One of the useful effects of recording my thoughts in this blog is that it enables me to crystalise ideas as well as proving a reference point for me to look back upon and that is the primary motivation for this particular entry; it will be useful to remind myself in the future about what was behind certain decisions. The past two to three months have been a bit of a write-off in running terms as injury and illness have taken toll. Looking back on my running log there is a bit of a pattern in that I do seem to suffer these problems after the clock goes back in the autumn, usually managing to plough on for a few weeks until the inevitable break-down. As a result I have decided that I will not book any races in 'the dark months' of November, December and January, cut down on mileage and take things easy, perhaps concentrating on the cross-country fixtures with my running club instead. Hopefully this will see me refreshed and ready for my nine month 'running season'.
My main focus for 2015 will be to reach 100 marathons and I know this will mean sacrificing better race times in order to get through the numbers required, which is fine. I have the majority of races necessary to reach the milestone already booked up and the others penciled in so I just need to keep myself fit and healthy between the start of the year and the end of October. My first event of the year will be the Berkshire Cross Country Championship and given that the effects of a nasty virus currently have me unable to comfortably complete a 5K that could well mean a very lonely run at the back of the field, but that's no problem, I just enjoy being involved in these things.
Since my previous blog I have managed to complete one marathon and strangely finished feeling quite good. With just over a mile to go I realised that I had a chance of sneaking under five hours if I put in some effort and was able to produce my quickest pace of the entire race from somewhere and felt fine at the finish. Since then even the shortest of jogs have been sapping all my energy and so I have had to forgo a couple of races but recovery is more important at this stage than clocking up numbers.
30th November 2014 Saxon Shore 4:59:29 #51
7th December 2014 Dymchurch dns
21st December 2014 Portsmouth Coastal dns
27th December 2014 Sunrise to Sunset dns
Sunday, 21 December 2014
Sunday, 23 November 2014
Contrasts
Having spent five weeks with hardly any running due to injury and then illness I knew the Valencia Marathon was going to be very hard work. In the few days prior to the event I managed two runs and covered a total of five miles, this gave me enough confidence to believe I had recovered sufficiently in order to have a chance of getting far enough through the race to allow a stagger to the finish. I had been advised that the weather could be anything from cold and stormy to sweltering. As it happened the daytime temperature was around the 20 to 23 Celsius mark whilst we were there, which although warmer than I would have ordered, wasn't too bad.
Now in a phase of simplicity rather than over-complication, my plan was just to run within myself as far as I could and then get to the finish using a mixture of hiking and slow jogs. The few aches and pains of a body complaining after weeks of inactivity were easily ignored and by the 5 kilometre mark I was moving quite comfortably. At the 9K point the leading group of 10-12 runners passed on the opposite side of the road on their approach to half way. I pulled over to watch them pass, such a graceful sight, barely seeming even to touch the ground as they sped by.
After reaching half way myself, in 2:08:55 which was beyond expectation, I started to grow weary and by the time I saw Mandy for the first time at 25K I was feeling drained, in a slight over-exaggeration I told her I was 'dead' and plodded on. I knew we crossed a bridge at 27K and resolved to keep running at whatever pace it took until I had reached that landmark. The route here took us along the old course of the now diverted River Turia and I became aware of another runner keeping exact pace with me close on my left. Somehow this lifted me and running suddenly became easy again, we seemed naturally to speed up and slow down at the same places and he became almost like a source of energy to me. Soon 27K had passed, then 28K, it was beginning to feel effortless. I had a quick glance to my left which he noticed and smiled at my brief thumbs-up gesture, there was a definite unspoken understanding here which I was enjoying. He appeared to be Spanish and maybe 20 years younger than me. At this point I had visions of us pacing stride for stride to the finish line, forming a never to be broken bond. We passed through 29K with ease and continued side by side to the 30K aid station.
It was with 12K to go that things began to fall apart. In the confusion of runners darting for the drinks and gels I became separated from my silent companion and as I walked for a brief moment to take on fluids I scanned around for him but could not see him anywhere. Immediately by energy dipped and kilometres were taking 2-3 minutes longer to complete. It became a mix of hiking and very slow jogging. My friend Donna passed me at this point, I had no idea she was even in the race so this was a nice boost but there was no way I could keep up with her. The heat was taking toll and I was feeling distinctly below par but I kept moving and crawled over the line in just under five hours. I was back in the saddle but it hurt!
Next stage on my marathon journey took me from the Spanish sun to the London rain. The Phoenix Riverside Marathon was a series of four out-and-backs on the Thames Path immediately upstream of the territory used for the Thames Meander Marathon. The rain was incessant, the temperature low and the path covered in large puddles which grew muddier, deeper and larger as the day progressed. The first half was okay, but by the third out-and-back I was soaked, freezing and miserable. I certainly wasn't alone in feeling this way. Few of the runners were able to muster smiles by this point, although Mandy, undertaking yet another half, seemed to be in her element, eventually missing a PB by only a couple of minutes which was an impressive performance.
So cold was I towards the end of the penultimate 'lap' that I started to consider pulling out. I wasn't enjoying myself and was struggling to justify continuing on that basis. Luckily my friends Rachel and Traviss caught me and this encouraged me to continue. Traviss had completed four 100 mile races in the previous four weeks and to pull out whilst he continued would have been wildly wimpy. As it happened their company for the final loop seemed to make it pass in a blur and I was able to get the job done which bearing in mind the horrible conditions was all that I needed to do. Marathon number 50 completed and I can now join the 100 Marathon Club as an associate member, commonly known as a 'wannabe'.
24th October 2014 Beachy Head Marathon dnf
1st November 2014 Thames Meander Winter dns
9th November 2014 Enigma Fireworks dns
16th November 2014 Valencia 4:56:36 #49
23rd November 2014 Phoenix Riverside 5:14:41 #50
Now in a phase of simplicity rather than over-complication, my plan was just to run within myself as far as I could and then get to the finish using a mixture of hiking and slow jogs. The few aches and pains of a body complaining after weeks of inactivity were easily ignored and by the 5 kilometre mark I was moving quite comfortably. At the 9K point the leading group of 10-12 runners passed on the opposite side of the road on their approach to half way. I pulled over to watch them pass, such a graceful sight, barely seeming even to touch the ground as they sped by.
After reaching half way myself, in 2:08:55 which was beyond expectation, I started to grow weary and by the time I saw Mandy for the first time at 25K I was feeling drained, in a slight over-exaggeration I told her I was 'dead' and plodded on. I knew we crossed a bridge at 27K and resolved to keep running at whatever pace it took until I had reached that landmark. The route here took us along the old course of the now diverted River Turia and I became aware of another runner keeping exact pace with me close on my left. Somehow this lifted me and running suddenly became easy again, we seemed naturally to speed up and slow down at the same places and he became almost like a source of energy to me. Soon 27K had passed, then 28K, it was beginning to feel effortless. I had a quick glance to my left which he noticed and smiled at my brief thumbs-up gesture, there was a definite unspoken understanding here which I was enjoying. He appeared to be Spanish and maybe 20 years younger than me. At this point I had visions of us pacing stride for stride to the finish line, forming a never to be broken bond. We passed through 29K with ease and continued side by side to the 30K aid station.
It was with 12K to go that things began to fall apart. In the confusion of runners darting for the drinks and gels I became separated from my silent companion and as I walked for a brief moment to take on fluids I scanned around for him but could not see him anywhere. Immediately by energy dipped and kilometres were taking 2-3 minutes longer to complete. It became a mix of hiking and very slow jogging. My friend Donna passed me at this point, I had no idea she was even in the race so this was a nice boost but there was no way I could keep up with her. The heat was taking toll and I was feeling distinctly below par but I kept moving and crawled over the line in just under five hours. I was back in the saddle but it hurt!
Next stage on my marathon journey took me from the Spanish sun to the London rain. The Phoenix Riverside Marathon was a series of four out-and-backs on the Thames Path immediately upstream of the territory used for the Thames Meander Marathon. The rain was incessant, the temperature low and the path covered in large puddles which grew muddier, deeper and larger as the day progressed. The first half was okay, but by the third out-and-back I was soaked, freezing and miserable. I certainly wasn't alone in feeling this way. Few of the runners were able to muster smiles by this point, although Mandy, undertaking yet another half, seemed to be in her element, eventually missing a PB by only a couple of minutes which was an impressive performance.
So cold was I towards the end of the penultimate 'lap' that I started to consider pulling out. I wasn't enjoying myself and was struggling to justify continuing on that basis. Luckily my friends Rachel and Traviss caught me and this encouraged me to continue. Traviss had completed four 100 mile races in the previous four weeks and to pull out whilst he continued would have been wildly wimpy. As it happened their company for the final loop seemed to make it pass in a blur and I was able to get the job done which bearing in mind the horrible conditions was all that I needed to do. Marathon number 50 completed and I can now join the 100 Marathon Club as an associate member, commonly known as a 'wannabe'.
24th October 2014 Beachy Head Marathon dnf
1st November 2014 Thames Meander Winter dns
9th November 2014 Enigma Fireworks dns
16th November 2014 Valencia 4:56:36 #49
23rd November 2014 Phoenix Riverside 5:14:41 #50
Saturday, 18 October 2014
All Planned Out
I had been thinking of my three consecutive October road marathons as a very good chance to improve my PB by a significant degree, possibly even getting close to 3:45, with a chance of going under four hours at all of them. I had tailored my training to include a nod towards periodisation, running more miles in August than in any previous month and then building in several speed sessions on the track during September combined with some decent 5k tempo runs at various parkruns. It hasn't quite worked out as I'd hoped...
Lisbon was always likely to be the most challenging due to the potential for the temperature to get above comfortable levels. Mindful of my failure to fuel sensibly in Hamburg earlier this year I was determined to ensure I didn't go hungry on the Saturday as we travelled over. As soon as we were booked into our hotel I visited a nearby supermarket, stocked up on fresh melon, bananas and bread rolls proceeding to stuff myself with this unorthodox combination throughout the day.
The course is a point-to-point in an easterly direction along the Atlantic coast from the picturesque town of Cascais, through Caxais to Lisbon, finishing in sight of the impressive 17 kilometre span of the Vasco da Gama Bridge in the east of the city. I had plans for my run. Plans, strategies and tactics for all eventualities; uphills, downhills, heat, cold, headwinds and tailwinds. I ended up lacking focus and not really sure what I was trying to achieve. What was soon obvious was that my intestines weren't very happy with the idea of running when full of fruit and bread. Planned walk breaks became necessary to calm the gurgling as much as to save legs.
Most aid stations had a single portaloo nearby and I eventually spotted one without a queue, however, a fellow runner arrived there just before I was able to get there and I noted that it was already engaged. After a minute or so he knocked on the door to ensure it was in use, which it was. A further minute or so later I decided not to wait. This was a mistake. At the next aid station I spotted a vacant one and rushed over with relief: no-one was beating me to this one! I won't go into details but I opened and immediately closed the door. There was no way I was going in there! I was now getting a bit desperate.
The route at this point took us a mile or so inland into a very attractive part of Lisbon before looping round and back to the coast. It was during this phase that I reached my personal race nadir. I was forced into a complete halt on several occasions and had to stand with all muscles below the waist tensed in order to avoid severe embarrassment. The next ten minutes were tortuous progress but I was eventually able to reach a free portaloo and achieve the urgently required relief, albeit at the cost of a half-hour mile!
The half marathon race had started on the Vasco da Gama Bridge two hours after the full race, proceeded in the opposite direction along the marathon route before turning round and completing the run in the same direction as the full marathon. Shortly after going past this joining of the routes I spotted Mandy running towards me. About a minute later I realised that my time was now immaterial and so I may as well wait for Mandy and finish with her. It turned out that she was on course for a PB which she duly achieved and so it was brilliant to be there to see her hard work bear fruit.
Although this run was largely ruined, again, by my idiotic fueling, on reflection I realised that I am getting too complex in my approach to marathon running. All I need to do is get out there and just run. Start sensibly and then at some point after halfway step up the effort level and go for the line without fear. The Yorkshire Marathon provided an early opportunity to apply the no frills approach.
It was a cold, foggy morning in York which felt far more conducive to running that the previous week. Who could possibly have predicted that October in Yorkshire would be such a contrast to Portugal? I managed to keep my warm gear on until ten minutes before start time leaving it all with the ever-supportive Mandy and slipping into the start pen, meeting up with a couple of familiar faces, as always happens these days.
