Before I get stuck into official Marathon block, I want to start with a little confidence booster. 20 miles in 2 hours is a Sunday run I usually do mid-marathon training. I decide to do it now. It doesn’t hurt terribly, but then, after lunch, I am feeling a bit woooo. I convince myself it’s all in my head. I am fresh as a daisy.
Monday morning, I am a daisy that has been crushed under a pile of bricks. Getting out of bed is herculean. I am sneezing and aching and everything hurts. I try to convince myself it’s all in my head. My head tells me to fuck off.
During the week, the sneezing and aching subsides and I start to feel human again. On Saturday, I have my annual tradition of Dolgellau parkrun then Tarren Hendre Fell Race. Tom Roberts, my usual sparring partner, can’t make it this year, so he is replaced (at parkrun) by Andy Davies. Recent 2.14 marathoner.
I try to stick with Andy for as long as possible, I am starting to slip away after a mile. He keeps going and breaks Tom’s record, while I blow up and record a pretty poor time.
Warm down with Andy after. Such a hero. Sponsored athlete, has run in World Champs and Commonwealth Games. Represents GB on road, trail and mountains. Down to earth, friendly guy. He’s wearing orange board shorts for godsake. I wish I could be as successful and humble as him.
Take the 20min drive to the fell race. I am annoyed with myself. Feel like I’m in much better shape than my parkrun showed. Here I have the opportunity to correct myself.
I got lost last year in the thick cloud on the top, ended up miles away, family had to come and pick me up. This year my plan is very simple, don’t get lost.
We set off and Gareth Hughes storms into the lead. He is one of the top 5 fell runners in the UK, I let him go. The guy who beat me last year, Welsh international Tristan Evans, is right on my tail as we clamber up steep, muddy woods. Less than a mile into the race, I whack my eye into a tree branch. I move to the side and clasp my hand over my eye (a useless impulse). As the other runners past me, they all ask me if I’m OK. I start running once the shock settles down, and when we break out of the woods we are on wide, easy fire trails. I start coming back past people. They all ask me if I am OK again. Sweet that. I am catching back to Tristan when we break out into open fell. From here it is steep up up up.
I am holding my position against Tristan and the guys behind me. So I’m pretty happy with myself. When we get over the top Tristan has disappeared into thick cloud. Shit! I have to catch up quickly or I’m afraid I’ll get lost again. I manage it, pass Tristan, and am safely back into the woods for the long descent.
This is the most thrilling bit of running ever. A tight gauntlet downhill with evergreen trees on either side. You have to jump over bogs, hurl yourself over, through and around trees, I am just loving life at this point.
Tristan has caught back up to me, but when we get back onto the fire trails I am away again. I am in third place at this point, but I am catching glimpses of second, and I am gaining on him. My head is down and I’m working hard, I have about a mile to catch him. I can do it. My blood is up and I’m going for it, I see a big yellow arrow pointing right. I go right. But this looks wrong. It takes me to a bridge. I don’t remember this bridge. But last year I got lost and never made it this far, so I’ve only ever been here once before, 2 years ago. I run back up to the arrow, check it says right. It definitely does. So I go right. But I’m confused. I thought it was wide fire trail all the way to the finish line. This is a much narrower track. I get to another bridge. This is definitely wrong. I start heading back up the hill. Another runner comes down. He is Spanish. I run down with him to the crossroads, he doesn’t know the way either. Another runner comes down. He says we have gone wrong. We manage to right ourselves and get back onto the course.
I run away from the guys, but the race is over for me. I finish 5th, which is not bad, but I really wanted a pb here, to make up for the dismal parkrun.
I’m sitting in the village hall having my soup and bread feeling sorry for myself, Jackie cheers me up with Redbush, coconut and mint tea, (I know, sounds terrible, but tastes amazing) and funny stories about her awful time in the Cayman Islands.
It appears that someone was deliberately moving the arrow. One experienced runner turned it back to face the correct way, only for mystery person to turn it again.
Not sure how to feel about that. If it was some dog walker (and I did see a dog walker very close by), who was protesting about our racing through here, then what a moron. Why does he get to decide who is allowed on the mountain? If it was someone doing it to be funny, well then, that is pretty funny.
Sunday morning, I have 20 miles to run. My thighs feel like lead. I procrastinate and whine, have about 3 breakfasts and 7 coffees before I get started. I have been upgraded by my wonderful sponsors NoblePro, to a touch-screen console on my treadmill. I am looking forward to watching the new Terminator movie on there. Nina will never watch it with me cos she thinks it’s likely to be shit. And she’s right. It. Is. Shit. I’m running for 20 miles trying to work out what is worse, the pain in my thighs or the pain in my eyes.
It gets done.
I go sit on the sofa while Nina and the kids get me chocolate milk and bagels. Life is good again.
Non-running related highlight of the week:
Finishing the shower room! It has taken a month.
Best thing on the internet this week:
Thing I’m digging this week:
My new touch screen console!
| 27/1/2020 | AM | PM |
| Monday | REST | 5tm @ 7min miling |
| Feel dead | ||
| Tuesday | REST | 5 x 1km (3min rest) in 3.07. 2 x 300m. 7 miles total |
| Feel dead am. Come round | ||
| Wednesday | REST | 10 @ 7min miling |
| Thursday | 1 mile tm, 5 min @ 20kmph, 1 mile tm. 2 mile tempo on road | 10tm @ 7min miling |
| tempo feels good | ||
| Friday | REST | 10tm @ 6.30 miling |
| feels easy | ||
| Saturday | Dol parkrun – 16.24. 8 miles total | Ras Tarren Hendre. 59min. 9.5 miles |
| go home straight to bed | ||
| Sunday | 20tm @7min miling | 7.5 tm |
| start 20 miles at 8min miling, finish 6min miling | ||
| TOTAL: | 90 | tm = treadmill |
Excellent account as usual. Well done.
Great read, it takes me back. I hope your eye was OK?
I feel motivated to get up and exercise, thank you 😊
A Marshall should be on that arrow it’s so unfair of the idiot doing it.
Take care
I absolutely love this blog especially the comment at the end “sit on the sofa while Nina and the kids get me chocolate milk and bagels. Life is good again”, hilarious.
Hope you have a good build up- looking forward to more comedy gold.