 |
| Me and Naggy neighbough (Karin) |
Yesterday must have been one of the warmest starts to April I have known! Not just because of the wonderful, glorious sunshine that we have but also because I was running half marathon while suffering from this stupid 'change of life' thing which seems to be compulsory for us ladies! I was looking forward to this half marathon, the last time I did it the weather was just awful. It was raining and very windy! I even dared to think that maybe, just maybe....! But then I kicked myself, never be to complacent and think you can beat your PB! It will always be down to hard work!
This year, I hadn't put in the same amount of hard work as I did in 2015! When I did it then I had trained a lot more, this year my longest run before hand was 9 miles, and then about 8 miles. I should have done at least another 2 long runs before I turned up for this one! But it's too late now. I just have to get on with the job in hand!
NaggyNeighbour was doing it too, in fact she is the reason that I am doing it this year (and we shall be putting out names down again next year!) She is using this as one of her training runs, and also to beat her time from 2015! We had to leave extremely early to deliver her lad to her friends for the morning and afternoon as it happened, which meant that my alarm was set for 6:30 so that I could be ready for 7 am! I know, ridiculously early for a Sunday morning!
We set up 'Wendy' (thats Naggys name for her Sat Nav.....don't ask!) and we drove on towards Paddock Wood. We amused our selves on the drive there, especially with one particular person in what I can only describe as a Ferrari wanna be! It' could well have been the most expensive car......in the world (think Jeremy Clarkson and I bet you said it in his voice) but for me and Naggy, it looked like just a wannabe sports car, going vroom, vroom! We watched as he thought about overtaking the car in front and then decided that he couldn't do it, because he would have to overtake two cars! Well you can tell that we were not talking tactics about how to run this, we were just keeping everything nice and easy fun.
We arrived at Paddock Wood with loads of time to spare, and we even managed to get a parking space so very near to the start/finish line! We walked over to the start and straight away queued for the loos! It's the first thing that has to be done. The young lady looking after the toilet sections was so busy calling out to us waiting in line as each cubicle became empty "There's one, here's one, one over here" she kept the loo line moving along smoothly as her head darted left right and behind her! Excellent loo marshal!
We met up with a few other PWR's while we were there, there were quite a few of us running, but we didn't meet up with all of them. After putting out bags in at the baggage drop it was time to get to our starting point. The anticipation was exciting, the weather was so warm, sun shining brightly, people were talking all around us, and I started to think that I could, really could, get a...! There I said, I thought, I almost said it out loud "No, I am not going to say it" I said to Naggy, and she said "No don't" I tried not to think about it!
I heard the buzzer, or hooter, or whatever it was they used to start the race go off! The crowd moved forward, then stopped, then moved forward again, a bit faster this time. Then we were walking faster and before I knew it we were running, running towards the mats that will record the exact time we pass over them. "See you at the end" Naggy called to me, "Have a great run, see you when I get back" I said to her confidently! Because if there is one thing that I was sure of, I will finish this race, whether or not being woefully under trained or not, I will finish!
The first thing we face is the hump bridge! It's ok going over it now but coming back it is going to look like Mount Kilimanjaro! This run is fairly flat actually, at least, there are not any noticeable lumps apart from one which is after the first mile or so! It's just as well they organised it this way, get it over and done with while we got fresh legs. I ran up some of it, not all of it, but some of it! I could have done with some water though. I was all prepared (kit wise, not fit wise) for this run the night before. I had my running clothes ready, my number firmly fixed to my club top, water bottle found, ready to fill in the morning, clean change of clothes and 'anti-ming' in my bag. But when I left the car with Naggy to walk to the start I forgot to bring my water! That's ok, I know Paddock Wood have water stations, it will be fine. But I was thirsty!
Just as we turned left to head for the dreaded hill I saw Martin, one of our PWR's he was spectating! I high fived him as I ran pass. For the first 4 miles I kept at a nice steady pace, I was 'doing a Geoffy" as it's known. The run/walk method. A built in run/walk. I started off with it straight away. Run for a mile walk for 30 seconds-1 minute, but no more. That was my plan. It's what got me through the marathon both times so I knew it would get me through this. The next couple of miles I was making more walking sections! I was telling myself off. But there were a couple of people that were near me that just kept me going. "Why you walking, come on, you can do this!" they said to me, and they got me running again....until my proper walking time that is! Yes I still did my 'official' walking sections.
