Southside 6

So first up, I'd like to say that the course was lovely, particularly with all the different coloured leaves all around the course. And much respect to all the marshalls & volunteers anlong the way, they all did a sterling job. As for the nosh at the end, that was soup worth running for!

After having spent the majority of the 36 hours on the run up to the race in bed trying to sweat out a cold, I knew that I shouldn't be running the race, but I let myself get talked into it anyways. At the start line, I was actually feeling alright and ran off at my normal half marathon pace. I quite quickly however realised that my legs were feeling sluggish from the cold I'd had, so peeled it back a little, and cracked on at a comfortable pace, holding the heart rate at around about the 160bpm, and so, the first 10km past in about 54 minutes - not exactly setting the world alight, butwhat I was aiming for in my fatigued state. Unfortunately in the last couple of km's in the first 10 km, my tempo was dropping, my legs weren't responding and runners were streaming past me. From there it just got steadily worse and within a couple more km I was getting the first ITB pain, by about 14km I was down to a walk hobble walk pattern, with any real attempt to run resulting in stabbing pain in the knees that had me on the verge of tears, so I gave up and entered a real sense of humour failure. If I met anyone I knew at this point, I would've either shouted at them or burst into tears, I was just so frustrated. The continued trickle of people passing didn't help in the slightest ("keep it up, you're doing great" no I'm not, I'm doing pish and my legs are fucked. But I never said that, because everyone was being supportive and it wasn't their fault I was in a vile mood.), particularly as I knew that by this point normally I could outrun everyone that was going past me. What did help me was the marshalls; cheery and doing a great job, I'd have a we blether with them going past (plenty of time at that speed and since by this point my heart rate wasn't going much above 120bpm, with my second 10km taking 84 minutes, it wasn't like a I was struggling for breath) which gee'd me on. Coming out of Pollock Park I was tempted just to turn for Queens park direct, but with Bellahouston Park so close, it didn't feel worth it, figured I may as well finish the bastard thing properly. Round through Bellahouston & at the water station were a couple of runners marshalling who could appreciate the pain of ITB problems and now it was just trying to do a fast walk. In the last km my left knee started hurting while walking and I just begged for the finishing line. For once in my life I was glad there was no-one I knew at the finishing line. I'd rather no-one had witnessed my finish.

Hindsight is wonderful. I shouldn't've run. I should've bailed out before entering Pollock Park. Should've should've should've. But I did it all and now I just need to do my best to recover and forget about it.

I know I maybe shouldn't be, but right now, I'm fucking disgusted with my performance; I'd rather've got a DNF than that time.

Now that I have vented, I am going to lie back in the bath & listen to some Machine Head and try and restore my good humour