My 1st Half Marathon Experience

30th September 2018, after all the hard work and training, the big day had finally arrived!!????

I was surprised at how well I slept the night before especially with being in a hotel and sleeping away from the kids for the first time ever???? but I guess with no cries for mummy in the night it gave me the chance to get the rest I needed???? Still no lie in tho, we were up at 6 for breakfast and then we made our way to Lammas park where the start line was.

The minute we walked in and I saw the crowd starting to gather, that was when my tummy started doing somersaults, the nerves had finally kicked in!!????After leaving in our bags and a few visits to the dreaded portaloos ????  we were at the start line and I remember thinking???? what are we doing here? why did I choose here for my first half? we didnt have our team mates and I didn’t have my dad there by my side to watch me partake in the biggest event of my running journey and for that split second part of me was regretting being there!!

All that changed within a few minutes, we were out on the roads and I was reminded of why I was there!! The first few mile I didn’t even notice going in as there was so much reminiscing going on???? but I do remember looking at my watch when it beeped after each mile and our pace was waaayyy too fast and I did panic thinking will we be able to hold this but anyways I tried not to think about it too much and just ran with how I felt!! At about the 3.5 mile mark there was a brute of hill but I had been up this hill many a time before and it wasn’t gonna get the better of me now????

We were sailing now, the crowds on the streets supporting were amazing ???? there wasn’t one area of the whole 13.1 miles that didn’t have people supporting, there were kids with their banners , random people giving out sweets and water???????? there were bands playing every few mile the atmosphere was fantastic!!????????

By mile 6 I thought I needed a toilet stop so I in my head I thought if I go a little faster I can stop off and my aunt can catch me up, so she told me to go on so I did with the intention of stopping but then that competitive side of me kicked in, I was feeling good and I was so close to the 1.55 markers I knew in my head I could catch them if I didn’t stop but I didn’t wanna run without Denise so I slowed slightly as I could see there was a U turn on the route so we would pass other and i could check she was ok, she give me a big thumbs up and told me to go get the 1.55 (she knows me too well????????) so I just kept striding away enjoying every step watching for people I knew over there and the excitement I got when I did, made me go that little bit faster ???? there were people even shouting my name who didn’t know me, at first i thought, O there must be a Sharon running beside me but I soon realised my name was printed on my number , duh!!!????

Mile 10  and il never forget my aunt previously saying at this stage it’s only a Parkrun left to complete, I honestly don’t know where my energy came from but my last 3 mile were the fastest!!

I was starting to fade when I got back in to the park but the minute I saw my best friend and her family ????all standing cheering, I knew I was nearly there and I crossed the line in 1.47.34  I HAD DONE IT ????????????????

My aunt wasn’t far behind me and there was nothing gonna take the smile of our faces that day!!! It was definitely an experience neither of us will forget!!

Check out more of my running journey on Instagram @runningmummyni

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