I Believed.. And I Did it!

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2013 Ealing Half Marathon

The 2013 Ealing Half Marathon is finished and I'm feeling rather sad.

That comes from someone who has never been a runner and wouldn't have ever given it a go if it hadn't been for the fact that it was happening here in Ealing.

I took part last year because it was the inaugural run, and thought I would show willing. I wasn't going to try this year (I'm not a runner!) but it was such a great day last time somehow I got sucked back into it.

So, after deciding to train a bit and try to run slightly more of the route, my aim was just to finish a little sooner - but you know what? I exceeded my expectations. I cut about half an hour off my previous time - and actually managed a sprint to the finish - for me that was quite remarkable.

It was a tough route, and am sure there were more hills than the 2012 course, but bizarrely I actually preferred this one.

The Pitshanger Peaks and the Hanwell Himalayas were big personal challenges and am pleased to report that Mount Greenford (Greenford Ave at around mile 8) did not defeat me.

It was a beautiful crisp autumnal day and Ealing, with so many wonderful parks has never looked so good. Many runners who have never been to the borough commented what a great place and well organised race.

So many thanks are in order - not least to Race Director Kelvin Walker and Event Co-ordinator Sandra Courtney. They (and of course many, many others behind the scenes) have put such a lot of hard work into making this happen for Ealing, so big congratulations. Oh, and thanks (I think) for getting me - and no doubt many other non runners to run too - that's a real Olympic legacy and major achievement.

More gratitude is due to the hundreds of fantastic volunteers who helped at every turn during the day - providing much needed water and giving wonderful words of encouragement when the going was tough. It really did make a difference.

As did the supporters and residents who turned out providing jelly babies and sweets and cheering us all on - they were phenomenal.

Bodyline studios and Epilepsy Action volunteers who provided stretches and massages at the end were a godsend and have definitely helped in my recovery.

So that's it then for another year. And yes, I am sad. It was such a great day for me and many others with their own stories to tell.

Ealing Today has been very proud to support the Ealing Half Marathon and look forward to doing it all again next year.

“The miracle isn't that I finished. The miracle is that I had the courage to start.”

 

 

 

Annemarie Flanagan

editor@ealingtoday.co.uk

 

1st October 2013