Sola Beach Half Marathon - iameven.com
I set a new personal best time in the half marathon distance.
Recap
My mother came to watch Mats while I was running. I borrowed her car to go to her house where I met Frank and my sisters, Dina and Carmen. Carmen and Dina took us to Sola Beach Hotel where we could warm up a bit before the run. My initial idea was to join the 01:50 group, but I got slightly confused by the signs, left the group and when I found the right one they had already started. So I joined the 01:55 group instead. I think that might have been for the best as I didn't really manage to keep up.
It was -3° when we started running and some wind. I really regretted not wearing a buff to pull up over my face at times, especially when getting to the first drink station and drinking the nearly freezing water. I couldn't feel my lips. Guy next to me commented that he hoped for coffee on the next pit stop, which made me laugh at least. You don't really get much time to drink if you want to keep up. I started losing my group at around 11km, as people pushed up in front of me and then slacked off a bit which spread the group out, and I could feel some strain in my lower back. I pushed through and at 15km there is an up hill section where I actually managed to pass quite a few people. But after getting to the top at 16km I felt spent and didn't manage to keep my pace any longer, so people started passing me again.
I completed it in 01:57:07, 05:36 quicker than my previous record.
Picture time
A strava map showing the route, length and my time. Yet again I tracked more distance on my watch, but I've learned that is natural as when they measure they will cut every corner to make sure everyone is at least running the half marathon distance. You can't really do the same thing when there are other people present, and you end up running around some at times, adding distance.
Stavanger Aftenblad's picture of me striking a pose. They had a sign 50m up front so I had some time to prepare.
Dina took a picture of me at the finish line eating a dry and cold raisin bun.