Immediately I felt loose and was running very freely. The mile markers were passing by pleasingly quickly and without looking at my watch I knew I was faster that PB pace without even having to push myself. Official 10K split was 53:42 and felt very easily sustainable. The only problem had been at around four miles when a sudden sharp pain in my left groin caused me to slow momentarily but receded almost straight away. I had all but forgotten it when during the twelfth mile it returned but did not recede. Immediately I knew that was it for the day, slowed to a walk and then tried to jog but there was discomfort whatever I did. The choice was stark: finish today and throw my plans for the next few months into doubt, or ditch today in an effort to salvage everything else. It didn't need too much thinking through.
The pleasing thing is that a year ago my self-doubt would have forced me to complete the race, these days I'm very comfortable with where I am as a runner and didn't feel I had to prove anything to myself. Similarly I don't feel the need to rush back for Abingdon. I think I could probably complete the race tomorrow but there is maybe a 25% chance that the injury will re-occur, I'm happy to start back a few days later than I could rather than one day too soon.
5th October 2014 Lisbon 5:13:18 #48
12th October 2014 Yorkshire dnf
19th October 2014 Abingdon dns
Lisbon was always likely to be the most challenging due to the potential for the temperature to get above comfortable levels. Mindful of my failure to fuel sensibly in Hamburg earlier this year I was determined to ensure I didn't go hungry on the Saturday as we travelled over. As soon as we were booked into our hotel I visited a nearby supermarket, stocked up on fresh melon, bananas and bread rolls proceeding to stuff myself with this unorthodox combination throughout the day.
The course is a point-to-point in an easterly direction along the Atlantic coast from the picturesque town of Cascais, through Caxais to Lisbon, finishing in sight of the impressive 17 kilometre span of the Vasco da Gama Bridge in the east of the city. I had plans for my run. Plans, strategies and tactics for all eventualities; uphills, downhills, heat, cold, headwinds and tailwinds. I ended up lacking focus and not really sure what I was trying to achieve. What was soon obvious was that my intestines weren't very happy with the idea of running when full of fruit and bread. Planned walk breaks became necessary to calm the gurgling as much as to save legs.
Most aid stations had a single portaloo nearby and I eventually spotted one without a queue, however, a fellow runner arrived there just before I was able to get there and I noted that it was already engaged. After a minute or so he knocked on the door to ensure it was in use, which it was. A further minute or so later I decided not to wait. This was a mistake. At the next aid station I spotted a vacant one and rushed over with relief: no-one was beating me to this one! I won't go into details but I opened and immediately closed the door. There was no way I was going in there! I was now getting a bit desperate.
The route at this point took us a mile or so inland into a very attractive part of Lisbon before looping round and back to the coast. It was during this phase that I reached my personal race nadir. I was forced into a complete halt on several occasions and had to stand with all muscles below the waist tensed in order to avoid severe embarrassment. The next ten minutes were tortuous progress but I was eventually able to reach a free portaloo and achieve the urgently required relief, albeit at the cost of a half-hour mile!
The half marathon race had started on the Vasco da Gama Bridge two hours after the full race, proceeded in the opposite direction along the marathon route before turning round and completing the run in the same direction as the full marathon. Shortly after going past this joining of the routes I spotted Mandy running towards me. About a minute later I realised that my time was now immaterial and so I may as well wait for Mandy and finish with her. It turned out that she was on course for a PB which she duly achieved and so it was brilliant to be there to see her hard work bear fruit.
Although this run was largely ruined, again, by my idiotic fueling, on reflection I realised that I am getting too complex in my approach to marathon running. All I need to do is get out there and just run. Start sensibly and then at some point after halfway step up the effort level and go for the line without fear. The Yorkshire Marathon provided an early opportunity to apply the no frills approach.
It was a cold, foggy morning in York which felt far more conducive to running that the previous week. Who could possibly have predicted that October in Yorkshire would be such a contrast to Portugal? I managed to keep my warm gear on until ten minutes before start time leaving it all with the ever-supportive Mandy and slipping into the start pen, meeting up with a couple of familiar faces, as always happens these days.
Immediately I felt loose and was running very freely. The mile markers were passing by pleasingly quickly and without looking at my watch I knew I was faster that PB pace without even having to push myself. Official 10K split was 53:42 and felt very easily sustainable. The only problem had been at around four miles when a sudden sharp pain in my left groin caused me to slow momentarily but receded almost straight away. I had all but forgotten it when during the twelfth mile it returned but did not recede. Immediately I knew that was it for the day, slowed to a walk and then tried to jog but there was discomfort whatever I did. The choice was stark: finish today and throw my plans for the next few months into doubt, or ditch today in an effort to salvage everything else. It didn't need too much thinking through.
The pleasing thing is that a year ago my self-doubt would have forced me to complete the race, these days I'm very comfortable with where I am as a runner and didn't feel I had to prove anything to myself. Similarly I don't feel the need to rush back for Abingdon. I think I could probably complete the race tomorrow but there is maybe a 25% chance that the injury will re-occur, I'm happy to start back a few days later than I could rather than one day too soon.
5th October 2014 Lisbon 5:13:18 #48
12th October 2014 Yorkshire dnf
19th October 2014 Abingdon dns
Wednesday, 24 September 2014
Long Expected
I had often lain awake at night wondering what on Earth had happened to the earth extracted from the Channel Tunnel. Initially I suspected that an enormous hole must have been dug nearby in order to accommodate the excess soil before realising that this would not work as the hole would simply fill with seawater at next high tide. In the absence of an easily accessible source of information to consult I had to check on the internet and was interested to find that the chalk marl scooped from under the sea had been used to create Samphire Hoe Country Park at the foot of the famous White Cliffs. 'Wouldn't it be fantastic' I then thought 'if some sort of six hour endurance running event was held there'. Imagine my unbridled delight when I noticed this little gem was open for entries!
The course was in the shape of an elongated J starting at the tip of the curly end and turning at the top. The first half mile or so was an undulating drop down to the flat sea wall which constituted the remainder of the out-and-back lap measuring 3.45 miles. The plan was straightforward; simply keep going for the full six hours then see how far I had travelled. I wanted to run without music again in order to have to confront any difficult moments encountered without recourse to external assistance, relying only on myself to get through them, and in the back of my mind was the Ranscombe Challenge a couple of months earlier in which I surprised myself by unexpectedly finishing after completing marathon distance without even checking whether I agreed or not.
Initially I had decided to follow a rigid 'run for 4 minutes 30 seconds, walk for 30 seconds' policy with the aim of reaching the latter stages with some degree of freshness in my legs. It immediately became clear that the course was slightly less flat than I was expecting and so I altered the strategy to apply only to the flat section on which the majority of the day's running would take place. A further adaptation became necessary when I realised that the out portion of the flat section benefited from a good deal of wind assistance whereas the return, into the wind, was far more demanding. The strategy soon became 'run the downhills, take it easy uphill, keep running when the wind is at my back, walk when I feel like it into the wind. But never walk for more than 30 seconds at a time. Until I get tired then re-assess'. Not a snappy name for a strategy but it worked for me.
The weather altered throughout the day from drizzle, to cloudy, then sunny, rain and finally patchy sun but with the strong breeze remaining fairly constant. I followed my strategy, the walks gradually becoming more extended, and there were the aches and discomforts which are entirely normal at these distances but no dramas. As usual in events of this format it was great to have the opportunity to see so many friends from 'the circuit' so frequently throughout, the support and encouragement, as ever, was excellent. Having completed the eighth lap, and so recorded a marathon for 100 Club purposes, I was pleased that there was no hint of wanting to stop and I headed straight back out to go for the 50k distance. I calculated that I did not have enough time to get back prior to the 5:45 cut-off for commencing the final lap and so relaxed. Three friends, however, encouraged me to have a go and against my better judgement and with the wind at my back I tried to step up the pace but it was always a losing battle and I didn't have the necessary energy to draw upon.
I find it slightly puzzling that given a completely flat course and a bit of luck I can grind out a marathon in about 4 hours with even or slightly negative splits feeling relatively strong until the end. Throw a few hills into the equation, however, and no matter how easy I take things I cannot maintain consistency. I am aware that this, at least partly, has to be mental, but there must also be a physical conditioning element which I have tried to address by running quite a few hilly marathons but there seems to be no improvement. Keep grinding away I suppose...
I have sung the praises of Traviss and Rachel's events previously; relaxed, fun, inclusive and with bling and goodie bag I have heard described as 'to die for'. Personally I wouldn't go quite that far but I would definitely risk a smack to the head in order to get hold of one. The medal is a chunky, purpose-made thing of beauty, redolent of the finest Dwarvish metalwork in Middle-earth. To cap an excellent day, Mandy recorded her longest ever run of 17.25 miles which is a fantastic achievement.
24th September 2014 The Tolkien Run 31.05 miles 5:49:00 #47
The course was in the shape of an elongated J starting at the tip of the curly end and turning at the top. The first half mile or so was an undulating drop down to the flat sea wall which constituted the remainder of the out-and-back lap measuring 3.45 miles. The plan was straightforward; simply keep going for the full six hours then see how far I had travelled. I wanted to run without music again in order to have to confront any difficult moments encountered without recourse to external assistance, relying only on myself to get through them, and in the back of my mind was the Ranscombe Challenge a couple of months earlier in which I surprised myself by unexpectedly finishing after completing marathon distance without even checking whether I agreed or not.
Initially I had decided to follow a rigid 'run for 4 minutes 30 seconds, walk for 30 seconds' policy with the aim of reaching the latter stages with some degree of freshness in my legs. It immediately became clear that the course was slightly less flat than I was expecting and so I altered the strategy to apply only to the flat section on which the majority of the day's running would take place. A further adaptation became necessary when I realised that the out portion of the flat section benefited from a good deal of wind assistance whereas the return, into the wind, was far more demanding. The strategy soon became 'run the downhills, take it easy uphill, keep running when the wind is at my back, walk when I feel like it into the wind. But never walk for more than 30 seconds at a time. Until I get tired then re-assess'. Not a snappy name for a strategy but it worked for me.
The weather altered throughout the day from drizzle, to cloudy, then sunny, rain and finally patchy sun but with the strong breeze remaining fairly constant. I followed my strategy, the walks gradually becoming more extended, and there were the aches and discomforts which are entirely normal at these distances but no dramas. As usual in events of this format it was great to have the opportunity to see so many friends from 'the circuit' so frequently throughout, the support and encouragement, as ever, was excellent. Having completed the eighth lap, and so recorded a marathon for 100 Club purposes, I was pleased that there was no hint of wanting to stop and I headed straight back out to go for the 50k distance. I calculated that I did not have enough time to get back prior to the 5:45 cut-off for commencing the final lap and so relaxed. Three friends, however, encouraged me to have a go and against my better judgement and with the wind at my back I tried to step up the pace but it was always a losing battle and I didn't have the necessary energy to draw upon.
I find it slightly puzzling that given a completely flat course and a bit of luck I can grind out a marathon in about 4 hours with even or slightly negative splits feeling relatively strong until the end. Throw a few hills into the equation, however, and no matter how easy I take things I cannot maintain consistency. I am aware that this, at least partly, has to be mental, but there must also be a physical conditioning element which I have tried to address by running quite a few hilly marathons but there seems to be no improvement. Keep grinding away I suppose...
I have sung the praises of Traviss and Rachel's events previously; relaxed, fun, inclusive and with bling and goodie bag I have heard described as 'to die for'. Personally I wouldn't go quite that far but I would definitely risk a smack to the head in order to get hold of one. The medal is a chunky, purpose-made thing of beauty, redolent of the finest Dwarvish metalwork in Middle-earth. To cap an excellent day, Mandy recorded her longest ever run of 17.25 miles which is a fantastic achievement.
24th September 2014 The Tolkien Run 31.05 miles 5:49:00 #47
Sunday, 21 September 2014
In Vino Veritas
The Bacchus Marathon takes place at Denbies Wine Estate near Dorking, it features wine at all of the frequent aid stations and is followed by a hog roast. As a teetotal vegan this seemed a perfect match! The course is a 13.1 mile loop over the hilly terrain around the vineyards and the emphasis is on fun rather than racing. A half-marathon commences an hour after the full marathon and entrants to the shorter event outnumber marathoners by a factor of 10:1, many of them in fancy dress. Lingering at the aid stations is the order of the day for most runners and a party atmosphere develops throughout. There are a few serious runners blazing round at the front of the pack, a few more like myself, not so speedy but there mainly for the running and then the majority there to enjoy the wine with a pleasant jog around Surrey hills thrown in.
