"Carry on Running.........Eddie" unofficial 26.6 miles

“Carry on Running…….Eddie”

Unofficial Marathon 26.6  miles

Sat 19th March 2016

Medway Towns, Kent.

The Road is Long
I met up with my training buddy Jodie on an average, overcast Saturday in Medway for an 18-20 mile run, this was to be the final stage of our training for the Paris Marathon.
We had started back in November and battled through many issues such as flu, chest infections, ankle strains and a hectic Christmas in retail, all of which generally resulted in both of us being utterly tired out but committed to the training schedule and determined to complete Paris in one piece!
We started off as usual, chatty, happy and focused and soon we were up to mile 5. However by mile 8, flump foot had turned up! Now this is not the pet name for an annoying or troublesome fellow runner, more of a nickname for the numbness in Jodie’s left foot that had plagued her since Nov. Although the flump foot pain was tedious she battled on through the fizzy foot stage and by using a walk/run method we reached 12 miles! Thankfully it subsided and we managed to get back into a comfortable pace, this was helped by lots of flat terrain, a few down hills and a bit of singing!
We eagerly turned back onto Rochester Esplanade and realised that we had completed 17 miles, with just 1 mile to go it was an amazing achievement, Jodie’s longest run to date! We jogged the last mile back to HQ (my house), reminiscing about all the training runs we had done, time had indeed flown by and now we were a mere 2 weeks away from the Paris Marathon.
Arriving at my house, Jodie picked up her bag and made her way home for a bath and some food. She had worked really hard in the last 5 months but now needed to rest and mentally prepare herself for the next stage.

Born to Run
I had a quick toilet break and a few minutes of refuelling, but for some reason instead of collapsing on the sofa or running a bath, I was itching to get back out there. Why, I hear you scream, is 18 miles not enough for you?!
Well, I shall tell you why dear reader……..
I had been avidly following my comedy hero Eddie Izzard on his quest to 27 marathons in 27 days in South Africa for Sports relief on the BBC. He had now completed 25 and was set to do a double marathon the following day. A large part of me wanted to pay homage to him and his amazing determination, but what could I do?
Without a second thought, I flew out of the front door and started to run! My feet began to pound the pavement, I felt a wave of excitement! I could just try to do another 10km? That was doable, right?
With that thought and with a smile on my face I set off to do just that!
I was buzzing and alive and I almost didn’t register that I had already run 18 miles and been on my feet for 3.5 hours.

Eddie Izzards 27 marathons in 27 days.

My thoughts turned to Eddie and how tired and broken he must be feeling, running in high temperatures day after day would’ve have taken its toll. I thought about why he was doing it, not only to raise money for Sport Relief but to pay his respects to late Nelson Mandela and the 27 years he was imprisoned in South Africa.
I wanted to support Sport Relief and had donated the night before after watching a harrowing film about children that lived on a rubbish dump in Sierra Leone. I felt lucky, but also embarrassed to have so much in my life, my girlfriend, my family, a house, a car, a job and food! We forget how easy we have it sometimes.

Run Tory Run
After an hour I glanced at my phone and squealed with excitement! I had reached 23.5 miles and it was only at this point that I thought out loud “ Shall I push on for 3 more miles and make this a marathon distance run?” What better way to salute Eddie than by completing my very own 26.2?
My pace was good, as was my posture and I felt fitter than I usually do in the last few miles of a marathon. I was determined to finish strong and so I pushed myself ever forward, whilst still remembering why this run was so important.
Feeling happy, proud and accomplished I finally turned onto my road and walked up to the steps to my front door. I had done it, 26.6 miles! *
There were no cheering supporters, no medal, no goody bag but there was a huge sense of achievement and the satisfaction of finishing this special marathon far outweighed any bling or chocolate reward!

The training run that turned out to be a marathon.

My girlfriend opened the front door and was astonished as to what I had just done and as I waffled on about why and how, she just hugged me!
Wow, it had been an amazing day.  What started as a routine training run with Jodie had turned into an epic inspired marathon, with Eddie’s grit and determination encouraging me all the way .
Eddie’s courage and honour had driven him on to 25 marathons and the very next day he went on to complete the double marathon and achieve 27 marathons in 27 days! What a legend! He was now not only my comedy hero, but my marathon hero too!

