Scenic Parkrun - Montacute House

Strayed again from my usual home Parkrun.

This time I had a Saturday morning run in the grounds of the a National Trust property in Somerset.  The newly started Montacute House Parkrun.  Basically it is a run around the Parkland in front of the House, running down the avenue with a view of the house was fantastic.  This was also the first time I had a few supporters on route with me.   Unfortunately they didn't cheer loud enough!

It's a hard course on grass with many lumps and bumps but it was worth it for the view - the sheep just thought we were a little bonkers...

Abingdon Marathon 2013 Race Report

A little late in the write up but here we go...

Finally got the right date .  For all my preparation in the end I couldn't have been less prepared.

For some reason I thought it started at 9:30 - nope it was 9:00, I was ready physically (so I thought) but not mentally.

So I was aiming for 3:30, an even 8 minute mile pace.  It started well, but started a little too fast, running with another bunch who were aiming for 3:30.

Despite the early morning rain, it was rather warm, which didn't help, so the enviable happened and I slowed down drastically.  At 10 miles I was in trouble and thinking that this was really hard work and that I had been a complete idioted.  I needed to slow down and try and reset my race.

I don't often do road races, I generally find them a bit dull, running around housing estates and industrial estates is not much fun.  And the terrain is a little monotonous, no hills to get your teeth into.

Then the race took a serious turn for the worst. I was physical accosted by some woman who took umbridge at runners using the footpath - I tried to squeeze passed her on a narrow path - wall on one side, steep grassy verge on the other, I tried to get round (there was enough room) but she deliberately stuck her elbow out in order to hit me - which she did with some force in the chest (I can still feel the bruised ribs over a week later).
  

I stopped and approached her at which point she then told me "I should be on the F****** road", I was so cross, but what can you say to that - it spoilt my race - until near the end when two women walking in front of me apologised for getting in the way - they weren't I'd already moved round them - no problem I said, faith in humanity restored

After that I hung on to the finish - 11 seconds slower than 4 years ago.  In the end please to get finished.

Goodie bag was a bit feeble - a T-shirt and a bottle of water.

Lessons:

Check the start date and time
Don't start too fast

Basingstoke Half Race Report. 2013

A hot weekend in October, it must be time for the Basingstoke Half Marathon, although based on how long we actual spend in Basingstoke I’m sure it should be renamed to the Cliddesden and Ellisfield Half Marathon.

The race was won by Kenyan Nicholas Kirui in 1:05:33, with the second placed Kenyan coming in over 8 minutes later.  Over 1300 runners then crossed the finish line, in various states of dress: Elvis, Spiderman, Nemo and one very grumpy chap running in full police riot gear, perhaps he was just being prepared for those over enthusiastic supporters trying to offer him jelly babies.
 
This is my local race race so it always seem rude not to enter (this is the third year of running), although I do like the look of Bournemouth for next year.

Organisation is excellent, I've never seen a race with so many port-a-loos, it looked like was enough for one each. So after a bit of faffing about with the microphone at the start the race started.

Last year I managed to break 1:45 in slightly overcast conditions so I was looking to try and beat it.  I had set a target of 7:30 minute miles.  A neighbour was also also running and he went off very fast indeed, I thought I better try and keep up.  The first 2 miles were close to 7:00, and it was getting warm  - I am so going to suffer later I thought.

Running through village of Cliddesden, lined with home team supporters really gave a boost and helped keep the pace up.  The course covered lots of my training ground so I know the hills really well.  The first accent up White Hill, after mile 3 was fierce - I even use this hill for hill training, but the speed we ascend that hill was still phenomenal.  The pressure eased a little as the road flattened out and then descended passed Ellisfield church.

The decent was short lived as we started to climb up a short hill out of Ellisfield Green.  I was hanging on just behind my neighbour at this point and I was starting to feel the heat.  There is a long down hill stretch here - some of it in the shade.  When needed I am quite good at descending quickly - so it was here I finally over took my neighbour and ploughed on as quickly as I could. That mile clocked in at 6:36

After all that down hill, comes the inevitable climb back up hill - slow and steady rise of 2.4% over 1.6 miles.  Cheered on mu the lovely people of Elliesfield I ground out the climb.

Even at the top of this climb the course turns a corner and still manages to go up hill.

The big dipper was a quick decent, followed by a slow climb - although I did manage to loose a gel from my shorts at this point - those side pockets were not such a good idea after all.

Farleigh Wallop was quite until the very top of the hill, where there were lots of supporters and lots of noise.  The down hill decent was speedy - I was overtaken by a guy in vibrams who was running like a gazelle.

