So I ran another half marathon. In record time. In fact I shaved a ridiculous 24 minutes off my last half marathon time. And no, I did not get the bus part way round or miss a bit.

I trained hard. Really hard. The mantra ‘train hard run easy’ is actually true. Well sort of. I worked a lot harder than I did the first time round. 

The beginning was tough. I actually almost dropped out. I was cold, I needed a wee, my foot was hurting and I was so cold I think my legs had shrivelled up which resulted in my trousers falling down. 

I spent the first half mile yanking up my trousers and cursing. 

But then a big hill came, I got so engrossed in making it up the hill (whilst still looking for a suitable alley to sneak off down) I forgot about the pain, and the cold, and I got sweaty so my trousers stopped falling down. 

I was in the race, I had warmed up, and the fire had ignited in my belly. I realised that the 2 hour 15 minute pacer had not gone past me, and I was about 8 miles in. 

Hang on a minute, I only wanted to be under 2 hours 30 minutes. 

Shut up Kirsty you could do this in less than 2 hours and 15. Unthinkable. 

Once the ten mile marker came, spurred on by some random blokes still drunk from the night before blasting out Safri Duo (one of my all-time favourite tunes) from their open hotel room window, I was feeling better than ever. I decided to really step on it. 

I mugged a random bloke for his bag of jelly babies, high fived a couple of kids and pressed my hand to a lovely lady’s ‘touch here for power’ banner, and I smashed out the last three miles. I even managed a sprint finish.

When I went under the finish line at 2 hours 14 minutes I started crying.

 It’s pathetic. Anyone who has ever achieved anything like this will know you get a bit caught up in the moment and it is very sad. I started hugging strangers. And laughing. And exhibiting behaviour that would probably get you sectioned under any other circumstances. I also knew that 2 hours 14 minutes was not my time, it had taken a while for me to get through the start line and activate my timing chip. I knew I had been quicker. And I couldn’t actually believe it. I grabbed my phone, wiped the sweat from the screen, and there it was in blue and white (IPhone). 

2 hours 9 minutes and 42 seconds. 

Elation. I celebrated with fish and chips on the sea front, a nice cup of tea and a go in the 2p slot machines. Heaven.

In two weeks’ time I am running another half marathon for GOSH. Even if everyone who liked my Facebook status donated just £1 that would amount to well over £100 for this amazing organisation. 

Can you believe I got over 100 likes? #bestdayever. 

I am so proud to be a part of #TeamGOSH and look forward to lacing up my trainers one last time. Then I’m retiring. Or so I say….

Thank you so much everyone.