I felt quite nervous before the start and did wonder what on earth I was thinking of but it was too late to pull out in front of a lot of friends, and anyway, we had paid the entry fee.
The race starts from the High School Barnaby attends, runs through the streets for a while, which I really hate because I tuck myself in at the back and feel like everyone is watching me. Having said that, I do tell myself that at least I am running it and they are not!
After crossing the estuary by the harbour, the run starts a steady climb out of the town and this could easily be really off putting. I had already decided on a run/walk plan as my goal was to finish, not to even break my own record as I am carrying more weight. So the plan was to start a fast walk up the hill and then run walk the next undulating couple of miles. This worked well and I saw a good few other people in front having some walk breaks. The undulating bit is really pretty, along a tree lined country lane. A couple of very athletic people (not in the race) ran passed me and the chap said "get the jogging going again" just as I had started a walk break but I firmly told him I was on a run/walk plan and didn't allow myself to get discouraged.
The lane then meets another lane and there you meet the half marathon walkers who had set off at 11am and this is nice because you run passed people who have been walking for 9 miles and it's a good feeling. It's also the lovely down hill - again small country lane and by far the best part of the run. I passed quite a lot of the walkers. Right at the bottom of the hill the lane meets a larger road and it was here that the half marathon front runner overtook me. He was running an incredible pace but I had thought they would catch me up before that. I had forgotten my Garmin which at first I was really cross about but in the end I think it was good because I just kept pushing at the pace which was right for me.
The last 2 miles of this run are horrid. A long straight stretch passed houses, shops and right through the town centre. You are passing half marathon walkers and being passed by half marathon runners. That's the OK bit. The horrid bit is running past shoppers, feeling like you are dying and wanting to walk all the time. However, I wanted to run the most of this bit, mainly because it is the last few miles but also because I knew I could do it.
I love the last quarter of a mile of any race and this is not exception. It is back through houses and then comes into the school grounds. The beauty of doing the 7 mile run instead of the half marathon for a slow runner like me is that you are running in while there are still crowds there cheering everyone on. I felt quite emotional running up the finish line - and of course the family are so encouraging however slow I am. I was so tired at the end but had managed to run far more of it than I thought I would, so in the end it was a good thing not having my Garmin with me.
My time was 1 hr 34 min and my target time was under 1hr 45 min so I am really happy, proud and on my way back to running
Stay with me - it's hard!!!
Well done! Good on you sticking to your race plan when some well meaning eejit thinks they are encouraging. It's your running and your race, enjoy your journey to the marathon.
ReplyDeleteFiona xx