52 in 52 Race #8 - Wellington Half Marathon

I thought last weeks trip was a biggie... nope. This week I had to be in Gisborne on Friday for a BNI Meeting. This meant I either drove back to Rotorua and then down to Wellington, or just headed straight down from Gizzy... which is what we did. I say we, because the lovely Lainy had taken Friday off and came with me.

What a trip... that is a heck of a long way, even for a seasoned driver like me... what was worse was that we were heading straight towards one of the biggest storms in recent New Zealand history that had hit Wellington. We arrived at the Capital Gateway Hotel who had sponsored me for the event to find a Hotel with no power - they hadn't had any for 6 hours! We were too tired to worry... lay down for a kip and when we woke 2 hours later the power was on... great.

After a cruisy day Saturday - just a quick trip in the morning to registration and a few visits to friends and family - it was raceday Sunday and off early to the city.

The race started from the CakeTin... oops Westpac Stadium. We had been warned that all the Stadium parking was sold and not to park in the wrong place... so we finished up parking about 1.5km away (duh) and wandering down.

This was on a whole different level to the other events so far... 5000 entrants over the various events, there were people everywhere! Impossible to catch up with anyone you know - especially as my cellphone was in the car!

Outside the weather was fine, but a bloody cold wind made me wonder if I had enough clothes. We all lined up with about 15 minutes to start time... a great mass of humanity, nervously shuffling and stretching and chatting. Race briefing over the PA, then the countdown and we were off. 
 
First thing I noticed was that the wind was barely noticeable, running in a large group filtered it down to next to nothing (phew). From the big wide concourse we were funnelled into the overbridge and down onto the road along Waterloo Quay. I hopped on in the group behind the 1:40 pacer and felt quite comfortable. We left Waterloo Quay onto Customhouse Quay and then onto Jervois Quay and round into Cable Street.

Still feeling pretty good, the legs feel it more than the lungs on road runs, we made the left turn onto Oriental Parade and the big stretch around the bays. There really wasn't much to report around here, I was cruising along easily, taking lots of pictures - one lovely runner also took my picture for me too.
 
Round from Oriental Parade into Evans Bay Parade, still going strong all the way down past Greta Point, past the Aid Station for my first drink of the day and around into Cobham Drive and along past the Airport. We hung a left into Shelly Bay Road and cruised along passed the 10km mark, starting to see more and more runners heading in the other direction on their way back.

Then, just before the turn... PING!!! something went in my right hamstring. At first I though I was done for, very sore. Walked a bit, then shuffled and though, "OK, I can do this to the finish". The great thing was that the pain slowly abated, to a point where about a kilometre or so later I started to slowly stretch out again and speed up.
 
It was feeling ok and then next thing I was back at full race pace and better, Passing everyone that had passed me and feeling great but frustrated at the time I had lost. After a couple of km's at this pace I could see the 1:40 pacer about 400 - 500m ahead of me around the bays.

I kept pushing, but again with just under 5km to go the hammy pinged! Time to back off again, warmed up quicker this time, but still lost time. On the way back in we hopped oof the street and onto the wharfside area and again I was pushing hard.

Out off the wharves and along to the same overbridge we had gone out on and I knew the finish was right there... up the overbridge ramp and the hammy wasn't having it, and I finished at a shuffle... in a time of 1:40:17.... only 54 seconds outside my PB and my second fastest Half time ever! 

I should have been happy, but the overwhelming sensation was disappointment. 

Overall a great day, I love the course - and that's from a runner who does not like roads. I would come and do this again... I am sure there is a PB out there.