finnsplodge

By the canal again

2012-01-29T17:20:00.002Z

It would seem that the 45 miler a couple of weeks ago really took it out of me. Must get fitter before trying to run so much!

I went to the Northampton to Tring ULTRArace, a pleasant canal side 47 miler the following week. (A brilliant event, as all of ULTRArace's runs are.) Within the first twenty minutes I realised I didn't have much energy so figured it would make a nice enough walk, with the occasional bout of jogging. I was very fortunate to meet up with Ian at the first checkpoint. He's training to run JOGLE (John O'Groats to Lands End) in April and was using the day as practice at moving very slowly for a prolonged time. It was great to chat to him (for hours) as he's got lots of great stories from the faster end of running (2:39 marathon, pacing at NY and Brighton for the 3:30 groups, lots of ultra and multi-day wins) and tales of his partner's adventures running with huskies. We took well over 10 hours, but it was a brilliant day. Usually I'd have run back to N'ton on the Sunday, but there was no way I'm up for a double yet. I spent the following day relaxing with Jim, which is what I've been doing both days this weekend. Just watched Midnight in Paris - fantastic!

My feet seem to be gradually getting better, though still very sore at times. Breathing properly remains a skill I haven't been able to master for well over a month now. Trying various medication but nothing that appears to have helped yet.

February soon and they say it's going to be cold this week. Nice.

Country to Capital #4

2012-01-15T17:19:00.003Z

Ah, a brilliant weekend - the Country to Capital ultra yesterday and a day of sitting about relaxing (and recovering) today.

My first ever ultra was 4 years ago at Country to Capital, a 45 miler with a self-navigating cross-country first half, then a trot along the canal into Little Venice for the finish. Beautiful conditions with the frost making everything pretty as well as keeping the mud at bay, providing instead perfect conditions underfoot. Sunny too, so not too cold during the daylight hours despite it being around 4 degrees. And no, I'm not really well enough for ultras at the moment. But my feet didn't hurt any more than usual and my lungs didn't complain excessively. It took a little over an hour longer than last year.

As ever, the GoBeyond team were as superb. Brilliant atmosphere, still one of my favourite ultras. And yet another new souvenir shirt design - a short-sleeve wicky polo - nice.

2012 begins

2012-01-11T11:40:00.006Z

It's always good to have a break from work, so I appreciated a couple of weeks off at the end of the year. I didn't appreciate my frequent inability to breathe properly, nor the plantar faciitis that makes my feet so unhappy. So, ongoing tests for the lungs (nothing has showed up in the results so far) and I've been doing everything anyone has suggested for my feet - including massage, tennis ball rolling and wearing a silly bootie at night to stretch it.

Having not run more than 4 miles since the beginning of November, I figured it would be foolish to go to the Enigma marathon on 3rd January. But Jim pointed out that it would be good for me to get out and see everyone (and besides, I am a fool...). So I did go and had a brilliant day out seeing lots of running mates and (mostly walking) completed the course of 7 1/2 laps around the lake in the park near Bletchley. Very slowly. I didn't feel great, but no worse than recently and it didn't seem to do any damage. Dave's events are always good, plus this time there was a mug as well as a medal!

So then I did the 100 Club AGM marathon on Sunday. It took me nearly 5 hours, but again, it just felt really great to be out running (and walking a lot too) with friends.

A pretty good start to the year then. Now if I can just get my health sorted out...

December

2011-12-22T15:33:00.002Z

Hmm, an entire calendar month with no running. Well, no races or events anyway. I did stumble out for a few desultory short jogs, trying to ignore my variously screaming feet and lungs. I'm not sure if the orthotics are doing any good - my heels are still very sore. Apparently definitely not a chest infection though. Had a couple of tests at the hospital, so hoping the results of those might shed some light on the cause of my inability to breathe properly.

I wouldn't say I'm defined by running, but it's certainly an important part of me. I guess when it's taken away, it means I get more time to explore what else there is. While trying to fend off the inevitably encroaching stress and insanity. Also, I hadn't really thought about the fundraising thing, but recently was contacted by the charity I usually support - I won't be able to commit to helping them next year, as I have no idea if I'll be doing any ultra events, let alone the sort that are good for sponsoring. Seems a shame.

But I remain optimistic that it will all sort itself out soon and normal service will be resumed. I like winter and there are plenty of reasons to be happy.

November

2011-12-10T17:21:00.004Z

Since running a couple of road marathons gave me very sore heels, I've hardly run at all. Morning runs at this time of year are on hard surfaces (no well-lit trails locally), so I've only intermittently done a few miles here and there. Plus I seem to have been knocked down by a lingering virus that's just annoying enough to make me feel rough, but simply won't go away.

I did try a couple of trail runs in early November - the 36 mile Marriotts Way ultra in Norwich was a lovely low-key event. I shouldn't have done it on my tender feet, but I knew from past experience it would be an easy out-and-back trot along an old disused rail line. And it was lovely.

Then there was the first day of the Druid ultra. This was just 29 miles along the Ridgeway. Seemed odd to be doing just part of this trail and in the autumn - it all looked different from when it is just the start of doing the full 85 in August. That was on a Friday, which was a rare day off from college (to make up for having done a Saturday Open Day the previous week). I enjoyed it, but was feeling really quite unwell. Nice to be out in the fresh air though.

The day after that was a 10K with 26 students. It was the Movember run in Greenwich Park so plenty of silliness ensued. I even managed to win the fancy dress prize! It was great to see the teenagers out doing it, plus they raised well over £1000 between them for various charities.But I haven't really run much since then. Saw a foot specialist though and am trying orthotics now. Early days but it might be working. I'm hoping to do the Portsmouth Coastal Marathon next weekend, but not too sure yet.

On the upside, while the lack of running is getting me down, I did have a fantastic birthday. Jim got me a brilliant selection of shiny presents, including a Kindle.

Having just read that, I realise I really need to cheer up! Off to Brighton tomorrow which might do the trick.

Venice, St Ives, Essex...

2011-11-01T20:04:00.003Z

That felt like a really well deserved half term break. After a busy few weeks at college, it was great to get away and get refreshed.

I flew to Venice for the first weekend of the holiday. A very pretty city, with the sunshine reflecting off all the water, making for many glittering, squint-inducing scenes (should have taken sun glasses). The water boat service worked a lot like the tube, but with superior views. I stayed in nearby Mestre, but went over to Venice each day, including for the Marathon on Sunday (a point to point route into the city, including going over may board-walked bridges and a trot around the historic Piazza San Marco). Another sub 4 run, but the road surface has wrecked my feet - I had very sore heels afterwards and didn't run for the rest of the week.I got home on Monday afternoon, then took the luxury of a berth on the sleeper train down to the Cornish coast, arriving in St Ives on Tuesday morning, where Jim already had camp set up. I'd missed the deluge of rain and enjoyed some sunny days with fantastic views and fresh air. The colours in St Ives are always impressive. It's just sand and sea, but somehow better than it should be.And to round off the week, I did the Brentwood Marathon in Essex. My feet couldn't have taken a road course, but the dozen laps on a hilly grass and woodland trail through a country park were just about okay. And it was another top event with a superb atmosphere, put on by the fantastic folk at GoBeyond Ultra.

Quickest marathon this year...

2011-10-16T17:46:00.003+01:00

Nothing to brag about at 3:58, but after all the illness and injury this year, it was a welcome return to the world of sub-4.

I hadn't entered many events after missing such a lot over the summer, but fortunately Simon Redfern offered me his unneeded place at the notoriously fast Abingdon. I popped up on the train last night and stayed about 3 miles from the start, which made for a beautiful warm-up walk along pretty and misty country lanes this morning.

There were loads of mates there, so great to catch up with people and it was perfect running weather (sunny & cool). It was Paul's 100th marathon - always good to have a new member in the club. He ran a PB today and was really chuffed.

I enjoyed the run and had a fantastic day out. Nice wicky T shirt and a chunky medal, as shown below with Tommy, who nearly thwarted my plan to run by involving me in a "nearly falling down the stairs tripping over black cat in the dark" incident. Fortunately he was fine and I just suffered a stubbed toe (which is now rather larger than it should be, and a bit purple).

UK Ultra Champs

2011-10-11T20:29:00.004+01:00

This weekend I went to the last round of the ULTRArace UK Ultra Championships. It's a series of 9 races, of which the best 5 score. After a year with an unusual amount of illness and injury, I only just managed to do 5.

The first was the Northampton-Tring double in January, at 45 miles each day. I ran these with a chest infection, which didn't exactly help, but that was the first two races completed in reasonably decent times. Annoyingly I picked up anterior compartment syndrome on the second day (effectively a painful lump on my shin which made me limp badly and have to take a complete break from running for a couple of weeks).

I was just about back to running again when the next round came along with another canal double, this time at Grantham, 29 miles each day. I did a bit better there.

Then there was the summer with the groin strain: no running and missing out on lots of events. I finally got back some of my fitness over the last few weeks, enough to do the Nottingham 50K on Sunday. A beautiful route through lots of woods and fields, along the Robin Hood Trail, finishing at the Castle in the city. I was pleased with 5:13 - not particularly quick, but better than I'd expected after all the time off.

And those 5 were enough to put me in third place in the championships. I got a big box of energy bars, a huge glass trophy and a cheque for £50. Shiny!So, same again next year? A brilliant series organised by Rory and Jen at ULTRArace - those guys rock!

Back to school, back to running...

2011-10-07T21:08:00.006+01:00

So the new term has seemed a bit manic at work. Not sure why it should seem busier than usual, but it does. Fortunately this has been pleasantly balanced with the ability to run again. I'm still at the slow end but my fitness is gradually returning. And I'm really appreciating every run. (Picture grinning like an idiot at 5am running around the Heath...)

The Green Chain Marathon was hot but very scenic, following the Green Chain path which links up lots of pretty sections of woods and a stretch along the Thames in South East London. Quite hilly in places, but a delightful day out with great company.

The New Forest Marathon is always held on the last weekend of the year that our favourite campsite is open. It would be churlish not to go. Another sunny weekend, with donkeys and blackberries being the best nature around. Always good to get out of the city for a couple of days. And they'd changed the marathon route a bit, running some of it in reverse (though not actually backwards - that would be more challenging) making it more interesting. And at 4:20 for me, it was a bit faster than of late.

The Flower of Suffolk on Sunday covered some beautiful (and flat) trails along the coast, in blazing hot sunshine. I stayed overnight before the event in Lowestoft. I'd taken some work with me and sat on the beach in the evening doing some Maths - most enjoyable! It was an LDWA thing, the first I'd done for ages. Oh, how I'd missed the stiles, kissing gates, boardwalks, footbridges, filed edges - even a tiny patch of mud. I set off early to avoid the worst of the heat with Gil, a 60 year old 100 club member, who's done well over 400 marathons and ultras. We chatted the whole way round and had a good laugh.

The "enrichment" sessions at college have started up again too, so I've been running in the local park with a bunch of teenagers each week, training them up for a 10K (Greenwich in November). We have a really enthusiastic group, with nearly 40 of them this term!

Apart from the whole being-ridiculously-busy thing, I'm finally feeling back to normal. Nice.

A long summer

2011-09-11T17:19:00.004+01:00

It's been a while since I last wrote here. Mainly because I finally did the sensible thing and stopped running for long enough to let my injury have a chance at healing. Which it now finally is, I think, fingers crossed and all that.

I went to see an osteopath who diagnosed a groin strain. Over the summer I saw him many more times. The treatment involved rest, lots of painful prodding/poking/massaging, some dry needle therapy, spinal manipulation, lots of exercises (squats and lunges in every direction) and stretches, hot baths in Epsom salts and taking flax seed oil. There was about a month of no running at all (!!!) then gentle jogs of increasing length were gradually reintroduced.

I was surprised at quite how disproportionately I was affected by not being able to run. I had joked before about how I'd go mental if I couldn't run, but hadn't realised that actually it would expose a major personality defect in that my mood is governed so thoroughly by my ability to go for a jog in the morning. Feeling unfit is not good for me. And yet stupidly I kept eating as normal for too long, resulting in weight gain that means I'm fatter so have extra weight making the return to fitness all the more hard work.

But it felt very good when I finally got to run again, albeit very slow and only a 3 miler at first. My first 10 miler was lovely and I eventually got to do a marathon on 20th August. It was fantastic to see all my running mates again, who'd been wondering where I'd been.

The event was the Thames Meander: a great route through Richmond Park, along the Thames to Putney Bridge, then turn around and run back again. It was very well organised by Dave and Mel Ross. I did my patented returning-from-injury walk:run and managed 4:34, which seemed pretty respectable.

The joy was short lived as my knee became really painful the following day and I had to have another week of no running. But then I quickly got back into it and managed a 32 miler (run:walk again) along the Thames from Moulsford to Marlow. My first event organised by Xnrg, whom I now rate very highly. There were more folk there that I hadn't seen for weeks and it was a small event with a real feel-good factor.

After a full-on week at college, I was happy to spend Saturday running the One-to-go marathon along the canal from Hackney Marshes up to the Lee Valley Water Sports Centre (we got to see some great kayaking and white-water rafting) and back again past the Olympic Stadium. And there were yet more people I hadn't seen all summer. It was far too hot (a really muggy, oppressive sort of heat) but I was happy to be there. I was much slower than at the previous couple of runs, but really enjoyed the day. My hip felt a bit dodgy - not painful but it didn't feel quite right. I'm hoping everything's okay, but will go back to get checked out by the osteo before doing too much more I think.

So, annoyingly, I haven't been able to return to fitness enough to be able to do the Spartathlon. That's extremely disappointing, but I suppose it will be there in future years.

The summer did have some very good bits of course - a brilliant trip to Paris with Jim and lots of other days out here and there. Plus I got to meet my new nephew, Rory, and see the rest of my family too.

And I'm running now and mentally feeling like myself again. :-)

Walking in the Saturday sunshine

2011-07-03T12:09:00.002+01:00

After nearly a fortnight of no running at all (trying to let the hip injury recover) I could feel a creeping insanity building. After spending a couple of days wandering on the North Downs with some Duke of Edinburgh students, I decided I could safely walk a marathon, hopefully without causing more damage. I'd already entered an Ultra (30 miles) on Saturday afternoon, which was part of the Enigma festival of running, but I switched to the morning Enigma marathon, which meant getting up to Bletchley for an 8 am start.

It was a gorgeous sunny day and an opportunity to hang out with lots of running mates. I could tell the day would be good for my mental health if nothing else. The route included a couple of laps of the lake, plus a trot along the canal towards Leighton Buzzard. This was a section that I had traversed in darkness during the GUCR 5 weeks ago: it looked very different in the sunshine and with lots of cygnets swimming about and a fearless Heron perched regally on the bank.

I walked most of it and put in some jogging here and there, trying to listen out for the uneven footfalls that indicate limping. I expected to be right at the back of the field, but even at nearly 5 and a half hours, there were still half a dozen people behind me. I chatted with lots of people en route, and was happy that there were other folk taking it as easy as I was, providing entertaining company.

At the end, another runner described having had the exact same hip flexor pain (and related foot pain) symptoms I've been suffering from. After several months of enduring this, the cure had come quickly, in the form of a physio's elbow harshly prodded into and rolled around the offending area. Apparently it hurt while being done and was worse the next day, but then after that the hip was cured. Sounded too good to be true. But Trin was there doing massage and she offered her elbow. It certainly hurt while she was doing it. I mean really really owwy ouch! And today it feels as if a small explosion has taken place inside my hip. So I am tentatively hopeful that this is the wizard cure and tomorrow I shall be able to run again. That would be more than shiny.

So, another great day with the Fox, whose Enigma events keep us addicts sated. Looking at my stats, I notice that my 99th, 149th, 159th and 169th marathons have all been Enigmas. (That would be more interesting if there weren't also at least another 3 not ending in ...9th) Huge thanks to Dave and all his merry helpers, who make these such wonderful days to be a part of.

A half marathon?!

2011-06-19T09:16:00.003+01:00

The Picnic Marathon is billed as the UK's toughest, mainly as it's set on the North Downs and involves a convoluted route going over Box Hill and the adjacent White Hill several times. Including going up the steps by the stepping stones a few times (you'll know the ones if you've climbed them).

When I entered, I hadn't already arranged to do the Enduroman 100 miler the previous weekend. And my lingering special needs right hip flexor and left foot meant that I probably shouldn't have even ventured down to Surrey. But they allow the option of stopping half way (which is enforced if the first half takes over 3 hours), where you can pick up a T-shirt, mug and medal for the Midsummer Munro ("the UK's toughest half marathon"!) so I figured I might as well go for an interesting training run.Within a couple of miles I could tell that my injuries were slowing me a lot on the steps, but even on the more friendly, flatter sections I also had a very lethargic (and limpy) pace. So I figured I'd just do the half and enjoy the afternoon (we started at 2pm). It was intermittently hot-sunshiney and thunder-showery. The stepping stones were ankle-deep in fast-flowing water (unlike in the picture above, which was clearly taken at a more tranquil time). There was a fantastic atmosphere with lashings of encouragement from the marshals and the other runners. I had a great time, not at all disappointed at not finishing the Picnic, glad of the opportunity to be sensible and avoid further damage to my legs and feet. I still took in six ascents of Box Hill and went twice over the neighbouring and equally tough White Hill. Plus the Munro T-shirt is a decent wicky one that I'll actually use. And actually I really enjoyed the course, so am keen to go back in 2013 (they only do it every couple of years) to finish the Picnic properly when I'm fit. Another top event to go on the to-do list then.

Just 100 miles

2011-06-13T19:28:00.006+01:00

Last year while at an ultra in Norwich, I first heard about the Enduroman "Deca", which is the almost impossible sounding triathlon event of 10 full Ironmans (Ironmen?) in 10 days. This year's event was to take place in the New Forest, so I thought about combining a weekend's camping with a little spectating. But then I was told that the more obvious way for me to watch it would be to run The Enduroman 100 Ultra, which takes place on the triathletes' run course, but with a few extra laps.

And so it was that I took the train down to the New Forest on Saturday morning, arriving just as the Doubles were in their swim stage. The Doubles? Well, it turns out that in addition to the Deca, which had started a week last Friday, there was also a Quintuple starting on the Wednesday (5 Ironmans in 5 days), a Triple starting on the following Friday (but this isn't 3 in 3 - it's the full 7.2 mile swim, followed by 336 miles out on the bike, then a 78.6 mile run to round it off), then the Double started on Saturday (same format as the triple, but two thirds of the distance), with a mere single Ironman starting on the Sunday morning. The idea being that all the events would finish with some running on Sunday. The 100 mile run seemed like the lightweight option, starting on Saturday afternoon. And it was odd that when asked "which race are you doing?" the reply had to be "oh, just the run". When did running 100 miles become "just" running 100 miles?!

I admit that when I enthusiastically entered, I hadn't really noticed that it was only a fortnight after the GUCR. And I'd figured that being in the New Forest, the run would be flat. Oops. At least I had acknowledged that it would be laps (of 1.04 miles it turned out, so we did 97 laps, making a course a little over the 100 miles stated). So, still barely able to run after aggravating a hip flexor injury at GUCR (and my attempt when I did run being a slow comedy limp) I actually thought about not doing it. But I really wanted to see the Deca and everything, so thought I might as well give it a try. And it was well worth it.

It was a glorious sunny Saturday morning and the Doubles had been in the water since 9am for their 4.8 mile swim. The lake was beautiful and there was a great atmosphere, with crews and supporters cheering as each athlete finished that section and made their way up the hill to their bikes for their first transition. The bike course (which sounded very hilly, pot-holey and fraught with dangers such as traffic and wayward donkeys) was apparently very tough. There was an 11.1 mile loop they repeated, with a turnaround up by the stately home. The run route was neatly designed with a section that went round the edge of the bike turnaround, so we got to see some cyclists most times as we passed through that section, where there were also crews and an aid station and music playing the whole time (which was especially welcome through the middle of the night - there wasn't a huge variety, but I remember hearing a lot of Queen). It also went round a couple of lakes, one of which was the one the triathletes all swam in. We had a race briefing at noon, then set off at 2pm.

