Just a few words about Warwick half. I try to be a little organised so the night before I do a gear check. It's all laid out so I can fall out the shower and into my race gear.
I dont live to far from Warwick so my warm up is a gentle 30 minute walk run to the registration point. I have my trackie bottoms and water proof jacket on so the drizzle doesn't dampen my spirits.
Arrive at Warwick race course. Check in at the pavillion tent, which was warm and cosy!! Say hi to a few faces and out to stay warmed up. It was at this point I realised how icey cold that rain was...
Anyway we all make our way to the start points. I position myself between the 2hr and 2:15 Pacers. A little optimistic perhaps but hell...let's go for it.
Hooter goes and were off. Nice gentle run through Warwick town centre and off out into the country side. I catch up with a friend from work who's doing the 12 in 12 challenge for a quick hi and a chat...
The course its self meanders through some of the smaller villages around Warwick and it's a really lovely run...but...the hills start coming...."undulating" it was described as on the website. Yeah right...quite an understatement that.
I had a race plan and race target! I'm sticking to it...my 5k checks confirm I'm there abouts...I'm feeling good. The miles are passing and my pace is constant. All the Burton Dasset hill running has paid off. I'm chugging past a few people struggling up the hills. I pick up a running buddy for a few miles but she drops off saying 5:20 to 5:40 Km's are taking a toll on her legs. Wish her good luck...focus.
Well these hills. They just keep coming..and coming and coming. About 10-11 miles in and i hit that barrier. My mind is telling me to quit this hill, stop and just have a lie down....I was so close to stopping....reached for an energy gell, gulped it down and swore at the hill.
From that point on it was hard but I was determined. My pace was dropping so I dug even deeper...last few kilometers...down hill and onto the flat...finish is in sight...nothing left for a sprint but I'm there...
My first half marathon race completed. Feelings of joy and a little relief as it was hard. I check my time..boom sub 2hrs done...target achieved. 1hr 58mins 18 seconds.
Bling collected. Banana down gulped a bottle of water and head of back to leam for a few beers and Sunday roast and relive the tales with my non running buddies π€£
One thing I have taken out of this is respect, total and utter respect for those that complete this hard distance.
I'll be back for more next year...π
Written by
Windoze
Half Marathon
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Wowsers! What a great time, with flippinβ hills too, I would have laid down and cried...π.......π.....hope your legs arenβt paying you back too much right now...π«
Well done windoze....the game is on for next year! π ππͺ
And I will certainly remember the trick to hills in my HM attempt in April - cussing and gelling π
Seriously, I'm glad to now be aware of, and mentally prepared for the HM version of the Wall you mentioned - I think I started hitting it just before the end of my ten miler without realising what it was. I'm now a bit more encouraged that I too can make the full distance
Got a couple of weeks til mine and it's great seeing all you guys complete yours. Totally agree with you in terms of respect - I can't actually comprehend at the moment how people manage a full marathon!
It's lovely seeing the photos as well! Must remember to not look too dishevelled at any point during mine π€£
Thank you piano teacher...as for trying to not look disheveled....I failed at that badly...good luck with your HM. Look forward to reading your race update
Honestly that photo is fine π There's a photo of me floating around somewhere which was taken at parkrun which is absolutely horrendous! I'm flat out sprinting whilst holding my son's asthma inhaler (I think we had pootled round and were having a ridiculous race over the last 150m π). It's a truly awful photo of me but in a way I'm a little bit proud of it x
Brilliant run - what a fantastic time! I don't understand people who are surprised by hills - before entering any event I map it out and take a look at the elevation profile - there's flat, and there's my flat, there's undulating, and there's my flat πππππ
Thank you Linda. Yes indeed next time I will follow your advice and check the elevation. Strangely enough I knew the area and thought it was hilly. It just never registered when you drove through..... πΆ
Wow! Well done Windoze! Big, big respect for running in those conditions! Fantastic time too!
We drove up the A46 on Sunday morning with runners going along a bridge above us back into Warwick - it looked thoroughly miserable out there π¦π¬π¦
I hope the Regency Run doesnβt βundulateβ as much π
Thanks Tails π wet and windy yes you only really notice it at the start! Leam 10k is pretty flat! They even skip the park run hill I believe....! See you there!! π
Such a brilliant inspiring post Windoze. I loved your almost step by step account of your race, I was envisaging being there with you. Iβm doing my first hm in Chester in May, scared of hitting that wall. I did the Rhyl 10 mile race last week, whilst it was ok, I couldnβt bear to think I had another 3.2 miles on top of this to run in the hm. Your post made my think I could do it. Massive well done to you Windoze. PS, do you think the gel made a different to those last miles? If, so which one did you take? Good luck in on all your future running.
Hi Ageless. Thank for your kind words. I look forward to hearing how your Chester HM goes. As for that "wall" yes I found the energy gel did help. I took 3 but only used 2. One at about 12k the other around 17k.
I usually use the SiS gels but these were Karrimor ones I had lying around...not every one gets on with them but personally I have no problems. Sports Direct sells singles so you can try one without spending a fortune π
'Undulating', I think maybe that's a red flag when you see it on race blurb! But you tackled it brilliantly, by all accounts. And a telling photo too - captures both the dreich weather, and your triumph!
Wow! That is a fantastic time - especially for a first HM! Great write up too! I completely agree about respecting the distance and in particular, anyone who takes on the challenge! It is no walk in the park - well done!ππ π
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