So this Sunday I’m running a half marathon with the intention not to PB. I’ve told myself this a million times before in races, parkrun, training sessions but I can honestly say I’ve probably never really meant it. Even easy runs I hope will be better than the last easy run. It’ll feel just as easy but the pace will be quicker. And at parkrun, when I say I’m doing an easy one (and I know several others at my local parkrun do exactly the same!) I push way harder than intended and hope that some sort of miracle will slow time down or speed my legs up and somehow I’ll still pull off a PB! Sometimes I do, sometimes I don’t.
To date, in all races involving a medal I’ve intended to run my fastest time.
But this weekend, for various reasons, I will run Maidenhead half marathon at a much more sedate pace. And this be why;
- I’m injured. Still. It’s not going away and although I can push through it if I want to (with devastating consequences come Sunday afternoon no doubt) it’s really not worth it due to the fact…
- I run Berlin marathon in 3 weeks and however broken I am right now, it will be a heck of a lot worse then if I try anything daft in the next couple of weeks.
- I see it as a good opportunity to test out marathon pacing in a race environment. So holding myself back when others speeds of, retaining a consistent pace, checking how I feel mentally about racing when training hasn’t been 100% and many other things I can iron out before the big day.
- To test myself running to feel. I’m not going to obsess about the watch, I’ve no reason to.
And these commitments I make to you on my blog.
I find putting these things in writing commits me, mentally, to achieving them.
So, I will not run a PB, I will not run near a PB, I will finish the race in a mentally stronger and wiser place for Berlin and hopefully as unharmed as possible.
Don’t mind finishing like her above, as long as I’m not finishing like her on the left below…
Have a great weekend, whether you’re racing, training or relaxing.
LRG x
Little Runner Gal 
You really don’t want to race me do you lol
That’s really why Mr P! That was reason number 5!
It’s counter intuitive to hold back during a race but it’s a key skill and will prove invaluable for Berlin. I did exactly the same last year and whilst it felt weird during the half marathon, it worked.