Bath Half 2014 Family Fun Run

Date: Sunday 2 March 2014
Venue: Bath
Who Went: Over 920 runners including me

Introduction

On the day of the Bath Half Marathon 2013 I discovered, for the first time, that a 1½ mile Family Fun Run was held in addition to the 13.1 mile Half Marathon. Since it was not possible to just turn up on the day and enter the Fun Run, I regretted not knowing about it much sooner, and immediately intended to enter the Family Fun Run 2014.

The Bath Half Marathon 2014 was due to take place Sunday 2 March 2014. Just like 2013, a much shorter 1½ mile Family Fun Run was also planned for that day. This time I was determined to enter the Family Fun Run 2014, having missed out on it in 2013. Thursday 9 January 2014 I looked at the Bath Half website; although the Half Marathon was now sold out places were available on the Family Fun Run, so I registered for the Family Fun Run.

Race Pack Arrival

My excitement began the last weekend in January when I received an A4 envelope for the Bath Half 2014 Family Fun. It contained the following items:
My number - Fr 509 (this includes a tear-off baggage label which also has the number on)
Bath Half 2014 Half Marathon and Family Fun Run Race Day Guide
IPICO timing chip (in a sealed envelope, not to be opened until race day)
Family Fun Run 2014 T-shirt (size L)
Send a Cow leaflet

I was surprised to receive my race pack that early. Being as the Fun Run was due to take place on Sunday 2 March 2014, I expected my race pack to arrive sometime in February.

Race Day

Before The Race

The big day arrived, Sunday 2 March 2014. From very early on parking suspensions and road closures were in place on the streets of Bath required for the Half Marathon and Family Fun Run. Having put on my Family Fun Run 2014 T-shirt, around 9:30 I set off for the Runners Village, located on the Recreation Ground. There was just one problem, how was one supposed to attach one's number to one's clothes? On the way to the Runners Village, I asked an official, he told me pins were available at the Information Desk. I entered the Runners Village via the main entrance accessible from Bath Sports Centre car park.

Once inside the Runners Village my first stop was the Information Tent, where I managed to get some safety pins to attach my number to my T-shirt. Suddenly it began to rain, the last thing anyone wanted whilst waiting and then running outside. Fortunately the rain soon stopped. Next I headed for the Luggage Tent which was divided into bays; the far left bay was for the Family Fun Run (I left my rucksack there), each of the other bays was for a specified range of Half Marathon runner numbers. Whilst by the Luggage Tent, I spoke to someone else who was running the Family Fun Run. Around the Runners Village I spoke to a few Half Marathon runners; I wished them luck at running 13.1 miles, but said I don't think I could run that far, the 1½ mile Family Fun Run being enough for me. In fact at the time I was uncertain at running 1½ miles. Although I regularly ran various routes of a similar distance alone around the Larkhall area of Bath between spring 1996 and autumn 1997, it was now a long time since I'd run that far along a road; the only running I did between registration and race day was shuttle running during Wednesday evening circuit training sessions at Bath Sports Centre.

By 10:30 runners were asked to proceed to their relevant starting positions. Family Fun Run participants had to assemble in Edward Street before the Half Marathon was due to start at 11:00. I asked an official which way I had to go to get there, but just as I was about to head in that direction I suddenly remembered my timing chip was still in its sealed envelope, in my rucksack, back at the Luggage Tent. Without that, I wouldn't have been recorded in the race results, which would have been a disaster! I raced back to the Luggage Tent and said I needed to get my timing chip from my bag. The officials quickly found my bag, so I was able to get the timing chip out. As I exited the Runners Village again, I fitted my timing chip to my left shoe. Now I was ready to walk to Edward Street, I got there around 10:50. Several other fun runners were also wearing their Family Fun Run 2014 T-shirts, just like me. Whilst waiting I spoke to a few other fun runners about my desire to enter the Family Fun Run 2014. Annoyingly it started raining again, fortunately I managed to stand under someone else's umbrella.

Following the countdown the Half Marathon runners started at 11:00. Whilst waiting in Edward Street, Family Fun Run participants were able to watch the Half Marathon runners go by. I was lucky enough to be standing close to Great Pulteney Street, so I had a clear view of the Half Marathon runners. The white numbered runners passed by, followed by the green numbered runners and finally the orange numbered runners.

Family Fun Run

Once all the Half Marathon runners had passed by the time was around 11:20, and Family Fun Run participants were led to the start line. The officials announced two minutes to the start, followed by one minute to the start. After the ten seconds final countdown, the starting horn sounded and everyone set off.

The Fun Run involved running the first three quarters of a mile of the Half Marathon course, i.e. the east end of Great Pulteney Street, followed by Darlington Street and Pulteney Road, before doing a U-turn to return to the start. I started my own stopwatch when the starting horn sounded, and began running as soon as the runners in front of me had proceeded forwards. Due to there being several runners in front of me before the start, I actually crossed the start line a few seconds after the horn went. Once past the start line, I knew the golden rule was to pace myself and not run too fast to begin with, and not worry about other, faster runners passing me. Everyone had to keep to the right hand side of Darlington Street, to the right of the roundabout at the bottom of Bathwick Hill and to the right of Pulteney Road. Despite my initial concerns about completing the 1½ miles, I found the outward leg fairly easy going, particularly the downhill section of Pulteney Road. As I neared the Family Fun Run turnaround point (the traffic island beneath the railway bridge just past North Parade Road) I could already see some runners starting to head back on the other side of the road. At the turnaround point, officials ensured everyone went around the island, keeping to the right of the island both directions.

