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Managed 2:07:57. Was hoping for 2 hours but hey ho, I enjoyed it anyway. Tried to put a strong finish in but just didn't have anything left and was down to 10.5 minute miles by mile 12.
1:55 or bust next year.
Well done to all.
I did this last year and it was a terrible run for me; I'd walked at least 4 miles to get to the start, so along with that and generally being stressed and soaked from the rain, it didn't go too well! I also couldn't meet up with my running partner (my cousin) as she'd had to start well before me, I was really late. I was knackered from about mile 6 onwards, completely drained, and plodded over the finish with a ruined ankle, crying in pain after 2hrs 6mins
So I was determined to do it again this year and for it to be a good race. Got there on time - tick. Sunshine - tick. Started at planned time - tick. So far so good! (Aside from the fact that again I wasn't with my cousin as she's been struck down with the flu a few days earlier
and I myself had been suffereing with a bad cold for a week and a half which didn't help)
For the first few miles, I felt really sick for some reason, no idea why. I kept a fairly steady pace though, dropping back from the girl I'd started running with in the beginning who was going for a similar time. I managed to run up the horrible hills around the middle without stopping, and felt better after halfway point. Last 2 miles were pretty hard, but in general I really enjoyed the race, and I finished in 1hr 59mins (sub 2:00 by 10 secs!) which wasn't bad, 7mins off last year, but disappointingly 4mins slower than I'd run two 13.1mile training runs. Strange, because I felt like I ran the race faster, but it couldn't have been the slower first half that got me. I also mapped the RttB route on Gmap Pedometer to compare with how I map my own runs, and I did it as accuractely as possible but it came up as 13.3 rather than 13.1, so maybe I overestimated the distance of my training runs by a small amount?
Anyway, good run, despite being in pain today due to a lack of stretching and a sore knee, will be doing it next year I think
Jo
Jo -
My Garmin read 13.39 at the end and I was definitely taking the shortest allowable route.
Martin
Guys,
This came up with RTTB last year (mine was slightly over 13.1 but the ending's all a blur just now..). The route is measured and certified, however it's 'as the crow flies' and not step-by-step. So where the last hill was like 1-2 miles long, it would add some kms to it, but not if the crow was flying
Since my Garmin, none of the race routes have measured exact (even Battersea 10k which was flat, measured 10.2k on Garmin).
Well done Jo! Did it last year too.. and sadly better than this year
Leg's elevated in the office, flat sandals on, freeze spray.. knees are nackered...
Well done everyone else too
If only I could get my miles 'down' to 10.5 by the end 
Hey FF, garmin read 1.2 at first mile.. and so on and so forth.. guess it depends where the posts are they can tie the signs to.
my garmin read 13.38. I must have followed your path!
I know the route is likely to be more accurate than a garmin but it is a bit of a knock in a race for the mile sound to go off and then reach the mile marker over a minute later. Maybe I won't race in it again as I don't think ithalped me.
Hi Guys, This was my first half marathon,and the first time ive done an event like this. It was great fun altho I thought the music was a bit of a let down, considering the event is sold on it. Managed to do it in 2hours 20mins and survived with only very stiff joints and one errupting bloody blister lol.
well done to everyone,
Claire
I thought the goody bags were the worst I've seen, having merely run a couple of 10k races previously. I Agree with others' comments regarding the rubbish music.
Having nursed a groin strain for the entire race I was relatively satisfied with a 2:01 finish in my first half marathon. Having tried to open up and sprint the last half mile my legs decided to teach me a lesson and give me cramp in both calf muscles.
Overall, a decent race with nice runners and well organised except for the person(s) who decided to give runners water in plastic cups, which people tended to throw the contents towards their mouths.
This was my first half marathon and i thoroughly enjoyed it, I must admit the longest i'd ran previously was 4 miles so maybe i was a bit foolish to enter. I just kept at a steady pace for the entire run which didn't actually feel too difficult until the 11 mile marker when my legs felt like lead. I also manged a bit of a sprint in the last 500 yds which felt good, although when i stopped my legs felt like jelly.
All in all the bug has bitten. So looking forward to going out for a run when i can walk properly!!!
Well done all! Also run last year and appreciated the effort the organiser put in to improve the race and the runners experience:
a) pre-race info: delays in receiving the race pack due to postal strike - I believe other races were also affected ... toilets/baggage drop off and pick up: never enough/quite well organised - massive improvements from last year!
has anybody else found odd thath the medals were on show on the way to the start? kind of took away the fun of receiving the medal at the end of the race..... organiser again listened to last year comments by adding the distance (1/2 marathon) on the medal and date on the strap... good!
b) music: bit of a let down...not sure the idea actually works but I guess is good publicity for the main sponsor
c) marshals/support: plenty - good
d) water station: big cups last year ...v. small cups this year ..can they just use normal size cups next year? Gaterade in bottles ...what a waste!
e) route: quite enjoyable overall.... my Garmin recorded 13.2 .. mile markers looked like something my 5 yrs old son would have done
f) goody bag: poor
All in all a much improved race ... and personally I was just glad to be back running 4 months after knee surgery .... managed to finish 3 mins faster than last year at 1:56.... I'll definately do it again next year!!
