Chapter 27 Eighteen, with a Bullet

Not really an eighteen mile run – more a twelve mile run with a 10k jog/walk at the end.  Nicky was the bullet – Kay and Harp the attendants.  They ran beautifully – I didn’t.

A struggle for me for the last 6 miles, but not as much as the struggle for poor old Kay when she got back to the start to find she’d lost her car key.

Horrid, horrid, horrid – but it’s in the bag and we are on track for Trimpell.  Bring it on.

Chapter 26 - In a Big Country

It was a very big country indeed.  Last week’s National Cross Country Championship at Alton Towers was the biggest club event I’ve been to, and was made all the more daunting by a tiny little mud problem. I had decided not to run weeks ago, on the grounds that I would be so far off the pace that everyone would go home, but when I saw the mud I was actually a tad envious.

You see, I like mud.  I like splashing and glooping and squelching, and I specially like running through muddy puddles.  What I don’t like is big hills and fast competitors, so all in all I think I made a good choice.  I was still slightly wistful though.

It was great to see the really top athletes running.  Based on the fact that we were once at the same barbecue, I feel I can call Liz Yelling a close friend, and she certainly looked the business as she charged up the hills.  The world-class runners are like a different species (thoroughbreds in comparison to my carthorse) and I enjoyed watching their form and trying to compare it with my own.  It was like trying to compare Billy Whizz with a three-toed sloth, but I did pick up some useful tips – ie run faster and you’ll finish nearer the front.  It looked so bloomin’ easy.

Hyde Park Harriers put in a fine showing, and the boys managed to finish as third Leeds club, behind Leeds City (who were the overall winners) and Valley Striders.  The individuals did well too, especially Kay and Ali, who flew the flag for the girls, and Ellie and Bex, who formed our junior section.  All in all, a great outing.

I’m off for an 18 miler tomorrow in preparation for Trimpell 20 next week.  This means I will miss the last PECO cross country of the season.  How will I get my mud fix?

Chapter 25 - Feets Don’t Fail me Now

I’m in new territory every week now.  Today, I ran three firsts.

1.                  First long run in my own

2.                  First long run (outside a race) where I didn’t walk

3.                  First long run over 15.75 miles

I did the first of these first properly.  I started on my own, finished on my own, and never saw anyone I knew.  The latter two first were a bit more dodgy.  I definitely didn’t use a walking motion, but I can’t honestly say I ran in any meaningful sense of the word.  And although I did my longest distance ever, it was only 16.09, so I think I’m well within the “10% maximum increase” the proper chaps recommend.  I can’t imagine where the other 10 miles is going to come from.

My understanding of the word “promise” is pretty dodgy as well.  Sorry guys, but I can’t resist it.  It’s a girl thing.  The splendid red shoes are still feeling pretty good, although I have to report two slightly sore big toes (thumb-toes as they are known in this house).  I’m not certain yet whether to stick with them or return to the old ones.  Decisions, decisions.  Still, I’m pretty sure I won’t take them back, even if I only gaze at them.

Decisions, or rather the lack of them, are playing a big part in my life as I get more and more tired.  I remember the feeling from when the boys were babies – that gut-wrenching tiredness that makes it impossible to decide between a four-pint bottle of milk, and a six-pint one.  It’s just as well that Chris does all the shopping and most of the cooking, because at the moment I couldn’t plan a sandwich.

Is it very bad form to go to bed before 8.00 on a Friday?

Chapter 24 - New Shoes

Three times in nine days.  For a blog about marathon training, this is starting to look suspiciously like a blog about footwear.  The verdict so far?  I’ll wait to see what tomorrow brings in terms of overnight stiffness in the Achilles, but for now, me and the NBs are NBFs.

Liversedge half-marathon was possibly the hardest race I’ve done so far.  Dingle may have been comparable in terms of total climb, but the hills there were short and frequent, whereas today they were concentrated into two beastly ‘orrible things.  Fantastic downhills, though, and the usual Roberttown warm welcome and pouring rain.  Didn’t manage a particularly good time, but loved every minute.  Even saw old parkrun buddy Rob Hamilton, whose unexpected cheering was most welcome, just as I started to fade in the last half-mile.

