I should have prepared better but in the end it all came good.  After drinks Friday with my apparent secret affair and then food in Borough, getting lost on the buses or London and ending up with food in Putney, the big race day was upon me.  The MK half which I ran in 1hr 53 last year is the Milton Keynes half marathon which is a Nike event that is a good testing ground for those with a full marathon in mind.  I was supposed to be running this with a few people but most retired injured.  Anyway the weather held and was sunny although windy as the race started from the Open University.  OUt into the streets of MK the first few Km's are a mix of 4.15 to 4.30 minute times, winding through what is actually a very picturesque area with small little villages and local pubs making up the outskirts of MK.  At 6km it is intoo a local park and round a lake and then back round into aa head wind.  10k split is 43 minutes which is my usual 10k time.  Onwards from here is a slog as you hit the new housing of MK and the roundabouts and underpasses start with frequent rises and dips in the road.  I'd like to think it is a breeze and the second 10k is a negative split as Steve calls it but it is a hard slog with a bastard bridge climb at 20km and a tough inward run as I hit the wall and a headwind.  I usually take a breather but manage to carry on with my time slowing to 4.45's.  I am pretty impressed that it never got to 5 mins a km.  The final few Km's come to and end and it is a sprint to the finish.  Photos courtesy of Steve are on Facebook.  Thinking a few more beers are the way forward before the a run - actually maybe a few less and a sub 1.30 time is the next target!  The best finish to the day is a sunday dinner at the Vic in hitchin and the sofa.  An all round good weekend.