I had kind of skim-read the info about the run course. Enough to know that it was trail and I'd need a good head torch for the bits through the trees at night. I'd seen that it said something about flat, but not taken in where it mentioned the fact that what could be (and wishful-thinkingly was by me) mistaken for a pleasantly flat loop around the lakes, along a field and round a stately home, was in fact set on a hill with the lakes at the bottom and the home at the top. And the pretty bit through the woods round the lake was on a narrow trail strewn with many trip hazardish roots and stones, lots of uppy-downyness and a particularly dodgy steep downhill with a barbed wire fence just off to one side. Some of the roots were spray-painted with orange fluorescent paint, which was really helpful, particularly at night when they glowed effectively under the headtorch light. The uphills were steep in parts, but that was ok as they suggested ideal walking sections on each lap, but the long downhill from the house towards the lake was just the wrong gradient for my battered feeling legs.I had the comedy limp at the start, which actually eased off after a while (at 80 miles someone told me I was looking far smoother than I had in the first lap). I took it easy (well, I couldn't muster much speed to set off too fast even if I'd wanted to) and really got into it after about 20 laps. The weather held up right through the moonlit night and we were joined on the course at various times by triathletes from their different events. It was awe-inspiring watching how well they could run after so many hours (or days) of tough activity already completed. I was a bit sore and achy, but kept well motivated by all these amazing athletes around me. It was great to watch the swim of day 10 of the Deca (and the single Ironman) starting at 6am. Shortly after that, the rain arrived, and from then on it was all very wet, cold, and at times exceedingly windy. (And the tricky path round the lake was not made any easier when it became a tricky and extremely muddy path.) Yet despite the weather, the crews, marshals and supporters were all still there, enthusiastic and helpful, making this unbelievable atmosphere. There was an aid station near the finish, where we could refill drinks bottles and grab food whenever we needed it. At night, a couple of the marshals were wearing cow costumes. I'm nearly sure I didn't just imagine that anyway.I had people encouraging me at lots of points along the way, with the fact that I was the only female left in the ultra (after one other pulled out at 50 miles) possibly making it easier for them to know my name. I felt a bit guilty for being so slow, but given the circumstances, I was pleased with being able to finish this unexpectedly tough event. The last lap was run in reverse, which made it clear whenever someone was nearly finished, and meant we got to see all the other competitors still out on the course. There was high-fiving and wishing all the best to those still going. It was indeed very slow, taking me just under 26 and a half hours. I think I came in third place, and technically I suppose first lady.

The goody bags were full of, erm, goodies! Including a Superman-styled Enduroman T-shirt, a box of gels, a hat, a buff, a drinks bottle and more. Then there was also a good wicky T-shirt and a medal for finishing.It was a great event, with huge thanks due to Steve the organiser and his team of helpers. They, together with the other competitors, their crews and the supporters, made it a fantastic weekend and it felt a privilege to be a part of it.

It made it feel extra odd to be back in the classroom teaching again today, when our lower sixth students returned from study leave. As far as they knew, I probably spent the weekend watching telly or shopping.

GUCR - the Return

2011-05-31T20:15:00.003+01:00

It was a year ago that I first completed the Grand Union Canal Race, but was very disappointed that injury forced me to walk most of it. (And caused blisters that left me unable to walk for two days.) This year, I had higher hopes. I figured that if I was fit and uninjured, then 36 hours would be a reasonable time to aim for. Well, I'm not as fit as this time last year - I've had 3 chest infections since September that have meant a lack of quality training, plus my right hip flexor spent the last fortnight being very hurty (and even making me a bit limpy), to the point that I considered deferring GUCR till next year. But I was in the mood for a long run (and 145 miles, or 232 km, is quite long) and figured thirty-something hours would do just fine. Also, at the last count, this year I've raised £23 576 for the charity Animal Aid, so there was added incentive to go the distance.

I took a slow train up to Birmingham on Friday night. It's an odd feeling buying a one-way ticket that far, knowing that one shall be making the return journey on foot. I checked into a hostel, far enough out of the centre of town to be relatively quiet (cheap, but with the luxury of a double room to myself) for an early night. Then was up before half past four to walk to the Gas Street Basin in time to register and drop off my kit bags, before the 6am start. I collected my GUCR 2011 sweatshirt - Dick had had a black one made specially for me - brilliant!There were a lot of folk I knew there, including some who've finished several times, others who'd tried but never made it to the end and some GUCR virgins. This race has a very special atmosphere and it felt great to be a part of it again. I felt very happy as we set off, though I was noticeably limping as my hip flexor gently moaned at me. Fortunately my breathing was ok - the course of antibiotics I was on last week seemed to have worked. I chatted with other runners a bit here and there, though spent most of the route on my own. There were some friends crewing for others at a similar pace to me, so I kept seeing them throughout the race and they were always encouraging. I had chosen to be "unsupported" again. This actually means that rather than bringing my own crew to cater for my every whim, I used the checkpoints which are manned by volunteers, who have food and drinks and kind words for the fifty unsupported runners. Also we have access to our kit bags at these points. As a vegan, I don't expect there to be much food that's suitable for me, so my kit bag is mainly just a food bag. I carry a rucksack all the way with some spare layers of clothes, a Camelbak bladder full of at least a couple of litres of water (I get thirsty!) and enough food to get me to the next checkoint (they vary from 11 to 20 miles apart). My food supply included a range of muesli bars, Torq energy gels, salted nuts, bombay mix, japanese rice crackers, vegan sausages and hot cross buns.

As the day went on, my legs didn't get any worse. I was moving a lot more slowly than usual, but seemed to be moving pretty smoothly considering. I stuck to the 25:5, run:walk thing for the first 5 hours, then my Garmin inexplicably ran out of juice. I had a spare in my kit bag, but actually just decided to wear a normal watch, as I realised I could get the distance from the route map. Reading this to see what bridge number would mean I'd covered another mile provided a good distraction from the aches and pains that were developing - nothing too bad though, and no blisters for most of the way.

There was plenty of wildlife. I watched a small common coot charging beak-down at a swan, which seemed a bit scared and actually swam backwards in retreat! An odd sight - I didn't know they had a reverse gear. Presumably nobody told the coot that thing about swans being able to break your leg. There were several majestic herons, lots of bats, especially at dusk, several geese that hissed at me as they watched over their goslings, a huge pretty butterfly, some irritating midgies, a nonchalant rabbit and three black barge cats.After last year's enforced walking, I was very pleased to be able to keep putting in sections of jogging throughout, but found that actually at night my running pace was slower than my walking! I kept alternating between the two in an attempt to ward off blisters, which seemed to work. I didn't get too sleepy during the night and enjoyed the sunrise a few miles out from the 100 mile point, which I reached in under 23 hours. I felt rather fatigued later in the morning, but continued to stay in good spirits and enjoy the journey. I was still running (well, doing the ultra-shuffle at least) between walking, and managed to keep the blisters away until the final turn onto the Paddington arm, about 13 miles from the finish. The surface of the canal path is very stony a lot of the way, which makes for sore feet, so the grassy sections were always welcome (except when they were on a camber).

Timewise it didn't look like being much faster than last year after all, with me being just over a couple of hours up at the 100 mile point. When I got to 3 miles to go though, I realised that I might just squeeze in with the sub-36 I'd really wanted. So I switched up a gear despite the blisters which had just started to scream at me within the last few miles. A finish in daylight would be lovely.

And I made it in 35 hours and 43 minutes. Nice. Not nearly as fast as I'd aimed for last year, but I'm well chuffed with it this time. Dick was at the finish along with others, runners and helpers, who cheered me in. A fantastic feeling. And a big shiny medal. I placed 19th out of 53 finishers (there were 92 starters) and 3rd female.

I hung around for a bit and saw a few more folk finish before wandering slowly home (two tubes, then a bus to the end of my street). The damage? Only 3 proper blisters, probably 3 toenails to come off eventually too. But the soles of my feet, while a little sore, were still stand-on-able. And my hip flexor was sore, but not much worse than it had been. I couldn't lift my leg properly, but could still walk pretty well. Today is Tuesday and we've been out shopping and to a museum, including going up and down lots of steps with no problems. I'll take at least a couple more days off running to let my legs heal properly, but I'm looking forward to getting back out again. I might want another go at this one sometime, but I don't feel the need to run GUCR next year. I'm hoping to go along and help out at the checkpoints though.

A brilliant event - the logistics of organising it are mind-boggling, but Dick Kearn does it every year in good humour. He's a true ultra hero. And his team, along with the other runners and their crews, make this a top weekend to be part of.

Sandstone Trail Saturday

2011-05-31T19:52:00.004+01:00

On Saturday 21st May I went for my last long run pre-GUCR. Well, I didn't really have any intention of running much of it - I just wanted to get out and stretch my legs in a leisurely fashion, with some good views. The Sandstone Trail was perfect. It's a 33 mile route over the Cheshire countryside, fairly well signposted most of the way
(though the race rules included carrying a map). There were more stiles than I'd wanted, especially as my right hip flexor had been pretty painful all week, but lots of fields, woods, hills, red stone, great panoramic views and wildlife to distract my attention. I ran with Rob who was also in the mood for a realaxed pace, so we took it very steady and enjoyed a grand day out. Definitely one to go back to next year.

Make Mine a Triple

2011-05-19T20:09:00.003+01:00

The bank holiday weekend with the extra day off while a prince got married was a great treat. As it turned out, Jim was away for three days, so I found three runs to keep me out of trouble. I'd never done a triple before (apart from within the 10in10) and it was a rather hot weekend to choose for such shenanigans.

On the Friday I headed to Berkshire for the Royal Berkshire track marathon, excellently organised by Ian Berry. There were loads of the usual faces there, including some TiTs I hadn't seen since last year, as well as some of this year's contenders. So, 105 and a half laps, which passed by pretty smoothly. Either I or my lap counter miscounted, so that when I thought I was easily on for a sub-4 (which would be my first this year), I was surprised to hear I still had 5 laps to do (I thought it was only 4) in under 10 minutes to make that time. 8-minute-miling might not sound fast, but I was feeling a bit poorly on the day and it took a big effort to pick up the pace. It felt good to do it, but I was really knackered afterwards. Oh, and I placed third female so I won a bottle of beer!

On the Saturday was the Oxon 40, based around Henley. This is a lovely LDWA event so I felt perfectly justified in taking it at a very relaxed pace. Mucho walking and some beautiful views, including many woods carpeted with bluebells.

I stayed overnight in Amesbury then wandered over to Stonehenge in the morning to catch the bus to the start of the Neolithic Marathon. This feels like an old favourite (I've now done it 5 times) and it was yet again a great day out.

Since then there was the delightful Halstead marathon on the 8th (around the country lanes in Essex, always a much better event than I expect it to be) and then Richmond Park marathon on the weekend just gone, which took in 3 and a half laps of the park, with the fantastic scenery and wildlife show that entails. I've been struggling to run with a cold and dodgy breathing for weeks now, so it was kind of a relief to find out I actually have a chest infection (again - the third time this year!) and I'm hoping the antibiotics will sort me out soon.

Morning runs have been very pleasant recently, as the sun gets up around the same time as I head out. Summer is good like that.

A tale of two cities

2011-04-27T16:58:00.007+01:00

That would be Paris and London. But as April has been full running-wise, there's another three events to mention too (with yet another two to go before the month is out).

So, I watched the highlights of the London Marathon on telly and they kept claiming it's the world's greatest marathon. Now, I'm not really a fan of city marathons, but I would rate Paris way above London. (I think I've also done three other capital cities and London might get pushed down to fourth or fifth place on my list.) The atmosphere at London is great, but it's very crowded and the route isn't particularly inspiring. It makes for a good day out and I do enjoy it, but it's not a favourite for me. Plus I still had a heavy cold on the day and found that there is no way to discretely expel copious quantities of snot when watched by those crowds. Sorry - over-sharing I know. I really liked going out for dinner with my sister (& bro-in-law & Jim) afterwards though, so it was a lovely afternoon!

We had gone to Paris for the first four days of the school holidays, the marathon being on the Sunday. Despite my annoying cold (my eyes were streaming as I stood hacking like a 60-a-day smoker on the Champs Elysees at the start) I had a very pleasant run around the city and parks, enjoying the sights and the huge feel-good factor of the event. A good T shirt at the end too (a proper wicky one, red with Parisian pictures on the front, that I will actually use). We spent the afternoon in the Marais, and the rest of the time in Paris doing all the things we like to do in our favourite city.

The weekend before Paris I'd popped down to Battle, near Hastings, for the first Sussex Marathon. This was a hilly run, mainly through country lanes. I ran guiding Paul, a blind running friend. I managed to keep him out of the potholes and avoided thwacking him into any lamposts/trees, so was pleased that we both finished without incident. The actual guiding bit is not physically hard (using a dog-chew-toy, swapping sides every 3 miles or so) but a lot of extra concentration is required. It does make the run feel a bit different and we could both claim it was the other who wanted to walk so many of the steeper hills.

Towards the end of the holiday came the Easter weekend. For me this included an Enigma marathon (round the lake in the park near Bletchley, top event that Foxy Davy organises) where I managed to get rather sunburnt on the Friday. Then I went up to Goring for the Compton Downland 40 miler on the Sunday. I liked this one before when it had been muddy, but this time it was stunningly beautiful in parts. The scenery was extra pretty in the sunshine and the timing meant that the woods were full of bluebells and we passed through a huge field of shoulder-high bright yellow rape. And later there were four hares frolicking in a field. Brilliant organisation by Dick Kearn and his merry team.

There was more entertaining wildlife as we picnicked in Richmond Park, as well as lots of other day trips to keep us grinning all the was through the holidays. And this 3-day-week followed by a 4-day-week to ease us back into work is most welcome. Now, I really should try to shake this stupid lingering cold so I can fully enjoy all this gorgeous springtime running...

Trail Ultra - a la francaise

2011-03-27T15:58:00.005+01:00

My first trail ultra outside the UK was a brilliant experience. I know I'm easily pleased and can usually be found grinning like an idiot throughout most of the running events I do, but this was really something else. The Ecotrail de Paris 80km simply rocks!

Friends on Fetch pointed me in the direction of the race website, and when I read that this event involves running 82km along pretty trails through French countryside, with a finish on the first level of the Eiffel Tower, I didn't hesitate to sign up.Admittedly I hadn't sussed out the logistics very well. The first Eurostar on Saturday morning allowed me only a frantic half hour in which to cross the city from Gard du Nord to the Eiffel Tower, find the marquee and pick up my race number, then get to the RER station in order to catch the last train to the start. It was tight, involving a taxi and spurts of running here and there, but I made it.

The train was packed with runners - the first sign that this was different to most UK ultras. A 50 miler may attract a couple of hundred here (usually less, though the sport is rapidly gaining popularity), but there were well over 3000 doing this one. This meant that there were other people around for the entire course, with bottlenecks still occurring on sections of singletrack well after halfway. Plus of course most were French, so conversation was a bit limited, but I managed enough chat, including a tiny spot of Japanese and I even coped with some chirpy banter in German after about 40 miles.

Another strange but welcome touch was that the course was marked throughout. There were orange arrows spray-painted on the ground and red and white Ecotrail-branded tape hanging from trees, with the addition of reflective tape too from halfway, which worked really effectively through the woods later. I'm used to having to navigate with a map and/or written route instructions for anything of 30 miles or more, so it was great to be able to appreciate the scenery that bit more.

And the scenery was beautiful. We started in a park, across a field then round a lake. We followed trails and went into woodland, mostly flat for the first 6 miles. The first hill brought us up to a gorgeous view over a large lake. The trail descended gently through the trees down to the water. This set the pattern for the majority of the route, with many more woodland climbs and descents. The trail was runable, but very rocky and rootsy in places. I jarred myself and nearly went flying several times. Fortunately I only actually fell twice - first at about 8 miles, not too bad, then a much harder fall by the Seine with just over 4 miles to go. (I'm still amazed I didn't take a tumble in the woods in the dark.)

The first check point at 22km was a lively affair in a small village, with an enthusiastic band and plenty of food & drink, including bananas, dark chocolate and pots of apple compote (along with an assorted selection of cheese, salami, cakes & biscuits for the non-vegan folk).

At about 30 miles we crested a hill at an old stately home, which offered a view over Paris, with the Eiffel Tower, Sacre Coeur and the goldy-looking roof of Les Invalides all on display. Shiny. And slightly surreal as the ascent up through the trees had felt like we were in the middle of nowhere. We turned and ran in the opposite direction as there was a lot of ground to cover yet.

Unfortunately I had been feeling decidedly unwell until this point. The midday heat at the start didn't help, with this being my sweatiest run in ages, but I just didn't feel right. Very heavy legs and extreme tiredness. Then the rain that had been threatening (there was some dramatic sounding thunder throughout the afternoon) finally poured down for a good twenty minutes. It really cooled me off and made me feel a lot more like me. I still wasn't quite running normally, but I began to need to walk less and less. Occasionally we'd cross a road or come to some other sort of civilisation where people had gathered to shout support. I'll have to check if there weren't many women in the race, as I got extra-special encouragement for being female, it seemed.

At 46km there was a control point, where they did a random kit check, asking us to show them our head torch and survival blanket ("blonket of life"). After the second checkpoint (56km - they weren't exactly evenly spread) it was dark. The sight of a string of headtorches glaring behind and the pools of light ahead of those in front is pretty magical. It was eerily quiet in the woods, with no road noise and just the sound of other runners and a few owls hooting breaking the silence. It was good to have a bit of night running in a relatively short race.

From about 40 miles onwards I really got into my stride, helped by the first six miles of this section being predominantly downhill, winding our way to the Seine. The last stretch along the river was great. Some of it still on trails of sorts (where I took my second fall at some speed, causing nasty knee & elbow grazing, but nothing too major as ouchies & booboos go) then bits on the road, where people cheered us on from their cars.

I approached the Tower near 11pm, when they switched its lights to super-sparkly-twinkly mode. There were crowds cheering us in at the base of the tower, then it was through a security arch and pick up a ticket (!) to ascend the steps. You'd think the trek up to the first floor would seem tough, after over 51 miles on the sort of trails that force you to expend a lot of extra energy picking up your feet to avoid falls. But actually there were not as many steps as I remembered and I made it up in less than 3 minutes. Crossing the finish line felt very good. And offered more great views of the city.

I was extremely grateful that we could take the lift back down. And It was still early enough for me to take the Metro up north to my hotel. I was very glad of a hot and powerful shower.

This morning I spent my time mooching around Saint Germaine and along the Seine, pausing for coffee a few times, where I took the opportunity to start writing an article for a green NY-based website I've been ask to be a contributor for. It's a good life.

And it's only a fortnight till I come back for the Marathon de Paris...

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

A different type of clanger

2011-03-24T20:07:00.002Z

I'm a fan of Oliver Postgate's Clangers, but apparently in Bedfordshire a "clanger" refers to a particular type of pie. I think it usually contains a combination of meat and fruit, but they made a special vegan version just for me, with veg and apples. An odd but tasty treat. Thanks Sylvia! This was eaten after the Bedford Clanger run, which was a pleasant marathon looping around Bedford, predominantly off-road. Really well organised by Noel, who's raising funds for Brathay as he's running the 10in10 this year.

Last Saturday we went to see Rango. Fantastic! The best non-Pixar CGI film I've watched. I'm pretty sure we enjoyed it far more than any of the kids in the audience, as the owl mariachi band had us in fits right from the start, then again every time they appeared to narrate. Johnny Depp makes a very cool chameleon too. We followed this with exceedingly good pizza. A great way to spend the day.

On Sunday I was in Sevenoaks for a 30 mile run around the Kent countryside. It was sunny and pretty and had lots of my friends there, making for plenty of laughs and general tomfoolery. I suppose serious running very rarely happens to me anyway. No pressure for time, just gently trotting through fields, mud and woods, up hills, along tracks, over stiles... yep, it was an LDWA event. It made a perfect antidote to the current busyness at work.

All good training for a European jaunt this weekend, provided I can negotiate a speedy trip across Paris in order to catch a train to get to the start on time...

Playing catch up

2011-03-10T18:45:00.005Z

Long time, no blog, so here's an attempt to summarise the last month and a half.

My shin got really hurty after the canal double. Apparently it was probably Anterior Compartment Syndrome, but it manifested itself as an immensely painful squidgy lump that caused me to limp when walking and to be unable to run for about three weeks. I was gutted to miss the "Thames Trot", one of my favourite ultras, but lucky that it actually healed relatively quickly.

On February 12th I took the latest batch of students (and a couple of teachers) to run a 10K in Finsbury Park. They put in a great effort and all performed well, with those who had done a 10K before all getting PBs. They had raised money for charities and all got yellow T-shirts at the end of the race and looked really proud of their achievement. I have to admit I felt pretty proud of 'em too.As my shin had survived (the longest run I'd done for 3 weeks!) I decided to have a tentative attempt at one of Foxy's Enigma marathons in Bletchley on the Sunday. It was day 4 of the "Quadzilla" - some of the folk there had been doing a marathon a day for four days. It was really interesting to see how they were getting on, having experienced a similar event last year at the 10 in 10. Lots of people I knew were there so it was good to catch up. It was ok for the first 17 miles, then my leg hurt a lot, but I finished anyway, knowing that I'd need to follow it with a few more days rest. And that was fine as it turned out. I then had a fortnight to gradually build up some gentle running before the next marathon.

