Jedburgh Half Marathon

This was only the third or fourth running of this race; in the first year there was 70 competitors and this year there was around 420! The weather was rather cold and drizzly, which made for perfect conditions. In the registration form I provided my predicted time as 1hr 35mins.

I recognised a few faces but Kate Jenkins was the only person I actually knew.

I started the race with a nice steady sub-seven-minute pace for the first 6 or 7 miles; climbing and undulating along some hilly country roads before flattening off for the middle section. Kate had disappeared out of sight within the first couple of miles, which was about the time most of the other runners around me settled into their own pace; and I’m proud to say no-one passed me after that, until mile 12, when a young male whippersnapper in a ladies swimming costume zoomed past me as if he had just started his race! After that I held my position.

The final mile or so was largely descent, but checking my watch at the 12 mile marker, and seeing 1.23.50, my heart sank … I had to complete the final 1.1 miles in less than six minutes to get a sub 90 minute half marathon … no chance as I was knackered, so I maintained my previous pace to record a 91 minute time; which wasn’t too bad. Kate finished just one place in front of me apparently!