Yes, another one.
After a fair bit of preparations, perhaps not undertaking in the right way, we were ready for the Cardiff Half today. Sian has put her name down a while back, so I thought that after the Llanelli one earlier this year, I would try for a sub 2 hr run. Sian basically went from not running at all, to being in a position where she was sure of making all 13 miles in the last couple of months. Unfortunately she had been quite poorly over the last week, with a heavy cold. So bad in fact that she even kept me awake at night with the wheezing and coughing. So she wasn’t feeling at all great in the morning – neither had she managed any practice runs for a week..
Race was due to start at 9:00, and roads were closing at 8:00, so we had to make sure we arrived early doors – so we set off at 7:15 (ish) with at least one of the party still half asleep. All the family was coming down, Becs separately – she was dropped off by her boyfriend in the end as the trains didn’t run early enough, but had to get back to play computer games.
So we arrived a little too early, and I didn’t have a jacket and it was chilly out. After at least two wee’s, we set off to the start with about half hour to go. We were in the “White” pen, for the slowest runners, and there were loads of people around – they had advertised 18,000 runners, but I think only around 14,000 actually ran in the end. As the bodies amassed, it got slightly warmer and then we were off. Due to the umber of people it took us 5 mins to get to the start line, then I was away.
With so many people it is impossible to get into a rhythm early on, bumping and jostling was the order of the day, everyone on each others toes – even after the first few miles it was still chocka blocka. I made great time over the first 3 miles or so, too fast perhaps, but after mile marker 3 I had caught the sub 2hr pace setter, but needed another wee-wee. Luckily for us boys that simply seemed to involve stopping on the side of the road – but already I had lost a minute. Two miles later and I had caught him again – just going over the barrage, where there was quite a spectacular fall over the speed bumps!!
Got to the Red Dragon center at 53 mins, I think 6 and a bit miles, so time was good – my possie was no where to be seen however. I scanned and scanned the sides of the roads but no support at all (I found out later they had arrived at 8 miles and only just stayed long enough to see Sian – I guess I had long since passed before they got there?) The run from about 8 miles was hard, once at Roath there was an uphill for a mile, then a slight down hill for a mile, so at about 12 miles here was a pretty steep hill which really took it out of you. Just before 13 there was another hill, and by this time I was completely wacked. I think that if you have not run something like this, you cannot have felt the complete exhaustion you have at the last bit of the run. As I had tried to keep a faster average than I had ever done, there was no let off for the whole 2 hrs. I was pooped.
Got to the final straight, and you would think you could speed up a little, but not this time, I knew I’d make it and I couldn’t make by legs go faster, I was hurting, and my face showed that – my gut swayed, my face grimaced, and I didn’t care – I’d made it, 1:55 – sorted.
Sian came over the line a short while after, but due to her state before the race, she didn’t feel too good, but once she’d had a kitkat and some drink she started to feel better, in between the coughing fits. No problem leaving Cardiff afterwards, and it was great to get home and chill out.
We had promised ourselves a Pizza after the run, so ordered early – Pizza, chips, onion rings, kebab lovely. Unfortunately after about an hour and half it hadn’t been delivered – so we phoned and was told there was a problem so it would be another 45 mins. So we cancelled – damn. Then we had to decide what to have – so Curry was decided – got the phone, just about to call and there was a knock on the door – it was the pizza fest.
So, we got to stuff our faces with Pizza anyway – nice.