15 September 2008 - Bristol Half Marathon
I ran in the Bristol half marathon on Sunday 14 Sep. It was a cracking day, probably a little too warm for running 13 miles though. Kerry was there to support me which was fantastic cos it all helps :o) I don't run at all normally but I wanted to do it just to see if I could do it. I started training in June doing 4.5 mile runs to and from work on quite a hilly route. I was consistently clocking 32 mins for that run so I set myself a target of 1 hour 40 mins for the 13 miles. I also did one 10 mile run about rwo weeks before the race and managed 1 hour 12 mins which put me on track for a 1 hour 35. This gave my confidence a real boost. Come race day and I was pretty nervous but all the advice I'd read said eat properly and trust in your training so I did. Once I we got under way and the crowds thinned out a bit a was able to get upto a comfortable but quick pace. Its amazing the difference running in big groups make, you just want keep up with those running a bit faster than you, you just seem to run a bit quicker than if you are by yourself. Anyway I wasnt clock watching. I told myself at the start that I would just run my race and accept whatever time i got but I did notice as I went through the 9 mile marker I was on 59 mins which put me well inside my target. Then it all started to go wrong. The left insole in my trainers was starting to rub the underside of my foot and before long I had a raw blister, I just blocked it out. Also everybody said the last 3 miles are hell and I was expecting it but it still hurt and I mean really hurt, you just want to stop, it becomes a mental battle rather than physical (for me anyway), you become pretty unaware of your surroundings. I cant remember much of the last few miles of the route. But THEN, you realise you're inside the last mile, and then the last few hundred metres, you legs are dead, your chest is tight and your lungs are burning but from somewhere you manage to find enough energy to pick the pace up a few notches, your stride lengthens and you're sprinting for that oh so beautiful FINISH line! I stopped my watch and looked down and saw 1:27......a double take and another look, definitley a 1:27. Shit. I've totally smashed my target time. I'm man enough to admit that that coupled with my current emotionally exhausted state meant that I had a lump in my throat and tears in my eyes. So there we go, I can tick the 'Do a half marathon' box and I've done it with a semi respectable time. My top 5 tips for novice half marathon runners:
I ran in the Bristol half marathon on Sunday 14 Sep. It was a cracking day, probably a little too warm for running 13 miles though. Kerry was there to support me which was fantastic cos it all helps :o) I don't run at all normally but I wanted to do it just to see if I could do it. I started training in June doing 4.5 mile runs to and from work on quite a hilly route. I was consistently clocking 32 mins for that run so I set myself a target of 1 hour 40 mins for the 13 miles. I also did one 10 mile run about rwo weeks before the race and managed 1 hour 12 mins which put me on track for a 1 hour 35. This gave my confidence a real boost. Come race day and I was pretty nervous but all the advice I'd read said eat properly and trust in your training so I did. Once I we got under way and the crowds thinned out a bit a was able to get upto a comfortable but quick pace. Its amazing the difference running in big groups make, you just want keep up with those running a bit faster than you, you just seem to run a bit quicker than if you are by yourself. Anyway I wasnt clock watching. I told myself at the start that I would just run my race and accept whatever time i got but I did notice as I went through the 9 mile marker I was on 59 mins which put me well inside my target. Then it all started to go wrong. The left insole in my trainers was starting to rub the underside of my foot and before long I had a raw blister, I just blocked it out. Also everybody said the last 3 miles are hell and I was expecting it but it still hurt and I mean really hurt, you just want to stop, it becomes a mental battle rather than physical (for me anyway), you become pretty unaware of your surroundings. I cant remember much of the last few miles of the route. But THEN, you realise you're inside the last mile, and then the last few hundred metres, you legs are dead, your chest is tight and your lungs are burning but from somewhere you manage to find enough energy to pick the pace up a few notches, your stride lengthens and you're sprinting for that oh so beautiful FINISH line! I stopped my watch and looked down and saw 1:27......a double take and another look, definitley a 1:27. Shit. I've totally smashed my target time. I'm man enough to admit that that coupled with my current emotionally exhausted state meant that I had a lump in my throat and tears in my eyes. So there we go, I can tick the 'Do a half marathon' box and I've done it with a semi respectable time. My top 5 tips for novice half marathon runners:
- Get your entry in early, these things always sell out quickly
- DO THE TRAINING!! Really, otherwise you're in for a world of pain.
- Depending on your base level of fitness I found 3 months of training to be about right, but everybody is different
- Get a pair of running shoes that fit, they dont have to be expensive, they just have to fit properly
- Remember to enjoy it on the day, ok your legs will hurt for a few days afterwards but the sense of achievment is so worth it