A nice photo to start off today's post! However, not quite such a good start to the race today. Wet, windy and sodding awful weather. Dad and I had gone through to Edinburgh yesterday to do some bits and bobs. We'd stayed in a really fantastic b&b last night and woken up to grey skies this morning.
There was quite a lot less people there and we thought it might have been because of the flight cancellations. Having said that, spirits were pretty good before the start. The above photo was taken in the stands before we started...looks like we're sharing a bin bag but we're really not!!
Anyway, the race itself was fine but to be honest I find it hard to get enthusiastic about half marathons now. I just can't seem to pace myself properly for them and generally end up getting a time round about 1hr50. My dad had had some really rocky training and hadn't run farther than 9.5 miles in about a year. He says this will be his last half, and since we had done some of his training together I wanted to run with him. There will always be time to race a half marathon in the future.
We stayed with the 2hr15 pacer until about 9 miles when my dad's arms began to go numb (it was fricking freezing!!) and he began to get sore hips. That seems to run in our family, and I am seeing the physio about it tomorrow. So yes, we lost the pacer about then (a nice lady from dunfermline) and kept to our own pace. Dad did slow down and stop to loosen his shoelaces at one point (something that took AGES considering both our hands were red raw numb) and towards the end we slowed a little but I think I did well with motivation and we finished in about 2hrs21mins.
I'm really proud, as he kept a good pace for the most part and picked it up well towards the end. I can't believe he's had a heart attack and just completed a half...it's great! I'm glad we ran together. I will enter the Bristol and/or Glasgow half and will be able to race those.
Something I did notice is that so many people disappear towards the end and don't watch the final runners come in. I know it's inevitable but it's sad really. Some of the people supporting though at the end are so great though, and it's fantastic that they are there. We got some good cheers as we came into Musselburgh!
Anyway, to finish here's a picture from my Balmaha-Milng run last week... Nice, huh?
Friday 16/4
Time: 53mins
Distance: 5.15miles
Pace: ~3.75miles @ 9.40min/mile, 1.4miles @8.30min/mile
Another run with dad in the sunshine. Was good. Dad came back after some time and I pushed on a little further myself. Couldn't stay out too long though as had an appointment in the afternoon so had to come back home and get ready for that.
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