I felt that shakes could do with a bit of support on the Shakespeare quoting front, as Gus Hedges would say!
The event in question; a HUHM Half Marathon attempt. After a virus and then covid interrupted HM plan, I wasn’t in the place I wanted to be in terms of preparation. I would have liked to fit in an 18k, then a taper week; but the HM train was set to leave the station this week, so I either had to jump on or look on and wonder. The latter was probably more sensible, but since when has that been a relevant consideration for me! Sunshine and a chilly breeze made it a one shirt run, but I carried a long sleeve top for the post run walk home; I was glad of it.
I had a bit of a moment before I set off. My last HM, in 2021, followed the sudden death from SUDEP of our then 38 year daughter in Canada. I was going to run the GNR, but I got the dreadful phone call as I was changing in the hotel. Ironically I was running for epilepsy action. I decided to run an HM on my own two days later; the hardest run I have ever done. I wondered then whether I would ever run this distance again or indeed whether I wanted to. I think that HM organising this event, the involvement of amazing VRBs and the fact I was doing the NRC HM Plan just to get a bit of structure into my running made this possible.
I set off in philosophical “we will see how far I can get mode” with Coach Bennett in my ear. I ran along the route of a long closed railway line in the general direction of Whitby (actually Slapewath for those who know the area). I then turned and ran along the road past the Gisborough Hall Hotel, before rejoining the railway line near to the cricket club, and I then proceeded on to my usual cafe route. It is not the easiest HM (170m elevation gain, most of which is condensed into two hills) but I see lots of dog walkers, plenty of wildlife, occasionally, another runner, and there are beautiful views of the hills which form a semi circle around our town; so it has a nice feel to it . I fell into a steady 7:45/k pace and didn’t stray far from it, either up or down. I was surprised to find that, comparatively speaking (i.e compared to other runs)I sailed through it, until the last 50m. Somebody had left a rock in the middle of the trail and I hit it hard. I just waited for the muscle pull or cramp to start ….but no, I had enough left in my legs to stay on my feet! Of course I made sure that the run finished 2 minutes walk from the cafe! Double egg roll, triple chocolate brownie and bottle of water later I was ready for the walk home.
I ran the whole distance, except for climbing up some near vertical steps, pausing only for quick drinks of lucozade sport. I just took regular quick sips rather than huge gulps. Coach Bennett told me to!
So that was it! Not a pb, but my objective was just to finish. 21.1 in 2:45:36 according to Garmin, and 2:44:29 according to NRC. What matters to me is that I got out there and made the attempt. I know that I can do this again now; thanks so much to everyone for putting up with my bleating and to our amazing organisers for making this happen!🙂
Steady 10k