First Half Marathon in 1h 39m

I have completed my first ever-public event – the ‘Run to the G’ half marathon in 1 hour and 39 mins. What a relief…! I am yet to digest this achievement, when considering I only started to run in February and training thrice a week. I am satisfied but I know there is a long road before I could achieve the full marathon.

I am not sure whether the event should be called Run to the G. I could suggest ‘Run into a Pole’ (yes, the course covered very narrow pedestrian paths, including poles in the middle – I saw some runners who run into it - I am sure it hurt those who got caught). This race could have also been called ‘Run into another Runner’. For the second lap around the MCG we crossed paths with the 5/10kms walkers and runners and believe me it got bloody messy – there should have been a lane for 5/10kms and HM runners. The last three kilometres was a zig zag – too many walkers..! I have to mention there was a couple walking their dog in the MCG and the dog disrupted a few runners.

The finish point was another bloody disaster… one basically had to stop immediately after the crossing lane.

Meters before I finished the HM the clock was 1h39m and seconds. I hope I made it before it turned 1h40m.

My running partners, Gaby (1h45m) and Rodrigo (2h15m) finished well too. Amazingly we all felt good about our times. I started with them but I ended up leaving them behind when I got stuck in a group just past Flinders Station. The start was rather fast. The first two kilometres was somewhat difficult to navigate because there were so many turns, obstacles (yes, the bloody poles!) and very narrow path.

I am not used to running on the road so I was not sure what to expect. I felt good running the first 4 kms; for the next 6kms I concentrated on maintaining my pace. My timing for 10kms was something like 39 mins (TBC). However just past the 11km mark I felt like giving up. There was no one immediately in front of / behind me to give me a moral boost. I really struggled for about a kilometre. I tried very hard to concentrate and motivate myself when running past Federation Square for the second time. Somehow I found the energies to keep going. Then, when running across the G for the second time I felt it dishearten and I struggled to keep going up the hill – but managed to sustain the pace. Just approaching the gates in the G (around 15km mark) I ended up talking to Cindy (from Sydney, a former 800m track runner who flew to Melbourne for this HM!). We ended up working together until the finish. I encouraged her when she struggled and she encouraged me right at the end when I was giving up. Oh! Gee! We really needed that encouragement.

Cindy told me she was aiming at finishing 1h40m or under… At that point I realised that I was doing well thus far. For Cindy this was her second HM. The interesting thing of meeting another runner with a goal and a pace similar to another is that you can encourage each other and have someone to talk to. Cindy said to me she was trying to catch up with the team leader for 1.40 (the yellow balloon was within sight) – of course when I was running I did not register all this information – I was just simply tyring to make it to the end.

I struggled for the last two kilometres. For two reasons: My calves were hurting a bit and there were so many walkers in front and we had to zig-zag the whole time. Towards the end I caught up with runners I have seen around The Tan, the beach and Princess Park, including the athletic girl (blond, tall, black clothes, ipod) that I was next to at the start.

Overall I feel happy I completed my first public event and my timing. Even though I did not feel I enjoyed the run (because of feeling pain in my calves and feeling mentally weakened) I will ensure that my running strategy for the next few weeks iss to consolidate running 20-25 kms. Then I will make progress towards the 30kms.

Today’s HM experience gives me the opportunity to assess my progress so far and work on areas where I could improve. Certainly there is room for improvement. I need to eat more (bigger serving sizes and drink more water. I also need to work on my confidence..!

I may do the SC Princess Hill HM next July.

A final point… those who thought I was a little mad running six laps around The Tan, I would like to say I rather do six laps again than do the “Run to the G’.