At half term Jim and I spent the week in St Ives. We usually camp there in October, so it was very different (and luxurious) to be staying in an apartment right in the centre (on Fore Street) in February. There is something magical about St Ives, with its vivid colours and fantastic views. We spent the week sitting about drinking at the Sloop or the Yellow Canary, wandering on the beaches, strolling by the harbour or along the coastal path, visiting a tin mine and just generally grinning like idiots. I liked the sign at a pottery shop I ran past on my morning jogs.On the Sunday when we got back I popped up to Cambridge for the Boundary marathon - a pleasant trail route circling the city. I took it at a relaxed 4-and-a-half-hour pace, chatting with various people along the way and was very happy that my legs felt absolutely fine.

So back to work, which seems really busy recently, but much better for getting back to my normal routine pre-breakfast runs. There was another (shorter) canal double at the weekend just gone. Another ULTRArace event, brilliantly organised and with a feel-good atmosphere. Lots of familiar faces there so mucho chatting again. I took it steady, wondering how much of my stamina and speed I'd have lost. As it turned out, I did both days in under 4:40 (for 29.3 miles), with the second day actually a couple of minutes faster than the first. And fast enough to pick up a trophy for third place lady. Nice.

And now the mornings are starting to get lighter and there are daffodils about. Spring is springing. Shiny.

By the canal again

2011-01-25T19:53:00.002Z

This weekend saw the start of the UK ULTRArace Championships. This is a series of, er, ultra races, which together form a championship. So, does what it says on the tin really. It's a pretty neat idea - you enter 5 or more in the series and your top 5 results count. I would have entered at least 5 of these anyway, but it might encourage people to enter more. Either way, it's great to see how rapidly ultra running is expanding in the UK. Rory and Jen do a fantastic job in organising such feel-good events.

Last year I plodded along the canal (46 miles each way: Northampton to Tring Saturday, the reverse on Sunday) and finished first lady, albeit very slowly. An hour quicker this year was only good enough for 5th place. That's fine with me - I'm not in it to compete, just to enjoy, but I do really like being surrounded by such talented runners, in a community that remains friendly and positive as it grows. I was very pleased that this year there was only 5 minutes difference between my times for the two days (8:41 and 8:46). Nicely consistent. And I'm still feeling that I'm very much taking things gently as I don't want my lungs to start complaining again. My shin got really painful though and has a lump on it. This happened at the 10in10 and they lasered and iced it for me. As a non-pampered-afleet now I'm doing the ice and ibuprofen thing instead. I even took a day off running this morning.

I found out this week that I didn't get a place at UTMB this year. A shame, but it can wait for another time. So, now I'm pondering whether or not I'm ready to tackle the Spartathlon. I feel slightly giddy just contemplating it...

Getting better gradually

2011-01-18T19:38:00.003Z

I've been taking it very easy and not running much, to try to allow my lungs get properly better from that annoying chest infection, which really left me feeling knackered for weeks. Fingers crossed and all that, but it seems to be working.

The 100 Marathon Club AGM marathon was a great social event. I knew nearly everyone there. It's a handicap race (we each started at the-average-time-of-our-last-5-road-marathons before 2:30pm) run on a 5 lap course in Bromley. I started at 10:21 and saw plenty of others out on the course, either lapping, being lapped, or crossing over on a section of road that we did in both directions on each lap. John Wallace (AKA Superman) won the handicap race by finishing far quicker than his handicap suggested he should have. A great result. It was one of those crisp fresh but sunny days and even though I was deliberately walking a lot to take it easy, I thoroughly enjoyed it.On Saturday I did the Country to Capital ultra for the third time. This was my first ever ultra a couple of years ago and remains one of my favourites. The first half is cross country and can be tricky to find the correct route. It's pretty hilly and muddy and there's lots of running through fields and streams - the sort of terrain that really makes you feel alive. It wasn't very cold, making conditions most pleasant. The second half follows the Grand Union canal so the intense navigation ends and one can just relax (and dream of covering this ground again in May as part of the GUCR). I went nice and slowly and walked a lot on the canal section. A very gentle jaunt, which somehow made me over 40 minutes quicker than in the previous two years. Odd, but I'm not complaining. Top organisation as usual by the brilliant folks at Go Beyond.
I was unusually tired that evening, but seem to have recovered well enough now. I hope so, as there's a 45 miler on both Saturday and Sunday this weekend...

2011

2011-01-03T20:09:00.004Z

Happy New Year!

We went to visit my folks in Newcastle for a few days last week. It was still snowy (on the ground, not falling) and we briefly saw my sister, though my bro and his family stayed the whole time. It's hard not to do the stereotypical auntie "my, haven't you grown?!" thing, but really, my nieces are are 11 and 13 and both nearly as tall as me already. We had the inevitable mountains of good food, plus pleasant trips and walks out, including to a very slippery Durham. They'd been up to the Lake District and had some great photos of a completely frozen Derwent Water showing people walking, skating and even cycling on its solidified surface.

Now I don't want to say my lungs are fixed yet (but I am hopeful). I spent over a week in bed and even missed a marathon in an attempt to get well. Then today I went to run another lovely Enigma marathon round (and round and round...) the lake in Bletchley Park. I jogged the first half then made sure I took plenty of walk breaks to keep my lungs happy. 4:22 was much quicker than I'd expected. And so far, I feel good.

So, back to work tomorrow. 2011 is a prime number. I like that.

Sleepy - 2010 is nearly finished.

2010-12-23T14:48:00.004Z

The year is nearly at an end. I should have just one marathon left, but it's not likely that I'll be able to get there. The last couple were good though. A couple of weeks ago was the Portsmouth Coastal. This did what it said on the tin: a very pleasant jaunt along the coast with sea views. Admittedly I am easily pleased, but it was good to be out running (I took this one gently with Rob as I had been feeling poorly all week and he had dodgy achilles). It was an out and back course and it was surprising how many of the other folk I knew. There really are a lot of peopled who keep turning up at these things week in, week out. A very colourful medal at the end plus free food too.

Then after the snow, I did the Bournemouth track marathon. That's 105 laps plus an extra 195 metres. It was rather good, well organised by Steff and not such a tough mental challenge as I'd thought (though I still think I prefer 100 miles to 100 laps) with lots of lapping going on, so plenty of chances to chat, albeit briefly, with other runners. The snow underfoot made it quite hard going, plus the antibiotics for the chest infection didn't really seem to be having any effect, but it was great to see people and the track was quite open so there were almost kind of country park views. One chap said he was going a bit slowly as it was his 20th this year. (I did the quick mental calcuation - it was my 59th this year. I didn't tell him that.)

On the way home, I met a rather good snowman at the end of my road.I'm still hopeful of one more long run this year, but there are plenty for next year anyway. Happy running everyone.

3 weekends

2010-12-08T19:24:00.004Z

I haven't blogged (blug?) for ages, for no good reason since the last 3 weekends have all been most enjoyable.

On Friday 19th November we took the train up to Newcastle to spend a weekend with my parents. Always good and we went for a pleasant (if damp) walk near Rothbury, finishing in a bizarre little pub that seemed to be in someone's living room. There was another room off to one side where they sold postcards, save-the-squirrel pencils and reindeer sparkle. On the Sunday was the Town Moor Marathon (it would have been churlish not to, since we were in the area...) which I ran the first 7 miles with Paul (who is blind - we used a dog-chew-toy-like thing) but I managed to let him fall over and he had to pull out after the first lap and a half. I ran the last few laps catching up with various people so it was all quite social really. Meanwhile Jim went with my folks to the HMS Ark Royal (as it was conveniently docked at South Shields before being decommissioned).On Friday 26th we went down to Brighton. It was possibly the best weekend this year (and there have been some excellent ones). Jim had decided to whisk me away for a birthday treat and he kept producing gifts (from entertaining novelties to some seriously cool and shiny stuff) throughout the weekend. I really like being by the sea and have always liked Brighton. We spent the whole time grinning like idiots, while also eating and drinking lots, strolling along the pier, visiting the museum, getting lots of, er, exercise, enjoying the light snow, running along the prom on the Sunday morning and just generally being happy.

On my actual birthday it was the first day we had snow in London, so my run around the Heath was extra pretty. A nice bonus.

The weekend just gone was supposed to involve the Luton Marathon, but it was cancelled. Fortunately a friend organised an alternative event for those of us needing our fix. So the Bletchley Enigma Marathon was 7 laps around a lake on a beautiful crisp and sunny morning, with all the usual suspects in attendance (nearly 40 in all). I don't suppose I'd have finished 2nd lady at Luton.

Sunday Silliness

2010-11-14T17:46:00.002Z

Back to usual today with a trail marathon. My first LDWA event for ages, which came with all the expected mud, hills, stiles, footbridges, fields, steps, kissing gates... and a variety of animals including sheep, llamas, curly-haired cows, turkeys, a cockerel and a very cute muntjack deer.

I ran (and admittedly walked a fair bit too) with Rob who is excellent company. He did his first marathon at Edinburgh last year and today's was his 56th! We were both in the mood for a slow one, enjoying the autumn countryside views and generally being easily pleased at what a lovely route it was (apart from the very heavy mud in some of the fields and the surprisingly cold rain for the last 5 miles).

And there were plenty of the usual suspects there today making it great for catching up with folk I hadn't seen for a few weeks.

Super Saturday Silliness

2010-11-13T18:27:00.004Z

It's that time of year again, when I take a bunch of sixth formers that I've been coaching to run a 10K. For the past three years we've done Brighton in November, but this year that clashed with the Newcastle marathon (more on the toon next week). So we did the Mo 10K in Greenwich park - handily local at least. It's part of Movember (where men around the world sport a moustache throughout November to raise money - in the UK they're affiliated with the Prostate Cancer Charity).

The students mostly wore Pudsey-bear-style headbands, a few went with a mo too and I ran in fancy dress as Supergirl. Just for my own amusement. It was a very convulted course, lapping around the park and taking in a few small (though surprisingly knackering) hills. It was well organised and quite a feel-good event. I certainly enjoyed it and it's always good to see the students being all chuffed with themselves. Nice to have the Vice Principal along too, joining in the silliness.Particularly impressive were the guy who ran the whole thing in bike leathers and helmet and the chap who ran it all backwards - in under an hour!

Taking a break

2010-11-08T19:02:00.002Z

So, I usually blog after a running event and haven't blogged for over three weeks. Yup - I just had two whole weekends without a race in them. And I didn't run very much either, but enjoyed taking a break to let my legs recover from putting in a fair few miles this year. We went camping in St Ives for the half term week. It was fantastically relaxing. Lots of eating, sleeping and drinking, a couple of beautiful coastal walks, lots of wandering along the beach watching the surf and moseying around the town. We visited our favourite cafe (the Yellow Canary on Fore Street) and pub (the Sloop) every day. And ok, I did go running a bit while we were there too, as well as doing lots of, er, other exercise for cross training too.

This weekend I had to go to college for Open Day on Saturday (very odd for a teacher to be working on a Saturday, but it's only once a year). Then I took the train up to Norwich for the Marriotts Way Ultra on Sunday. It's a fairly low key trail run, which goes out of Norwich for 18 miles on a disused railway line, then we can refill water at the turnaround point before heading back the way we came. The trail has seats at mile intervals, each made from bits of old railway track. I thoroughly enjoyed it, spending a lot of time chatting with various people on the way out and lost in my own thoughts on the way back. Surprisingly, the reason for the lone return was that I was in the lead (out of everyone, not just the ladies) and was actually the first to finish. Not fast at 5:42, but a really pleasant day. It felt good to run all of it without taking any walk breaks, but a bit sad that it's the last ultra for me this year - no more now till January. Fortunately there are plenty of marathons to keep me out of trouble in the meantime.

3:53 again

2010-10-17T17:12:00.002+01:00

When I entered Abingdon (albeit late) I was thinking I might try for a PB, since it's notoriously a fast flat course. After being told Iwas 57th on the waiting list, I assumed I wouldn't get in, so was pleasantly surprised when my race number arrived a couple of weeks ago. But having finally had my poorly lungs diagnosed as a chest infection last week, I figured I wasn't going to push it after all.

There were loads of people I know there so it was always going to be a pleasant day out. I actually started off at 8 minute miling for a few miles, but then realised that, while my lungs feel like they're on the mend (a relief that the antibiotics seem to be kicking in at last), I just wasn't in the mood for a fast one. So I eased off and ran at a far more enjoyable jog for the rest of the course. (Final time was 3:53, which is the same as last week.)

There was a brilliant Fetchpoint, which we went through twice. I wasn't in Fetch colours today, but saw their balloons before being loudly cheered through by name. (One advantage of being current member of the month on Fetch is that they recognise me even in my Vegan club vest.) The course had some reallly cute villages, a couple of short stretches of trail (I missed nice long trail runs!) and some less attractive industrial estate sections. Fantastic marshaling though and a great atmosphere. I was super-proud of Heather for running a sub 3:30 and there were a lot of other excellent performances today too. I was very surprised to find Dick Kearn jogging along - a road marathon?

A very enjoyable one. A good thing too, as I'm not running an event at all for the next two weekends... will I remain sane?

A run is fun but in Leicester it's bester

2010-10-10T18:36:00.005+01:00

Disclaimer - the title of this blog was chosen by Jim.

A very pleasant weekend. Actually, I felt really rough on Saturday, but am seeing a doctor on Monday in the hope that they might be able to sort out my custard lungs (which still prevent me from breathing while doing mundane sitting-about tasks, yet allow me to run - seems odd).

Anyhoo, I took the train up to Leicester on Saturday evening where I stayed with a fellow Vegan Runner and her very cute cat. It was her first race (no, not the cat's) and she was doing the half marathon. We headed to the park this morning in nice cool weather and found loads of familiar faces there. It's a pretty big event though the vast majority seemed to be doing the half route. A very good atmosphere and a well marked course with clapping, cheering marshals at every turn.

I was watchless. My Garmin is actually Jim's (to replace the one I carelessly tossed in canal earlier this year) and I'd left it with him for his training run (that's right - Jim is training - for next year's London Marathon no less!). Needless to say I have ordered a Garmin for myself, but it hasn't arrived yet and I forgot to take any sort of watch with me. That was fine as, given how dodgy I was feeling, I had no intentions of worrying about pacing. The start is downhill which always encourages a foolishly fast first couple of miles. Then it's mostly flat with some undules. It stopped being so pleasantly cool and warmed up quite a bit in the sunshine. Past some pretty lakes in a park and the Space Centre (which looks like a rocket sitting in a weirdly-shaped transparent bouncy castle). I enjoyed the run and managed to get my first sub 4 marathon since the 10 in 10 back in May. Nice, but I'll take a slower countryside ultra for preference any day!

I met some Fetchies that I'd heard of but never previously met in the flesh, always good. Also met a follower of my blog, who I ran a few miles with - how did you get on today John? And there were a fair few 100 club folk in attendance, with it being Bob's 100th today.

And I was home while it was still sunny and early. I like running. I might have mentioned that before?

Happy Trails

2010-10-09T13:48:00.003+01:00

Last weekend we went to the Cartoon Museum in London - we only heard of it recently and it's worth a visit, even if it's not quite as good as the one in Brussels.

Then on Sunday I ran the Great Clarendon Way Marathon. It actually was pretty great too. Lovely trail course from Salisbury to Winchester, with lots of signs and friendly marshals to guide the way. Always a good atmosphere. It rained for the first 15 miles (yay!) but unfortunately I'm still not feeling well so found it hard. Managed to enjoy the scenery (and lots of mud) all the same. I even got a special little plate thing at the finish for having completed the event 5 times. Definitely one to keep on the calendar.

Run - Forest run

2010-09-30T19:01:00.002+01:00

The last weekend of the year that our favourite New Forest campsite is open usually coincides with the New Forest Marathon. Which is nice.

So we spent a top weekend in the forest, stuffing ourselves with the delicious ripe blackberries, finding many varieties of mushrooms (that we didn't consume) and being amazed at the almost impossibly big and bright moon. Admittedly it was a bit chilly overnight, but we were entertained by several peculiar wildlife noises - deer we suspect, among others.

The marathon itself is always lovely, though I found it very tough. My cold apparently hasn't gone away yet after all, but is lingering maliciously. It was pretty windy out too. Lots of really enthusiastic marshals and great company made for a superb day. A bit annoying to get rained on as I rode home on the motorway, but at least it wasn't too heavy.

Why are weekends only two days long? I really enjoy them, but would enjoy longer ones even more...

Canaltastic - day 2

2010-09-19T20:59:00.001+01:00

Another pleasant jaunt along the canal today. It finally feels like my cold is easing off, but I was still pretty tired this morning. There was less sun and a brisk headwind, but I managed to be only 9 minutes slower than yesterday. Good enough for 3rd lady (another trophy!) - though the woman who won hadn't done the previous day - seemed almost like cheating, starting the race with fresh legs. ;-)

Still, I was chuffed to come in 6th overall for the 58.6 mile double. Not bad recovery from last week's exertion.

We got room 132 at the hotel on Saturday night. After my 132nd marathon/ultra coincidentally. But then the room wasn't ready so we got moved to 125. (A prime cubed, so I was happy enough with that.)

Another most enjoyable weekend organised by the jolly nice Rory & Jen at ULTRArace.

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Shouldn't canals be wet?

2010-09-18T14:51:00.001+01:00

I've had enough of this stoopid fecking cold now. But at least I still seem to be able to run with it. Today was the first day of a double. 29.3 miles along a canal from Cotgrave to Grantham. We stay in a rather nice hotel tonight, then run the course in reverse tomorrow. Not backwards - that would be quite tough. Actually, it's a nice easy flat route, though the grassy bits are harder on the legs. I like running by water, but lots of sections of this canal were disappointingly dry.

After last week I assumed I'd be very slow today. So 4:30 was a bit of a surprise. And a trophy for second lady too. Shiny. Although it being glass,
It barely shows up in the photo...

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No blisters - maybe I'm getting the hang of this ultra lark?

2010-09-13T19:23:00.004+01:00

When Jen (my best friend from primary school, whom I didn't see from when I was 11, till last year when we met up again after reconnecting through the Fetcheveryone running website) first mentioned wanting to set up a 100+ mile ultra along the entire hilly length of the South Downs Way, I thought she was a bit mad. Then I began running a bit more and really started looking forward to the event. That is, until last Tuesday when I felt really not-very-well and should, in retrospect, probably have taken time off work, but I didn't and so still felt pretty rough on Saturday morning. I almost didn't go to the race, but I usually go along with that saying about regretting the things you didn't do more than the things you did, so I took the train down to Eastbourne and headed to the Bandstand on the prom where the registration was set up.There were plenty of Fetchies around (both running and supporting) though only actually 33 starters in total. I had kept getting out of breath just sitting down at work on Friday, so with a heavy cold still very present on Saturday, I was not expecting much of myself in terms of getting a fast time or even completing the distance. The South Downs Way is a 102 mile trail between Eastbourne and Winchester and we began the race at 10am with a mile along the seafront, before getting onto the trail. A mile in pouring rain and a brisk headwind.

But at least the first few miles took my mind off feeling dodgy. There was the not insignificant matter of the steep climbs over Beachy Head and the Seven Sisters, whilst concentrating on not falling off the slippy coastal path or getting blown over by the battering headwind. I really can't exaggerate the amount of wind - there were walkers out on the cliff tops enjoying doing that thing where you can lean into the wind at a seemingly impossible angle. I suspect there would have been great views if the rain and fog would allow them to be seen. I managed to get hit in the face by my map case a few times before I found an appropriate way to carry the map (appropriate in that it didn't hit me and was handy for navigating, but not so good in that it has resulted in my right shoulder not allowing my arm to move properly now - I was having to gimpily support it with the other arm while writing on the top third of the whiteboard at college today). I ran with Tony for a bit along this section, chatting away as I usually do, then was on my own for a long time (a field of only 33 gets pretty spread out) until well past half way.

