This started with last Sundays 5.8mile run where we decided to run the same distance as the week before but avoid the massive hill and pace better. The week before I was not very nice and forgot to check my watch often and most of the time we were doing 8.50min/miles which wasn't very fair on my novice boyfriend. This week we started at 9.20min/miles for the first 3.5miles and then boosted to 9.15min/miles for the last bit of the run. This proved to be good and we finished our training with a great long run!
A week of tapering commenced where we kept the mileage low but not too low. I had a Royal Parks training workshop on the Wednesday where we were taught about how to avoid injury, nutrition, stretches and better running form. This got me all pumped for a run Thursday morning where I decided to try new said techniques. Not a very good idea as the new leg movements meant I had a very sore inner thigh on Friday. This got me worried for the race but I decided lots of rest would get me through. Just to say quickly as well, thanks to Royal Parks for the event! It was great and I am already enjoying this half marathon experience! Roll on October 7th!
We then relaxed on the Saturday and carb loaded for lunch and dinner with copious amounts of water so we were race ready.
Training miles - complete
Nutrition - complete
Bag packed - complete
We were ready! 6.30am the alarm went off and we were up and ready for this wet race. Along with 30,000 other runners we made our way up to the starting point of the race. The race started 10minutes late and there were so many walkers within our first 1km that we had to make up our pace by ducking under the barriers and run with the other serious runners on the other closed off road. We got our time right though 9.20min/miles and that's how it continued. Apart from some negative splits and loss of GPS in the tunnels we were keeping a great pace! The rain was quite refreshing in parts and the atmosphere amazing! We slowed a little for the 7th and 8th kilometre to 9.35min/miles but all was good as we were on time to finish well. I had told Reis to tell me when he was tired so that slowing in the middle would mean he would 1) finish strong and 2) not stop. This was true. For the last 2kms we rocked another 9.20min/mile pace. That and out photo sprint finish meant we got a great time of 58.29! Well to be honest that was my time. Reis beat my by a second as I shoved him through people onto the mat to make sure he got his time. So again, he beat me technically ;)
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| 10k finishers! |
1) I got my race pack on Friday (I actually got 2 and 3 numbers were registered to my name). Some people had to collect theirs in London on the Saturday which is not very fair.
2) The baggage area was more a cornered area that wasn't covered even by plastic when rain had been forecast for the last week.
3) Nike were not very good at contacting people who had problems and I heard there were more then I experienced.
4) There were no starting pens which meant even though Reis and I were in the front (about 1,000 from the front out of 30,000) we had to dodge quite a few walkers!
5) We had to collect our own goodie bags and medals from a cardboard box on a table in the baggage area not at the finish line. There were spectators in this area also and many people took more then one bag/medal and this meant that some people did not get medals. Not nice to finish a race and not get a medal (you know I only run for the medals!).
Overall I really loved running through London and we had a great experience but I am unsure if I will do this or any Nike event again (Run to the Beat organisation was very similar).
On another note.....next Sunday at Clapham there will be 3 of us running! Me and my two protege will be running the Clapham Common Series. I will be tackling another 10km while Reis and Sean battle it out at the 5k! Hopefully we'll stay a little drier and there will be smiles all around!!
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