Back into Cliddesden for another burst of support, trouble is at the end of the village the support runs out and there is a slight incline to slow down on.  2 miles to go and it's time to grind it out.  Back into Basingstoke before turning into War Memorial park, and another climb.  Finish was excellent, a straight forward  grass track, with the race announcer calling out names as you approach the finish line.

Goodie bag:  Tech T-shirt (bright yellow), medal, banana, water, lucasade, clif bar.

Excellent race for old pros and beginners alike and the result 1:36:38 - get in there!
(it does mean of course I need to break 1:35 next year though)

Abingdon Marathon 2013 Race Report - ish

The last time I ran at Abingdon was 2010, where a set a PB, I've not run a road marathon since and hence the PB still stands.  My trial marathon times have been dropping recently and after last weekends half marathon PB I thought my changes would be good at setting a new PB

Races are won before you cross the start line, so I thought I'd better prepare with extra care.  I checked my times from the last race, worked out the slow miles where I'd need to put in extra effort and finalised my pacing strategy.

I got my kit ready - I even filled in my race number details and pinned it to my top.  I was super prepared.

Alarm went off and after a small breakfast I set up.  Drive to Abingdon was fine, SatNav directed me to the car park with easy.  As I pulled up into the college I did think it eerily quiet, with a distinct lack of signage.

At was at that point that I had a "bad feeling about this".  I pulled out the instruction sheet that arrived with the race number, and there it was first line "20th October", so I was exactly a week early.

How that happened I have no idea, it is written on the calendar (home and word) as the 13th,  it's on my phone as the 13th, I told everyone at work it was the 13th.

So what do I do?  I did think of starting anyway - that way I had a chance of winning.  I also though of sitting there for a few hours otherwise I'd have to admit what a idiot I'd been. Decisions, decisions - so I turned tail and headed home to face the music.

I was called a numpty for the rest of the day at home,  today at work I was called worse.

So am I looking forward to the Abingdon Marathon on the 20th?  Well I would be had I not also entered a cycle race on the same day - unless I got that date wrong too....

The Olym-Picnic Ultra Experiment - 2012

An old post this - originally on Fetcheveryone.com - but having forgotten all about it and wanting to collect things in one place I thought I'd republish here.  The Olympics seem such a long time ago now - don't they?

This race was run 23/6/12, I fact I did see an Olympicnic T-shirt at the Farnham Pilgrim on Sunday,  anyway here it is as published:


Less a race, more a psychological experiment...

Sensory deprivation

During the faster flatter sections the occasional slick mud was like running on ice, this section was also under tree cover, so running on ice in the dark, with the occasion low hanging branch, so running on ice in the dark whilst ducking, and then the occasion tree root, so running on ice in the dark whilst ducking and tripping. 

Memory - effects over time

I did the race last year, thinking I would have at least 2 years before I would have to put my body through it again. I signed up as soon as I saw the special edition of the race. Running round I thought, this is bonkers, why I going this, steps in a race is bonkers (the sudden image of being chase down by "H" for Steps was quickly banished). However, now that it's finished, those individual steps are receding fast from memory, by next year only the memory of the finish line will remain. The pain in my legs will also have gone, next year will be back to the normal 26.2 miles - perhaps I'll sign up for that one sounds easier. 

Psychological Torture.

Who would devise a course that is so evil in design. Running down hills, only to turn round and have to run back up them, running to the finish line, only to turn round and do it all again. It was made worse this year by running even further down one hill (compared to last year), only to turn round and run back up, not once or twice but 4 times. At least the stepping stones weren't flooded this year, so we were excused the water boarding.

Learning

A test of those who learn from their mistakes. The clever ones from last year did the 5K Park run in the morning and had the Saturday afternoon with their feet up. I didn't learn, I came back.

Social Behavior

My favourite bit, the interaction of marshal and runner. A mere plastic cup of water delivered with a smile into the hands of knackered individual can bring such joy. The fact that it is often delivered with a cheeky quip, "not far now", "see you on the way back", "looking good" - we both know it's a little white lie but I respect you even for saying it in such a cherry way.

There was also the interaction of runner and runner. The sideways dance as runners passed on the left. Multitasking: trying not to touch, checking the runners number to see if they were doing the half or the full, trying to see their name so you can shout out at them next time they pass, and of course avoiding the branches that you have forgotten about because you were distracted.

Dream Interpretation

The hours spend on this run gives plenty of time for the mind to wander. Luckily the organisers can't see into my head, just as well, it was bad enough having the image of "H" from Steps chasing me down, everything else is staying locking in my head.

