Again doubts had flooded my mind as to whether I'd be able to run this course. the course description was undulading, then i thought of Two Castles and that had its fair share of inclines. I'd managed to get out for 3x 5km runs and a 8mile cycle. Obviously, my fitness was far off its peak. Not great really is it? But due to this being a british heart fundation event, i wasnt going to let the inclines scare me off. It was for my nan and for my charity. You have to take in mind, whats the worst that could happen? You could be forced to slow your pace, walk and get a bad time? Meh, if you complete it, who cares really!
With that in mind i decided to say, "COME AT ME WARWICK- DO YOUR WORST!" Just don't put me in the back of an ambulance! Because i'd really look foolish.
An early start to a fairly cloudy Sunday morning waiting for my 7am pick up from dad's taxi service aha, i managed to eat 2 slices of toast and have a cup of tea- a great achievement for me on race day. I also decided to eat some spaghetti the night before- whoop on a role here. We arrived after the confusing road closures and got parked up for just gone 8am. Having some time to kill and pre race nerves settling in, i just made sure i got everything i needed out and ready. by about 8:30am, the vast majoirty of runners were flooding into the race course starting area. With the tannoid announcement stating that all runners should start making their way to the starting pens. I decided to put myself in the SUB 2:30 Pen, this was the last of the pens at the back. Saying a quick goodbye to my amazing spectators, by that i mean my dad, Helen, Kady and the family Chihuahua, Gizmo we progressed at walking pace down the strip of the race course to go over the start line. All i can remember saying to my dad was "i forgot to shave my arm pitts!", this was even more funny because i decided to wear my vest due to the sun that was supposedly going to appear at somepoint during the run.
The start strip was a tiny bit congested, but it lead to the car park and out to the first incline. Not wanting to do what i did in Silverstone, burning myself out too quickly, i adopted a gentle, steady pace. It was a good job too, the inclines just kept on coming. It quickly came to mind that the course i was running was that of the Two Castles, which kind of meant i wasnt running the course completely blind. Mile 1 clocked in at 10:04. I was feeling surprisingly optamistic in myself. The route was incliny, but pleasent at the same time. I was shocked to see many people walking fairly early on. My 5k time came in at 31:35. I wasn't doing too badly. My breathing and pace had come back to a sense of normality. It was mile 6 that i really started to struggle, my legs were getting jelly-fied. 10k came in at 1:04:45. I had to take a short walk at around 7 and a half miles in. It was at this point i thanked God i'd tucked 3 SIS gels into my back pocket. I took the first at 7 miles, just before the 2nd water station. hoping this would help shift the Wall.
Lone and behold, this seemed to help mentally as well as physically. It was also at around 7 and half miles the course became less harsh and had a fair bit of declines, it was never ending you'd go down to come back up again! I kept on telling myself just keep on running, dont think about the pain, focus on the beautiful surroundings. By about 8 miles i managed to shift the wall and my legs began to function as much as their fatigued self could. 10miles = 1:46:53. Somehow i managed to convince myself that this was undoubtably going to be a 2:30 finish. Maths is not my strong point- at all. I despise the darn subject!
Feeling demotivated, i recieved a call from my pops asking me how far i was in. After some words of encouragement we turned off, what seemed a main road back into the country side. By this point, my tempo had took full advantage of the lengthy decline just past. I was so wrong when i looked at the course map before the race and convinced myself that from 7.5 mile it would be 'fairly downhill'. Oh how wrong was thy self! Us runners were met with about 2 miles of gradual, but unearthing inclines. i was forced to walk again, for no more than a minute at about 10 and a half miles. A fellow runner patted me on the back and said how well I was doing and to keep on going. Feeling like my legs were actually going to drop off from tiredness, we approached a small villiage where a very kind woman was giving out jelly babies, my saviour! Rich, sweet in sugary energy, she handed me 2 and said "you can do this!". You know that old saying, "The beauty is within the eyes of the beholder"...? Yeah - wrong! i've now changed it to. "The power is in the hand of the jelly baby consumer." It sure did help with my energy levels. After 2 SIS gels i couldnt stomach another. Once again i had been drawn to a walk for about a minute. By now, i was seeing signs for Warwick and we were once again met with main roads.
After being thankful for the last drinks station, with a mouth like Ghandis flip flop, i dont know what came over me. Maybe it was realising that I was so near the end, my fatugue seemed to vanish slightly and i managed to up my pace. i'd told myself... No walking, you're nearly there. I remeber reciting my fave quote from War Horse, in my head- obviously. I didn't want to look like a complete Looney Tune... "Let every man do himself, his King, his country and his fallen comrades proud. Be Brave". Haha. Some of the things that pop into your head when your running a half marathon an be so strange.
I was brave, thank you Major Jamie Stewart!
The final stretch had my legs screaming in pain once again. i clocked dad, et al straight away about 200 meters from the finish. Yes, it was that time of the day... My snailtastic sprint was being exasperated. Once again my body proved me wrong. I finsihed a really hilly course, with only 3x 5k runs in hand after the Silverstone half on the 13th March in a time of 2:20:22! I was over the moon!
