The Sportlink Grand Prix Series continues with one of the standout fixtures in the Norfolk running calendar this weekend – the Wymondham 20.
But for Harriet Carr, the race represents far more than just another event.
It’s a checkpoint in a much bigger journey – one that stretches from marathon breakthroughs to Ironman ambitions, and one that has been shaped by a simple but powerful lesson in pacing.
From marathon success to Ironman challenge
Carr, a member of Wymondham AC, has established herself as one of the region’s strongest distance runners.
Her marathon credentials speak for themselves:
A personal best of 2:51:09 at the Berlin Marathon in 2024.
Running 2:52:51 at the Seville Marathon last month.
Representing England in the Masters at the Abingdon Marathon last year and taking third in the V40 category.
But this weekend is about something completely different.
“This is my first epic training weekend in my full distance Iron Man training block,” she explained.
“I’m doing Copenhagen Ironman in August, and this is the first weekend where I’m going to do what’s called a long course weekend.
“Ordinarily you can pay to do a long course weekend event where you pay to go and do a full distance Ironman swim on the Friday, which is 2.4 miles… Saturday morning you then wake up and cycle 112 miles… and then you will run a marathon on the Sunday.”
Instead of travelling, Carr, Swim Manager at David Lloyd in Norwich, and a group of Norfolk athletes are recreating that challenge locally – culminating in the Wymondham 20.
A different kind of race day
After a 2.4-mile swim and a 100-mile cycle ride, Carr admits Sunday’s race is something of an unknown.
“How I’m going to run the Wymondham 20 right now… I have no idea. It will all depend how the legs are after the cycle ride on Saturday.
“I would like to give it a go, because it would be interesting to see what my legs feel like.
“At the moment, I don’t actually have any idea what my pace would be for an Ironman marathon… these training weekends are kind of designed to start figuring out what the Ironman paces are.”
Recovery between disciplines will be simple but effective.
“Ice baths and a lot of pasta, basically.
“Early nights, ice baths, pasta – and then just see.”
The pacing lesson that changed everything
While Carr is now known for her consistency and control in races, it hasn’t always been that way.
Her breakthrough came after a difficult experience – and a conversation at a local training session.
“I ran the Milton Keynes Half Marathon, and I blew up… it was my first experience of blowing up in a race.
“I finished the last four miles in a really bad place, mentally and physically, and I was really upset.”
It was at an Alf Tuppers session in Eaton Park that she met Matthew Jones – a moment that would reshape her approach.
“I was talking to Matt Jones, and he told me about the negative split… which I sort of knew about, but didn’t really take much notice of.”
What followed at the Wymondham 20 became a defining moment.
“He told me to run it as a negative split.
“He said, run the first 10 miles at eight minute miling, and then pick up to seven and a half minute miling in the second half.
“He said to me, ‘you’re going to have to be really disciplined. There’s going to be loads of people who go out much faster than you… but just be disciplined. Trust me, you’ll probably pick them all off in the second half.’”
She trusted the plan – and it paid off.
“I stick to the eight minute miling for the first 10 miles, absolutely cruising.
“Then at mile 13, I started picking off so many people in the field, and I was absolutely buzzing by the end.
“It was just a massive learning curve in terms of pacing.”
Why Wymondham 20 matters
As the third race in the Sportlink Grand Prix Series, the Wymondham 20 is a key milestone for runners building towards spring marathons.
Carr believes it should be approached with care – not ego.
“I think running a 20 miler three or four weeks prior to a marathon and going all out… is probably a mistake.
“I think there should be sections of the 20 miler which should be at your dream pace and having some easier sections.
“I think you would get more of a confidence boost if you started off easy… and then finish with four or five miles at marathon pace.
“Finishing strong towards the end of a 20 mile race is actually quite confidence boosting.”
The course itself adds another layer of challenge.
“It’s a two lap route, it’s undulating, and it can be quite windy in the open sections.
“So don’t get too discouraged if you fall off pace a little bit – you are rewarded with downhill sections.”
Training partners, competition – and the ‘hammer’
Despite the uncertainty around her legs, Carr admits the competitive side never fully disappears.
“When I see Cat Cummings and Liv Stock go out… I’ll be tempted to tag along.
“To help those women potentially do a really good training session would be great.
“But if we’re still running together with three miles to go… I will put the hammer down.”
Chasing sub-2:50 – and beyond
Despite already running 2:51, Carr admits the next goal has become an obsession.
“I’ve now got this obsession with trying to break two hours 50.
“I know I can do it… I’ve just got to run a little bit faster. It’s that simple.”
With the Tokyo Marathon potentially on the horizon through the World Age Group Championships, she feels something bigger may be coming.
“I’ve got a funny feeling… I’m going to do it in Tokyo.
“It would be my sixth major… it would be sub-2:50… I just feel like it’s written.”
What comes next: Guernsey and the bigger picture
Before that, another opportunity awaits.
Carr will race the Guernsey Marathon – where she has elite entry and a potential shot at the course record.
“The female course record is 3:10… so that’s a little bit tempting, because there’s prize money attached to breaking the course record.
“That would pay for the champagne afterwards with my mum.”
More than just a race
Carr has come a long way since that first Wymondham 20 – the race that helped reshape how she runs.
Now, she returns not chasing a time, but chasing answers.
How the legs respond, what pace feels right and what’s possible later this year.
This Sunday isn’t just a race, it’s part of something bigger.
Article written by Mark Armstrong Media.
Sportlink is a Norwich-based running store run by runners, for runners, offering expert gait analysis and supporting the Norfolk running community through the Sportlink Grand Prix Series.