. There were thousands of runners, plenty of loud pumping music and a wonderful, colourful atmosphere. We just managed to park the car and get to the start in time to cheer Yuk-Lam off who’s race started an hour before the full marathon then it was time for me and Gary to get ready for our own start at 10am.
The course had lots of twists and turns which allowed the course to take in many well known sights in Liverpool. Early during the route we saw the Liver Building and both Everton and Liverpool’s football grounds. I was surprised how close together they were being only half a mile apart with only the very pretty Stanley Park separating them. This part of the course is fairly high up and at the 8 mile point there was a great view looking over the city.
The course then took us back down, into the shopping centre and past the famous Cavern Club where the Beatles had once played, then on to the seafront before leading the runners out to the large Sefton park. We were even given a short run up and back down Penny Lane with a DJ playing the Beatles famous song of the same name. Great fun for us runners but I bet the DJ got bored playing it for hours!
After lots of wiggling round Sefton park we dropped down through the mature trees and rock valley of Otterspool park before emerging on to the seafront for the last four miles back to the Albert Dock and the finish.
The weather was lovely, sunny and warm, great for the spectators but far too warm for the runners. I kept drinking water at all the water stations to the point I was sick of it and was still dehydrated. Consequently the last four miles along the seafront in the sun were hard going for me, my body wanted to stop and my mind had to drag it along. I had hoped to finish under 3:30. I was easily on for this at 22 miles but sadly lost too much time in the last three miles. I watched the 3:30 pacer overtake me, move off into the distance and couldn’t do anything about it. Eventually I finished in 3:32:12. I’m sure I would have made it under 3:30 if the weather had been a bit cooler but still not a bad time considering I only finishing my 10in10 a week ago. There was a supper finish area along the front at the side of the Echo Arena and everything was really well organised. I can never complain about Rock and Roll medals, they are always big and glittery and this one was no exception. It’ll look nice in my medal collection.
At the finish once I’d got my breath back and found Gary, it was lovely to meet up with Yuk-Lam and everyone else at the finish to see her smiling and happy with her time of 2:25.
