Last Christmas.........

I went for a run, and the very next day, I did it again, this year because I'm a bore, I'm going to do it some more :-))))

This time last year I was looking towards what I guess has been my biggest challenge to date, the 10 in 10. That really was all the motivation I needed to get out there. I'll be honest, and this may sound arrogant but I never doubted barring bad injury that I would do it. The thing that worried me was the fundraising, and I never knew I would make the total until I did it thanks to the generosity of friends mainly.

This year I am facing a different challenge, this is just me, no one is relying on me doing it, I won't fail to make a monetary target because I don't have one. I'll admit it is harder to get motivated, and so I've entered Jantastic, I figure this will help me through what is generally a pretty drab month, because generally the way I work, if I've said I will do something I bloody well will. Even unfortunately, if it is to my detriment. Ask Mr H he can tell you aaalll about that :-D

If she were here you could ask my nan. She would tell you I would cut off my own nose to spite my face. She was right.

Anyway, looking back I have had a good running year. I counted up today 21 marathons, 4 of which were ultras. No PBs but then that wasn't what this year was about.

My last marathon was yesterday. 17 and a bit laps round Furzton Lake Mk. I felt for the first time in a while that I could run a decent time if I put my mind to it, that made me happy. I was also pleased to do another of Foxys events as they are really quite nice. Not too many people and a real sort of running family feel. These are the sort of events I want to keep doing with the odd flashy one thrown in just because. I guess I will get to 100 at some point ;)

It is also nice to see other 10 in 10 ers, yesterday I saw and ran with Noel, Liz was there, and obviously Foxy........also a guy who spoke to me at the start is a 2012 contender I think....I'll have to look on his Facebook. It does feel like a special (!) club and yeah ok I am proud to be a part of it.

I'm not doing Windermere next year though, it will be a while before I want to go back.

Anyway, motivation, just do what works for you. Don't listen to any voices but the one in your own head......it's more right than you know.....because it knows YOU! And it knows what YOU can do. Take advice by all means but then ignore it if you think it's bollocks. Works for me.

Here is my medal from yesterday cos it's proper festive and this is a Christmas eve eve eve blog :)

Actually you have to imagine it cos I don't know how to get it on here on the iPad!!!!!

There is no I in team.............

Don't you bloody hate that saying? I do, I am also not a particular fan of team games.

I like I best.

When I was a small child I absolutely refused to take part in team games at school, and would throw a fit if anyone tried to make me. I was incredibly shy and terrified of letting other people down. If you are told you are useless you eventually believe it. A really nice teacher though, (really sorry but I dont remember her name) obviously saw what was wrong and would spend time with me at playtime throwing a ball to me convincing me that a) I could catch it, I wasn't that clumsy and b) if I did drop it the world wouldn't end. She convinced me that I could take part in that rounders game at lunchtime and that I should try out for the netball team. She was right about the rounders, I played for the school all through seniors and discovered a talent for hockey too. I never enjoyed netball really, something to do with bloody hard ball and frozen fingers. Give me a whack round the shins with a hockey stick any day :-0 Or crack my ribs with a rounders ball....thats fine :D

But where I came into my own was cross country. As much as I could now be in a team, running on my own was what I was made for, and I could do it for as long as you wanted too......sometimes in the wrong direction admittedly but I had discovered the thing that I was best at, and that made me happiest. And best of all I could run for me but be part of a bigger team.........everyone wins!

As an adult I have been on more team building courses than I care to mention, Barclays PLC was dead keen on them. I discovered that the best way to get through them was to be as loud as possible on day 1, take part in everything and get pissed in the evenings :0) Sitting around being quiet and unhappy to be there just led to being really miserable.

I guess I have gained from them and appreciate the need at work for an element of teamwork and sometimes I am that loud noisy person from those courses because you need to be to get stuff done.

I still need to run on my own though :)

I had a bit of a tantrum at tri club swimming last night :( I am sooooo embarrassed that I can still act like I'm 7. But it was team games you see............and whilst I dont mind when I'm confident at what I'm doing I am hyper aware of my rubbishness at swimming. They also had a game where you had to grab feet and someone has to grab yours......I nearly had a coronary when they described that one............NEVER GOING TO HAPPEN.

