Festive Frolic

 Today was a reminder that a) the end of November can be really rather chilly, b) running a marathon without training for it is possible, c) running a marathon without training for it is hard work!

We woke up to a beautiful late autumn morning, clear skies and frost.  I de-iced the car, threw a couple of extra layers of clothing and some gloves into my race bag and set out to Staunton Country Park.  It felt odd to be setting off by myself, but I didn't know of anyone else local to me who was taking part in this event.  The day started well with me getting my favourite race number which I pinned onto my t-shirt underneath a couple of long sleeved layers.  I was sure it would warm up as soon as we got running.

After a brief 'Elf & Safety' announcement we were under starters orders and raring to go at 9.30am.   I'd remembered this course as being flat, which just goes to show that my memory is useless.  We set off down a definite hill, on the sort of track that seems so popular in country parks, you know the sort with stones and bricks sticking out at odd, ankle twisting angles.  Strangely these paths seem lovely when your legs and feet are just setting out, so long as you avoid the ankle twisting (I didn't), but get really painful to run on after 15 miles!

The start was busy.  We were all in high spirits and the muddy bit about a third of a mile in was frozen solid at this stage.  We soon spread out.  I had no real plan for what I wanted to achieve today, I hadn't run more than 15 miles since Endure 24 back in June.  I thought that I would run a half marathon and then see how I felt.  That is three 4.6mile long laps at this event and I have to admit that I was pretty bored of the course by that point!  I'd completed them in just over 2 hours, so had loads of time left (it is a 6hr challenge).  I faffed around at the well stocked aid station and remembered that I had headphones in my race bag.  That meant that I could listen to my audio book while I carried on. I'll be honest, as the day went on and people dropped out there were fewer and fewer people to chat with, the people I knew well enough to run with were either too fast for me or not there today so I was on my own for a lot of time.

I walked a lot.  I ran the obviously downhill bits and then just enough to stop me from getting too cold.  It never got warm enough to take off my extra layer although the repeated footfall through the muddy sections meant that they did thaw out and get nice and sticky!  My feet and legs were complaining about this unexpected amount of work, they particularly hated the uphill section at the end of each lap and were more than happy to stop for Haribos and coke at the aid station before I coaxed them into another lap.  My last lap was painfully slow, but running slowly means that you see amazing fungi that you missed on the first 5 laps, and because you are going so slowly anyway it doesn't matter if you faff around for 5 minutes trying to extract your phone from your pocket to grab a photo of the fungi.

At the end of my 6th lap, with 27.8 miles behind me, I had a brief, irrational thought that I had plenty of time to run another lap.  Luckily it was fleeting and I rang the bell to announce that I was done before attempting to eat all the remaining food at the aid station and collect my medal and ginger bread man!

I am hoping that by taking it slow for the second half I won't suffer too much tomorrow.  I'm doing a mental checklist of all the classes I have to teach and wondering how much I will be able to do while sitting down, the tutor team meeting at the bottom of the hill is going to be a tough one - I may have to get a head start to get to that one on time!

 Great organisation, as ever, from On The Whistle!  Low key and friendly with gorgeous bling at the end.  Thanks guys!

Dark Valley Half

I signed up for this race way back in the summer.  It sold out within a couple of hours in an internet frenzy in the running world that was reminiscent of the hype that surrounds ticket sales for a Stone Roses concert.  There was a 10k option but. when I signed up, a half marathon wasn't really what I considered to be a long run - so the half it was.  I didn't do anything as sensible as checking the start time, but for some reason had it in my head that we would be running late at night.  I blame British Summer Time!  It is hard to imagine that it can be dark by 5pm while sitting in the garden in full daylight at 9.30pm!

The race was organised by Andy and his excellent team at White Star Running.  There's nothing not to like about a WSR event, this view is shared by so many people that turning up feels a bit like turning up at a party where everyone knows your name.  The party atmosphere was much in evidence as we gathered at the start - fabulous fancy dress, tonnes of tutus, plenty of poppies and lots of fairy lights!  The start was at the visitor centre in Moors Valley Country Park and after a quick race briefing and a chef that we all had our head torches on we were off.  

It was very crowded at the start, but that was fine.  I got to listen to lots of conversations around me, which is often very amusing.  It also meant that I didn't set off too fast and took care with where I was putting my feet on the forest path.  One conversation, probably about 3 miles in, went as follows (-ish - my memory isn't great)

Runner 1:  I'll run with you - I don't want to run too fast

Runner 2: I'm actually enjoying running by myself, I wouldn't want to slow you down

Runner 1: Oh, that's fine, I need a slow run 

Runner 2: Er, I just find that when we run together you tend to run just a wee bit faster than I want to run, so I push myself to keep up

Runner 1: But it is good to push yourself a bit, anyway, I'm out for a slow one

How long this went on for I don't know, as I was running a wee bit faster than they were so was out of earshot, but Runner 2 was trying, so politely, to tell the other runner that they weren't interested in running together and Runner 1 wasn't having any of it!  

Just as I left The Lovestation (a most wonderful aid station with cake, beer and hugs) I heard my name being called - I turned round and saw a sea of head torches and had to ask who was there!  A group of 3 friends from Trotters Independent Trail Runners.  'We knew it was you,' said one of them, 'because of your running style and the funky leggings!'  (Tikkibo - you can see them here!) They are all really good runners, I ran with them for a bit, but felt that I was holding them back, so slowed down and let them go on, only to catch them up about half a mile later.  We ran as a loose group until I needed a wee stop (the queues at that start had been too long!)  I turned off my head torch and headed off the path.  I forgot that I had glow stick bracelets - and as I pulled up my leggings I looked up to see a group of runners waving at me!  

