The Great West run 2010

I had entered this race a long time ago just after I had completed my first ever half marathon at Bristol, it didnt even occur to me that it would end up being 2 weeks after Brighton marathon.  Today was a lot of firsts for me.......the first being ( lol get it) that I would travel and complete in this race all on my lonesome.  I got there incredibly early despite getting lost and taking all the wrong turnings!!

I spent the next hour sitting in the car, watching the rain come down, thinking Ho Hum..........

I queued up at the starting line and as I was waiting the lady in front kept asking this bloke the time and he totally blanked her as actually he was deaf..... I realised this quite quickly and started signing to him.  It was brill, I dont get the chance to sign very often ( I have Level 2 she says smugly) and there we were signing away having a whale of the time when the hooter HOOTED and off we went. ( that was another first)

Within 5 miles I was actually thinking " oh my god i could so just start walking and pull out of this race " ( yet another first) and then I remebered I was this fantastic marathon runner and that nothing EVER would stop me running so I kept going.

The course consisted of 2 loops, 2 bloody hilly loops I hasten to add and it made me ponder.......is it better to know that the bloody hills were coming so you knew what to expect or would it have just been better for them to appear as if by magic and you conquer them and thats that. ( answers on a postcard).
Now you might all be reading this thinking " I love hills, whats up with that mentalist woman?" but actually I do like hills....... today I wasnt loving them THAT much due to the fact  that I 1)hadnt known about them and 2) I was still recovering from a marathon but needless to say I STILL RAN THEM.

The weather wasnt ideal, rain and a blusterly breeze but hey we run in all weathers and I am pretty waterproof.  I would like to shout out at this point to the supporters standing outside the local pub with the band playing at 10am  with their pints of larger and their fags!!! Yes you, you are sooo inspirational and yes look I am wearing lycra...........!?

It really shouldnt have surprised me that the last 800m would be a nasty little hill but it did, in fact it completley took my breath away but before I knew it,  there I was back on that proper running track heading towards the finish.  Here I was fab, I ran in amongst the finishers overtaking them all, so desperate to finish due to the fact I couldnt feel my hands.   There was just one bloke , he knew I was coming, and his pace picked up, so did mine, I could hear the crowd screaming so I well and truly went for it.......Knees up and gave it the best sprint to the finish that I have ever done and I mean a real full on sprint
( another first), not quite sure where that came from and crossed the line before him ( looking forward to seeing the finishing pics).
Within seconds of finishing the race, I recieved a text telling my gun time and chip time ( how bloody cool is that seeing my garmin didnt start until after a mile of the race, ok it was my fault I didnt press the start button hard enough)
Gun time 02.02.45
Chip time 02.01.24
Not enough to beat my pb, but considering everything and by that I mean those bloody hills, I am very pleased with that time and I have made a mental note to do more hill training.
All in all another race, aother medal and another t shirt, well 2 in fact but thats another story!!!