D-Day - after

We did it! We did it!  2 hours 9 minutes...
... and we ran all of it!
So I know earlier I said I wanted to finish in less than 2 hours 7 minutes, but I actually cannot believe we ran all of it (well, I had a 30-second walk up the steepest hill but apparently that doesn't count). By mile 6 I was having some serious issues with my left ankle, by mile 10 Maxx was in agony with his knee, but we just kept pushing on.
I'm pleased that I felt pretty good from the start to about mile 8, but after that my ankle did start to really hurt. The last 3 miles were gruelling for both of us and we are very sore now - I have the biggest blister on one of my toes. I wanted to post a photo of it, but I also like having people read my blog, so thought better of it. 
The highlight for me (aside from running the whole damn thing!) was running up the longest hill - about 2 miles - without walking. I've never done this before, in training and during the half in 2012. It's a real achievement for me, but because I kept a slow but steady pace it didn't feel horrible, surprisingly! Maxx encouraged me when I was tired and I couldn't have done it without him - I'm so proud of him for pushing through the pain and completing his first half in such a good time. He's been a real source of support for me during training and during the race, and I'm truly grateful. Thanks Hen!
I love this half marathon. There were people lining the streets cheering, clapping, offering sweets and high fives and support for all the runners, and it really created a great atmosphere. Everyone who came out today - to support or to help at the water stations - deserves a medal too. It really makes a difference when you reach mile 9, your body is aching but someone shouts 'Well done 966 and 965, you're doing great!'. Four runners actually went back to help carry someone who couldn't weight-bear on one leg across the finish line, and one of the guys shouted 'Come on, give him a round of applause!', which everyone duly did. Now that's sportsmanship. You can see them behind us in the picture below.
We've now raised £425 for Wimbledon Greyhound Welfare, but if you'd like to sponsor us after hearing about our HUGE SUCCESS please go to: https://www.justgiving.com/pipandmaxx/

Look at those nostrils, sucking in all the air