No Kidding! – Poole 5k Park Run - Sat 23 Apr 11

A bit dazed, I waited outside Chalk and Cheese. Lin and Martin whizzed through the village in their new race-mobile, early doors to ensure our arrival in Poole before the 9 am start. I think Martin was a bit dazed too, when he needed reminding that the boot was wide open when driving off.

It was a warm day, a classic sunny Saturday, with that relaxed excitement that is the weekend has arrived. On arrival, other runners were appearing onto the park in a deceptively lazy fashion, and 70 or so assembled towards the pavilion and start line.

It was a fast start, and Martin and Lin pulled away steadily. There were markers at every 2k, which made peacemaking an easy job. Passing the 2k marker after 4minutes, I wondered if I could get to 4k on 8mins... this continued, as the body was coaxed around the lake, swans and prams, following the other runners and then I started to kid myself that a sub 20 was on the cards. The repeated positive mantra of ‘I’m feeling strong and I’m in contention’ did the trick, as I managed to kick to the line to record 19.59, a close run thing and another PB! Martin was in, on 18mins dead, and Lin just after 19mins as the first lady.

These Park Runs are great. They’re in most cities, and are free, and are a fantastic way to feel great for the rest of the day. So Lin, Martin and I rewarded ourselves with a cooked breakfast at Boscombe, to at least address the healthy balance!

Lin added:

I'm sure Richard won't mind me adding a few words to his report - I really just wanted to reiterate that Park runs are a really great concept. Absolutely the best thing about them is that they take place every Saturday throughout the year (some enthusiasts even turned out on Christmas and New Year's Day in 2010) - so instead of having to fit in with when a race is on you can chose to do it any weekend which suits you. Martin and I plan to do some more of these during the summer - probably pretty much as often as we don't have a race on the Sunday and are happy to car share if anyone else wants to participate. All you have to do is register on line up until Friday night ( http://www.parkrun.org.uk/poole/) print off your bar code and present it at the finish. Not only are the races great but the results and stats that they provide are also excellent and are usually on line the same day. And it's a really fun way to kick off the weekend.

A First in Yeovil – Half Marathon - Sun 27 Mar 11

With the onset of British Sumer Time (BST), a 09.00 start poses a significant challenge in itself!  However, it does mean that those runners rising earlier were able to watch the start of the Australia Grand Prix.

40 minutes later, I stepped out into a crisp cold village street, crowned with a brilliant blue sky.  Once on the ridgeway road towards Yeovil , three recognisable cars collected behind a lone lorry – all efforts to reduce the club’s carbon footprint on email had clearly failed!

The start was behind Yeovil Town’s football stadium.  Runners funnelled around the sides, to be greeted by a teenage heavy rock band, banging away at full volume – how the hell did they make it up so early?

 The start was well organised and relaxed, and before we knew it, we were off around the northern housing estates of Yeovil, waking up to summer.  Given the time, many were out on the streets in curiosity, if not support.  It was great, even though I felt anonymous.  I took the clapping and cheering as if a Yeovil Town club runner anyway.  2-3 miles in, running down Mudeford Road into Yeovil, I heard an old boy turn to his wife ‘Amazing, and to think it’s only 8.20 in the morning’!

Through the town centre, around the roads to Penmill, and back through the yellow path towards Ninesprings, the crowds collected again.  My body was starting to hurt now, and then suddenly cry from the crowd shouted my name – Olivia from the club encouraging me on!  Overjoyed, I felt an electric charge radiate out of the top of my head, and suddenly there was a spring in my step, and the next few miles breezed by.  I Made a mental note - "If you are not running a race, go along and support."  You cannot underestimate how much your support is appreciated by those you know running!

Back to the race; it an attractive and interesting course, with a few hills, which should not pose problems to the Maiden Newton Runner.  Phil did warn about keeping some in the tank for the last 2 miles, and boy, was that good advice.  I was very pleased to cross the line 1hr and 38 and half minutes later (an official PB!) and awarded a medal that had 1^st on it!

So to sum up, this was a great event and a bargain at £15 when the likes of Cardiff is £30 (and 130m short!!)

London Marathon 2011

Sunday 17th April saw the Westgates in London for THE Marathon, and as usual only one of them was racing. Due to lack of annual leave we had to cram all the travelling into the weekend, arriving at the Excel centre about 2pm. Not sure why they can’t just send the number etc. But a cynic might say there is the chance to make vast amounts of money in return for the most meagre pre-race goody bag containing a small can of beer (which I don’t drink) and a men’s deodorant. We set off in search of our vastly over-rated B&B (without breakfast), and later met son plus girlfriend for a meal in Wetherspoons. Might not be haute cuisine, but at least you know what to expect. Had forgotten how bad the traffic was in London, although that was one of the reasons for moving away. Was also surprised to find that almost every shop along a continuous 10 mile route was selling food – either supermarket, small ethnic shop or take-away.

On Sunday morning we had our porridge (DIY version) and set off for the start. At this hour – 7.30am it was reasonably cool, and I left Richard to find a parking space while I found the Green start. I also found the toilet queue and spent the next half hour or more there, so never got to see any of the celebrities. Richard had turned up outside the fence to see me off. And ONE minute after the gun I was across the start line. The first few miles were at a steady 8.5 min/mile pace, but I soon realised that I wasn’t going to last at that pace. Whether it was the lack of long training runs or the rapidly increasing temperature, but I decided not to kill myself and slowed down. Also had in mind various events coming up and wanted to be in a fit state for them. Was pleased and surprised to hear a shout in Tooley Street and there was Richard with my spare drinks bottle. I’d also been taking on water at most of the drinks stations and paid for this a few miles later when I needed the portaloo and had to queue to use it!! It was good seeing most of the leading men heading back in the opposite direction near Shadwell. It was also good to have support along virtually every yard of the route, and the one thing that stands out is the noise of the crowd, the bands, the pubs etc. Tower Bridge was passed, Canary wharf and the Isle of Dogs and soon I was going back past the Tower of London, under various bridges and along the embankment. It was getting really hard by now and I was using my usual tactic of counting paces, lamp posts, banners etc. The 25 mile mark was a welcome sight and before long the 800m to go sign appeared. Unfortunately there was an increasing number of casualties from here, almost within sight of the finish. With 200m to go I heard the name of Matthew Pinsent being called, I looked round but couldn’t see him and finally crossed the finish line. Chip removal, goody bag, kit bag and meetings soon followed and it was all over.

Many times during the race I though “that’s it, never again” and when somebody stumbled into me I thought if I’m injured I won’t have to finish, but some sort of stubborn determination kept me going, although whether more marathons are going to happen is yet to be decided. Hindsight is a wonderful thing and if I’d known the year so far was going to be so busy I probably wouldn’t have applied for this one, but having got the sub 4 hour time at the New Forest I thought it would be the only chance I’d get (for a guaranteed place on the green start). However it does show that training makes a difference.

Now that’s enough from me, perhaps Olivia would like to let us know about her much greater achievement of finishing her first marathon.

VIEW FROM THE BACK OF THE PACK – MARCH 2011

by Dave Webb

February was a quieter month on the racing front, but club members have been keeping busy in other ways. Some readers may remember that the club’s 2009 PR award for bringing the club into disrepute went to Jackie Webb, for her use of clear hand signals towards a runner who had slipstreamed her all the way then sprinted past just before the end of the race. Jackie felt that I should have warned her by shouting out ‘She’s behind you!’ Perhaps there was a pantomime performer lurking in there, for this year she made her debut in the Cattistock pantomime, slapping her thigh in the role of principal boy, to the entertainment of many of her clubmates. When she launched into the song ‘Give me some men, some stout-hearted men’ she was no doubt thinking of her running club colleagues.

Other club members have been concentrating on running, with Martin and Lin Lascelles doing what they like most, ie long cross-country runs involving lots of hills, no fixed route, map-reading and the chance to try out new pubs. So their race report for the ‘Blackdown Beast’, on the club’s blog page, began:

After thoroughly enjoying last year's inaugural 16 mile romp through the Somerset/Devon borderlands, (with 3 pubs and a Cornish Pasty/Mulled-cider stop), this event has been on our calendar for many months.  

