This was a Runthrough event; they seem to put on a squillion running events around London, which for some reason made me feel it was slightly less legitimate than one of the established runs. But hey, I had to get one under my belt sometime, and 13 .1 miles is 13.1 miles, right?
As we arrived the weather forecast was for heavy rain and boy, was it bracing and grim at 8.00 am. A shivering band was playing Razorlight and Kooks covers on a stage, no doubt wishing they were still in bed, and I couldn't help feeling maybe I should have waited for Spring. Especially given the annoying cough and erm, digestive issues that had been troubling me for the couple of days beforehand. Nervous anticipation perhaps? Anyway, coats off and bags dropped at the last possible minute and into the start pen for the aptly named 'Grey Wave'. The organisation was pretty much faultless and all 3-4,000 of us were off and running after a perfunctory warm up - it took around 4 minutes for us to get to the start line.
I'd set my Garmin somewhat optimistically to tell me if I was behind 8 minute mile pace, but I was running the first mile with my friend in a lot of congestion and was soon 30 seconds behind that. As the field started to open up and I started to relax, I felt I could start to push on. The course at this part was pretty uninspiring - past the Copper Box and towards the BT Sport studios and the A12 - rather like running around an industrial estate! But we're 4 miles in, I've passed the 2 hour pacer, and because the course is ridiculously twisty (surely designed by a toddler with an Etch-A-Sketch), I can see the 1.50 pacer ahead - and it looks doable.
The course moves into prettier, more parkrunesque territory past the velodrome (cool) and I take my first water around 6 miles in. Oh, and a truly disgusting pouch of Gu salted caramel... I don't know what you'd call it... ectoplasm perhaps. Anyway, if someone tries to push this stuff on you, 'just say no' kids. At least it gives me something to think about other than how the cheery Marshalls with their tambourines are keeping their spirits up in the cold. But the rain is holding off, and in nicely warmed up.
Around 7-8 miles my nascent knee niggles start to raise their head, along with a bit of a pull in the back of my right thigh. And my bladder feels a bit like a barrage balloon. Don't you even dare think about it. The course is mostly flat, with a few deceptive little hills, but nothing like my usual hilly HM training route and unless that hamstring pings I reckon I'm on for a decent time by this point - I've pulled back a few seconds per mile and am pretty much at target pace.
I've promised myself a few jelly babies when I get to 10 miles, and I start to feel a bit euphoric and giddy. I want to offer them round to the people around me but they all seem pretty focused. The jelly babies must gee me up. It's either that or the inevitable cry of 'There's only a parkrun to go' from a marshall, as mile 11 is my quickest of the whole race. Then we're back up a slightly evil hill, wending it's way back towards the Olympic stadium (sorry Hammers fans, it'll always be the Olympic stadium to me). Nearly there though, and my leg problems are long forgotten.
My 'ideal scenario' timing is tantalisingly close and I've left enough for a highly undignified sprint finish. I don't often feel a true runners high, but I definitely get that immediately when I cross the line - what a brilliant feeling.
After collecting the ludicrous bling, t-shirt I'll likely never wear and a banana, we hobble off to the car and homewards for a celebratory pint and lunch, and to check the chip timings (how the heck do they get them up so quickly). That undignified sprint turns out to have been worthwhile as I've dipped under 01h45m by one second. I'm not going to deny it, I'm absolutely chuffed.
Thanks to NHS Couch to 5k for getting me here, to those who waved their pom-poms, and thanks to everyone on this forum for sharing your running stories.
Quiet member, tortoise-like runner, but I completed the Royal Parks HM - thank you everyone
Post hm running is hard work!
“I don’t do hills”
First half marathon completed
Further race report
