This is my first ever blog. I am a blog virgin.
Last year I ran my first ever half-mara in 2 hours 52 minutes. This time I hoped to improve on that, and accordingly have been training conscientiously for quite a while; long runs, speed sessions, tempo runs. And tried to do everything right today as regards eating (large breakfast; then no more than a banana an hour before the race started) and hydrating (frequent, up to 3/4 of an hour before the race started).
May I remind you of my advanced age; 65-70 age group.
Lake Vyrnwy is within 40 miles of my home, and the course is flattish. The weather has been warm and sunny here the last few days, but oh joy! - It clouded over just as the race was starting, and from time to time a cooling breeze blew. Huge crowd started along a rather narrow road; I was somewhere in the middle, so for a long time there were more passing me than I was passing. Within the first few minutes one of the runners was walking back the way he'd come, hand to his head, blood all down the side of his face. I heard later he was one of the really fast runners, got himself patched up and went on to complete the race. He will have been one of the many who passed me.
A bit of downhill was followed by a fair bit of uphill; then we all turned left and ran across the dam at the end of the lake - a high and spectacular dam, we could see it long before we reached it, a multicoloured stream of running tops pouring along it. Turned right at the end, and now running alongside the lake. Reached the 1st mile marker really soon; looked at my watch, good heavens, 10-minute miling! Lots of tree cover, so even without the cloud and the breeze we are sheltered from the sun. People still passing me more than I am passing them, but for a long time was overtaking and being overtaken by a lady in blue; this was because she frequently stopped to drink (clearly not having mastered the art of drinking on the hoof) and I overtook her, but when she got going again she overtook me. But eventually I did leave her behind. We are running around the south side of the lake; basically it's a long narrow lake, but the south side has a couple of kinks in, to add interest. By mile 5 my stop-watch is saying 54 minutes, - good heavens, I don't think I've ever run 5 miles in under an hour before. By mile 7 we are rounding the end of the lake and I am battling it out with several ladies who are run-walking; I overtake them when they're walking, then they overtake me when they're running. I make an extra effort (though goodness knows it's been effortful enough all through) and gradually catch up and pass a small group. From about mile 8 I would dearly love to stop and just lie down on the grass. This side of the lake is less interesting, having no kinks; that being said, it is all very attractive, and I am trying to distract myself from the agony by fixing my eyes on a distant tree and thinking what a beautiful tree it is. Oh, wouldn't it be nice to walk! - But I know I'd never get going again if I did, and besides I boasted to one of my friends back home "I'm going to run every step of the way", so now I've got to.
Think my mind is going; was that last mile marker 9, or 10? Oh, here is 10, so clearly it was 9. 3.1 miles to go; am I going to survive? Legs feel like lead; can't keep the pace up; at least, don't think I can; actually have no idea how I'm doing except stop-watch is really quite encouraging. Didn't take a drink at the first two water stations as am carrying one of my own, but by the third one think it would be nice to have some water, - but they've run out! However, a little further along someone has fetched some more water-bottles in a car, so I take one and pour much of it down my back. Slight new lease of life. And it's encouraging that the mile markers are now in double figures. Mile 11; it now seems