If you are wondering what could possibly attract sane people to spend their weekends running through the mud, then you may be interested in a new feature for this column, where I attempt to answer some common questions about running.  This month’s question is ‘When is the best time of day to go running?’ Running magazines would probably quote all kinds of research studies into differential heart rates in the morning and evening, the influence of Circadian rhythms, and the need to replicate race conditions in your training schedule. For my part, I think the crucial issues are food and hygiene. If you don’t want to spend all day wondering if it’s long enough since your last meal to go running, and if you only want to have one shower per day, then I suggest you go running in the early morning, after  a reviving mug of tea. I sought an alternative answer from local sceptic and armchair critic, Mr Les Knott-Bother, who replied that there is no right time of day to go running, and it is best never to go above walking pace.

I now need to turn to the thorny question of unlicensed runners. There have been a number of recent sightings of people out running on the local lanes and tracks. I regret to say that some of these people are not known to Maiden Newton Runners and are therefore running without a licence!  Being more serious, we are a friendly group and welcome anyone who would like to come along to a meeting or to one of our social runs, on a Tuesday night at 7pm or on the 2^nd Thursday of each month for a run at 7pm and our meeting at 8pm. We now have a club email address (as well as our own website, facebook page and blogspot) which is maidennewtonrunner@hotmail.co.uk so anyone who is interested can email us for more information.

In the coming month there is a new race on the local calendar, the Yeovil Half-Marathon on 27 March. This event begins and ends at the Yeovil Town football stadium. Several hundred runners are expected to turn out (a record crowd for Yeovil Town?!), including a good representation from Maiden Newton Runners, provided we do not succumb to age, injury or infirmity beforehand.

Johnny Kipps

Another missed lie-in on Sunday morning as Martin and I headed over to Wynford Eagle at 9.15 to run round the course ahead of the race. Our marathon training called for a long run (20m) today so we were compromising by doing 12 miles, not racing but throwing in marathon target pace miles on the "flat" bits. The plan was to save plenty of energy for the first Yeovilton 5k on Wednesday evening.

The first lap was completed according to plan and we arrived back at Wynford Eagle to find a record attendance eagerly awaiting the start. It was absolutely fantastic to see so many people there, friends from Yeovil, neighbours desperate to curry support for the Sydling Fun Run (18th September - please be there or I'll be in trouble with Di!) not to mention a total of 14 Maiden Newton Runners.

Phil had decided to give the rest of us a chance and also to allow his knee to make a full recovery - after his briefing, Lord Wynford kindly started the race, after assuring us that he is still in touch with Johnny Kipps, who is delighted to know that the race named in his honour not only still takes place but is growing in popularity each year.

As Martin Chaffey had managed to resist stopping off at the car boot sale en route from Yeovil this year we were able to start promptly at 10.30am and as usual Dave Carnell set off at a breakneck pace with Dave Webb hot on his heels in pursuit whilst the rest of us adopted a more leisurely pace. Martin and I settled into our race plan and headed up the hill, running with Richard Blackmore initially, and discussing which of the Dave's we thought would be victorious.

Well the thing with race plans is that you never know how you're going to feel on the day and sometimes you just get carried away by the moment. It was one of those days for me and as we climbed steadily upward I decided that it was time to drop Richard so I upped the pace a little expecting Martin to come with me. By this time Dave Webb had taken the lead and as we continued to climb I found Dave Carnell coming back to me pretty quickly. Martin had obviously decided to stick with the plan so I was a bit worried about how much trouble I would be in later.

As I reached the top of the hill where Jacky was, as usual, kindly "manning" the water station I caught Dave up, so I thought I may as well see if I could psych him out by passing him - that seemed to work pretty well. I was suffering the odd pang of guilt about not sticking to Martin's race plan but then I thought the hell with it - there are 6 Yeovilton 5ks but only one Johnny Kipps, why save my energy?

I was expecting Dave to come back past me at any moment or for Martin to catch me but in the mean time I was enjoying myself so much I decided to stick with the pace. Phil and John were both out on their bikes and gave me some encouragement as they passed me. In fact Phil's detailed information about who was doing what behind me meant I didn't have to display any weakness by turning round to see for myself what was going on!

As I reached the downhill stretch Phil informed me that Martin was gaining on me and then zoomed off leaving me to it. I risked a quick glance or two back as I went down the steepest part, if Martin was going to catch me anywhere it would be here, but as the road levelled out he was still behind me and I sprinted to the line with Charlie's great support and encouragement spurring me on.

Martin finished pretty close behind me, followed by the two Daves, Dave Webb having won that battle, and gradually the rest of the field finished. It was great to see Richard Rider's strong sprint finish and Mike also had a very good run finishing just ahead of Pete. In total there were 29 competitors, even with several members missing due to injury or a certain prominent event next weekend. Results are up at: http://www.freewebs.com/maidennewtonrunningclub/results2011.htm

Poole Park Run

On Saturday morning Martin and I were up at the crack of dawn (well for us anyway) to drive over to Poole for the new Park run event which started last weekend. For those of you who don't know about Park Run, they are free timed 5k time trails which take place all over the country at 9am every Saturday morning (http://parkrun.com/home.aspx). We've done a few on our travels but were absolutely delighted to hear that finally we have one right on our doorstep.

It was a beautiful sparkly morning, and as we jogged around warming up people began to assemble in front of the cricket pavilion where the race was due to start. The race director gave a brief description of the course and promptly at 9am we set off.

The route consists of two anti clockwise laps of the lake with a final loop around the oval in front of the cricket pavilion at the end. Neither of us were feeling particularly sprightly after another week of hard marathon training but we set off with our usual optimism. I was a bit worried to find myself fairly close behind Martin for the first 1km - I can never judge my pace so I knew that either I was going too fast or he was having a bad run (it turned out to be the latter) neither of which was a good thing.

By the time we reached the far side of the lake he started to pull away from me and I also got overtaken by another female runner. As there was a junior ahead that dropped me into third place in the ladies race - and that was where I stayed. First lap was completed pretty much on target pace but the second lap started to take its toll on my legs and my pace dropped off slightly. I was gaining on the junior ahead of me who had gone out very fast and was obviously paying the price in the latter stages of the race. On another day, without Johnny Kipps and the first Yeovilton 5k ahead of me, I might have killed myself trying to overtake her but for today I was happy to cross the line in 19.23 and third place.

Martin had finished 7th overall but was very disappointed with his time of 18.46 - I reminded him that it was only 6 days after a hard half marathon, which was also going to be my excuse until we discovered that the winner today had finished in a little over 15 minutes and coincidentally had also won the Bournemouth Bay Half a week earlier in 1.12! With our excuses blown we decided to console ourselves by slinking off to the Reef Encounter in Boscombe for a well earned breakfast.

Bournemouth Bay Half Marathon and 10k

This was probably the biggest race around these parts that we have never got around to entering before, probably because it coincides with a couple of other very good races - the Exe to Axe, and the Taunton Marathon and half-Marathon.

Anyway, we finally did it, and showed up on the day extra early as a result of having lost track of which of the number/chips belonged to whom. We had visions of standing in giant queues for the information desk, and having to pin on numbers and attach timing chips as we ran to the back of the crowd at the start. As it turned out, it we needn't have worried, the race was extremely well-organised, and the well-staffed information desk took only seconds to check our numbers.

We then had plenty of time to explore the Pier area where most importantly, the main loos were situated. This was also where the races (all 4 of them ) were to start from. First to get under way was the 10k, in which new member Dave B had entered, so, after taking care of business, we went to the 10k start line to find Dave. His knee had been playing up, so there was some doubt whether he would be there, able to compete, but he was, although the knee was no better. He was gamely, some would say unwisely, racing, in the hope that the knee would at least hold up and not slow him down too much from his target 4k/minute pace. We wished him well, and returned to the car to get out of the cold, and rest a while before returning to the promenade for our warmup, and the rest of our pre-race routine.

The race start time approached, and we made our way to the start line, where we met Yeovil's star veteran runner, Paul Rose, who was doing a last sharpening race before the London Marathon. Then at 10:30 sharp, the race got under way, a fast start, along the promenade for half a klick, then sharp right up a surprisingly steep and long hill to the road that wound around the 3 Chines before a sharp drop back on to the promenade for a 6 mile dead flat

stretch.

Lin was focused on the female competition which as far as we could see consisted of an extremely slender and fit looking young woman in black, and a strong-but less svelte one in a white top. The latter sped off at a rapid pace which we could not have hoped to maintain ourselves, so we let her pull away, and Lin concentrated on keeping pace with the slim girl. I was focussed on maintaining a dead even pace, and also finding the straightest possible path around the Chines, up pavements and grass-verges, using all the available road to cover the least distance and save the maximum energy that I knew I would need later to keep up with Lin.

