My first half marathon

Not lying.... it hurt!

‘There’s a half marathon in September, it’s only February it will be fine‘.

… those immortal words by my wonderful running buddies who over the last year have become more than that; just great friends.

In February we had already signed up to the Great South Run so what’s another 3 miles a month before just for practice? Well…. quite a lot as I soon found out!

I won’t bore you with the whole  running history but suffice to say in August last year we graduated from c25k with Portsmouth Joggers so I’m really inexperienced with a few 10k races under my belt.

We picked the Running Grand Prix at Goodwood because it was close to home, it was flat (ish) and it was in September! I didn’t tell anyone until the day I was doing it because I just wanted to do it and get on with it. I already put enough pressure on myself.

So on the 17th September 2018 I ran my first half marathon… I have run a few races over the last 12 months so I kind of knew what to expect and each time learn something new.

What I liked about the Running grand prix was how well organised it was even down to the parking. With 3000 runners you would have thought it would have been mobbed but no, they had staggered the timings so well. Queue for the toilet though was a different matter.

I had a great pre massage on my legs. Didn’t realise they were so knotty and it was sore I was walking on air afterwards. This was a new thing is learnt from the Eastleigh 10k race was a pre massage helped a lot.

We mulled around for bit until being called up for our warm up….. now that is where I was starting to get nervous. I’m really doing it! Why? So many mixed emotions were going through my head.

Then the start up; at the back (where I am comfortable) and I’m fine with that #partyattheback. I’m so lucky that I have an amazing group of friends who want to run with me, so on Sunday there was 4 of us.

It’s a lapped race and 5 laps round Goodwood race track doesn’t sound so bad…. saying it and running it are two different things though. However, it was a fantastic atmosphere, the crowds and marshalls were amazing as was Stig! All the way round there was music blaring, a Mexican band, marshalls willing you on and the runners were supportive of each other. Yes even the Southampton and Portsmouth runners played nicely together!

Oh and the gels…. I think I tried every flavour going of the GU I think the salted caramel was my favourite.

What about my running? Yes well I had Tourettes half the way round and I’m not going to lie it was really hard as the most I’ve run is 8 miles so 13 was a new venture. We had a plan though and we ‘Jeffed’ it which really worked until towards the end when 15 minutes of running seemed an eternity.

My claim to fame? Oh yes Chris Evans (currently radio 2) shouted out to us ‘come on pompey joggers!’.

We crossed the finish line together in 2 hours 50. Am I happy with that? Yes and no… yes as it was under 3 hours for a first and no as I had 2 hours 30. But there will be next time to beat my current on … I’ve just signed up to the Gosport half marathon on 18th November…..

And no…. I’m not in tartan because I was waiting for my leggings to arrive which will be unvealed at the Great South Run! The Tartan Running will truly commence then.