Cheer This Run

When I finally emerged from the Solent, after being pushed and pulled around by the cruel current whilst swimming for three times longer than expected, Andrew was there. My husband, who I'd dragged out of bed at 6:00am to make sure I didn't drown during my first open water sprint triathlon, was the first face I saw. He gave me a great big smile that actually made me want to jump on my dreaded bike for an hour then plod for 5k. His smirk at the beard of grotty sea foam that was still stuck to my face as he trotted to transition with me, was a reminder that I'd survived and that it was meant to be fun. Later on the 3-lap cycle, hearing his cheers each time I passed kept me peddling just to see him again.

I have a dedicated cheerleader. And, of course, he'll be donning his invisible (because apparently shaking shiny ribbons in the air isn't very manly) pom-poms for my first half marathon with Team Write This Run. But just as I'm new to this distance, Andrew's new to cheering someone over 13.1 miles. This will be the furthest I've ever run, so I don't yet know which part is the hardest, where I'll need support and, most importantly, where my mini-cheer squad should be stationed.

So, experienced half-marathon-ers and cheer-ers alike, which part of the 13.1 miles is the hardest? Where along the course are you most likely to get the greatest smile per cheer ratio? And is a "Whoop" ever acceptable motivation during a race?