Whangarei Half Marathon Race Recap...

Going into this half marathon I didn't really have a goal, I wanted to use it as a run to gauge where I was at for my marathon training. However, in saying I didn't have a goal I did still want to run my best and do as well as I could. During the run I decided that I really wanted to finish in under two hours and I thought I could.

On Saturday night there was one of the biggest, craziest and scariest thunder storms I think I have ever seen/heard/felt in my entire life! It was crazy! At about midnight we were woken up by the biggest blast of thunder imaginable. It was crazy! I got such a fright that I was shaking. The lightening was the most amazing sight but the thunder was scarily loud - it even shook our windows!!

So all while this was going on and it was absolutely bucketing down with rain I was lying there thinking that this half marathon would be cancelled.. There is no way we can run in weather like this, I thought.

Also, I could not believe that my baby slept the WHOLE way through the WHOLE storm, which lasted over an hour (I think). I actually had to check he was ok! 

Apparently so!

Alas, the next morning when I woke at around 6ish the birds were chirping away and the sun was making its way up into the sky for the day. It was the most beautiful day we had had in a long time. In fact, it was a typically beautiful and warm sunny Spring's day. Wow! I was so happy that the run would not be cancelled and that I wouldn't be running in the pouring rain. But this beautiful day also meant another thing... It was CRAY CRAY hot for the run! 

It was mandatory for the stripes on our hats to match our shirts

After picking up my running buddy we got to the start with plenty of time, always a bonus. At the start line they had some fitness instructors to take us through a booty shakin' warm up which was really fun. Then we were off! I find that in events like this you tend to start a bit faster than you like as you are all in a big pack with the fast runners at the front who tend to set the pace. My first three kms were done much faster than they should have been, at just over 5mins/km, but then I finally settled into my own pace about 4kms in.

During the warm up

I hit the 12km mark at just over an hour where I saw Tim, my Dad and my friend's hubby. It's always great to see supporters along the course.

Running along the waterfront just before the 12km mark

At around 14kms we had two hills - one quite long and the other quite steep. By then the heat was really getting up there and it had gotten to me so the steep hill killed me! The 2 hour pacer caught up to me just after this hill and I was gutted! I thought I was well ahead of him. So from 15kms to about 18kms I managed to stay with him. Then I stopped at a drink station for water, which I desperately needed, and he got a bit ahead of me. I thought he was running quite fast because according to my watch I may still make sub 2 hours, just. I caught up to him a bit more and then the last 1.1kms I was on my own. I just couldn't hold his pace. He finished about 50-100m ahead of me but I was really happy to see my time when I crossed the finish line being 1:59:16... YAY! I had made the sub 2. I knew that pacer was going fast! But now I think it was a good thing as it kept me on my toes and going just a bit faster than I may have otherwise.

I love free snacks and drinks at the end of a run! P.S. Red face much?

Tim didn't quite make it in time to get a photo of me crossing the finish line as the traffic was being stopped for the runners, but he got there soon after. Fletch was asleep at my parents for most of the time I was running so we got some photos together when we arrived back there.

The sweet life for a baby - still in his PJs

Overall, it was a great race and I am stoked to have gotten a sub 2 halfy only 7 months after having a baby. Yay! Now only 6 weeks til my marathon... YIKES!!

Did you race this weekend or have a long run? 

Do you love or hate thunderstorms? 

Which do you prefer running in - cold weather or hot?