I ran with them for a bit, while we discussed places we had peed, before running on.  I caught up the Trotters guys again, we fell into conversation (predictably about bodily functions but also about Remembrance Day, the iPhone X and missed career opportunities), ran through and round puddles.  Some of the puddles were huge, and quite deep, there was plenty of mud and I heard of people who took tumbles.  At one point I was avoiding a puddle, while my running companion adopted a 'straight through the middle' approach.  I think I was wetter than he was as he splashed the entire contents of the puddle over me!  By this time, we'd split into two pairs rather than running as a four.  I could hear the other two chatting away behind us and was sure that we'd be back together again soon - especially as I was not even going to attempt running up the very steep, very off road (i.e. not even a proper path) hill!

We were so lucky with the weather.  The awful rain that had greeted us on Saturday morning had stopped during the afternoon, the ground was pleasingly soft and squishy underfoot. and when it did start to drizzle it felt refreshing and looked pretty in the beams of our head torches.

Coming to the end of the second lap we were delighted to peel off the course and onto the finish approach.  Due to a dip in the ground we could hear, but couldn't see, the finish until we were right on top of it.  Looking at watches for distance didn't help - the vagaries of GPS meant that we had 2 quite different distances recorded.  We crossed the line, were given our gorgeous medals and collected a packet of yummy biscuits (which I have hidden from the children) and a buff.  We reunited with friends, put on some extra layers - it gets cold really quickly at night - and then went off to eat chilli!  The cafe at the visitor centre had stayed open specially for us and we had pre-ordered our food.  We were delighted to find we could also buy a beer (Cocky Piddle is very nice).  The chilli was good, the company was great and it was lovely to get warm again.  

As we made our way back to the car there were still runners crossing the finish line - in an ideal world I'd have liked to stay around and cheer them all over the line, but it was getting colder now, and getting cold in damp clothing is not a good idea.  

All in all a great event.  Not a fast one, trail running in the dark was never going to be fast, but very enjoyable with great company, awesome bling, tasty food and beer!  

Playing away again!

Having said in my last post that I don't get to indulge in much parkrun tourism, here comes another blog post about me going to a different parkrun!

This weekend Husbando had to be in London overnight for a book fair in Chelsea.  No. 1 son was popping down from university in Manchester to help him, so I hopped on the train after school on Friday and spent a very pleasant evening with the two of them.

On Saturday morning I had a huge number of parkruns I could choose from.  I used the excellent Tourist Tool to narrow down the choices to Burgess parkrun and Southwark parkrun - both were within 3 miles of where we were staying, but the route to Burgess Park looked simpler, and with my capacity to get lost while running that can only be a good thing.  Just as well - Southwark parkrun was cancelled today due to setting up for a fireworks display later in the day.

I've never run to a parkrun before.  I've had a mad panic sprint from a tube station to the start line, but  I have never set out to run to a parkrun and back again before.  Three miles there, pretty much in a straight line - simples!  Shame about the rain.  It wasn't really part of my plan to arrive at the start line soaking wet - but never mind - skin is waterproof.

The start was easy to find.  Wearing my 250 shirt guarantees that someone will say hello to you at a parkrun (in my experience anyway).  Most of the time they want to know where the start is/where they can leave the bags/where the loos are - none of which I can help them with as I've not been there either!

Just before 9am the 'new runners' briefing was announced and I dutifully went along.  I was pleased to hear that this was a one lap course - I like a one lapper!  The new runner briefing was held at the back of the starting pack.  A word of advice to  any tourists wanting to run a fast time would be 'skip the briefing!'  Unless you are planning to be the very fastest person there you know the drill and can follow the person in front.  In fact even if you are planning to be the first finisher the marshals will point you in the right direction!  I did go the briefing, and so had to start at the back of 350+ runners!  I wasn't too worried - I'd already run 3 miles and was just wanting to have a pleasant run in the park.

Unbeknownst to me, the runners were assemble on paths either side of a flower bed and there was a fine array of park furniture and bins to negotiate - I felt as though I was in a game of Super Mario Bros as I tried to go over or round the benches!  Once clear of this - it was plain sailing.  Relatively flat, on paths around a really interesting park.  There was a lovely fishing lake, complete with fishermen, a bridge to nowhere and intriguing glimpses of various buildings.  If the weather had been nicer I'd have hung around to explore a bit! I was surprised at how easy it felt to run today.  I ran the first mile faster than I expected to, and sped up a bit faster each mile.   I chatted with fellow runners as we ran, enjoyed the feeling over overtaking a fair few people as I ran to the finish funnel.  The funnel manager managed to congratulate every runner as they came through to collect their finish token!

After getting my token scanned, and chatting with some tourists from Fulham Palace parkrun, I started off back to the hotel.  It was raining properly now, there were a lot more pedestrians and puddles to negotiate and I managed to take a wrong turn somewhere along the way but got back eventually for a very welcome hot shower!  Soon after I got back to the hotel, while I was sitting with a cup of tea and a couple of slices of buttered toast, my results text came through.  I'd finished first in my age category - for the first time in a very long time!

I think I may have caught the tourism bug.  I may have lived in London for years, but Burgess Park is 'south of the river' and in an area that I have never been to before.  I wonder where my next 'new' parkrun will be....