Half Marathon Phoenix Park 2010 Sept 18th

I am writing this exhausted and weary but successful in my first run in over a month

A chilly and wet day, a frantic rush to the start as I dragged myself out of bed after 4 hours sleep. Banana and powerade down the hatch. Here we go again, this time with no training and a dodgy ankle that has kept me down for a month.

First 6 miles, felt good and accelerating, then came the hills, (and I quite like hills generally,) there are two sustained climbs, one about 7 miles, that was fine but then my energy and mood dipped palpably for a mile or so but luckily I came back stronger until mile 10. My ankle was sore but didn't really affect me. After mile 10 I really felt the lack of training and then came the biggest climb - 2 miles and the cramp in my right calf was talking to me, I stumbled a few times but managed to carry on but by mile 12 I was running on empty and managed to haul myself over the line, actually in a very similar time to last year- just over 2 hours, so delighted with that. Went straight to the jacuzzi - the feeling is similar to completing the marathon, my muscles are very hard and stiff but I'm delighted I managed to run the thing given the circumstances.

On this showing, the marathon may be a terrible torture indeed. But feck it,there were some people with physical handicaps and weight issues who managed to complete this and I ain't gonnna wimp out of some pain in October!