The Gold Coast Airport Marathon - Half Marathon for this lady

Well, where to start, it's been a huge week.

I'll try to start at the beginning, without too much jumping around.

All has been going well with my training, distances are a struggle but achievable and I seem to be able to hold a fairly constant pace, less than a 7 min pace which is quite exciting for this plodder.

Middle of last week, I woke up a few times with a burning painful feeling on the outside of both thighs.  I thought it was the wall sit that was hurting my quads.

On Monday I had an osteo appointment for a check over before the big run.  As soon as I told her the symptons of my pain, she diagnosed bursitis :(  Her recommendation was to rest, but she said that she knows me well enough that I will still run, so we made a deal.  I'd run an easy 5km on Wednesday, then the Friday before the run.  Anti inflammatories were prescribed and with the rest there wasn't the night time pain happening.  The little runs went ok, so in my head I was set for Sunday.

After a long 10 1/2 drive from Sydney to the Gold Coast, we arrived at 3pm on the Thursday, checked into the lovely Crowne Plaza and settled in for a fun filled weekend.

On Friday our lovely interstate and long distance friends began to arrive - so excited to see the virgin marathoners again - Jacqueline and Kitty Hawk.

Saturday was a fun day with Run Club, being a supporter to the 10km and 5.7km runners.  It's a great club to belong to, the mateship is such a valuable component of Run Club - you may not know everyone but they're just friends who haven't met yet.

Saturday night I was extremely anxious, almost to the point of feeling sick.  It would've been so easy to just stay in bed and not run on Sunday.  But I couldn't do that!!!  I had to do this run.

Sunday morning we were up early to get the hotel shuttle bus to the start precinct.  Uh oh, a slight hiccup, they only wanted to take the athletes!!!!  Ummm we were athletes too, under the impression that the hotel was supplying a shuttle bus.  So off over the road we went to get a bus.  Oh my goodness the traffic was so bad and I was starting to stress if we'd get there in time.

We had to rush to the start line, and thankfully heard my name from a lovely Run Clubber, saying she'd take our bags to the tent, so we could just jump into the start corral.

6am - the start line!!!

Even though Garry and I were in the starting corral there was a problem.  I was supposed to run with Katrina but she was further back and with nearly 9000 runners there was no way we'd be able to find each other.

And we're off ............... running, taking deep breaths, enjoying the environment.  I was running at a comfortable pace, but no where near the 6.38 pace that would get me a 2.20 finish.  I decided to just focus on keeping my pace less than 7 mins a km and no walking!!!

Garry and I ran quite comfortably for about 8km until he needed a toilet break.  Big mistake .............. long line.  I kept running and it was not long after that, that Katrina found me and we ran together - to the end.  She'd been quite ill the previous day so her run today was going to be just making it to the end in one piece.  We ran well together, enjoying company, not having to talk alot, but knowing we are there for each other.

The last 4kms, from about 17km marker were incredibly harder.  I'm sure each of those four kms were longer than a km.  But thankfully for the Green Army again - the lovely Lynette and Katherine had asked me where I would need the support - 17km mark please ladies.  I was looking forward to seeing a familiar face or two.

This was just before the 17km mark where we came across Liam and Wendy - I think I freaked him out a bit by asking for a hug!!!

Just around the corner was the lovely Lynette and Katherine - thank you ladies, your smiles and cheers were so appreciated.

At this point the quads were starting to hurt and I had a feeling that Katrina was struggling but we knew it was less than 30 mins and we'd be finished.

This event has a great finishing shute - about 250m of running in front of a grandstand.  Just before we came around the corner, Katrina asked if we could hold hands while crossing the finish line - she read my mind because I was thinking of asking her the same thing.

We finished ............. 2.27.55.  Not quite the time I wanted but less than 2.30 and I finished happy and healthy - no major aches or pains.

Now the reflection bit.

Would I do a half marathon again .............. yes, definitely.  It was hard, but achievable and I know it can get a little bit easier.

I didn't feel the runners high that I thought I would feel.  I think I was feeling a bit overwhelmed by the great runners in the event and our run club and I was still such a plodder who couldn't achieve her goal time.  I know, I know, I should be happy to have finished.

So some positives to look at;

I'm 46 and have just run my first half marathon.

I'm still considered overweight but can run constantly for over two hours.  

Two years ago I had the second lot of knee surgery where the doctor said I wouldn't be able to run ever again.

Walking was not a consideration!!!!

I followed a plan for 16 weeks and was able to execute the run.

I will get better - this was a PB.

I'm appreciative that I can run.

I have a wonderful support group, both loving and informative - in the form of my Run Club and virtual running family.

ps, time to get rid of another 5 - 10kg!!! After a few days at the lovely Hunter Valley.

So, when's the next half??  Who knows?  I've got a few events to run until the end of the year, the first being this Sunday, which is a 10k and will be a recovery run.