My thoughts turned to not only how incredible the human body is, but how determined our minds can become during the marathon process.
Sometimes it’s not just the physical training that makes it possible to run a marathon, sometimes it's what's inside that counts.
The heart and the head make the impossible, possible!

Thank you for taking the time to read my blog, tune in next time for Paris Marathon #7
#50before50 #runtoryrun

*This is not an official marathon for the following reasons.
 1.It was not an officially timed event
 2.It was not an officially measured route
Therefore it does not count towards one of my 50 before 50.

The Good, The Bad and the down right Ugly! Marathon number 6

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly Marathon.

Sunday 21st February 2016

Betteshanger Country park, Deal, Kent.

The Good
It was an early start on a chilly winter's morning in the car, myself and my girlfriend were making our way through deserted roads down to the Betteshanger Country Park in Deal, Kent, for my next challenge, marathon number 6.
The wind was already blowing a gale but thankfully it wasn't raining and I had a really good feeling about the race ahead of me, little did I know that the English coastal weather had it in for me, again!
I no longer felt nervous or anxious at these events, they are always superbly organised by Traviss Willcox and Rachel Smith. The Saxons, Vikings and Normans (SVN) Marathons and timed challenges have become a firm favourite with me and so I smiled and greeted the friendly faces of fellow runners around me at the extremely chilled out head quarters.
I collected my number and 13 hair bands, this is lap counting technology at its finest!
 I was ready to take on marathon number 6 of my 50 before 50 challenge.
The route consisted of one loop of 2.02 miles around the cycle track of the country park, all on Tarmac, repeated 13 times, each lap you gave a hair band back in and on the last lap you got to carry a St George's flag. But, wait I'm getting ahead of myself talking about the last lap and flags! Rewind!
The SVN crew had set up their infamous aid/cake station halfway around the course and you could smell the goodies from the start line. My other half Caz had cleverly located herself there too, out of the wind and near cakey goodness!!
A friendly face had spotted me, a Facebook running buddy called Tracy who was lined up for her first marathon and feeling rather nervous. We had a good catch up and realised our pace/time would be similar, so decided to start the run together and see how it panned out. We both eagerly awaited the off, feeling excited and a bit giddy.

The Bad(ish)
Tracy and I chatted away happily for the first few laps as we tried to ignore the increasing wind on the last half mile of each loop, but by lap 6 the howling wind was so strong it stopped us in our tracks! We both gave up running and walked for 10 mins until we turned back out of the wind and were on the home straight.
The mental toughness I had started with was dwindling fast and I started to lose motivation by lap 7-8 but just as I began to unravel the best little support crew turned up!
One of my best friends Ronnie and her daughter appeared just in the nick of time, Abby was full of smiles and had made a huge banner with the words “Run Tory Run” on it, making me feel like an athlete competing for my country and not just a recreational runner.

my number 1 fan, Abby.

I stopped for hugs and ate some homemade fudge with Cadbury’s Creme eggs crammed in it and decided to get my mojo back! Powered on by confectionery and my number 1 fan, I was even more determined to beat the windy conditions and finish in under 5 hours.

The Down Right Ugly!
There was no wall at mile 18, just a great big pile of self-inflicted pain!
Everything had started to hurt and I just wanted to stop.
My left knee and It-Band were uncomfortable, my right hip flexor ached and I was fairly sure that most of the toes on my right foot were either covered in blisters or had fallen off completely!
I had made the rookie error of changing my tried and tested Asics socks for Cep calf compression sleeves and now I was paying for it!
We were both still running and walking the same parts of the course but it hurt like hell and the winds were just getting tougher and stronger.
We chucked our last hair band in the bucket and picked up a flag, sadly at this point Tracy and I parted company. I felt bad but I wanted to get the last lap done and I had just enough in my legs to blast around the track one more time.
I switched off my brain and mentally slapped myself around the face a few times!!
 I chanted to myself “You can do this Vix, you can do this!” and so I did.
 I ran and I ran and I ran! I clutched the flag in my fist as if my life depended on it and as my tired little legs crossed the finish line, a huge smile took over my face and all the pain disappeared!
The last lap was my 2nd fastest and I finished in 4.48, not my best time, but not my worst either and, considering the wind had added at least an extra 20 mins on, I wasn't too far off my pb.
This was also nothing compared to the torturous Dymchurch (number 5) back in Nov!
Tracy had also been spurred on by the supporters and made it back in under 5 hours, not far behind me. We were both elated and hugged each other.

