Vitality BigHalf Marathon

[Papillon17]

Well I did it, lots of standing around before as last wave to go and even more standing around after the finish. Well organised except after the finish did the penguin shuffle for 1 1/4 hours so got very cold and muscles seized up. Achieved a great time for my first official big distance of 2:11:41. Found I could not slow my pace down until I was totally knackered for the last three miles. Managed to control the negative thoughts and ran the whole distance even though mind said it’s a Parkrun now you can walk that. Raised £1565 so far in memory of mum and the Pilgrims Hospice. Our team of 4 fundraisers are now at£4662 would be so great to get to £5000.

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon]

Wow! That's fantastic. The distance. The time. The money raised. Amazing! Congratulations 👏👏👏

What was the penguin shuffle? Not a one and a quarter hour queue to get things and get out surely?

[Papillon17 Half Marathon in reply to linda9389]

Yes afraid it was from getting water and medal to getting out of one bit into the other for the tee shirt and clothing

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon in reply to Papillon17]

Oh my goodness, that's outrageous! I'll be interested to hear what other people say, but I've never experienced anything like that, even at LLHM in London or GSR, both pretty big events, I was all sorted within 15 mins or so! That must've been horrid yesterday 😥

[Papillon17 Half Marathon in reply to linda9389]

Muscles seize up and cold after 13 miles

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon in reply to Papillon17]

Yeah, really awful!

[benwill Marathon in reply to linda9389]

It was terrible my wait was 45minutes in waiting in that queue, never known anything like after a race. The wind was bitterly cold at least it wasn't raining.

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon in reply to benwill]

It's just atrocious! Did anyone explain why it took so long? It's not normal is it.

[benwill Marathon in reply to linda9389]

There was a main road which they hadn't closed between the finish/medals and food/bag pickup so had to stop traffic let people across in batches.

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon in reply to benwill]

I've just been reading some reviews - everyone has the same complaint! Sounds like it needs a rethink.

[benwill Marathon in reply to linda9389]

It's was a real shame because other then that it was a fantastic event oh and no beer in the finshers festival, lucky Greenwich has some nice pubs!

[Papillon17 Half Marathon in reply to benwill]

Very true that would of been worse wet and cold as opposed to just cold.

[Deals1 Metric Marathon in reply to Papillon17]

ohhh thats along time!!

[Sandraj39 Half Marathon]

Wow! Well done you - super time and fantastic fundraising! You must feel so proud of your achievement - hope you have rested up well and feel good today? I expect you are still buzzing! 🏅😀

[Papillon17 Half Marathon in reply to Sandraj39]

Thank you Buzzing still but at work and working late ankles ache but on site

[Katnap Marathon]

I saw your stats on Strava. Fantastic!

[Papillon17 Half Marathon in reply to Katnap]

Thanks Katnap well pleased

[benwill Marathon]

Good work, great event apart from the waiting to tshirt and stuff.

Good work raising the money and great time.

[Papillon17 Half Marathon in reply to benwill]

Many thanks

[tiggs1 Marathon]

Wow what a great pace for such a long distance... well done you should be very proud

[Papillon17 Half Marathon in reply to tiggs1]

Thanks Oh I am but never again that’s off the bucket list now short ones now

[Decker Ultramarathon]

Wow, brilliant race and fundraising! You should be very proud 👍🏼👏👏

[Papillon17 Half Marathon in reply to Decker]

Thanks Decker still buzzing over the moon with the fundraising and still hopefully getting more.

[Deals1 Metric Marathon]

wowsers!! well done. enjoy your celebrating

[Papillon17 Half Marathon in reply to Deals1]

Thanks Deals1 still buzzing

[Papillon17 Half Marathon]

Just found this article runnersworld.com/uk/trainin...

[Papillon17 Half Marathon]

They apologise for the bag drop collection delays although that doesn’t help much as I had family waiting for me and by the time I had met up with them everyone was too cold to stay at the festival so we went home.

[Sandie1961 Half Marathon]

Shame the waiting around took the shine off it, but a fantastic time and a brilliant amount of money raised for a very worthwhile cause. Well done 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[Papillon17 Half Marathon in reply to Sandie1961]

Many thanks Sandie1961

[Hidden]

I was there too and came in at 2hr 10. I had 5k, 10k, 10 mile and hm PB's on garmin and strava! The toilet queues were horrific in our pen E. I waited 50 min and was in the loo when our pen moved off to the start. That meant I had to start in the G wave instead. Lots of overtaking for me! At the end I bumped into Frank bruno, quite literally 🤣 My goodness he is tall and his voice so deep! The queues out afterwards were atrocious as were the queue to get into the underground. Such a shame for a great day!

[Papillon17 Half Marathon in reply to Hidden]

Well done to you I had no choice G wave was my starting wave. Got so cold at the end queuing to get out and over to the park. Family was in there waiting because of time it took everyone was too cold to stay for festival. We were lucky and walked to Greenwich station and got out pretty quick to Lewisham and got car although roads from there were a bit busy.

[Hidden in reply to Papillon17]

I would have liked to stay at the festival for a bit but I was getting cold. I was much warmer after I changed in the changing tent. But then I just fancied getting across to tower bridge for dinner! Whilst waiting for food my hands finally warmed up. It was a lovely sunny day but that wind was wicked! Well done on your race.