The Tony Mackness Web Pages - 2006 Race Reports

The Tony Mackness Running Pages

2006

Rugby 10 | Coventry Half | Sneyd Striders Pudding Run

2006 has not been a very good year for running.

After the Pudding Run the achilles injury failed to improve. A course of ten or so appointments with a HNS physio failed to help and after struggling round for a few months, in April I decided that it would only improve if I were to take a complete break. During the lay off I had regular physio (and still do) and continued doing lots of stretching exercises and gym work to try to keep the pounds off. In August I started back running, just doing a few laps of the football pitch, and this continued for about six weeks until I could do 30 minutes. I then progressed to road running, and although the injury hasn't cleared up completely I have now got up to 90 minutes. Time for a challenge, so...........

Rugby 10

Sunday October 15th 2006

Distance 10 miles

Running Number 339

"The Comeback"

My schedule for this weekend had me down to do a ten mile run. Rather than go up the club and knock out a ten round the usual routes what better way to test myself than to enter the Rugby 10 !!
After last years run I knew what to expect, but as I had been out of competitive action for so long I wasn't looking to do this as a race, merely a training run and a test in the run up to the Coventry Half. Sensibly I took it easy until about 8 miles when I felt good enough to increase the pace a bit. Prior to the race I would have been pleased to complete in around 80 minutes. My finishing time of 1.15.26 was therefore a welcome surprise, and has given me confidence for next week. I

Coventry Lady Godiva Half Marathon

Sunday 22nd October 2006

Distance 13.1 miles

Running Number 1049

After last years event many said that they would have to change the course. They did....

I thought that the revised course was a tough one, but that didn't put me off. There were some hills, the first, a long drag, coming at just over a mile, and another at about four, but they saved the worst until 12.5 miles. Being local helped as I knew what they were all like ! If they could change one thing then they should look at the loops within the War Memorial park, that was the worst part.

Anyway, after completing the Rugby 10 the previous week, I was looking to do the half in about 1.45 / 1.50 At the twelve mile marker I was on 1.30 and realised that I could be on for a 1.40 finish. Time to make a push for it, up the last hill was a killer, but still I managed to pass a few, from then on it was pretty level, and a good final mile resulted in a finish time of 1.39.54.

Sneyd Striders

Christmas Pudding Run

Sunday 10th December 2006

Distance 10 Miles

Running Number 165

Tough conditions, wind and rain, but did that stop me.....NO.

Only a week ago I had been running round Central Park, New York so compared to New York this was easy !!

A time of around 72 minutes was at the back of my mind, and I felt confident from the start. Crossing the finish line I checked the time 1.10.42 which I thought could be a new PB. Looking back through the running log I was a bit disappointed as this equalled my PB set on the same race back in 2003.. I guess three years older I should be happy, but if I could have knocked just one second off that would have been better.

Official finishing time 1.10.48