I was slightly distracted at the start due to a friend arriving with seconds to spare and as a consequence forgot to start my watch, I realised this whilst chatting to another friend who mentioned that she was having trouble getting hers to pick up the satellite signal so missed recording the first half mile or so, but this wasn't a problem as I wasn't going for any particular time. My legs didn't feel great from the start and the uphills really seemed to be taking toll immediately so I decided to walk any hills which felt like they needed walking. Strength seemed to wax and wane without reason; a straightforward flat piece of trail would seem like it was sapping energy from my legs at an alarming rate and ten minutes later I would be happily trotting up a hill without thinking about it.
During the second circuit there was a small drama with a frantic bull loose on the trail and various marshals with land rovers trying to block its access to the runners, I later saw it charging about in a field and was very glad I didn't have to cope with it running towards me at any point! The aid stations were becoming increasingly busy as I caught more of the half-marathoners but this didn't impede me in grabbing water and heading on through. By mile 20 I was really feeling fatigued and was getting the 'ears full of water' feeling which I've experienced a few times previously; everything becomes muffled and a bit distant and tends to occur in conjunction with energy levels getting very low. From that point to the finish was a real grind but nothing out of the ordinary. The final aid station was a bit strange given my slightly spaced-out condition; there were about 25 people stood in a circle, holding lyric sheets and singing along to Mr Blue Sky by ELO. At least I think that really happened!
The last mile is a lovely gentle slope and so you can switch off and let gravity do its stuff, it's always nice to be overtaking people at the end of a race even if most of them had probably been drinking wine all day! I finished a couple of minutes after Mandy completed the half, had I known she was so close I might have put in an effort to catch her which probably wouldn't have been sensible as I felt tired enough having taken it relatively easily. In any case it was nice to recover from our efforts together without having to wait for the other to finish.
On reflection I think I was getting some hints from my body during this run. I've been stepping up training intensity over the previous few weeks; 13 miles at 5am on Tuesdays, track intervals on Wednesdays, a marathon most weekends and averaging over 50 miles per week, which is the toughest sustained training I've ever survived without injury, all with a target of some decent efforts in my upcoming road marathons. I think this was the point at which my body started to tell me to rest and I intend to listen, a couple of weeks with more days off are planned. I'll see whether the approach has worked in October!
14th September 2014 Bacchus Marathon 4:44:54 #46
I was slightly distracted at the start due to a friend arriving with seconds to spare and as a consequence forgot to start my watch, I realised this whilst chatting to another friend who mentioned that she was having trouble getting hers to pick up the satellite signal so missed recording the first half mile or so, but this wasn't a problem as I wasn't going for any particular time. My legs didn't feel great from the start and the uphills really seemed to be taking toll immediately so I decided to walk any hills which felt like they needed walking. Strength seemed to wax and wane without reason; a straightforward flat piece of trail would seem like it was sapping energy from my legs at an alarming rate and ten minutes later I would be happily trotting up a hill without thinking about it.
During the second circuit there was a small drama with a frantic bull loose on the trail and various marshals with land rovers trying to block its access to the runners, I later saw it charging about in a field and was very glad I didn't have to cope with it running towards me at any point! The aid stations were becoming increasingly busy as I caught more of the half-marathoners but this didn't impede me in grabbing water and heading on through. By mile 20 I was really feeling fatigued and was getting the 'ears full of water' feeling which I've experienced a few times previously; everything becomes muffled and a bit distant and tends to occur in conjunction with energy levels getting very low. From that point to the finish was a real grind but nothing out of the ordinary. The final aid station was a bit strange given my slightly spaced-out condition; there were about 25 people stood in a circle, holding lyric sheets and singing along to Mr Blue Sky by ELO. At least I think that really happened!
The last mile is a lovely gentle slope and so you can switch off and let gravity do its stuff, it's always nice to be overtaking people at the end of a race even if most of them had probably been drinking wine all day! I finished a couple of minutes after Mandy completed the half, had I known she was so close I might have put in an effort to catch her which probably wouldn't have been sensible as I felt tired enough having taken it relatively easily. In any case it was nice to recover from our efforts together without having to wait for the other to finish.
On reflection I think I was getting some hints from my body during this run. I've been stepping up training intensity over the previous few weeks; 13 miles at 5am on Tuesdays, track intervals on Wednesdays, a marathon most weekends and averaging over 50 miles per week, which is the toughest sustained training I've ever survived without injury, all with a target of some decent efforts in my upcoming road marathons. I think this was the point at which my body started to tell me to rest and I intend to listen, a couple of weeks with more days off are planned. I'll see whether the approach has worked in October!
14th September 2014 Bacchus Marathon 4:44:54 #46
Monday, 8 September 2014
Deliverance
I noticed the Chiltern Marathon listed on the 100 Marathon Club website, further investigation revealed that it was a 30 minute drive from home and entry in advance cost a very reasonable £5, or about 10% of what some of the big city marathons charge. It was an opportunity I deemed too good to miss. On arriving at Lane End Village Hall to register I spotted Glyn and Paul, a couple of familiar faces from the marathon circuit, preparing to run their 198th and 250th marathons respectively. They had opted for a 9am start and so set off about 15 minutes ahead of me. LDWA (Long Distant Walkers Association - despite the name they do allow runners to take part) organise excellent 'no frills' events; you are issued with a route description, checkpoint card, details of checkpoint locations and off you go into the countryside, navigating on the run, hopefully reaching the checkpoints in the correct order, you get your card clipped and at some point return to the start and collect a certificate of completion.
I realise that these events are primarily aimed at walkers and am more than happy with the additional complications for runners, it just adds a bit of spice to the events in my opinion. To cover the ground at any decent pace requires one eye on the instructions, another eye on the trail to avoid trips and falls and a third eye on overhanging branches and waymarks. Personally I run out of eyes which can lead to difficulties. Today's count was one major navigational error and two minor cuts, one as a result of not looking where I was going and another due to my usual clumsiness. The walkers start earlier and I guess they must view the runners with amusement, so often I will overtake a group of walkers, exchange the standard pleasantries, and jog off down some woodland path only to realise five minutes later that I had missed 'second path up through woods' so doubleback, find the correct turn and have to overtake the same group once again. Occasionally they will then catch you again as you stand at a trail junction deliberating over the correct route.
Just before the 12 mile point I completely missed the simple instruction 'In 70m TL on FP' (in 70 metres turn left on footpath) and continued on a long diagonal descent through some dense woodland. My first inkling that I was in the wrong place came as I exited the wood and became aware of a number of ancient pieces of machinery partially covered with threadbare tarpaulin and no obvious path to follow. I checked the instructions and realised that I was a fair way from where I should have been. A quick scope of my surroundings revealed a series of ramshackle buildings and a veritable graveyard of decaying machinery laying abandoned, overrun with undergrowth. Somewhere nearby a pig squealed. A previously unnoticed ill-defined trail ran back between some of the run-down buildings in the direction I needed to travel, although the crudely painted sign reading 'Privat - no acess' was slightly concerning. I proceeded cautiously until I became aware of a petrol engined lawn-mower phutting lazily. On negotiating a corner I was confronted with a young man in filthy dungarees tending an incongruously immaculate lawn, he noticed my approach and cut the engine, squinting at me suspiciously. "Hi, is that Shambridge Wood?" I enquired, indicating the thickly wooded hillside rising steeply to my left. Silence. In a measured manner the lawn tender issued a stream of tobacco juice from the side of his mouth onto the manicured grass, "I'll go ask pa." he eventually replied. "No need." I said hurriedly checking the instruction sheet, "Do you know where 'Glade House' is?" He looked shocked, eyes swiveling wildly rightwards, "What do you know about the Pink House?" he demanded. Following his line of sight I spotted the 'Pink House' and set off towards it at some pace, shouting my thanks back over my shoulder. From within one of the many precarious tin sheds I heard the sound of a banjo player picking notes as I sped away.
I decided to slow down and ensure there were no more directional issues, eventually reaching the 16 mile checkpoint with no further problems. Here I caught up with Paul, Glyn and a couple of others and decided to stick with them, this effectively absolved me from further navigational decisions and the final ten miles was a pleasant jog through the Chiltern Hills chatting with friends in the late summer sun before being safely delivered back to the village hall from which we had departed six hours earlier. All very enjoyable.
This was a back-to-front marathon; the first half was much more difficult than the second. My legs were tight for the first few miles following some hard training in the week and the responsibility of staying on the correct route added an element of stress. In contrast, having people to run with made the final miles pass unnoticed and I finished feeling strong. The nature of LDWA events mean that you are forced to take your time more than in events arranged solely with runners in mind and coupled with the hilly terrain it meant that this was never going to be a quick marathon, but that wasn't the aim today, it was to enjoy the experience and to chalk-up another marathon on my way to 100 Marathon Club 'wannabe' status - only five more to go now!
7th September 2014 Chiltern Marathon 6:09:18 #45
I realise that these events are primarily aimed at walkers and am more than happy with the additional complications for runners, it just adds a bit of spice to the events in my opinion. To cover the ground at any decent pace requires one eye on the instructions, another eye on the trail to avoid trips and falls and a third eye on overhanging branches and waymarks. Personally I run out of eyes which can lead to difficulties. Today's count was one major navigational error and two minor cuts, one as a result of not looking where I was going and another due to my usual clumsiness. The walkers start earlier and I guess they must view the runners with amusement, so often I will overtake a group of walkers, exchange the standard pleasantries, and jog off down some woodland path only to realise five minutes later that I had missed 'second path up through woods' so doubleback, find the correct turn and have to overtake the same group once again. Occasionally they will then catch you again as you stand at a trail junction deliberating over the correct route.
Just before the 12 mile point I completely missed the simple instruction 'In 70m TL on FP' (in 70 metres turn left on footpath) and continued on a long diagonal descent through some dense woodland. My first inkling that I was in the wrong place came as I exited the wood and became aware of a number of ancient pieces of machinery partially covered with threadbare tarpaulin and no obvious path to follow. I checked the instructions and realised that I was a fair way from where I should have been. A quick scope of my surroundings revealed a series of ramshackle buildings and a veritable graveyard of decaying machinery laying abandoned, overrun with undergrowth. Somewhere nearby a pig squealed. A previously unnoticed ill-defined trail ran back between some of the run-down buildings in the direction I needed to travel, although the crudely painted sign reading 'Privat - no acess' was slightly concerning. I proceeded cautiously until I became aware of a petrol engined lawn-mower phutting lazily. On negotiating a corner I was confronted with a young man in filthy dungarees tending an incongruously immaculate lawn, he noticed my approach and cut the engine, squinting at me suspiciously. "Hi, is that Shambridge Wood?" I enquired, indicating the thickly wooded hillside rising steeply to my left. Silence. In a measured manner the lawn tender issued a stream of tobacco juice from the side of his mouth onto the manicured grass, "I'll go ask pa." he eventually replied. "No need." I said hurriedly checking the instruction sheet, "Do you know where 'Glade House' is?" He looked shocked, eyes swiveling wildly rightwards, "What do you know about the Pink House?" he demanded. Following his line of sight I spotted the 'Pink House' and set off towards it at some pace, shouting my thanks back over my shoulder. From within one of the many precarious tin sheds I heard the sound of a banjo player picking notes as I sped away.
I decided to slow down and ensure there were no more directional issues, eventually reaching the 16 mile checkpoint with no further problems. Here I caught up with Paul, Glyn and a couple of others and decided to stick with them, this effectively absolved me from further navigational decisions and the final ten miles was a pleasant jog through the Chiltern Hills chatting with friends in the late summer sun before being safely delivered back to the village hall from which we had departed six hours earlier. All very enjoyable.
This was a back-to-front marathon; the first half was much more difficult than the second. My legs were tight for the first few miles following some hard training in the week and the responsibility of staying on the correct route added an element of stress. In contrast, having people to run with made the final miles pass unnoticed and I finished feeling strong. The nature of LDWA events mean that you are forced to take your time more than in events arranged solely with runners in mind and coupled with the hilly terrain it meant that this was never going to be a quick marathon, but that wasn't the aim today, it was to enjoy the experience and to chalk-up another marathon on my way to 100 Marathon Club 'wannabe' status - only five more to go now!
7th September 2014 Chiltern Marathon 6:09:18 #45
Sunday, 24 August 2014
A Tale of Four Marathons
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. Well, that's not really true, it's all been quite good this month. Over the last four weeks I've enjoyed a nice little routine of running a relaxed trail marathon each weekend at a variety of locations within easy reach of home with a very familiar cast of fellow runners, almost as if the same event with the same runners has been transplanted to a different place each time. The aim has been to get more miles in my legs without pushing myself too hard ahead of a few road marathons in the autumn at which I will aim to record some reasonable times.
