I will give a short summary - Hot and horrible hill at the end.
Slightly longer summary -
I had a chance of doing a race on Bank Holiday Monday (my other half works on Sunday's) I had a choice of races a 10k, 7 miler or a Half of course on a really hot day you go for the half! My fault I didn't book it till Saturday morning so could have checked the forecast easily!
But to be fair this race was never going to be a chance of a PB, it was to hot and the course to hilly. So I was just out there to enjoy the scenery and do the best I can. I don't enjoy running in the heat it saps my energy and feels like I am running through trickle. But I started off at a steady pace which I maintained pretty much all of it apart from a horrible hill at the end. The Kent countryside looked stunning in the summer sun and thankfully there a bit of tree cover over the road for maybe half the course. The marshalls were plentiful and with 4 water stations and lucky due to the heat a few Marshalls were handing out unofficial water bottles.
Half way round the vicar's daughter of the village we were running through started talking to us about how no one in the village will come and cheer us on because they are all boring and don't like fun, but the next village will be good and she was right!
I ran with a lady I know from parkrun who is in my picture and the guy gave me a lift. The group photo is group of runners who run at our parkrun called the bacon butty brigade they are a crazy lot. My friend who give me lift and the lady are from the rival running group Selfie sunday runners of Maidstone then there is me in my green shirt from the only proper running club the boring sounding Maidstone Harriers!
Things I learned :
1. I can run even when it's hot, just need someone to run with me!
2. I can just do a half when I want, no biggie (who would have thought)
3. A marathon is 26miles and not 24 miles (which i had in my head) which make a half slightly longer then I thought it was going to be. I blame me working in KM's and markers in Miles!
4. i still hate seeing people fall ill. We saw someone from our parkrun who had thrown up and was a bit out of it we made she was ok and made sure her husband who had finshed come find her.
5. errrrrr errrrrrr I think half distance is my fav.
6. Bling was ok
7. I have now done more race's this year than ever before! 4 Halfs!
8. 2hrs 18 minutes! pretty good I thought due to the heat and hills.
9. If it rains we complain if it's too hot we complain.
10. Chafing - When will I learn! (if you look closely at picture with me holding my medal you might see a tinge of red on my shirt)
Cardiff half marathon 🏴🏃🏽♀️✅
Half marathon here I come
Half marathon
My first (solo) half marathon 😁🥳🤸🏼♀️
