Girvan Half Marathon

Sunday saw my second running of this half marathon, an undulating course in the Ayrshire town of Girvan. At least this year I knew what to expect and didn't start the race thinking it would be an easy task. I had no previous thoughts about the time I would achieve and went into this race treating it as a training run for the Helensburgh half in August (I am hoping for a PB on this course) 

I gave a lift to a fellow runner Sophster, who was a great laugh throughout the day. We ran side by side for the first few miles but I was always conscious that we were there to run our own races. I felt strong around mile 4 and getting into a good rhythm I beginning  to make my move through the field, slowing up for both the down hill sections, something I didn’t do last year. This enabled me to fill the lungs and attack the hills. Today was a tough race and a real struggle from about mile 8 onwards, in parts I felt like I was on my own, due to the field being so spread out and I was really battling with myself, it was a case of just putting one leg in front of the other and plodding on. Sunbed Athlete gave me some great inspiration near one of the water stations and along the final part of the route the marshals were also great with this. A fellow runner who I had overtaken on a couple of occasions came back at me near the finish and gave me words of encouragement even after we had crossed the line shaking my hands and offering me words of congratulations a lovely touch.

I perhaps should have done more long runs leading up to this race or maybe even more hills, but I suppose it is all a learning curve and I have enjoyed doing shorter faster stuff since my two half’s in May. Dumbarton 10k and Parkruns 5k. I maybe need to start thinking about using gels etc.

My race No for this event was 30, I thought this was great considering my challenge of 30 half marathons for Meningitis UK and I thought about this in my time of struggle, the money I have raised and hope to raise.

As I finished this race Sophster wasn't far behind me with a lovely PB for her, and banter followed throughout the rest of the day.

Time 01:45:40

Splits 7:48 7:53 8:05 8:07 7:22 7:36 8:01 7:54 8:14 8:34 7:54 8:25 8:25 1:20