Amsterdam Half Marathon 2014

So, a post to celebrate now it's over!

The Half didn't go as well as I'd have liked, and I didn't hit the time I wanted, but Nick's goal for me of just finishing it wasn't a problem so I shouldn't really be too annoyed about it. After all, I know plenty of people who've completed half marathons in considerably slower times, to the point it's questionable if they can be considered a run!

We picked up our race numbers and my technical t-shirt from the race village on the Saturday, which was smooth, easy and efficient. The expo was pretty interesting, too, and we bought Nick a long sleeved running top branded with the Amsterdam logo, which was of a fairly reasonable price and a nice little memento, too.

The Sunday itself was a lovely temperature, with a little drizzle before it all started, although humidity levels were at 90%, which wasn't inconsiderable. Our wave set off, a little late, and I found the first 15 minutes or so was spent passing runners who were considerably slower than us; even one or two who were walking a mile into it. I'm far from a militant runner by any means but that really does smack of a complete lack of preparation! The course was generally very flat, if a little boring, with lots of water stations en route. There were a fair few bands around, playing a variety of music to encourage the runners from Punk to traditional brass and everything in between. We completed the first 5k in a decent time, and the second, by which point I was starting to struggle: it was one of those runs where you just can't find a pace, whether due to constantly overtaking and weaving round others or just 'because' I don't know. Even the third 5k , reaching 15km, was done at a pretty good speed, keeping up a decent pace. While my legs were doing ok, the rest of me was not happy and I think Nick found this quite frustrating too. By about 19k, I was really struggling and, while spectators cheering us on was a help, it was incredibly difficult to keep running. Frustrating, too, as I've run 10 miles easily many a time and even 12 miles wasn't so very bad.

About 500m before the finish line, a stitch unlike anything I've ever experienced hit: a bit like being stabbed between the ribs every time you breathe. Not being particularly soft or sensitive usually, it was enough to bring me to tears and I limped onwards, getting somewhat castigated by the boyfriend for not keeping the pace up as I did so! The last part of the race was as undignified and unpleasant as any run I have ever experienced before, and I can't say I enjoyed the actual run itself either, but I'm reliably informed that this was due to it all being a very new experience, combined with it just being 'one of those days' - 15,000 runners on the field as opposed to normally just the two of us does make things very different!

We eventually finished in a time of 2:26; I measured the course out using my Nike+ app at 13.5 miles and the app recorded my 13.1 mile time at 2:22; a little better but still a couple of minutes over what I'd wanted. However, with it being my first half, finishing is a big deal and the next one will involve pushing for a better time and a smoother run. Until then, we've lots of 5ks and 10ks in the pipeline to tide us over the Winter.

I'd recommend the Amsterdam half for the flatness, the great support from both the public and in terms of portaloos, water etc (although the portaloo I used before the start was literally the most disgusting thing I've ever seen; clean inside but more of a 'pit' at the bottom and not a chemical toilet), and lovely marshals by the finishing line. Clearly I looked pretty wiped out as, rather than having to take a plastic 'blanket', one of them came and put it round my shoulders. Frankly, with the rib pain at that point, walking to her to collect one wasn't going to happen! So, all in all, a lovely weekend trip but a less than ideal run!

Two days to go...

It's almost Half Marathon time and I'm almost looking forward to it! Last night, we did a 5k around Lydiard just to make sure we were still getting out and about; went ok although I was a bit disheartened to feel like it was quite tough. Granted, it was a considerably faster one than I plan on doing to Half in but still not the best of endings, as it were. Nick did point out I didn't have anything like that difficulty with the 12 miler a couple of weeks back which was something, though - hopefully that translates into a good run on Sunday. Will update soon...

It's been a while

4 1/2 months since my last post (did I forget? Ahem...maybe) and things have moved on massively.

We've completed two 10k races. The Cheddar 10k (see photo) was insanely hilly and, on a hot day, pretty difficult too. The Bath Two Tunnels 10k was a gorgeous flat course and I hit a PB of 1:01. I was aiming for 1:04, which was easy to hit as it transpired, but managed 1:01 with no real issues. Next goal is to get below 1 hour!

First parkrun was last weekend and, running with my 12 year old nephew for the first lap (2.5k was enough for him but then he's not really done much running before and no distance whatsoever), I still hit 31 minutes exactly. Sub 30 isn't too much of a problem for a 5k any more, and the aim is to go sub 27 minutes by the end of the year. Hopefully this isn't an unrealistic goal.

Of course, it's also less than a week to the half marathon - quite excited in a funny way. We've done a number of 10 milers and one 12 miler in training and I've managed those without any problems, even if the 12 miles was a tough call. Means that the half marathon on the flat of Amsterdam should be absolutely fine. Keep your fingers crossed for us!

A bit of background

I thought it worth starting a new running blog for no reason other than making it a time-proof way to track my progress and, frankly, as a bit of a reminder that, while an 8 mile run might sound easy while sitting at work, it wasn't the last time I did it and I doubt it will be the next!

I'm not really a runner. I mean, I run. But I don't count myself as being fast enough, or fit enough, to be a real runner. That's one of my aims and, when I can manage a half marathon in a good (sub 2:30 I suppose) pace, then I might just consider myself a runner. At present, 'hapless amateur' may just about describe it.

So, let's start with the basics...

I took up running 2 years and 8 months ago simply because I was told I couldn't do it. I wasn't fat; indeed, as an ok climber, I was relatively strong, but I wasn't fit per se. I couldn't have run to save my life. And the first run I did, 250m was a serious struggle. Within a couple of months, I could run a few k without stopping and it took 7 months to hit the 5k mark. After that, with a peak of 7k, I didn't really do anything above 3k for 14 months. June 2013 brought a fair few 5ks and, in July, my first 10k. Running any substantial distance over 4k then tapered off until March of this year when I vowed to stop being so damned lazy and do some exercise.

It helps that my other half is a runner. He's no professional but he's pretty fast and has much better endurance than me. He's very good at dragging me along kicking and screaming a few hundred metres further. Bless him, he's got an awful lot of patience with me. Which he needs. 

For, whatever else I may be, I am not a lover of running. I am tight with my money, which means free forms of exercise hold some serious appeal, and I love the feeling after a run but I don't especially enjoy the exercise itself. I can't for the life of me run on a treadmill as boredom and the urge to press the 'Stop' button set in very quickly. If anyone has any tips on how to combat this, they'd be very much appreciated.

But I am determined. This October, Nick and I are doing the Amsterdam half marathon. Next year, he's doing a full marathon and I'm doing another half. I'll consider doubling the distance in 2016! We ran 8 miles a couple of weeks back and do fairly regular, though not regular enough, 6+ mile routes. They're hard but they won't kill me. At present, 8 is a bit of a barrier as that was really tough but we've plenty of routes scheduled in for the next few months to see us, hopefully, hitting 11 miles at the end of July. With a few weeks' holiday in August meaning one less month of training, that should make the 13.2 in October eminently doable. 

At present, I'm aiming for two gym sessions weekly - cross trainer, weights and swim. These each involve a 2.5 mile run from work to the gym in the first place, which is a 'nice' warm up. I'm also hoping for one mid-length solo run, one mid-length run with Nick and a long run together weekly to keep us getting fitter. Of course, this may well be interrupted by holidays/weddings/other spurious plans/anything more tempting but, for now, there IS a plan. And so far, it's going ok :)