What. A. Weekend. The Brighton marathon may have had its critics and growing pains over the years, but for someone who has taken part in each race until 2014, this was a year that really delivered. The outdoor expo which seemed to lose a bit of its character when it moved from the Brighton Exhibition centre a few years ago was vibrant and buzzing and it is great to see how much this race has grown in the last six years. I picked up my red number with ease and after a visiting a number of stalls and exhibits, made my way back to the pier and the arcades to have some much needed family time before the race. On the morning of the event I made the short walk to Preston Park, got myself ready for the race and made my way into the red corral. Seeing a few familiar and friendly faces from the event I paced the week before in Paddock Wood, the race started and we were away! Looping around the centre of Brighton and past the pavilion in the early miles, I was absolutely buzzing and made a point of staying with the 3:15:00 pacer for as long as I physically could. The crowds were amazing and we made our way down to the sea front in no time before heading down to the 9th and 10th miles. This section of the race can get a bit quiet, but I always find it nice to take some deep breaths while in those early miles to compose myself before heading back towards the city centre and pier. The half way mark came and went and I found myself in front of the 3:15:00 pacer with less than half the race to go. The crowds continued to be amazing and Spectrum by Florence and the Machine got me absolutely pumping and feeling really confident I could get a good time. After looping round the late-teen miles, we headed towards the dreaded Shoreham Power Station, but this year felt different. This year didn’t feel like a drag and somehow my pace didn’t drop round the area that is infamous in marathon running. Leaving Shoreham, I was on for a good time still but the headwind as we ran back towards the finish line was so strong that it affected my pace and I felt myself slowing. My legs did feel heavy and sore, but the lack of pace unfortunately wasn’t because of this and it was mainly down to the wind conditions. The 3:15:00 pacers came past me with only a couple of miles to go, but I didn’t feel bad and knew if I kept going at that pace I could be on for a personal best. Approaching the ‘Panda Bridge’ and with only a few metres left, the crowd were electric and the run down Madeira Drive always remains a magical experience. Crossing the finish line in 3:16:37, I had beaten my previous personal best by five seconds and was over the moon with the time. The medal was gorgeous, as was all the goodies we got after we crossed the finish line and I picked up a very tasty non-alcoholic beer which went down a treat. I was gutted that the race and weekend was over as soon as it began, but I have my place for 2020 and am counting down the days already!