Distance 13.1 miles
Time 1hr 36.05 (?maybe)
Pace 7.19 per mile
Weight 73 kg
If I was ever going to set a PB again at half marathon distance today was going to be the day. To save stress on behalf of the reader I achieved this with ease. But did I beat nemesis number 2 (Jonathan)'s time of 1.36.05? Read on...
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Conditions were perfect today, cold, flat and no wind. I suppose this course would always be flat come to think of it but the weather suited me like a glove. I knew I needed 7.20 pace to match nemesis's time and set off at this pace for the first lap (3 laps from the Canal Basin to the Swing Bridge) and felt good, kept the pace up for the 2nd lap and felt good at the final turn with 2 miles to go. Average pace on the garmin was 7.19, this was going to be tight. Entering the final straight I knew I was going to be agonizingly close and just gave it everything I had. The final turn at Piazza Terracina with 20 metres to go brought the clock into view and it had just turned 1.36 - I had about 5 seconds to make it... 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 and as I crossed the line I heard the Marshall say 'and 5'. So did I tie with the running legend (perhaps legend is to overstate things, let's say enthusiast)? I'm still waiting for the results to appear. Can't bear the suspense.
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Also running today was work colleague Sophie who was competing in her first half marathon (first race in fact) and she smashed through the 2hrs 10 marker with a minute or two to spare. Well done. I was thrilled to see her appear at the finish, I wasn't worried she'd fallen it's just I was getting very cold by this point.