After heading inland, the wind continued but the rain eased off and I just enjoyed the fact that I seemed to be able to run without my lungs complaining too much. It was 19 miles to the first checkpoint and I hadn't seen this part of the route before: always nice to explore somewhere new. It's a good trail and mostly well signposted. The checkpoint set the tone for all that were to come - full of smiling, helpful volunteers, mostly Fetchies, keen to tend to our every need. I never demand much - I refill the Camelbak bladder (adding a couple of Nuun electrolyte tablets) and grab a banana or something - but it's good to see that there is loads of food on offer along with the friendly support.

It was 15 miles to the next CP, along a section of trail that I had run in both the Downlands ultra and the Brighton trail marathon. It was reassuring to know the route and not have to rely on the map so much. This part goes over Ditchling Beacon (familiar to fans of the London to Brighton Bike ride) and past a pair of cute windmills, called Jack and Jill. While walking up one of the many steep hills I took the opportunity to call Jim and let him know that I was enjoying a pleasant day out and confident that I'd finish, albeit most likely at sometime in the late afternoon of the following day.
The following 15 miles to CP3 were on unfamiliar territory. I had to keep a close eye on the navigation (whilst the signposting is quite good along the trail, not every turn is marked so you have to know exactly where you are on the map to avoid easy lostness). There was one small section I remembered, having walked along it in howling wind and rain while looking for lost Duke of Edinburgh students back in July. This time it was dry, with golden near-dusk lighting and the wind was not too strong. Soon after that stretch I turned for a welcome downhill to the CP, where Noel had made some vegan jam sandwiches just for me. Fantastic!

It was after 8pm and starting to get dark, so headtorch out for the next section. A nice short one at only 7 miles. And it never seems as odd as I think it will, being out in the middle of nowhere, alone in the dark, trotting along trying not to fall over badly or get lost. There were quite a few times where I had to stop and make sure I was on the right route: I was as it turned out - not a single detour off route for the whole 103 miles - but it was definitely worth checking. Being lost isn't much fun at the best of times. There were plenty of good wildlife noises (I recognised the hooting of owls, but there was a lot of other strange squawking and squealing that I couldn't put a name to). The eyes of the sheep and cows glowed yellow. I suppose it was almost spooky. But I don't really do spooky. At this stage there was a clear sky and no streetlights to be seen - so the stars were amazing. And a really clear Milky Way on display along with a shiny bright Jupiter. Brilliant. CP4 was in the garden of a pub in Amberley. It was great to see Jen here, along with the other helpers. I felt proud of how good a race director she is and she was pleased that I was currently in the lead of the women's race (I assumed the whole way that I would be overtaken soon, as there was a very good standard of runners taking part). There was the choice of clambering over a wall, or walking right round to reach the drop bags, food and drinks. I clambered. Some people stopped here for a long time, taking in a hot meal and having a sit down. I thought stopping would not be wise as it would make starting again harder, so I just had a quick coffee, restocked my food supplies (salted nuts, bombay mix, muesli bars, caffeinated gels) and headed on my way.

The trail briefly followed a river (very close to one of the D of E campsites, though it looked completely different in the dark), then went up a long hill. Near the top, I got to a fork that could have been the one I needed to turn left at, though I thought I shouldn't quite be there yet. While pondering this, I saw a couple of lights approaching. They could only really be other competitors, so I waited a bit for them to catch up to see if they agreed about my routefinding. They knew this section and confirmed that it was the next fork we'd turn at. I stuck with Graham and Euan to CP5. It made a change to have someone to talk to (other than myself). We soon came to part of the South Downs Marathon route so I felt I knew the way again for a while. It does look very different without the sunshine though. The path here is chalky and was alternately slippery and sticky. At a slippery part I managed to slip and fall. It made my right hip flexor twinge and I landed with a thud on my left side. Not too painful, though I have some great bruising on my left hip and scratches on the calf. The right leg was more of a problem - I could still run fine, but it wouldn't lift properly, which would be fine if there were no stiles (more on that later...).

I parted company with the boys after CP5, but that meant that without the chatting, I began to feel very sleepy. It was a huge struggle to stay awake from about 3am to half past 4 or so when I arrived at CP6 in Queen Elizabeth park (where the South Downs marathon finishes). I experimented with different methods of avoiding drifting into slumber, none very successful. Singing along to the iPod wasn't good as I was too tired to make noises even approaching being tuneful. I tried waving my arms about a bit, but the shoulder was very sore and it didn't help much anyway. The sugar rush from some jelly beans was the best I could do. I was very much looking forward to sunrise, but that was a couple of hours away at least.

After CP6 the extreme difficulty of navigation kept me alert. I was going up a grassy hill with no marked track. There were signposts about halfway up and at the top, which would probably be quite useful on a clear day. But it was foggy. The light from my headtorch reflected off the fog. I tried all the settings on both torches, but about 2 metres visiblity was the best I could achieve. I tried switching the light off, thinking there may be a little residual light in the sky. Nope: no moonlight and just inky dark pitch blackness. So, torch back on, I was relying on my map and compass and going by feel as I knew it had to be uphill. I proceeded quite slowly and felt almost euphoric on seeing each of the signposts with their little acorn symbols, indicating I was still on the right route. Progress was slow, even on a good downhill section (where the track was rough and I was being careful not to fall), until dawn gradually brought the much needed light. It was very nice to finally arrive at CP7 with only 12 miles to go and a beautiful sunny day beginning.

What was not so nice was that the next section involved steep hills with over half a dozen stiles. One very angry right leg complained loudly at me. I tried to placate it with ibuprofen which reduced it to more of a whinge. This section was only 5 miles and the time zipped by. The 'running' was pretty slow, but still happening on the downhills at least and even on some of the flat bits. The final section was 7 miles. The home stretch. No steep hills, but some definite undulations. I had an eye on the time now. The 24 hour 100 was clearly never going to happen this time, but I was certainly looking at sub-25 and maybe even sub 24 and a half. So I kept pushing right through to Winchester.

Where I arrived with a time of 24:24:10. First lady and 8th place overall. Got to be happy with that. Jen presented me with the trophy and we were both delighted. A really enjoyable event and hats off to all who made it so. Huge thanks to Jen and all the Fetchies and other volunteers who made it special. The inaugural South Downs Way Race rocked - one of the best ultras in the UK.

Morris dancing by the sea

2010-09-13T19:09:00.004+01:00

I forgot to write about last weekend's marathon (Sunday 5th September). It was the week after the Ridgeway 85, so I was planning a gentle trot along the coast (which I ran with Heather so wasn't nearly as slow as I'd anticipated, at 4:15).

The Kent Coastal Marathon is a really friendly, well organised event (thanks Thanet Roadrunners!) by the sea from Margate, with loads of 100 club folk in attendance this year as it was Les's 100th. He, along with Jim and Merv, turned up in full Morris dancing costumes. They jingled their way around the course, pausing a couple of times en route to perform a dance to some bemused onlookers. By the time they crossed the finish line (in well under 6 hours), Merv had picked up a euphonium from somewhereand Les had a pint of beer in hand. Then it was champagne all round by way of celebration.

Roger (pictured here with Les) didn't realise till later in the week that it was actually his 600th marathon. Makes my 130 seem a bit inadequate...

New PB (85 miles) - the Ridgeway rocks!

2010-08-30T17:42:00.003+01:00

Last year, the Ridgeway 85 was the longest race I'd ever done and was rightly a bit nervous. A year more experience makes a big difference and this time I was just really looking forward to it. My main thoughts were "oh yeah, this one has a fantastic atmosphere, Grim's Ditch which is a great bit of trail, plus it's pretty well signposted so no real navigation required. I like this event - I wonder if I can knock over an hour off last year's time to go sub 20."

I wasn't feeling 100% on Saturday, but not ill enough to consider dropping out. It was another beautiful sunny day and we were treated to the sight of three large deer running across the hill near the noon start at Ivinghoe Beacon, just North of Tring. There were about 120 starters this year: a much bigger field than before. We set off and I enjoyed the trail, remembering lots of forgotten bits as we went. I'd forgotten how hilly the route is - but they do mention that there's over 9 000 feet of ascent on the entry form. I knew lots of people there and ran with a friend (Helen) who hadn't done anything longer than London to Brighton before. It felt nice to be kind of pacing someone in such a long ultra.

I really enjoyed it, especially since I'd learnt about wearing more cushioned shoes to avoid the battered and blistered feet that could result from running on the Ridgeway's rocky and rootsy surfaces. We arrived at Goring for a hot meal in daylight, then set off as it began to get dark for the second half. I ran a lot more of the night section than last year and was pleased to find fellow Vegan Runner Maria at the 61.5 mile checkpoint. This meant I was supplied with coffee with soya milk and some tasty vegan sandwiches (hummus and golden syrup - not both at the same time as I thought when she first told me what she'd brought!).Then onwards into the dark until past Barbury Castle, where it finally got light during the final few miles of the run (it was a shame that the sunrise was behind us). We arrived at the finish just before 7am, making my time 18:49 - over two hours faster than my previous best. The race is the UK Trail Running Championships and though I only got 5th place lady (or 16th overall), Helen won the 'Vet 40 lady' category so I was really pleased. Breakfast in Avebury was most welcome, before we were taken to Swindon to catch a train home.

This a superbly well organised event and one that will continue to grow. I'll certainly be back again to enjoy this national trail.

Robin Hood didn't get a trophy did he?

2010-08-22T15:43:00.002+01:00

For some reason I wasn't expecting much from the Nottingham ULTRArace 50K. I don't know why that was. Still, it turned out to be a brilliant day out.

I got the train up yesterday afternoon and stayed in a good hotel (mercifully cheap as booked online) though didn't get much sleep due to it being fairly central and the loud drunk types also being fairly central.

But it dawned sunny and we took a coach North to the start. The course was nearly all trail and very pretty. It was well marked and we had route maps too. So how did I manage to get lost and run over a mile extra before the first checkpoint? Let's just put it down to muppetry. Actually, I was really enjoying it, feeling fitter than I have for a while, got carried away & was going too fast to notice one of the arrows...

But in a way that was good as I kept up the pace and passed lots of people. I'm not usually a 'racer' but I felt annoyed at myself for dropping back so many places and that kept me moving - to eventually finish in 3rd place (female) where I got a shiny glass trophy. Yay!(There was also a finishers' medal and towel for everyone.)

A super day out, really well organised by the lovely Rory and Jen at ULTRArace and a great atmosphere. I'll be back next year.

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What day is it again?

2010-08-18T11:31:00.002+01:00

I love it when, during the long summer holidays, I get to the point where I have no real idea of what day it is and that doesn't matter at all, as there are plenty more days off till it'll be time to go back to work. A very relaxing feeling.

I got that very much with having 7 days that went - 50K in Salisbury on Sunday, Monday-Friday in Paris, then a 54 miler on the Saturday. Then yesterday (a Tuesday, no less) I did another marathon. Actually, I've just checked and it was my third Tuesday marathon, so they're not quite as rare as I'd suspected.

It was the Evening Enigma Marathon, starting at 4pm, with a couple of laps around the lake in Bletchley Park and a jaunt along the Grand Union Canal. And very enjoyable it was too. I ran with Heather and we were joined by Rory for a lot of the second half. So plenty of good conversation (and admittedly we picked Rory's brains for some training tips from a top coach) and it zipped by (much quicker than expected at 4:16:29). Happy days.

Paris and, er, Hertfordshire

2010-08-15T20:41:00.007+01:00

Another fantastic week spent in Paris. Actually only five days, but it seemed like longer as we packed a lot in.

Partly because we made good use of the Velib' (free bike) system - only €5 for a week's riding, as long as you redock your bike at one of the many stations each half hour. Many docking stations all over the place, unless you're actually looking for them that is. Then they all cunningly skulk into hiding.

We rode out to the Bois de Vincennes (which I had only previously visited during the marathon) along the Canal St Martin and also up the Champs Elysees - those Tour de France boys would find it much harder up the cobbles on hire bikes.

We went to some museums, including seeing some Monet (his lilies are much larger than I'd realised) and Rodin's Thinker and The Kiss. The Paris Plages was also on (where they close the road by the Seine and ship in some sand to make a pseudo beach by the river).

The cemetary at Montmartre was really cool, though not quite as striking as the one at Pere Lachaise. It did have a very cute chat de la cimetiere though.And of course I had some lovely runs along the Seine, round the park at the base of the Eiffel Tower and through the Tuileries. And we went on the cheesy big wheel and a big swing chair fariground ride thing near the Louvre. So, five days of being easily pleased zipped by with us both permanently grinning like idiots.

Then yesterday I did the Herts Stroller, which was an LDWA 54 miler in Hertfordshire. It was weird because it didn't feel like an ultra: it was just like any other LDWA event, only longer. All the usual elements of (8 pages of) instructions, well-stocked checkpoints, hills, mud, rain, sun, woods, fields, footbridges, stiles, kissing gates, lostness, views, great company. Heather and I sauntered round in a little under 12 hours. The only thing that made it different from other LDWA events was the last hour or so being in the dark with headtorches. A top day out.

Summer holdiays always good and still plenty more left...

2010-08-08T19:46:00.003+01:00

We had a lovely week camping in the New Forest. Unfortunately I didn't feel too well most of the week and was struggling when I ran - but at least my runs involved spotting deer, ponies, donkeys, rabbits and cows, so I was happy enough.

Oh, before that we had a go on the new Boris Bikes in town: which I really liked, as I'd forgotten the simple pleasure of riding a bike. And we saw City of Lost Children at the NFT with a Q & A session with director Marc Caro afterwards. Not nearly as pretentious as we feared it may be, but a great evening out.

We then took a train to Salisbury yesterday and stayed in a stupidly hot (even with the fan on all night) hotel. Salisbury always seems like it should be nicer than it actually is. The Cathedral is alright and there are some good bits of old buildings dotted around, but somehow it's never quite as enjoyable as I think it should be. However, at least the pizza was great.

The 5-4-3-2-1 trail marathon has always been a pretty one though. Slightly misnamed as a lot of it is on road, but there are some good bits: my favourite being where you follow some string tied among the trees through the woods. It feels like being in a fairy tale. This year they added a 50K run to the other distances available (10, 20, 30, 40 and 42K) so I opted for the long one. I was still feeling a bit knackered, but luckily Heather was there to keep me moving cheerily at a reasonable pace, though we still did a fair amount of walking up the hills. A slow one at about 5:17, but another good day out in the countryside.

Lapping it up

2010-08-01T12:15:00.002+01:00

The Faversham marathon yesterday was surprisingly enjoyable (it involved 40 laps around a park, so not the most exciting of courses). There were loads of 100 marathon club folk in attendance so it was extremely sociable, both before, during (as we all lapped each other many times) and after. They have a policiy of "everyone's a winner" so we all got a ridiculously big trophy at the finish (my actual position was 5th lady I think). The goody bag also contained a lotto ticket, beer and an energy drink.After Lakeland last week, then donating blood on Thursday (I think they say no strenuous exercise for 24 hours, so a marathon a day and a half later is fine, no?) I wasn't sure if I'd have any energy at all. So a sedate trot round in 4:16:49 was more than acceptable.

This morning's 10 miler was hard though - I really felt like I was running on empty. I had to have two breakfasts to feel right again.

Warp speed Wainwright - Lakeland 100

2010-07-26T11:39:00.007+01:00

UTLD, the Lakeland 100 mile race is a fantastic event. It began three years ago when Mark Laithwaite (one of the race directors) had a friend who did the UTMB (100 miles around Mont Blanc, starting in Chamonix - yes: it's on my to-do list) and thought it would be great to have something similar in the Lake District. It first ran in 2008 (before I was really aware of what ultra running is), then in 2009 I popped along to have a go at the Lakeland 50 (the second half of the 100 course). It was the toughest event I'd ever done and remained so until this weekend. I knew that even considering the full 100 would be really silly (especially as the first half of the course is harder than the second). So that's the one I entered this year. A lot of people are calling it the UK's toughest ultra and probably the toughest 100 miler in Europe. They might be right.

I was feeling pretty fit after lots of running this year. The distance doesn't scare me - 100 miles is a long way, but perfectly doable. My knees have been a bit dodgy so I wondered how they'd cope with lots of steep hills and rough terrain. The time limit (40 hours total, with cut offs at some of the checkpoints, such as 9.5 hours for the first 25.3 miles) looks quite slack, but there are no marshalls or signs on the course, so it's a case of using map and compass and reading the 'road book' carefully in an attempt not to get lost. My navigation is usually ok, but in the dark it's always tricksy, especially once the fatigue kicks in. Plus I knew that well over half the starters have dropped out in the previous years. I was more nervous than I have been for any event before. And also really excited about it.

I took a 9:30 train up to Windermere on Friday (or tried to - it was delayed and I ended up being collected from Oxenholme) and got a lift from Lindley (a great Fetchie I have run with before, similar pace to me - he finished both London to Brighton trail and the Boddington 100K within about half an hour of my times) to Coniston for registration. We got there early afternoon and had to be weighed, have our compulsory kit checked (waterproofs, spare base layers, foil blanket, first aid kit, emergency food, compass, whistle, head torch, spare batteries), get a dibber (timing device) attached to a wrist strap and collect our race numbers to be pinned to our packs. This didn't take too long and there was plenty of time to kill before the 4pm race briefing. So I had a relaxing massage. And more food. The race briefing was entertainingly presented by Mark and Terry. They gave us info of a course change (due to a river being uncrossably high at one point) and some final tips and advice. Joss Naylor also gave a short speech and wished us well. There were over 100 competitors and the atmosphere was positive, but with an apprehensive vibe too. We then had to wait till 5:30pm for the start. It seemed a little cruel starting so late, as those of us at the slow end of the pack would have to run through the night, all of Saturday, then overnight again into Sunday morning.Picture shows Lindley, Katie, Darren & me before the start (four Fetchies). That shirt is actually red, not the pink it appears to be!

It was quite a relief to finally get going. As with most sections of the course, we started by heading up a big hill of variable steepness, on rocky, slate-strewn tracks, with scree sections and through streams and several gates. The descent into Seathwaite was down a very stony, shingly track that, even with fresh legs, was hard to get down. It was only 6.4 miles to the first checkpoint, but with over 2100 feet of ascent it gave us a fair idea of what we were in for. The views from the tops in the evening sunshine were beautiful. That section took me an hour and a half. I chatted with several runners along the way, including Carlos (who I'd run most of Caesar's Camp 100 with) and his brother. I also first met Alec just before the checkpoint. He hadn't run more than 100K before and was a bit concerned at how jellylike his legs were after only the first big downhill. We dibbed in at the checkpoint and the times were instantly relayed to the website, where people could track our progress online. The checkpoint at Seathwaite was manned by very supportive volunteers, providing us with cheery words, food and drink and brief shelter. These great people really added to the atmosphere of the event and we looked forward to each checkpoint very much. Not that we stayed very long - it's all about making progress.

So onto the next section to Boot. This was the first place we encountered very boggy ground (though only ankle deep if we were careful). And lots of roots. And stiles. Alec was going at about my pace and we got chatting some more. He had a very good GPS that showed both the route and where we had gone very clearly. That added extra confidence, as while the road book and map were clear, it would still be easy to get lost. We did manage to miss one turn and ended up at stepping stones instead of a bridge. This was another high river and the stones were not actually sticking out of the water, but clearly visible just below the surface. I took the lead and went across anyway, enjoying the cool flowing water on my already battered feeling feet. At the next checkpoint the volunteers excitedly told me I was second lady. I didn't feel like racing though. It's like Mark said - UTLD is more than just a 'race', it's an 'event'. I didn't want to be worried about how far in front and behind me the other competitors were. I just wanted to enjoy a day or so out in the Lake District. Completing the event was challenge enough - racing it wasn't something I was interested in. I think Britta passed me after checkpoint 3 or 4 and I was more than happy to see her go strongly ahead (she went on to win). Alec and I seemed to be sticking together and he later said he liked that he could tell I was going to finish, matter-of-fact. I figured I could definitely make sure he completed his first 100 miler and he would be good company, particularly important through the night (and I admit his GPS was greatly reassuring too!). I think I was a bit fitter, so there was no pressure to keep up - I felt veryy comfortable with the steady pace. My walking was faster but we ran at the same pace so it worked well. He needed maybe a few more walk breaks than I would have had otherwise, but then maybe if I'd run more I would have been more fatigued later.