Myself and Tracy. Happy, but slightly wind swept.

The Amazing
The medal was the best to date, depicting a scene from the film The Good, The Bad and The Ugly. Traviss and Rachel had also supplied the best God damned goodie bag in town, with everything that a post marathon runner could desire! Chocolate, crisps, cider and of course the ever sought after chocolate orange!
As usual, my mental state was a mixture of euphoria and exhaustion and so, with legs of jelly I made my way to the cafe to sit down and have a rest. I ate some food and enjoyed a hot chocolate with Caz, Ronnie and my number 1 fan, Abby.

Whilst contemplating the blister/loss of toes situation on my right foot, I drifted in and out of conversations and people watching. Friendly runners were comparing their races, talking about past experiences and revealing where their next marathon was going to be.
I am still in awe of how many marathons my fellow runners have completed, 30, 112, 230, 800!
Wow, these chats always encourage me as a beginner and motivate me to achieve more and even though my plan is to complete 50 full marathons before my 50th birthday (7 years to go), I get the sense from the 100 marathon club members that I could end up heading on my own quest towards 100 marathons!
Am I really that crazy? Will my legs hold out? 100 before 50? Surely not!
Hmmm that is food for thought, but for now I will concentrate on the 50 in hand!

The medal was the size of an Ipad!

Thank you for reading my blog, I will be tackling marathon number 7 in Paris on 3rd April and will update you on my progress on my return.

#runtoryrun
#50before50
#6down
#44togo

Brighton Marathon 2014 - My first and last?

BRIGHTON MARATHON 2014

My marathon journey started back in 2014, fresh faced and naively I signed up to The Brighton Marathon after an unsuccessful bid for a ballot place in London. As it turned out it was the worst race of my life and here is what happened …………

Great Expectations
On reflection, my first marathon still feels like a disaster! I have even been putting off writing about it for a while as it’s still tinged with negative feelings. However in writing about the last 4 marathons that I have completed, I have realised that I learnt a great deal from Brighton.
 At first even the thought of running a marathon sent shivers down my spine but I love a challenge and I wanted to raise funds for The Alzheimer's Society having recently found out that my dad's partner Linda had been diagnosed with early onset dementia. 
I purchased a guidebook on how to run a marathon in sub 4.30 hours and I devised a rough plan on how to make it work! I gradually got used to the long runs but I was miserable before, during and after!
I had no one to run with and I hadn’t quite realised how hard it was going to be by myself.
I ate badly with no regard to nutrition and didn’t  include any cross training in my schedule.
However I plodded on with the training and tried to fuel on the go with regular energy gels and soon enough the big day arrived.

Brighton rocks
My friends and family had all made the trip down to Brighton and I felt as ready as I could and lined up with thousands of other runners at the start line. A quick hi-five from my running hero, Paula Radcliffe and I set off.
I started surprisingly well and between mile 1-5 I was bang on target for pace and seemingly enjoying myself. However, I got carried away in the moment and was flying between mile 6-13 but I felt awesome…...I felt less awesome by mile 15! My feet had started to hurt ( I was wearing trainers that were only 1 week old and not been run in before!) and I was hungry, really hungry!
I grabbed and glugged anything on offer so that I could refuel, jelly babies, gels, gatorade, lucozade but it was all too late!
I ran/walked/staggered onto mile 18 and realised I had hit the wall!

Struggling on after hitting the wall.

