How to review the half marathon? Well, it was quite easy at first, so much so that I had to keep telling myself to stop getting carried away and slow down. Then we ran down the Portway. And kept running... And kept running... Oh, look, there's Steve Cram! And kept running...And kept running... And turned around at Sea Mills. And kept running...And kept running... And when we returned to the city centre, that's when I really felt it - between 10 and 11 miles. I wanted to stop for every centimetre of that mile.
Once I'd cleared 11 I knew there was just over a mile to go, and there was no way I was going to grab a breather (finishing without stopping once being a MAJOR motivator by this stage). I finally crept around the centre and finished 1.57.34 (without stopping). Not a great time, but if you'd told me when I'd just graduated university with about three extra stone to show for it that I ever do this , I would have laughed at you.
It's a great sense of achievement. There's pretty much a 50/50 split between my friends who have and have not done the half marathon, and when it comes up in conversation, I always feel proud to fall in the 'have' camp. So, sign up now - it's not until next September so you have plenty of time to get ready, and in truth the day itself is mainly a joy - it's all the training that's a pain (though it's more boring than anything else). Having said all that, I did it four years ago, and I've rarely been tempted to to sign up again since! read more