First up was the Vanguard Way marathon which follows part of the eponymous trail southwards from Croydon on an out and back basis. On driving around the M25 over the years I had often looked at the imposing rise of the North Downs and wondered how I would manage a run on the terrain; today was the day I found out! Soon after the start I had some severe stomach cramps which had me trying to spot suitably discreet locations within residential South Croydon for an emergency stop, however the feeling passed quite quickly and I was able to continue without further discomfort. The topology of the trail meant that, although it was generally hilly, we had two major descents on the way out but of course the reverse in the second half. They really were tough in both directions and the constant undulation of the route did draw the strength from my legs eventually but I was pleased with how I coped mentally being completely on my own for the entire return portion. On a few occasions as I neared the finish I had to stop to work out the correct route as I didn't want to add any additional mileage but was able to think clearly enough to make the right decision each time. On quite a warm day this was a satisfying, if slow, run and overall I was pleased. Cue shimmering effect, sunny south London fades out...
... blustery and somewhat overcast Wiltshire fades in. The Salisbury 5-4-3-2-1 is a fantastic event offering options at 10k, half-marathon, 30k, marathon and 50k with the longest route taking in five rivers, four hills, three large country estates, two castles and one cathedral, not to mention a horse racing course and an ancient yew forest. The tail end of hurricane Bertha was still making itself felt which meant occasional high gusts and rain but it was nothing extreme. Again this was a gently paced effort in which I felt strong right through to the end and was able to keep going at a satisfactory rate throughout. Mandy took the opportunity to run the 10k and managed to find a bonus mile or two and so gained full value for money! Shimmering fades to...
... cloudy but warm Hertfordshire for Leila's Run, an event held in memory of a 100 Marathon Club member consisting of a repeated 6.7 mile loop which was one of her favourite training runs. Four loops resulted in an official marathon finish but there was the option to stop after any complete loop and still receive a finishers medal. I travelled up for this with a carload of marathon stalwarts; Danny, Martin, Pete and Dean. Dean and I can muster just over 100 completed marathons between us, the other three have a combined total of over 1700, the accurate figure is unclear as Pete has stopped counting! Pete and I enjoy a friendly running rivalry, our current best performances at all distances are very similar which results in some good-natured banter during races but also has the effect of pushing both of us on if we both happen to have a good day. I spent the early part if the run trying to keep Pete in view as he set off at a blistering (for us) pace but slowly reeled him in and went past towards the end of lap one telling him that I was feeling very strong, which was not quite true! The impetus provided by wanting to stay ahead of him pushed me through laps two and three until on completing the third circuit I spotted him in his car. He had decided to call it a day at the half-marathon point meaning that I had been pushing myself in an attempt to stay ahead of someone who wasn't even still in the race. Immediately I felt ill and the prospect of the final lap was a bit daunting but I managed to hike my way round with occasional jogging interludes at a very slow pace. It was very interesting to note how my mental resolve to push myself evaporated once I didn't have the rivalry to drive me but I was pleased with the way I just got the job done. Here's that shimmering effect again, fading to...
... opulent south-west London on a pleasant late summer morning for the Thames Meander, a flat trail run along the river from Kingston-upon-Thames to Putney Bridge and back again. As this marathon starts at the same location an hour after Kingston parkrun a few of us thought it would be a good idea to undertake the 5k event as a sort of warm-up and so I trotted comfortably through this in 27:44 running the last mile with Martin, one of the many constant cast members over these four weeks. The marathon itself proceeded without drama, the additional few miles in advance of the run didn't seem to make too much difference, more of a challenge was the finish which took us back past the start/finish area at the 24 mile point for a mini out-and-back in the opposite direction, meaning that those still running were taunted by the sight of the earlier finishers relaxing on the grass enjoying the food and drink on offer as we gritted out teeth for the painful yards. At this point I was hoping to see Mandy, who had run her first half-marathon, in order to find out how she had done but she wasn't around, however a friend told me they had run it together successfully. I had no doubt she would complete it but it was reassuring to have it confirmed.
My approach to these August runs was just to get the miles in my legs without any pace pressure and to work on mental toughness. The nature of trail marathons mean you are likely to have figurative as well as literal ups and downs and I purposely ran them without music and on my own for at least the second half in order to have to face and come through any negative phases solely from within myself and in that respect I am satisfied with the way it all worked out. My times improved throughout but that is more a reflection of the ever flatter nature of the successive courses rather than any improvement in my running.
3rd August 2014 Vanguard Way 5:36:12 #41
10th August 2014 Salisbury 5-4-3-2-1 4:49:08 #42
17th August 2014 Leila's Run 4:44:48 #43
23rd August 2014 Thames Meander 4:27:58 #44
First up was the Vanguard Way marathon which follows part of the eponymous trail southwards from Croydon on an out and back basis. On driving around the M25 over the years I had often looked at the imposing rise of the North Downs and wondered how I would manage a run on the terrain; today was the day I found out! Soon after the start I had some severe stomach cramps which had me trying to spot suitably discreet locations within residential South Croydon for an emergency stop, however the feeling passed quite quickly and I was able to continue without further discomfort. The topology of the trail meant that, although it was generally hilly, we had two major descents on the way out but of course the reverse in the second half. They really were tough in both directions and the constant undulation of the route did draw the strength from my legs eventually but I was pleased with how I coped mentally being completely on my own for the entire return portion. On a few occasions as I neared the finish I had to stop to work out the correct route as I didn't want to add any additional mileage but was able to think clearly enough to make the right decision each time. On quite a warm day this was a satisfying, if slow, run and overall I was pleased. Cue shimmering effect, sunny south London fades out...
... blustery and somewhat overcast Wiltshire fades in. The Salisbury 5-4-3-2-1 is a fantastic event offering options at 10k, half-marathon, 30k, marathon and 50k with the longest route taking in five rivers, four hills, three large country estates, two castles and one cathedral, not to mention a horse racing course and an ancient yew forest. The tail end of hurricane Bertha was still making itself felt which meant occasional high gusts and rain but it was nothing extreme. Again this was a gently paced effort in which I felt strong right through to the end and was able to keep going at a satisfactory rate throughout. Mandy took the opportunity to run the 10k and managed to find a bonus mile or two and so gained full value for money! Shimmering fades to...
... cloudy but warm Hertfordshire for Leila's Run, an event held in memory of a 100 Marathon Club member consisting of a repeated 6.7 mile loop which was one of her favourite training runs. Four loops resulted in an official marathon finish but there was the option to stop after any complete loop and still receive a finishers medal. I travelled up for this with a carload of marathon stalwarts; Danny, Martin, Pete and Dean. Dean and I can muster just over 100 completed marathons between us, the other three have a combined total of over 1700, the accurate figure is unclear as Pete has stopped counting! Pete and I enjoy a friendly running rivalry, our current best performances at all distances are very similar which results in some good-natured banter during races but also has the effect of pushing both of us on if we both happen to have a good day. I spent the early part if the run trying to keep Pete in view as he set off at a blistering (for us) pace but slowly reeled him in and went past towards the end of lap one telling him that I was feeling very strong, which was not quite true! The impetus provided by wanting to stay ahead of him pushed me through laps two and three until on completing the third circuit I spotted him in his car. He had decided to call it a day at the half-marathon point meaning that I had been pushing myself in an attempt to stay ahead of someone who wasn't even still in the race. Immediately I felt ill and the prospect of the final lap was a bit daunting but I managed to hike my way round with occasional jogging interludes at a very slow pace. It was very interesting to note how my mental resolve to push myself evaporated once I didn't have the rivalry to drive me but I was pleased with the way I just got the job done. Here's that shimmering effect again, fading to...
... opulent south-west London on a pleasant late summer morning for the Thames Meander, a flat trail run along the river from Kingston-upon-Thames to Putney Bridge and back again. As this marathon starts at the same location an hour after Kingston parkrun a few of us thought it would be a good idea to undertake the 5k event as a sort of warm-up and so I trotted comfortably through this in 27:44 running the last mile with Martin, one of the many constant cast members over these four weeks. The marathon itself proceeded without drama, the additional few miles in advance of the run didn't seem to make too much difference, more of a challenge was the finish which took us back past the start/finish area at the 24 mile point for a mini out-and-back in the opposite direction, meaning that those still running were taunted by the sight of the earlier finishers relaxing on the grass enjoying the food and drink on offer as we gritted out teeth for the painful yards. At this point I was hoping to see Mandy, who had run her first half-marathon, in order to find out how she had done but she wasn't around, however a friend told me they had run it together successfully. I had no doubt she would complete it but it was reassuring to have it confirmed.
My approach to these August runs was just to get the miles in my legs without any pace pressure and to work on mental toughness. The nature of trail marathons mean you are likely to have figurative as well as literal ups and downs and I purposely ran them without music and on my own for at least the second half in order to have to face and come through any negative phases solely from within myself and in that respect I am satisfied with the way it all worked out. My times improved throughout but that is more a reflection of the ever flatter nature of the successive courses rather than any improvement in my running.
3rd August 2014 Vanguard Way 5:36:12 #41
10th August 2014 Salisbury 5-4-3-2-1 4:49:08 #42
17th August 2014 Leila's Run 4:44:48 #43
23rd August 2014 Thames Meander 4:27:58 #44
Sunday, 27 July 2014
Night Fever
So... a marathon starting at 4pm in temperatures nudging up towards 30C; obviously the sensible approach would be to start well within yourself and proceed cautiously until the heat subsided to a more comfortable level and then push on to the finish without any target time. Only a complete idiot would storm off at quicker than PB pace and think he could maintain that level. Guess which option I took...
My plan had been to follow the run for nine minutes, walk for one minute approach which had worked so well in hot conditions at Viking Coastal. What I failed to do was reign in my early exuberance with the result that between my walk breaks I was actually pushing pretty hard and was up with people who are a fair bit quicker than me on a good day. I had in mind that I am now able to complete a marathon in four hours and should start to improve on that mark. What I had completely forgotten was the wisdom of the countless marathon running guides I have read over the years which assert that at 30C you would expect up to a 20% reduction in normal pace. It was a pretty stupid display and did I pay for it! By 15 miles I was spent and the race became a real grind to the finish, most runners were suffering but I was still being regularly overtaken, it actually became impossible to walk fast without going dizzy and regular rests on convenient benches became necessary. I was amazed that I didn't record a 20 minute mile at any point.
I don't think I need to highlight what I learned from this experience! Still, another marathon in the bag and with potentially six more in the next seven weeks, I hope the message has lodged in my brain now!
25th July 2014 Enigma Night Fever 5:24:41 #40
My plan had been to follow the run for nine minutes, walk for one minute approach which had worked so well in hot conditions at Viking Coastal. What I failed to do was reign in my early exuberance with the result that between my walk breaks I was actually pushing pretty hard and was up with people who are a fair bit quicker than me on a good day. I had in mind that I am now able to complete a marathon in four hours and should start to improve on that mark. What I had completely forgotten was the wisdom of the countless marathon running guides I have read over the years which assert that at 30C you would expect up to a 20% reduction in normal pace. It was a pretty stupid display and did I pay for it! By 15 miles I was spent and the race became a real grind to the finish, most runners were suffering but I was still being regularly overtaken, it actually became impossible to walk fast without going dizzy and regular rests on convenient benches became necessary. I was amazed that I didn't record a 20 minute mile at any point.
I don't think I need to highlight what I learned from this experience! Still, another marathon in the bag and with potentially six more in the next seven weeks, I hope the message has lodged in my brain now!
25th July 2014 Enigma Night Fever 5:24:41 #40
Endure 24 & Ranscombe Challenge
These two events were time rather than distance based which I went into with two objectives; to go through the night without stopping and to see how far I could travel in eight hours. I managed to fail in both objectives but strangely wasn't in the least bit bothered by the failure. As ever when we fail in objectives there are excuses I could list but they would be just that, excuses, and therefore worthless. Far better, I think, just to accept that the failures were down to me, smile and move on. In any case I really enjoyed both events and that is the fundamental reason I run.