Conclusion.

You don't have to me mental to do the race, but you will be by the finish line. Despite the struggle I still loved every minute of it (some of the seconds where a bit rubbish), and next time I hope to be chased by Lisa from Steps (although I might not run so fast).

Farnham Pilgrim 2013 Race Report

This is my fourth running of the Farnham Pilgrim Marathon, every one since it first began – so I feel a special connection with this race.  The organization and set-up has always been first rate, but I haven’t always loved the course.  In the early days I found the course a little willful, a little too masochistic.  There always seemed to a lot more climbing to be done which was never repaid by long stretches of decent.  And as for the climb up St Catherine’s Abbey –(straight up, round and back down) that was mean, ditto the sandy climb up to St Marth’s church.

But this time I was at one with the course, hills were there for the view, top of St. Martha’s is a great view.  There is a great variety on this course, tiny villages, rivers to cross. Farm trail, footpath, roads, steps, woodland, open farmland, heath – always changing

There is easy parking close to the start, although the walk up the hill from the car park to the finish line is a timely reminder that this course is hilly.

I have been slowly reducing my time on this course each time I have run it, but my main aim for the course was to keep it steady over the whole course, and not trail off like I usually do over a marathon distance.  I was also using it to gauge how quick (or not) I might be for Abingdon next month.

Attached a flimsy looking timing chip to my shoes – that’ll come off, too easily I thought, caught on root or a bramble – but it didn’t.  There are loads of water stations on the route so I made the decision not to run with a bum bag and therefore left my water bottle behind.  I took four ISOGELs (which are quite watery) stuffed into my shorts.  In the end I only used one, had plenty to drink and had a few bits of banana on the way round.

The organisers got people warming up and then without a huge fanfare everyone was off.  I took it easy to start with, I was aiming for a 9 minute mile pace – but was soon getting nearer 8:30.  The miles ticked by nicely, scenery changed around us, under foot it changed from road to footpath, to farm track, to mud, to steps, to grass, to sand – to pretty much everything except snow.

At the half way point, the sandy climb up to St Martha’s church went well, I cracked the usual joke about bringing a bucket and spade next time.  A nice decent after that into Guildford, here I was cheered on by several gangs of hiking girls – the last of which all did high-fives – definite boost there (I am sure they cheered everyone else but to me they were my personal cheerleaders).

Race markings were excellent, I never felt lost, even on the rare occasion that I was running alone.  There are marshals everywhere, I sure the entire population of Farnham must have been out wearing hi-viz.

The last six miles or so seemed to get more lumpy, certainly more uphill than down, although that might just have been my legs tiring.  Feeling a little tired I  let my mind wander and suddenly out from the trees appears a marshal (I assume) dressed as an old “hag”, Weird I thought, then there is was one dressed as a wizard – they didn’t say anything – just waved their staffs – I ran on.

I was checking the time more closely now as I neared the end, working out if I could still get in under 4 hours.  I had miss remembered the end of the course and thought that I had further to go once I hit the golf course at the end.  The climb up to the car park didn’t seem to last as long as I remembered either.  So with a quick “sprint” to the line it was over – make sub-4 hours so quite pleased with that.

Once over the line presented with medal and drink and a nice goody bag, mug and T-shirt (not sure I’d use either – have plenty of mugs and plenty of T-shirts – a little disappointed not to get another calendar like last year – but that is just me)

I was pleased to see plodding hippo from Fetch at the start line – she took some great photos at the Salisbury 54321 last month so said thanks.  I was also looking out for Paul Ali, but didn’t see him (surprising as looking at the results we finished about 5 places apart) was going to say how much I enjoy his Ultra-trails magazine and say good luck for Spartathon – so Good Luck anyway).

So I grabbed a few cakes at the finish and headed home – so nice to do a local race, I was home by 2:30, had been bathed and changed into my compression tights (still not convinced then work but it gives the family something to laugh at) and had my feet up infront of the TV by 3:00.

Big thanks to organisers – definitely be back next year.

Hit 50 at the weekend, twice

No I'm not quite that old - although I do feel like sometimes.

Saturday saw my 50th Parkrun which I was quite pleased with - will do almost anything for a free T-shirt.

I also did the Farnham Pilgrim Marathon on Sunday (review to follow) and whilst filling in my log noticed that it was my 50th race.

So next milestones, another 50 Parkruns till the next T-shirt (at current rate will be mine by the end of next year), and still have 69 marathons (or  above) to do before the 100 Club will let me in (which will be about 2023 at the current rate).

Better get running....