The fourth section from Wasdale Head to Buttermere was the first of the real biggies, with nearly 2500 feet of climbing. It was also where it got dark. The ascent went steeply on and on and felt really hard, until we started the technical descent which was even harder. The 'path' was slippy as the shingle slid around beneath our feet and rocky too. Even with a good headtorch it was easy to misplace my sore feet. My legs were tired but feeling strong and my knees were holding up very well. I wasn't sleepy and really enjoyed the night section. It was only dark for about 6 hours. I like the way sheep eyes seem to glow yellow in torchlight. Buttermere was the first place with a cutoff time, which we were well inside by more than two hours. That was quite a boost. The following section had just as much uphill, including a relentless 1km steep scree slope that came at the end of one of the climbs. My hamstrings and calves were burning, finally to be relieved when the quads took the strain on the next steep downhill. We were very glad to have those two sections out the way and enjoyed some hot pasta at Brathwaite. The weather had been very kind to us too: it was a clear, dry night with a nearly full moon and not cold at all.

The next section took us past Keswick, where I'd had many happy childhood holidays and more recently have been to stay in my parents' flat there. It was nice to know the route for a while, as the track took us up round the back of Latrigg, a path I'd walked a couple of times in the last year or so. It made me realise that doing a route recce would be wise - not just for knowing where to go, but because actually knowing what the course is like adds a lot of reassurance. There was only about 1500 feet ascent and it got light at about quarter past 4, making this a very pleasant section. We'd hooked up with another couple of runners, Dick and Gary, overnight and were all in good spirits as it dawned and we approached the Blencathra checkpoint. It was strange that we got to know Dick and Gary quite well after running together for hours in the dark, but I had no idea what they looked like until we were all indoors at one of the checkpoints. They didn't look like they sounded.

The four of us stuck together to Dockray. Alec was finding it tough but kept moving on (not that there was another option). I was happy enough walking for a while and enjoying chatting and admiring the views. Dockray was almost halfway and we all felt a bit more awake after the check there. A good thing as the following section to Dalemain, up past Aira Force then higher up to get stunning views across Ullswater, went on forever it seemed. Dalemain is where the 50 mile runners start (though they do a little loop there - we've actually done about 60 miles by that point) and there were plenty of people around cheering us on, including Alec's dad and brother. We were also allowed to have a kit bag there, so I changed into clean socks and shoes and restocked some food in my pack. It was very good to be well past halfway and on the home stretch. I knew there were some very tough bits still to come, but having done them before made them less daunting. Only the leading three 50 milers overtook us on the section to Howtown.
Flip (ultra-running but currently injured Fetchie) took this at about 65 miles, shortly before Howtown. That's Alec just behind me.

They were all really encouraging, taking the time to say hello despite their speed and focus on their race. At the checkpoint at Howtown, more friendly helpers commented on how fresh we looked and said we were far more coherent than some of the others who'd been through. We had food and coffee in preparation for the huge hill that was looming before us. It began raining as we left Howtown, so I got the chance to try out my new OMM Kamleika waterproof smock, which turns out to be a fantastic bit of kit.

The climb went on for a very long time, up to High Kop (at 665m it's the highest point on the route). We were passed by many 50 milers, all of whom respectfully wished us well. They were struggling with the climb themselves, but appreciated how much harder it would be with nearly 70 miles in the legs already. The way down is through bracken with no clear path. It was quite a sight seeing the top halves of people all over the hillside, making their way through a sea of green down to the lake. The last bit is a scramble down slippery rocks, before the path by Haweswater begins. It's described as a 'good undulating path' in the road book. Well, I suppose it's good in that it's clear, unlike some of the very indistinct paths elsewhere. But it's not good in that it's very narrow, slippery, has a steep drop off to one side and has many rocks to be clambered over. And it goes on for 4 miles. To the next checkpoint which is a van in a carpark. By this time it was getting very windy, the sky was very grey and the persistent rain was getting heavier. A nice dry and warm village hall or even a barn like some of the other checks would have been most welcome.

So, onward and upwards. It was pissing down, howling wind and we were heading up into a black cloud. Alec remarked that he was glad we were getting to experience some proper Lake District weather. We were actually both quite happy to be out on the hills - it's all about having the right clothes I guess. Another steep climb up to Gatesgarth Pass and over to a really horrible track down. Very steep in parts, but also covered in rocks and slippery slate that made it very hard to get down. It would have been a struggle in walking boots. I think I only slipped once - but my thighs really didn't enjoy getting up again. It did make me more aware that my legs were actually generally feeling quite ok though, which was pleasing at this stage in the race. Another long climb followed, but we knew that the next check was indeed an indoor one, with lots of food. It was lovely to arrive at Kentmere, which was full of people from both the 50 and the 100. Some were having a full massage, others eating and drinking. I had two bowls of pasta and coffee and biscuits. And it was warm and dry and just had a brilliant atmosphere. Alec had his feet seen to so we were there for quite a while. I put on my waterproof pants (Inov-8 - more good kit).

Another large hill out of the checkpoint, followed by a nasty bumpy track down - there's a pattern here, isn't there? - then up again with a view over Windermere. I remember seeing it last year and thinking about how I'd be running round it 10 times in May. It was good to be looking at it again and thinking how well those ten laps had gone and what a great experience the 10in10 was. A trot down through some very dark woods, again a really rough surface and very slippery as everything was wet, hard to see in the torchlight. We were getting tired and sleepy and Alec was starting to lapse into dreams a bit, so we were keen to get to the next check to wake us up. There was a stretch of tarmac road which allowed us a jog (ok, shuffle) that helped kick the fatigue to some extent. We were nearly at Ambleside, where the checkpoint is in the Lakesrunner shop and was another buzzing place to be. Alec's dad and brother were there too which was good.

Only three sections to go. We were worried about how sleepy we were getting, but the fact that Alec's GPS was running low on batteries and he didn't have spares (and I'd already used my spares in my headtorch) was a bit of a concern and that helped us stay focused. As I said, my navigation is pretty good, but when you're knackered and it's dark, everything gets a bit harder, so knowing we were on the right route meant a lot to us. I realised that the batteries in my Garmin were quite fresh, so we used those and they had enough juice to last us past the last checkpoint. It was good to see those little dots on the GPS confirming our way, especially when we got to a hilltop and everything was just white in the clouds. We couldn't see anything. The headtorch light just reflects off the moist air and it's all quite surreal. Having said that, none of the people I was with at any point were hallucinating, which often happens on ultras. At the end we heard of one guy who hallucinated a letter T. He was having a conversation with it. Apparently it was a capital T in Times New Roman font. Other people saw trains and monsters and frogs and all manner of things. There's a really boggy section before the last checkpoint, where we all went at least knee deep several times. (There was me and Alec and a runner from Durham at this stage.) There was no clear path and there were lots of sharp rocks, mostly hidden beneath thigh-deep bracken. And it was still very blackly dark. But after that bit we finally found the road we were looking for and then got onto a clear track to the last checkpoint.

It felt very good to be at Tilberthwaite. The final checkpoint (just another van in a carpark, but we didn't plan to stop long anyway). And it was just getting light too. I knew what was in store for the last 3.5 miles. Namely, another big hill of course. This one starts with steep stone steps, then steep rocky bits that you have to climb up using hands as well as feet. Then just more uphill until finally getting to the 'notch in the sky' at the top. Then comes possibly the worst descent of the whole course. It's stupidly steep and rocky and with loose shingle and stones the whole way down. Plus it was all wet and slippery. But we got to the last track down (where a mixed pair overtook us - I could have run past them to be the third woman to finish, but it seemed like it would be better to finish with Alec after we'd shared such a long time together) which finally became tarmac and then we were in Coniston. We saw that it was nearly 6:30am, so put a bit of a sprint on (tee hee - I can only imagine what our 'sprint' must have looked like to anyone watching) to make it in under 37 hours. Which we did - 36:57:15. (We dibbed in and instantly got a 'receipt' showing all our splits.)
There were plenty of folk around at the finish and we were cheered in like heroes. I loved being around at the finish then, cheering on the next people to arrive. We noticed that while the road book said the route was 103.9 miles, it seemed to have been under-measured. That plus a couple of detours we made, meant we ended up clocking 110 miles.

There was veggie chili for us at the finish. I sat there eating and it felt very much like afternoon or evening, certainly not 6:30am. I got several congratulatory texts from friends who'd been tracking me online. There had been a lot of chat on the Lakeland thread on Fetch, as there were quite a few Fetchies between the 50 and the 100. Darren and Katie and Lindley were around, having pulled out on Saturday. (Katie's knee was injured and Lindley was just not quite fast enough to be sure of meeting the cut-offs.) Some of the 50 milers had finished shortly before and it was great chatting about how it had been for everyone. After food it was fantastic to get a shower. And then a massage. I was tired but not really sleepy, so I just hung around socialising and enjoying the atmosphere until the presentation at 1pm.

As it turned out, I was awarded the prize for 3rd female in the solo category. I got a great shiny trophy, a Petzl bag and headtorch, running socks, visor and a voucher for £75 of Montane gear. Not bad for someone who wasn't racing I guess. UTLD really is a brilliant event. Yesterday I was sure I didn't need or want to do it again. But already, I'm thinking maybe...
Britta gave me a lift back to Windermere and I got the chance to chat to her about UTMB and the use of poles. She had finished in 32 hours, winning with style. I got some food at Booths at the station, but didn't eat much as the train journey quickly lulled me asleep.

I was home by 7pm. It was great to see Jim, who is now also on summer holiday. Sweet. I iced my feet (only two blisters and a generally battered feeling, but not really painful) and watched the Tour de France highlights. I fell asleep sometime after 9 and was awake and feeling good at 6ish this morning. My ankles are puffy, feet a little sore, but my legs feel good. I did a gentle 2.5 miles recovery run which felt great. Might go for another in a bit. Especially as it looks like it might rain on me...

Pleasant Valley Sunday

2010-07-18T19:16:00.002+01:00

Another Beautiful day out in the countryside. The Fairlands Valley Challenge is one of those marathons I'd heard of years ago, but never got around to doing before now. There was a huge 100 club presence today - some of them ran the course starting at midnight so that they could help out at the checkpoints for the main event today. [Hopefully I'll do that next year - this year I decided it was more important to get a good night's sleep with Lakeland looming ever closer.]

It was great to see even more familiar faces than usual, with a pretty high Fetchie turnout too. There were also 12 and 18 mile runs as well as the option to start on the half hour from 9am to 10:30. A great value race, with food and drinks available at 6 checkpoints (all manned by friendly and supportive volunteers), a medal and certificate for finishing, then a free barbeque at the end too.

Actually I kind of lied about not having done this one - we ran the course in the winter when other events were canceled and Roger Biggs organised this at very short notice in the snow. When I say we, I ran with Heather again - always great. We spent yet another day gently jogging round chatting and grinning. We must have been pretty quick, as we had to stop to read the route instructions (no marshalls or arrows to point the way) and stop to refill water and get our cards stamped at each checkpoint, yet we still finished in 4:17. That'll do nicely.At one point I thought I had a stone in my shoe, but realised it was too painful for a stone and indeed it turned out that a sharp thorn had gone right through the sole of my shoe into the sole of my foot. Ouch. Then as we stood around at the finish, I thought I felt my phone buzz in my pocket. I was slightly puzzled as it wasn't set to vibrate mode. Putting my hand in my pocket to be stung by a bee explained that one. Even more scratches were added to my shins from brambles (I had a pretty impressive collection already, from walking and running on the South Downs on the D of E trip last week) and much nettle stingage meant I finished feeling a little battered, but very happy.

And so begins my taper. Friday at 5:30pm I'll be in Coniston for the start of the Lakeland 100. I am looking forward to it very much and also very aware that it will be immensely challenging. The Lakeland 50 last year remains the toughest event I have ever done so far...

Nudity, new phone & of course a marathon

2010-07-11T20:05:00.002+01:00

Don't worry - the nudity wasn't me. It was just some random fella I encountered while out for my pre-breakfast run on Thursday. It's not every day you find a chap running in the nip through the heath. I had a brief chat with him & discovered he just liked to run about with no clothes on every now & then. Fairy nuff.

I was planning to write this from my shiny new iPhone on the train on the way home from today's marathon, but I hadn't realised I needed an app for it first. Next time then.

So it was a very warm and pretty trail route through the Kent & East Sussex countryside in some top 100 club company. LDWA instructions including 'cross broken/listing footbridge' and 'cross dodgy stile' which I thought were nicely honest descriptions.And tomorrow I head off on another D of E jolly on the South Downs to round off the college term. My job is sweet.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Topping up my Tanners

2010-07-04T20:23:00.006+01:00

Ah, summer time rocks - even before end of term. Jim usually calls my job teaching Maths at a sixth form college 'money for jam', so when I get to spend four weekdays camping and wandering through the beautiful Surrey countryside over the North Downs in the name of a Duke of Edinburgh trip, he's lost for words and more than a little envious.

I then returned to the area today for the last ever Tanners Hatch marathon (slightly misnamed as it's actually a 30 miler). I did this last year and it involved going over Box Hill twice, but the course changes each time and this year it only went over Leith Hill and some other smaller hills. Fantastic views, but not so challenging a route. Shiny. I moseyed round with Heather - top company as always. Under six hours in some pretty warm sunshine and yet again we spent the day grinning.There were loads of familiar faces there and it was great to see everyone. I had a good chat with James, who continues to tempt me with tales of the Spartathlon. He's off to do Badwater next weekend - some folk are nutters!

And of course the Tour de France started yesterday, so that's a minimum of one hour's entertainment (the highlights show) every day for the next three weeks. July was a great invention.

Herts Hobble in the Hot

2010-06-27T17:32:00.004+01:00

Ah, it's been ages since I did an LDWA marathon. I think there must be a rule book somewhere that states that each run must include at least 5 each of enclosed footpaths, stiles, footbridges, kissing gates, fields, woods, hills, ... though the majority of these are given their two-letter abbreviations in the four pages of instructions of course.

It was ridiculously hot which made it tough going across the open fields, but there were some great shady woods that were lovely to run through too. I ran in the top company of Rob, who I've met at lots of races before, though we'd never run together previously. Well, I say run. There was a fair bit of walking in the hottest sunshine of the year so far.
I managed to fall over about 3 miles from the end. I wasn't hurt: just scratched and grazed. But I did get what I though was a splinter and turned out to be about two inches of twig inserted into my shin. It was very odd pulling it out and rather sore for the next mile or so.

We got very lost in a field a couple of miles from the finish, covering over 27 miles in the end. It took us over 5 hours, but we'd both done longer stuff last weekend so were more than happy to take it easy.

Another pleasant day out in the countryside.

My first 100K

2010-06-20T08:55:00.004+01:00

The Boddington 100K takes place on a 2.2 mile lap course on flat country roads in Gloucestershire. I entered it as it's a new distance for me, so it seemed churlish not to. I was very wary of the 11.5 hour time limit, especially as the race was just 3 weeks after GUCR (and 5 weeks after 10in10) and I had no idea if I'd be recovered enough from those to be quick enough.

When I arrived (with a lift from Riel and Helen - both pretty amazing runners) there were plenty of people I knew there. The Boddington Marathon and 50K were taking place simultaneously (Helen won the women's 50K in a might impressive 3:35). Lots of 100 club folk and Fetchies in attendance so it was great to catch up with people I hadn't seen for a while.

The organiser took me to one side when I was collecting my number. She asked if I'd done the distance before and what sort of time I could manage. I could have said that while I hadn't done 100K, I'd done 3 longer races, another 5 races of 50 miles or more and over 20 shorter ultras. But as I wasn't feeling too confident about getting round in time (mainly because my knees spent all of Friday feeling just plain wrong), I think I just mumbled something about having done a few long runs. My running friends, who overheard and had far more faith in my ability, found it hilarious - "doesn't she know who you are?!". It's a good thing they were there as it was otherwise a rather disconcerting way to start the day.

I needn't have worried. I wore compression bandages on my knees - possibly their main purpose was to act as security blankets - and my legs held up very well throughout. I ran a relaxed first marathon in 3:53, went through the double in 8:13 and finished in 9:56. I am very pleased with that. I actually ran the first 70K (stopping only to fill my water bottle and grab gels or food from the checkpoint) and even after that only had a short walk every couple of miles or so. I think I'd had more than enough walking at the canal, so was far more comfortable just to keep running.

I like laps. A good thing as there were 28 of them. As the marathon and 50K were on the same course, all starting at the same time, it meant that there were plenty of people around. I don't mind being lapped by faster runners - I enjoy watching people who are good at their sport. And for a change I actually lapped quite a few people myself too. I ran with Lindley, who'd I'd met at a couple of previous races, for a few miles at the start, but spent the majority of the race just pootling along on my own. It was pretty warm, but with a pleasant cooling breeze. The race memento was one of those laser etched paperweight thingies. The 100K race was a Celtic Plate team competition: England v Ireland v Scotland v Wales, with 3 from each country to count. It was won be the English men and the Scottish women. As it turned out, I was the only English girl there who finished. Seemed like a missed opportunity - if there had been a couple more, I could have said I competed on the England team. Better than the football.

A lovely day out all in all.

GUCR - active recovery begins

2010-06-13T16:02:00.003+01:00

After the GUCR, there followed 9 days with no running. It felt a lot longer. For the first two, I didn't even get downstairs, let alone outside. But by the Thursday I managed to get shoes on to go for a couple of very short slow walks, then by Saturday was ok for a most enjoyable day trip to sunny Brighton. On Wednesday I finally went for a run - 2 and a half miles, wearing a huge idiot grin throughout. I did a bit more on the next couple of days to make sure my knees weren't complaining and decided I was ok to do the South Downs Way Trail marathon yesterday.

It felt like I'd been out of the running scene for ages and it was great to be back out there. I realise how ridiculous that sounds. (After all, I had only missed one race.) There were loads of Fetchies and 100 club folk there and it was a beautiful sunny day, but not stupidly hot. I was running with Heather, who's still recovering from serious illness a few weeks ago. We planned to take it very slowly (vaguely hoping for a sub-6), with her special needs lungs making the uphills a struggle and my special needs feet and knees making the downhills tricksy: perhaps not the best pairing for a hilly off road course then. But Heather is fantastic running company and we were both just happy to be there and spent the majority of the day chatting and laughing, walking the steepest uphills, but actually running the majority of the route.
My knees coped with the downhills pleasingly well and only one foot had hurty blister shenanigans going on (when I finally took the sock off it later, it was a case of "what the ...? oh I see, eeugh, that explains it...). Heather stayed strong and despite declaring herself too tired for any more uphills at mile 19, we nevertheless did run several more of the inclines. And finished in 4:44 feeling very happy. It's good to be back.

GUCR

2010-05-31T12:37:00.008+01:00

Phew, that was a very long way on foot. 145 miles. Longest race yet.

Having trained pretty thoroughly and feeling like I had the fitness, strength, stamina and mental whatnot to have a really good crack at GUCR this year, it was more than a little annoying that my right knee started to hurt last week. Injury is not something I'm familiar with. I iced and ibuprofened and thought it might have been ok.

There was quite a buzz at the start in Gas Street. A lot like the start of other events, but with an air of excitement mixed with fear among the 91 runners. There were plenty of familiar faces and I was feeling very positive, really looking forward to getting going. The first 20 miles zipped by and I felt fantastic and was making very good progress, sticking to a 25/5 run/walk strategy.

Then came the first canal tunnel, where the towpath is diverted up and over a hill. Up was fine, but on the way back down my knee started to complain. It got progressively worse over the next 15 miles or so, until it finally screamed at me in no uncertain terms that it was not going to do any more running. But it felt ok walking (on the flat at least - inclines and steps were not fun). So, I figured I could have pulled out at the 36 mile checkpoint. But I have never DNFed before and I had raised over £20k in sponsorship and besides, I really quite liked the idea of getting from Birmingham to London without taking a train or any of the other usual transport options. The alternative to quitting was to walk the remaining 110 miles. As a runner (or at least a very keen jogger) the idea of walking that far was not really appealing, but I figured it would be a shame to waste the opportunity of taking part in this event and it would at least provide some good mental training. Very frustrating but there was nothing I could do, so I just appreciated that I'm fit and healthy enough to be up for a long intercity mosey and got on with it.

So began a very long walk. The route was pretty if dull (the canal gets a bit samey after a while, though there are some interesting barges and a fair amount of wildlife - mostly herons and various other birds with their cute offspring). I found that while Asics GT2150s are great running shoes, they're not so good for long distance walking. The blisters started to make themselves known somewhere between 50 and 60 miles. I initially kept up a reasonable pace (a little over 4mph) and was not overtaken by many people for ages, until the blisters began to slow me down. Like my knee, I found that the blisters were actually quite bearably painful on the flat, but much worse on uneven surfaces or going up and down inclines (like at the locks), where my feet shifted in my trainers to make them hurt in an unpredictable way. I changed shoes and socks at the 70 mile station, where I saw that the blisters were looking rather angry already. At that point they were on both heels and the balls of of both feet, but not yet on my toes.

