In the world of running, there is the well-worn adage of 'Nothing new on race day'.
However, following a rush of blood to the head resulted in an impromptu entry into a half marathon around Lisbon, GRC member Naomi Rivers threw this received wisdom out of the window. Wearing new shoes, a new hydration vest and carrying previously untested race fuel, Naomi set off at 9:30am full of optimism and blissfully ignorant of the route ahead. The course comprised a mixture of tracks and forest trails and presented a more adventurous challenge that standard road races and it was compulsory for all competitors to carry a mobile phone.
The course passed the most emblematic points on Monsanto Forest Park with magnificent views and connects the Mountain to the heart of Lisbon.
The profile of the course turned out to be somewhat mountainous with 573m/1879ft of elevation and by mile 3, Naomi was wishing she had only entered the 12k option. By mile 6 of the gruelling route, she was longing for the “flat” (read: extremely hilly) Whissendine 6ix course back home in the UK. However, applying her usual grim determination she persevered to the end.
In the 24-degree heat, Naomi was finally warm for the first time this year and was thrilled to finish the 13.1 miles in around 2:09 – the exact time and distance were difficult to determine due to GPS inconsistencies and the trail nature of the course.
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