After the turnaround point, the return leg seemed much harder, especially as it was uphill part of the way. I thought I would have to slow down to walking pace. Determined to run all the way to the finish line, I looked downwards to give the illusion of flat ground whilst going up the hill. Suddenly I reached the flat bit at the top, and having turned the corner into Great Pulteney Street the end was in sight. I speeded up a little until I crossed the finish line. Wow, I managed to run from start to finish without stopping or resorting to walking part of the way! As soon as I crossed the finish line, I stopped my watch. The time on my own stopwatch was 6 minutes 49.98 seconds. Although I appreciated and understood that was unofficial, it was good enough for me until I could get my official IPICO timing chip time later.

After The Race

Having passed the finish line, I headed back to the Runners Village via Great Pulteney Street. All Family Fun Runners were given a medal and goody bag for completing the course. The next stop was the de-chipping station, where runners removed their timing chip from their shoe and placed it in the bucket. The official times were expected to be published on the Bath Half website during the evening. Naturally I was already eager to know my official time, but for now I was satisfied with my unofficial time I'd measured myself. After that, a professional photographer took my photo, this was to appear on the website later. I collected my rucksack from the Luggage Tent and left the Runners Village via the sports centre car park for the final time. As I exited the Runners Village, I spoke to other runners who had completed the Fun Run. Whilst crossing North Parade Bridge on my way into the city centre, I asked someone to take my photo, here it is. Notice my Family Fun Run 2014 T-shirt, number and medal.

It was now lunchtime so I bought myself a baguette from a sandwich shop in the city centre. Afterwards I walked across Widcombe Footbridge and, whilst eating my lunch, watched the Half Marathon runners running their final mile. I also showed a few other spectators my Family Fun Run T-shirt and medal, and told them how I'd got on with it. Just before 13:00 I was back home, and relaxed for a couple of hours.

Late Afternoon

After 15:00 I went to Waitrose Café, whereupon I enjoyed a cappuccino coffee. On my way there, and in the café, I spoke to a few Half Marathon runners who had completed their race; I was amazed and surprised at their having completed the 13.1 miles. I deliberately still had my Family Fun Run T-shirt (including the number) and medal on, so I was able to show them my T-shirt and medal, and say how I got on in the Fun Run.

Next Day

The day after the race I looked at the official Bath Half Family Fun Run 2014 race results on the Bath Half website. Here are my official times. Notice there are actually two times; gun time and chip time.

Gun time 0:06:48 (from the sounding of the start horn to when I crossed the finish line)
Chip time 0:06:43 (from when I personally crossed the start line to when I crossed the finish line)
Thus the time I measured on my own watch (6 minutes 49.98 seconds) was close to my gun time.

I was the 90th runner past the finish line, which in a field of over 920 runners in the Fun Run was excellent. If you filter the list to just the Adult over 40 category (which I'm in), you will see I was 6th past the finish line out of 220 runners in the Adult over 40 category; in other words I was one of the fastest in that category.

Although I already had a near enough idea of the time I took (measured on my own watch), I was impressed to discover I was 90th overall, and 6th out of 220 runners in the Adult over 40 category. I didn't expect to do that well.

Full results available here. If you wish to display just my entry, my race number as recorded in the results table is 20509.

I also looked at the Family Fun Run photos. There were two professionally taken photos of me: one just before the finish line (which I didn't know about) as well as the one in the Runners Village after receiving my medal (which I knew about). So far I haven't bought either of the two photos. However I have downloaded my free certificate which was available from the website. The time recorded on the certificate is my chip time: 0:06:43.

Outro

Highlights

Running the whole route from start to finish without stopping or resorting to walking.
Getting my Finisher medal at the end.
Talking to other runners (Half Marathon and Family Fun Run) before and after the races.

Lowlights

Undesirable weather; intermittent rain and it was a bit cold.

Summing Up

Altogether a great race day, it was my first ever time of entering the Bath Half Family Fun Run, and furthermore my first ever time of entering a public fun run of this nature anywhere. Although I didn't run the Half Marathon, it was nonetheless really satisfying to run a tiny portion of the Half Marathon route with over 920 other Family Fun Run participants on race day. I am proud to have run the entire Fun Run route from start to finish, without stopping or resorting to walking, and am impressed with my official times and position. An excellent achievement considering I didn't have any practice runs around the streets of Bath during January and February.

Best of all, Family Fun Run participants received their Family Fun Run 2014 T-shirts in their race packs before the event. The advantage of receiving them before the Fun Run, rather than with the medal at the end, meant many Fun Run participants including me wore their Family Fun Run 2014 T-shirts during the Fun Run, which added to the enjoyment of the race. Of course I can now wear mine with pride this summer. It's a pity the organisers didn't give each Fun Run participant and Half Marathon entrant a free blue Team Bath hoody, made by Surridge, but you can't expect that much I suppose. Well done to everyone else who participated in the Fun Run. Even more so congratulations to those who completed the Half Marathon, and thus received their medals and Half Marathon Finisher T-shirts, I'm amazed and surprised they can run 13.1 miles. How on Earth, in the world, do they do it? Many thanks to Running High Events Ltd for arranging the Half Marathon and Family Fun Run.

The only let-down was the weather, overcast with a couple of showers just before the Fun Run, and more persistent rain after the Fun Run whist the Half Marathon was still taking place. On top of which it was a bit cold to run in just a T-shirt and sports shorts (which ideally I'd have liked to have done), therefore against my wishes I wore a fleece top over my T-shirt (fully unzipped to show my number) and jogging bottoms over my shorts. A pity really after the previous day, Saturday 1 March, was a dry, sunny spring-like day. Despite the weather, the Fun Run and Half Marathon attracted a huge crowd of spectators.

What's the betting I'll take part next year? Fun Run 2015 - with pleasure. Half Marathon 2015 - I don't think so! There's no way on Earth I could face running 13.1 miles! The sheer thought of it puts me off.

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