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...
Tuesday, 25 January 2011
Tuesday, 18 January 2011
Getting better gradually
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...
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...
Monday, 3 January 2011
2011
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.
Thursday, 23 December 2010
Sleepy - 2010 is nearly finished.
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.
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.
Wednesday, 8 December 2010
3 weekends
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.
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, 14 November 2010
Sunday Silliness
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.
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.
Saturday, 13 November 2010
Super Saturday Silliness
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!
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!
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