Spinning willy

Giants Head marathon
6:37:57

That was horrendous!...but absolutely worth it for the medal, it has a spinning willy!

I guess I knew really that marathon number 20 was going to be tough. It was always going to be tough but I was carrying a foot injury, hadn't been able to train properly, and last week's tonsillitis had knocked me about. But I'd waited 3 years for this race and I wasn't about to back out now.

I made the decision to walk the ups (all 9 of them) and run the downs. That worked for the first half, but then my calves started cramping and, at around 14 miles, I had a weird twinge in my ankle that thankfully didn't get worse. In truth, I ended up walking most of the second half and really struggled even walking up some of the hills.

That said, some of the views were spectacular*, including the view of the eponymous giant himself*, and the support (and concern) from everyone around me was great, as we're the aid stations, including the Pimms pop-up. I also got the finish I dreamt of as I came down the last hill to Owen and Louisa ringing a cow bell and Owen joing me to run* to the village green and across the finish line*...even if he did claim "I'm going to win" before holding my hand across the line.

In all honesty, I probably shouldn't have run, but look at that medal, and that ice cream, and that was just a medium!