One of the great things about running and taking part in events and races is that it lets you explore not just your local area, but also new cities and countries. I love seeing new places when I enter races - it is usually the only reason I travel anywhere! - however sometimes a race and/or place is so good you just want to keep going back. On Sunday it will be my third Liverpool Rock n Roll Half Marathon; which says something!
Liverpool's Rock n Roll event has a unique feel; part of the global Rock n Roll series it is enjoyed by runners from across the UK and also the world. The event is packed with atmosphere and provides the biggest, blingiest (not sure that's a word!) medal haul I have even seen! The route incorporates Liverpool's city attractions, its beautiful parks, the famous dockside area, and has numerous live bands dotted around to provide extra motivation. It is simply a wonderful 13.1 mile tour.
The first time I took part in the event I ran alongside my friend (more here), and it was very memorable to be able to complete the route together, and it was also my first ever half marathon race (despite having already competed a marathon!) Last year I took part with my sister and her Liverpool based run club - The Dockside Runners. At the time I was not in good health and really struggled round the course, posting a Personal Worst for a half marathon (more here). I still loved the day though, and cheering on the marathon runners afterwards was such a wonderful feeling.
For this year's race the forecast looks to be hot, which worries me slightly. I do not feel I am acclimatised to summer running yet, and the couple of runs I have managed this week in similar conditions to those foretasted, I have found tough. The temptation to go for a PB is there even though I have not trained specifically for this event and have really just been recovering from the London Marathon and running for my own enjoyment the last few weeks. I know I do not want to push myself too much as my training for the Berlin Marathon starts very soon, and I want to be fresh. If I can squeeze a PB I would be very happy, if not, it will not be the end of the world either.
Another of the great things about running is the social side. This means I am also looking forward to using the Rock n Roll Half Marathon event, which is cleverly combined with Bank Holiday weekend, as a chance to celebrate my London Marathon achievement with others, which I have not really managed to do yet. To use the cliche phrase, it will be nice to 'let my hair down' a bit, especially before marathon training starts all over again!
Liverpool's Rock n Roll event has a unique feel; part of the global Rock n Roll series it is enjoyed by runners from across the UK and also the world. The event is packed with atmosphere and provides the biggest, blingiest (not sure that's a word!) medal haul I have even seen! The route incorporates Liverpool's city attractions, its beautiful parks, the famous dockside area, and has numerous live bands dotted around to provide extra motivation. It is simply a wonderful 13.1 mile tour.
The first time I took part in the event I ran alongside my friend (more here), and it was very memorable to be able to complete the route together, and it was also my first ever half marathon race (despite having already competed a marathon!) Last year I took part with my sister and her Liverpool based run club - The Dockside Runners. At the time I was not in good health and really struggled round the course, posting a Personal Worst for a half marathon (more here). I still loved the day though, and cheering on the marathon runners afterwards was such a wonderful feeling.
For this year's race the forecast looks to be hot, which worries me slightly. I do not feel I am acclimatised to summer running yet, and the couple of runs I have managed this week in similar conditions to those foretasted, I have found tough. The temptation to go for a PB is there even though I have not trained specifically for this event and have really just been recovering from the London Marathon and running for my own enjoyment the last few weeks. I know I do not want to push myself too much as my training for the Berlin Marathon starts very soon, and I want to be fresh. If I can squeeze a PB I would be very happy, if not, it will not be the end of the world either.
Another of the great things about running is the social side. This means I am also looking forward to using the Rock n Roll Half Marathon event, which is cleverly combined with Bank Holiday weekend, as a chance to celebrate my London Marathon achievement with others, which I have not really managed to do yet. To use the cliche phrase, it will be nice to 'let my hair down' a bit, especially before marathon training starts all over again!