I found the night walking fine, with the sky light enough that I didn't bother to use my headtorch much. The 85 mile check was in the middle of the night for me. I didn't stop long at any of the feed stations - just enough to fill my Camelbak and stock up on more food. It was darkest from about half past 2 for a couple of hours, when I began to feel very sleepy and really wanted to have a kip. At 03:30 I passed some sort of noisy car race, which seemed a little surreal. As it got light (around Bletchley) I began to feel a bit more awake and the thought of the next checkpoint at Tring being the 100 mile marker was very encouraging.

Then came the longest section: 20 miles to the next checkpoint. I began to feel very fatigued and spacey at around 11am. I really wasn't sure I could keep going. There's only so much Red Bull and Pro Plus can do. Then the blister on my left heel popped. Or should I say exploded? For a few minutes the pain dramatically increased, but it had the welcome side effect of really waking me up. My spirits lifted and I was pleased to make the next checkpoint in plenty of time - I had been worried that I might have been slowing so much that I was in danger of not making the 45 hour cutoff for the race. As usual it was great to see friendly faces and get looked after, albeit for only a few minutes. With just 25 miles to go it felt like the start of the home stretch.

It was very hot and sunny, but fortunately there was tree cover for a lot of the route. It got more open as we came in towards London. This is a section of the canal I have run several times before in other ultras, but they were all in January or February - it looked almost unrecognisably different in the sunshine! At the final check with just over 12 miles to go, we were given a map and written description of a diversion. I found it really tough having to come off the towpath, especially as the route went through a hilly residential area. I was extremely glad to get back on the canal, especially when the next sign I saw stated that there was 7 3/4 miles to Paddington. Usually that would take just over an hour, but I knew it would be more like 3. The end was finally approaching.

I called Jim when I had 6 miles to go. He was already on his way to the finish and he walked along to meet me about 3 miles from the end. He valiantly tried to get a photo of me with my eyes open (not easy at the best of times) and it was great to have company after 40 hours predominantly spent alone. We chatted about how he'd watched Eurovision Song Contest and how Tommy (our cat) was enjoying the weekend. He'd been posting on Fetch throughout the two days, updating people on how I was getting on.

Finally the finish banner came into view. It was a huge relief for it to be over. Dick was there to present me with my medal (the hardest earned medal I own, without a doubt) and there were more friendly faces there too. I sat in a chair with a blanket and a cup of tea and waited for a taxi home.This morning I popped my blisters and have been icing the backs of both knees. (The left one is very sore - probably an overcompensating thing.) My legs don't really bend or straighten properly and I can only move in a very slow motion comedy walk style.My final time was 41 hours, 5 minutes and I came 29th out of 45 finishers. I think it was quite an achievement, even if not quite the good long run I had hoped for.
The race director, Dick Kearn, is a top bloke of the finest order and his team of helpers are truly fantastic. Huge thanks to all involved. This is one of those events that feels really special, with a brilliant atmosphere. I can hardly wait to do it again...

White Heat

2010-05-23T16:55:00.003+01:00

It's getting far too hot for running! I did the White Peak marathon yesterday, which follows the Tissington and High Peak trails in Derbyshire, to finish at Cromford, near Matlock. It started at 11am, which is late enough that it's easy to get there by public transport, but has the major disadvantage of causing us to run through the hottest part of the day. Which yesterday happened to be around 26 degrees. And there's very little in the way of trees or other cover to provide shelter from the rays.

I planned to take it easy as I'm not sure how much my legs have recovered from the 10 in 10. Also I'm officially tapering for GUCR. I decided that since I'm stronger and less fat than last time I ran a hot marathon, this time I wouldn't have to wilt into slow motion. I just about convinced myself, finishing in a sweaty but respectable 4:05:45. I've decided to call that a 26-degrees-PB.
As usual there was a high turnout of all the regulars, including a good dollop of both Fetchies and 100 club folk. Great to see them all. Plus I found out that I'd been voted 'member of the month' on Fetch. Shiny.

So I guess now I should just take it easy for the next few days, in preparation for setting off from Birmingham in the early hours of Saturday morning, with the aim of reaching Paddington some time on Sunday...

Pictures from day 9 and 10

2010-05-19T19:15:00.005+01:00

So Jim brought his camera up to the Lake District and captured a few moments from the last couple of days of the 10 in 10. First up is me finishing day 9:After which I had an ice bath in the horse box.But the time passes quicker if it's shared (Chris obliged on day 9).We were introduced to the other runners on Sunday, up on the lawn near the finish, before heading down to the start for the final time.The first 6 lead out...
And of course the first back was Adam, with a new 10 in 10 course record and a new men's World Record. This boy is amazing.David was impressive throughout with sub 3:30 every day.
Steve had a pose all prepared with the Body Rehab girls,
Ray brought in the Irish charm,and Foxy grabbed a beer as he finished.I came in 6th, in a women's World Record time,shortly followed by the lovely Chris with his fastest run of the ten.Naomi looked very happy to have finishedand Jim followed soon after with his big Scottish grin.Michelle and Phil hobbled in hand in handand Aly arrived with the Welsh flag to round off the ten.We were all presented with our lumps of slate, a bottle of wine and a book by Lake District running legend Joss Naylor.
A very special event to be part of. Happy days.

Day 11 - back to reality

2010-05-17T17:24:00.005+01:00

So, for ten days I was an 'athlete'. It was brilliant. The group of runners were amazing people to be around. We were looked after incredibly well by all involved. The Body Rehab team are gods. They really went above and beyond to make sure we could all get out on the course each day to run that tough hilly loop around the lake, over and over again. The food was excellent and plentiful - I'm not sure I've ever eaten so much good nosh.

I found day 10 very hard. I could hardly wait for the celebrations, but I was knackered and really not quite in the mood for running another marathon. I'd put everything into the previous nine days, not saving anything for the victory lap, so I felt I was running on empty. My left adductor (the one that had been needled several times by the physios) was pretty painful. But I just spent the time thinking about what we'd all achieved and how great it had been and the final 4 hours 6 minutes passed relatively quickly.

It was great to have Jim there at the finish, along with my mum and dad and lots of other runners I know, including loads of Fetchies and several from the 100 club. Plus of course the five 10 in 10 runners who finished ahead of me and the Body Rehab team. I loved cheering in the remaining five, seeing them finish their challenge in style.

The World Record seems unreal. I don't think of myself as a regular sub-4 marathon runner, so to get a final time of 39 hours, 7 minutes and 49 seconds, seems strange and pleasantly surprising. Apparently only 11 different runners have ever gone sub 40 for the 10 in 10. It's nice to be part of that group.And it was only yesterday that it all finished. It seems longer ago already, as I've been back to the usual work routine today. I went for a short jog before breakfast, then a usual day teaching Maths at college. I've had loads of laundry to do and then we cooked dinner. Life is very much back to normal.

Huge thanks to everyone who's sponsored me and sent lots of wonderful supportive messages and comments. It really helped to get round those last few runs as it started getting tough. I have so many fantastic memories and warm fuzzies inside just thinking about it all!

I guess it's time I need to start getting my head around my next long run, which is now less than a fortnight away...

Day 10 of 10 - new World Record!

2010-05-16T22:39:00.001+01:00

I'll write more tomorrow, but for now I'll just say 10 marathons in 39:07:49, a new women's 10 in 10 World Record. Very happy.

Day 9 of 10 - just one more lap to go

2010-05-15T17:00:00.002+01:00

It's all getting very exciting now. Jim came up last night and my parents were here this moring to see us start. There were lots more folk out on the course too today, as well as more awareness generally I think, with lots of cars honking their horns and cheering. I wanted 4:30, so very happy with slightly under 4:03. That means something like 4:55 tomorrow will be good enough for sub 40. Hopefully I can hold it together for one more day. I've had my icing and about to go see the massge wizards.

Tomorrow we start at half 9, with thousands of other runners doing the main marathon event an hour later. I'm knackered, but really looking forward to it. It's been an amazing 9 days so far and it feels like the hard work is almost over and it's time to enjoy the last run and the atmosphere before what should be a pretty big celebration.

Day 8 of 10 - feeling much better

2010-05-14T17:20:00.006+01:00

That was much easier mentally than yesterday. I was taking it easy today, did lots of walking, hoping to make it in 4:20. I was right that I'd enjoy the lack of pressure to go sub 4 again. Still, it was very nice to nip just under with 3:59:53. Lovely drizzly rain most of the way round too. Not feeling quite as tired as yesterday now either.

I forgot to mention that yesterday there was a lovely moment when I got to the top of the big hill after mile 7 - three deer pranced across the road in front of me.

I've finally been making more use of the brilliant physios from Body Rehab. I was in for over an hour last night and again this morning. In addition to the usual massage and passive stretching, I also had ice and cryo cuffs on my sore bits, laser treatment on both shins and needles stuck into my groin. Plus they put some rather decorative K-tape on my legs to act as go-faster stripes. It's fascinating stuff they do.

Did I mention that this event is really great? Hopefully I can enjoy the next two runs. There are more people coming up to visit who'll be out on the course tomorrow and Jim is coming up this evening. My parents should be around from tomorrow too. Really looking forward to seeing everyone.

I'm after 4:30 each day now to get a sub 40 hours time overall...

Day 7 of 10 - first one over 4 hours

2010-05-13T17:50:00.003+01:00

It was always going to be mentally tough on day 7. We all struggled to some extent today. Plus a few niggly bits are starting to be sore on my shins. About 8 miles in I felt something twang in my groin, which made it less fun running for the next 5 miles till I got some ice spray and gel from the physios. But I've got it better than several of the other who are suffering with all sorts of painful injuries, so I'll quit moaning now!

I decided at halfway not to go for another sub 4, which actually made it feel easier mentally, as the pressure was off a bit. I let myself walk up a few more hills too, as a treat. Still made it in 4:01 and more than happy with that.

Very sleepy now. I'll be having some quality time with the physios after dinner, then as early a night as I can get after that. Just a couple more of these runs around the pond, then we're doing The Windermere Marathon on Sunday. Looking forward to seeing lots of Fetchies and 100 club and other runners I know there.

Day 6 of 10 - getting there

2010-05-12T17:05:00.002+01:00

Phew, that was a tough one. Very glad it's done now as I think it's great mentally being more than halfway through with (only!) 4 marathons to go: a good place to be. A few niggles and twinges started playing up today and I found the last 9 miles hard going, but very satisfied with another sub 4 at 3:51:27. It was pleasantly cool out on the course (though nice not to have the hail).

If you've seen the video clips, you'll realise that 'elegant, fluid and smooth' are not words you could use to describe my running. Steve reckons I could be quite quick if I got someone to sort out my running style (or lack of it!). I think he might be right.

I suppose this is technically a race (though I'm taking it very much a personal challenge) so I should update you with the fact that I'm currently sitting in 6th place. Adam has been amazing at the fast end, with three sub 3s and the other 3 not much over that. In the middle of the field there has been some shifting of positions, with Ray getting faster every day. Michelle and Aly have been running through considerable pain to complete each day impressively. Chris ran ten minutes quicker today than any of the previous days - it's like his training is just kicking in now. Unfortunately Phil had to drop out today. Despite the best efforts of the physio team his injuries were just too severe for him to carry on, a very tough decision. Now there are just 11 of us.

I'm quite tired again so hoping for another early night. I'll want some massaging first though to sort out my weary legs. Spirits in the group are generally high. Dinner soon...

Day 5 of 10 - halfway there

2010-05-11T17:33:00.003+01:00

I got to bed at 9pm last night and felt much less sleepy this morning as a result. The meal out was great. We're eating here tonight, where the food is also top notch!

I felt good today. A lot like yesterday, but not so tired. Pretty consistent timing with a 3:48:41 today. I am extremely pleased with my times for the first half (and also still can't quite believe it). There was cold hail for a couple of miles today, but it was miles 14 - 16, which is a very tough part, so kind of nice to have something other than the hills to think about.

Adam did yet another sub 3 today after his course record yesterday. The boy is a machine! Some injuries are starting to flare up so the physio team will be working their asses off tonight. I'll just be popping in for a massage as my legs don't seem to be complaining much so far.

Nice to be halfway there, but it's still a case of taking each run, one day at a time. And it's still the best running event ever!

Day 4 of 10 - sleepy but strong

2010-05-10T16:42:00.003+01:00

Phew, another one done then. I was VERY sleepy this morning, but once I got out on the course I felt pretty good. Legs were tired for the last 7 miles, but I guess a bit of achyness is to be expected on day 4. Almost got tripped over by a cute-fluffy-bunny-rabbit-running-out-in-front-of-me hazard at 10 miles in. Finished in 3:48:07, so more than pleased with today's effort.

We're going out to a local pub for dinner tonight, which will make a change from the usual routine. The days are zipping by. It seems like there's something to do the whole time from getting up to going to bed. The worst part of the day is probably the walk back up to the Lodge after the ice bath (only takes 5 minutes, but it seems to go on forever). The second worst is the 5 minutes passive drooling evey morning!

The best bits of each day are running the lovely scenic route and the banter with the other runners and the physio team.

That'll have to do for today. I'm knackered and need to go get my massage before we head out to dinner. Thanks for all the great messages of support.

The video clips from each day are at www.cumbrialive.tv/brathay10in10

Day 3 of 10 - quicker

2010-05-09T17:15:00.004+01:00

It occured to me today that if I had run the Windermere route before, I probably wouldn't have entered the 10 in 10, as it's far too hilly for me to have liked it. But I think the many miles of training, combined with a bit of weight loss and some solid core work (press ups, crunches & Pilates-type stuff) have prepared me well for this course. Plus the physio team are superb. I'm doing my ten minutes in the ice bath horse box every day after lunch and have had some really good deep massages. My legs feel a bit like they've run a fastish marathon, but I'm not hobbling around the place just yet.

So I broke my own course record today with 3:46:02. Very happy with that. It was sunny again, but got pleasantly cooler for the second half (which is definitely the bit I find hardest: miles 13 - 17 have a lot of the toughest hills).

There were several Fetchies out today cheering us on at various points around the course - great to see you guys, thanks!

The plan for tomorrow is to try to take it slower but hopefully manage another sub 4 (3:59:59 would be ideal). There's still a long way to go and I never like to count my marathons before they've hatched, but I'm absolutely loving it so far.

There's a great camaraderie between the runners (all very different and interesting individuals) and we're fully supported by a strong team of people pampering us. It's a joy to be part of this event.

Day 2 of 10 - a quickie

2010-05-08T17:58:00.003+01:00

3:49:27. A 10 in 10 women's course record! Shiny.

I wasn't sure what to expect today. I figured 3:59 would be sweet, anything under 4:07 would be great as that would make a sub 4 average. But I felt pretty good and ran comfortably. I think the combination of ice baths and massage must be working. There was some strong wind in the second half, which didn't make those long uphill drags any eaiser. But it was very warm again, so at least there was a cooling effect. I walked the 3 worst hills that I'd selected yesterday as the ones to walk. I may add to that list later in the week, but I'll try to stick with just those 3 again tomorrow. I'd remember all the uphills, but forgotten that they were inevitably followed by downs, so had lots of pleasant easier sections that I wasn't expecting. I followed it with plenty of food and another ice bath.

So I managed just two sub-4s in my first 100 marathons (back in 2006) and have just done another 4 within the last month, including two on consecutive days. I think 'athlete' is still a misnomer, but I'm starting to feel like a real runner now.

I popped into Ambleside this afternoon to pick up a few things from the shops. It's a nice town to visit and thankfully small enough not to involve too much effort to wander round it. Dinner soon then massage later. Looking forward to another go tomorrow.

Day 1 of 10 - it begins

2010-05-07T17:23:00.005+01:00

So I finished teaching at 3pm yesterday and was straight out the door to catch my train up to the Lake District. I was picked up by Steve Edwards ('running god' would be a fair way to describe him) and he drove us round the last 6 miles of the course, to help prevent me getting lost. It also gave me a sneak preview of the nasty hill at 22 miles.

I was the last to arrive at Brathay Hall, but soon settled in and got a feel for the place. The other 11 runners make excellent company and the other people working on the event are great. We are extremely well looked after and I'm loving the way they refer to us as 'the athletes'. I had a pleasant massage this morning, between two courses of breakfast (there's plenty of good food here). We can leave drinks in boxes places every couple of miles around the course. Also, we're being studied for some research into endurance athletes, so they weighed us, took some blood and a saliva sample (it was the first time I'd come across the charming phrase 'passive drooling').

We did a fake start for the media, which will probably be on the video clips, then headed out to the real start just down the road. It was sunny and a little on the warm side for my liking, but an absolutely beautiful course. We ran through Hawkeshead: a very cute village, and saw lots of sheep and cows. A military jet flew by very noisily. The backdrop of the mountains is stunning (though I was glad not to be fell running). Having said that, it's a hilly route, including a 14% steep one at 7 miles. Windermere was looking pretty, almost making it worth the long climb up in the second half, where we rose up to gain a fantastic view over the water. I found it tough between miles 16 and 17, but not hitting the wall, just a bit tired.
I was thinking a couple of sub 4s during the challenge would be good and was aiming for 3:59. I was a tad quicker at 3:53, which was hopefully not too fast. There's a long way to go yet. Adam had rocked up looking like he was out for a jog, in 2:58, followed by Steve, Dave and Dave who were in not long after three hours. Shortly after me, Naomi and Ray came in under 4 too. Everyone completed it today and most of us took the option of an ice bath. It's VERY cold (actually 5 degrees) and ther was swearing. It really hurt my feet though otherwise it wasn't too bad. It lives in a horse box.

So not long now till dinner. The menu includes a different vegan option for me each day, some of them quite imaginative. We also need to learn how to use the machine that tells us our exact times for the run. Then another massage methinks. This is the life. I miss Jim (and our cat Tommy - he's an idiot, but a cute furry idiot) but I think I'm going to enjoy the next 9 days.

Sarsen about

2010-05-02T19:13:00.004+01:00

After a thunderstorm on Friday night, I was pleased that it dawned dry and bright, making the motorbike an appealing transport option for the weekend. A lot of bikers find motorways boring, but I really quite like to put Haku (my Fazer 600) up into 6th gear and zip down the M3 towards the South West. I stayed in a cute hotel in Amesbury, close to Stonehenge.

On Sunday morning, they bussed us up from the henge to Avebury (which has its own, less well known stone circle), for the start of the Neolithic Marathon (also known as the Sarsen Trail). I've done this one 3 times before, so knew what to expect. It was muddier than previous sunnier years, but still had the expected strong winds - fortunately this time they remained predominantly tail winds with some cross winds. There are several hills of varying steepness on this beautiful trail course across the Salisbury plains. As I'm officially tapering for the 10in10, I aimed to take about 4:30 to 5 hours, so that my legs wouldn't get tired and they'd recover quickly. My plan was to jog gently, then walk lots of the uphills, making it a pleasant day out. I stuck to my regime successfully, though finished a bit quicker than anticipated in 4:13. I guess that's a good sign that my legs are over the exertion of Brighton a fortnight ago and happy to run an 'easy' sub-4:15.Jim had been camping in the New Forest and came to meet me at the finish, which was great. The winds stayed extremely strong for the ride home. It's always a bit disconcerting being buffeted by cross winds in addition to the buffeting you get on a bike at 70ish mph, but I was very pleased to discover the heated grips on my handlebars are still working. We stopped at the Ace Cafe for food and coffee on the way home.

At the run I met loads of folk I knew, including several I hadn't seen for ages so it was good to catch up. I chatted with Danny who'd been tripped over at London marathon last week. After the first aid folk patched up his many bleeding wounds, he went on to run 3:58. Not bad for a chap who'll be 70 next year! He overtook me today at about halfway. I was also approached by 6 different people I didn't know, who'd recognised me from being in this month's Runner's World magazine. It was almost like being famous. Fame is not something I'd enjoy though - I've had to put myself about a bit in the media to try to increase my fundraising, but I'll be very happy to return to complete anonymity soon.

Titus AndRUNicus

2010-04-25T20:00:00.003+01:00

A fantastic weekend away in Stratford-upon-Avon. We got the train up on Friday after work and stayed in a lovely little B&B not far from the centre. We spent Saturday wandering around town, where there was Shakespeare's birthday parade, many brass bands, acting, cheerleading, morris dancing and drumming. We hired a rowing boat and Jim rowed me along the Avon in a manly fashion (as usual). Drinks by the river with comedy geese entertaining us. Pizza for dinner. And a beautiful sunny day.

