It’s quite a novelty these days for us having a short break for a single event – probably the last minute dash over to listen to the fascinating Johnny Ball was probably the last one – but this trip was for the sole purpose of getting over for my only half marathon of 2023, the River Thames Half focused around Walton-on-Thames.
We’d grown quite some affinity for the town during our Thames Path walk. It just seemed pleasant even if our taste for it was probably limited to a single Thames-side pub.
The trip to the event was fine. The walk to our hotel was a bit lengthy but ok really and that first evening we has a nice time finding somewhere for a drink and then a really lovely pizza.
Race morning was good. The build up was enjoyable and being placed right underneath Walton Bridge was quite cool. Things felt a bit more disorganised right up to the start but it was ok.
I started the run really comfortably, probably far too much so looking back, running the first 5k quickly, the next 5k somewhat quickly and the rest of the event really really slowly. I don’t know if it was lack of endurance or because as the race went on it just got wetter and wetter to the extent it was pretty much a trail race at the end of it trying to dodge puddles. I’ve had slower halfs but not many, but I look back on this now as pretty much a trail half so it sort of stands on its own.
After the run, we had an incredible Sunday pub lunch. A proper huge, beautifully cooked meal, and that on its own will see us back to Walton-on-Thames next year for a 10k.
It was a good weekend with great company and a reminder that trail endurance races really aren’t my thing. I look forward to coming back though.