Barry Dolman produced another outstanding performance on the streets of London at The Big Half, clocking a superb personal best of 1:20:07 and claiming second place in the M55–59 category. A sub-80-minute half marathon was tantalisingly close, but his performance provided plenty of encouragement ahead of his next major target: the Chicago Marathon.

There are some performances where the finishing time tells only part of the story. Barry’s run at The Big Half was one of them.

A time of 1:20:07 was a tremendous achievement in its own right, representing a significant personal best. Yet, with the clock stopping just eight seconds short of the coveted 80-minute barrier, it was perhaps inevitable that his immediate thoughts would turn to what might have been.

However, look beyond those eight seconds and there was plenty to celebrate. Barry finished second in the M55–59 category, placed an impressive 279th overall among 17,877 finishers and, perhaps most significantly, delivered exactly the kind of disciplined, progressive performance that bodes so well for the marathon challenge ahead.

Elite Racing at Its Finest

The Big Half once again attracted a high-quality field, with some of Britain’s leading distance runners battling it out over the streets of London.

Kadar Omar Abdullahi took an impressive victory in the men’s race, crossing the line in 1:01:51. Last year’s winner, Jack Rowe, had to settle for second place in 1:02:10, with Zak Mahamed completing the podium in 1:02:43.

Andy Butchart finished fourth in 1:03:08, while Phil Sesemann rounded out the top five with a time of 1:04:50.

The women’s race saw Eilish McColgan claim victory in 1:10:54, an outstanding performance that placed her 41st overall. Jessica Warner-Judd finished second in 1:12:13, taking 53rd place overall.

With elite athletes producing performances of that calibre at the sharp end, the mass-participation field had plenty of inspiration as it made its way towards Greenwich. Among those enjoying an excellent day was Bournemouth AC’s own Barry Dolman, who was busy putting together a race of his own.

Building Towards Chicago

The Big Half was another important step in Barry’s preparations for the Chicago Marathon, and the signs heading into London were already encouraging.

His previous outing at the Stur Half had seen him finish in just under 1:23. That was a respectable performance, particularly given the combination of a very hot day and a decidedly hilly course. Nevertheless, Barry knew there was considerably more in the tank and arrived in London with his sights firmly set on breaking the 1:20 barrier.

There was good reason for that confidence.

Earlier in the year, Barry had claimed a bronze medal at the British Masters 10K Championships in Chichester, recording a personal best of 35:49 in the process. That was followed by a superb 2:48:32 at the Barcelona Marathon, another PB that placed him 134th in the Abbott World Marathon Majors Age Group rankings.

Not content with that, he then backed it up with a 2:50 clocking at the Cape Town Marathon, a performance of real quality on a more undulating route.

His most recent London appearance had provided further evidence of his remarkable consistency. At the Saucony 10K, Barry had stormed to 36:54, finishing 180th out of 13,868 runners and topping the M55–59 rankings by almost four minutes.

With that sort of form behind him, a serious assault on the sub-80-minute half marathon was entirely justified.

A Course Built for a Spectacle

The Big Half offers a memorable journey through the capital, combining some challenging early sections with iconic landmarks and an atmosphere that builds as the race progresses.

The opening mile takes runners towards Limehouse Tunnel, with a slight downhill gradient providing an early temptation to get carried away. By the fourth mile, the route brings runners into Canary Wharf, where the surroundings and crowds provide a welcome boost.

Further along, Tower Bridge offers one of those unforgettable London running experiences. It is a landmark that never seems to lose its impact, even for runners who have raced through the capital on numerous occasions.

The final destination is Greenwich, where the crowds become particularly raucous. The appearance of the Cutty Sark as runners turn onto the finishing straight provides a spectacular backdrop for the final push towards the line.

It is a course that rewards runners who can balance ambition with restraint, and Barry would need to get that balance just right if he was to give himself the best possible chance of achieving his target.

Fortunately, pacing has long been one of his strengths.

Patience Pays in the Opening Miles

One of Barry’s defining characteristics as a runner is his discipline. He rarely charges off at an unsustainable pace, preferring to settle into his rhythm before gradually increasing the pressure as the race unfolds.

The Big Half’s slightly downhill opening mile might have encouraged a more aggressive start, but Barry resisted the temptation to go chasing an early advantage.

His opening mile came in at 6:10, followed by a measured 6:26 and 6:24 for the next two miles.

That put him through 5K in approximately 19 minutes.