On the other hand, I had a truly fab day on Saturday and one of my twitter friends sent me these reindeer antlers ................thanks Farnie :))) I look happy dont I ....thank you Fosters :-D

I AM THE ANSWER!!!!

Life, the universe and everything innit.

I haven't blogged for a bit. I have been going to and then each time I realised I had something or other on my mind that would make it too honest....too much me. I know a blog is where you can do that but I was a bit surprised at how much I said in my Brathay blog and I don't want to do it again :-)

Anyhow, running, yeah I have been but nothing massive. But I am well aware of what I have to do and you can rely on the fact I won't be resting over Xmas. I'm just busy with other stuff too. I decided today not to do Bedford Half, when I entered I thought right, little bit of speed work and I'll get a PB, no bother.

Yeah, right. Real world.......speed work tweaked my piriformis, cue depression about whether I can actually run fast anymore, sports massage and swimming and the realisation that if I am not sure I can run my best I don't want to do it. Since Chris has to drive me I can't make him go if I'm not sure I even want to. So my birthday run will be on my own. That's cool I do that really well :)

I did think about running it slower as a fun run but I don't know it just wouldn't fit right.


Then a week next weds I will run another mara somewhere in bletchley I am hoping that this will kick start some decent long runs, I am sure it will.

Anyway, I've had a really nice day today, massage, run, nice pressie and a bit of doing not much, good cos I reckon next 2weeks at work are a bit full on. I found out Friday I need to update my cv and do a personal statement to apply for a travel grant by Wednesday, which is a pain but I guess a trip to Philadelphia will be worth it :) then I have to get through the work Xmas do without making a tit of myself..... Never that easy when my natural state tends towards tit!!!

Then Shed Seven next Saturday....woooohoooooooooooooooo :o)

This blog was written on my iPad ( ner ner Jules)

Ticking over....and overthinking. As usual.

Thats what I'm doing right now. I'm not 100% on my legs with painful sciatic nerve both sides, making running feel harder than it should. Actually making me wonder if at any point I will be able to run quicker again :-/

I'm sure that more than one person told me before the 10 in 10 that afterwards everything would be easy and I'd be running PBs all over the place. No I'm not, I'm not even nearly! Maybe I need an extended period off running. It;s been on my mind, even when I dont think it is. I am being very haphazard in my training, like I cant settle to anything, a sign I guess I'm a bit bored and probably a bit frustrated.

Soooooo, what to do. Well I had my second sports massage this weekend (I mean in a block of 3) and I definitely felt the benefit this time. Maybe I mean it was less painful than last time cos my muscles werent so tight. I have one booked the day before bedford half, see if I cant get round it with at least SOME dignity intact.

And you know I've been swimming a bit, and yesterday I went for a bike ride with some friends from running club (please note this was not an official ride sanctioned by Dagenham 88 runners, if it was there would be loads of wanky health and safety bollocks to go through before it could happen, so really it never would have, this is not a moan at my running club it is a general moan at the state of things today which in some areas are complete toss)

The ride was about 40 miles through Collier Row, onto brentwood, Kelvedon hatch, ongar, Abridge and Hainault. Those are what I remember. Kelvedon Hatch smells of wee and I thought it was a really posh place. So there you go, you never can tell. Despite all the rumours Essex isn't completely flat and I actually found it quite challenging......more so because I thought like a complete bloody idiot that I wouldn't need any fuel, a consequence of being so out of the loop with bike training. I wont do that again. But I enjoyed the change and although my legs are not brilliant today I am sure the change of excercise does me good.

To that end I paid for a Groupon offer today for 10 spin lessons for £30. Bargain! Normally they are 12.50 a go and it's near work. I need to check tomorrow when I can book on, but I dont think they will do me any harm at all.

I am still running and I dont suppose I will actually stop. I just want to know when its going to feel better. I know it can. I shall marshall parkrun on Saturday that will make me feel good (as long as I can change the haircut appt I have double booked with it) and then have a think.

If it's not hurting.......

