Saturday looked a lot like this….
Needless to say I wasn’t feeling in tip top condition for the Brooks Brighton 10K yesterday morning. Here’s how NOT to get a PB on race day:
- Lose/forget your race bib, so have to arrive really early to ask for a new one from the information- thank you very much to the lovely lady who gave me a bib and didn’t get cross with me!
- Not be able to eat anything before the race except a skinny latte
- Wait until 15 mins before the race to do you ‘business’ in a porta loo at the start line
- Forget your headphones so you have nothing to distract you from the pain
- Pretend to tie your laces at 1.5KM mark when you have to stop because you have a stitch
- Stop again three more times with a stitch under the guise of taking photos
- Walk for half a kilometre when said stitch won’t go away.
- Not charge your watch the day before so have no idea of your pace, at all.
- Guzzle half a bottle of water at the 6.5KM mark- cold water literally never tasted so good.
- Tell your spectator that you’ll finish within an hour, so they start worrying when it’s 1 min past and there’s no sign of you
- Ruin a brilliantly flat, perfect to PB course race because you are hungover.
Lesson learnt, RESPECT THE RACE- no matter what distance it is. I was too cocky yesterday, and it was awful. I felt so guilty when spectators and awesome race marshalls shouted encouragement, and it was frustrating that every time I thought I was feeling better and started to run faster, I got a stitch. I will never race on a hangover ever again!
Personal Worst time of 1.02.24.
This was a huge 10K with nearly 3000 runners, but it felt like a friendly, local race. It was well organised and had a brilliantly flat course- perfect for those striving for a 10K PB. I’ll be back next year to give it the effort it deserves.
Thank you to Brooks UK for a free entry to this race, hangover and resulting pain was all self-inflicted.
Haha at least your race day pictures still look good.
Thanks! My Mum took some great photos!
Haha oh dear!! But, you were at the rugby, that’s gotta be worth it!! England and New Zealand too, what a match to see! Love Twickenham. I didn’t know you were racing it too, would’ve grabbed you for a coffee afterwards – and some food too as sounds like you needed it! Great photos, well done on finishing with a hangover – a hangover PB. I’m still basking in the glory of my PB, so excited to be getting better at running! 🙂 x
Haha, just shows what an hangover can do… looks like a good race though 🙂
I KNOW! regret it big time!
Oh God, think you should class that as a PB+H(angover) time. I can’t even raise my head with a hangover, let alone run!
I am definitely taking it as a Hangover PB!!! normally I am even worse on a hangover!
I love this post because I have done that as well! One of my 15 mile training runs was done after a few to many glasses of wine the night before. The result was not pretty!
but the main thing is to get out there and do it!
Uh oh! Looked a cold day too! All the spectators had coats and hats on! Brrr! Hope the run chased your hangover away!! You also realise it’s unfair to look that fab in race pics … ESPECIALLY when you’ve got a hangover!!
it certainly gave me runger afterwards! Couldn’t stop eating!! Thanks x
Haha this is why I always give up alcohol a few weeks before a race! I’ve seen a few bloggers in the US be all ‘oh yah, just having a few beers before my race’ but I just couldn’t handle it. 1.02 is still a pretty good time though!
Running with a hangover is absolutely grim, I can’t imagine racing with one!
It wasn’t pretty!