Abingdon marathon 2011

I had heard a lot of positive things about this event. It turned out to be well organised, almost completely flat, the running conditions were great (overcast and no wind) and there were supportive marshalls. There was also lots of people I knew from the fetcheveryone.com, they formed over 10% of the entrants. It would have been a great course to go for a fast time, but there was no way that I was in any shape to do this, this was my seventh marathon in less than a month. The aim had to be just to get round.

The course was roughly a figure 8 with the bottom loop covered twice. I found the top part the more scenic, but sadly we only covered that once. There was a bit of an incline on the bottom loop but it was eased by someone who had done some pavement writing in chalk. It listed some famous runners in Tour de France style and encouraging phrases. Some fetchies who weren't running had come quite a way to form a Fetchpoint, a support point for those running from fetcheveryone.com. It was in the bottom half of the course, so the runners passed it twice. I was counting down the miles to the Fetchpoint as I needed all the support I could get. They were noisy and supportive and kept me going.

I had started at ten minute mile pace and I managed to keep that up until mile 15, when I started to slow. I was hoping for a kick of energy at 17m like last week, but nothing happened. It did finally come, but not until 24.5m, a bit late, but I did enjoy the last 1.7m! 4hr 34min 32sec in total.

Photos : https://photos.app.goo.gl/N7nEQ4i5xtqtFoWd6

I had started at ten minute mile pace and I managed to keep that up until mile 15, when I started to slow. I was hoping for a kick of energy at 17m like last week, but nothing happened. It did finally come, but not until 24.5m, a bit late, but I did enjoy the last 1.7m! 4hr 34min 32sec in total.

Kielder marathon 2011

Well that went much better than I had hoped 

Saturday morning I helped out with Durham parkrun handing out tokens. 148 runners, so a good turnout with some students who are now back. Good to see Hamsterboy get a new pb 

Then it was off to Cramlington for the Harrier League cross country. Cross country is popular in my club and there is a great atmosphere at these events. There was an excellent turnout with quite a few new members there. The route was great and the conditions underfoot were perfect for me, soft and not too muddy. I took it easy the first couple of laps, but I couln't resist speeding up in the last half of the final lap. I did wonder how this would affect Kielder the next day....

The next day dawned and I got to Kielder early and at the start met up with other clubmates and Fetchies. It was drizzling constantly and the wind was strong so everybody was huddling inside the marquee. For the second year running the race was delayed by fifteen minutes as people struggled to get to the start from the car parks (there were shuttle buses). I don't know what the problem was the arrangements seemed better this year than last year.

My preparation had been five marathons in the previous two and half weeks and the cross country the day before so I had very low expectations of how this would go. I know the course well having completed four marathons there and I knew it was a challenging route. I started at the back and took it easy, but still a bit too fast. Once at the end of the reservoir, 7m, the bigger hills kicked in and we headed back to the dam at the other end of the reservoir. 

There were signs saying how far it was to the dam and it didn't seem that far. However we weren't even half way yet, so I tried not to think it was nearly over. I was walking up most of the uphills and plodding along the rare flat, but I did notice I was running well downhill and overtaking a few. Half way past in 2hr 20min and I was thinking the second half will be slower, we have to cross the dam into the wind and the approach to Bull Crag peninsula will be into the wind as will be the second half of the peninsula, you will slow down, so its looking like over 5hr.

I continued at the same sort of pace until 17m which was shortly before the dam. As I turned onto the dam the wind was nowhere near as bad as I had expected. In front of me were lots of runners walking and I felt very good so I speeded up and I was surprised at how much energy I had. The only thing I think I was doing differently was eating more shot blocks. So my amazement I found I could continue at that pace. I was still walking the steep inclines, but I seemed to fly downhill when everybody around me was hobbling or taking it very easy. I caught and left behind people who had passed me in the first half and continued like that to the end. I have never felt so strong in the last 9m of a marathon before, very strange, I don't really understand it. During those 9m, a little voice sometimes whispered the word 'Abingdon', but that was dismissed and I ran on, this felt too good to resist.