Today, I had hoped to run a relaxed sub 4, but my legs didn't want to play. I figured that after running fast last week, combined with the cumulative effect of a huge mileage over the last couple of months, my legs deserved a rest. So I took it very easy and came in at 4:24:39. That'll do. The taper for the 10in10 starts now.

Fancy Dress Marathon, 2007

2010-04-21T19:05:00.002+01:00

As the London Marathon approaches (which I'm not actually doing this year, I'll be at the Shakespeare marathon instead this weekend), I decided to dig out the video footage of me from the 2007 run (my 26th marathon, which explains the deely boppers a bit), having a quick chat with Colin on Tower Bridge, which was broadcast on the BBC.

Brighton Rocks!

2010-04-18T20:04:00.006+01:00

The first ever Brighton Marathon took place today. A gloriously sunny day (when did I stop finding the sun horrible to run in?) and another new PB for me - 3:40:54. Yes, that's ten minutes quicker than at Paris last week. It's the first time I've decided to try to run a PB and actually been successful too (I tried it a couple of times before, but gave up after the first few miles of trying too hard). Running between Paris and Brighton consisted of five 10-mile runs, two of which were on my hilly route. Makes me wonder if that tapering lark really is really necessary.

The course was rather nice and after a few mildly lumpy bits in the first half, it flattened out for the second. The start was delayed quarter of an hour and the T shirt is cotton, but otherwise a top notch event. Great marshaling, loads of support, plenty of water, fantastic atmosphere. I reckon I might have to pop back next year to do it again.

After the event, we went tot he Fortune of War pub down on the seafront, where I met up with Jim, plus my big brother and two nieces, as well as several 100 Club folk and Fetchies. Roger Biggs presented me with my 100 Marathon Club medal. It's shiny. I also enjoyed wearing the 100 club vest.

A shiny new Parisian PB

2010-04-14T10:01:00.006+01:00

Maybe it's because I'm so easily pleased, but I always have a ridiculously good time in Paris. We had 4 days there and spent the time wandering the streets to see all our favourite places, as well as seeking out a few museums that we'd not been to before. This time they were: Musee des Egouts - the sewers - pretty interesting and not nearly as smelly as expected; a le Corbusier house; Musee du Vin (yes of course it included a glass of red) and a small art museum with a Dali exhibition. We stayed near Notre Dame, handy for going out around Saint Germain in the evenings.

Conditions were perfect for the marathon on Sunday morning - sunny and cool with a light breeze. I'm not really a fan of big city runs, but as we ran through the Bois de Vincennes I decided Paris is definitely one of my favourite road races. I was running at an easy pace, grinning like an eejot and enjoying the scenery, so I was a bit surprised that I overtook the 4 hour pacers at half way, then ran a negative split to finish in a new PB of 3:50:25. Shiny. And long overdue - my previous PB was set back in 2006.I thought maybe my legs would complain the next day, but they were happy to trot out another 10+ mile training run from Notre Dame along the Seine and around the park at the base of the Eiffel Tower. I suppose I did find the steps up to the Sacre Coeur a little tougher than usual that afternoon.

A brilliant trip away - I think we'll have to go back in the summer, then again for the marathon next April...

100 is a very shiny number

2010-04-04T10:08:00.005+01:00

So, on Friday was number 99 – the 27 mile Bletchley Enigma Marathon, organised by fellow Fetchie and 10in10 runner, Dave Bayley. It was a pleasantly flat and scenic route, with a lap around the lake in Bletchley Park, followed by 9 miles along the canal to a turnaround point, then back in the opposite direction. I ran with Fetchie Katie for the first half and we were joined by 100 club member Neil on the way back and we chatted the whole way. There was a strong wind, which fortunately was a tail wind for the return leg. The rain and cold kicked in for the last couple of miles around the lake, but we were pleased to finish in 4:29:04.Then I took a train up to Goring & Streatley, where I was collected, along with a couple of others, by Jan Kearn, the lovely wife of Dick Kearn, who himself is an amazing and inspirational character, as well as being the race director of the Compton Downland Challenge 40 miler. (He’s also the director of the GUCR and he and Jan also man checkpoints at the Ridgeway 85 and Caesar’s Camp 100). Some people might think it odd to arrive the day before a race, go out to the pub with the organisers and fellow runners, then sleep on gym mats in the school hall. But it works, with a great atmosphere and lots of interesting people around. I wore my compression tights overnight and was pleased to wake up with relatively fresh legs.

The race is on a figure of 8 shaped course (there is also a 20 mile options, making for a total field of over 200 runners) over the downs, including some steep hills up onto the Ridgeway and this year featuring some very slippery mud (and for some reason I didn’t take my trail shoes, so spent a lot of the day sliding around in my roadies). There are 8 checkpoints, well stocked with a variety of food and drinks, manned by enthusiastic and supportive marshals. This has to be one of the best-organised events on the race calendar. With a huge feel-good factor. I took it fairly steady, wanting to finish feeling happy. I enjoyed the run very much and chatted with various runners throughout the day. I finished half an hour quicker than last year, in 7:21:54. At the end lots of people were congratulating me on completing my 100th marathon and becoming a world record holder (unofficial so far, but I should hopefully be able to get it certificated by the Guinness people by sending them some evidence). There were many people there that I knew, including the three gents that ran with me through the night at the Ridgeway, the chap who did the last 60 miles of Caesar’s with me, lots of 100 club folk and Fetchies, plus I met more new fascinating people.
I had a brilliant day. But I mustn’t get big headed – training for the 10in10 and GUCR continues, so I’ve done my gentle 10 miler this morning…

...97, 98...

2010-03-28T17:10:00.003+01:00

Another two very pleasant marathons ticked off this weekend.

Yesterday was the LDWA Charnwood Marathon. Last year this was my first ever LDWA event and it was great to go back. I learnt that having done it before does not make the navigation any easier - while I recognised a lot of the course, we still had to stop several times to re-read the instructions to work out where to go. It was much hillier than I had remembered too, including a trip up to the highest point in Leicestershire. I ran with Heather and we took it very steady as we were worried about the 5:30 cut off time on the South Downs the following day. We rocked up to the finish in 5:21 then picked up some welcome soup, as well as a patch and certificate.

Today was the Brighton Trail Marathon, a 27 mile route out of Brighton, over the hills of the South Downs. It was indeed hilly, but with beautiful views and pleasant sunny spells. There was a lot of headwind too, but overall it didn't seem as tough as we were expecting. I've found that on the second day of a double I tend to feel a lot stronger, as reflected in the 4:46 finish time. This one had a banana, a T shirt and a shot glass at then end.
So, this time next week, if all goes to plan, I'll have run my 100th marathon. I'm quite excited about that.

Being a sponsored aferleet

2010-03-24T19:38:00.003Z

Today I collected a parcel containing 4 pairs of shorts, 2 vests, 2 T shirts, 2 longsleeves, a jacket, 5 pairs of socks and a pair shoes. All top quality wicking/performance fabric Asics goods. And best of all, I didn't have to pay for it - it's all part of the 10 in 10 deal. Shiny.
Admittedly pink wouldn't have been my first choice of colour... but it's still great.

Only a little bit lost

2010-03-24T17:27:00.003Z

My 100th marathon is approaching fast, with number 96 completed at the Sevenoaks Circular on Sunday.

It was an LDWA event (so following 4 pages of instructions about crossing stiles, following field edges and going through kissing gates - "X st, follow LHFE, thru KG" etc) of 30 miles, though getting a bit lost made it just over 31. Actually I was very fortunate as I hadn't realised I was lost until some people ahead of me got even more lost and approached from behind... they soon got us all back on the right route.There were plenty of folk I knew there, mostly from the 100 club. The marhalls at the checkpoints were great and even made me a marmite and jam sandwich (it tasted fantastic, though I'm not sure if I'd fancy one when I haven't just run 25 miles). It was all off road and there were some pretty bits, especially in Knole Park where I ran with some deer for a brief while and almost felt like part of their herd.I got a certificate and a patch at the finish (plus some welcome beans on toast). Another lovely day out then. My legs were a bit achy on Monday and Tuesday, but I made them do 10 miles each day anyway as part of my 10 in 10 training. It was nice to have a lie-in this morning.

Relaxed running on sunny Sunday

2010-03-15T19:25:00.004Z

A sunny day, 27 miles around the Bedfordshire countryside. Taking it easy, enjoying the scenery - including some very cute lambs.

A race organised by Nightjar from Fetch. He deserves a prize for organising such a great event. And lots more Fetchies taking part, marshaling and photographing. A very pleasant day out.
All good training for the 10 in 10, which is now less than a couple of months away...

The day was topped off nicely by a trip to the cinema with Jim to see the most recent Jeunet film: Micmacs. We liked it.

A trophy for training

2010-03-08T19:24:00.003Z

This weekend presented a good opportunity for 10 in 10 training: six days of 10+ miles, including a couple of long marathons, then I'll have rest day, then another six days of 10+.

So it was that I headed up to Grantham for the weekend for Rory Coleman's ULTRArace 29.3 double along the canal. Saturday was chilly and overcast (great for running) and I took it steady with Heather, completing the 29.3 miles in 5 hours. There were loads of people I knew there, including 5 people doing the 10 in 10 and several other Fetchies, plus others I'd met at previous events. It made for a pleasant afternoon and evening in a posh hotel, including an informative question/answer session, primarily aimed at people doing the Marathon de Sables (which does not appeal to me at all) but with lots of stuff applicable for other endurance events.
Sunday dawned frosty but sunny. A beautiful day for a trot along the canal. Again I went with Heather: we suprised ourselves by keeping up a steady but slightly faster pace, making for a 4:42 finish and joint 3rd place (hence the trophy - yay!). In fact, we were only beaten by women who were just doing Sunday, not both days, which was pleasing to note.

A top weekend, well organised with a fantastic atmosphere. Great training. This morning's 10 miles was hard but good. Another 10 tomorrow then a day off. Wednesday's lie in will be most welcome.

Ain't running great?

2010-03-02T18:36:00.004Z

The half term holiday was fantastic. We finally saw Avatar and we spent a lovely 3 days in Bristol. Neither of us were very well on the Thursday, but it was snowing and raining so we went to see Ponyo (a Miyazaki film) at the cinema. It's bonkers. We wandered up to see Brunel's suspension bridge and the camera obscura, both good geeky entertainment. There was no race on at the weekend, so I took the opportunity to give my legs a bit of a rest.

This weekend I went up to York for Paul's 60th Birthday Marathon. It was a beautiful course, mostly on cycle lanes, but also followed the river for a while, as well as passing by the minster in the city and along the old wall. The other runners were mostly older than me, with several in their 60s and 70s. There were so many inspirational stories - I thoroughly enjoyed chatting away with lots of different folk as we jogged along throughout the day. Some of us got lost, meaning that the marathon became 28 and a half miles, but that was fine in such top company. There was good food and drinks at the start, the checkpoints and the finish, plus a great memento (a York rose, 'engraved' on the back). It was one of those days I'll have fond memories of for a long time.

On Sunday, it was quite a contrast to be with my group of 'enrichment' students from college. 15 teenagers had been training with me for just six weeks to take part in a 10K race. When we woke to persistent rain in the morning, I doubted that many of them would actually show up. But every single one of them (along with our Vice Principal) came to do the South London 10K in Wimbledon and we all completed it. At the fast end, we had a lad at just over 41 minutes, through to one who took well over an hour, but battled on against blisters. They all felt proud of their achievement and were chuffed with their medals.It was a weekend of really enjoying running and being reminded of all sorts of positve effects it has on those who take part. I had quite a spring in my step on Monday.

Iccle Ultra in the Capital

2010-02-15T18:08:00.004Z

The first ever London Ultra - only a baby one of 50K, but a surprisingly pleasant route around part of the Capital Ring. This path took us from Streatham Common, through the streets, along the river, through parks, by the canal, over a couple of hills to the finish close to Wembley Stadium.We had maps, but they didn't quite link up, so we mainly relied on looking out for the signs, some of which were very clear, where others were just small symbols on marker posts. Managed to not get lost though. I ran with Heather and we were both feeling a bit knackered so took it at a sedate pace, finishing in 5:42. We met plenty of familiar faces and some new ones, including Jim Meta who'll be joining us for the 10 in 10. A pleasant way to spend the Saturday to kick start the half term holidays. No more marathons till the end of the month now. That feels very odd. But there's plenty lined up to keep me occupied throughout March and April, so a bit of a rest now might be a good thing.

Thames Trot #2

2010-02-07T18:27:00.004Z

Yesterday I did the Thames Trot (50 mile ultra) for the second time. I was a few minutes slower than last year - despite not having a snow and ice covered course this time - but I put that down to still being a bit tired from winning my 90 mile race a fortnight ago (I still like the way that sounds!).
It was an overcast day, with perfect running temperature. The Thames Path (which is actually just fields a lot of the time: "path" gives the wrong impression entirely) was exceedingly muddy in places, making it tough going. As I wasn't aiming for a time, but just hoping to enjoy a nice day out in the countryside, I took it very steady and walked a fair bit of the second half (I maintained a good 25/5, run/walk regime for the first 5 hours, before my legs started reminding me that they'd really have preferred a little more recovery time after the ultrarace 90, thank you very much).

The organisers are great, very friendly and supportive and had even taken on board my previous comments about race T shirts (I said a proper wicky one, ideally in black would be great). I can honestly day it's the best race T shirt I've had, as modeled by Tommy:
A top day and all good training for the ten in ten - www.justgiving.com/annafinn10in10

A long weekend - with a win!

2010-01-25T17:11:00.004Z

It sounded like a great training opportunity. Endurance for the 10 in 10, plus really good practice for the GUCR as it followed the Grand Union Canal (Northampton to Tring on Saturday, back the other way on Sunday). And it was.

Originally I entered the event as a double, with 40 miles each day. But then problems with the race permits made it 45 each way (though actually most people measured it at more like 47!). The organisation was excellent, very friendly and encouraging. There were 4 checkpoints en route, well stocked with various drinks, gels and food. I decided to adopt the 25mins/5mins run/walk strategy, right form the start. It felt very odd to be walking before I'd even covered 3 miles, but it paid off as I felt strong right throughout the day. Annoyingly I dropped Jim's Garmin somewhere in the mud of the towpath within the last couple of miles (and couldn't find it the following morning on the way back). I finished day 1 in 8:47:48, in fourth place (female).

The hotel was very posh, an absolute luxury. We got it at better than half price too. I struggled to eat much on Saturday night and for breakfast in the morning, despite the good food. I set off on the early start at 8am on Sunday. I tried to do the same sort of run/walk strategy, but with 15/3 splits, which seemed to work well for the first half. Then I began to feel spacey and nauseous, which I assume was the effect of not eating enough calories (and forgetting to put electrolyte tablets in my water), so I ended up walking a lot of the second half. I kept moving at a fairly quick pace though, making the second day about 50 minutes slower than the first. I came second for day 2.
Having checked the results in detail, it turns out that the women who beat me on each day were only doing the one day, so overall I won the 90 mile women's race! My first ever win. Shiny. Total time: 18:28:48.

Getting out in the country

2010-01-17T12:52:00.004Z

This time last year, the Country to Capital 45 miler was my first ultra. I really enjoyed it, so went back for another go yesterday. It was easier this time in that I had the confidence of knowing I could do the distance, but harder in that the terrain was far muddier, slushier, icier and wetter. The first half, cross country, was beautiful. The second half, along the canal, seemed like good training for the GUCR in May.
I ran with Heather, so enjoyed lots of chatting along the way, as well as meeting several others that I knew throughout the day. Not a fast time (about 8 hours 43), but it was Heather's first run at the distance and we both have doubles booked for next weekend, so thought we'd take it at a gentle pace. The race T-shirt is a rather nice proper wicky one and the medal is different this time too.It was definitely good to be out doing stuff as otherwise I would have sat about feeling sad all day. Our gorgeous black cat Schrodinger had been unwell and seen the vet several times over the past week. We finally had to put her down on Friday evening. It was (and still is) very upsetting. The only slight consolation was that she had a steroid injection on Thursday evening and spent a very happy day with Jim on Friday, purring away and enjoying lots of attention. RIP Dinger.

Old Snow versus New Snow

2010-01-11T11:49:00.003Z

There's a definite difference. Yesterday was a marathon on old snow that had been sitting around in the cold for a few days. It made it very hard going. At the risk of sounding like British Rail, I decided it was 'the wrong type of snow'. Fortunately I had the excellent company of Heather, plus the pretty scenery, to make it a top day out anyway. (And several other great Fetchies to chat with before and after too.)
This morning was entirely different - a 9 mile jaunt on a fresh layer of new snow. Easy peasy! Well maybe not, but it's only an interesting variation of the usual terrain, rather than anything excessively demanding.

So, I guess I'm hoping for the snow to disappear entirely, or for fresh snow to arrive just before this Saturday's 45 miler.

3 days into the year? Time for a marathon!

2010-01-03T17:24:00.003Z

The 100 Club AGM Handicap Marathon follows a 5 lap course, starting at an athletics track in Bromley. I like multiple lap courses and this one was pleasant enough: mostly road but also a bit of track and a farm with a big dung heap to run round. It was pretty flat too.
The handicap times were calculated from our last 7 road marathons. My avaerage time was 4 hours 21, giving me a start time of 10:09am. It was quite odd to set off alone on a marathon, though I was caught up by the chaps who started at 10:10 after a couple of miles. By the third lap there were plenty of us out on the course so it felt a little more sociable.
There was a lovely atmosphere despite the cold (though it was sunny with only a hint of sleet for a short while), with lots of friendly, familiar faces. I'm not sure of my final time, but it was a bit faster than my average, which seemed like a good start to the year. The medal has the 100 Club logo on it and really looking forward to being able to wear the 100 club gear, hopefully in May.

A marathon on a Tuesday

2009-12-30T20:21:00.004Z

The Leahurst Marathon is a small event - just 19 runners this year - which takes place starting in Long Eaton, Derbyshire. Very icy in places, a pretty route with a mixture of road, fields, paths and trails. We ran it as a group (great company) at a very relaxed place (nearly 7 hours!!). Nice.My 44th and last marathon for 2009, bringing my total number of miles covered in races this year to just over 1500.

Snowy sunny marathon - phew!

2009-12-21T14:51:00.005Z

On Friday, along with the snow came an email from the organiser of the 'Stansted Stagger' marathon, saying that it had been cancelled. I was disappointed, but Roger Biggs (chairman of the 100 Marathon Club) was even more keen to complete a marathon at the weekend - he was going for a marathon every week of 2009 and had managed 50 so far...

So a new event, "Roger's Stansted Snow Slog" popped onto the race calendar at very short notice. We had the route description from the stagger and arranged to meet at 9am in Stansted Mountfitchet to complete the pretty, off road course. About a dozen or so of us turned up and I ran with Heather again. It was a beautiful sunny morning and the fields of snow looked stunning. We were later joined by Neil and Simon (who took the photos) and enjoyed chatting away the hours managing not to get lost (quite a feat given that we couldn't see things like the 'wide muddy track' or the 'sandy path' as everything just looked like more white). As it mostly wasn't too deep, nor too icy, the snow actually made the terrain easier going than the mudfest it may otherwise have been.
We finished, still smiling, in 5 hours 18 minutes. It felt very special. Maybe because it was so peaceful out in the snow, maybe because we were pleased to be running after the initial cancellation. A great way to spend Sunday anyway.

Wintry weekend

2009-12-15T19:17:00.004Z

Brrr it's strating to get chilly. On Saturday we went to visit my sister for a pre-xmas dinner, as she'll be away during the holidays. We had a lovely family day and I finally got to meet her horse, who is a beautiful big beast. I probably drank too much, but it was a very pleasant day.The 'Winter in Wheathampstead' on Sunday was my first 100-club-only marathon. It was great as I knew lots of the other people there, having met them at other marathons over the past few years. It was a very pleasant countryside course of three different loops back to the village hall checkpoint, with some pretty woods and not too many stiles nor too much mud. I did manage to get stung by an electric fence though. Ouch. A slow one (5:21) but a most enjoyable day out. I like wintry weekends.

My first time in a podcast

2009-12-10T18:52:00.004Z

A new podcast about running is available from iTunes, which can also be heard by scrolling down the page and pressing the play button at Running and Life (Episode 2 - December 09) and if you listen carefully, you'll hear me prattling on about my running... (I begin about 4 minutes in from the start).

Enjoy!

my justgiving page

Lovely Luton (?!)

