So...finally home and filing my race report. THanks for all your kind words and helping me through the histrionics yesterday.
So, after yesterday's hysteria, I had a good night's sleep (thank you dd2 !) and woke up about 6.15, dressed, porridged, timing chip and number on. Then DH drove me to the station - was a bit weepy saying goodbye (
) but train arrived and got on with it. Bizarre momemnt where a fellow runner got on and ate her muesli on the train because she had to have it x hours before hand. Got to Portsmouth, desperate for wee, everyone at station ignoring the 20p sign and shimmying under the barrier.
Followed the steady stream of runners to the start zone, dropped my poor defenceless bag in the baggage room, went to the loo, got some water and joined the loo queue again. Once that was done found my way to my pen and managed to get nearish the front. Actually at this point it was quite nice to beon my own, I could do my own thing without thinking (and talking to ) anyone else. It was pretty cold. Bit of garmin talk with fellow runners -admiration of my new addition. Start was slightly odd - elite women went off and then a bit of a break and then they started the elite men which was actually the whole start and even though I was quite near the front I didn't quite realise but luckily realised in time to start precious new garmin.
Eventless first couple of miles - Royal marines played at the Victory which was quite fab (love the Victory - my saddo historian side). Then 3-5 felt pretty good, managed to keep myself not running too fast. Water station at 3 and a bit miles where I was appalled at the behaviour of fellow runners who were dumping caps and bottles right in the middle of the road for everyone to run over. Doesn't take much to lob it to the side. Had a gel at 5 miles.
At 6 miles and 10K felt pretty happy - there was a run through shower which was pretty cool... actually v. cold but I was quite hot at that point. Missed out the powerade station as never had it before so thought it best not.
Sometime after 10K I Had a crisis of confidence and felt a bit rubbish - mentally mainly. Running through Southsea there were lots of encouraging people, locals with buckets of jelly babies etc.
At 8 miles the route turned along the coast road and everyone had warned about the last 2 miles due to the winds coming off the coast. Even as a once hardened coastal lass it was pretty grim - strong winds and either rain or spray.
By this time, needed the loo and pelvic floor not behaving terribly well.
Then the Bupa Boost Zone at just under the 9 mile mark - jelly babies, music and other stuff I think. They announced Sally Gunnell was just running through it at the same time.
Then the longest mile of my life. Feeling v. negative but just kept telling myself to keep putting one foot in front of the other, got to the 15K marker so knew only 1Km to go... 800m mark... wanted to walk (I think only psychologically) then at some point someone suddenly shouted 'Come on Wheelybug' (obv my RL name - which was pre-printed on race numnber) and it made me smile but I must have been showing what I felt.. 600 mark still felt pretty bad.. then 400m and could then picture a race track. Then teh 200 m mark and then I could see the finish - except it looked a bit closer than 200 m so I wasn't sure if it was... then I realised it was and managed to pick up the pace and not quite sprint for the line but at least get faster.
Over the line at 1 hr 23 mins 36 secs (Sally Gunnell beat me by 40 secs). Managed to make it over the line before retching (twice). Pathetically let someone remove my timing chip because I couldn't face doing it. Then goody bag. Into the loo then off to get my bag - which stood up to the wait, I think thankfully because it was near a security lady. I reckon she kept all those other bags in check. Straight into the strangley empty ladies to change. Forgot to stretch (do it religiously after every run but always forget after races), v. stiff now.
Back to the station - the 1.6 miles felt a loooong way. Costa shut but got the train easily and got a coffee on board as I'd started to get shivery.
MIL picked me up from the station - with dd2 (aged 2) unstrapped in the car because she hadn't been able to work out the straps..... quite a mar on the day at her sheer stupidity. I'd been saying I'd get a cab to save her coming out with the dds but she'd insisted. She;d tried to ring me once but I'd had no signal. And she wonders why I don't like leaving them with her.
Had to wait for DH to get back to MILs then home.
Some stats -
Came 3229th (out of approx 24000), 597th in age group, 485th woman.
Splits -
5K - 25.45
10K - 51.18
15K - 1.17.52
Which actually suggests my 10-15K wasn't as bad as I thought. Think it was a bit erratic so evened out ok.
Fairly pleased with time. Had originally wanted to do 1.20 but due to ankle sprain hadn't done any speed/hill work since mid August so I think I did fine.
Goody bag a bit disapponting - nice medal, crappy t-shirt, couple of cereal bars, powerade, water, a strepsil and some roibos tea bags (am a roisbos drinker so that's good), and some muscle rub stuff. Oh and tooth paste and deodorant.
In that last mile I was thinking 'I am NEVER racing again'. Of course, now I'm planning my training strategy for next time (who likened it to childbirth - you're not wrong).
If you've made it this far well done ! Thank you all for all your support.