One of my all time favourite events today - the Reading Half Marathon.Most brilliant because you finish by running into the Madjeski Stadium, which is full of spectators, all cheering & stuff - amazing, just like being in the olympics - makes you feel great!!
Anyway, I was a bit worried.
I did 10 miles on Thursday - did them too fast (obviously) and was a bit concerned that I had worn my legs out (they felt very tired yesterday), also I managed to go over on my left ankle while we were visiting Petworth Park yesterday (making use of our new National Trust membership!), the clocks went back last night, I had stomach ache............etc. So, I wasn't sure how it was going to go.Anyway. We got parked up and bussed to the start - I managed to get a race number (despite apparently sending 2 out to me - I never actually received one) and after a good 15 minute wait we managed to get our bag into the baggage tent. When we got to the start area we split up - I went into the 1:30 - 1:40 area, Jon disappeared off up the back :)
Quite a conjested start - reasonably narrow, and, as usual, plenty of people being a bit optimistic and starting too far up the field. Still, it does have the advantage of slowing me down (a bit) in the first mile!
I was basically running too fast - but I felt great, and even when I tried to slow down, I just sped back up again - plus, going slower didn't seem to be any easier - so I decided to just keep going, and then slow down naturally when I got tired. It seemed to pay off I think - I was going really well to about 10 miles, and then I started to flag a bit - but managed not to slow too much.
Lots of great things about the course at Reading - only a couple of small hills, lots of crowd support and a couple of brass bands (brilliant).
Anyway. From the 10 mile point you end up on the A33 - a dual carriageway - which everyone, apart from me I think - hates. I like it - you just get your head down and get on with it - and you know it's nearly over. The much worse bit is the last 2 miles, running through Green Park, a business area with not much in the way of support, and that feeling that you really want it to be over now. Please.
Still, a small slope out of there (so cruel), round the back of the stadium, in through the big doors, down onto a track alongside the pitch and through to the finish. My time? A rather marvellous 1:35:49 - 4minutes faster than Fleet 2 weeks ago - and 11 minutes faster than my time at Reading last year!! Brilliant. I was well chuffed.I can even gloss over the fact that I was beaten over the last 400 m by a man dressed as a penguin! All big respect to him though - that is one fast penguin :)
3 comments:
Congratulations Trish! I've just got back from the Reading Half Marathon, my first race ever, and managed to do it in 2 hours 10 minutes.
That last hill was a killer, but to experience the reception from the crowd in the stadium was worth it.
Looking forward to my first London Marathon next month, and hope I can maintain the pace I had here today!
Cheers Paul - and congratulations to you too! You should be really pleased with yourself - what a great time to set on your first ever race!
You chose a good one as your debut - Reading is fab, I don't think I have done any other race with such excellent crowd support, and that stadium finish..........like you say, makes it all worth while!
Good luck for the marathon - I'm sure you'll do great!
No mention of how Jon did? Are they still waiting to stop the clock? ;)
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