After we returned to the promenade we were running with whatever slight wind there was behind us, as was the early ladies leader. We were exactly on my target pace of 6:30/mile, however Lin could not resist racing the other girl, so, not wanting to risk blowing up I let them both go, slowly opening up a gap of 40 yards or so before I saw Lin pull away into a clear lead. I then started gaining on the second lady and caught her up at about 5 miles. I ran with her for a mile or so, as Lin continue to pull away from both of us, but then saw that the pace had dropped to 6:40, so I decided to take a chance, and put my foot down a bit along the remaining mile or so of flatness before the route came up from the beach and into the residential streets of Southbourne.

I put in a 6:25 mile, and almost caught up with Lin before we came up off the beach, then did catch up at the first of several sharp bends around the housing estate. We both looked back as we made the turn, to see the woman in black too close for comfort. But I sensed that Lin was struggling, although she kept up with me for a couple of miles until we returned to the coast at which point I gradually dropped her along the cliff-top road that led back to Boscombe. This is definitely the most testing part of the race, into the prevailing wind, and although visually flat, rising imperceptibly so the pace slowed and I was starting to feel pretty tired, and finding it hard to maintain the concentration without which the pace would drop even more. However once I reached the end of the cliff road, just before the steep drop to the beach, I looked back and saw Lin only 100 yards back, with the other girl no closer to her than before, and felt that I could stop worrying about her, and concentrate on catching up a few of the men in the race, and hopefully get ahead of any MV50s still in front of me.

A swoop down past Boscombe Pier, then on to the seafront for a final 2k. I was gaining on a pair of guys, one of whom looked like he might be over 50. I pulled even with about a mile to go, then bided my time until a kilometer to go when I made my final push for the line, and beat him by over 10 seconds. Unfortunately the first MV50 ws a further 7 seconds ahead of me! Maybe I could have caught him too, but I didn't think he looked old enough to be in my age-group. Looking young is a useful trait if you want to win age group prizes. A better one is to actually be a faster runner than all the other old guys!

However, I was happy with my performance, finishing in a respectable 1:25:42. And of course I was happier still to look back and see Lin crossing the line, less than a minute behind me, and winner of the ladies race, albeit a scant 15 seconds ahead of her young challenger. Her third win in a row, four if you count her first overall age-graded at the Grizzly!

Dave had finished the 10k in a disappointing 41:40, having struggled with his knee problem, hopefully it will respond to a bit of rest, but he is gamely planning to do the Johnny Kipps next week, you can't keep a good runner down!

After our race, we tried out the post-race massage which was probably the reason why our legs feel so good the following day. Then we repaired to our favourite Bournemouth area restaurant (Cafe Boscanova in Boscombe) for a celebratory lunch before we made out way through the maze of roads that is Bourmemouth and back to West Dorset.

Once home, the results were soon available online. There were about 1400 entrants in each of the main races, its easy to see why it is so popular. To summarise, a good race, well organised, with good facilities, and plenty of atmosphere. Also in aid of a very good cause, the British Heart

Foundation.

Banbury - 15 miles and 5000years

Last weekend the Westgates thought they’d been working too hard and decided to have a few days away. At least that’s how Richard saw it. In truth I had been planning accommodation, route and things to see and do for months. And one of those was the Banbury 15 mile road race. Before we got to that however there were a few thousand years of history to investigate starting with the 5000 year old white horse at Uffington. ( By strange coincidence the scene of a current murder enquiry). Thanks to the rain it was quite deserted when we were there. Then we moved on to a 3000 year old hill fort (similar to Maiden Castle). After that we found ourselves in Witney (David Cameron country) and also famous for manufacture of blankets in the past few centuries. Luckily for DC they have now all closed, or burned down providing a neat solution to infill housing problems.
Next day after an excellent breakfast in an equally good guest house we decided to stretch our legs in the direction of Blenheim Palace (18th century) following the Wychwood trail. This should only have taken a morning, but some people walk slower than others and with frequent stops we weren’t back until mid afternoon, so a bit too much time on feet. The rest of the afternoon was spent looking for a suitable and affordable place to eat; picturesque country pubs being hugely expensive. This took us past yet more ruins – 15th century this time.
The next day – Sunday was cloudy and cool, but warmed up later – excellent running weather. Richard had already decided he was going to continue with this year’s plan and run with me. That is, a few yards ahead so conveniently out of reach for conversation. The start and finish was in the park opposite Banbury leisure centre, and the route went in a northerly direction out of town, so after a couple of miles it was on pleasant country lanes, crossing over the Oxford canal at times. A few hills, including one that really sapped the energy from the legs at 11 miles. Then a return to town via the outward route and finally the welcome sight of the finish line. Here we were passed by a couple of runners wearing flip-flops. Apparently they always run in them although on this occasion one was suffering from a bleeding foot as well as damage to the footwear. After showers we checked the results and were relieved to find I was only 3rd in my age group (by quite a margin) and so didn’t have to wait for presentations. Of course we had to continue the historical quest and find Banbury Cross and a statue of a lady on a horse. Banbury doesn’t have a lot else going for it, couldn’t even find a shop open on Sunday selling Banbury cakes. May be the race organisers should give them out instead of fudge bars.
Another reason for choosing this race/location was that my ancestors were from this area, so on Monday we went searching for hovel type dwellings likely to have been inhabited by agricultural labourers, and to get to the villages went on the old Roman Road of Akeman Street. (I did say there was a lot of history). In Leafield a small village of 600+, we came across a church designed by Sir George Gilbert Scott who in his spare time also designed the Grand Hotel at St Pancras and the Albert Memorial. Richard likes looking round old churches and I was pleased to find the names of some relatives on the gravestones and one on the WW1 memorial. After all that you’ll be pleased/relieved to find we drove straight home for a rest.

Grizzly 2011 - Valley of the Bogs

The weather was absolutely perfect on Sunday for the 24^th running of Axe Valley’s biggest and best event of the year, the infamous Grizzly.  It only seems like a moment ago that I ran my first Grizzly, thinking that I had to do it at least once to see what all the fuss was about.  This year was my 8^th Grizzly and sadly may be the last, at least in its current format, as Race Director, Garry Perratt, has said that unless someone else takes on the organisation in future, he will be scaling it down. 

A total of 1687 runners crossed the line in times varying from a little over two and a half hours to in excess of six but I think everyone would agree that they got their money’s worth.  As usual the organisation was superb, a great and varied course with several new sections, cheery and helpful marshals leaving no doubt as to the direction to take, fantastic support and entertainment along the way and a selection of goodies to reward you when finally crossing the line.  Not to mention the distinctive t-shirt, proudly worn by all Grizzly survivors.

As usual the race began with a loop along the beach, a strength sapping mile on the shingle which leaves you wondering how on earth your legs will cope with another 19 miles or so of fun – but it’s always a boost to run back over the start line before heading out onto the course “proper” with the shouts of the enthusiastic spectators to spur you on your way.

Martin and I started running together but as usual I got a bit carried away and found myself a little ahead of him as we headed across to Beer and up the hill to the coast path.  A lovely flat section across the cliffs towards Branscombe and then a steep descent to Branscombe Mouth and the traditional river crossing, disappointingly only knee deep this year, but still breathtakingly cold.

After passing through the village of Branscombe we moved into uncharted territory for me as the route headed much further north than usual, and although parts seemed vaguely familiar, I had no idea where we were.  I managed to pull away from a girl who had overtaken me at alarming speed on the downhill stretch to Branscombe and was delighted to find myself in second place in the ladies race, as confirmed by numerous friendly marshals along the way.  I was confidently expecting Martin to charge pass me at any time but I resisted the temptation to look back in case it was interpreted as weakness on my part.

At about 9 and a half miles on a very rough, narrow downhill path disaster struck as I caught my right foot in a root and went over on my ankle.  This was the same ankle which I sprained badly last year and it brought me back to a painful hobble.  I semi-seriously contemplated stopping but I managed to convince myself that it was only pain and kept going – gradually the pain subsided but for the next couple of miles I slowed down a little and had to place my foot very carefully.

This gave Martin the opportunity to catch me, much to my disappointment as I thought I had dropped him, but although I was aware of him behind me at about 13 miles he didn’t pass me and I didn’t see him again. 

