My first sub four

The Steyning Stinger, sounds fearsome don't you think? Consisting of 4 "stings" or big hills, over the South Downs, probably not the place for a PB, but this time I really had been training my behind off, and was genuinely looking forward to it.

Not the typical proceedings on the day, no timing chip and no start time. Both of which actually turned out to be really nice. You can turn up any when you like after 0730 I think, sign in get your race number and go, brilliant system and a brilliant race.

Feeling good, and walking up to the start line Metallica comes on through the ipod, I must admit I did develop a little bit of a swagger, as a tingle goes down my back there was nowhere else I'd rather be!

The strategy I've developed is to slot in behind someone and tag along with them until they end up to fast for me, or some one faster comes along and it's a more comfortable pace. This time after a mile or so a chap in a woolly bobble hat jogs past, thinking it a strange attire for a run I slot in behind him at a fast, but comfortable pace. Feeling confident and enjoying a bendy downhill bit, I find myself in the middle of a bog! Suddenly panicking that my choice of road shoe was a big mistake I slip and slide my way to a stile, fortunately this marks the end of the wet stuff and the rest of the race is firm under foot.

I lose bobble hat man at mile 8 or so, I was fiddling around trying to open my packet of shot blocks with hands that are good for nothing other than chilling a beer, and when I looked up again he was nowhere to be seen. As it turns out bobble hat man came in 10th, yes I did do a little bit of competitor stalking.  Lesson learnt, open energy stuff before a race while hands still work, gels the exception of course, things may get a little sticky!

Getting to the checkpoint at Cissbury Ring, mile 16 perhaps, and all is well, in fact I'm having a rather good time. I shovel in a couple of chunks of Mars bar and scoot off down the hill, half a mile later there's no-one in front and no-one behind, I'll just give it a few hundred yards then it'll open up and I'll be able to see some other runners I think to myself. It opens up and not a sausage to be seen! Looking over my left shoulder, and up hill, I see a body in running gear going the other way, whoops back we go, still a minor detour never hurt anyone.

"I can see a downhill bit!"

After completing the loop of Cissbury I'm yet to be engulfed by the dark side, wishing I was anywhere else but pounding round this course for mile after mile, if you run you've been there and you know. Another loop around Steep down and the corners start to grey out, I can feel it coming, mile 21 and darkness! Whether this was one of the stings or just an incidental hill on the run but it nearly defeated me. It wasn't steep, but it went on, and on and on, beaten into a weird shuffly run I saw a bloody camera man in the distance! Brilliant get me at my best why don't you, putting on a brave face I look for inspiration into the distance, and there it is, runners going downhill, that's all I need, happy face is back!


The happy face remains and come the last mile or two we're up to 7min/mile and positively enjoying oneself. A fantastic race, not only due to my cracking time, but because of the scenery and fantastic organisation from Steyning AC, recommend this race highly, and you get breakfast at the end!

As for my time, 3:52:40 28th out of 208 runners, happy Tom!

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