Allerthorpe Half Marathon

Garmin time - 1.58.49... (ave pace 9.03) official time 1.59.02.. This was due to the chip mat being about 2 metres beyond the finish and it caught loads of people out... Goodness knows why they did that, I stopped pretty much on the finish line 'cause I thought I might throw up haha

Me all set to go in front of the Cafe at the lakeland park it started at.. It looks really sunny and at times it was but the wind made it really cold at times too... funny weather!

I left this picture in 'cause it shows the timing mats... the one at the finish line didn't register your time, the one after did?? WTF?! annoying!

Me at the start line.. I started near the back in an attempt to start slow.. still went off a bit fast haha

Runners at the front

And gooooooooooooo!

Mile 1 - 9.22
Started this mile a bit fast then made a conscious effort to slow down when I saw 8.20 average pace on the garmin... I knew I needed to start slow to finish... Keep some in the tank, that was my game plan all the way, run the first 6 miles easy then pick it up and pick people off one by one!

Mile 2 - 9.17
Got into my groove this mile, found myself in a small pack and vowed to stick with them!

Mile 3 - 9.15
Begun to move to the front of the pack.. I wasn't speeding up too much so I think they might have been slowing down a bit. The pace felt comfortable so I decided if I kept it around the 9.15 mark I would just run my own race and see how it went!

Mile 4 - 9.12
I saw another group a little bit ahead and started pushing to join them.. I did relatively easily I think generally at this point people were slowing a bit.. The sun was hot and I think it was zapping people's energy levels.. I was still ok at this point as I was sticking to my plan.. My legs felt good and my breathing felt good and it was around here I started wondering if I could get that sub 2hr after all... I reminded myself that we were only a third of the way through and a lot could go wrong so not to get too excited haha. Although I had a bottle of lucozade with me I stopped at the water stop here and had a cup of water then carried on running. I was behind one girl at this point and stayed with her for a bit until I knew I could overtake her and keep my lead! I didn't want to overtake anyone who could overtake me back... and I managed this the whole race, no-one I'd overtook took over me, I was really proud about that!

Mile 5 - 9.17
I was starting to feel a little tired so I eased up on the pace a bit, ready to attack after mile 6! At some point between mile 4 and 5 I found myself at the front of the new group I'd joined I was hoping I'd soon see someone else in the distance so as not to get lost haha I eventually saw this woman and made it my goal to catch up to her

This was after the race of course hehe I couldn't resist saying hello to her beautiful little doggy who was very sweet!

Mile 6 - 9.11
I stuck with the woman in pink for a while before deciding to take off at the end of the mile the guy on the bike was biking with her to keep her company.. wonder if he did the triathlon in the morning!

Mile 7 - 8.59
I decided I wanted all the miles from here-on-in to begin with an 8... I almost did it!!

Mile 8 - 8.48
I was concentrating on picking people off one by one and maintaining my pace at around the 8.50 mark.. It wasn't easy but felt do-able!

Mile 9 - 8.50
A man in green overtook me here booo hisss we ran together for a while then he took off and my little legs weren't feeling it so I stuck at my pace feeling a bit grumpy ha

Mile 10 - 8.52
I was really starting to feel it in my legs now but I kept thinking only 4 miles, that's only 30 mins(ish) and you're done.. Don't slow down now!! I managed to overtake more people and that kept boosting my confidence and resolve to stay in the game.. It was mainly mental battles from here...

Mile 11 - 8.51
Could see mr green shirt in the distance... I thought I'm getting past you mr green shirt!! And I did! Hooray haha.. sorry mr green shirt :p I see a girl in red and decide I'm sticking with her. She seems to be running my pace so I make it my goal to stay right behind her... This comes at just the right time 'cause she speeds up right where I was starting to waver and realised I did have a bit more in the tank than I realised!!

Mile 12 - 8.54
I'm still keeping up with red shirt she's running hard though, still I think 2 more miles, those interval sessions are really helping my mental game right now. I'm thinking I've run two miles way more out of breath than this.. keep it up!! My legs have other ideas though and simply aren't going as fast as I would like them to... Usually it's my lungs that go but today my legs went.. suppose that's the lack of training lately, that and prancing about in high heels for hours on thurs and fri night... not the best half marathon preparation... Especially when teamed with alcohol... It does make me wonder what I could do at my best... Definitely doing this run again next year when I'm stronger!

Mile 13 - 9.01
Damn red shirt's getting away... she overtook a woman in green and I can't quite make it to them.. My legs are screaming and it's taking everything I have not to slow down too much.. I still manage to overtake one woman in this mile but she's walking. I wanted to shout don't give up we're almost there but couldn't find the breath... I saw my mum in this mile, she cheers and tries to take a picture but she missed me lol can't get the blog photographers hahaha

0.14 - 58s (6.54 pace)
Guess I did still have some in the tank! No idea where I pulled this sprint finish from!! I think I was just so happy to see the end!! I felt like I might be sick coming up to the end as the photo shows... I did not look a happy bunny crossing the line, but I soon perked up when it was over!

I'm in the distance behind the woman in green...

Here's a close up... goodness knows what anyone who knew anything about running would have to say about my form here haha my legs look crazy

Not looking too happy at the end haha

All in all I really enjoyed the race, I think I really like the half marathon distance! Bit gutted my official time is over 10 seconds slower than my actual time though. I hope they sort that out for next year or at the very least make it known to the competitors so they know to keep on going. If I'd been a minute slower I'd have missed out on my sub 2hr finish because of the timing mats... I would have been so gutted if that was the case... It really bugged me that it wasn't at the finish... I mean... Why?! Lol why put it 2 metres after? It makes no sense to me... oh well! Enough ranting and raving!!

My position was 87/135 apparently 160+ were registered but some didn't turn up and presumably there were also a few DNFs it was such a hot day... what is it about me doing half marathons in sweltering heat!! There was a strong wind too... which kind of helped with the heat but made running v. tough at times of course! Out of the women I came 26/52 so slap bang in the middle haha.. I'm already wondering which race I can sign up to next!! I'm tempted to do the humber bridge half anyway but I think since Mike proposed to me at it last year it might just be too hard.. God I can't believe how things have changed in a year :-( less than a year.. I don't get it really but what can ya do except carry on!

Managing a smile with my melon after downing some water

My dad took some pictures round the park while they waited.. seems like it was a nice scenic place, I was sad we didn't do any running in the actual park but the gravel would have made that pretty horrible!!

Here's a strange sand wall where birds were living in those holes!

And here's one of the lakes... very pretty!

So that's about it! I can hardly walk today but it hurts in a good way :-)