The route seemed to loop round and round, the bogs came and went - not up to the usual standard of gloop, it has obviously been too dry recently – and I kept looking at the Garmin, seeing the miles racking up and wondering why we hadn’t got back to the Fountain Head pub yet, the point at which you know you are headed for home.   I just couldn’t get my bearings and it was with immense relief that I finally reached the familiar track down to the pub – where the support is tremendous and the crowd and music give tired legs a huge boost.  I think everyone, no matter the level of suffering, ran through there with a huge grin on their faces.

A steep and muddy climb followed up to the coast path and then a turn in the right direction, east back towards Seaton and the long downhill swoop into Branscombe, all morale boosting if you only didn’t know what still lay ahead.  The half mile or so along the beach didn’t seem too bad this year and I passed several runners and caught a large bunch running together ahead of me before reaching the end and turning onto the Stairway to Heaven. 

About halfway up I was overtaken by Claire, the Wells City Harrier who also beat me into third place at the Loch Ness marathon.  She passed me very strongly and my legs just didn’t have anything left to make a contest of it.  By the time I emerged onto the cliff top she was already a couple hundred yards ahead and as if that wasn’t bad enough the route then turned away from Seaton to do a loop inland before passing through the camp site and back down into Beer. 

The remainder of the route is so familiar I think I could run it blindfold which was just as well as I had reached the stage where it was mind over matter to keep the legs turning over, the last stretch along the beach was a killer, I really just wanted to stop and lie down.  Fortunately I managed not to give into that impulse and even wound up to a bit of a sprint finish, crossing the line in just under 3 hours and 3 minutes.

Martin had to put up with some heckling from Jon Perratt on the PA who greeted him into the finishing funnel by saying “I’m sorry to tell you that the wife has beaten you today” but he took it in good spirit as usual.  The traditional dip in the sea followed to remove at least some of the mud and then we enjoyed strolling around in the sunshine and cheering many of our friends across the line. 

The results appeared on the website this morning and I was delighted to find that I finished in the top 50 (49^th) and much to my amazement I was first overall age graded!  Martin finished in 68^th place and 16^th age graded, just under 4 minutes behind me.  Not bad for a pair of oldies.  My ankle is nicely swollen but I think will recover in time for the next race......................................

Bideford Half Marathon

Sunday 6th March saw the Westgates at Bideford for the half marathon. I (LW) had been looking forward to this as perusal of previous results showed a strange anomaly that I had run more marathons than halfs, so to put this right we confidently entered a few at the beginning of the year. Sadly in what is almost becoming a tradition Richard fell victim to ill-health in the weeks before the race and was recently only able to run round Hestercombe with me (rather than race it). This time he wasn’t even able to run at all, but enjoyed having the time to read his book for an hour before leaving the car to watch the winners cross the line.

My training hadn’t gone particularly well with only a few longer training runs so it was with some trepidation I found myself on the start line. Or, I should say several yards back from the start line as it took nearly a minute to get to it. The first half of the race is on a main road and follows the river inland for 7 miles and was undulating. A bit surprising as I thought rivers flowed downhill. After the 7 mile marker we crossed the river and turned on to the Tarka Trail. This tarmac path follows the line of a disused railway and is totally flat. Ideal for cyclists and runners who like fast times, but the terrain did look the same for the next 5 miles, broken only by a few bridges giving a change from one river bank to the other. After a long tunnel, another mile or so brought us within sight of the town of Bideford and not long then to the 12 mile marker. For most of the race I had been keeping in front or a Torbay runner who I thought might be in my age group. Having narrowly beaten the 2nd FV55 by TWO seconds at Hestercombe, I didn’t want the tables turned this time. Finally we reached the point where we left the Tarka trail and went back on the road, with countdown markers every 100m for the last 800m. A good way to get to the end of a race. It also took us across the old stone bridge and along the river front with lots of crowd support including RW with camera.

For those who like the stats, having finished in a chip time of 1:48:33 this was a PB for me, my last PB being 1:54 approx at Taunton in 2007. Sadly I needn’t have worried about beating fellow runners as I was 6th FV55 with prizes for the first 3 in each category.

Hestercombe Humdinger

This was our first visit to the Hestercombe Humdinger and although not our favoured off road terrain it was an enjoyable experience.  Maiden Newton Runners were not exactly out in force, but there were enough of us there to be described as a group.

The race starts in front of Hestercombe House, a lovely setting and heads up the drive and through lanes at the foot of the Quantocks.  Martin said afterwards that he clocked the first mile in 5.50 which he felt meant that he had gone off a little too fast.  It's a good job he didn't glance back because I clocked my first mile in 5.53 which was not a little too fast but totally insane!  After that we both settled down to a slightly more sensible and infinitely more sustainable pace.

This part of the race was a bit of a blast from the past for me - when I first began running again after the post school slothful years, my running friend lived just down the road from Hestercombe House and we often ran circuits from her house around these same lanes.  In fact the Humdinger route passed by where she lived, although she has long since moved on (moved to France, mainly I think to avoid having to run with me any more, as my enthusiam for running increased her's dwindled.  I still think it was a bit drastic emigrating, she could have just said "I don't want to run with you any more".  I would have been a bit upset but I would have understood. Anyway back to the race..........)

A three mile loop took us back to Hestercombe House, where we once again ran up the drive but this time turning right.  Lots of support here from spectators and the PA system before we tackled the first of the challenging climbs.  I had managed to drop one of the girsl who caused my ridiculous cavalry charge of the first mile, but the other one had gained about 50 yards on me and remained stubbornly at that distance ahead for the rest of the race.  I kept thinking I was gaining on her but each time it proved an optical illusion and in reality I just couldn't close the gap.  At about 3 and a half miles I caught and overtook the one other female runner ahead of me, but at the same time was myself caught and overtaken by the girl who narrowly beat me at the Loch Ness marathon, and so I remained in 3rd place for the entire race.  I could still see Martin up ahead and was hopeful that  his legs had not recovered from last week's tough Four Trigs and that I may be able to catch him, but my last glimpse of him was at 5 miles and after that he disappeared from view.

A sharp downhill section into Kingston St Mary followed and then a left turn and another telling climb up "Humdinger" Hill - still tailing my female rival by the same distance and still working hard in the fruitless attempt to close the gap. The figure of 8 route around unfamiliar lanes had left me completely disorientated and I felt as if I was heading in the wrong direction now but summiting the last climb brought me back to Vollis Hill which we had climbed on our way out and which we could now swoop down knowing that the end was near.  As I turned into the house and summoned up my remaining energy for the sprint down the drive I could see Martin waiting at the line - he finished in an execellent 15th place overall and a full 2 minutes ahead of me today.  I crossed the line in 1.05.55, overall position 23rd.

We collected our t-shirts and then jogged back down the drive to meet the others - firstly Lesley, being paced by Richard today, and not far behind them, Charlie who we then ran in with - and a storming finish she had too, charging down the hill passing several other runners as she headed for the line, well ahead of Andy in a reversal of their finishing positions last time they both did this race.

It was a good day for MNR - picking up 1st MV55, 1stFV45, 1st FV55 and 3rd lady trophies - I was also reunited with my trail shoes which I had left behind at the Four Trigs last week and I'm pleased to report that even with a visit to my parents in nearby Wellington thrown in I managed to get home with all my possessions intact, nothing left anywhere it shouldn't have been, a small miracle indeed based on my recent form!

Blackdown Beast

After thoroughly enjoying last year's inaugural 16 mile romp through the Somerset/Devon borderlands, (with 3 pubs and a Cornish Pasty/Mulled-cider stop), this event has been on our calendar for many months. We set off at 8:30 sharp, theoretically only an hours drive away and starting at 10:00am, but expecting to need the extra half an hour to find our way to Dunkeswell from the nearest main road - even though it's less than 4 miles as the crow flies. We needed most of that time because despite having done the run last year, our memories of the route were vague, and the roads very windy, and potholy. We found some of the few roads that we missed trying to find the place last year, but unfortunately none of them led to our destination, so we ended up driving round to the far side of the village and approaching from the west. Next year we'll remember the map.

We finally arrived only 10 minutes before 10, just in time for the meeting briefing, or brief meeting before the start where we were told to expect mud, ice, rocks, and more mud, but thankfully not the herd of cows in a farmyard which we had to negotiate last year.

