Sunday 24th September.
WINDSOR HALF
What a great day!
After suffering with a dodgy right knee most of the week since grappling with the lawnmower on Monday I decided to go for it and run as it hadn't got any worse. I am so glad I did.
The day started with porridge and honey and I left home at 8.30am for a leisurely drive to Yummy's house, quick pick up there and onwards towards the M25. I am notoriously bad with directions and get lost everywhere so was very pleased when Yummy(who didn't think she would be able to come along) decided that she would be able to make it after all. It was so nice to have company on the journey and her map reading skills were very much apreciated.
We arrived at Windsor Great Park at around 11.30am and made our way straight to the Forum marquee where we met up with other Waisters, Plodders and forumites. After 10 minutes spent queueing for the loos we made our way to the start, just in time to see Mick and Phill and another wheelchair athelte setting off on their start. Then it was our turn.
The gun went off and we shuffled along for a few minutes, then up the first of many large hills that we would encounter during the next 2 and a half hours.
The weather forcast had been for cloud and light rain but in fact it was warm and sunny, not so good for running 13 miles. As the hills came, so did the heat which I found the hardest thing about the race. I passed 3 people along the way who had collapsed and were receiving St. John's treatment. I hope they were all ok.
Its a lovely venue for a run and the trees and rolling hills are picturesque. I was able to enjoy the scenery at times, other times I was grimacing and head down as I plodded along trying to imagine I was at the finish. I had a tough time from mile four to mile 8, when I had to walk up a couple of hills,
I missed mile markers for miles 7 and 10 and so it was a nice surprise when I realised I had run further than I thought and by mile 9 things started to look up again for a while. I felt so good when mile 12 marker arrived and I could tell myelf than anyone can run just one mile but boy! was that mile hard work. In the last quarter of a mile I knew I was getting slower and I so much wanted to walk but no one else was walking and I was damned well not going to be the only one, so I plodded on. That last mile seems to take so long as you can see the finish all the time but it doesn't seem to get closer until the very end. And there I was. The end. Thank Dawg!! A medal, goodie bags and much needed water and a huge sense of achievement at my 2.26 PB (by 3 minutes on last year). Hot, bloody hard work, but worth every minute of it.
Then back to the marquee to see who else had finished and get some of the lovely food that had been prepared. Like last year, the spread was fab and its so good to have somewhere to be able to meet, leave kit and relax after. I had a leg massage too, which I am sure helped stop stiffness on the journey home. After a good chat with everyone and a re-fuelling, we left at around 5.45pm, making our way firstly in one direction and soon after, in the correct one. A short stop at the motorway services for more food and the flask of tea my Hubby had packed for us in the morning and then it was time to drop Yummy back home and I arrived home soon after at around 9.30pm.
I would like to thank everyone that made the day go without a hitch and made it so enjoyable and am already looking forward to next year.
WINDSOR HALF
What a great day!
After suffering with a dodgy right knee most of the week since grappling with the lawnmower on Monday I decided to go for it and run as it hadn't got any worse. I am so glad I did.
The day started with porridge and honey and I left home at 8.30am for a leisurely drive to Yummy's house, quick pick up there and onwards towards the M25. I am notoriously bad with directions and get lost everywhere so was very pleased when Yummy(who didn't think she would be able to come along) decided that she would be able to make it after all. It was so nice to have company on the journey and her map reading skills were very much apreciated.
We arrived at Windsor Great Park at around 11.30am and made our way straight to the Forum marquee where we met up with other Waisters, Plodders and forumites. After 10 minutes spent queueing for the loos we made our way to the start, just in time to see Mick and Phill and another wheelchair athelte setting off on their start. Then it was our turn.
The gun went off and we shuffled along for a few minutes, then up the first of many large hills that we would encounter during the next 2 and a half hours.
The weather forcast had been for cloud and light rain but in fact it was warm and sunny, not so good for running 13 miles. As the hills came, so did the heat which I found the hardest thing about the race. I passed 3 people along the way who had collapsed and were receiving St. John's treatment. I hope they were all ok.
Its a lovely venue for a run and the trees and rolling hills are picturesque. I was able to enjoy the scenery at times, other times I was grimacing and head down as I plodded along trying to imagine I was at the finish. I had a tough time from mile four to mile 8, when I had to walk up a couple of hills,
I missed mile markers for miles 7 and 10 and so it was a nice surprise when I realised I had run further than I thought and by mile 9 things started to look up again for a while. I felt so good when mile 12 marker arrived and I could tell myelf than anyone can run just one mile but boy! was that mile hard work. In the last quarter of a mile I knew I was getting slower and I so much wanted to walk but no one else was walking and I was damned well not going to be the only one, so I plodded on. That last mile seems to take so long as you can see the finish all the time but it doesn't seem to get closer until the very end. And there I was. The end. Thank Dawg!! A medal, goodie bags and much needed water and a huge sense of achievement at my 2.26 PB (by 3 minutes on last year). Hot, bloody hard work, but worth every minute of it.
Then back to the marquee to see who else had finished and get some of the lovely food that had been prepared. Like last year, the spread was fab and its so good to have somewhere to be able to meet, leave kit and relax after. I had a leg massage too, which I am sure helped stop stiffness on the journey home. After a good chat with everyone and a re-fuelling, we left at around 5.45pm, making our way firstly in one direction and soon after, in the correct one. A short stop at the motorway services for more food and the flask of tea my Hubby had packed for us in the morning and then it was time to drop Yummy back home and I arrived home soon after at around 9.30pm.
I would like to thank everyone that made the day go without a hitch and made it so enjoyable and am already looking forward to next year.
posted by HappyasLarry @ 3:39 PM
1 Comments:
At 8:36 PM,
Outsidenow said…
Great race report Larry! So glad you managed clock a PB by some considerable distance and in that heat too. Well done.
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