Palace Half Marathon - Race report

Who would be so shallow as to be persuaded to enter a race pretty much only because of a huge medal, in the shape of Henry VIII doing a mo-bot?  6 Running Sisters.....

This was the first Palace Half - multi terrain and all within the parkland surrounding Hampton Court.  9am start would normally be challenging, allowing for travel time, but this race was scheduled for the day the clocks change:

• 9am clock, 8am body clock start
• 7:30am clock, 6:30am body clock get to Hampton Court & park car
• 6am clock, 5am body clock, pick up Clare, Dee & Debbie from Fair Oak

and I am so not a morning person!  

To be honest, I was worrying more about getting there on time than I was running 13 miles - so it was a relief that there was no traffic (and why would there be at that time on a Sunday?) and that it was easy to find & park.  We scrabbled to get coins together for parking (I hadn't thought of that) & walked across a park to get to the palace in drizzle & high winds.

First loo queue in the cafe (not too bad) then walked to the start through a beautiful informal spring garden with daffs and blossom. We bumped into Sam & Sue L - and with supporters Sharon and Sam's family.  We also found Dee's son Matthew who was running - and persuaded him to be in some of the photos with us.  There were not so many people (2,465) that we couldn't find each other - but enough for a weirdly slow moving queue for the bag drop and portaloos.   We got to the start (back in front of the palace) just before the start.

The route took us out of the main gates & for just a few yards of pavement before turning up a path by the river which we followed for the first few miles.  Clare & I were just a tad ahead of Sam, Dee and Sue.  Debbie was a little behind them.  A few runners had themed fancy dress - we saw a knight and two tudor ladies.

It was a very flat track with views across the river to houseboats & prime real estate.  When we reached a road, there was a tiny slope up before turning into Home Park which started looking more like a common before we got to zig zag around more formal bits closer to the palace.  The wind was more of an issue here - but the rain seemed to have eased off.  

One section of deep gravel was seriously hard work, making our way to the front of the palace for lap 2 - compensation was high fiving Henry VIII (didn't see that in Wolf Hall).

Lap 2 started out the same along the river.  Clare spotted bunnies, but I had too much sweat in my eyes to see! Back into the park for a different route to lap 1 - lots of grass around big straight ponds (Longwater Avenue).  Clare sensibly left me as I slowed and slowed, finding the wet grass tough going.

I felt very weary at the end - and felt quite emotional on seeing Sharon with her camera at the finish.  Sam, Sue and Dee came in just afterwards - Sue's first ever half.  Clare headed straight off again as she had miles to complete for her London marathon training - I am in awe!  Especially as she found Debbie (also first ever half) and kept her company on the last section.

Huge medals really did not disappoint (favourite comment on FB from Jo C - "It's not a medal it's a pub sign").  Tech t-shirts, plenty of water & some fruit - but I was craving Clare's flapjacks.   

Photos with Henry VIII - an unexpected bonus - although given that there were 6 of us, I did wonder if we were safe from marriage...

The organisers had encouraged people to bring picnics - but it really wasn't the right weather for sitting out.  Debbie treated us to hot drinks at the cafe & we had some food in the car (including the flapjacks) before an easy drive home.

Thanks so much to Sharon for the photos and to Sam's family for supporting us.

As an event, I was very impressed.  Historic and fabulous venue, it was well thought through as a route and it was so good to be away from traffic.  The only things I could niggle about were very minor (queue for bag droop, some carbs (e.g. cake!) at the end would have been welcome, hated the gravel) - but if it as good next year, I can recommend it highly.  

Clare 2:26:18

Debbie 2:46:30 - first ever so a PB

Dee 2:28:17

Gin 2:27:32

Sam 2:28:18

Sue 2:28:13 - first ever so a PB

And Matt's time was 1:31:43.....

Many thanks to Sharon for these fabulous photos.