She reports:Usually held in the build-up to the London Marathon, the Fleet Half had to be rescheduled this year due to the dreaded mid-March snow. As usual I was feeling really nervous and worrying that my training hadn’t been up to scratch!The beginning of my race is a bit of a blur – I went quickly and had a good start! An uneventful first few miles can be summed by a sea of people jostling for a good position and lots of support for a really decent crowd. But it wasn't until mile 4 when we hit the High Street for a second time that I could hear my flatmate screaming at me and I finally felt like I was going to enjoy the run! By mile 5 I could see a couple of female runners ahead. I started clawing them back with the crowds cheering me along Fleet High Street – great idea to have names on bibs.Heading out of Fleet and into the countryside things began to quieten down. There were only a few spectators dotted here and there but just after mile 6 one man shouted to let me know I was 6th female, spurring me on to catch the girl just 20m or so ahead. Next came a very lonely long straight – I’d managed to lose the group behind me and so I just plodded along. After a while, and just before mile 8 I was beginning to feel the legs. My shins were sore and everything was getting a little heavy. As a guy ran past he slowed down for a chat – when he asked what I was aiming for (under 1:30 being my original plan) he told me I was well under that pace and to keep going. It was at this point I realised I could do better than a 1:30 and my brain went into overdrive! I was on a mission. He ran along with me for maybe a mile helping keep the pace up before pushing on ahead (he had some ridiculous PB and wasn’t taking it too seriously).At mile 10 I was tired but I was also intensely clock-watching! The hardest (and slowest) part of my race was mile 12. I was struggling but the finish line was announcing itself through the speakers and music from the athlete's village and I knew it wasn’t much further. Rounding the corner and seeing the mile 13 line I pushed, giving it everything I had left. That final sprint threw me across the line in 1:25:14 – seriously quicker than planned. There was a little confusion post-race about position – I thought I had finished 5th – but was awarded 4th in the prize giving. Turns out I was 4th in my category and 5th female overall!