The other important information was that there were only 10 vegetarian pasties, which would have lent some urgency to our pace over the first leg of the course, except that because we were running with Garry (AKA LMRB), we were automatically at the head of the field. Luckily Garry was only "pootling" around so we were able to keep up - just, thanks to him opening most of the gates, and doing the map-reading. A local runner, Tony was running with us too, he is more used to chasing blobs of flour rather than drawing pins, but didn't seem to have much trouble keeping up, and maintaining a conversation.

The first leg was over 6 miles and the short break at Smeatharpe for pasty & mulled-cider was extremely welcome, especially inside a warm village hall where the temperature was several tens of degrees warmer, so the shock when we set off for the pub at Upottery was substantial. It took us a mile or two to really get going again, luckily not as hilly or muddy as the first section with several easy downhill tracks where we could relax a bit, and where Lin relaxed so much that she caught her toe on a stone and went flying. No serious damage, fortunately, she is pretty good at falling over!

The Sidmouth Arms gave us a warm welcome, although the landlady's first words were "you are all quite mad"!!! We couldn't really argue about that, she's right. Forced to choose between the Otter Ale, and Otter Bitter, I had a half of each. In a blind taste test I could just about tell the difference between them (by peeking), they are both good. Lin had a cup of coffee - oh well, it takes all sorts.

The next group of runners were hot on our heels, so we didn't stay long, although it was tempting to stay and enjoy the warmth, and maybe another drink, but the Luppitt Inn was beckoning, only 2.8 miles away, but separated from Upottery by a rather large hill.

I wish I had taken a picture of the fantastic view from the top of the hill above Luppitt, but I was too tired and cold to even try to get the camera out, and we weren't hanging about. It was down the precipice to the road, then halfway up one of the steeper hills in this part of Devon to definitely the smallest pub in the west country. We barely had time to down a half of Otter before the chasing group pitched up, and with still less than 10 runners in the bar, the place was full, and we left to make room for the others.

As we set off to enjoy the second and much steeper half of the hill, we were joined by renowned Honiton athlete, Heather Foundling-Hawker - having a nice easy morning's running as a break from her ultra training. She had just qualified for the GB 24 hour squad in an amazing effort where she had to run well over 200 miles in 4 days after her first attempt had failed due to adverse weather. (Link) She had some interesting stories to tell of the Ultra circuit which helped to make the last couple of miles back to Dunkeswell pass more easily. Soon we were running down into the village, and then up the final steepish hill to the Royal Oak (second most popular pub name in England).

Game over, but still some enjoyment to be had with a nice drink and a hearty meal of fish and chips in front of the fire, chatting with friends as they arrived back. A low key event, not a race, just great company and countryside - running at its best.

Many thanks to Nick, John, and the rest of the organising crew. We'll be back in 12 months for more mud and Mulled Cider.

Oh, and a plug for the Honiton Hippo. It be a good'un! Similar terrain, but a race, not a pub run. http://www.honitonrc.com/races/hippo/hippo.htm We would be doing it if we didn't have the Johnny Kipps on the same day. Its the old complaint, too many races, too little time.

New Year Festive Run

The year has  begun well with a great turn out at the New Year Festive run.   I should know by now that it's impossible to find out in advance who is coming - although we did get a text from Phil MacQuaid at about 10am saying "There's a gang on the way from Yeovil".  Very enlightening - what is the definition of  a "gang"?  Presumably more than two, which would be a couple, but when does a gang stop being a gang and become a crowd?  Ah the joys of catering - anyway fortunately there was enough champagne to go round!

Twenty of us set off from the Fox and Hounds, having discovered that there was no point rushing back because the pub was closed for a week.  They had obviously been unable to discover the exact date of our run and decided to close for several days to be on the safe side!

We laboured up Kennel Lane, splitting at the top with the speedier legs heading across to the Wessex Ridgeway and the sensible people taking the most direct route across to Sydling.  A re-group at the church in Sydling where we lost Jackie but gained Dave.  Unfortunately we had started too promptly and run too fast and the Greyhound was yet to open so rather than loiter at their door we decided to press on.  Our group shrank slightly as Andy decided to return to Cattistock and Richard Blackmore found the temptation of passing his front door too great to resist.

The rest of us tackled the climb up the other side of the valley, again splitting with Martin taking the faster legs on a detour, the rest of taking the slightly less arduous route.  A leisurely pace took us across Eastfield Hill, down to Pond Bottom and then the only way was up and up and up.............

Finally reaching the ridge at the Turning Point we broke for refreshment - champagne, flapjacks, chocolate and a welcome chance to take a breather and enjoy the view.  A group on horseback passed us -the riders enviously eyeing our refreshments, some of the runners coveting their horses!

An easy run along the ridge now with all the climbing behind us and then the descent to Stratton and finally a pub that was open - the Saxon!  This was the point where the foolhardy were sorted from the sensible - after some real alcohol and a break from the weather which had decided to turn particularly damp and unpleasant, our gang was greatly diminished and just nine of us set off on the final leg.  In fairness Charlie and Dave also continued on foot but had decided to get a head start on us. The rest of the group sensibly decided that enough was enough and the ever popular Mike found that he was everyone's best friend once it was discovered that his car was parked in Stratton!

Injury and illnesses were making it a bit of a struggle for some and the rain began in earnest.  It was like making a long car journey with children in the back of the car "Are we nearly there yet?" being heard at regular intervals.  The Chalk and Cheese was a welcome oasis of warmth and Mike and Di were waiting there as Jim finally gave in to his post flu symptoms and made the final leg by car. Richard also wisely decided that there was no point passing up his front door and so it was that only seven of us sloshed up the path by the river back to our starting point - where Mike and Di were again waiting to greet us with mince pies for everyone.

What a great way to start the New Year, despite the weather and thanks to everyone who came along and made the day such a success.  A few pictures which Martin took are up on the MNR Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=202491522257

Midwinter Dream

Never let it be said that we are fair weather runners, and to prove that point, Martin and I headed off down to Seaton last Saturday evening to join Axe Valley Runners on their annual Midwinter Dream.  We met up with the other hard core runners at the Hook and Parrot at 6pm when the temperature was a balmy minus 4 or so and set off along the coast path towards Beer, seven (fool) hardy souls.

We followed the route of the Grizzly across to Branscombe Mouth, even venturing down onto the beach for a short stretch and finding the shingle much easier than usual to run on as it was frozen solid!  A sharp climb up the other side and then through the trees finally dropping down to our first welcome break at the Fountainhead pub - where we promptly divested ourselves of several layers of outer clothing and hung it round the glowing log fire.  Fortunately, probably something to do with the inclement weather, there were very few other customers to object as we huddled round the fire for a few blissful minutes and enjoyed (I think) a lovely glass of cold beer.

It was oh so hard to leave the warmth and head back outside, turning inland now for another climb and knowing that we had five miles of running through the snow before the next break. The route was not so familiar now, lots of wood, lots of snow, a brief moment of bashing around in the undergrowth when even Garry managed to lose the path, finally emerging onto the road and arriving at the soup stop, a strategically parked car with flasks of steaming hot and very welcome leek and potato soup.  Not quite so festive but infinitely more warming than beer!

The temperature seemed to be dropping and as we headed down to the river crossing near Colyton it was not a hard decision to detour to the bridge crossing rather than wading through the ford as we normally do.  A nice flat section of easy running across snowy fields by the river and we were soon heading through the deserted streets of Colyton, the Kingfisher pub our destination and another brief break from the cold as we refuelled and defrosted.

It was getting late and even colder and we were all beginning to flag a bit so when a short cut was mentioned it wasn't long before Garry had a mutiny on his hands and all but he and one other runner abandoned ship and scurried towards Seaton in rat-like fashion. The last few miles were definitely a test of endurance as we slithered along slippery roads, our only thoughts now on warmth, food and rest.  We finally arrived back around 10.30pm and taking leave of our companions headed for the camper van where we had foolishly decided to spend the night.

Firstly I couldn't get my shoes off because the laces were frozen solid and so were my fingers! After some very welcome Indian food, which barely touched the side, we settled in for the night but we couldn't get warm no matter how many layers we put on. Finally, after a few sleepless hours, we got up, scraped the ice off the inside of the windscreen and slithered back over the icy roads to the warmth and comfort of Sydling, arriving at about 3am when the whole dream felt like it had turned into a bit of a nightmare!