Not worth doing is it?

This Friday just gone, 11-11-11 I and a bunch of others did the Poppy Day Enigma Marathon. Expertly put on by Foxy Davy. I'll be honest, this time last week I didn't think I would be able to do it. Piriformis syndrome in my previously good left leg stopped me in my tracks and sent me to the Swimming pool and for a sports massage (lying facedown with my bum out while a 6 foot 4 bloke pushes his elbow in my glutes with all his weight is really just my idea of heaven). I intended to test the leg on Thursday with a 2 mile jog but chickened out due to the fact that if it didn't work I would be VERY UPSET INDEED. I find a way to cope with problems is to pretend they are not there, a strategy that regularly bites me on the bum!

Anyway I arrived at Caldecotte Lake with one man and his dog and said hello to all the usual suspects. It's all very low key and I love that. Plenty of TiTs and 100 club members and people trying to get into the 100 club ;-D

We assembled by the check point and one of the guys said a few words and we had 2 minutes silence. I thought about my nan and grandad during this, not to say I wasn't thinking about all those who died but they are the way I connect to the (second) war. Grandad served and only came back because he had to have emergency surgery on his appendix whilst his unit was lost. Nan told me stories of underground shelters during the blitz and being evacuated with my Uncle. I think how lucky I am to have had them both.

Anyway, we then walked to the start and without much ado were off. Yep it was painful, but I had great company who knew I liked a bit of a whinge and a moan having endured 10 days of it in May. And then there was Gus who you just cant help smiling at. At the 1st stop at the checkpoint Dave, Marks mate joined us for a couple of laps. It was quite funny because I told Mark I had met him before (I thought I had) so no introductions were made. Luckily I think we both realised who the other was and it was cool to meet him as he is doing the Quadzilla in Feb. I was just going to say it will be nice to see someone there I know but that is ridiculous I will know the whole damn field!

Anyway after those 2 laps we had 5 left and the next 3 were completed slowly but surely. I had to stop every now and again to stretch out the piriformis but to be honest it gets to a certain hurt and doesnt get worse, or you learn to live with it, or something. The only thing that worried me were twinges in my back, if they kept up I wouldnt have been able to finish but they came and went so not too bad.

Now 2 laps left about 7 miles. Mark will say this is where I get my 'head' on and go for it but I swear it was him looking at his watch that made me want to go quicker. He told me what we needed to do to go sub 4.30 and by now I wanted this over so was happy enough to try. I reckon he could have easily gone under it as he was running much better than me, but he wont agree :D

End result, 4.30 and change. I am very happy with that, I had a decent run, great company and took part in a great event. What more can you want? (Pint of fosters, and I got it!)

So thanks to Foxy and his helpers, thanks to Dave for the company but mostly thanks to Mark and Gus for getting me round.

For recovery yesterday I ran 15 minutes and swam 30 which set me up to do 10 miles today. Brilliant!!!! I am a bit concerned about where I am going to find any speed from, but I have 2 more massages paid for and will have them soon. Meanwhile I will keep plodding on.

This is my fab medal from Fridays marathon.

You keep your mouth in your backside baby....

and you're using it daily......

Yep I had a strange week, full of saying the wrong thing. At the wrong time. Or just the wrong thing.

Still I dont believe there was any lasting damage. But I know that's not what you want to hear. You want to talk about running. (I shall pause here to say, why has he got the radio on at top volume in the kitchen and yet left the tv on loud in here too? Men!!)

Anyway, yeah, running. My plans have jigged around lately and I have decided to do a half marathon in December. Now this means running a bit faster than I normally do, so there has had to have been a plan too. Luckily a plan bought itself to my attention by magic. Amazingly it has Fridays as rest days. That is how I do it you know, out on Thursday nights rest days Friday. Bingo!

Before we go on you probably are wondering how this will fit into my plans to do a 100 miler in March. It wont.

Right so I have been doing proper sessions for a week and a half now. Enjoying it too although during that time I have been aware of some aches and pains which I blame entirely on running at Caesars while I was tired. I do know though that I have excacerbated them with a tiny bit of speedwork but nothing terrible.

