Virtual half marathon race report

[PurpleFish59]

Bit late with the run report but if you want the short version, I completed me first half marathon on Saturday! For the long version, keep going 😁

I decided to do my run from my parents house in the Lincolnshire fens. It’s very different from my usual routes from home as it is extremely flat and the fen roads go on forever!

The first fen was fine. The weather had cleared up and I reached 6.5K with relative ease in what seemed like no time at all! Then it was up onto the river bank, the sun even came out here! I ran along here until I reached the 10K point then turned around.

The return leg was down another fen that runs parallel to the first. This is where the choice route started to seem less of a good idea 🙈 I could see the village in the distance about 5 miles away, but it was headwind and I just felt like I was getting no closer to it. I managed to keep my legs going, cheered on momentarily by a cyclist who sympathised about our poor choice of direction!

I kept a up my pace until the last two miles when it started to become a real slog. It started to rain a bit too. After what seemed like ages, I took the turn across the farm and back through the village. I texted my parents house, looked at my watch and was horrified to see I’d run exactly 21K and would have to start running again for 100m 😩🏃🏼‍♀️

I made it though and was pretty pleased with the time, 2:26:07 having aimed to get under 2:30. 😁😁🎉🎉 Well done to everyone who did their HMs this weekend and ultimate respect to all of you that went twice as far last week! I definitely had nothing left at the end 🥵

[Hidden]

Congratulations!! The first one is always a big deal 👏👏👏👏👏

Fantastic that you ran a Half Marathon and you're right, those last few miles can be so tough but all the runs before this come in to play at this stage.

You must feel absolutely delighted! It's a tremendous achievement and 13.1m is such a long way. I'm really pleased for you. Your time is excellent for a first go too.

It does become more comfortable the more you do so rest up first and be proud of your progress and this milestone run 🥇🥇🥇

[PurpleFish59 in reply to Hidden]

Thanks GTFC! Yes I’m very encouraged by this first one, the tiredness was very similar to my first 10K and now that distance is no problem for me. Would love to do it in an actual race now though as it was very lonely out there and I also forgot my headphones to distract me!

[Buddy34 Half Marathon]

Congratulations PurpleFish69 on your first HM. You ran extremely well and also had to put up with a head wind but you kept going. You should be so very pleased and proud of yourself. Well done 👏👏👏

[PurpleFish59 in reply to Buddy34]

Thank you Buddy, very proud! Wondering when I’ll be able to do a real life event now 😁

[Buddy34 Half Marathon in reply to PurpleFish59]

Me too🤔

[Irishprincess Administrator Half Marathon]

Many congratulations and well done. I hope you feel suitably proud and are already planning for the next one 😂🙂

[PurpleFish59 in reply to Irishprincess]

Thanks IrishPrincess 😊 Yes I’m really proud as one year ago I was still doing C25K and this seemed like something that would never be achievable! Would love to do an actual event next time though, it is a long slog by yourself!

[Irishprincess Administrator Half Marathon in reply to PurpleFish59]

It is! Roll on real-life races 🙂

[roseabi Ultramarathon]

WOOHOO!!! docs.google.com/spreadsheet...

And here's your HM medal, congratulations!!! Ah that extra bit at the end, I feel your pain - huge well done xxx

[PurpleFish59 in reply to roseabi]

Was thinking of you in your marathon when that happened 🙈 thank you for the medal!!

[Madge50 Marathon]

Oh well done, and that’s a great time! Many congratulations! 👏💪

You did it! Oh my, I started C25K just for ‘something to do for 1/2 an hour......’ what happened.....🤷‍♀️😂.....

Look out...!...🤪😂

Mx

[PurpleFish59 in reply to Madge50]

Thank you Madge50 ☺️ That was a definite step change for me going to half marathon, it suddenly takes up a much bigger chunk of your life! You notice more if you skip cross training and long runs basically wipe out half a day rather than an hour or so!

All good fun though 🤪

[C3PO Marathon]

Well done on your first HM!

[PurpleFish59 in reply to C3PO]

Thankyou C3PO 😊

[2718281 Half Marathon]

Well done! Looks like it was a very nice route and a really great run, congratulations

[PurpleFish59 in reply to 2718281]

Thank you, it was actually lovely to run around the places where I grew up!

[AlMorr Half Marathon]

Congratulations on running your first Half Marathon, I hope you celebrated it in style 🎊🎊🎓

[PurpleFish59 in reply to AlMorr]

Thankyou! I had a few 🍷🍷 on Saturday night and a huge roast dinner on the Sunday 😁

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon]

Fantastic effort PF! You smashed that first HM and your time was amazing, really well done! I’ve yet to run the distance in a race and, like you and most other people, absolutely can’t wait. But we all have to. Boo!

[PurpleFish59 in reply to cheekychipmunks]

Thanks cheeky, the flat route helped with the time but definitely room for improvement in the last few miles!

[Raspberrypink Half Marathon]

Well done on your fab run 💪🏼👍🏼😊. Hope you are fully recovered

[PurpleFish59 in reply to Raspberrypink]

Thankyou, just about recovered, no longer making involuntary noises when I stand up!

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon]

Brilliant! It was always going to be a PB, but it's definitely the icing on the cake to come in under your target time 😊. Long straight stretches really do go on forever don't they, it can be quite soul destroying! But there was nothing stopping you, not even those 100m 😅 Congratulations!!!

[PurpleFish59 in reply to linda9389]

Thank you linda9389! I thought at one point the wind would defeat me but like you say I managed to keep going! I was always going to have to complete the distance to get back to civilisation and the best way seemed to be to keep running 😁

[triumph-tiger Half Marathon]

Great effort well done - nice to see another one of us who also managed our first HM on Saturday 😀👏🎉

[PurpleFish59 in reply to triumph-tiger]

Thankyou- well done on completing yours too! It was nice to know there were fellow HU folks out there Saturday too, even if we were geographically far apart!

[triumph-tiger Half Marathon in reply to PurpleFish59]

Yes indeed 😀

[SmilingTortoise1 Half Marathon]

Woo hoo 🥳 Massive congratulations on completing your HM and in such a good time 👏👏👏

I also found the last leg of the HM really tough going too. Sounds like a lovely place to run 😊

[PurpleFish59 in reply to SmilingTortoise1]

Thankyou SmilingTortoise1, and well done on yours too. Your pace was very impressive!

[Kevin41 Half Marathon]

Brilliant, well done!!! Having driven those long endless fen roads a few times I’m amazed anyone could run them!! They all look the same!!!! I reckon it would feel a bit like running on the spot. Really pleased to hear you beat your time - it’s great to achieve the distance isn’t it but to add another achievement is even better. Woohoo

[PurpleFish59 in reply to Kevin41]

Thankyou Kevin! When the wind is behind you they are great places to run, it’s when you turn around they are less good 🙈

[Sandraj39 Half Marathon]

Congratulations on your HM PurpleFish!👏👏👏🎉🎉. I completely empathise with how far the last couple of kilometres can seem on tired legs but the sense of achievement is worth it!🙂

[Wimborne Half Marathon]

Woooo hooo PF 👏👏👏👏🥳🥳🥳. Massive congrats and an incredibly long way to run... those miles at the end are the longest to run and so good you got that 100m in ! Well done you.