Endure 24 is an event in which teams or individuals run from midday Saturday until midday on Sunday to see how many five mile loops can be completed. Mandy and I had entered as a pair with the idea that we would share daylight loops but I would run through the hours of darkness. As Mandy had to work on the Saturday morning I had completed four laps by the time she arrived for her first run. Heavy rain had already turned the largely woodland course into a muddy mess, as well as soaking me to the skin. I enjoyed a partial change of clothes and some refueling before setting off for another couple of laps. At that point we calculated that Mandy could get another lap in before I took over for the night shift. I ate, drank and had a complete change of clothes before heading out warm, dry and snug ready to push on through the night. Ten minutes later a deluge had once again soaked me to the skin. I trudged on through the dark, slipping and sliding on the now liquid mud, in a dreadful mood. The thought of another six hours of shivering through the darkness was too much for me when home was only ten minutes drive away. I finished the lap and told Mandy I was heading back for a bath, comfortable bed and warm, dry clothes. She concurred that this sounded a very reasonable idea!
I had intended to get up about 6am and head back for another five laps but it was past 8am when we awoke. We managed to get back in time for me to complete another three circuits, giving us a team total of 60 miles. This is an excellent event, dubbed Glastonbury for runners by the organisers, and it does have something of a festival vibe though without the same level of illegal drugs, and we fully intend to return next year with the same plan.
The Ranscombe Challenge was an eight hour event based around hilly 3.8 mile loops of the picturesque Ranscombe Farm nature reserve in Kent. My initial plan was to jog round continually maybe completing ten circuits in the time allowed. I therefore set off at a very comfortable pace in the cool, misty early morning; ideal conditions for endurance running. I pretty much coasted around the course for seven laps, at that point I had officially completed a marathon and made a snap decision to ring the bell, signalling that I had finished. It was a decision that almost took me by surprise and had only really occurred to me in the final quarter mile or so. Having taken things so steadily it meant that my legs felt good and I was able to relax and wait for Mandy to complete her circuits whilst socialising with others who had 'only' completed marathon distance. By the evening I felt as if I hadn't run at all that day.
I think all I really learned today is that when offered a choice between an easy five and a bit hours running or pushing myself for the maximum amount of time I took the easy option with no sense of guilt whatsoever! Nevertheless this was a very enjoyable day and it is a format I am interested to try again but with the awareness that I might try and catch myself out with an unexpected change of plan!
12th July 2014 Ranscombe Challenge 5:16:49 #39
Endure 24 is an event in which teams or individuals run from midday Saturday until midday on Sunday to see how many five mile loops can be completed. Mandy and I had entered as a pair with the idea that we would share daylight loops but I would run through the hours of darkness. As Mandy had to work on the Saturday morning I had completed four laps by the time she arrived for her first run. Heavy rain had already turned the largely woodland course into a muddy mess, as well as soaking me to the skin. I enjoyed a partial change of clothes and some refueling before setting off for another couple of laps. At that point we calculated that Mandy could get another lap in before I took over for the night shift. I ate, drank and had a complete change of clothes before heading out warm, dry and snug ready to push on through the night. Ten minutes later a deluge had once again soaked me to the skin. I trudged on through the dark, slipping and sliding on the now liquid mud, in a dreadful mood. The thought of another six hours of shivering through the darkness was too much for me when home was only ten minutes drive away. I finished the lap and told Mandy I was heading back for a bath, comfortable bed and warm, dry clothes. She concurred that this sounded a very reasonable idea!
I had intended to get up about 6am and head back for another five laps but it was past 8am when we awoke. We managed to get back in time for me to complete another three circuits, giving us a team total of 60 miles. This is an excellent event, dubbed Glastonbury for runners by the organisers, and it does have something of a festival vibe though without the same level of illegal drugs, and we fully intend to return next year with the same plan.
The Ranscombe Challenge was an eight hour event based around hilly 3.8 mile loops of the picturesque Ranscombe Farm nature reserve in Kent. My initial plan was to jog round continually maybe completing ten circuits in the time allowed. I therefore set off at a very comfortable pace in the cool, misty early morning; ideal conditions for endurance running. I pretty much coasted around the course for seven laps, at that point I had officially completed a marathon and made a snap decision to ring the bell, signalling that I had finished. It was a decision that almost took me by surprise and had only really occurred to me in the final quarter mile or so. Having taken things so steadily it meant that my legs felt good and I was able to relax and wait for Mandy to complete her circuits whilst socialising with others who had 'only' completed marathon distance. By the evening I felt as if I hadn't run at all that day.
I think all I really learned today is that when offered a choice between an easy five and a bit hours running or pushing myself for the maximum amount of time I took the easy option with no sense of guilt whatsoever! Nevertheless this was a very enjoyable day and it is a format I am interested to try again but with the awareness that I might try and catch myself out with an unexpected change of plan!
12th July 2014 Ranscombe Challenge 5:16:49 #39
Saturday, 26 July 2014
Mountain High
Back in 2012 when I had very little marathon experience I entered the inaugural Trail Marathon Wales as the idea of running through the remote, rugged terrain of the Snowdonia National Park appealed to my nascent inner trail-runner. On the drive over to north Wales that year I was hooked by the imposing natural beauty of the area and the marathon itself proved a truly exhilarating experience. At the finish, in the midst of a profound runner's high, I vowed to return each year until I was no longer able to do so. The third running was every bit as awe-inspiring and enjoyable as the first two and I'm delighted that the enchanting magic of the event continues to hold me in thrall.
The continuing development of the Coed y Brenin forest park enhances the event which improves still further with each running. The extension to the visitor centre lends an amphitheatre feel to the new start/finish area as spectators view from the balcony areas high above. From a runner's perspective the stark, grey Cadair Idris mountain, upon which local giant Idris is said to have reclined in order to study the night sky, is framed by the starting gantry serving as a reminder that despite the laid-back feel there are some very testing elements to this race.
The start is traditionally signalled by a shot from the gamekeeper's gun, usually from a position on a platform beside the gantry, however, on this occasion he was running late. The race director was in the process of asking whether we wished to await his arrival when he appeared, scrambling down the hillside, set himself and fired us on our way. The unusual start always adds to the palpable excitement which pervades the build-up to this event and smiles abounded as we set off ascending the first of many hills. Unlike the first two events, the weather for this one was quite warm and I had decided that there was no point in trying to achieve any target time; I was going to relax, take photos and enjoy myself. And that is exactly what I did...
The continuing development of the Coed y Brenin forest park enhances the event which improves still further with each running. The extension to the visitor centre lends an amphitheatre feel to the new start/finish area as spectators view from the balcony areas high above. From a runner's perspective the stark, grey Cadair Idris mountain, upon which local giant Idris is said to have reclined in order to study the night sky, is framed by the starting gantry serving as a reminder that despite the laid-back feel there are some very testing elements to this race.
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| The start viewed from the visitor centre |
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| The visitor centre viewed from the start |
The course, altered in each iteration for various weather related reasons, consists of a variety of forest tracks and trails and always manages to include some tremendous climbs and descents along with testing technical sections which on tired legs can lead to some spectacular falls. Despite being someone that can quite literally trip over nothing, and regularly does so, I have never taken a tumble in my time on these trails, a record I am very keen to maintain! This year the route took us over to the western side of the A470 for the first time. Driving along that road, the inclines to that side always seem more severe than those to the east, however, once over there the route consisted of fairly similar terrain and the hot, hard work continued up and down some of the renowned mountain bike runs. How people manage to cycle down parts of those trails I have no idea, it is tough enough remaining upright on two feet through the rocky twists and drops.
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| View of the start/finish from mile 21 |
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| And the reverse view looking back up to mile 21 |
Despite having taken things very easily, the nature of trail running in this area combined with the sun had me exhausted by the end, and it was with relief that I staggered across the line to meet the ever-supportive Mandy and was able to rest in the shade before a somewhat stiff-legged shuffle back up to the car-park. The scenery and toughness of this event is like an addictive drug to me and so ten minutes later, back in our log-cabin, the date of next year's TMW was already entered onto my marathon calendar. I really can't get enough of it and just hope the magic never fades.
21st June 2014 Trail Marathon Wales 5:29:23 #38
Sunday, 8 June 2014
Viking Coastal
One of the benefits of running marathons on a frequent basis is that it allows for a great deal of experimentation with tactics, preparation and fueling. If things go wrong at least you get a nice long training run logged and a medal for your efforts. Following a couple of maras that didn't quite go to plan I decided to return to what I know works well for me and have another go with early walking breaks. I had a look at the Jeff Galloway 'Magic Mile' calculator which suggested that I should go with a run for four minutes, walk for 40 seconds strategy and through this could achieve a time of 3:35:52. On the basis that I have just stepped up my training volume, hadn't tapered and was intending a reasonably hard effort at parkrun the day before the race, I thought attempting to knock 23 minutes off my marathon PB might be slightly on the ambitious side. Or completely stupid. Not to mention impossible. I decided to use a run for nine minutes, walk for one minute strategy as that, a) would be far easier to work out during the race and b) just felt right for me.
At parkrun I had half an idea that I might attempt an assault on my course PB but my legs felt very heavy after some hilly ten milers during the week and I finished almost a minute outside the target, slightly disappointed but at least I felt like I had put in decent effort for the whole 5K. Mandy and I enjoyed a good journey over to Kent and spent a very enjoyable evening with various running friends we happened to meet up with but got to bed a little late bearing in mind the 7am start time. As normal, though, I was up and ready to leave in plenty of time!
The day dawned very calm and clear and was forecast to get quite warm during the morning but I felt ready for that, my only real concern was that my stomach had been unsettled for a few days, Imodium had been taken and I was carrying a further emergency dose. Traviss gave his race briefing; the course was pancake flat and followed the coastal path from Birchington-on-Sea up to Reculver Castle and back, the 6.55 mile loop was therefore to be completed four times.
It was liberating to begin a marathon feeling like I was able to go at a reasonable pace from the start; music was on, weather was good and I felt in decent shape. The only minor irritant was the thousands of tiny black flies which coated shirts and shorts and necessitated running with mouth shut as much as possible at certain parts of the course. At the top of the first loop, however, I suffered the first stomach tremors so took my emergency dose. Mandy was running one loop as part of her training and by the time I reached her on the way back I was convinced I would have to visit the public toilets which were situated a couple of hundred metres beyond the turn-around point. Luckily things had calmed down sufficiently for this to be unnecessary by the time I got there so I continued but was soon experiencing difficulty again, only for it all to settle again a short while later.
This pattern continued; the run/walk was working well, I was being very disciplined with the timing, the stomach issues waxed and waned, and gradually I began to think I could control things sufficiently to complete the race without incident. This was day two of a double which meant that a fair proportion of the runners had run the same course yesterday. Being on comparatively fresh legs meant that I was towards the front of the field from the start and was able to slowly work my way further forward as their tired legs suffered in the heat, feeling I was making progress in this way was a boost although I was very well aware that I had a distinct advantage.
I had completed each loop in just under an hour which was provided a comforting cushion for the final loop. As I approached the last turn-around I was aware that my pace was dropping but had 33 minutes to complete the return and accomplish a 'sub four' for the second time. It was really hot by this time and with no shade on the course the full force of the sun was being felt by all competitors. It took a fair bit of teeth-gritting to maintain the cadence of my footfall, I concentrated on keeping good form and trying not to calculate required pace until I was close enough to go for the line. With three minutes to spare I had a clear view of the finish but it was difficult to judge how far away it was. A friend also completing the race overtook me looking strong. I decided to 'hitch a lift' with him but just didn't have the legs to do so. I picked the pace up as much as I could and tried to ignore my loudly complaining legs. It was a great relief to hear Rachel, the official timer, announce: "Three, fifty-nine, oh three... four... five!" as I approached and crossed the line. Another sub-four in the bag!!
After the traditional rolling around on the grass trying to work out which part of me hurt most I soon recovered enough to be able to, with Mandy's assistance, dash back to the hotel and enjoy a brief soak in the bath before the midday check-out. One of the benefits of the organisers' penchant for very early starts! Traviss and Rachel put on really enjoyable, runner-orientated events, it's almost like going out for a relaxed run with a load of friends but at the end you receive an outstanding medal and goody bag and have added another marathon to your total. I recommend them very highly.
It was very satisfying that the disciplined run/walk approach worked so effectively on a hot day and when I had to cope with the stomach issues. I certainly think walking every ten minutes helped settle things down in that area. It was gratifying to finish eighth overall albeit a somewhat false position due to many running their second marathon of the weekend. I'm not deluded enough to think that would happen if everyone turned up with their race legs on, but it does make me feel like I'm making some progress. There have been many moments of self-doubt over the last couple of years during which I would never have believed it possible even with advantage enjoyed on this occasion.
