Post race buzz!

Up early and eating my porridge I was slightly apprehensive about my knee niggle giving me problems at the Tunbridge Wells Half Marathon today but I needn't have worried, my body fell into race mode as soon Dame Kelly Holmes started the race at 10am this morning.
Travelling to the race win a car full of PWRs we chatted and laughed, grateful for the glorious weather, perfect for racing at around 8-10degrees and sunny.
On arrival we saw more PWRs and other familiar faces in the crowds as we stopped off to collect our race t-shirts before the start (making sure we got the right sizes). A bottle of powerade and a banana later we were heading up to the 2 hour space in the start corral. After only 2 miles I heard a shout for PWR and then my name and spotted Mike R in the crowds with his trusty camera filming us. I also said a friendly hello to some Orpies, spotting Dave my fellow night runner - suggesting that we were making leaps and bounds in the local rivalry running side by side!
The two pacers for a 2 hour marathon were close by so I knew I was on track to get round in a sub-2 and hopefully with my knee in tact. Trotting along comfortably as a decent clip the miles seemed to drop away happily and before long we were approaching the dreaded and now infamous Spring Hill... I managed to ignore the hill and make some quips to some non-impressed runners about a sign for potatoes 1/4 mile ahead, suggesting that if they can make the potatoes they'd be full of carbs - not sure they were impressed but it made me smile!
Onwards and upwards, I heard the two hour pacers behind me shouting at their follower not to stop at the pub, there was still more hill to come. The pub in question was home to a band and lots of screaming fans which is always good for a boost especially on a hilly section.
Gels and water were next and by god gels are the food of the devil, a texture that defies explanation but is surely one of the worst to have ever been created. They are not a good thing! I stuck to the jelly beans being handed out by kids (lets hope they hadn't suffered the same fate as Jerry's jelly babies!)
As I neared 10miles I spotted Dalaine and Laura up ahead and I approached gradually, unable to speak due to a man blocking my way I continued ahead. Within a couple of minutes Dalaine had sped up and rocketed past me, not to be seen again until after the finish. Then the mind games began, less that a 5k to go, that's less that 30minutes even if I slow down, but I didn't want to slow down I wanted to keep going. Then y next target slipped into view around 12 miles, I could see Simon's trademark red cap bobbing along and gradually, slowly but surely I counted off the runners between us and closed the gap. With probably less that 400m to go I made it past but I made my move too soon, I could hear my name being called out by the other PWRs who had already finished and as I rounded the corner Simon called out, 'where did you spring from' and instantaneously everyone else around us faded into obscurity as we raced, spurring each other onto the finish line and Dame Kelly Holmes. We crossed in unison, I began to heave as is my way on a sprint finish then we were awarded our medals! 
Before departing we celebrated with chocs from Sarah, hot tea and some homemade cupcakes from Tracey, yum yum.
I continued my post race buzz for the next few hours and it is possibly only now that I am on the come down. I had truly forgotten how great you feel after a good race (only a few months since my last but it felt like forever) and Tunbridge Wells Half Marathon was a good race, I will be back in years to come.


Check out the video here... I am in about 0:32 and at the finish at about 1:34 (on the video, not the race!), you will see Simon trying to catch me but I just pipped him by 1 second in the final chip times!