Sorry to be so late to the party but we were in the van last night on a site with no phone signal or WiFi 😖😥
First panic was when I realised when passing Oxford that I had left my water bottle and Tailwind at home, but a quick plea on the What’s App group and the offer of a bottle from Oldgirlruns (which I must remember to return!) and a surreptitious sliding across the restaurant table on Saturday evening by Dexy5 of a small plastic bag of white powder and I was sorted. Then, having tossed and turned all night, I finally fell into a deep sleep and woke at 7.56 for our breakfast date at 8.00 with cheekychipmunks and Mr Cheeky 😂
Anyway, we met up with TailChaser in Reception to walk to the race as the speedy Katnap was in an earlier wave, stopped to watch the elite runners set off (including the incredible Eilish McColgan, who won her 3rd GSR in a course record of 50.43. Astonishing!) A 20 min loo queue meant our pre race meet up with Dexy David_G and JonathanP went up the Swanee. The 3 of us snook through a barrier to join to walk to the start while Cheeky tried to contact Mr Cheeky to collect her jacket and Dexy to finally meet up. Finally, 11 minutes after our wave started TailChaser and I crossed the start line. The crowds thinned out quickly and, adrenaline fuelled, the first mile went by slightly too quickly. By about 1.5 miles Tailchaser drew ahead of me. Fellow runners, the crowds, the musical groups and our very special Pom Pom crew carried me along as the sun came out. I was on target for a PB, if only just, when I hit a wall at 12k (always my danger spot) and had to walk a couple of times. Final time 1.51.51, just over 3 minutes slower than 2 years ago, but I finished 8346 out of 16000 and 122 in my female age group, so while not exactly what I hoped for, I can’t really complain. Would I do it again? You bet! Might do a bit more training before next year though 😂😂
Written by
Sandie1961
Half Marathon
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Let’s hope that this one happens. I have booked a double room in the hope that Mrs BC can be persuaded to come…..but that isn’t a conversation that I will have anytime soon. 🙂
Ha ha , the look on peoples faces as I passed that packet of white powder to you, 😂😂.
It was great to see you and Mr S after far too long, and it’s funny how when doing it you think never again and then you forget and enter the next one.
Looking at the crowds yesterday it was like COVID never happened. Although I will point out to those reading this, that we as a group did LFTs before meeting and all runners had to declare all manner of things online the day before and have a COVID passport ready for spot checks.
Considering you hadn’t run much over 10k this year, I think you did brilliantly. Well done.
Great run and report there Sandie. If you're hitting the wall at 12k, have you considered imbibing your white powder earlier on in your run? Loved reading about your surreptitious behaviour in the restaurant 🤣🤣🤣
Coming out of lockdowns and trying to catch up with (missed) plans messed up training for quite a few people Sandie. The main thing is that we were all there doing almost normal things... That assumes we all consider racing for 10 miles normal 🤣🤣🤣
Great stuff Sandie1961 ! There is a definite theme in these posts of us hitting that wall yesterday!! Well done on your time despite this though!👍I was hoping to meet up with a couple of work colleagues yesterday - but we both got stuck in two different loo queues and then had to head to the pens to await the start of our wave! 🤷♀️
I haven’t signed up for next year yet but I know I will.🏃♀️ Each year my husband, sister and myself all sign up but we have never all made it to the start line ( illness and injury for the others this year). Next year - we’re all going to make it!🤞🙂
It does seem to have been a theme doesn’t it? Fingers crossed for all 3 of you making it next year and hope you will make a meet up with us HU VRBs too 🤞
(As usual I’m latest to the party!) Great report Sandie! You did wonderfully. You’ve spent the summer enjoying yourself and chilling in France and you still manage a sub 2 hour 10 mile race. That’s a win in my book 👍💪💪
Had to laugh at your description of the small bag of white powder 😂. Wonder what a cop would say when they would test it 😂
You’re report did make me smile with all the pre race goings on! Lovely to read about you all meeting up and enjoying the day together - separately great run all round well done 👏👏🎉👍🏅🏃🏻♀️
Well done Sandie. You were starting to look hot and bothered when you passed us at the 6 mile (10k) point, so I wondered if you night hit a problem a little further on. Glad you got through it, it’s a tough distance.
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HUHM race report and post-race follow up.