I did it!
The half marathon was Sunday morning and it was with a few nerves that I lined up to await the gun. Training had gone well, but I was worried that I had not really run any longer than 10km or 70 min. Adidas, sponsor of the event has run this promotion suggesting runners visualise themselves as a rubber duck that will always bounce back and rise to the top. It's quite cute, check it out here. So here goes with an account of how it all went.
First 3km around Devonport relatively flat and nice going, the hill up from Narrow Neck required a little walk and was feeling good with enough water in my bottle to not stop at the first drinks station. At 5km around Hauraki Corner I had to quack as it was starting to get a bit tough, more so when about a km later my feet started getting tingly like they had sometimes in training. Luckily some Powerade and a walk through the second drinks station at 8.5km got rid of that. Time wise all was looking good to be around the 2.30 mark so onward down Northcote Road I went. A long mostly flat easy run for about 15 minutes had me at the park by my old kindy, 10km down in 1.04. At this point I started to think that it was more than a chance, 1.26 left to do 11km though I was wary of some hills to come.
Took it easy up the hill to the intermediate and cruised down past the shops, where dad was watching (but failed to see me). Skipped the 3rd drinks station at the bottom and sticking to my plan of time walked the steep hill to Onewa. It was about this time that running, even on the flat or downhill started getting difficult, my concerns about training run lengths coming to fruitiion. The harbour bridge is incredibly steep but I ran as much as I could, the view was nice from the top (this is the one time a year you can cross on foot). Easy run down it, though not too fast, had a colleague warn me that you can sprint it and not have enough for the final burst. Turned for home at 16km and 1.45. safe in the knowledge that I was going to beat 2.30. My buffer was lucky, I hit a wall at 18km and it was hard going from then on it, though the Borat guy did amuseme, felt sorry for him at the end when he went off to finish the marathon. Running around the wharves for the last couple of km was boring, there were not many cheerring on either, but come the final 200m or so, with everyone about (and the first marathon finishers coming home) I gave it one last push.
Huge smile on the dial as I saw the time and crossed the line to finish my first half marathon in a time of 2:21.23 :) I was a very happy little duck :) The rest of the day was spent laxing out recovering and consuming an insane amount of carbs.. Am just about fully recovered so wil be back to the gym on Thursday morning.
Totally keen on doing it again next year and thinking of an ambitious 2 hour target.
I have learnt:
1> You don't need to run the full distance to be able to finish one, though a run of between 1.30-2.00 is probably a good idea
2> When pushed hard the body responds and that getting to the end is as much about attitude as fitness
3> All of those 6am running sessions paid off on the day
4> All my 6am BodyPump sessions have meant a speedy recovery
5> It was actually kinda fun :)
First 3km around Devonport relatively flat and nice going, the hill up from Narrow Neck required a little walk and was feeling good with enough water in my bottle to not stop at the first drinks station. At 5km around Hauraki Corner I had to quack as it was starting to get a bit tough, more so when about a km later my feet started getting tingly like they had sometimes in training. Luckily some Powerade and a walk through the second drinks station at 8.5km got rid of that. Time wise all was looking good to be around the 2.30 mark so onward down Northcote Road I went. A long mostly flat easy run for about 15 minutes had me at the park by my old kindy, 10km down in 1.04. At this point I started to think that it was more than a chance, 1.26 left to do 11km though I was wary of some hills to come.
Took it easy up the hill to the intermediate and cruised down past the shops, where dad was watching (but failed to see me). Skipped the 3rd drinks station at the bottom and sticking to my plan of time walked the steep hill to Onewa. It was about this time that running, even on the flat or downhill started getting difficult, my concerns about training run lengths coming to fruitiion. The harbour bridge is incredibly steep but I ran as much as I could, the view was nice from the top (this is the one time a year you can cross on foot). Easy run down it, though not too fast, had a colleague warn me that you can sprint it and not have enough for the final burst. Turned for home at 16km and 1.45. safe in the knowledge that I was going to beat 2.30. My buffer was lucky, I hit a wall at 18km and it was hard going from then on it, though the Borat guy did amuseme, felt sorry for him at the end when he went off to finish the marathon. Running around the wharves for the last couple of km was boring, there were not many cheerring on either, but come the final 200m or so, with everyone about (and the first marathon finishers coming home) I gave it one last push.
Huge smile on the dial as I saw the time and crossed the line to finish my first half marathon in a time of 2:21.23 :) I was a very happy little duck :) The rest of the day was spent laxing out recovering and consuming an insane amount of carbs.. Am just about fully recovered so wil be back to the gym on Thursday morning.
Totally keen on doing it again next year and thinking of an ambitious 2 hour target.
I have learnt:
1> You don't need to run the full distance to be able to finish one, though a run of between 1.30-2.00 is probably a good idea
2> When pushed hard the body responds and that getting to the end is as much about attitude as fitness
3> All of those 6am running sessions paid off on the day
4> All my 6am BodyPump sessions have meant a speedy recovery
5> It was actually kinda fun :)