8th June 2014 Viking Coastal Summer 3:59:05 #37
At parkrun I had half an idea that I might attempt an assault on my course PB but my legs felt very heavy after some hilly ten milers during the week and I finished almost a minute outside the target, slightly disappointed but at least I felt like I had put in decent effort for the whole 5K. Mandy and I enjoyed a good journey over to Kent and spent a very enjoyable evening with various running friends we happened to meet up with but got to bed a little late bearing in mind the 7am start time. As normal, though, I was up and ready to leave in plenty of time!
The day dawned very calm and clear and was forecast to get quite warm during the morning but I felt ready for that, my only real concern was that my stomach had been unsettled for a few days, Imodium had been taken and I was carrying a further emergency dose. Traviss gave his race briefing; the course was pancake flat and followed the coastal path from Birchington-on-Sea up to Reculver Castle and back, the 6.55 mile loop was therefore to be completed four times.
It was liberating to begin a marathon feeling like I was able to go at a reasonable pace from the start; music was on, weather was good and I felt in decent shape. The only minor irritant was the thousands of tiny black flies which coated shirts and shorts and necessitated running with mouth shut as much as possible at certain parts of the course. At the top of the first loop, however, I suffered the first stomach tremors so took my emergency dose. Mandy was running one loop as part of her training and by the time I reached her on the way back I was convinced I would have to visit the public toilets which were situated a couple of hundred metres beyond the turn-around point. Luckily things had calmed down sufficiently for this to be unnecessary by the time I got there so I continued but was soon experiencing difficulty again, only for it all to settle again a short while later.
This pattern continued; the run/walk was working well, I was being very disciplined with the timing, the stomach issues waxed and waned, and gradually I began to think I could control things sufficiently to complete the race without incident. This was day two of a double which meant that a fair proportion of the runners had run the same course yesterday. Being on comparatively fresh legs meant that I was towards the front of the field from the start and was able to slowly work my way further forward as their tired legs suffered in the heat, feeling I was making progress in this way was a boost although I was very well aware that I had a distinct advantage.
I had completed each loop in just under an hour which was provided a comforting cushion for the final loop. As I approached the last turn-around I was aware that my pace was dropping but had 33 minutes to complete the return and accomplish a 'sub four' for the second time. It was really hot by this time and with no shade on the course the full force of the sun was being felt by all competitors. It took a fair bit of teeth-gritting to maintain the cadence of my footfall, I concentrated on keeping good form and trying not to calculate required pace until I was close enough to go for the line. With three minutes to spare I had a clear view of the finish but it was difficult to judge how far away it was. A friend also completing the race overtook me looking strong. I decided to 'hitch a lift' with him but just didn't have the legs to do so. I picked the pace up as much as I could and tried to ignore my loudly complaining legs. It was a great relief to hear Rachel, the official timer, announce: "Three, fifty-nine, oh three... four... five!" as I approached and crossed the line. Another sub-four in the bag!!
After the traditional rolling around on the grass trying to work out which part of me hurt most I soon recovered enough to be able to, with Mandy's assistance, dash back to the hotel and enjoy a brief soak in the bath before the midday check-out. One of the benefits of the organisers' penchant for very early starts! Traviss and Rachel put on really enjoyable, runner-orientated events, it's almost like going out for a relaxed run with a load of friends but at the end you receive an outstanding medal and goody bag and have added another marathon to your total. I recommend them very highly.
It was very satisfying that the disciplined run/walk approach worked so effectively on a hot day and when I had to cope with the stomach issues. I certainly think walking every ten minutes helped settle things down in that area. It was gratifying to finish eighth overall albeit a somewhat false position due to many running their second marathon of the weekend. I'm not deluded enough to think that would happen if everyone turned up with their race legs on, but it does make me feel like I'm making some progress. There have been many moments of self-doubt over the last couple of years during which I would never have believed it possible even with advantage enjoyed on this occasion.
8th June 2014 Viking Coastal Summer 3:59:05 #37
Saturday, 31 May 2014
Cyclepathic Disorder
This time last year I ran the Kent Roadrunner Marathon at the Cyclopark in Gravesend in a fairly stupid manner; I went out over-exuberantly, paid for it painfully in the second half and struggled home in a time twenty minutes slower than target. This year I have the experience of a further 22 marathons under my belt and I know that it suits me to start cautiously with early walk breaks and build up to a fast finish. So I went out and did exactly the same thing as last year. Clearly some kind of cyclepathic disorder is affecting me. Either that or I got carried away in the early stages of the race and ran like an idiot. Again.
The trouble is that tzruns put on such good events that they attract entries from a large number of multiple marathoning types. This means there are so many friends to catch up with that I end up over-enthusiastic on the start line and go off like a dog chasing a stick. I tried to counter this effect by starting right at the back this time but to no avail, the first four miles were all between 30 seconds and a minute quicker than the comfortable pace I'd intended to start with, at which point I thought it might be a good idea to pick the pace up a bit. It was a warm day and before halfway I was getting flashing spots in front of my eyes. Luckily I was sensible enough to take this as a clue that maybe I should back-off a bit and my race plan instantly changed from trying to beat four hours to reaching the finish as comfortably as possible with as many walk breaks as were needed to achieve that aim.
I did feel slightly daft being overtaken by friends whom I'd recently passed myself but all in all I was happy to be sensible. Some days it all comes together nicely, other days you just have to do what you have to do to reach the finish. So I strolled a bit, chatted a little, jogged the downhills, struggled uphill and enjoyed watching a large number of friends go about their standard weekend business of putting 26.2 miles behind themselves. Particularly inspiring were those who had completed ten marathons in ten days at Lake Windermere earlier in the month. Some runners really did suffer in the heat and the medical staff in attendance were in action on a few occasions which provided reassurance that my change of strategy was pragmatic.
The social aspect of the event continued after the race due to Anna completing her 100th marathon and being presented with her official 100 Marathon Club gear. I still felt a bit spaced-out but joined the crowd gathered to hear the short speech from chairman Traviss Willcox and applaud the presentation before attacking the table full of cake, as is traditional on these occasions.
Being honest with myself, I reached a point in March/April this year where I thought I could now turn up to an event and grind out a four hour marathon if I wanted to do so. Since then Hamburg and now Kent Roadrunner have given me a gentle nudge and reminded me to be a bit more humble about things. I am still not fit or conditioned enough to consider that as a given minimum and complacency about the distance is a dangerous mindset. I am, though, now much happier changing my plans mid-race and rather than brooding about it afterwards, feeling like a failure, I can smile and 'enjoy' the bumpy ride to the end with no concern about how my finishing time will look to others.
It is obvious that the people behind this excellent event have run a lot of marathons themselves; everything is thought through from a runner's perspective which is why it has quickly become one of the most enjoyable social events on my marathon calendar. One of the really nice touches is that the professionally taken race photographs are available at no extra charge, compared with the big events which will often charge £60 in addition to an inflated entry fee. I have already entered for next year and will, at some stage, possibly run a decent race at this venue. Or maybe not. In any case I know there will be plenty of friends around no matter how the running eventuates and for that reason alone it's worth being there.
31st May 2014 Kent Roadrunner 4:34:10 #36
The trouble is that tzruns put on such good events that they attract entries from a large number of multiple marathoning types. This means there are so many friends to catch up with that I end up over-enthusiastic on the start line and go off like a dog chasing a stick. I tried to counter this effect by starting right at the back this time but to no avail, the first four miles were all between 30 seconds and a minute quicker than the comfortable pace I'd intended to start with, at which point I thought it might be a good idea to pick the pace up a bit. It was a warm day and before halfway I was getting flashing spots in front of my eyes. Luckily I was sensible enough to take this as a clue that maybe I should back-off a bit and my race plan instantly changed from trying to beat four hours to reaching the finish as comfortably as possible with as many walk breaks as were needed to achieve that aim.
I did feel slightly daft being overtaken by friends whom I'd recently passed myself but all in all I was happy to be sensible. Some days it all comes together nicely, other days you just have to do what you have to do to reach the finish. So I strolled a bit, chatted a little, jogged the downhills, struggled uphill and enjoyed watching a large number of friends go about their standard weekend business of putting 26.2 miles behind themselves. Particularly inspiring were those who had completed ten marathons in ten days at Lake Windermere earlier in the month. Some runners really did suffer in the heat and the medical staff in attendance were in action on a few occasions which provided reassurance that my change of strategy was pragmatic.
The social aspect of the event continued after the race due to Anna completing her 100th marathon and being presented with her official 100 Marathon Club gear. I still felt a bit spaced-out but joined the crowd gathered to hear the short speech from chairman Traviss Willcox and applaud the presentation before attacking the table full of cake, as is traditional on these occasions.
Being honest with myself, I reached a point in March/April this year where I thought I could now turn up to an event and grind out a four hour marathon if I wanted to do so. Since then Hamburg and now Kent Roadrunner have given me a gentle nudge and reminded me to be a bit more humble about things. I am still not fit or conditioned enough to consider that as a given minimum and complacency about the distance is a dangerous mindset. I am, though, now much happier changing my plans mid-race and rather than brooding about it afterwards, feeling like a failure, I can smile and 'enjoy' the bumpy ride to the end with no concern about how my finishing time will look to others.
It is obvious that the people behind this excellent event have run a lot of marathons themselves; everything is thought through from a runner's perspective which is why it has quickly become one of the most enjoyable social events on my marathon calendar. One of the really nice touches is that the professionally taken race photographs are available at no extra charge, compared with the big events which will often charge £60 in addition to an inflated entry fee. I have already entered for next year and will, at some stage, possibly run a decent race at this venue. Or maybe not. In any case I know there will be plenty of friends around no matter how the running eventuates and for that reason alone it's worth being there.
31st May 2014 Kent Roadrunner 4:34:10 #36
Sunday, 11 May 2014
Run to the hills!
Stroud Trail Marathon was a very enjoyable exploration of some of the hillier parts surrounding the small Gloucestershire town. This was an inaugural event and so was entered with an element of blind faith in the organisers and I am pleased to say they delivered a very good event, instructions emailed out in the week before were comprehensive and it all worked pretty much as advertised. I was daftly delighted to collect my race number and find that it was my favourite number, 17, and was also personalised with my name. After a briefing in the 'Subscription Rooms' at the Town Hall, we gathered in the square outside
At 9am a hooter was sounded and everyone stood still waiting for someone else to move, a couple of seconds later everyone seemed to click and we all jogged off but then realised that we had to run across a narrow chip sensor, so there was a little doubling back but it was all done with good humour.
I fell in with clubmates Peter and Julia in the early stages, none of us were interested in pushing the pace so we enjoyed a very relaxed first half chatting away and having a laugh together. The event was described as being very hilly and certainly did not disappoint in that respect. There were some real steep ascents and descents which confirmed our early pace as sensible for the event. Just after half way we naturally drifted apart and I pushed on a bit, taking advantage of a few relatively flat miles along a disused canal. The flatness, however, did not last and for the final third of the race the course planner revealed a sadistic side, some of it was brutal!
By this time I had caught up with Mike and Danny and stayed with them for a few miles. Danny has recently completed his 500th marathon and in his seventies can still register a sub 4 hour marathon on his day which is impressive by any standards, I only hope I'm still capable of getting round them at that age. During this phase I started to struggle with the steepness of the climbs, I was panting and getting dull muscular aches across my chest despite walking them. I took on some electrolyte drink at an aid station and immediately felt stronger and decided to push on solo.
Some of the ascents in the final miles were very tough indeed, tricky underfoot and in some cases so steep that I found it necessary to grab handy branches or narrow tree trunks and haul myself up as I wasn't able to walk it unaided. The downhill sections were often so steep as to be almost as difficult as the ups. Eventually I bullied myself through and enjoyed the relatively easy descent back into the town centre to finish back at the start point. The run distance turned out to be a mile over at 27.2 according to my watch and others had more than this. I wasn't bothered as the pre-race information had ominously mentioned that it was at least 26.2 so I was half expecting the bonus mileage.
I was very pleased with the way it went despite the almost six hour time; this was a tricky course and I spent the second half overtaking fellow competitors on a regular basis only getting overtaken myself once. For the first half my legs felt like they weren't up for it but gradually came round to the idea and I got through a tough patch late on to finish quite strongly which demonstrated that sensible fueling and race management can get me through difficulties, something which slipped my mind last week!
11th May 2014 Stroud Trail Marathon 5:54:30 #35
At 9am a hooter was sounded and everyone stood still waiting for someone else to move, a couple of seconds later everyone seemed to click and we all jogged off but then realised that we had to run across a narrow chip sensor, so there was a little doubling back but it was all done with good humour.