Only three Hyde Park Harriers (me, Chris and Chris Taylor), but a nice clutch of Eccleshillians who waited in the rain to see all their runners in, and who gave me a rousing cheer as well.  Best bit?  Chris came third in the MV50 category, and won a £7 voucher, which he promptly gave to me.  I spent it on a monster tub of rehydration salts, which we will drink together on Valentine’s Day.  Who says romance is dead?

I promise I won’t mention shoes in the next chapter.

Chapter 23 - Diamonds on the Soles of her Shoes

Lead weights, more like.  As the runs get longer, my legs get slower and my feet get sorer (is there such a word?).  Twinkle-toed I definitely am not.

I am, however, beautifully-shod.  Brand new shoes (New Balance 1080s) to go with my brand-new plantar fasciitis and my long-standing Achilles tendonitis.  Who said running was good for you?

I went to Sweatshop intending to buy another pair of asics gel cumulus.  As ever, though, I ummed and ahhed and eventually changed my mind.  The NB are more cushioned, but use a denser material, so are paradoxically stiffer.  I can’t decide whether the foot problems are entirely due to upping the mileage or to my shoes, but it will be interesting to see how these take me.  A slow trot round parkrun felt good, so we will see what tomorrow and the notorious Liversedge half-marathon brings.  The Sweatshop lady assured me I can bring them back if I don’t like them, no matter how muddy they are.  This seems too good to be true, but at least I can revert to asics if these turn out to be more beautiful than functional.

Because make no mistake about it, they are truly beautiful.  These shoes are properly red.  I am a bit of an Imelda Marcos, so being able to match my shoes to my club vest is important to me.  I’m sure the reason I hated my last pair of Sauconys is because they were a horrible grey with no pretty bits.  The NBs are not only a lovely shiny red, they have orange soles and trim – what more could a girl want?

PS - Is it normal to blog about shoes?  That’s twice in eight days.

Chapter Twenty-Two Goody Two-shoes

I’m not normally an envious person.  I like my life very much, and I’m content with what I’ve got.  But really – some people do take the biscuit.  Not content with getting the Jones ballot place in the VLM, Chris has gone and got both the parkrun “runner of the month” shoes (asics gel nimbus), and a free pair of adidas to boot.  The latter, apparently, he “won” simply by entering both our names into a draw.  His name was pulled out, mine was ignored.  Pah!

I wouldn’t care, but we take exactly the same size shoes (I’ve got huge feet – his are normal), and we’re both neutral runners.  I’ve dropped hints galore, but neither pair has made its way to my bit of the trainer-shelf yet.  I’ve even played the “Ken Fox turned down his second pair of free shoes” card, but to no avail.  However, I shall rise above it, and buy my very own gel cumulus, which I happen to prefer.

In running terms, this week has been less hit, and more miss.  I did a lovely bimble around the canal basin on Monday (I recommend it) and I sharpened my appetite for the HPH curry by turning in a decent intervals session on Tuesday.  Other than that, nothing – until today.

Today was my long run – 15+ miles with Nicky.  We had originally planned to run with Harp and Kay in the morning, but work intervened, so we took the afternoon shift.  I’m glad we did, because by then it had stopped raining, but oh my – that wind!  On the outward leg, it pushed us along nicely, but coming back, it was absolutely in our teeth.  Poor old Nicky even kicked herself when the wind blew one leg into the other.

From my point of view, the biggest problem was my eyelids.  Ever since my so-called best friend (the same one who told me my feet were ugly – see Chapter 4) told me that I needed plastic surgery, I’ve been aware of my rather full (some would say baggy) eyelids.  But never before today have they actually flapped.  Coming down from Five Lane Ends to Golden Acre Park, they almost generated enough lift to send me airborne.  It was a really strange feeling, and one I will be glad not to have again.

Tomorrow – a steady trot round parkrun, and then on Sunday it’s Dewsbury 10k.  This was originally on my plan for a possible PB, but given my success in the Abbey Dash, I decided to sack it in favour of today’s long run.  The plan now is just to treat it as a training run, and save myself for next week’s Liversedge Half.

PS – Chris did give me a splendid yellow T-shirt from his stack of adidas goodies, and he’s promised me a half-share of his stack of free gels.  And as for the best friend – we’ve been two-thirds of the best three-part friendship in the world for over 30 years now, so I think she’s entitled to dispense cosmetic advice.