Running

Wow, nice one! It was ridiculously hot, so that's an amazing time!

I thought I saw you at the start but was overcome with social awkwardness and nerves so didn't say anything (sorry!).

I don't know how I feel about my race, first 8 miles were okay but very hot and I thought it was too overcast at the start to need sunglasses so I left them in my bag (a mistake).

I had to stop briefly about 8 miles in as I felt the overwhelming desire to be sick. As I knelt in the undergrowth a beetle landed on my leg and bit me, drawing blood! The fuck?? I swatted it away and it bit me on my other leg, so as I couldn't muster any actual vomit I carried on running.

About a mile later I noticed my right hand was very heavy and when I looked down it had been replaced by a claw (I had neurapraxia after a crash last year and had a claw hand for weeks). It's a little better now but still clawing and I don't know why. Off to the doctor's in the morning...

A mile after that I tripped on some gravel and went down, cutting my hands and leg. I pulled the big bits of gravel out and tried to rinse off at the next water station but the medics had to do the rest at the end.

I have a terrible tendency to talk myself out of things, telling myself I can't do it. I did quite a lot of that today. It doesn't matter that I am actually running along, I'll decide I can't do it. Then my self confidence is screwed and I can't get it back. I was happy to cross the line but now I feel disappointed and annoyed with myself.

I'm glad I did it, I wish I'd done better, I had an Irn Bru afterwards, story of my life.