Race Report: Liverpool Half-marathon 24/03/2014

When I realised that my sister had taken up running, I said that she should consider training for a half and asked her to join me on the Liverpool half. 

3 Striders and one nervous newbie

Being a true Kenyon (our maiden name), she took up the challenge. Jacqueline, my sister lives in Germany and has spent the last 6 months training for her first half. This was however, going to be my 8th Liverpool half.



So knowing that over 8000 runners were going to be gathering outside the Liver Bird Building for a 9am start, I insisted on getting there for about 7:45! You can imagine Gordon’s joy at that news. But we managed it and everyone piled in to the car and we picked Tim Woods up on route and drove through some horrendous sleet and hail storms. What a difference a week makes to the weather. Barcelona… Liverpool… Barcelona… Liverpool? Ah well, best get on with it.

We got there about 7:50 and having changed we wandered down to the front with the rest of the gathering runners. We had time to go to the loos (there were hundreds of them, unlike Barcelona), drop our bags off and slip on the attractive bin bags which my sister had laughed at the previous night. But that freezing north westerly wind which was whipping around, meant that the bin liners were an essential fashion accessory.

Gordon sporting his posh bin bag (had a hood)

This year we actually managed to get into the start pens, although apparently Gordon was having a pee when the gun went off! Nothing changes then. And even though he started in the loos, he still clocked up a very respectable 1:37:07 with Tim Woods on his heels with a finish time of 1:54:24.

Jacqueline was a bag of nerves as the gun went off but with the cheery chatter around us, we soon settled into a good pace. To our surprise and joy the weather got better as we ran and we only encountered one squall in Sefton Park.

I know every turn, hill and twist now so kept Jacqueline informed of what was coming up. There were a few course changes but I thought they were better, giving the runners more room. With over 8000 runners, the course certainly felt a little more congested, but it didn’t spoil our run.

We had set our sights on achieving 2hrs so I kept us on pace and slightly ahead of schedule. We hit 7 miles just under the hour and all was well however, we knew the promenade was ahead and that north westerly wind  was waiting to smack us in the face.

Tim practicing his starting pose.

Sure enough, the instant we turned onto the front we got a blast of wind and the 3.5 mile slog to the finish started. I employed the “tail-gating” technique which worked a gem until the disgruntled runners realised what I was doing and stepped aside! Spoil sports! So we soldiered on and by now the sun was out, warming our backs. Thankfully the course started to weave in and out of buildings giving us a little respite from the wind.

My sister was doing brilliantly and with words of encouragement and a bit of force feeding of energy stuff, she kept going. The Liver-Bird building was in sight; it was time to pick up the pace, much to my sisters horror so taking her hand, I pulled and encouraged her to step up a gear.
We came around to the finish holding hands and the enthusiastic crowds roaring us home. Job done in 1:58:10! I was and am so proud of her. She just burst out crying. Well it is very emotional your first big race.  There was a slight issue as the backup of runners that had gone over the line where backing up to the finish line and we only just managed to get across the line before we had to stop because of the backlog.

I guess that will be sorted for next year.

Blue skies and relieved smiles say it all.

Medals were collected, a very nice orange, long-sleeved tech shirt and other edible goodies were consumed. We met up with Tim, Gordon and Jacqueline’s friend, who had come to support, and went for our reward, a coffee and bite to eat at John Lewis.

Roll on next year’s Liverpool half. I wonder if Jacqueline will run it again?


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Cheryl