Welsh Castles Relay 2012

On Sunday our very own runner and running coach, Mark Whittle, took part in the Welsh Castles Relay. The Welsh Castles Relay is essentially running the length of Wales, 200+ miles over 2 days, 20 stages and 59 teams, starting at Caernarfon Castle on Saturday morning and finishing on Sunday afternoon at Cardiff Castle. Here's Mark race report:

"Yesterday I took part in the Welsh Castles Relay, my leg was 9.1 miles from Merthyr Tydfil to Abercynon, a mainly flat leg with one or two hills and a long flat downhill to finish.

If I’m honest I wasn’t feeling great before the race, in the warm up I just felt tired and out of breath, I was just hoping that I would feel ok during the run. The race started rather quickly but within a few hundred yards I had settled into 6^th or 7^th place. The group in front seemed to be pulling away rather quickly, but I was already on my limit so there was no point in trying to chase them down this early in the race. A guy ran up to me from Serpentine running club and seemed to be going at a good pace so I settled into his pace and ticked along for a few miles. He seemed to be going really well on the flat sections (a bit too fast for me really), but struggled a bit on the up and downhill sections, so we stayed together for quite a while.

We got to about the 4 mile point and I was working very hard to keep up with my new friend, the pace was too quick for me really but I didn’t want him to gap me at this stage. We came to the biggest hill on the course and he started to blow a little bit, I took this as my opportunity to put my head down and try to get away from him. A gap appeared really quickly and I must have put 100m into him on this hill, but now it was my turn to start to blow! I had worked really hard to get away and was paying the price!

It was at this point I saw my parents, they said I was in 6^th place, this spurred me on but I was working really hard now, I still had over 4 miles to go, I think I had gone too hard too soon! I looked back and my new friend was gaining on me with every step and before I knew it he was on my shoulder. I put in a few surges; he’d drop back every time but would be back on my shoulder within a few seconds, I couldn’t shake him off. We got to the 6 mile point and he put a surge on of his own. I couldn’t go with him and the gap opened up very quickly to about 10m. I was back in 7^th place.

During our little battle I thought we were 1^st and 2^nd vet and was desperate to try to get back to him, I wanted to be first vet! We got to the 7 mile point and I knew it was all downhill with a flat section at the end from this point on. With just over 2 miles to go I worked out I had about 13 minutes of running left and it was now or never, if I wanted an opportunity to catch the guy and get first vet I had to give it one final push and risk blowing myself to pieces in the process.

I put my head down and ran as fast as I could for 30 seconds – he didn’t get any closer. I took a breather and did the same again, this time the gap closed. I went again and before I knew it I was two or three metres behind him, again I took a breather and then went passed him as fast I could. I was back in 6^th place! A gap quickly opened, but I was absolutely on the limit and gauged roughly I had about 5 minutes of running left to get to the finish line. I can’t lie to you, at this point I was dying, I was just hoping he was in as much pain as me!

I turned a corner and saw the guy in 5^th place! He was rocking and rolling all over the place, the wheels had definitely come off for him! I soon caught him, passed him and was in 5^th place!

I was in agony. Only about 3 minutes to run. Surely I can run for 3 minutes?

I keep looking back and a gap had opened between me and the next guy, but I could see my friend from Serpentine chasing hard and then passing the other guy to go into 6^th place.  

I was in agony. Only about a minute to run. Surely I can run for 1 minute?

I rounded a corner, crossed a road, ran down a lane behind some houses into a small housing estate and was ushered through a tree covered lane by the marshals with a “you’re nearly there!”. I exited the lane onto the business park where I knew the finish would be, but didn’t quite know how far into the business park we’d have to run, it could have been a few metres or a few hundred metres. You’d not believe how relieved I was to see all the supporters and officials literally a few dozen metres on exiting the lane, it was nearly over. I was sure the guy behind me wouldn’t catch me now but as this is was cumulative team race I still had to push to the very end as every second counts.

I crossed the line in 5^th place and, in my mind, 1^st vet.

After catching my breath and taking in some much needed fluids I was told that I wasn’t 1^st vet after all, I was 2^nd vet. To be honest I was a little gutted. I had buried myself against the Serpentine runner as I thought we were fighting it out for 1^st and 2^nd vet, if I’d have known we weren’t 1^st and 2^nd I don’t think I would have actually pushed as hard as I did. Is that wrong of me?

After the race I went to Cardiff Castle to watch the last leg and the presentation. Our last runner managed to get 4^th place which was a fitting end to the two days of racing. Last year the club came 8^th overall (out of 59 clubs) and this year we managed a very creditable 6^thplace, which for a very small club (we have 78 members) is an amazing achievement.

Many thanks to my family and friends for their support on the day, I couldn’t have done it without you guys and a big thanks to San Domenico Road Running Club for the superb organisation across two whole days of racing. Bring on 2013!"

Congratulations Mark, great effort! Good to see a running coach walking the walk as well as talking the talk!