2009-12-09T19:15:00.003Z

On Sunday I went to Luton for the marathon. For some reason I really like this one. It's 3 laps near Luton, usually very windy and often raining too. (Last year it was canceled due to ice so I didn't mind too much what the weather did as long as the race went ahead.) But somehow it's a great event. Possibly it's the smooth organisation and enthusiastic marshals that do it.

I decided to go by train as there was heavy rain and strong wind in the morning, making riding Haku an unappealing transport option. There was a bus as rail replacement service, so I was surprised to arrive earlier than orginally planned. Not sure how that happened. Anyway, I'd had a dodgy leg all week (I hardly ran at all, which is very unusual for me) so went for a pre-race sports massage which felt fantastic. I think I might treat myself to a massage more often.

There were loads of familiar faces there so it was all very sociable. There were 3 other Vegan Runners UK runners, plus many Fetchies and 100 Club peeps. My leg was sore for the first 7 miles but then the pain eased off and I really enjoyed the run. My final time was 4:32:59 - not nearly as slow as anticipated. We got a cotton goody bag and a medal, both rather nice.
And that's number 81 done now, so the 100 by May is still looking like a good target.

Muddy mud and more mud

2009-12-01T19:30:00.003Z

I thought I'd met all the varieties of mud that the UK has to offer. But it turns out I hadn't. On Sunday I was introduced to even more types of the brown stuff (as well as thigh-deep, cold floodwater (also new territory) and the many stiles I've come to expect on an LDWA event) at the Gatliff 50K in Kent.

We were fortunate with the weather, in that while it was extremely soggy underfoot, it didn't actually rain too much, nor was it excessively windy while we were out (for over 8 hours! Who'd have thought a head torch would be necessary for a mere 31 miles?). Saw a beautiful big rainbow.

Nice day out all in all: lots of familiar faces at the start and finish and I had the pleasure of Heather's company - many laughs throughout the day. Plus it was a bit of celebration as it was my first 50K, my last ultra of the year, my 80th 'marathon' and the day before my birthday. We had bubbly at the finish...

In the News again, plus Toon Moorathon

2009-11-23T18:11:00.005Z

I was mentioned in an article in another local paper last week (which also has an online version). I assume the headline is some sort of pun on the fact that I'm Maths teacher?
Rather irritatingly, they misquoted me and it sounds like I think I'm going to be the first woman to complete 100 marathons, rather than hopefully the youngest. Hey ho. I don't think I'll be getting the world record officially certified with the Guinness people anyway, as apparently that's a bit of a faff. But if it leads to any additional sponsorship for Brathay then it's all good.

This weekend we headed up to Newcastle where we stayed with my parents, which made for a lovely break away. On Sunday we popped over to the Town Moor for the first Newcastle Marathon. There were loads of Fetchies and 100 club members there with a great Fetchpoint cheering us on. The 5 lap course was suprisingly not too dull and the weather was kind with a headwind that made some of it tough but other bits pleasantly easy. Only a tiny hill too. Admittedly it seemed bigger with each lap, of course. It was a well organised day out with enthusiastic marshals and a nice memento at the end that makes a change from a medal or T shirt.A 4:16:13 finish for me, with my parents there which was nice as I don't think they 'get' my running, but it was good for them to see what it's all about. Followed by a tasty meal at Wagamama. A great weekend all in all.

A pleasant jog by the seaside

2009-11-16T21:13:00.003Z

No really, I mean it was just a 10K. The Brighton 10K is a lovely event and one to which I was proud to take 29 sixth form students this year. They had trained over the past few weeks as their 'enrichment activity' at college (this involved several sessions in the park where I stand around with a whistle and a stopwatch while they do some drills, intervals, hillwork, speedwork etc).

We took the train south the day after the stormy weather, which was pleasantly cool and calm. We just had time to drop our baggage before getting to the start line. The course loops back on itself a couple of times, so I took the excuse of jogging around gently, cheering on my students, as well as any other Vegan Runners and Fetchies that passed by in the opposite direction. The fastest of the students took just over 46 minutes, the slowest were just under 90. But they all finished and were pleased with their achievement. They were being sponsored to raise money for Children in Need or other charites of their choice. We all wore Pudsey-style bandanas to foster a team spirit (and to help Jim identify who to take photos of).

After the race we went our separate ways. Jim and I went for pizza, then drinks by the beach.

Running for Charity next year. A long way.

2009-11-10T19:33:00.004Z

So far I've raised 9% of my target amount of £2000 for Brathay, for doing the Ten in Ten challenge next year. This month I was featured in the local paper (The Archer, which covers East Finchley). I guess it's a start. I'll have to start gearing up the fundraising efforts soon. That's actually considerably more effort than gearing up the training, as running more in the crisp fresh mornings (or the rain or snow) over the winter months is very appealing. www.justgiving.com/annafinn10in10

My training is even more meaningful as I've recently secured a place at next year's Grand Union Canal Race too. That's along the canal from Birmingham to Paddington, London. 145 miles. Can't wait!

School on a Saturday (marathon Sunday)

2009-11-08T17:42:00.006Z

As a teacher, it's not often I work on a Saturday. But once a year there is an Open Day where next year's prospective sixth form students come to look round the college. It felt very odd to be there on a Saturday, but we have next Friday off to make up for it, so I'm not complaining.
To make it feel more like a weekend then, I pretty much had to do a marathon today. The Steppingley Step is a great LDWA event. It felt very similar to last week, in that there were fields of mud, lots of stiles and some llamas. However, there was also a huge hill about a mile or so in (so steep it had steps) and some really fluffy cows that looked more like big stuffed toys than real live creatures. It felt much easier than last week though and was significantly quicker (yet still just over 5 hours).
A lovely day out in the countryside (it was a circular route, starting in the village of Barton-le-Clay, a bit north of Luton) and a chance to ride Haku (my shiny Yamaha Fazer 600) to get there. There were loads of people I knew there today which is always nice.
A weekend off next for me, which I think my legs will appreciate. (I mean no marathons or ultras - I'll be taking over 30 of my students down to Brighton to do the 10K. Makes a pleasant change from the sort of things we normally hear about teenagers doing.)

Half term rocks!

2009-11-02T20:46:00.003Z

We took the Night Riviera train to St Ives on the Friday after school. By Saturday morning we had the tent pitched on the clifftop overlooking The Island and Porthmeor beach and left it to head into town for coffee, pasties, then sitting about with beverages outside The Sloop watching people, waves, the harbour... a chilled existence that set the tone for the week. We took a stroll inland one day to reach a high point where we could see the sea to both the North and the South. Pretty cool. I navigated us there with my recently well honed map reading skills (there is an extra advantage to ultra running) and only got lost once through lack of a compass. [Note to self - must get the hang of the 'reading the sun' thing.]

We both spent the week grinning like idiots. We napped a lot and generally just relaxed. We watched the RNLI launch drill one evening, always good to see. I didn't even run much as I wanted to rest my legs for a change (only 3 short runs all week - couldn't resist a bit of running along that beautiful coast).
It was over too quickly and we arrived home late Friday night. That didn't give me much time to sort out my kit for a weekend of running.

I was up before 6 on Saturday morning to head out to the Blackwater Marathon. This was a charming LDWA event near Colchester. I ran with Heather, a Fetchie I've done a few marathons with now: excellent company. I say 'ran' but we both had plans for the following day so we took it really gently. The route was flat but exceptionally muddy in parts (crossing fields where it seems that your shoes are replaced by bricks by the time you get to the other side). There were many bridges and stiles, cute llamas, petrified trees, a pretty sea wall and I got stung by an electric fence (ouch! - apparently I jumped backwards and glowed like the Ready Brek kid. Maybe that's a slight exaggeration...) We didn't get lost, which was good as the "marathon" was actually 28 miles long. There was of course good food after.Then it was a lift up to Norwich with Allan, another great Fetchie. I stayed in a nice little B&B, just a short walk from the start of the Marriott's Way Ultra. This was a 39 mile trail run on an out-and-back course along an old rail track. That meant it was pleasantly flat and there was some protection from the heavy rain and howling gales that hit the country on Sunday. I ran with more Fetchies from the start (Audrey and Carina) and one (Paul) was kind enough to stay with me (at the back of the small field) for the whole route. It was a lovely run, completed in 6 hours 48 minutes and didn't cost a penny to enter so more than a bargain. Definitely one to do next year. I felt most refreshed for the start of the new half term today. Quite a bounce in my step. ;-)

Founders' Challenge Marathon

2009-10-19T19:59:00.003+01:00

What a nice day out. This was an LDWA event (ascend the hill, over the stile with the hedge on the left, turn right over the footbridge...) so was never going to be quick, not helped by the steep hills and rocky terrain in parts. But it was beautiful. Some fantastic views from the Surrey hilltops, not far from Guildford.
I took it steady and just enjoyed being out in the countryside. The weather was fresh and bright. It really made me look forward to more cool running through the winter months. I ran (and walked) with Helen (who I'd met previously at London to Brighton) and Matt (who I'd apparently run with a bit at the South Downs Marathon earlier in the year). Good company both. There were 3 well-stocked checkpoints en route and at the end a very welcome freshly made 3 course meal with a very tasty vegan option (carrot and coriander soup, pasta with aubergine and tomato sauce and fresh fruit salad). An absolute bargain, especially given that the entry fee was only about a fiver.

A very well organised and friendly event - definitely going on the list for next year.

A marathon is just over a quarter of 100 miles

2009-10-11T19:18:00.005+01:00

I wasn't sure it would be wise to try to run a marathon the week after my first 100 miler. But then, most people would say running 100 miles in the first place wasn't wise...

So I booked a place at the Leicester Marathon, just in case I felt like a nice long jog this weekend. Turns out I did (was it ever really in doubt?). By last Wednesday my legs felt fine and just my feet were still a bit sore. That's good enough for me.

I met several Fetchies at the start in park and more people I knew along the way. It's a pleasant enough course, along lots of countryish lanes and through some parks by a lake and a river. We also went past the space centre, which looks like a transparent plastic inflatable builiding with a rocket in it. Cool. I took it nice and easy, walking up some of the hills. My right leg felt a bit iffy at various points (my right foot is a bit dodgy, but it translated to a soreness in the ankle, calf, knee, thigh and butt cheek, kindly alternating which bit hurt throughout the run.) That's what ibuprofen's for, no?
I finished in 4 twentysomething. The Tshirt is women's fit and long sleeved which would be great if it wasn't white. The medal's nice though. Plus I didn't eat my finisher's banana, so I can have that at coffee break tomorrow. Who says I'm easily pleased?

100 miles, 15 200 feet of ascent, 28 and a quarter hours

2009-10-05T19:34:00.003+01:00

So they're the vital statistics for this event. It was my first 100 miler. Only a third of the 36 starters completed the full distance. Not sure of my place but I know I wasn't last! Overall not a bad result given that I did my first ultra less than 9 months ago. I still feel like a bit of a novice at this ultra lark, but I'm starting to change my thinking now that I've done a few fairly long runs.

The 'Caesar's Camp 100 mile endurance event' takes place on MOD land near Aldershot. It's a ten lap course with a checkpoint at the start/finish area plus another at 5.6 miles. There are many hills, including some very steep and shingly ones, especially tough on the downhills as the legs get tired. It's all off road, with a mixture of surfaces of trail, often chalk tracks, sometimes grass, mud and other rootsy woodland. And one stile (that you go over ten times). Henk, the mad Dutch organiser, is very supportive in his own unique way.

There were some good views from the hilltops during the daylight hours, which seemed even better in the morning sunshine. The weather was very kind, with only an hour or so of not-too-heavy rain (with a lovely big rainbow briefly visible) and some strong headwinds on the open section for the first four laps. It wasn't sunny on the Saturday (we started at noon) but it did get very warm on Sunday.

I managed 3 laps before it started to get dark so I knew the course pretty well by then. There were glow sticks put out to mark the course overnight. There was a brilliant full moon, but it was mostly hidden in the clouds. Running with a headtorch was good, though it slowed me down as I tried to avoid all the many trip hazards underfoot. I actually only slipped over twice, both times going down the same scree slope. There were lots of cows about (with their eerie seemingly glowing eyes) and some soldiers wearing what appeared to be comedy blonde wigs, but were presumably some sort of straw camouflage. I managed to keep running (at least on the downs and flats) for the first 80 miles. I finshed the first 50 before midnight which I was pleased with. The blisters started after 80 miles, making the ninth lap very slow. Then on the tenth lap I felt very spacey like I was going to pass out. I guess I hadn't eaten enough. But how would one consume over 10 000 calories in a day? Anyway, I ended up walking the whole of the last lap at a very slow pace. That was a huge test of mental strength.

I'm told this was a very tough event to choose for my first 100 miler. Hopefully the next one will seem easier then! (Unless it happens to be Lakeland of course.) It was certainly really good mental training. And therefore good training for the ten in ten (www.justgiving/annafinn10in10)

My recovery run this morning was only 1.4 miles, at 11-minute-miling pace. This week should really test out whether my hemp protein is helping with recovery as I'm planning to do the Leicester Marathon on Sunday...

Ponies, ponies everywhere!

2009-09-28T19:36:00.002+01:00

Well, it was a weekend in the New Forest after all. Actually, the animal count included, in order of sightings: ponies, rabbit, bats, cows, horses, pig, badger, donkeys. And all but the badger (roadkill) were frolicking about gaily. Plus there was the comedy owl hooting in the night, plus a shooting star (admittedly not an animal, but pretty cool to see all the same).
We rode down on the motorbikes straight after work on Friday and were drinking wine in the moonlight outside the tent by 8 o'clock. On Saturday we took a stroll through the trees to Brockenhurst, where there are good cafes, shops and pubs. A leisurely day out in the sunshine. And the blackberries were ripe too. Nice.
On the Sunday morning I took the small wiggly roads to New Milton for the start of the New Forest Marathon. I met up with loads of runners I know (plenty of Fetchies and 100 club members at this one) and met still more that I didn't. It was a beautiful course, mainly on country lanes and a few bits of trail, through forest, open grassland and small villages. It was too hot for me and I think I was still a bit tired from last week's run to the seaside, but finished fairly comfortably in 4:26:05.
On the way home I stopped at Fleet services and came out to find that half a dozen uber-shiny black and silver Yamaha custom bikes had rocked up. They made Haku (my Yamaha Fazer 600) look like some sort of sci-fi cousin.
This morning's recovery run was ok - I didn't feel very strong, but not too knackered either. I had more of my protein powder (£2 off by quoting 'Protein432') with my breakfast to help me recover, ready for a longer run this coming weekend...

London to Brighton is quite a long way really

2009-09-24T20:43:00.003+01:00

What a lovely trail run. And as my brother pointed out, 'London to Brighton' is the sort of route most people can picture and know where it is and roughly how far (supposed to be 56 miles - I clocked 57.8 on the Garmin).

Actually, the first 9 miles were not trail - we went through the deserted Bromley shopping precinct and followed roads to the first checkpoint. After that there was a mixture of trail and country lanes. The paths were generally good and there were some beautiful sections through woods (probably my favourite running). There were, oh, about sixty seven million stiles on the course. Maybe I exaggerate? Seemed more than strictly necessary anyway.

I met several runners I know either at the start or en route, which was good, as well as meeting new people. From a few miles in I ran with a runner called Helen and we stayed together right through to the finish. We actually ran most of it, with just a bit of walking up the hills (notably the big steep hill to get over the South Downs shortly before approaching Brigthon). That should have meant a reasonable finishing time, but the map reading slowed us down a lot. We didn't actually get very lost, but spent a lot of time standing around checking the map and trying to work out which of the vague tracks across the field ahead was the one we were supposed to follow. Even with the compass it was tricksy navigation.
I was looking forward to finishing on the beach in Brighton, until the reality of the pebbles confronted me on the very last weary hundred metres. It felt very good to get there though. Time? 12 hours, 36 minutes, 46 seconds.

I felt more tired than I have in ages on the Monday after. Probably because I didn't manage to eat much on the day, so expended around 5000 more calories than I consumed. But I ate plenty on Monday and Tuesday, including some protein powder to help the muscles, and felt much stronger on Tuesday's run. (You can get £2 off if you want to try some of the protein, by quoting 'Protein432' when you order. It's good vegan stuff, made from hemp.)

All in all it was a good day out - I'll definitely have to go do it again another year.

Robin Hood, Robin Hood...

2009-09-14T20:00:00.006+01:00

...riding through the glen... That tune's been going round in my head all week. Which is silly because there was nothing Robin Hoodish about the Nottingham Marathon apart from the name and the fact that the medal has a bow and arrow design on it.Jim and I went to Nottingham on Saturday and spent a pleasant day moseying around town. On Sunday I left Jim to entertain himself with his mighty camera, while I headed to the park for the start of the marathon. There were many Fetchies and a few Vegan Runners, so lots of people to see, some of whom I hadn't met before 'in real life'. Heather and I decided to run together again after our successful pacing last week. It worked, only faster - we finished comfortably in 4:08.

The first half went through the grounds of the uni and some pretty parks, also taking in some hills, which were gentle enough not to need to walk up. The second half headed out past the water sports centre, which involved flat but windy sections and lots of doubling back where we got see other runners. It felt good to be 'running' another marathon after the summer where most of the trail runs involved a fair amount of walking. I guess the Ridgeway is just about out of my legs by now, though my feet are still a little sore.
Comfortable runs like this are great for my confidence in the build up to the ten in ten next year.
www.justgiving.com/annafinn10in10 Oh and I nearly forgot to mention - Robin Hood was my 70th marathon!

I donned my compression socks this morning for a very nice 9 mile recovery run. Lovely. And I'm trying some new vegan 'Hemp Natural Protein' to see if I can improve my recovery even more. If this stuff works, I may be entering into a sort of sponsorship deal with the hemp folk.

How to Recover from an 86 Mile Run

2009-09-06T19:46:00.006+01:00

Well, it seems like the Ridgeway was yonks ago, but it has only been a week. I wondered how well I'd recover. I wondered whether it was foolish to enter a marathon the following weekend...

I reckon 4 hours and 17 minutes says recovery is going pretty well, thank you very much!
The Kent Coastal Marathon, starting at Margate and running along the coast in both directions (and therefore half of it into a headwind), made for a lovely day out. It was possibly my most consistent run for ages. I ran with Heather, who was herself recovering from a summer plagued by injury. We took it steady and kept expecting to need to walk 'at some point soon'. But we just kept jogging along, chatting away.
Of course, I felt a bit more tired than usual, but felt rather chuffed with myself. Running on tired legs is good training too. "For what?" you ask? Well, for running around a big old lake for ten days in a row next year perhaps... see www.justgiving.com/annafinn10in10 for more on what I've got lined up to challenge me next year.

Ridgeway 85 - UK Trail Running Championships

2009-08-31T14:05:00.003+01:00

Start at noon on Saturday at Ivinghoe Beacon, about 3 miles from Tring, follow the Ridgeway National Trail for 85 miles then turn off to Avebury for the finish. 86.5 miles in total, 21 hours and 11 minutes. I came 5th (female) and have to admit I'm a bit disappointed.The first half was lovely. Some great views, quite good tracks and grass to run on and I was running well. Stocking up on water and nibbles at the checkpoints without hanging around too long. I felt great. My favourite section was Grim's Ditch, about 35 miles in, which is a rootsy trail through the trees - I didn't even fall over!I got to Goring (half way) and had a jacket potato and beans and was ready to head out into the darkness. Not trusting my sense of direction, I decided to stick with a group of 3 others through the night. They were great company and certainly ensured we went the right way, but we spent longer at the checkpoints than I'd have liked.

But my slow time was a result of my sore feet. I was wearing not-very-cusioned trail shoes and the rough ground lead to blisters on the soles of both heels, which made runnig difficult. The balls of my feet were also sore from all the sharp stones and rocks. This made every step painful and from 65 miles onwards it was a struggle to enjoy it, despite feeling otherwise pretty strong. I really felt with a wiser choice of shoe I could have put in a far better performance in the second half.
Still, it was kind of fun running with a pack and a headtorch, past bemused wildlife. I got quite tired around half past three, but felt much better once the sun came up.

My favourite checkpoint was at about 62 miles where a fellow Vegan Runner, Maria, had got some vegan treacle tart and a cup of tea (with soya milk) for me. They tasted fantastic!

This is a really well organised event and one that I'd recommend as a first long ultra. The route is signposted well but worth a recce beforehand if possible. The checkpoints were all brilliant, manned by enthusiastic volunteers from local running clubs. Sadly the medal at the finish doesn't actually say '85 miles' on it though...So, this is definitely an event I have unfinished business with. I'll go back looking for a sub-20 time hopefully. Not next year as I have something else on around then, but 2011 looks good...