Apart from the cold it was a brilliant evening, a great route, great company and the snow certainly turned it into a special experience........but I'm really hoping for a better temperature next year!

Reindeer Run

Following on from a week when we thought we may need some reindeer to provide transportation to the start of this race, we were very relieved that some kind of thaw occurred overnight and we could slither over to Otterton for the Reindeer Run without too much difficulty.  And although it was still very cold it was positively balmy compared with the misery that was last week's Bicton Blister.

This is a fun off road 10k organised by Sidmouth Running Club and Martin and I had a serious title to defend - first married couple! - which prize saw us enjoying a free lunch at Otterton Mill last year so naturally we were keen to repeat the experience.

A 10am start is the single downside to this race but once the crack of dawn start is behind you the rest of the race is enjoyable (apart from the uphill start) and even more so this year with some minor route changes which were all improvements.  Once the fun run split from the main race after the first km and I no longer had to worry about the two small boys zigzagging wildly about in front of me I could concentrate on trying to keep Martin in sight.

After turning off the road the route climbs up across some fields, drops back down near to the River Otter before heading back up hill across some more fields, a diversion from the usual route which took out all the serious opposition - all the leaders ran around the edge of the field instead of following the markers straight ahead and back down to the river.  Fortunately the guy in front of me realised and went the right way - I would have followed him ether way - and as we dropped down a steep hill it was with some relief that I saw Martin still up ahead having chosen the correct route.  For the rest of the race the front runners gradually caught us up and overtook us having completed an extra quarter mile or so.

Out onto the road and across the River Otter, a section of flat easy running on the road before turning back towards Otterton and another route change here as we were directed up a slight hill and across more fields, a pleasant diversion from the extremely muddy and difficult track normally taken.  My favourite part of the race along the flat riverside path follows, marred only slightly by the knowledge that the river crossing lies ahead as you are directed under the road and through waist deep water.  I hadn't realised how much I was dreading it until I arrived and found much to my delight, no water!  Just some rather pleasant concrete, result!  I had a sneaking suspicion that there might be a nasty surprise later on to compensate but fortunately the organisers weren't that devious!

On the home stretch now - a few more fields, another river crossing - by bridge! - then the last few fields and a steep downhill section to the finish.  Martin finished in 11th place in 43.06 and I was first lady home in 18th place overall and 44.16 - much more respectable than last week's resounding defeat at Bicton.  And much more importantly we regained our title and picked up another free lunch, although we hadn't realised that there was some serious competition this year in the shape of Lucy and Martin Owen - fortunately Martin was one of the front runners who took the scenic route, but I think we might just have beaten them anyway.  However the challenge has been thrown down for next year when we might have to work a bit harder for it!

Exmoor Stagger Revisited

Last Sunday was a perfect morning for a jaunt across Exmoor and the conditions for our fourth running of the Exmoor Stagger, and my first visit since 2006, could not have been better. We gathered on the start line with the usual suspects from Maiden Newton (aka Richard and Lesley) amongst the 230 strong field of runners in the sort of good spirits that only a tough, hilly 16 mile race in bright autumn sunshine can inspire.

An entertaining briefing from an exuberant race director was followed by a short walk to the start line and at 11am sharp we were off at the start of the lung bursting ascent to the far distant Dunkery Beacon.

The route starts to climb almost immediately, then climbs some more, continues to climb for a bit further........you get the idea, it’s basically uphill! After the first couple of miles the race splits, the hardy Staggerers turn right for more torture and the lucky Stumblers turn left to cover the short distance back down to Minehead. This year Richard was amongst the Stumblers as he had decided that his stomach could not endure the real deal.

At this point I realised that I had been running past glorious views without actually noticing them, so I tried to appreciate the stunning vista of moors, forest and the distant sea. That lasted for about 2 seconds and then my focus returned to the task ahead. I was having a bit of a tussle with a female Bitton Road Runner but fortunately she was not as strong as me on the hills and soon fell back. This left me to concentrate on Richard Boulter from Yeovil who I decided must be beaten at all costs!!

A welcome stretch of downhill to the picturesque village of Wootton Courtenay followed and at this point a marshal called out to me “Well done, first lady” which I thought was a load of rubbish as I knew there was at least one speedy woman up ahead. After another three marshals had called out the same thing it occurred to me that they couldn’t all be wrong and that my speedy rival must be doing the Stumble. This gave my legs a burst of strength and there was another incentive – an occasional flash of a silver Maiden Newton vest up ahead. I knew Martin was worried that his recovery from the marathon had not been as swift as mine and that the Stagger is the sort of race where my chances of beating him are strongest and so it proved as I gradually reeled him in.

As we toiled up the final slopes of Dunkery Beacon Richard Boulter began to pull away from me, I caught and overtook Martin and was myself caught and overtaken by an unknown female. I concentrated on trying to put as much distance between myself and Martin as I could because I was sure that he would come crashing back past me on the long steep downhill stretch off the Beacon. I finally reached the summit and began the treacherous slippery descent and although I took it quite carefully I gained the lost ground back on Richard and stayed ahead of Martin.

On reaching the bottom there is a nice section of fairly level path round the side of a steep valley and on this part of the course, knowing that the bulk of the hard work was behind me, I finally passed Richard and managed to open up a lead on him. Unfortunately this meant that I had no-one to follow and I spent an anxious half mile or so hurtling down a muddy track with a distinct feeling that I had missed a turning and was heading in the wrong direction. It was with great relief that I came out onto a short stretch of road, saw both a marshal and the runner ahead of me as I came back into Wootton Courtenay.

As I turned off the road and began the infamous climb back up to the ridge above Minehead I saw my female rival walking up ahead and thought, perhaps I can catch her up if I just run up this hill. Nice idea but I only managed to run the first ten paces or so and then subsided into a plod like everyone else. I had completely forgotten how hard this part of the course is. I managed to overhaul one runner ahead of me but the girl had disappeared into the woods and I didn’t see her again until after the finish.

After finally reaching the top, a section of easy running on wide forest tracks follows before the descent back into Minehead. As I turned the final corner and saw the clock ahead I knew I was going to be slightly outside my previous best time here (2.17.04) but I was more than happy with my second place in the ladies race, a rare victory over Martin and my final time of 2.17.54. What a perfect day!

Martin came trotting down the road shortly afterwards looking like he’d been out for Sunday stroll and we beat a hasty retreat to the Race HQ in order to avoid the queues for the excellent and very reasonably priced refreshments. A bit of a wait for the presentation but another clean sweep by Maiden Newton Runners: Martin was 2nd V55 in the main race and Richard was 2nd V55 in the Stumble, Lesley picked up yet another V55 prize, beaten into second place only by the speedy Jenny Mills, and I was 2nd overall and 1st V45.

The only downside was the hideous bright orange T shirt on offer. What I always want to know is who decides what colour the race t-shirts will be, and who in their right mind would think that anyone would actually want a bright orange one? Fortunately I had my hands full with bottles of wine so I had to leave mine behind!

A Cheeky Half - Cardiff

06.00 - It started with a shiver, as these things usually do.  Although dark, there was movement in the house.  The alarm on my digital watch finished sounding, and it was time to rise.  I was kindly put-up by Ed, an old school friend in Bristol, who was running the Cardiff Half Marathon too, along with his sister, and her two friends.  Wrestling like a feather weight in a sleeping bag, I managed to get myself off the camp bed to the light switch without tipping the whole thing over into a redundant cot.  Quite an achievement and I took that as an omen for the day ahead.

After a continental breakfast, and plenty of bananas, 5 of us, plus the camp bed bundled into a Polo as the dawn broke.  Warming up, the chat turned from jolly banter, revelations and excuses for slow race times to the car-parking strategy.

I kept quiet, because I had failed to squeeze out a No.2 during the reveille.  Now this worried me because throughout my training, there came a point during longer runs where I had to guess whether I would make it home or not.  On each occasion, the situation got the better of me, resulting in a dash for cover.  This happened so often that it had become part of the training!  Effectively, the body had been successfully conditioned to eject on the hour mark.  And this worried me greatly.

After parking the car, grabbing bags, water bottles, and the blimnin’ camp bed, we joined the other runners and who were funnelling to the Start.  35 minutes to go and I concentrated hard.

The Start was well organised, with a festival-facility setup in the County Hall car park.  Runners poured in behind us as Army cadets took our bags, admired the ‘retro’ camp bed, and pointed to the small city of thunder-boxes, which was the next destination.

