Day 4 - Marathon, pub, cruising
2022-10-16 - TZ: Europe/London
7am alarm. Was ok because I’m bed phone off by <checks notes>
22:41 the previous night. (Thanks Anna, Thanks Melatonin.)
Perfect prep. Enough porridge, toilets, coffee, hydration, gels,
and found everyone in pen C in time to start together
IMG [IMG]
Richard and Al (on either side of me in picture) ran together
and I went at my own pace. Took similar approach to the Brooklyn
Half, where I went off hard until I hit 175 bpm, then maintained
that or thereabouts until the last few kms.
Caught up w/ Ben the second time I saw Rachel and Dad spectating.
IMG [IMG]
He hadn’t been training much for this distance and I distanced
him soon after this picture.
Went hard, gave it 110%, etc etc sports commentary.
<insert link to strava, and screenshot of pace in case data
falls into ocean>
Random thoughts: Jonathan Wu’s enthusiastic support entered
my head around kms 10-11. For example:
IMG [IMG]
It surprised me how encouraging that was.
Becca and Cath were ‘round the back of the Rad Cam, which was
the hurtiest part of the race (check w/ strava, but pretty sure
hr was 184.)
IMG [IMG]
I am doing a good impression of someone still able to feel things
other than pain.
Post-race swag was pretty meager. Bag, medal, protein bar. I
bought an awesome hoodie, tho, that I am wearing now, Tuesday
October 18 at 21:14 BST/16:14 EST, on the plane, as I write this
on my tiny iPhone 12 mini keyboard.
IMG [IMG]
After race, went to Royal Oak for lunch/beer.
IMG [IMG]
(Cath took this)
We cruised north after lunch. (Getting to the boat/leaving is
a bit hazy...)
At some point after Duke’s Cut, there was a boat drifting. As we
were trying to work out what to do, someone who knew the owner’s
Dad walked past on the towpath and she and we managed to get
the boat tied up... with one pin for both ropes, under a bridge,
but at least secured. The woman who put down her shopping to help
eventually received a call from the owner that he’d be there
soon. (We didn’t see the boat anywhere near the bridge on our
return passage past that bridge, so hopefully all was resolved.)
I was hoping to make it to Thrup that evening, because nice pubs,
but we didn’t make it, and we didn’t need it because we had
dinner plans on boat.
Fajitas (well, I ended up rolling burritos). Richard made
gin and tonics. We got speaker out for music. At some point,
an impromptu dance party happened. Becca probably has video
evidence. The playlist was pretty decent tbqh
IMG [IMG]
(Full disclosure I was already on the herbal tea when the
dancing started.)
Finished off the evening cooling off out on the towpath.
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