DARTFORD HALF MARATHON 2007

I recover from the Cracovia Marathon and set my sights on the local Dartford Half Marathon. It's a long established race, once won by Steve Ovett, over a very undulating course with a couple of steep hills. In the build up I have my first run with Richard who is to become a regular racing and training partner over the next decade. We do about a half marathon distance along the Thames Path and I can handle this comfortably and have Richard working hard alongside. He's eight years younger than me and likely to get a lot faster. I'm quite fit but my running technique is in need of work. I'm wearing relatively heavy stability shoes with custom orthotic insoles, having been diagnosed as an overpronator at a specialist running store. I was getting some knee pain from the classic patella mistracking, riding up the side of the knee joint groove. My large wide feet mean I can only wear shoes from New Balance, Asics and one or two others who offer width fittings in some styles.

On race day Richard, Pete and I put in what we can do on the day. The race is organised by Dartford Harriers and starts with a lap of the club running track, before heading out on the local lanes, which are closed for the event. Then back for a final lap of the track to finish. I love the races we do with a track or stadium finish, there's a few European marathons like this that we will go on run, such as Stockholm, Munich, Amsterdam and the Reading Half Marathon. I have run a lot in 2007 and on this occasion I come out on top, 1.47.20 which is at least a big improvement on my inaugural effort at the Great North Run..