Panic set in; it was cold, the queues were long and limbering, and the expectation to perform mounted, as I stood in one of the tens of queues.  The clock was running down fast, the mind manifesting for the nth time, until I just could not take it anymore....  I bolted.  There was no-way it was going to happen.  The others would just have to make their own way to the Start.  Yes, the warmth of County Hall was my destination!  Now, there are some who are a little cynical about overheated, empty County Halls across the nation, but I was truly thankful.

Sprinting back across the car park, passing the odd superhero, I bumped into Ed by chance.  A few minutes to go...  We followed the rest, and even spotted 3 guys dressed as babies, braving it in just bonnets and nappies.  This amused Ed.  I said nothing, realising their genius!

We vaulted the barrier, congratulated ourselves on making it, and being so close to the Start as well.  We then noticed the lack of fancy dress, and signs behind us saying ‘sub 1.30’.  At least we could say we knew what I felt like to be a sub-1.30 runner, albeit briefly!  The Start was suitably smooth, with a judder before the line as the mass fingered their stop-watches, and we were off.  Jostling for a pace we were comfortable with, we said our farewells, and the lonely journey amongst 12000 others began.

Now, a few notes about this race if you are considering it.  The route passes through the city centre into green parks in an anti-clockwise direction, then encircling the estuary of the river Taff at the barrage.  It passes through residential areas, the attractive marina and sea-front thus avoiding tedious industrial areas.  The sun was shining and crowds were out of their houses en mass to support, which included an astonishing number of handsomely tanned women (a truly sun kissed city!)  This was going to be an enjoyable run.

Pace setting was tricky initially, because it was easy to miss the mile markers, on the left, at knee level.  It was in the Park, where the path narrowed, when I spotted Mile 4 and was able to judge my pace.  However, there were ‘pace-setter’ runners amongst us, identified by flags marking 1.30, 1.45, 2.00 etc. positions.  These narrow sections were tight but okay in 1000 or so front runners, but got chaotic further back at water-points.  The debris of 1000’s of half full water bottles caused runners to slide and trip.

That said, it was fantastically well organised, water-points at 3 mile intervals and crowds cheered us on through-out.  It is also flat as a pancake, making it fast and one for PBs.  However, I did see one runner ahead come a cropper on an unassuming ‘speed hump’ at Mile 11, where he slowly unravelled into a tired tumble.  The Start/Finish approached remarkably quickly.  Better ‘wind up the pace now and give it my’ all I thought, and then the muddled mind calculations began.

Premature congratulations on a remarkable time were quick dispelled as we ran passed the Start/Finish!  Muggins hadn’t read the instructions properly, and my anger turned into envy as I looked on jealously at the collective relief displayed by the runners on our right, passing over the line.  The feelings turned to hurt as we proceeded to run away, towards a distant switch-back beyond sight, every stride to then be repeated into blinding sun...  the games the mind plays!  But the after the switch-back, the Finish loomed large and quickly.  Over the line, I stopped my watch and doubled over to see the time in some shade, clenching my fists.  This caused an official to rush over to see if I was okay, and resulting in a near-miss as I punched my fists in celebration – a PB!

P.S. How short lived this was... the half marathon was 193m short!!!  Can you believe it?!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-11572283

Loch Ness Mark 2

We flew to Inverness on Thursday 30th and returned on Tuesday 3rd October. The trip is etched in the happy section of my memory – even the marathon bit. Everything went well, B&B, eating out, sightseeing, bus trips, a boat trip and miles of walking. Then the main reason for the trip was the 26.2. A record entry of about 2,500 was handled very well by the race director. It was quite a spectacle as a convoy of over 40 buses took us out to the middle of nowhere for the start. A bit like the Seaview but on a grander scale as motorcycle outriders blocked off side roads and held traffic back at roundabouts.

Lesley and I were upstairs on a traditional double-decker and it had to be the one without a toilet resulting in us making a pit stop in open countryside for a female runner who was over hydrated. She handled the huge round of applause with some dignity. As we approached the drop-off point it grew bleaker, windy and rather wet. There was a bit of a rush to sort out running gear (helly and gloves!), get the bags on the baggage bus and the find Lin and Martin in the crowd. Imagine 2,500 runners crammed onto a single track country road, with slightly boggy ground either side, trying to warm up or keep warm.

We knew Lin and Martin were going for fast times – maybe even prizes, so we pushed to the front and found them by the start line eyeing up the Ethiopians – a bit optimistic we thought, but it turned out to be a very good position. For some reason there was space at the front. Maybe because there were chip times the bulk of the runners hadn’t pushed too far forward. So there was room to stretch, run through the start and even jog next to the Ethiopians as they limbered up. However prizes were awarded on gun times so the front line was a good place to be.
Lesley and I were going to move back but a wall of runners behind us meant we were caught and had to start embarrassingly close to the leaders, quite an experience. It was a fast start – lots of downhill,( although other runners insisted it was more undulating than I remembered). Best case scenario – on a fast course with a tail wind I had hopes of 3:30 at 8 mins per mile. I knew that if I dropped to 9 min/mile or 3:56 Lesley would surely beat me (for the second time) a fact I couldn’t cope with.

I clocked the first 7 miles at about 52 mins, which if maintained would put me on about 3:15, obviously with a lack of training and a history of stomach problems that would be a miracle. Fortunately slightly more demanding undulations slowed the pace and I still felt very comfortable up to 11 miles. After a couple of poor miles I felt OK again and sped up until 16 miles. At this stage I was still about 4 mins under 3:30. Other runners were very friendly – seeing my SWRR-Exeter vest one local runner called out “welcome to the Highlands, nice to see you,” as he eased past. Someone from Coventry tried to engage in conversation as he used to live in Exeter, but at this stage being sociable was lower on the menu than normal!
At 18 miles one of the undulations turned into a small hill, but it hurt like a big hill. My pace was slowing and although the sky was brightening and the sun was out my spirits were getting a bit low. Negative thoughts began to nag, “why bother, just stop now, no more pain”. Funny how there’s always another voice that says “just keep going, you can finish”, and it’s always a real high crossing that finish line. The main fear of course was that Lesley would come steaming past leaving me in her wake. (She admitted later that if she had seen me injured, sick or dying ahead she would run alongside a big bloke so I wouldn’t see her). I did plod on – no walking- but by mile 24 my left knee was hurting and the last 1.2 miles took over 12 mins. I really needed the spectators help to keep running to the finish and was very pleased with 3:42:27. Lesley finished not far behind in 3:49:07 knocking a massive 9min 10 secs off her previous PB, although in the crowds I didn’t find her for another 90 mins.

I did spot Lin and martin already changed and heading for the prize giving! Both looked refreshed although Martin looked a bit different when he smiled – something to with a sticky energy bar and a dodgy tooth. Was he smiling on any of his race photos? Talking of which, look at the brilliant photos of Lin and a rival female sprinting to the finish after 26.2 miles! Well done to the Lascelles excellent planning – they even forsook their excellent campsite and parked overnight next to the registration in order to avoid any stress. Starting at the front was crucial as on chip time Lin was 4th, but on gun time she was 3rd making a huge difference to the prize awarded. I was obviously the most photogenic with 11 photos on the race website.

Post script from Lesley. I had a pretty good race and finished in a time I was very happy with. More stats: I was 48 mins at the 10K point – faster than I have finished some 10K races, and 1:50 at the half-marathon point which would have been a PB. One of us at least had time to look at the scenery, and although for the most mart it had to be glimpsed through the trees, now and then there were good views of the Loch and Urquhart Castle which we had visited two days earlier. Another good place was the village of Dores, where the inhabitants were out in good numbers to cheer us on. Up the hill at 18 miles and still going strong (apart from the right calf which I’d had to put tubigrip on at about 8 miles. Was glad to see the 20 mile marker, always feels like you can start to count down the miles from there. At 23 miles we were on the outskirts of Inverness and by my calculations I knew I should finish under 4 hours and possibly in 3:50 if I kept up the pace. The spectator support was growing from 24 miles, and it wasn’t long before the river and then the bridge were in sight. This was so welcome as it was only just over half a mile from the end of the bridge to the finish. Richard mentioned the photos – he looks so happy to be crossing the line. Although I was really glad I’d made it under 3:50, and I felt happy enough, the photos show a different expression.

Four days later and Richard is bounding around and has been out running. I’m still hobbling around like an extra from a zombie film – the calf muscles have just totally seized up and won’t work.