I fell in with clubmates Peter and Julia in the early stages, none of us were interested in pushing the pace so we enjoyed a very relaxed first half chatting away and having a laugh together. The event was described as being very hilly and certainly did not disappoint in that respect. There were some real steep ascents and descents which confirmed our early pace as sensible for the event. Just after half way we naturally drifted apart and I pushed on a bit, taking advantage of a few relatively flat miles along a disused canal. The flatness, however, did not last and for the final third of the race the course planner revealed a sadistic side, some of it was brutal!
By this time I had caught up with Mike and Danny and stayed with them for a few miles. Danny has recently completed his 500th marathon and in his seventies can still register a sub 4 hour marathon on his day which is impressive by any standards, I only hope I'm still capable of getting round them at that age. During this phase I started to struggle with the steepness of the climbs, I was panting and getting dull muscular aches across my chest despite walking them. I took on some electrolyte drink at an aid station and immediately felt stronger and decided to push on solo.
Some of the ascents in the final miles were very tough indeed, tricky underfoot and in some cases so steep that I found it necessary to grab handy branches or narrow tree trunks and haul myself up as I wasn't able to walk it unaided. The downhill sections were often so steep as to be almost as difficult as the ups. Eventually I bullied myself through and enjoyed the relatively easy descent back into the town centre to finish back at the start point. The run distance turned out to be a mile over at 27.2 according to my watch and others had more than this. I wasn't bothered as the pre-race information had ominously mentioned that it was at least 26.2 so I was half expecting the bonus mileage.
I was very pleased with the way it went despite the almost six hour time; this was a tricky course and I spent the second half overtaking fellow competitors on a regular basis only getting overtaken myself once. For the first half my legs felt like they weren't up for it but gradually came round to the idea and I got through a tough patch late on to finish quite strongly which demonstrated that sensible fueling and race management can get me through difficulties, something which slipped my mind last week!
11th May 2014 Stroud Trail Marathon 5:54:30 #35
Thursday, 8 May 2014
Ich bin ein Hamburger
I really do like Hamburg, both the race and the place, I think I could quite happily live there, it has a laid-back feel and yet everything seems to happen with a pleasing quiet efficiency. Sadly my running was not up to the mark due to a foolish build-up, however I still had an enjoyable trip and am sure I'll be returning to run this excellent marathon again. Last year I ran a cautious first 18 miles and then blasted through the final part of the race feeling invincible, this year I finished barely able to stand up straight.
Our journey over was a little convoluted due to me trying to be a bit 'smart' and delay purchase of flights until the price was reduced. Prices kept rising and by the time I abandoned my cunning plan there were no direct flights available and so we had to fly into Dusseldorf from Heathrow and then catch a connection to Hamburg. The wait was under an hour and all worked very smoothly, the strange thing being that when we re-boarded it was the same crew, same aeroplane and strangely about 25% of the same passengers from the original flight. It seems I was not the only one to leave booking too late!
Once we arrived at our hotel we had a very relaxed day, I collected my race pack from the expo just around the corner with no problems and we went out for a meal in the early evening and I had a decent night's sleep, waking at eight in the morning. The start/finish was only five minutes walk from our hotel but I had a moment of panic thinking that my watch was still on UK time before reassuring myself that all was well and I still had an hour before all the running business commenced.
I was reasonably confident of a PB and hopeful even of getting under 3:50, I planned to take it relatively easy until the 25k point and then try my usual burst for the finish. I jogged calmly through the first 5k but noticed the race clock beside the course at this point was at 40 minutes. I knew I had taken 10 minutes to cross the start line and was slightly surprised that I wasn't a bit quicker, feeling like I had been at about 28 minute pace but put it down to the slight crowding at the start. On reaching the first aid station I had a drink and piece of banana and it was then that I realised I had forgotten to eat any breakfast. I had intended to get some fruit at the hotel but somehow this had slipped my mind.
I was aware that to have a good shot at my target I needed to go through halfway in about two hours, I was confident that I had the fitness to run close to 1:50 for the second half and so I kept myself calm and enjoyed the atmosphere of the event. Hamburg is the second largest marathon event in Germany and enjoys good support from its citizens which is a great lift. The route takes you through some interesting territory, there's always something to focus on; the sleazy delights of the Reeperbahn, the graffiti of the St Pauli squat areas, the massive ships in the port, the architectural whimsies, well-to-do suburbs, lakes and parks. It's an attractive city, definitely my favourite road marathon and it was nice knowing the route, no alarms and no surprises here, just nice easy running. Maybe a little too easy...
On reaching half way I checked my watch and was slightly shocked to see it reading 2:06. I had let things drift too much and decided that I needed to pick up the pace immediately rather than waiting for the 25k mark. As soon as I started to increase the effort level I knew there was a problem; it was a real struggle getting any response from my legs. From that point on the race was a slow death, I knew energy was depleting faster than I have been used to recently and by 37k I was in trouble, my head was swimming and pace was dropping rapidly. I was forced to the side of the road where I rested for a while stooped over, hands on knees, steelng myself to continue. I had absolutely flown through this stage last year, feeling like I was overtaking everyone. This year they were all streaming past me. Bizarrely I was still enjoying it, really relishing the battle to finish. Increasingly my head was spinning and I had to keep stopping, there was no point pushing myself to collapse and despite feeling rough I was confident that I had the wherewithal to reach the finish without unnecessary drama. The final 2k was like wading through treacle I felt I was hardly moving, my legs could barely lift my feet from the ground. Official timing shows that the final 2195 metres took 17 minutes!
I crossed the line in 4:17:21, got far enough over so as not to cause an obstruction and just rested for about two minutes with my forehead pressed on the cool metal of the railings. A marshal came over I think asking me to move on but registered my pained expression and nodded in unspoken understanding, allowing me time to gather myself. I don't think I could have mustered the German to explain so was grateful for her sensitivity.
It is said that more is learned from failure than from success, and although this was not a terrible result, in fact the fourth fastest marathon I've ever run, it was a good way short of what I was hoping to achieve. My biggest lesson was the importance of fueling properly; breakfast at 4.30am and then nothing for twelve hours the day before a marathon followed by no breakfast prior to the run was clearly not the cleverest of approaches and the resultant running on empty was not pleasant. Similarly two flights and several hours of travel carrying baggage adds its own stresses and fatigue. Finally I often experience psychosomatic illness leading up to a race but in this instance I think the symptoms which kept me awake on the Friday night may have been genuine on this occasion and also possibly impacted on my endurance. The good news is that a run which goes very badly indeed now results in a better finish time than anything I was capable of doing last year so progress has definitely been made.
4th May 2014 Hamburg 4:17:21 #34
Our journey over was a little convoluted due to me trying to be a bit 'smart' and delay purchase of flights until the price was reduced. Prices kept rising and by the time I abandoned my cunning plan there were no direct flights available and so we had to fly into Dusseldorf from Heathrow and then catch a connection to Hamburg. The wait was under an hour and all worked very smoothly, the strange thing being that when we re-boarded it was the same crew, same aeroplane and strangely about 25% of the same passengers from the original flight. It seems I was not the only one to leave booking too late!
Once we arrived at our hotel we had a very relaxed day, I collected my race pack from the expo just around the corner with no problems and we went out for a meal in the early evening and I had a decent night's sleep, waking at eight in the morning. The start/finish was only five minutes walk from our hotel but I had a moment of panic thinking that my watch was still on UK time before reassuring myself that all was well and I still had an hour before all the running business commenced.
I was reasonably confident of a PB and hopeful even of getting under 3:50, I planned to take it relatively easy until the 25k point and then try my usual burst for the finish. I jogged calmly through the first 5k but noticed the race clock beside the course at this point was at 40 minutes. I knew I had taken 10 minutes to cross the start line and was slightly surprised that I wasn't a bit quicker, feeling like I had been at about 28 minute pace but put it down to the slight crowding at the start. On reaching the first aid station I had a drink and piece of banana and it was then that I realised I had forgotten to eat any breakfast. I had intended to get some fruit at the hotel but somehow this had slipped my mind.
I was aware that to have a good shot at my target I needed to go through halfway in about two hours, I was confident that I had the fitness to run close to 1:50 for the second half and so I kept myself calm and enjoyed the atmosphere of the event. Hamburg is the second largest marathon event in Germany and enjoys good support from its citizens which is a great lift. The route takes you through some interesting territory, there's always something to focus on; the sleazy delights of the Reeperbahn, the graffiti of the St Pauli squat areas, the massive ships in the port, the architectural whimsies, well-to-do suburbs, lakes and parks. It's an attractive city, definitely my favourite road marathon and it was nice knowing the route, no alarms and no surprises here, just nice easy running. Maybe a little too easy...
On reaching half way I checked my watch and was slightly shocked to see it reading 2:06. I had let things drift too much and decided that I needed to pick up the pace immediately rather than waiting for the 25k mark. As soon as I started to increase the effort level I knew there was a problem; it was a real struggle getting any response from my legs. From that point on the race was a slow death, I knew energy was depleting faster than I have been used to recently and by 37k I was in trouble, my head was swimming and pace was dropping rapidly. I was forced to the side of the road where I rested for a while stooped over, hands on knees, steelng myself to continue. I had absolutely flown through this stage last year, feeling like I was overtaking everyone. This year they were all streaming past me. Bizarrely I was still enjoying it, really relishing the battle to finish. Increasingly my head was spinning and I had to keep stopping, there was no point pushing myself to collapse and despite feeling rough I was confident that I had the wherewithal to reach the finish without unnecessary drama. The final 2k was like wading through treacle I felt I was hardly moving, my legs could barely lift my feet from the ground. Official timing shows that the final 2195 metres took 17 minutes!
I crossed the line in 4:17:21, got far enough over so as not to cause an obstruction and just rested for about two minutes with my forehead pressed on the cool metal of the railings. A marshal came over I think asking me to move on but registered my pained expression and nodded in unspoken understanding, allowing me time to gather myself. I don't think I could have mustered the German to explain so was grateful for her sensitivity.
It is said that more is learned from failure than from success, and although this was not a terrible result, in fact the fourth fastest marathon I've ever run, it was a good way short of what I was hoping to achieve. My biggest lesson was the importance of fueling properly; breakfast at 4.30am and then nothing for twelve hours the day before a marathon followed by no breakfast prior to the run was clearly not the cleverest of approaches and the resultant running on empty was not pleasant. Similarly two flights and several hours of travel carrying baggage adds its own stresses and fatigue. Finally I often experience psychosomatic illness leading up to a race but in this instance I think the symptoms which kept me awake on the Friday night may have been genuine on this occasion and also possibly impacted on my endurance. The good news is that a run which goes very badly indeed now results in a better finish time than anything I was capable of doing last year so progress has definitely been made.
4th May 2014 Hamburg 4:17:21 #34
Friday, 25 April 2014
And did those feet...
The St George's Day marathon was, I think, the most enjoyable one I've run so far. We were encouraged by the organisers to enter into the spirit of the event and wear something identifiably English. Now I'm not particularly patriotic, I don't see nationality as something to be either proud nor ashamed about, any more than eye colour or shoe size, but I wore an England cricket shirt more for aesthetic reasons than anything and was pleased that I did so. My fellow marathoners were in a variety of similarly themed costumes including some Knights Templar and a dragon, it all looked very effective and did nothing to dispel the English reputation for eccentricity. To further enhance this reputation race director Traviss Willcox handed out sheets containing the words to Blake's poem, conjured up a backing track and we all joined in an enthusiastic, if not tuneful, rendition of 'Jerusalem'. Any ambivalence I was feeling about celebrating a day which in truth means very little to me had completely evaporated by this point; everyone was smiling broadly, enjoying the surreality of singing in a fancy-dressed rabble on the seafront at 8am on a Wednesday morning. There are factions within the country which seek to make political capital out of this date but there was nothing political in this gathering, this was just a bunch of runners having fun and that is something in which I can engage without reservation.
The course was a series of seven out and backs along the Kent coast between Walmer and Deal, I had decided to start easily, see how things felt, get to know the course and then decide upon a point to step up the pace and push for the finish line, keeping in mind that I want to ensure that my legs are reasonably fresh for the Hamburg marathon at the beginning of May. The early fog cleared to allow bright sunshine which was pleasant without being too powerful. The course seemed to have a slight upward gradient in the Deal to Walmer direction which was also into a steady sea breeze which persisted for the duration of the event. This had the effect that running north to south was harder work but with a cooling breeze on your face whereas the reverse felt easier but hotter. I coasted through the first two 'laps' really enjoying the camaraderie, the scenery and the light-heartedness of the whole occasion without a worry. Even discovering that my shotbloks must have jumped from my pocket at some stage didn't faze me; this was great fun!
