Big Half: Big PBs for Brad and Steve
Brad Courtney-Pinn (291) and Steve Gardner (286) in a pack making their way over Tower Bridge.
Belgrave pair Brad Courtney-Pinn and Steve Gardner scored huge PBs in ideal conditions at the Vitality Big Half marathon in east London.
Brad improved his best from 72:19 to 69:29, just ahead of Steve in 69:49, who knocked more than 4 minutes off his year-old 74:08 best.
Belgrave’s British 5k record-holder Nick Goolab was well ahead in 66:38 but was extremely disappointed with his run, having aimed for a time closer to a low 62.
Those three made up the men’s scoring team, and while we’re still awaiting results of the British half marathon club championships, we think we’re just outside the top three, comfortably ahead of local rivals Herne Hill, Clapham and Hercules Wimbledon.
New Belgravian Dylan Mitchard also ran an impressive PB, going under 80 minutes for the first time in 78:49. James Morris was just off PB pace but can still be pleased with a solid 86:43.
Brad (second left) and Steve (second right) after a debrief with Belgrave training partners (l-r) Matt Welsh, Joey Brouwer, Arne Dumez and Callum Stewart at Battersea. Photo: Ollie Trenchard.
Having put in plenty of miles together around Battersea Park this winter in training for London marathon, Brad and Steve knew they’d be gunning for a similar time. They were both in the same pack of around 10 runners that moved past the women’s leaders after mile two and stuck together until the final three miles once south of the river.
“Running in that big pack, it felt like I got those first 10 miles for free, even if it was slightly ambitious pacing,” Steve explained.
“And it helps so much having a familiar vest to look for. Every time I felt like I was drifting, I’d think, ‘Where’s Brad? Stick with Brad!’ And it’d mean a brief increase in effort to stay in touch with the pack but overall a huge conservation of energy to stay out of the winds and in lock-step with the group’s rhythm.”
The last three miles into Greenwich saw the group disintegrate and the runners much more exposed to a nasty headwind, but by that time both Steve and Brad had enough time banked to cruise home comfortably under the 70-minute mark.
Their attention now turns to the spring road relays and keeping fingers crossed that the London marathon isn’t another casualty of the coronavirus outbreak.