The Great Yarmouth Half Marathon caught me by surprise. 

My plan was to try and run the event at goal marathon pace in preparation for the Berlin Marathon and see if I could pick it up. 

However, I hadn’t mentally prepared for how hard that would get in the race, thanks in large part to the warm weather. 

Being in marathon training I’m experimenting with how much hydration I can take with me without it feeling like it’s impacting my running. 

So I had a decent amount with me on Sunday but it was still great to see Great Yarmouth Road Runners put on more water stations as a result of the weather. 

The best thing about them all was that they were proper sized paper cups, FULL of water.  

I’ve been to so many other races through the years where there’s a dribble of water in each cup – it's unacceptable. 

The fact there was also a hose to cool runners down on Sunday was also an added bonus. 

I felt really good in the opening miles, clipping along nicely around 4:25-minute kilometres, and after some recent long runs it was pleasing that my legs felt ‘there’. 

However, slowly but surely, the weather started to grind me down. I was maintaining the pace but the effort level was growing with every passing kilometre.  

The tipping point came when we went through Somerleyton. 

I told myself that this was good training for the mind as much as anything. It was getting hard now and I tried to ignore the fact this wasn’t supposed to feel as difficult as this. 

I found the undulating nature of the course arduous in the heat, particularly in the latter miles. 

I felt like I was beginning to slow when I saw my Wymondham club-mate, Billy Wheeler, up ahead just after the 11-mile point. 

Billy is one of the faster runners in the advanced group at Wymondham and someone who would normally not be anywhere near me in a race like this.  

It was clear he was going through some difficulty with cramp, so I tried to speed up to him to check on his wellbeing. 

As I came within a few yards of him I said: “C’mon Billy – I need your help!” 

"My legs just aren’t there today,” he replied. 

“Unless you’re injured, don’t be a *****!” 

It was a risk, and for a split second I thought he might tell me to ‘go away’ in not so polite terms... 

Fortunately, he laughed, and we cracked on, both of us increasing the pace for the last couple of miles. 

Billy finished particularly strongly, as did I, until a last hill just took everything I had left on the day. 

I came home in 1:33:24 – about the time I expected, but it had certainly felt a lot more difficult than I had hoped. 

I was a little down on myself for a few hours but it demonstrated to me that if you can get out of your own head during a race, and try and help someone else, then it can also help you. It’s probably a lesson in life, to be honest. 

It also highlighted how we all go through tough moments during runs or races and it’s important to practice what you’re going to do in these times. 

If these negative thoughts catch you by surprise then it can derail a run. If you can stay calm and tell yourself this feeling will pass, then you can still achieve your goal. 

I just now need to take these learnings into the next six weeks or so when there is going to be some tough running... 

And I might not always have a club-mate to pull me out of the mire.