Guest blogger for this week~ Gary McCombe

 All roads lead to Cardiff

At the back end of last year, I decided to ‘give something back’ and raise some money for charity.  I decided that a sensible way of encouraging people to part with their cash was to set myself a challenge for 2010.  That challenge was to run 10 half marathons during the year, and raise money for Parkinson’s UK. The final run will be Cardiff.

So far, I have completed 5 half marathons with varying degrees of discomfort and exhaustion!  I am no running expert – just a keen amateur.  So, for those reading and approaching their first half, what have I learned?

1. In the weeks leading up to the race, practice drinking while on the move.  It is a skill that you need to learn, especially if you plan to use the water stations that hand out plastic cups.  It is not uncommon to see ¾ of the water on the floor and the rest over a runners t-shirt.
2. As Ian says in his blog post, make friends with some hills.  The Cardiff course looks to be very flat but it will be of benefit to get some hill work in. It will add some strength that could be enough to carry you when it starts to hurt.
3. At the start of the race, runners new to half marathons will tend to race off at a pace that leaves them walking by mile 7.  If you are planning to finish in a certain time, then run at the pace that you planned when you were setting your goals.  Ignore the podgy bloke that has rocketed off into the distance leaving you questioning whether you have done enough training.  You will catch him before the finish.
4. If you see a camera – any camera, smile.  Most races have official photographers and there is a good chance that you will end up on the Internet looking like you desperately need the toilet because you didn’t smile at the right point.
5. Drink.  If you do not keep yourself hydrated before, during and after the race, it can become hell on earth.  One theory for the cause of migraines is dehydration.  I know that if I don’t rehydrate properly afterwards, I can get splitting headaches.
6. Congratulate yourself at the end.  Whether you achieved the time you wanted or not, you have just achieved something that the majority of the population has not.  13.1 miles is not to be sniffed at, so give yourself a pat on the back.

Cardiff will be my third half in a three week spell so if you are somewhere near the back, please say hello to me as you stroll past?  I’ll be the bloke in a Parkinson’s UK vest trying to stay upright.

Kind regards

Gary

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