Reykjavik 1/2 Marathon - RunHalf Marathon

As every body lined up for the start I was lucky (smart enough) to get up in the front. I would have been happy being in the first 10 rows, but people where very relaxed and there was plenty of room so I got into the second row with out any problems. All I kept saying to myself was “do your own pace” your own pace, don’t get tempted by faster runners. Finally we started, being up in the front meant that I did not have to go around people, or being slowed down. My wife was running support for me, going with the whole way on her bike, well it was her turn I have done for her the last couple of time she did the 1/2 Mary. Her main job. Take pictures :) So she where standing on the side of the road after 500m waiting, but somehow she did not expect me to come by in the top 20 :).
I tried my best to find my pace. I know I started a little fast, but I did not over do it !!! As I hit 1k the clock said 3:56 :o Uhhhh a little fast, but I did not panic, I just kept thinking, find your own pace. People had started to pass me, just slowly going by me. I tried to follow some of them but eased of aging right away, they where not running MY pace. 2k 4:03 that surprised me. I thought I was doing very good. Then I saw the pulse 170. That was high ! Was it not ? Again I had to force myself not to think about how high my pulse where, but concentrate on how I was feeling. Did I feel I was going to fast ? Was my pulse to high ? NO, I felt good. Over the next 3-4k I slowed down a bit more, still running my pace, and my pulse had settle on 170, but felt good. Around 7k I started catching a lot of the back markers from the 10k race that had started 25 minutes earlier. It was nice to go by people even though they seam to be standing still. Actually at this point I was felling really good, I could see the 2 people who had passed me around 50m in front, and I was gaining on them !! That made me push just a little harder. It took me around 1k to close the gap but I did it :) No more running alone. It was nice to have somebody to follow, and get a chance to get the pulse a little down again. As we got close to 10k 2 runners came up to us and just cruised by ! As I was feeling good again, I went with them. 10k 42:39 :o I had figured out that if everything worked out, I would be able to do it in 1:35, and that would mean 45 minutes per 10k, it seamed I was quit a bit faster. I also knew that with 42:30 it would be possible to go under 1:30 :o But I knew there still was a long was to go. The next 3k where on a big open road, where you could actually see 3k ahead :( into a head wind :( luckily for me I could just look at the back of the guy in front of me so it was not so bad. As we hit 13k I was still feeling good and I started to think about where I would “kick” for home. I thought I could increase the speed over the last 5k. Well I could always try ! So in my head I say relax and then go for it at 15k. It felt good to have something to look forward too. Then it hit me, “the last 5k” then I should not “kick” at 15k but 16k, Stupid. Then another thing hit me, maybe I should not make a “kick” 5k is a long was to run, maybe it would be better if I just tried to increase the speed ! Yes, that is what I would do…good plan. Now where are we? 15k, oh then I better start getting ready.
Problem ! The next bit before we turned around to head back to the finish was uphill, and the 16k marker was just before the top and the turn. I decided that I should probably wait a bit, until I had settled down a bit. We where now on the long straight towards the finish, a straight almost 5k long. A long boring road. I had been worried about this bit. This is where you could run and run and run, but it would not really seam like you would get anywhere.
The guy I was with where now pushing the pace, so I forgot all about my beautiful plan to go really hard on the last 5k. I was having to work very hard just to keep up. Then came a bit of a downhill section, not steep, just a long gentle bit. And we where flying. If we would go like the wind we would have a chance to break 1:30. So from 16-17k we only took 3:55 :o That was the fasted kilometer so far ! We still had a chance to make 1:30 !!!! We kept the high pace but without the help from the downhill we “slowed” down to 4:11. 2k to go, and I was starting to feel my legs getting tired really fast, oh no, I think that was the first sign of a cramp. NOOOOO not now. Keep going, try to glide, relax the legs. Instead of concentrating on following the guy, my legs had suddenly become my biggest problem. As we hit 20k, having run the last k in 4:09 my legs cramped up :( :( :( I had to stop……….I stood for 5 seconds or so then started walking then a slow run. Uhh not good, the last bit to the finish I did a speed walk kind of thing, it was not pretty !!! And it did not feel good at all. 200m to the finish and it seam the whole city was out cheering me on. I wanted to smile and be happy that I had made it, I just couldn’t. My legs where hurting to much to be happy about anything.
I MADE IT 1:31:31.
I absolutely kill of my “almost unachievable goal” but at this point all I could think of where my legs. As I settle down I knew they would be fine again at some point, and that I had just had my longest run ever and I had done incredible……..now if only it had been 20k :)

I had a talk with the guy I had been running with, he had finished in 1:30:06. That meant I had dropped almost 90 seconds over the last kilometer. So I am happy think that I probably have a 1:30 ½ Mary in me :)


Perfect race in my mind, I don’t think I would do anything different, well I would try to avoid the getting a cramp with 1k to go !

Drink, drink drink, try to stretch. Going home and relax.


Training ! Longest run before the race was 19k two weeks before. And the 90k bike race the Sunday before probably also had some effect.


Good race, will do it again.