I had a good chat with friends and clubmates at the end. We were also approached by someone from Galloway Harriers who said how much he liked our club website and how well I and dillthedog wrote our race reports. That was unexpected and nice to hear 

It has been a great week, the new job is going well and to end it a lovely weekend 

Photos : https://photos.app.goo.gl/fQYGedAYHJ9kbR7M7

Mablethorpe marathon 2011

Phew, that was a tough one ! The course itself was two laps and almost completely flat apart from a climb up the sea wall near the end of the each lap. There was some wind, which mainly helped to cool us down a bit, but it did get a little too strong when we were running into it. The big problem today was the heat, it was was up to 27 degrees and there was little or no shade.

I got there with plenty of time to spare and met up with people I knew from fetcheveryone.com and some new people from there that I had not met before. During the day, I also came across about five runners from Sunderland Strollers who I have seen many times before, so there was always people to talk to. The half marathon went off half an hour earlier than the marathon. After a bit of a delay, they were off and the did a loop first which meant they passed the start and the marathon Fetchies cheered on the half marathon Fetchies. Then it was our turn to start. The first few miles seemed to take a long time in the heat.

After 3m I was thinking, this is going to be very tough. Luckily there were water stations every 3m and plenty of extra ones were put on. There were people coming out and spraying us with water, people with buckets where you could put your hat in and put back on your head. I drank loads, more than I have ever done before and I was a bit worried it might be too much. It was very well marshalled by enthusiastic clapping marshalls, the best I have ever seen in any race and I have seen quite a few good ones. They were well looked after as well. On the second lap I overtook a small van that was delivering jacket potatoes to them. The organisers are due heaps and heaps of praise for a fantastic event in very difficult conditions The main organiser uses Fetch frequently and he also put out two extra signs 'Go Team Fetch' and 'Well done Fetchies', which brought a smile to my face on the way round. There were quite a few people sitting outside their houses encouraging us on, but once on the promenade about 2 miles from the end of each lap, there was lots more support. At halfway the half marathon Fetchies supported us with shouts of encouragement and later they came past in a car shouting encouragement.

The second lap was slightly different from the first. At 20m there was an out and back section of about 1m in total along a quiet country lane (it was an all road course). I lost a lot of drive at this point. I kept a close eye on the time and worked out I could get sub 5, if I made sure I ran more than I walked for the rest of the race. I managed this with 4hr 56min 13sec. I don't think I have ever been so pleased to finish a marathon, I was completely drained.

Photos: https://photos.app.goo.gl/RDF2ZVg61BrYcSrJ8

Great Barrow Challenge Day 4 2011

Day 4

On Day 3 at about 19m, my hip niggle came back, but once off road it seemed to disappear, but I was slightly anxious that it might make Day 4 very hard.

Day 4 initially appeared to have lots of road, but as it turned out not quite as much as I had expected . We started on quiet roads which undulated quite a bit. My general approach on all four days has been to walk anything going upwards and the runners surrounding me were doing the same. On the map it looked like there were two long straights which I was not looking forward to. The first was into Newmarket where we were told to give way to race horses and the second as we came out of the centre of Newmarket. We were also told that that bit rose gently upwards for almost 5 miles. My heart sank a little at this...

So once we had completed the undulating section, we got to the first straight, which wasn't too bad, but it did start to climb. Easily runnable but a bit draining and I found it a bit tough. However, it then veered off into woods close to the road and that was far more fun. Got through halfway and just before I got there I was overtaken by three faster runners who had started later. They slowed down for a chat, before heading onwards. There was an excellent atmosphere amongst everybody, the walkers were friendly as we overtook them (they usually started an hour ahead of us). I got through Newmarket and then started the long drag out and luckily the road wasn't straight, which I found easier. I ran most of it but also walked sections. Finally made it to the the third and final checkpoint before the next bit of off road. We were back in undulating country here, but it was good to be running through woods again.

Back to the road we had come out on and up the last two hills. I checked my watch and realised I had a good chance of my first sub-5 if I kept going. I got home in 4hr 56 which I was very happy with.

Would I do more than 4 in 4 days ? I don't think so. On the fourth day of the Quadzilla in February (which I couldn't do because of my Dad's birthday), I was buzzing and ready to run a fourth marathon. On Day 5 here, I certainly wasn't buzzing to get out there and do another marathon.

