Reading Half Marathon

Sunday was a big milestone in my running 21 mths after I initial started running to keep fit and 8 mths after I decided I was going to run I marathon I completed my first half marathon.

Even though I’ve run the distance several times over the last couple of months I was still very nervous on the start line, this died away once we got away. The first 3 miles were really difficult to get my pace right due to the large number of people running, at the start they had said there were 18,000 of us. No sooner had I got settled into my pace and suddenly I needed the loo, why is it you always need the toilet at the most inappropriate time and it  really doesn’t help when people start trying to hand you water. I ended up giving in at the 8 mile mark and queued up to use a portaloo, if I’d carried on running I’d of either had to of finished with crossed legs or very damp shorts.

I don’t know why but I’d always thought Reading was quite flat, not as in level flat. What I hadn’t expected was their to be two big hills, the first was about 200 foot climb over ¾ of a mile the second was worse at around 250 foot in less than ½ a mile. The second hill was a case of not looking at the summit but the road a couple of metres ahead of me dealing with it bit by bit.

When I eventually got to the 12 mile marker I felt my spirits lift, just 1.1 miles to go. I never really thought much about the effect a crowd at sporting event could have, but in that last mile the encouragement and cheering that was coming from the spectators for everyone running really did lift me. When I eventually ran into the football stadium I felt like my feet were floating as I heard the cheers for everyone running from about 6,000 spectators, the experience was like nothing I’ve ever experienced before. I owe a big thank you to Leanne my better half whose support over the last couple of months has really helped me ramp up the distances I’ve been running.

My finishing time was 1:58:59, which was just inside my target of 2 hours and I learnt lots of little lessons to take forward with me for the 26.2 miles I’ve got to do in May.  It seems awfully close now and 26.2 miles seems rather more daunting.

I’m running in aid of CLIC Sargent, if with your help I manage to raise £2,000 then I shall run in a nurse’s uniform. I’ve been told by Leanne that at the moment it looks like it will be a little number from Ann Summers, I’m not sure who this is going to be worse for me or the spectators. To make a donation and destroy what miniscule of dignity I have left then head to www.justgiving.com/Nicholas-Armitt

It's been a while (still running)

As the title says it's been a while, it's all to easy to get out off the habit of blogging and quite hard to then get back into it. Well I've kicked my arse to get writing again.

The marathon training is back on track after a disastrous December and January through illness. I ended up ith what seemed like the longest cold in the world, I'd almost got to the point that if it had gone on much longer I would of asked the vet to put me down. Turns out I'd also had a viral infection along with several colds. I never thought I'd hear myself say this but for those two months I was so frustrated as I wanted to get out and just run and I did a couple of times, which wasn't the best idea as each time I did I felt as sick as a dog.

Well I finally shifted the colds by the start of February and running was able to commence full pelt. I'm now back upto running 3 times a week with a least one run of over 13 miles in preparation for the Reading half marathon in two weeks time. I feel quite confident about this having run the distance several times already. The marathon is a slightly different matter, lets just say with it only being 10 weeks away I'm beginning to feel slightly nervous about distance. I'm just going to have to get lots of training in between now and then.