The Great Wall of Brighton!
I stopped completely at mile 18, I had come so far but couldn’t face the last 8.2 miles feeling so ill but I remembered why I was doing it and didn’t want to let Linda or my family down.
My ITband was on fire but I had no idea what to do, and so I aimlessly taped myself up with some sub standard Kinesio tape! I limped and hobbled through the next 5 miles and became angry that my pace had dropped and every minute that passed meant I was losing sight of my 4.30 hours finish.
At this point all I remember is everyone passing me, rhinos, storm troopers, a man in a diving suit and a man with a tiger on his back! They all whizzed passed unaffected by my state of mind and body, I felt broken and unable to complete my first and maybe even my last marathon.
This girl can.
I called my girlfriend and cried at her! Luckily she was waiting to cheer me on at mile 23 and best of all she had my brother with her ( who may have been on the G & T’s). Caz could see straight away that I was struggling. I gave her my bum bag and my iPod and glugged more fizzy drinks and ate more sugar.
She gave me a pep talk and my brother gave me a hug, it was then that Caz and my brother decided they would both run a mile with me! They were both fully clothed in heavy winter jackets and both had heavy bags, but they were totally committed to supporting me on my marathon quest and so we headed off together.
It was just the boost that I needed. They ran with me to mile 24, where the crowd picked me up! Shouting my name out and cheering me on, they carried me over the finish line much to my relief! The first thing I said to Caz was “ I’m never running a marathon again!”
 I collected my medal and goodie bag. I felt that I had worked really hard for it, but my finish time was 5.47 hours which at the time I saw as a big disappointment, however I now see it as a foundation on which to build my challenge to complete 50 marathons before my 50th birthday.
Thankfully my family and friends saw it as a great achievement which helped me enjoy the moment and as we chatted away on Brighton beach, the rest of my broken body seized up! 

Great support from my whole family.

Learning zone.
As time went by I realised that all the mistakes I had made were ones that I could learn from. If I ever ran another marathon again at least I would feel better equipped.
Looking at fuel and hydration, I never use gels and always run with a hydration pack with SOS sachets to supply essential electrolytes and minerals.
I also eat well and on the go but never again will I eat  jelly babies, jelly beans or any other confectionery! I make my own energy balls from dates/almonds/coconut which my stomach has no objection to and I can fuel happily on these for hours.
The way I train as altered as well, I only run 3 times a week when training for a marathon and use cross training on the other days, I also take a full rest day after my long run.
Running with others is best for keeping my motivation up, so I now run all my long runs with friends, it’s an incredible feeling to have their support and often some random singing along the way!
I found with niggles and injuries it is best to get help from experts immediately and I now have a great support team to consult with, as well as regular sports massages to help with my troublesome ITband.

Sugar & spice.
Now the dust has settled and I’ve put pen to paper, Brighton doesn’t seem that bad after all. With everything I had been through on the day and the negative memories I had attached to it, I had forgotten that I had still completed my first marathon and raised over £3,500 for the Alzheimer's Society and for Linda.
I had showed my family and friends what I was made off , they were proud of me and I had achieved something truly awesome! 
This girl is not made of sugar and spice and all things nice, this girl is made of grit, determination and an unfathomable amount of stubbornness! 
Who was I kidding when I said I’d never run another marathon again! #50before50 


Thank you for taking the time to read my blog 😃

London Virgin Marathon 2015 London Calling part 2

LONDON VIRGIN MARATHON 2015

Part 2

The Aftermath.

Meeting with my friends and family was chaotic to say the least, but we eventually found each other amongst the thousands of other people. I’ve never been one to cry after running and this occasion was no different, all I wanted to do was EAT! Whilst my girlfriend and friends sobbed with emotion I was more concerned with eating the entire contents of my rucksack. Soon after this I demanded more food and we made a speedy retreat to Nandos!

Well derserved Nandos.

Runners high.

After fuelling on chicken, chips and coke I finally felt full and for the entire train journey home I felt giddy and happy. I kept looking at my medal and feeling chuffed with what I had achieved.