I decided that I would increase my effort level as I turned at the Walmer end of the course for the fourth leg. This would give me the benefit of the breeze at my back and would hopefully ease me into the proper running for the day. My reasoning was that legs four and five would pass relatively easily and I could then bully myself through the latter stages with the mental carrot of it nearly being over. I was conscious that I didn't want this to be a full-on effort but I also wanted it to be sufficiently tough so as to feel like a decent work-out.
It all went very much to plan, the first two effort legs flew by as I went into my cocoon; the views, heat and breeze all became peripheral as I concentrated on catching and passing the runner ahead, if possible, and keeping my cadence high. Legs six and seven became harder, as was expected, but I kept it going without ever pushing too hard. I checked my watch for the first time well into the final mile to see it reading 3:55:xx, I realised that I wouldn't get under four hours but that didn't bother me at all, that hadn't been the aim today, and I finished in 4:01:25, my second quickest time ever, feeling that I had kept plenty in reserve. Had I checked my watch at 20 miles I have no doubt that I would have been able set a PB but I had purposely avoided presenting myself with that particular dilemma.
The goody bag was beyond anything I've received previously; two bottles of beer, an enormous box of chocolates, two bags of crisps, a packet of biscuits, a good quality cap, cufflinks and the chunkiest finishers medal I've ever seen. As a teetotal vegan I wasn't able to indulge in the consumables myself but that has given me the opportunity to spread the joy of the event beyond the actual participants which can't be a bad thing!
In reviewing my performance I have to be reasonably pleased, particularly as this was again run entirely without reference to my watch until the final stages, and only five days after my previous marathon. I feel like the hard work of the winter is paying dividends. The easy miles ranged from 8:52 to 9:53, which, taking into account the different conditions based on direction of run, reflects reasonable consistency. The effort miles were 8:13 - 9:03 until beyond the 20 mile point when I was careful not to be too hard on myself and even then the slowest mile of the final six was a 9:24. This was a negative split by over six minutes, which again is very pleasing. I feel ready for a good run in Hamburg given decent conditions.
23rd April 2014 St George's Day marathon 4:01:25 #33
The course was a series of seven out and backs along the Kent coast between Walmer and Deal, I had decided to start easily, see how things felt, get to know the course and then decide upon a point to step up the pace and push for the finish line, keeping in mind that I want to ensure that my legs are reasonably fresh for the Hamburg marathon at the beginning of May. The early fog cleared to allow bright sunshine which was pleasant without being too powerful. The course seemed to have a slight upward gradient in the Deal to Walmer direction which was also into a steady sea breeze which persisted for the duration of the event. This had the effect that running north to south was harder work but with a cooling breeze on your face whereas the reverse felt easier but hotter. I coasted through the first two 'laps' really enjoying the camaraderie, the scenery and the light-heartedness of the whole occasion without a worry. Even discovering that my shotbloks must have jumped from my pocket at some stage didn't faze me; this was great fun!
I decided that I would increase my effort level as I turned at the Walmer end of the course for the fourth leg. This would give me the benefit of the breeze at my back and would hopefully ease me into the proper running for the day. My reasoning was that legs four and five would pass relatively easily and I could then bully myself through the latter stages with the mental carrot of it nearly being over. I was conscious that I didn't want this to be a full-on effort but I also wanted it to be sufficiently tough so as to feel like a decent work-out.
It all went very much to plan, the first two effort legs flew by as I went into my cocoon; the views, heat and breeze all became peripheral as I concentrated on catching and passing the runner ahead, if possible, and keeping my cadence high. Legs six and seven became harder, as was expected, but I kept it going without ever pushing too hard. I checked my watch for the first time well into the final mile to see it reading 3:55:xx, I realised that I wouldn't get under four hours but that didn't bother me at all, that hadn't been the aim today, and I finished in 4:01:25, my second quickest time ever, feeling that I had kept plenty in reserve. Had I checked my watch at 20 miles I have no doubt that I would have been able set a PB but I had purposely avoided presenting myself with that particular dilemma.
The goody bag was beyond anything I've received previously; two bottles of beer, an enormous box of chocolates, two bags of crisps, a packet of biscuits, a good quality cap, cufflinks and the chunkiest finishers medal I've ever seen. As a teetotal vegan I wasn't able to indulge in the consumables myself but that has given me the opportunity to spread the joy of the event beyond the actual participants which can't be a bad thing!
In reviewing my performance I have to be reasonably pleased, particularly as this was again run entirely without reference to my watch until the final stages, and only five days after my previous marathon. I feel like the hard work of the winter is paying dividends. The easy miles ranged from 8:52 to 9:53, which, taking into account the different conditions based on direction of run, reflects reasonable consistency. The effort miles were 8:13 - 9:03 until beyond the 20 mile point when I was careful not to be too hard on myself and even then the slowest mile of the final six was a 9:24. This was a negative split by over six minutes, which again is very pleasing. I feel ready for a good run in Hamburg given decent conditions.
23rd April 2014 St George's Day marathon 4:01:25 #33
Friday, 18 April 2014
A Spaniard in the Warks
Apologies to John Lennon for stealing and adapting his pun for my title, I checked whether it would be okay and he was happy to let it be. Another one of Broadmeadow's self-navigated gems was on the agenda for Good Friday and it really was a fantastic day for enjoying the scenery out on the Cotswolds. Having been out and about before dawn in order to provide a taxi service for the first stage of my son's holiday travel I opted for the earliest start time of 8am. There were about 20 others at the start line with me and so with route descriptions clutched in our hands and Chris Seeney's usual booming Shakespearean speech ringing in our ears we happy few, we band of brothers (and sisters) trotted off for our magical mystery tour of the local hills.
This was a bright, sunny day but reasonably cool, ideal for my planned relaxed training run. One of the joys of these events is the social element if you're not bothered about pace, and with the cross country, uneven nature of the course, the countless gates and stiles to negotiate, the sometimes confusing route descriptions, why would you be? The groups of runners tend to stretch out on the runnable sections but naturally compress at the stiles or where directions are unclear, so you gather together, discuss possibilities, see if we can work it out and then run on until the next meeting becomes necessary.
Loop one was completed in this relaxed style, the later starters were encountered on their way out as we returned, increasing the social aspect of the event, greetings, handshakes and hugs were dispensed, words of encouragement and jokes exchanged, photos taken and all with the backdrop of the Cotswold Hills on this gorgeous spring morning. Marathon running doesn't get much more enjoyable than this, I would be happy to be out there eight days a week rather than just a day tripper.
As we set out on the second and final loop I was part of a group of about eight other runners in the familiar stretch out, regroup, stretch out again routine, some of the directions on this section were really quite tricky to follow and it was within a mile that another competitor zipped past us with a rangy stride that just ate up the trail, I reckon he was easily at sub three hour pace which was phenomenal on the terrain. Within a couple of minutes or so we caught him at a particularly confusing intersection of trails. He was talking angrily in Spanish with his arms outstretched in a gesture of hopelessness, clearly in need of help. Even with the benefit of a careful reading through of the directions we English speakers struggled to deduce the correct route, eventually deciding it was a somewhat counter-intuitive double-back around the end of a hedge. We conveyed this to him and he sprinted off down the long and winding trail at an impressive pace.
We followed on at a gentler effort level but it wasn't too long before we spotted him tearing back towards us. He was really quite agitated this time. Strangely, although we were all quite happy with the route at this point, his confusion started to affect us and we began questioning ourselves, but continued on and were able to get his attention as he again sped off and gesture him in the correct direction, 'I've got a feeling', one of our number opined, 'it won't be long before we see him again'. His prediction proved accurate.
Within half an hour we were with him again in the middle of a field and he just wanted to give up, he'd had enough. I did feel sorry for him, he was clearly a very talented runner and I guess had entered the race expecting a normal marathon with a clear route but had instead found himself running around the Warwickshire countryside with no directions and increasing despair. After seeing the poor man here, there and everywhere for an hour or so we didn't encounter him again so I imagine he just tried to retrace his steps back to race HQ, I hope he was able to get back.
In the latter stages of the final loop I found myself in a mini-group of four, the other three were all going faster than I wanted and so I was on my own a fair bit, which was no problem, I just wanted to keep visual contact so that I didn't have to concern myself with navigation. The points at which I caught up became less frequent but this was a nice little mental challenge, forcing myself to maintain a slightly faster pace than was completely comfortable as the heat of the day started to increase. I had one weird experience when running along a narrow path through the middle of a field of rapeseed, the brilliant yellow flowers reflecting the sunlight into my vision peripherally made me feel a bit like I was floating, although my feet were being pitched about by the rutted earth, and this soon started me feeling a bit sick. I had to slow down to stop the nausea which then meant I then had to dash through the next field to keep the others in sight.
And that was it really, a successful training run, albeit with pace ranging from 9-14 minutes per mile due to the nature of the course, another marathon in the bag, beautiful scenery, friends and great running weather - good day sunshine!
18th April 2014 Broadmeadow Good Friday marathon 4:43:39 #32
This was a bright, sunny day but reasonably cool, ideal for my planned relaxed training run. One of the joys of these events is the social element if you're not bothered about pace, and with the cross country, uneven nature of the course, the countless gates and stiles to negotiate, the sometimes confusing route descriptions, why would you be? The groups of runners tend to stretch out on the runnable sections but naturally compress at the stiles or where directions are unclear, so you gather together, discuss possibilities, see if we can work it out and then run on until the next meeting becomes necessary.
Loop one was completed in this relaxed style, the later starters were encountered on their way out as we returned, increasing the social aspect of the event, greetings, handshakes and hugs were dispensed, words of encouragement and jokes exchanged, photos taken and all with the backdrop of the Cotswold Hills on this gorgeous spring morning. Marathon running doesn't get much more enjoyable than this, I would be happy to be out there eight days a week rather than just a day tripper.
As we set out on the second and final loop I was part of a group of about eight other runners in the familiar stretch out, regroup, stretch out again routine, some of the directions on this section were really quite tricky to follow and it was within a mile that another competitor zipped past us with a rangy stride that just ate up the trail, I reckon he was easily at sub three hour pace which was phenomenal on the terrain. Within a couple of minutes or so we caught him at a particularly confusing intersection of trails. He was talking angrily in Spanish with his arms outstretched in a gesture of hopelessness, clearly in need of help. Even with the benefit of a careful reading through of the directions we English speakers struggled to deduce the correct route, eventually deciding it was a somewhat counter-intuitive double-back around the end of a hedge. We conveyed this to him and he sprinted off down the long and winding trail at an impressive pace.
We followed on at a gentler effort level but it wasn't too long before we spotted him tearing back towards us. He was really quite agitated this time. Strangely, although we were all quite happy with the route at this point, his confusion started to affect us and we began questioning ourselves, but continued on and were able to get his attention as he again sped off and gesture him in the correct direction, 'I've got a feeling', one of our number opined, 'it won't be long before we see him again'. His prediction proved accurate.
Within half an hour we were with him again in the middle of a field and he just wanted to give up, he'd had enough. I did feel sorry for him, he was clearly a very talented runner and I guess had entered the race expecting a normal marathon with a clear route but had instead found himself running around the Warwickshire countryside with no directions and increasing despair. After seeing the poor man here, there and everywhere for an hour or so we didn't encounter him again so I imagine he just tried to retrace his steps back to race HQ, I hope he was able to get back.
In the latter stages of the final loop I found myself in a mini-group of four, the other three were all going faster than I wanted and so I was on my own a fair bit, which was no problem, I just wanted to keep visual contact so that I didn't have to concern myself with navigation. The points at which I caught up became less frequent but this was a nice little mental challenge, forcing myself to maintain a slightly faster pace than was completely comfortable as the heat of the day started to increase. I had one weird experience when running along a narrow path through the middle of a field of rapeseed, the brilliant yellow flowers reflecting the sunlight into my vision peripherally made me feel a bit like I was floating, although my feet were being pitched about by the rutted earth, and this soon started me feeling a bit sick. I had to slow down to stop the nausea which then meant I then had to dash through the next field to keep the others in sight.
And that was it really, a successful training run, albeit with pace ranging from 9-14 minutes per mile due to the nature of the course, another marathon in the bag, beautiful scenery, friends and great running weather - good day sunshine!
18th April 2014 Broadmeadow Good Friday marathon 4:43:39 #32
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