The Big half was just a fantastic race from start to finish. I just really love ‘BIG’ races with tons and tons of people - I love the build-up - the anticipation - the crowds - the blaring music - the drums - the vibes - the event!! It is just such a wonderful jostling of people, coming together from all walks of life with their own individual goals, aspirations, and struggles, to run one big race together. For a few hours in time, all their paths cross over, facing the same challenge together.
So I stayed over with my bestie (Olivia) the night before the race. She’s a bit more central than me, making it easier to get to Tower Hill from hers in the morning, and she had agreed to feed me carbs! My carb loading consisted of three pieces of toast (even before dinner!), and then a lovely sea bass dinner in which I was forced to eat at least SIX POTATOES. When I protested at potato number six, I was told ‘you will need that potato at mile 12 tomorrow – by Dan, Liv’s Irish husband - ‘down it!’. After some random chat from Dan about the potato famine in Ireland, I duly forced down the last potato and then laid out all my race kit on their living room floor. Now this is an essential ritual which I’m sure most people do the night before any race mainly to avoid forgetting something. But I also like to think of it as a sort of good luck homage to the running gods. You’re laying out an effigy of your race day self on the floor - ready to smash that race out of tomorrow!! Anyway, after diligently doing this and making sure my watch was charged, it was an early night to bed. I was super tired from a long week of shifts, training, a thesis deadline, and difficult emails. As soon as my head hit the pillow I was out like a light.
Race day morning was a 6.30 wake up – bright and breezy - BIG bowl of porridge with banana and honey, cup of tea and then straight out the door to the tube. I was worried about potential train delays, and this just compounded my race day nerves – I felt my heart racing as I sat on the tube, telling myself to get a grip! It’s only a bloody race! Due to my busy week, I hadn’t contacted any Eagles buddies to go to the race with me, so I chatted to a random girl on the tube with a race number on. She said she was aiming for sub 90 minutes. Jeez louise?!! I’m more of a 1hr 45 myself I told her –humbled by her amazingness.
I got off the tube and walked over Tower bridge to the bag drop - this little walk was calming and helped to change my nerves into excitement. This iconic bridge would be a milestone in the Marathon just 1 month away now and I was going to give it a practice run today! Whoop!!. The anticipation as we walked towards the start line was palpable – people quietly waiting in queues for the porter loos, silently contemplating the race ahead.
When I reached the start line the wave system had completely broken down - the organisers were saying – ‘just start running!’. To be honest this totally threw me. I had been planning on finding the 1-45 pacer whilst waiting in my wave, but now there were no waves. How would I find that pacer now?! For a minute I panicked a little –suddenly unable to contemplate a whole half marathon without any pacer to guide me. I ran back towards the porter loos where luckily the 1-45 pacers were waiting all kitted up and ready to go. Relieved to find them with a huge pack of runners, we all set off together in a tight pack. It was as if we were all on a bus with the pacers driving – a living moving organism of many humans, snaking along behind them. I felt slightly boxed into this pacer bus, but the main guy at the front was larger than life instilling confidence and calm with every word. He announced loudly that 'he was in charge from here on in! To relax and enjoy the ride!! - he would update us at each mile on how the pace was going, where we had gained extra seconds and when we could slow down a bit etc. His confident demeanour and relaxed banter, was utterly reassuring. I trusted him instantly and happily took my seat on his awesome running bus. All my pre-race nerves trickled away and I relaxed into the nice steady pace.
So, I did the first few miles on the pacer bus chatting away to others around me – we were going at a comfortable 5 min/km (8 min miles). To my absolute delight and excitement we almost immediately spotted Sir Mo Farah and then Eilish McColgan darting past us on the other side of the road. They were gone in a flash before we knew it, so light on their feet, so effortless !! I was totally star struck, honoured to be running the same race as the greats - full of inspiration and wonder I couldn’t help chatting away to people around me on the bus and found myself thinking – this is way too comfortable! – I realised this was actually my marathon pace, (not half marathon pace!) and that I could definitely run faster than this! I willed myself forward away from the safety of the pacer bus and slowly inched away out in front. I had to take control of my own engine now, checking my watch and digging deep to get myself up onto a 4.30 mins/km pace. I hadn’t really done this pace for long distances before in training, as all my training runs had been at my marathon pace (8 min/mile) – so this really felt like unchartered water. Could I really sustain 4.30 for 13 miles? – I had to give it a go and if the wheels came off, I could always get back on that pacer bus chugging along just behind me. Always good to have a plan B!!
So I went for it. I got myself into a good rhythm of pace and breathing and stuck to the centre of the road trying to run straight rather than around people. I had water at every water station to wash down my gels and kept hydrated, trying my hardest not to drop my pace whilst drinking/fuelling. The more I ran at 4.30 mins/km, the more I knew I could sustain it, so I just kept going. By mile 10, I thought I nearly had it in the bag, but then a stitch burned into my left side –had I overshot the mark - could I keep running now?! I just took the deepest breaths I could muster and just kept running, willing it to go away. Thankfully after a few seconds it slowly seemed to seep away and by mile 12, I was almost home and dry!. Music & cheering was loud now from all sides, and I let the cheers of the crowd propel me forward and I sprinted with everything I had left over that finish line!!
Over the finish line at the big half! what a relief!!
Slightly delirious and sucking in air on the finish line, I managed to look down at my watch between breaths – To my disbelief it was saying 1 hr 40?!! That’s 5 minutes faster than I thought I could do. What an unbelievable surprise! I was over the moon to have made such a huge PB. Isn’t it amazing what you can do when you throw caution to the wind, have a little faith, and just GO FOR IT!. Sometimes being a bit brave in a race pays off and sometimes it doesn’t. Today it paid off and what great affirmation that my training was making a difference and a wonderful confidence boost for London Marathon in just 1 month’s time. Looking around for other Eagles I was so happy to spot Suha who had also ran a great race. We celebrated the win together with some great pics! Mo Farah had won in 61.49 and Eilish had also won setting a new women’s course record of 67.35 making history. What a fantastic race to be a part of!
Two happy Eagles !!
Absolute legends!