Well...that wasn't too bad...i think i'll do another....

 Nomi says,

So...the half marathon came and went...

It was held on a bridge connecting the mainland and one of the islands...so my run started at 3.15 in the morning. Which means i had about 1- 11/2 hours sleep in total prior to the run. I had coffee and an energy bar prior to it. And decided to lug my camelbak with 1.5L fluids in it, since i didn't quite know how hot and humid it would be. I knew that there would be water throughout the course of the race, but not many stops with energy drinks.

As most major runs are, the atmosphere was festive. It was dead in the morning, and i think that there were many runners who came the night before and just camped out there.  The area was littered with thousands of runners with color coded T shirts, the color depending on the distance they were running. Some were bouncing on their feet, some just plain wiggling, some stretching,  some sleeping on the grassy areas....it was a community of people with a single purpose..to finish the race in decent time, and hopefully in an upright position. I must say though that i was one of the very, very few with a camelbak strapped on my back. Most didn't carry any fluids and some had small water bottles....hmmmm......
And then the gun went off...and the runners in my category rushed into the streets to head for the bridge. The weather was hot and humid. The air was absolutely still, despite the race site being right next to the sea.I was sweating buckets...right from the beginning of the race. Heat was radiating in waves from the asphalt that had been baking in the sun, the whole day. So i trudged on, thankful for the bountiful fluids that i had. Then i saw lightning streaking across the sky.....not a very comforting sight, i might add. After about 5kms, some runners had started to slow down, and some were walking....Flashes of lightning raced across the sky quite regularly..and finally at 12kms into the race...it started pouring cats, dogs and frogs. But it was a blessed relief from the heat. Everything cooled down and despite water beating into my eyes, not being able to see beyond a few feet in front, and being drenched from head to foot..it was absolutely wonderful!!!!!! A lot of runners stopped to walk, and i guess there must have been accidents, cause i heard the ambulance passing quite a number of times. The downside, was the shoes got soaked in water, and became quite heavy. Also, never run without a waterproof plastic bag, to keep your phone in , in case of unexpected downpours.I guess i must have been runing at about a pace of 6 to 6.5mins/km. I also stopped to tie my laces twice, walked a bit cause my right knee hurt and to waterproof my phone....

The bridge was lighted up like a Christmas tree, like a beacon in the darkness. And it was not a flat bridge. There's this elevation right in the middle of it...it rises up to a peak, and there's a downhill...like a sharp triangle right in the middle of the bridge. It looked real scary from afar, but the elevation was so gradual, that it was quite manageable. It rained all the way till i finished my run. By 18kms, everything pretty much hurt. I was contemplating slurping a power gel...but it was too troublesome stopping, and groping for my camelbak, getting the gel out...you know the drill.So i just ran without, and hoped to have enough energy to carry me to the finish line.
I finished in 2 hours 16 minutes, came 119 out of 1139 runners in the women's half marathon and 79 out of i honestly don't know how many runners in my category. Most importantly it was fun This was the first time that I had run 21kms in my life. I enjoyed my self very much, and would do it again.......

Women rock!!!