RACE REPORT - BRIGHTON MARATHON

[Pippa49]

Well I made the start line. All was going OK until 9miles then the wheels came off mentally. I was in tears intermittently but kept going. A Marshall asked how I was but I can't remember what I said other than I was determined to get to the half marathon point first if I was going to stop. The crowd was awesome. It was really windy and the wind was bitter. I am OK now but I got a medal which I felt a fraud for taking as I did not do the full distance but a lot of people on the running groups I am in said I earnt it for the effort I made. Was feeling sorry for myself a bit yesterday but OK now.

[roseabi Ultramarathon]

Pippa! I'm so glad you posted this, as I was wondering what happened to you.

Your friends are right, you earned that beautiful medal, I am so sorry that you had a bad time. Well done for pushing on to half way, that wind was really really nasty.

You are such a determined woman, you have always impressed me enormously - massive kudos to you xxxxxxxxxx

[Pippa49 Half Marathon in reply to roseabi]

Thanks Roseabi. The run itself up to 9miles was fine it was just my body that had had enough. I did what was right for me. What was hard was people congratulating me with me knowing I hadn't done the full distance and I felt a fraud. I am sure there will be some that will say I shouldn't have taken the medal. Noone has yet.

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon]

Yesterday I did a half along the coast. The headwind was brutal all the way. It totally messed with my head as it was entirely unpractised! It meant so much extra effort was required of my legs and my head. As our finish arch appeared on the horizon someone said to me 'we're glad it's not a marathon as we'd have to do all that again' and I replied 'with this wind it's like we came twice as far already!'

If you weren't going to make the full distance in those conditions it would have been so easy to stop at 9 - to push on so much further was a real show of determination: you ran your own marathon, and deserve a medal for sure. Be nice to yourself now and recognise your achievement🏃‍♀️

[Pippa49 Half Marathon in reply to linda9389]

Thanks Linda9589. I am being cautious about who I tell as I don't know if they may disagree about getting a medal of you didn't do the full distance. I feel safe mentioning it on here or on the other running group pages but I am expecting at some point for someone to say something.

[Pippa49 Half Marathon in reply to Pippa49]

Sorry got the last bit of your profile name wrong sorry Linda 9389.

[Bluebirdrunner]

I totally agree with Roseabi and Linda, Pippa. Of course you earned that HM medal..you ran it!

Even though you felt terrible and wanted to stop, you kept pushing til you did the HM distance, which shows lots of grit and determination 💪

I know you trained for the full Marathon distance, and can understand why you are a bit disappointed. BUT...life happens and if your body says no...you have to listen.

Congratulations on running the HM distance in that bitter wind, its so much more than I have ever dreamed of, and I commend you for it.🙆

Honestly you are amazing, don't listen to anybody who says differently.😊xxx

[SaskAlliecat Half Marathon]

I was thinking of you yesterday wondering how it was going. I'm so glad you posted. Kudos to you for carrying on after hitting the wall at 9 miles. You may not have made the FM distance but to push on to get to the HM is huge, especially with a bitterly cold wind. 4 miles is a long ways when your body says "No!". That is some serious determination. Congrats!

[Oldfloss Administrator]

Chin up!

You did really well and those headwinds are dire... Maybe you did not get to that FM..but pushing on to the HM... wow...that took some determination.

Time to regroup... and build back up slowly to your next adventures.

Well done you!

[Pippa49 Half Marathon in reply to Oldfloss]

Thanks. It does make me smile as had an email from the organisers congratulating me on my marathon. Surely they must know that I did not cross the other timing mats after mile 9 (there was no timing mat at the half marathon point) so not sure if there were any at the other points. However I crossed the finish line. I do have photos which I would have anyway.

[Oldfloss Administrator in reply to Pippa49]

Maybe time to rethink Pippa... and build up to some comfy HMs instead of Marathons ?

I know i found my first HM a really long way! Especially the last mile.

I intend now to spend sometime building up my distance slowly and steadily and hopefully improve my time...

For me enjoyment is what it is all about... xx

[Pippa49 Half Marathon]

Maybe. I am considering sending the medal back as I am not entitled to it as I did not do the full distance. I have to try again and if I don't finish again then I will stick to halves but I will run out of halves that have generous cut off times soon.

[Oldfloss Administrator in reply to Pippa49]

You do what you feel you need to Pippa...only you know how you feel.

What about some other race distances... I have a 10K on September for example...and there are lots of local, all distance races out there. I am a great believer in being kind to yourself..

You are doing amazingly... maybe time to be kind to yourself too .. only my thoughts though xxx

[Madge50 Marathon in reply to Pippa49]

I think you’re very brave pippa, personally I wouldn’t have taken the medal, as I don’t think that’s right, and would belittle those who had completed the whole distance - please don’t think I’m being horrid, and please don’t take offence, I’m just sharing my opinion - that’s a choice for you to make, only you know how you’ll feel every time you look at it, or if anyone comments on it.

There are others on this forum who did that event and didn’t make the whole distance and they don’t have medals.

For me, my medals mean so much, they may not mean much to others, but they are precious to me and I am mightily proud of them.

Hope you’re back out there, getting towards that goal soon

Mx

[Pippa49 Half Marathon in reply to Madge50]

No I don't think you are horrid and I said to the organisers I would send it back but they said no need. I have told people that I didn't finish it so I am not saying I did the marathon. I know I didn't regardless whether I have the medal or not.

[Madge50 Marathon in reply to Pippa49]

And don’t forget, what you did achieve was no easy thing! A HM is hard enough, do be proud of what you did manage, many others wouldn’t be able to.

Onwards, ever onwards......🏃‍♀️💪

Mx

[marco83 Marathon]

I know how you feel, and tryst me any runner has felt the same at least once

You know how they say... a marathon is hundreds of miles of preparation; the actual race is only the lap of honour ! I am sure you’ll finish next , a bad day can happen and there is nothing wrong with accepting recognition that you trained and tried!

Think about all your training, be proud of what you accomplished and sign up for other races, you can always try again next year

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon]

I’m a lurker on this forum Pippa. I have nothing but massive respect for all you long distance runners, and I know I’ll never achieve what you guys do.

You did what your body was able to do on the day and more. Stopping at 9 miles would have been the easy option, so grinding out the extra 4+ miles to run a HM is huge. The conditions didn’t suit you for the full thing this time. But you ran a huge distance. You are awesome. Please don’t be hard on yourself. ❤️

[Biddy62 Half Marathon]

Pippa, I can’t add the photo I want to add (tech dumbo) but the poster says

‘A marathon is 100’s of training miles - the final 26.2 are just your lap of honour’

And it’s true. You put in the effort and just did a shorter lap of honour! Be proud that only 1% of the population even attempt a marathon. So many of us on here only aspire to being able to put in that effort and many more can’t even consider it. You did fab!

Hang that medal somewhere proud. (Even if that’s only inside your wardrobe door😃). Let it be your inspiration. Tackle a few 10ks hang the medals next to it. Maybe tackle a HM or 2 - hang your medals closer to it. Who knows you may be able to tackle another FM in the next year or so. And know for sure you can do it. Let your body recover this week and you will surely feel better. You’ve run further than many of us and much of that when your body said no. Well done 👍🏻 🏅

Hope you feel better soon 😊

[Pippa49 Half Marathon in reply to Biddy62]

Thanks. I have already done two half marathons this year. Did two last year the first being my first ever half marathon.

[Biddy62 Half Marathon in reply to Pippa49]

Wow well done!! Planning to tackle my first half this autumn.

You still did fab!! 😊