That was jolly good fun.
I couldn't start too fast even if I wanted to. Too many bloomin runners in the way.
So a nice plod down hill at the start running in a big bunch on a closed dual carriageway. I did have a good chuckle at a car that had gone off the road and hit a lamp post.
I seemed to be passing lots of people and it was a bit of speeding up quite a bit to passa small bunch then settling down again, remembering not to go bonkers.
First mile came up in about 8 minutes, so I was on for a sub 2 hour. (9.23mins is 2 hour pace) That cheered me up.
It all seemed to go swimmingly. Legs hurt a bit after the first mile, but as I go into it they felt OK again.
I checked my watch at every milepost and doing the maths. I knew that I was well on schedule for a sub 2 hour which kept me in good spirits and made me think that I could have a little rest or take it easy for a bit if I felt like it and still be in with a good chance.
It was good fun though. Just running along in the sunshine. I was probably a bit erratic. Fast on descents compared to those around me. I tried to let myself go but it did get me breathing.
My cadence was slower than the 10k run a few weeks ago, but so was my pace.
At 10 miles, I definitely noticed that I wasn't going quite as well as I was at the start, but wasn't having a bad time and I don't think I slowed down noticeably.
I just hung in comfortably and ticked off the last few miles.
An uphill finish in the last mile, then the 500m mark. I didn't feel like going just yet. I let go with 250m to go, not that it would make any difference to my time, but just because...
Passed a few more on the last 250m giving it some welly to cross the line with 1:44:?? on the clock.
Luverly jubbly.
Think I'll go do a marathon next.