At home I relaxed in a bath and ordered more food, this time in the form of a pizza.

My body was still running on adrenaline, so I sat and watched the highlights of the day on the BBC. Still thinking at loud “ Wow I’ve done it! I was part of the London Virgin Marathon 2015!

I actually didn’t come down for 3 days!!!

Rest and recovery.

The week after, I learnt the importance of recovery. I rested initially for 2 whole days and to my surprise my legs were not too stiff or painful, Epsom salts in my bath helped and a recovery sports massage was gratefully received.

A few days after, I did an 2-3 mile walk and by the weekend I went out for a 3 mile jog and it all felt great. I kept the mileage low for another week and used a reverse taper to build back up.

I had sustained a few toenail injuries, but other than that I felt amazing.

Sweet charity

My decision to run for Age Uk was based on my relationship with my Dad's partner Linda.

 A few years previous, Linda had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease which had inspired me to run the Brighton Marathon 2014.

I had made a plan of how and where I was going to collect donations and my friends and family had supported me all the way.

At Christmas, I did street collections dressed as an elf, I had raffled a days annual leave, set up a regular fitness class with all money going to my just giving page and basically bombarded social media every week with progress reports and my just giving link! 

To my surprise I surpassed the Age UK minimum donation required and raised a massive £2,500! 

All the training and fundraising had given me an awareness of how vulnerable and lonely some people are and how lucky I was to have such amazing friends and family.

Lucky to have so much support from my family & friends.

Finally…..

My final thought from running The London Virgin Marathon for Age UK was how precious and fast paced our lives have become. We race around, we work hard, we play hard and we get so absorbed in our own daily dramas that we don't make time for a simple phone call home to Mum & Dad. We can’t spend 5 mins talking to our elderly neighbor and we avoid charity collectors in the streets.

 What if we stopped and thought about these minutes and seconds that we save by doing this, it would be minuscule in the grand scheme of things and hardly worth worrying about.

In the bigger picture you know in your heart that your Mum & Dad would love to hear your voice or see you more often, your neighbour would rejoice in a 5 minute conversation about the weather and that charity worker would have a smile on their face for the rest of the day just because you donated a £1 and acknowledged their hard work.

You don’t have to run a marathon to be charitable, you can start today, right now!

Go on, I dare you !

London Virgin Marathon 2015 London Calling

LONDON VIRGIN MARATHON 2015

Part 1

London calling.

I had vowed never to run another marathon after Brighton 2014, but here I was again signed up and training, this time  for the London Marathon 2015!

I had banished my demons and had tried to draw out all the positives from my first 26.2.

Training had started well but by December my ITband was causing me a lot of pain and by  New Years eve I could barely run half a mile let alone my scheduled long run!

What I had learnt from last time was to get help and fast! I ended up with a little support crew, which included, a physiotherapist, a sports therapist and a biomechanics coach and between them they patched me back up, made me stronger and then sent me back out to train. 

 I spent hours every night rehabbing my legs, foam rollering and strengthening my glutes and finally it paid off. By February I was running 8 miles at marathon pace and feeling strong.

   March was an excellent month and all the cross training that I had added to my schedule was finally working, my PB at Paddock Wood half Marathon provided me with a confidence boost, that was needed and I started to believe I could run London in under 5 hours.

This is it!

My last long training run of 22 miles was amazing and my running friends made it easy, I was happy that I had made it to London with no further injuries. I planned my taper week with military precision, taking into account fuel, hydration and sleep. OMG I was ready!

I found myself at Greenwich park on April 26th 2015, giddy with nerves and excitement. 

Feeling excited but nervous.

The kind of excitement I would've experienced at Christmas as a child, but a new feeling to me as an adult.

I nervously made my way to my starting pen and chatted away to runners and rhinos!

The runners in front, started to shuffle forward and within a few minutes I was running out of Greenwich park and over the start line! 

“This is it, I’m actually doing it! I’m actually running the London Marathon!” I said out loud, to no one in particular. I felt so alive and euphoric that most of the first 6 miles went past me in a blur. Every time I went past another mile marker I rejoiced and shouted “ Yes” and added a little fist pump towards the sky. 

