I did this one yesterday, my second half marathon (did the same event last year finishing in 2hrs and 3 mins). I've stuck fast to my training schedule the last 12 weeks, concentrating on a quicker pace on the shorter 5m runs and trying to maintain a steady build-up to 12 miles on the longer ones - as ever, some days were better than others
Anyway, I set off on the race yesterday and decided I was going to run it steady and have some discipline and stick fast to my target pace. It felt a lot of the time that I was being left behind as folk zipped past me for the first 6 miles or so and I was thinking 'this can't be right, is my watch working? etc'. lol. But I just stayed with my pace. Then we hit a long hill, perhaps a mile or so long, and although I lost a bit of pace as it felt quite steep, I was starting to catch other runners up and gradually pass by some of them. Again at 9 miles some people were overtaking me and I just thought my whole day was doomed and I was going to finish the same time or slower than last year and I was starting to tire but I fought to stay with my pace. Then at mile 11 and 12 I started to feel as though I was running faster but I wasn't, I was catching a few of the ones who'd passed me at 9 miles. As I hit the final mile I got the urge to burst into a sprint but as I attempted it I felt a massive jolt of cramp shooting up my leg and I thought 'whoops, that was a mistake!' So back to my steady pace and on to the finish. The only thing I did wrong was accidentally set my Garmin off quite a bit before the start mat, so naturally it beeped at 13.1 miles before I got to the finish line just to confuse me even more but I'd only drifted slightly off my target pace throughout and it all started with that loooong hill climb.
Suffice to say, I've just got my chip time and I finished in 1:57:59 - a new pb almost 6 minutes quicker than last time!! It's encouraged me to believe I can become faster and has given me some idea of how I can train for future. :d
ps. Trinity, if you are reading this, I read your fantastic marathon report last week and how you stuck like glue to your target pace. Thanks for the inspiration
Anyway, I set off on the race yesterday and decided I was going to run it steady and have some discipline and stick fast to my target pace. It felt a lot of the time that I was being left behind as folk zipped past me for the first 6 miles or so and I was thinking 'this can't be right, is my watch working? etc'. lol. But I just stayed with my pace. Then we hit a long hill, perhaps a mile or so long, and although I lost a bit of pace as it felt quite steep, I was starting to catch other runners up and gradually pass by some of them. Again at 9 miles some people were overtaking me and I just thought my whole day was doomed and I was going to finish the same time or slower than last year and I was starting to tire but I fought to stay with my pace. Then at mile 11 and 12 I started to feel as though I was running faster but I wasn't, I was catching a few of the ones who'd passed me at 9 miles. As I hit the final mile I got the urge to burst into a sprint but as I attempted it I felt a massive jolt of cramp shooting up my leg and I thought 'whoops, that was a mistake!' So back to my steady pace and on to the finish. The only thing I did wrong was accidentally set my Garmin off quite a bit before the start mat, so naturally it beeped at 13.1 miles before I got to the finish line just to confuse me even more but I'd only drifted slightly off my target pace throughout and it all started with that loooong hill climb. Suffice to say, I've just got my chip time and I finished in 1:57:59 - a new pb almost 6 minutes quicker than last time!! It's encouraged me to believe I can become faster and has given me some idea of how I can train for future. :d
ps. Trinity, if you are reading this, I read your fantastic marathon report last week and how you stuck like glue to your target pace. Thanks for the inspiration