I was thinking that I should have bought my Dextrose....ok so I wasn't fully prepared with my kit, the night before, I had forgotten to put dextrose in my bag! At the first mile or so there was someone offering jelly babies, I think I should have taken them, even if I kept them for just that moment when I needed them! Fortunately there were other people that were offering sweeties, well I hope it was offering sweeties otherwise there was a very angry little boy telling everyone that one of the runners stole his sweeties! But they did taste so good and gave me a little boost for a while.
I think it was about that time that I started to chat to one of the runners, I later found out her name was Tina (when Keith on the p.a. system announced our names on returning). Well she was doing her first half marathon. I also found out that the furthest she had ran before was about 3 miles! I was flabbergasted! My gaster had truly been flabbered! So by then she had ran her most miles! I know it was a bit mean but I felt that I needed to keep in front of her or at least by her side! You know sometimes you find a race, and you stick to that person like glue until the end few meters when you fly pass them to the finish line! Well, I normally chose my 'race' with people I can never catch up to! By poor Tina was my race, I needed to keep her behind me or in front. Usually I like to chat to people, to keep them encouraged and to keep going, but I knew that I was going to struggle towards the end because I was already aching!
The next few miles I really started to feel the heat! I love the sun, I really do, I am a summer person, but when I'm running I want cloud cover! The sponge stops were great! A huge bucket with hundreds of sponges in water were at the ready to cool you down. As I was running towards them I saw one runner get a huge bucket of water thrown over her! I was hoping that particular watering wasn't compulsory! I grabbed my sponge and then ran pass the 'bucket throwers' making sure I didn't make eye contact with them.....just in case!
By the time I was at mile ten I was thinking if they had a 'scoop-em-up' bus or something. But I quickly abandoned that thought! I didn't quit in the two marathons I did and am I certainly not going to quit now! I told myself off, slapped my arse and moved on towards the drinks station which was there. This time there was also some sweeties. And just for those who may have OCD they had separated all the colours! I thought it was marvellous! It saves you just grabbing at them not getting your favourite....although my favourite jelly baby wasn't their, I like the black ones! There was also the sponge stop there too and I spied Tina there, she was cooling her legs down! I didn't even know that she had got a head of me! How did that happen! I checked that she was ok, she had cramp in her legs and didn't know how to deal with it. I ran with her for a bit to make sure that she was ok and the went ahead of her. After a few minutes I felt a nasty sharp pain in my big toe! I had something in my shoe from the very beginning of the run, I didn't want to stop to sort it out, I just thought it would just be thrown about in the toe area as I ran, but this time as it was thrown about my toe came down on it and it stuck in my toe! Ouch!!! It felt like a piece of glass! I needed to get this out now, just in case it was something like glass. As I was taking my shoe off Tina came pass me "I see you are sorting that thing in you shoe now" she said to me! "It's a piece of rice!" I said to her as I found it and held it high to shoe her! I put my shoe back on and then tried to find somewhere a bit higher that I could put my foot on to do my shoe up!
By that time Tina was way in front of me! I didn't think I could catch her up! I had a little less than a parkrun to do and I was shuffling along at a snails pace! But I did catch her up and I did pass her! I made sure from that moment that I stayed in front of her. I should have chatted to her, I should have ran next to her and kept her company, but she was my race, and she didn't know it! But she helped me stayed focused, I shall thank her when she crosses the line!
The last couple of miles seemed to pass in a blur, I knew I was going to finish, that was never in doubt, not even when I was thinking if they had a 'sweep-up' bus. People cheered me, they called my name, I think having my name printed on my club shirt was one of my sensible ideas, because on race days there's nothing more encouraging than to hear people call out your name urging you to keep going!
I was soon on the main road, the hump bridge name renamed Kilimanjaro, was there! The road had been re-opened, I am definitely slower than last time, last time the road was still closed! I felt disappointed with myself for being slower! Over the bridge and on towards the last left turn which leads to the finish line! People were shouting and cheering, the finishers were all calling out, I saw some that I knew who were calling out to me, Ali and her friends! I was knackered, I really was! Then I heard my name being called out by Keith! That made me run a bit faster and I crossed the mats and stopped! With my hands on my knees I gathered my thoughts, my breath and my strength. And then I heard Keith say that Tina was coming up! I look be hind me and I called out her name, "Come on, you can do this Tina" I shouted. She crossed the line and then came up to me to hug me! That's when I found out that she was using me to pace her! See what I mean about choosing your race!
It was a great day, I did it. I completely it! Not in a fast time and definitely not in style! But I did it! And I was pleased that I had indeed started, not given up and finished!
Here's my geeky stats, which tells the story!
No comments:
Post a Comment