Coombe Abbey Half Marathon

I'd been searching high and low for a half marathon / 10k to do this weekend after my high of Malvern Half last weekend and could find nothing near enough to get to or that provided a medal... yes I am a medal chaser! Until Wednesday when I came across the Coombe Abbey Half Marathon near Coventry. Right I was in and looking at the pictures from the Coombe Abbey Country Park website it looked beautiful I was under the impression I would be running on the pavements around the parks passing lakes, fountains and flowers...... I wasn't.

I arrived at 8.30am got my parking space and went across to the registration desk to collect my run number, info pack and a commemorative gym bag and timing chip. I have done many a race before and never in all my life have I come across such a chunky thing. I know I'm a bit mad sometimes but this thing made me look like I was on tag day release from the looney bin! From being sunburnt from a picnic day out the day before my knee caps were bright red and skin very tight so I slapped on the factor 30 all over even though

the day was overcast. At 9.45 I made my way to the portaloos for my pre-race nervous wee and started chatting to a few ladies about the race. It was the first race held here so no one really knew what to expect but I still had the image in my head at the top of the screen. At 9.55 we had the race briefing there were 3 separate distances being covered in one, the 10k, half marathon and full marathon and I was surrounded by the familiar 100 marathon club running vests that I have got accustomed to from doing the Enigma marathons in Milton Keynes. A short presentation was made to a guy who was running his 200th marathon today then the race briefing  commenced. The deal was the 10k runners did a part lap then 2 full laps, and I would be running 6 laps receiving a hair bobble to put on my wrist after each one to show how far along I was. Standing at the start line I wasn't nervous and I wasn't even excited for some reason but got my garmin at the ready and couldn't help but think with garmin on one wrist, mental asylum tag on the other and 6 hair bobbles to slip on throughout the course I was going to be sporting some epic tan lines!

Countdown from 10-1 and away we went running through the start line and into a field covered in sheep dung and long stringy grass that whipped at your legs. The first mile was running through this field and I was wondering where the pavement would come in and the picturesque setting. We rounded a corner and continued through more field with more dung then ran around a chair and back up a long straight with a large lake to the left though you couldn't see much of the lake because of the trees. We then diverted left through a gate and ran on yes more field, more field, more field and I realised I needed the toilet..not for a wee and quite badly. Now runners will understand this but when you need to go you need to go and it's all you can think about, I actually cannot physically run when I'm like this and thought about whether I could divert of course to use the visitor toilets rather than a portaloo as I knew it wasn't going to be pretty. By the time I ran up yet more field I found I didn't need it quite so bad so thought I would do the first 2 loops then go. At this point we came along side some pavement with nice bits but we had to run on the field along side it as the park was open to the general public. We came out at the side of a childrens playground the kind with the wood chipping covering the floor and it bought back memories of going to Telford Town Park with my parents as a child. A quick jog around a line of trees and I was back through the start line finished my first lap and handed a purple hair bobble. Excellent... but half a mile into the second lap and I really really did regret not going to the toilet! I had to resort to run/walking and had got into a decidely negative mood. I don't do trail running often and have never ran a half marathon on grass/fields before I struggled to keep my footing and my ankles kept rolling. Rounded back to the part by the visitor centre I diverted this time and managed to do a 16 minute mile whilst sat on the toilet :-( Once that was out the way I ran back through the start to collect my second hair bobble and I thought things would pick up now. The laps starting going quite quick but the sun had come out in force and I just couldn't maintain constant running, there were two parts on the course where I opted to walk for a few minutes. By lap 4 I had drank all the water from my camel bak so started taking on water from the drinks station I drank half the bottle then would use the rest to tip over my head and back to try to cool myself down it was so hot! Lap 5 came and I was struggling I had been repeating my running mantra in my head saying " I can do it, I will do it, I am doing it" this seemed to help.

By mile 10 I had a blister on the side of my foot from my feet slipping in my trainers trying to run on grass I tried to ignore it and wondered why I was bothered about it when I overtook a young man who was wearing a tshirt, office shorts, white knee length socks and office shoes and backpack. He looked a little bit special and I don't really know whether he had ever ran before but good on him he seemed to be enjoying the walk. I was fading now and still had another lap to do when just at that moment I spotted a single white feather on the floor in front of me (I like to think this is a sign from my Grandad to tell me everything is ok) I said thank you grandad and smiled then a white butterfly flew in front of me for a bit and I had already established a few years back during a harmonic healing course that my spirit guide is a white butterfly. These two things spurred me on to finish. I was very hot, very tired, had an upset tummy and by now also heat exhaustion but I was spurred on to finish what I had started.

Crossing the start line I collected my final hair bobble and started walking to pour yet another bottle of water over my head. I chatted for abit with a lady I had been using as a pacer since around mile 8 she was doing the full marathon. I don't envy anyone that had to run around in that heat for a further 6 more laps than me. The rest of the final lap was a blur I knew I was still run/walking bits and was quite happy with the fact it could be a PW a personal worst but I still throughout everything had enjoyed it... a little. I came around the final bend by the childrens playground and people were clapping me on then I got to the finish with a time of 2 hours 24 mins it wasn't a personal worst and not too bad considering the toilet stops I had to take. I was happy that was all that mattered.