I was up to mile 9 when my girlfriend and friends spotted me, after a quick hug I carried on, determined to keep my average pace up and to keep running the mile I was in.

My reaction on seeing my friends.

The next thing I knew I was turning into and running over Tower Bridge!

On approaching this iconic landmark I was almost halfway round the course, the crowd cheering was overwhelming, feeling slightly emotional, I choked back the tears. I felt proud to be part of one of the World's biggest and best marathons.

Keep your head up, keep your heart strong!

I had run for almost 3 hours by the time I was passing through the Isle of Dogs. I had absorbed the crowds energy, hi-fived children and waved for the cameras. I needed to get the next hour done and dusted and mentally I needed to get some me time! I stuck my iPod on and blasted my specially crafted marathon playlist into my ears! 

Runners and Rhinos.

The London Virgin Marathon is extremely hard to get a Ballot place for but I had decided to  run for a charity close to my heart, Age Uk. By choosing to run for a charity you can gain a place easily and raising money can be great fun!

It’s such a weird and wonderful day, one minute you can be running alongside Forest Gump or Jesus and then the next minute you can be behind a runner in a Pamela Anderson Baywatch outfit! I remember running past one of the porto loo’s and laughing out loud as a runner in a rhino suit wrestled himself into the loo! I’ve no idea how anyone manages to run in such a large and outlandish costume but I have the upmost respect for them.

I had now reached mile 21 and  waved frantically at some more friends and turned my music off. Every time I passed another mile I laughed and smiled to myself.

Raving at mile 21.

The landmarks of London whizzed by which helped to pass the time.

Big Ben now loomed towards me and my heart started to beat faster! 

The crowds roared and cheered, shouting out runners names and encouraging them on the final mile. It was exhilarating and my adrenalin was pumping. I felt like an athlete who had just won gold at the Olympics!

Within seconds I had turned right onto The Mall, Buckingham Palace was a blur behind me and I was heading towards the finish line. I caught the eye of the runner next to me and she asked me “ Is that the finish?” I nodded and smiled and then we both sprinted for it!

Battle ground.

As I crossed the finish line I flung my arms up into the air and smiled! I had done it in style and gained a new PB of 4.28.

I was given an awesome medal and a goodie bag and as I marched through to the meeting area for friends and family, it suddenly dawned on me how much it looked like a battle ground.

Wrecked bodies were strewn everywhere, broken runners, hobbling and crying with silver foil blankets wrapped around them. Blistered and bleeding feet were on full display but generally most of the faces expressed the same emotion as me, happiness.

I felt elated that I had got around 26.2 without hitting the wall or gaining any injuries! 

Absolutely chuffed that I got around 26.2 miles.

DYMCHURCH ( AKA GRIMCHURCH), KENT.

26.2 miles to hell and back!

29th NOVEMBER 2016

Having given myself the challenge of 50 marathons before I turn 50 years of age, I signed up to another 26.2 with Saxonshore.com .
A coastal amble along Dymchurch seafront, completely flat and good for PBs! Great I thought, what could possible go wrong?
Remembering my learns from last time, I prepared all my fuel and hydration, slept well and felt ready to conquer the world, well Dymchurch first, then the world!
The only thing out of my control were the elements.

Wind beneath my wings
Arriving at Dymchurch it became apparent very quickly that the weather was not on my side! A quick check on my phone confirmed a headwind of 45mph. A continuous gust that would helpfully be behind me for the first part of the out and back route and regrettably against me on my return. A simple route along the seafront to the brown fort and back needed to be completed 5.5 times to achieve marathon distance and even with the foul conditions it seemed achievable. I managed to find a familiar face and was invited to run with Dee and her friend Crustie.
We started at a good pace and chatted away, happily exchanging running stories and experiences, this is all very jolly I thought until we reached the turning point for the first time. Facing back into the wind we tried our best to keep running and talking, we soon realised this was pointless and opted for walking and less chit chat!

