Race 28: Barns Green Half Marathon

Sunday 24th September

13:1 Miles - 1 hour and 54 Minutes (PB!)

Now I need to make a point here before I write something that is going to make you think completely the opposite. I’M NOT A SICKLY PERSON…. However… for the week preceding my 28th race (and the week preceding my 27th race apparently) I had been pretty sickly. The typical ‘change of season’ cold had descended on my office and claimed me as one of it’s victims. I had to spend 3 of the days leading up to the race lying on the sofa in a sea of tissues and self pity.

On the Sunday I woke up pretty bright and breezy- before the alarm even. It was a beautiful mild morning. I struggled with my 28th bowl of early morning porridge and got in the car without any major flap/ panic about being late. The drive to Barns Green was LOVELY. We have a habit of pointing out every campsite and pub we see “that looks nice” - everything looks nice on a beautiful sunny autumnal morning.

We parked up and got out the car to join the queue for the portaloos which were causing some controversy amongst the male runners as many appeared to be singled out for women… I was pretty happy with that!

We had an hour to waste and I got majorly distracted by the best raffle I have ever seen! I entered with great confidence that the “wheelbarrow of wine” would most definitely be mine!

We queued up to start the race and for some reason I was feeling pretty cocky and slid myself in between the 1hr 45 and 1 hr 50 markers (why???)

Soon we were off on our way and I was storming along trying to keep pace with my fellow runners. It was a very unrealistic pace for me which became clear when I analysed my stats after the run… the 1st mile was the fastest- what a rooky mistake to make.

The race was a road race ran entirely on closed country roads- I can see why people love it so much- it’s a rare event to find! Completely traffic free and surprisingly well supported on the way around. As the roads were tree lined it was quite easy to find some shade to attempt to keep cool in if you ran on the right side of the road. I found that the first 4 miles ticked by ok- despite the fact I was fully aware that my pace was slowing right down (Probably back down to the pace I should have started at!) Barns Green surprised me in that there were about 4 or 5 different bands spread out along the route. It was GREAT! My favourite band being a slightly sad brass band who happened to be playing “Tequila” as I ran by… but terribly out of time with each other and mostly just being sang to amuse the singer himself… the rest of the band did not look too impressed with the song choice- it certainly amused me.

Mile 3 saw us cut through the now familiar sight of Christ’s Hospital school and mile 4 beckoned in our first big hill of the race. I managed to keep running the whole way up it and also saw perhaps the strangest sight I have seen so far on a run… a lady on the side of the route making herself sick… surely if you feel that unwell… just stop running!?!? Runners are SO WEIRD.

When we got to the (very welcomed) half way point I was VERY confused and also panic stricken as I became convinced I had taken the wrong turn and ended up on the 10K route as there ahead of me loomed the finish line. It soon became clear that everyone was simply running past it on to the second (different) lap of the race. It really threw me for a while there!

I blank out on the middle miles (7-10) but start to really hurt and struggle around mile 10. When I got to a water stop I got a bit teary as I slowed to a walk to receive my water and a very kind marshall picked me up with some words of encouragement and sympathy “I know, it’s horrible isn’t it?” “Yes, it is” i responded with a slightly wobbly bottom lip.

I struggled through the last 3 miles of the race and managed to pick up my pace pretty considerably when I knew the end wasn’t far away. I was very relieved to have finished and happily received my SILVER finishers medal which means I was in the top 100 women to finish. I’m happy with that little moral booster.

After whining and moaning about how hard I found it and how terrible my time was (I was disappointed as I had set myself an unrealistic goal of hitting 1hr 50 minutes… this is a CRAZY goal for me to have on a good weekend… let alone a weekend after I have spent 3 days sick on the sofa and barely moved a muscle since the weekend before)

My time was 1 hr 54 (Just under 55) and this is the fastest time I have ever got on a half marathon. So despite the pain and the struggle towards the end… it was worth it. Sadly I did not win the Wheelbarrow of Wine… boo! 2 races to go, I cannot believe how quickly this year of racing has passed me by.