Hiya! I been a regular runner for 5 years, and have done loads of halves over the years.. but this was something else. Got round first half in 1:50. Great.
All was going well until mile 17 (pound for every time I have heard that too) when I felt as if someone had shaken me. Then, about a mile later I got cramp in both calves, seemingly striking at the same time. Then pins and needles in my fingers. The wheel had come off and no mistake.
Overall, I am humbled by the crowd support and wish I could thank every single supporter who made the effort to shout or give out jelly babies or keep me going. If you were there, thank you, particularly the "non runner" people in the local areas of East and South East London. Bless you all.
Got round in 4.37 - half hour after I had wanted. The marathon had stripped me, looked me in the eye and said "not good enough" I wasn't good enough for this brutal and cruel event. If I come back and try the distance again, then I will respect it. It demands a full years training for that particular distance. It has to be an obsession. My mileage was not enough. I did the long runs - building up to 20 in training, nothing less than a half every week. BUt it did not consume me, and it should have done.
But I made a mistake with my training runs which I now realise. When you do a long run, use a garmin to check the time of the LAST mile you did in training. This is the most important mile you do. So if you did 8 min miles upto 15 miles, then 11 min for the (last) say, 16th mile in training, don't think you have done well based on a low average time overall.
Remember you will do the next 10 miles for real from 16 to 26 at the 11 min mile pace. Not the (good) average of the 15 at 8min, then 1 at 11min over 16. Dont ignore the last mile on training. Work on that last mile and ask if you could honestly do this for the next hour and a half.
But I did it, am still wearing the medal a week later, but the distance deserves the utmost repect and I have the same for all those who have ever completed it.