Congrats to everyone who finished!
I'd like to ask everyone about how truthful they were about their estimated race time (on which Sony allocated you your Pen number at the start)? I said 1h 45m, and got put in Pen 3. I didn't get across the start line until 7 minutes after the race started, and I was about halfway back in Pen 3, but I was flying past people for at least the first six or seven miles - I saw someone walking after about 2 miles! Did these people completely underestimate their race time, or is it usual for people to embellish upon their running abilities in order to secure a starting place nearer the front?
I've only been running properly for about a year and would consider myself a comparative amateur having completed only two half-marathons before this one, but this is by far the worst case of this type of thing I've witnessed in any race, and a bit of an annoyance as dodging around people is a pain if you're pushing for a PB! Do people do this a lot?
I still managed a chip time of 1.42, so can't grumble too much. Bring on the Royal Parks half!
Crewsader, after Pens 1 and 2 the rest were just allocated alphabetically, go on the RTTB web site, click on the results and click on the last names, for example all the Smiths crossed the start line around a minute apart.. They didn't take a blind bit of notice what time you put down unless it was very good and then you seemed to get pen two.
But get used to it, people will always put down times they will never get and start in pens they shouldn't.
Thanks for the reply Flat Footed - not quite sure about that explanation as my surname begins with a 'W', but I'll take your word for it!
Yeah, I can see why people give a time that is way in advance of what they are capable of running for the reasons I gave in my previous post - just means that I will consider doing the same in future, which kind of destroys the reason for such a system existing in the first place
Re pen placinging and anticipated finish times i put down 1.45 was in pen 3 but only passed the 2 hour pacer at about mile 5 i finished in 1.49 and it took me 9 minutes or so to get accross the start line so what pen was the 2 hour pacer in to start with?
anyway is there not a comments page on RW for this race so that we can add both positive and negative thoughts about Sunday.
mine mostly positive, agree with the goody bag's being poor, Baggage was good but had to wait a bit at the finish but this is to be expected with the number of finishers, loo's did seem to be a problem but i didnt need to use them, i liked the small cups of water as i like just a sip of water but often, agree that the bottles of Gatorade is a waste but after the race they have stocked me up for weeks.liked the course as no bottle necks.good marshalls.Music was dissapointing but didnt understand how they could do this on a 1/2 marathon without haveing either lots more banks around the course.
Will do it again
Hello Eastham75.
The 2 hour pacer was just in front of me in pen 3. We were both near the front of this pen and took about 2 mins or so to cross the start line
Great 1st Half Mara for me estimated 2 hours 20 and run 2 hours 3 mins 55 secs from Pen 5. But had 3 bouts of cramp in right leg in last mile and had to stop to stretch it off, (Probably cost me sub 2 hours ) !
Yes Pen 6 went after pen 4. Marshall stopped letting us out for toilets at the start in Pen 5 as everyone was jumping into the start que behind Pen 3 walking to the start line. Had to wait 7 minutes for toilets at 3 miles. !!
2 litre water bottles were stupid idea. Why didn't they have 330ml bottles, Save so much wastage and rubbish.
Great kids wanting hand slaps around the course!!!
Looking for ward to the next Half......not sure when !
Just a small point
I started this forum as there wasn't one. I suspect because Running Fitness mag sponsor RTTB, not RW. Hence why it's probably not listed on here as an event, and why you can't rate the race.
P.S. I did love the big green balloons to occupy time in the waiting Pens... my son also loved the hands they gave out...
Massive improvement on last year, although I enjoyed it then too. So nice not to hear so much moaning about the event! I hope it becomes a real fixture. I've booked in again for next year. I did 1hr 42, knocking 8 mins off from last year, but last year I ran allthe way and this time walked 3 times. Need to work on my stamina.
I was in pen 3 but will definitely try to go for a higher pen, regardless of what I'm allocated next year as was so frustrating having to get past people for the first 2 miles.
Well done everyone. The photos are up on sportscam.net now
Finally,the start list had 14000 entries, but the results had 9000 listed. Surely ther couldn't have been 5000 people who didn't turn up?!
5000 no shows does seem rather high? think flm has a few thousand but that's with sending 35000 acceptances out...
what did everyone else make of the banana costume world record attempt? i thought it was rather irresponsible on such a hot day?
Can you give me the full web address for the piccies please ?
try this this is my one
http://www.sportcam.net/CompetitorDetail.aspx?ID=1695670&type=No,4729&Name=