This was my first big race and my first half marathon. I was excited. I was nervous. I was excited again. I was nervous again…mainly about travel. MrUnderstanding was on race crew and we decided to use the park and ride at Odd Down. After a long time trying to work out what time to leave, we settled on what I thought was a ridiculously early time to allow for traffic. Totally vindicated when we found the queue for the buses! We Brits are good at queuing and it was very good humoured. After what seemed like an eternity, we finally made it to Bath and headed to the runners’ village. I joined another queue for the loo. After what seemed like another eternity, it was practically time to be at the start. Luckiky I was able to skip checking anything in at the baggage drop and give it to the race support instead. I joined the hoards heading to the start and it was time to go.
The first 5k went by like a dream. Couldn’t stop smiling. There was such a lovely atmosphere and I felt great. The sun was shining and people were cheering. I was so confused about how people kept shouting my name, until I remembered it was on my number. Felt a bit silly then. I’d deliberately planned kept it steady and I found it tricky navigating through the crowds which helped not starting too fast.
The first loop began and I was super surprised by incline leading away from the city centre. I’d driven that way many, many times and thought it would be flat. It certainly wasn’t harder than what I’d done before but it surprised me with the extra effort. I was also much hotter than I’d expected to be since my weather app had been showing rain all week. At the top, the road switched back past the park and ride and I thought that was where I’d hit my groove and begin to motor. It just wouldn’t quite land today. 10k in 1hour2 which was good but not the race fuelled PB I thought I’d be on for. I realised that I could push hard to get a faster time or I could actually enjoy it by keeping it steady. Took a few minutes to do a systems check and realised I wasn’t quite in tip top shape so went for option two. I kept up my decent effort but didn’t go all out. I was running for a charity with a close personal meaning and I really wanted to have the headspace to think about that rather than how to pace to get under an arbitrary goal I’d half set myself.
Loop two was tough up the incline again and I was grateful for jelly babies from the crowd so I didn’t have to use an energy gel. 17k arrived and I picked up a little for the final 4k. I felt I’d done well to still be running and feeling tired but good. I was all ready for the triumphant sprint through the finish when the course turned sharply left…straight up a steep hill that somehow I’d failed to spot on the first pass. It was beyond hideous. I had absolutely nothing left to get up it so I practically crawled. Once it levelled out again, I put on a mini burst of speed to get under the arch in 2 hours 19 minutes which was still a new PB for the distance.
It was such a brilliant day and I’m still on a high this morning. My legs are in a state of pain so it will be foam rolling, stretches and baths rather than runs today. I never ever considered that I’d be able to run a whole half marathon when I stared c25k in January. Very proud. Good bling too!
Thanks for all the advice and encouragement. It’s been so helpful in getting me round!
Brighton HM 2019 race report 
Relish racing two tunnels out and back HM race report.
