It's now.......goodness knows how many hours/days/weeks since the start of the half! I am not aching any more, (surprise, surprise). But the sense of achievement is still here, especially now when I feel a slight pain in my ankle after a fall, bringing back the memories of the pains I felt on that day, the twinges that was in my knees and my back! Yup, I finished it, and I am proud! Still!
So where do I start! At the beginning would be the best place, but where I should be starting is telling you all about that training I did, the hours and miles of pavement pounding, the runs with Normans Angels, Naggy and SnappyH. With the solo running listening to music, knocking out another 10 miler! That is where I should start......but I can't! I was woefully under trained again! Yes, I did track sessions with PhysioMikeTheMod and Jane, but not enough, yes I went out running with Naggy, but not enough and yes there were some great sessions at Norman Park with the Angels, but not enough! So, just like last year really! But unlike last year I am a year older possibly a little heavier, hmm, maybe slightly unfitter too! What a crazy lady I am!
Naggy drove me and SnappyH to Paddock Wood, we needed to be there early because Naggy had to meet some people for a photo opportunity or something, we also met up with loads of our PWR's too, I think there were nearly 80 of us running that day. We walked on pass Keith, the man with the p.a.! He's there every year, a great guy, he offered his help with his p.a. system to an event we organised for a local hero of ours, here in Petts Wood, James 'Running Man' Gilson. It's been five years since he passed away! Time just seems to fly by! Mind you I called out to Keith and say "Alright Robert" which is Keith's middle name! "Alright Moosh" he called back at me! That's my nickname by the way! It was way to early for me!
So there we were, queueing for the loos as usual, putting on race chips, club tee shirts, handing in our bags to the baggage drop and then......first picture of us!
See how happy we all looked, I think Naggy looked totally relaxed, although she has had her nemesis this time round,. Hannah was about to be experience her first half, so she was rather excited and probably and, no doubt, a whole host of other emotions, as for me I was just praying that I would get in with 3 hours! The weather was just perfect for running, probably the spectators would have said otherwise! It was a bit overcast and it was misty as we were driving there, it should keep us all cool for the run.
One last loo stop and then we joined in with the masses, well just over 2,000 people, but still a pretty big turn out!
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| This is us, waiting! |
That 'hill' soon loomed in front of me. It's the only nasty hill on the course, well, what I call nasty is what faster runners call a pimple! There were a couple of minor nasties to face as well, but that first one was always a shock to the system, especially when you have listened to everyone saying 'what a flat route that Paddock Half is!'. Yes I know I have done it several times before, but my mind plays tricks on me and I believe my mind when it says, "Yes, of course it's flat, it's as flat as a pancake" I very easily forgot that first hill, it felt like I was trying to run up the side of Ben Nevis!
I was at the back of the masses, I mean really right at the very back, with just a couple of other people behind me, beside me and just a couple of feet in front of me. "This is the party at the back!" said the ones behind me! I already started to feel a bit down with myself and decided that I needed to get up that hill and look like a PWR runner! I remember it was blimmin tough! I was literally blowing out all over the place, but I kept a professional compose! At least I didn't have to talk to anyone! Knowing I had done that first nasty hill I began to relax a bit. I thought "Let's just get this first parkrun distance done. Once that first one is out of the way, then I am sure I will relax a bit" It's daft, but I still do think I will relax. Thirteen miles, trying to run, is not a blimmin relaxing thing to do! Relaxing is sitting on your recliner, watching your fav movie, with a cuppa in one hand and a shortbread in the other. Relaxing is sitting by a pool, sun blazing down, a cool pool just feet away and a nice chap to bring you beer. Relaxing is not running 13 miles! But anyway, that is exactly what I was thinking!
I got to the three miles, bang on time......well, my time, knowing I still had 10 miles and a bit to go.
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| Ok so far! |
Mile 6 came up soon after making contact with Brian, that was the distance that I had done on my training runs, after that it will be the longest run of the year! New territory. I tried not to think about that, instead I thought about the fact I had done one 6 miler and now I was about to do another 6 miler. After all, I have done at least two already on my training runs! You can see how my mind was working! Great training right! Oh I just hoped that the track sessions was enough to get me through!
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| I even managed a smile here! |
There were plenty of cheers along the way and the marshals were just amazing. Knowing I was one of the back packers they were still totally on form. I remember last year there were a few more kids around, with the sticky boxes of sticky jelly babies. I would have eaten a few of those if they were around, I wouldn't even have minded if their hands had been in there! But I think I must have been a bit slower than the other years, not kids around and not a squidgy jelly baby to be had! I will just have to make sure that the curry I had the night before would still be doing it's magic!
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| A picture pains a thousand words! |
With just another parkrun to do.....and an extra mile, I was looking forward to finishing it. I was really beginning to hurt a bit now and then mile 10 came! Oh my goodness. This is where it started to go down hill........and no, that is not a great thing to be doing while running, because it's not the 'down hill' that I mean! I got this awful pain in my knee! Just landing on it from running was not good! From that point I just walked with a little jog in between! It was tough. But the marshals kept their cheers going, even the public that saw me gave me cheers, telling me it wasn't far to go!
I was so pleased to get that last parkrun done and dusted, I know it wasn't very pretty, going though the housing was a good feeling, knowing that just through it is the high street, the end is just at the other end! I was on the pavement by then, the lorry was collecting all the traffic cones. But I felt ok, it was my own fault, should have done the training!
So there I was, virtually crawling along the high street when the other knee decided to give me gip! Only this time my knee hurt even when I walked on it! What the heck was going on in my body! I am not that old yet, am I? All of a sudden as I ran passed the pub on my left the most almighty roar came, "Come on Donna, Donna, Go on!" I think the whole of the PWR competitors and their entourage was outside the pub! Oh my goodness, did I need to hear that just then! With my spirits well and truly given a kick up the arse I plodded along with my head held high, well, just a little bit more off my chest!
Just at the corner, where we had to turn to run to the finish line Naggy saw me! She looked quite concerned! Feck me, I must have been in a worse state than I thought I was. "Come on babe," she said to me as she ran up to me, "Just a little bit further, you got this" My goodness, deffo look worse that I thought I was, Naggy had never called me babe before!
Anyway, I got it, I finished it, I got my medal! Here, this is it,
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| Fecking Proud or what! |
Of course afterwards we needed to refuel, so the nearest pub and burger was called for! Here's a few more photos!
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| This worm calculated my speed and decided he could cross the road without getting squished! |
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| The field! |
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| Starters for lunch! |
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| The got back way before me! |
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