Notes
The Vigo Half Marathon. To be honest it was a complete embarrassment. We started off at a steady pace (prob 7.30 per mile) and while it felt ok my HR was way higher that it should have been. This continued for the first few miles, steady speed but really high HR. Got through the hills in the forst 5 miles feeling ok and at the high part of the course I was fine however all the time I was worried about my HR. I was running barely below 8 min mile pace (7.46) after half way but my HR was way higher than normal. I knew that it was only a matter of time before I bombed but as I felt ok I kept going. After 9 1/2 miles I knew it was over. I struggled through another 1 mile before the legs gave in and I walked for about 1 - 2 mins. I was wrecked but kept going until 12 miles when I stopped again. Even that close to the finish I couldn't keep going and when I got going again I hit a HR of 190 pretty quickly - quite a HR considering I was only plodding along. Managed to finish in a flourish in 1:44...
Yes thats right - 1:44 plus change... I've had faster long runs - so disappointed but this HM was probably a month or so before I was ready so can't complain - will be more careful and better prepareds before the next one !!!
Walked down to the beach afterwards to cool the legs but was barely able to put one foot in front of the other. An average HR of 174 over a HR is pretty tough on the body and to be honest I was beat body and soul... Disappointed I had to stop but I think I would have collapsed if I didn't