Run Reigate Half Marathon Training

IF YOU have read my blog then you know that I love the Run Series, both Run Reigate and Run Gatwick having participated in them for a number of years now.   What I really want to do is train for the event and see if I can improve my time.

I am a member of Haywards Heath Harriers and run regularly, so I just need to tailor slightly for the distance required.   With five weeks to go I settled on my strategy, to test it out and see what happens.

Week one: 5km

The training is to hit 5km over the week in a number of planned runs.   This can be either as a straight run or as part of training, either way each run must reach a minimum of 5km.   I have temporarily moved to South Wales for this week, not deliberatley for training, I just had a week off work and was having a break.

Run 1: Ynysangharad Parkrun.   I love this parkrun in Pontypridd, it's a beautiful park and well worth a visit.   The day was beautiful but very hot and sunny, all of the communications for run was around warnings for dehydration.   I completed the run in 28:36 and 3rd in my age group.

Run 2: The Dark Loop.   I found this run on plotaroute for the Hirwaun area, it goes through the high street and then sets off onto the Brecon Beacons bringing you back across county to the Heads of the Valleys Road and into the village from the other side.   With my run to the start point and home it made the distance 6.84km.   Easily fitting in with my plan.

Run 3: Hill loops.   Opposite where I live is Devonshire Place which is quite a severe hill, a little bit further up the road is Richmond Place which is the same.   Both are cul-de-sacs and have a roundabout at the bottom.   The plan was to run down Fairview and come back on the opposite side of the road, down Devonshire and back up the hill.   Run further down the road and do the same with Richmond.   Run down Garth Grove to the round about and come back to the start.   One loop was just over 1km, four loops gave me 5.49km.

Run 4: Ynysangharad Parkrun.   Finishing the week as I started.   I finished just over one minute less that the previous run.   Completed in 27:35 and once again came 3rd in my age group!   Who are the two people in front of me!!

Week two: 10km

Run one: Brecon Beacons.   Starting the week I decided to finish in South Wales with a run starting from the Brecon Resevouir on the A470, running back across the Brecon Becons on the A4059 to Penderyn and then into Hirwaun and home.   This is a long road with some long sweeping hills, so difficulty is quite high.

Run two: Haywards Heath Harriers:   Leading a trails run around Cuckfield with a total distance of 6.91km, one of the things you learn when you complete the LiRF course to lead run groups is you have give up your training and give your time to the "group".   It's a selfless but great role to help people evolve.

Run three: Redhill and Reigate:   This was a run from my Dad's house into Redhill, down to the town and up through Raffles Bridge, Shaws Corner, past the police station and down and round into Reigate Priory Park, then running to Meadvale and across past Earlswood Lakes to East Surrey Hospital and following the Brighton Road back to my Dad's.   Total distance 10.39km.

Run four: Lewes after work:   Quick run around Lewes after I had completed a day at work.   Felt good to get out for a while before going home.   Distance 10.14km.

Week three: 10 miles
This week didn't go as well as I would have liked, with personal issues getting in the way.   Out of the week I only managed two 10 mile runs and then it turns out 16km isn't actually 10 miles, it's a fraction below!

Run one: Haywards Heath:   I had the route in mind and knew that it should reach 10 miles.   Setting off from Haywards Heath I headed down to Lindfield, going past the Bent Arms and down Hickmans Lane and round to the railway station.   From there it was up Harlands Road, through Blunts Wood to Cuckfield.

Past the church and back through the town to Whitemans Green and then cross country back towards Haywards Heath, through the town and home.   Distance 16.22km.

Run two: Redhill and Regate:   This is very similar to the run above but with two extended parts.   At Earlswood Lakes instead of taking the turning to the East Surrey Hospital I continued to Salfords and then turned down the A23 towards.   Also, I took a different turn running across Earlswood Common and around Sandpit lane (which divides the bottom and middle of Redhill Common), before rejoing the Brighton Road.

This led into the Run Series Run Reigate Half Marathon and the following part of the blog is my write up for the Mid Sussex Times.

THE DAY BEFORE the funeral of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Reigate respectfully opened it’s doors to the 9^th Run Reigate event making up a children’s race, 5km, 10km and half marathon.

Run Series also manage the Run Gatwick half marathon as well as successfully starting a 10km trails race at Gatton Point this year with a winter and summer run.

Reigate is a market town in Surrey and sits just below the North Downs with spectacular views. The race starts and finishes in The Prior a beautiful park just off the High Street, packed with coffee shops.

This is the 6th time that I have completed this fun, although only the 5th time I have run the half marathon.   The first time I did the run I entered for the 10km, having only just started to run.   In addition to this I have completed the Run Gatwick half marathons four time and competed in both of the Run Reigate 10km Trains Runs at Gaton Point.

Run Series have kept me busy over the last few years and I have thoroughly enjoyed being a part of their journey.