Blurred laps
Having Dee for company was amazing, we talked and battled through another lap, walking after the turning point and laughing at the mystical halfway rock that we were convinced kept moving! At times the wind was so strong, it was pushing us backwards and I felt like curling up into a small ball and hiding under a bench! Relentless as the wind was we were tough old birds and marched ever forward.
Traviss and the HQ gang were having their own issues with the gorgeous cake lovers buffet that had been laid out, being blown away every 2 minutes and supporters tried to find shelter whilst cheering on their loved ones.
The sea gradually built into an angry high tide and everything turned a gloomy grey.
The laps blurred into one another and a mirage of the fort kept tricking us into thinking we were near it, when alas we were still far away!
Cheerily we continued and set a course record for toilet stops, which was a welcome break and a chance to refuel and hydrate.
We marched out and back to get lap 4 done, all of us now exhausted mentally and physically from battling the winds. Each lap was taking an hour and thought of having one more lap still to complete was a bitter pill to swallow.

The mystical rock.

I get by with a little help from my friends.
With Dee and Crustie on board we stuck to the plan, run with the wind behind us and walk back in the opposite direction.
We smiled and acknowledged all the runners on the return part of the loop and tried to encourage individuals to keep going.
The Sunday marathon was the last day of marathons in a series of 5 that week. Some of these runners had already run 4 marathons in 4 days and had already battled similar elements all week. These runners were HARDCORE, I had a lot of respect and admiration for them. Once I’d thought about their journey and how they must be feeling I felt I had no right to complain!

Hysteria
There is a point in many situations where tiredness or exhaustion brings on hysteria, the last lap was our point!
Laughter, singing and selfies marked the way, still happily trying to run against the wind, it became a computer game. Getting to the next bench was like going up a level and beating the baddie.
Dee’s catchphrase as we stopped and started was “Run to the bins”, she shouted this sporadically and we obeyed! My favourite selfie of us, was by the mystical moving stone and for some reason we decided to have a mini rave, we look ridiculously happy about it and surprisingly awake!
Approaching the finish line was the best feeling in the world, as I crossed the line, I was so relieved and emotional, knowing I could stop running, had brought a tear to my eye. We all hugged and congratulated one another, we had put in an amazing team effort to get round.
Traviss had outdone himself with the medals this time, a medal depicting the Kent coastline which was as big an an Ipad was placed around my neck! A fantastic goody bag was provided too (but no chocolate orange was supplied this time and we all know how I feel about them!)

Relieved to be finished with Dee.

Aftershock
Battered by the winds, limbs aching, the cold and hunger had set in. I was bundled into the car and wrapped up in blankets and given a hot chocolate. It had felt weird saying goodbye to Dee and Crusite, we had formed a weatherproof bond in the 5.47 hours on the seafront. and I wondered if I would’ve got round without them?
A few hours later refreshed and still feeling victorious with my medal around my neck,  I browsed social media. Photos had already been posted with #racejokes added by Dee. We all commented on how hard it had been and congratulated each other once again.
For once I looked at the race results and I didn’t care about my position or time.
I had got something far more valuable than a top ten place, I got an incredible marathon experience with 2 AWESOME women…….and I’m not sure but I think I may just be invincible, having absorbed some of the magical powers of the mystical stone of Dymchurch!
Now one last time everyone, run to the bins!

Another awesome medal.

Hugin challenge, 26.2 miles running on empty!

