I was there earlier - so had no stress due to parking and other start-line essentials.
The weather was probably even closer to perfect - cooler and drier at the start - although the sun probably made it warmer by the end.
I did a better job of starting the tracking app at the right time.
Yeah - that's probably it.
The first 13 or 14 miles were OK, but as I discovered after that, I was going faster than my training had prepared me for.I was about three and a half minutes slower than last year at the half way point, but 35 minutes slower by the end.
To be fair, I probably didn't give it everything after mile 19 when I texted the rest of the Exiles to let them know I was fine but going to be arriving later than planned. I was thinking about still feeling human for the rest of the day and able to enjoy the rest of my parents visit as much as finishing in a reasonable time, but still it was a humbling experience.
Overall it was a satisfying milestone in my comeback - taking an extended period off running (or any kind of meaningful exercise) and putting on 20 or 25 pounds is not something I plan to repeat any time soon. Nor for that matter is running a marathon. Hopefully I'll stick to the first one long enough that if I break the second one I'll be better prepared.
Well done you xx
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