(I may not have beaten Richard but age-graded I was 71% and he was 65% !!!)

Loch Ness Marathon

Martin said: I'm typing this in a bar in Ibiza doing some post-marathon recovery training, please forgive the spelling. I'm not sure why we chose the Loch Ness Marathon for our main Autumn race this year, but I'm really glad we did. Its a race whose organisation and "ambience" feels like a much bigger event, but it is small enough not to be overwhelming. I was really impressed by the race organisation, in fact I was impressed by the city of Inverness, and the highlands of Scotland. I think we'll have to return, maybe not to do this race again, but there must be loads of other things to do beside run a marathon. I've heard that they get snow there.I'll leave out the details of our trip up, and the rest of our stay in Scotland, and hit the high points of the race.
Here's Lin's bit which she will type in while I go to the bar for some mas cerveza.

Lin says: OK it took Martin 20 minutes to type that - whilst he's at the bar I'll bash out a few hundred words. What a great weekend! We had no idea when we entered that Richard and Lesley were also planning to do this event, and also Fred and Sue Fox from Yeovil. Having driven about 700 miles (via Durham) to get to Inverness we found ourselves camping next door to the Foxes - who invited us to "dinner" on Friday evening - no mean feat in a camper van!!. (Thanks to Fred and Sue for a great evening).
Our training may not have been perfect but our pre marathon preparation was spot on - we stayed off our feet, relaxed, carbo loaded and parked the van about 5 minutes from the bus pick up for the trip to the start.
Sunday morning was mild but a little damp around the edges. Martin has just arrived back with more beer, I feel my interest in typing a blog waning, so I may hand back to him for the next bit.

Martin said: We were driven to the start in style, a coach with a portaloo on board! pity it didn't flush, but you can't have everything - at least we were two of the first to discover it. On arrival at a remote location somewhere on the highlands we were deposited on a road with several thousand similarly deranged people from all over Scotland, the UK, and many exotic locales, such as Ethiopia and Somerset.
We managed to negotiate the path to the start and waited almost on the front line for the race to begin which it did, surprisingly given the apparent disorder, and a troop of highland pipers, spot on time. A very fast start made it impossible to keep to a target race pace, but after the initial drop, we settled into around 7 minute mile pace. Lin and I were running together, which was not planned, but she was feeling strong. I was worried that she might suffer for it later, but I didn't want to suggest that she slow down, and despite the numerous undulations, we were still pretty much on my scheduled pace for a sub-3-hours at about 8 miles when we hit the first of the big hills. The hill was not extreme by Dorset standards, but it was enough to slow the pace to a still respectable 7 minutes miles, but I was starting to realise that sub 3 was not going to be.
The rain by now was getting annoying, and I was starting to feel a bit tired, but otherwise it was going pretty well, and I was enjoying it, despite having only seen a very occasional glimpse of the much vaunted scenery of the famous loch between the trees. I think I'll have another beer now.................

Lin said: OK feel the need to condense this down a bit. Ran the first 12 miles with Martin, an unexpected bonus as his target time was 10 seconds per mile faster than mine. Feeling pretty good till 8 miles when the digestion started giving cause for concern. At 12 miles had to dive into the woods for a "Paula" with Martin yelling "don't go too far" to draw maximum attention to my dilemma. Horror!! Not the situation but TWO women got past me whilst I was indisposed not to mention my speedy husband disappearing into the distance. Soon overtook both the women which put me back into 5th place, however one of them subsequently overtook me and stayed 20m or so ahead of me until she was similarly afflicted and made her own foray into the woods!!
I had been worried that we had not done enough long runs but I felt really strong in the last 6 mies and overtook loads of people including two women who had evidently gone off too fast. At 23 miles I could see Martin ahead which really spurred me on and I was frantically trying to work out from the average pace on my GPS (7.04) what my likely finishing time would be. As we reached Inverness and Martin turned onto the bridge over the River Ness he looked back and we waved - I don't think he reaalised until that point that I was so close behind him. Need more beer - back to Himself for the finale.......

Martin concluded:- Yes, it was a shock, but a very pleasurable one to turn on the bridge and see Lin only a couple of hundred yards back, and with no other women between us, by my calculations she was in 3rd place, what a great performance. It helped the last mile to go less painfully, and I finished, amidst great support from the crowds lining the river bank path in 3:05:31 - a very respectable time, given the hills, although not enough to gain an over 50's prize.
At the finish, I stopped (obviously!), and turned to see Lin closing, with - oh no! - another women behind her, sprinting for the line. I gestured urgently for her to get a move on, and fortunately she had plenty left to respond with her own sprint and remain in 3rd position in the ladies race. Wow! I was so proud of her. I was also more than content with my race, which is easily my second fastest marathon time.
I think I could manage another Birra....

Lin said: OK I know "conclude" implies an end to the saga but I'm a woman and I have to have the last word. I had no idea the other woman was behind me but there was NO WAY anyone was overtaking me at that stage. I had plenty left to outsprint her to the finish but I was grateful to Martin for the warning that she was there. The stats: Finished in 3.05.53 - my second fastest marathon ever and 7 minutes faster than anything I have done since I broke my hip - starting to think maybe a sub 3 hour marathon is not such a wild fantasy after all. Third place also meant a cheque for £500 - result! Holiday paid for!!
And this is really the last word (from us) - as we left the finish line - Martin said (loudly) - "if you hadn't had to stop for a poo you would have been second" and the guy walking behind us said "Nice feedback!!" Well that was an expensive (£250!!!) pit stop!!!
Richard and Lesley will be adding their own race reports - watch this space.

Eastleigh Park Run

Last Friday night Martin and I travelled to Sussex for the Brighton & Hove Park run, where we both ran disappointing times (which we blamed on the two hard races we had done the previous weekends and too much marathon training in between).  We still had a great weekend and enjoyed a fabulous long run on the South Downs on Sunday.  If I didn't live in Dorset, Sussex would be high on my list of alternative places to live.

This Saturday we decided to try the newest and nearest Park run event at Eastleigh, as a final sharpener before the marathon next weekend.  Our race was nearly over before it began as the alarm clock failed to go off at 6.40am - fortunately (or not) I woke up at 4 minutes to 7 and a mad scramble to leave the house by 7am as planned ensued.  This saw me trying to put on compression socks (never an easy task) as Martin hurtled his car down the valley at top speed.  Nothing like a good dose of early morning stress to improve your race prospects.

Despite the chaotic start we arrived in plenty of time at the Lakeside Country Park and began to warm up and attempt to work out where the course went.  Any hopes we had of recording decent times were dashed as we realised that this 5k, unlike B&H, is run on a mixture of cinder tracks and grass with some tight turns, dips and rough ground - all of which has to be negotiated twice in this two lap race.  There is also a steam railway running round the park and this has to be crossed three times - on each lap!

This was only the 21st running of the Eastleigh Park run and numbers were about half of the previous week's total.  Even so we started right at the front in order to avoid bottlenecks on the first narrow section of the route.  As we hurtled past bemused fishermen on the bank of the lake I was only a few places behind Martin but he soon pulled away from me, as we turned sharp right across the first stretch of grass and then another track through trees to the first railway crossing - which involved a nasty tight left then right turn.  The next section was straight and fairly flat but on grass, followed by a short climb onto a grassy bank and the roughest part of the course with an awkward dip and fairly sharp right turn before arriving back at the start and embarking on lap two.

Normally during a 5k I know exactly how well (or not) I'm doing by constant monitoring of the time, but even though there were km markers I didn't check my watch once during the race as I concentrated on where I was putting my feet and not tripping over any of the many hazards.  It felt like I was running quite fast but I can never judge my pace so it was just head down and slog it out to the finish.  I was very pleased therefore to find that on a much slower course I had actually beaten last week's time by 2 seconds and finished in 19.53.  Martin had similarly improved last week's time by 9 seconds and finished in an impressive 6th place overall.  I was 12th overall and first lady.

Although this is not a race you would do for a time it was very enjoyable and in a great setting, aided by the fact that it was a beautiful, bright, autumn morning.  There is always a great atmosphere at Park runs, they're free, they're all over the country and they take place every Saturday morning.  What more could you ask for?

On checking out the results later in the day we discovered that for the second week in a row we were 1st and 2nd overall on age graded results.  I'm not sure that this is necessarily a good thing, it just makes me feel rather old!!!