HUGIN CHALLENGE , PEGWELL BAY, KENT

1st NOVEMBER

26.2 MILES

SAXONSHORE.COM

Foggy haze
Travelling down to my next marathon at Pegwell bay was fairly traumatic, a thick fog blanketed most of the Kent Coast and visibility was limited.
A feeling of dread came over me as I knew my pre race preparations had not gone to plan the day before.
I generally stick to the same food and drink intake before a race but the evening before was Halloween and whilst at a friend’s party I had been tempted by all sorts of spooky themed treats. During the small hours of the morning I had paid for that mistake 10 times over with numerous trips to the toilet and a sicky feeling that would not pass. Lack of sleep and an empty growling stomach were not ideal and as much as I wanted to pull the duvet over my head and stay in bed, the thought of not getting a medal ( or a chocolate orange) was unbearable! So, I got showered, dressed and left the house clutching a hot water bottle to my stomach.
Despite my unease about running in my current state, arriving at HQ with it’s relaxed atmosphere and friendly organisers gave me a little more confidence, I pinned my number on and soon I was lined up to start.
The out and back course weaved through the beautiful Pegwell bay reserve for 1.85 miles but unfortunately the eerie fog kept the scenery well hidden, with a further 1.9 miles heading out onto the road past the Viking ship Hugin, which lurked behind the fog just after a small hill, then it looped back round and down to HQ.
The looped course was just under 4 miles which meant I would need to run 7 laps to achieve marathon distance and knowing I would be running on empty,  I needed to fuel and hydrate on the go. I decided that I would take one lap at a time and see how I felt.

Eat, drink, run, repeat.
Thankfully the first lap was easy enough, I was unsure of my pace but it felt comfortable, so I kept going and every time I passed a runner coming back the other way we said well done to each other, nodded or gave the thumbs up sign.
 I have found distance runners to be a friendly bunch and lot of the them belong to the 100 marathon club. I've had some great conversations with a runner who was finishing his 1200 marathon on that day! Immense achievements and all very down to earth people.  I always feel lucky to have met them and be a part of this slightly crazy yet addictive pastime!
After 3 laps,  I needed to zone out so I put my music on and grabbed some more food from the well stocked “Runner's buffet” which is always spectacular and I trotted off back round the course.
For the next 3 laps I ate, I drank, I plodded, I sang to myself and nodded to other runners.
The view of the coastline was still shrouded in fog but the odd glimpse of the sea and the Viking ship was a welcome treat.
On my 6th lap I was flagging, tired legs and  fatigue were setting in and mentally I was giving up. I didn’t think I was going to make 26.2  and so I shuffled back to HQ with my head hanging low.

#helprequired
Arriving at HQ after 6 laps (22.2 miles) I was exhausted, my girlfriend who had been cheering on all the runners up at the Viking ship had already noticed I was tiring and had made her way back to base to find me. In a desperate bid to get me round the last lap she had put my spare trainers on and was ready to run the final lap with me.
That was just what I needed, she paced me, encouraged me and even pushed me up the small hill (which now seemed like climbing Mount Everest). She got my legs turning over faster and soon my mind and body realised it would soon be over!
I was so close to HQ I could smell the cake! She encouraged me to sprint and somehow my legs gave a final kick and I crashed through the finish line!
Unable to breathe or stand I slumped to the ground thinking out loud I said “Thank fuck for that!” and I really meant it!
Traviss rushed over with the most amazing goody bag, clearly I checked to make sure the chocolate orange was in it and then he put the medal of all medals around my neck. A replica of The Viking ship Hugin, it was the size of my face! I was chuffed, high as a kite and ever so slightly broken.

The Hugin.

Overview
After a bath and a mountain of food, I sat with my medal on and relived the final lap, ever so grateful to my girlfriend who is not only the best supporter but a bloody good pacer too. I viewed the race results and was slightly bewildered, in my post race state was I reading it wrong? Maybe not... 2nd woman in for marathon distance and I had knocked 2 mins off my London time! A new personal best! Fantastic!!

Pleased with my new PB.

Learns
I am a determined and stubborn runner and even though I felt unwell I do like a challenge, but thinking about what could’ve happened to my body when running on empty or whilst feeling ill is no laughing matter. Putting your body through 26.2 miles is hard enough without adding in extra strains. Lessons were definitely learnt that day.
I will listen to my body, I will ensure I rest and rebuild my stores before and after endurance races, as maybe next time I might not get away with it.
Finally, a thought that myself and my peers may share that indeed running is perceived to be individual pursuit, a personal journey,  but what I learnt that day is it doesn't hurt to have someone who will “walk” the same line with you once in awhile.


Thank you for reading, next blog to follow will be Dymchurch marathon.