Rick- Truro Half Marathon 2005

and Godderz at Eden Half Marathon 2009

TRURO HALF MARATHON 2005 by Rick Barker

On Sunday September 18th 2005, after 3 months of training on the dangerous streets of St Austell and laying off the booze for 99% of this time, I successfully completed the Truro Half Marathon in a time of 1 hour 48 minutes 12 seconds.

I was 194th out of a total of 508 starters. The weather was fantastic, the turnout was a record for Cornish road running and I really enjoyed myself in my second half marathon.

The first 4 miles I took at a very steady pace. Then some hills cropped up and already there were runners going backwards; but I felt as fresh as a daisy at that point. I increased the tempo up to 8 miles as the course was quite flat and easy to run on. When between miles 8 and 9 the course started heading down into the valley it was obvious that there was only going to be one way out of it, and that was UP the otherside.

The big hill between miles 9 and 10 was as steep as they come and this is where I shook off a lot of people who had been running along with me for a long time. I knew that when I reached the top [ it came out near Treliske hospital ] the rest of the course would be flat so I went for home like a rocket then.

I tried to pick as many people off as possible on the run in and I reckon I got past about 30 people in the last 3 miles with no-one coming past me. In the last half mile, I overtook 7 runners and when I saw that I had finished in 194th, it's a good job I did because it meant I made the top 200 !

Thanks to everyone that sponsored me for this. I managed to raise £165 and donated it to Cancer Research. [Photos below] Is it London for me next ?