MSN Cars races the British GP

Richard Aucock writes:

We do the most unusual things here at MSN Cars sometimes. Such as what we did on Sunday. We ran the British Grand Prix!

Yes indeed, you are seeing right – that really is circa 7,000 people lining up through Silverstone’s Copse Corner, waiting to start the annual half marathon. And that was indeed your man behind the camera(phone), pensively waiting for the off.

The Silverstone half marathon has been running for a few years now, and really does see runners take to the world-famous F1 grand prix track. Which, yes, will host this year’s British Grand Prix. Furthermore, I really did do a lap exactly as the GP drivers do: running the course just how you see it on TV.

That, of course, was only around 3 miles. So then, it was a complicated weave on the infield for 6 miles, before popping out again onto the track to run it in the opposite direction! I used GPS tracking to record this while running: here’s the exact route I ran:

Running t’other way is easier said than done, though. See, on the ‘out’ lap, I’d unintentionally been taking the racing line (yes, really. But with no car sound effects, you’ll be pleased to hear). So it threw me, having to do this in reverse, on a circuit I’d seen so many times on TV. Probably cost me a few seconds, I reckon…

It did give me time to check out the Silverstone building work though. Rest assured guys, they seem well on the way. There’s loads of new tarmac already laid down, and it was an absolute pleasure to run on. Unlike the climb up the Hangar Straight at the end! This is steeper than it looks: throw in wind too, for heavy work indeed.

At the finish, I staggered over the line and limply grabbed my finishing medal. More importantly, the bag was full of drinks and foodie goodies.

But what about my time? That would mean waiting for the official results, which were posted online early on Monday. Turns out I came 201st, and 149th in my age category. Apparently, this was out of 5,600-odd finishers, so I was pretty chuffed indeed! Even if I do look slightly ‘tired’ here…