It is a good feeling to have done 4 in 4 and though I have one or two sore bits, I seem to have come through it in much better shape than I have been when I have completed some single marathons.

Great Barrow Challenge 2011 - Google Photos

Great Barrow Challenge Day 3 2011

Day 3

After the first day I felt sore and stiff and I wondered if I would recover in time for Day 2. I did recover and Day 2 went reasonably well. After Day 2, I felt very good indeed and I thought that Day 3 would not be too hard.

It was hard. There was much more road than the previous two days, even more than I had expected, as a change to the route meant even less offroad. The route was mainly on quiet country roads, which rolled a bit, but nothing too serious. There were only one of two straight sections, which was a relief. As the day went on, it got hotter. Before we got back into Barrow we had a three mile offroad section. I liked that and moved much better. We also ran through a deer farm which was something I had not seen before.

I finished in 5hr15 so 5 minutes slower than Day 2, but I wasn't too concerned, I was just happy to have finished !

Great Barrow Challenge 2011 - Google Photos

Great Barrow Challenge Day 2 2011

Day 2

Last night my legs very stiff and sore after Day 1, but I woke on Day 2 feeling not too bad. Today's route was to the east towards Bury St Edmunds and it had much more twists and turns than Day 1. The organisers had gone to town with flags and markers to make sure we didn't go wrong.

There were more rolling hills today and the sun was out, so I was a bit slower 5hr10min, but I enjoyed the countryside much more. We ran through Ickworth Park which was the grounds of an old country house. It was a lovely place to run, if you are ever near Bury St Edmunds, its is well worth a visit. We then crossed a few fields and entered Nowton Park, more like a city park, but large parts were just left to grow wild. Then it was some road and trail sections before we got back to Ickworth Park again.

The only part of the route I didn't like was a section about 22m where we ran along a section of road which had lots of trucks. We then had the same finish as yesterday with those two hills in the last two miles....

I feel much less sore than I did last night, so I am hoping that Day 3 to the south goes well.

Great Barrow Challenge 2011 - Google Photos

Great Barrow Challenge Day 1 2011

The Great Barrow Challenge is a four day event and there is a choice of disciplines: walking, running or cycling. Each discipline has a choice of distances, although most people seem to be doing the maximum distance. You can change disciplines within the Challenge so there are some people who are running on Day 1, cycling Day 2, running Day 3 and cycling on Day 4. However, most people are sticking to one discipline. I did three marathons in three days in February so I thought I might push it a little and go for four marathons in four days.

Day 1

I arrived at Race HQ before 7.00 and in time to see some friends off on their 125mile bike ride. It was a small field although some riders set off later, the start times for all events are any time within a two hour window.

I faffed around and went to the run briefing at 7.45. We were warned about the sand at the top of the course and the tank tracks for about 6m from mile 16m. The tank tracks were said to be ankle twisting territory, so I thought I might walk most of that section. We set off soon after 8.00 and I took it very easy. We crossed a fairly busy railway line going over the rails and headed north. It was cloudy with no wind, so perfect running weather. It was almost perfectly flat, just a few very slight rolling hills and descents. There were a couple of slightly bigger hills in the last two miles, but my strategy was just to walk anything that looked like it was going upwards. Preservation is the key.

The course was very well marked. I hardly looked at the written instructions and I didn't look at the supplied map at all. I had downloaded the route to my Garmin and I used that the most. We went through a field of pigs. I did get slightly anxious after my recent experience, when I was chased across a field by some pigs (the fastest 200metres I have done for quite a while !) but after a few seconds I realised these pigs were contained by a low electric fence.

The route up to the top of the course was like running on a heath, not too hard. The sand at the top of the course was fine and not bad at all. At 16m I expected to find it much harder, but the tank tracks weren't too bad at all. Just a bit up and down and you could often run on the grass alongside. The last 4.5m were all on road and I enjoyed these much less. I came home in 5hr 4min. The only damage seems to be some chaffage from my rucksack, I was aware that my shirt was riding up early on, but I was unaware it was causing any damage. Bum bag tomorrow I think.

Photos : Great Barrow Challenge 2011 - Google Photos