The Scottish Half Marathon - Race Report

Hello Fudgey Friends,

Well yesterday was an early start...5.30am the alarm went off & I got up about 5 minutes later. By 6am I'd had a small cup of tea & my Marks & Spencer Apple & Sultana instant porridge which is now a ritual. I also made up 500ml of Maximuscle Viper and drank 500ml water - between all that fluid and the nerves it's no wonder I went to the loo about 6 times before leaving the house at 6.40
I had got all my stuff organised the night before as I knew it was an early start, so all I had to do was get up, fuel up, hydrate, tape feet, apply sun cream, get dressed, grab stuff and go. I was really really nervous more so than I have been before any other race and poor hubby had to deal with some tears. I think it was just the emotion of it all and knowing this is what I've been training for, for months - the day was finally here.

We got the bus into town and the stop was right opposite the starting area. First stop - toilets!
Then it started to rain very heavily. Mr Fudgey had an umbrella and I sheltered in a bus stop. Thankfully it was just a shower and didn't last long. I looked at Mr Garmin and it was 7.45 so we started making our way to my start point. I thought I needed the toilet yet again but I knew really it was just nerves and I didn't have time to go. Kissed my fabby hubby goodbye and joined the other runners in the starting area. I had opted to run without my ipod after reading on the website that they were not allowed - however plenty of folk did have theirs, but I'd made the decision to follow the rules - which had I not read would have had my ipod but having read them thought I'd do the right thing.
The half marathon started at 8am though I think it was around 4 and a half minutes till my wave crossed the start line and I started Mr Garmin. My target time was around 2 hours 10ish so I was hoping for 10 minute miles roughly.
Just a couple of minutes in I spotted Mr Fudgey up ahead with the camera so shouted and waved and as I passed by shouted see you in 13 miles!
Kmac was waiting to cheer me on at mile 1 and that really helped. I went through the first mile in 11 minutes but was happy with that as I didn't want to go too fast at the start, though I completed the 2nd mile in about 9 and a half minutes.
At about 5k there was a water station so I took on a little water, I was enjoying myself, not even fazed by lack of ipod and pacing really well & feeling strong.
The next drinks station was a water & lucozade one - I grabbed a lucozade and drank some but as it was tropical flavour and not something i'd tried in my training runs I didn't take on too much in case it disagreed with me.
For us half marathoners we were really lucky as it was very grey, though it was humid but the temperature was between 13 & 19 degrees, The marathoners who set off at 10am had bright sunshine and temperatures getting up to 25 degrees - so well done to all of them.
I felt really good till around mile 9, then I felt like the 10 mile marker was never coming. We had to run past the race course at Musselburgh and up the road quite a distance before turning back to head down to the race course for a grandstand finish. I was just plodding up the road when I saw & heard Mum & Dad Smith - that pushed me on. Then I saw Martin Holt from work coming down the other side of the road and I shouted encouragement & he shouted back - this really spurred me on. After the turn at mile 11 my hips were starting to hurt and the road surface was
not the greatest but there was a pa and music and the chap announced on the mic 'Here comes Fudgey give her a cheer' which was fab and people were shouting Go Fudgey and clapping so I grinned and waved to the crowd.
Coming down between mile 12 & 13 there was fabby Mr Fudgey again - I couldn't look at him as I thought I'd cry. My legs were hurting but I knew I was well ahead of 2 hours 10 and was so nearly there. Turning into the race course I was gearing up for a sprint finish and aaargh thick rubber mats on the grass which after running on the road felt like torture and it was all I could do to keep going but not a chance I was giving up now - the finish straight was lined with people cheering and Mum & Dad Smith again - so I powered on and came across the finish line in 2 hours 5 minutes 53 seconds according to Mr Garmin, but my official chip time was 4 seconds faster :-)

Through into the runners only area where i got a bottle of water,a bottle of lucozade, a medal & a goodie bag.

Goodie Bag
An amazing goodie bag containing gorgeous blue technical tshirt, 2 mini deodorants, 2 wee packs of mike & ike sweets, herbal drop, asics sweat band, nature valley trail bar, fruit school bar, lo salt and some linwoods samples - I can't wait to try the cocoa & berry mix with porridge.

The Event
Really well organised event, loads of portaloos!, really well organised water stations, great course. The only minor criticism is the mile markers could have been bigger & more prominent. Would I recommend this event / Would I do it again? YES

After getting home and having my ice bath, I modelled the tshirt and medal
Then I phoned Mum & Dad Lockie who were very proud of me too.
We then headed off to International Starters for a fabulous lunch & some well deserved cava & wine.

Today I've felt far more tired than I expected and a little stiff in places but pretty good otherwise. Back to work tomorrow.

Will give you the week 12 stats tomorrow too and try and think of a new title for my blog as it's no longer the EHM countdown.

Take Care everyone
love
Fudgey x x