It was a sensible beginning to a race that still had plenty of twists and turns ahead. There was no unnecessary expenditure of energy, no attempt to force the pace before the race had properly developed. Instead, Barry was allowing himself the opportunity to build momentum and make his move when the time was right.

The fourth mile saw him return to 6:10 before he stepped up the pace considerably, clocking an impressive 5:44 for mile five.

That was a clear statement of intent.

He followed it with a 6:01 sixth mile, reaching 10K in 37:50. His second 5K split of 18:47 represented a substantial improvement on the opening section and demonstrated exactly the sort of progressive running that has become his trademark.

The sub-80 target was very much alive.

Finding His Rhythm

With the race entering its middle stages, Barry settled into a strong, sustainable tempo, keeping his next three miles just over the six-minute-per-mile mark.

It was another example of his ability to maintain control while continuing to make progress. Rather than allowing the excitement of the race or the growing fatigue to dictate his pace, he kept things measured and consistent.

Then came mile ten, which he covered in 5:57.

As the race moved towards its decisive stages, Barry was still running strongly and showing no sign of a significant loss of momentum. His early restraint was paying dividends, leaving him in a position to maintain a fast tempo through the closing miles.

For his final three miles, he continued to run at around six-minute-mile pace, or marginally quicker, holding his form and refusing to let the pace slip when the effort inevitably began to bite.

This was not a case of hanging on for dear life. Barry was still racing, still working his way through the field and still giving himself every opportunity to produce something special.

Eight Seconds Short, But a Performance to Savour

The closing stages brought the promise of a memorable finish, and Barry delivered.

He crossed the line in 1:20:07, recording a tremendous personal best and finishing second in the M55–59 category.

The only slight disappointment was the proximity of the sub-80-minute barrier. Eight seconds. That was all that separated Barry from the milestone he had targeted before the race.

It was, inevitably, a bittersweet outcome.

When a runner gets so close to a goal, those final few seconds can be difficult to ignore. There will always be the temptation to look back at an individual mile or wonder whether a slightly quicker section might have made the difference.

But the wider picture tells a far more compelling story.

Barry had produced a superb PB, finished second in his age category and placed 279th overall in a field of 17,877. His average pace was an impressive 6:04 per mile, and his performance had been built on patience, consistency and a strong finish.

There was certainly no cause for disappointment in the quality of the run itself. Eight seconds might have separated him from a sub-80 clocking, but they did nothing to diminish what was an outstanding performance.

And the race statistics provided further evidence of just how well he had judged his effort.

A Masterclass in Moving Through the Field

Barry’s progress through the field was particularly impressive.

After the opening 5K, he was positioned 456th among the male runners. Rather than slipping backwards as the race progressed, he steadily worked his way through the competition, ultimately climbing to 259th male.

That is precisely how you want to run a half marathon.

While others may have paid the price for an overly ambitious start, Barry’s controlled opening and sustained pace allowed him to pick off runners throughout the race. His position improved as the miles passed, reflecting both his excellent preparation and his ability to manage his effort.

It was a textbook example of the benefits of disciplined pacing. The opening miles were controlled, the middle section was strong, and the closing stages were fast enough to ensure that he continued to make progress all the way to Greenwich.

For a runner building towards a marathon, that ability to maintain a consistent effort and finish strongly is particularly encouraging.

Chicago Calling

The Big Half was always intended to be part of Barry’s build-up for Chicago, rather than an end in itself. Yet it has provided a very useful indication of where he stands.

The personal best was excellent. The second-place finish in the M55–59 category was another fine achievement. And the way he executed the race, gradually increasing his pace and working through the field, was perhaps the most encouraging aspect of all.

His recent record speaks for itself: a British Masters 10K bronze medal and 35:49 PB, a 36:54 performance that topped the M55–59 charts at the Saucony 10K, a 2:48:32 marathon PB in Barcelona and a strong 2:50 in Cape Town.

Now he has added another half-marathon PB to that impressive collection.

The sub-80-minute target will surely remain within reach, and it would be no surprise to see Barry return to the challenge with renewed determination. But with Chicago on the horizon, the immediate takeaway is that he is in excellent shape and appears to be building towards his marathon target in exactly the right way.

There is always a temptation to focus on the eight seconds that got away. However, Barry’s performance deserves to be remembered for everything he achieved rather than the tiny margin by which he missed one particular milestone.

A tremendous personal best, second place in his age category and a perfectly judged race from start to finish. Chicago cannot come soon enough.