The Runner's Tale. Keith Gilbert's canter along The Canterbury Half Marathon. 27/8/12.

I first did The Canterbury Half Marathon in 1990, and I’ve done nearly all of them since. There have been a couple of brief discontinuities of the event, and the course was significantly changed some years back, making it an entirely rural and even tougher event.

It has always been popular, drawing in runners from all over south east England, I noticed clubs represented from The Isle of Wight to Cambridge.

It is a hard one, full of constant undulations. A long steady climb for about a mile comes in at about mile 4 and of course the dreaded severe ascent for about half a mile coming in  after mile 10. The descents are not always a bonus, the severe declines sometimes difficult to manage in a controlled manner. However the scenery is great!

I was hoping for sub:2, but was given a chip time of 2:03:38,  317/533,  8/13 men 55-59. [Current course PB- 1:56:29 -2007]

I’ll see how I get on at Tonbridge in September. A Runner’s World review described Canterbury Half as 50% harder than The Tunbridge Wells Half. But I don’t know about Tonbridge.

  Wishing you all good running Keith.

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