Run like the wind

Sussex Beacon Half Marathon. 13.1 miles in the driving rain and howling wind it was horrible. I was soaked through before I started and landed right foot first in the largest puddle around. Anyway, there were a lot of runners, and a good turn out of supporters – the mood fairly jovial for such a disgusting day. (Saturday had been so sunny!) I got my usual tight hamstrings and front of shin muscles, despite doing some pretty good stretching. I need to get better at these early mornings.

For reference for the next long runs ( I aim to run mornings, to simulate my Marathon day schedule)

• Dinner – Tomato/Olive/caper pasta with spinach, fresh basil and Parmesan – plain yogurt with pear.
• Bedtime – 10.45pm
• Race time 9:45am
• Wake up (after terrible sleep and dreams of being late ) 5.45am
• Drink half pint of water
• Shower
• Get dressed – cup of green tea
• 6.30am – breakfast (3 hrs before race) porridge with banana, chopped almonds and sunflower seeds, small glass of diluted fresh orange juice, half a piece of brown toast with honey.
• Sipping isotonic sports drink up until the race – went to the toilet several times!

I was so angry, I realised just before we arrived that I had forgotten all my gels for the race. I was mad, but coped, I made use of the lucazade stations on the course, and Ray got me some sweets for my back pocket.

I did feel fairly hard, and only felt like I was warming up around mile 8. I didn’t make the habit of looking at my watch too often, which I think was a good idea. I just glanced occasionally to see what pace I was going at. I drifted between 7-8min miles.

Sadly I failed to lock my bezel after the race, my mac pushing the resume button, meaning I clocked around 15 miles! According to chip time – official was 1:37:56

written by Charky