So the plan said 10k this Sunday. Fine I was going to do Billericay. However I left it too late cos it was postal entry. Ok I thought, I shall do parkrun and run there and back. Ran to Valentines Park, real easy so felt good when I got there. Ran around a  bit looking for the start.............it is a bench in a busstop type thingy that is only visible when you look at it from a certain angle* ....found it and waited for the organisers and other runners to turn up.

The field is not yet very big for this event and with Billericay the next day I reckon that would have taken some of the talent away. I looked around for who would be my competition and noticed a girl from Barking Road Runners who looked fit (in a running way, I didn't fancy her). I couldn't see any one else who looked like an obvious threat, so I thought right, I will race her.

And so we started, within about 50m had overtaken BRR girl and she wasn't following. Oh. Whats more for about the first 500m I was about 5th or 6th overall which was a bit bloody freaky. Anyway a couple of men overtook me which was fine and I settled in. It is quite a hard course to settle in to because there are so many sharp turns, but I was suprisingly feeling quite good. Much better than my last 5k in Barking Park. I was delighted to see 7.35 for the first mile. I would have loved to maintain that pace and I have done so before but at present dont have the speed endurance. Second mile was 7.57. Then I really struggled to maintain for the last mile. I was catching the guy in front but I am sure it was because he was slowing. I couldn't actually see anyone behind me, until about 300m from the end a guy overtook me seemingly coming out of nowhere! Anyway I sprinted the last bit trying to get under 24 but instead got exactly 24 minutes. 10th overall, first female and 23 seconds faster than my previous outing here.

I was not unhappy with that. After a bit of a chat I started the run home (3.6 miles) I was aware my hamstring was tight but kept it easy pace and it seemed ok by the time I got home. I did know that over the rest of the day it was tightening, and I stretched periodically. It was aching quite badly when I went to bed.

It didnt work at all when I tried to run this morning. I got to the end of the road with what felt like a knife in my glutes on the left hand side and gave up. I am quite proud of the fact that instead of a strop I got my swimming kit on straight away and went there instead. Swam 2k and quite enjoyed it. Embarrased myself when I got out as after hauling myself up on the side I went to put my weight on my left leg and it collapsed. It felt like it wasn't there and I have no idea what that was. I am sure all the parents waiting for their kids very inconveniently by the side of the pool were amused. Anyway the walk home wasn't that pleasant but it did ease as I went.

I may have to just swim this week. I am contemplating my turbo, and a sports massage.

Until Friday. That day I have a marathon. On my training plan it says 26.2 miles easy. Shouldn't be a problem should it.

This is a picture of the first time I ran at Bletchley, Good Friday 2010 I think, all 3 of us were yet to complete the 10 in 10. This Fridays marathon is the Poppy Day Enigma and will start at 11.11.
*thats not really true I can just never find it.

If she doesn't come back......

I'll be your substitute, whenever you want me, dont you know I'll..........aaaarrrgggghhhhhhh!

When I heard these words in the early hours of Sunday morning, I thought maybe I was so tired I had transported mysef back in time and I was 8 again wondering if my stepmum HAD to listen to the same damn song over and over and over again :-D

But no I was very tired, but that was because I had been up since 6am Saurday morning. The shit song choices were all Henks, organiser of Caesars Camp ultra runs, and I was marshalling, and sadly still 41.

I went down to Hampshire with 2 runners world friends Smiffy and Pete. Pete was running, Smiffy was running the start /finish checkpoint and I was helping with that.

Except I had another job to do first. As soon as we got out the car Henk said hello to me and told me to get my kit on (I know!!! quite refreshing) because as a runner who had never seen the course he wanted me to do a lap to ensure the tape and arrows were set out properly. TBH if I had known that before I would have crapped myself because I am notorious for my sense of direction (or lack thereof). Anyway I didn't have time to worry I just set off, and it was fine! 10 miles off road all on my own (a relief after listening to Smiffy I can assure you) and I only got lost a little bit near the end, because they did need a few more bits of tape.

So I got back just as the runners were about to set off, some for 50 some for 100. A lot wouldn't make it.

I didn't have time to worry about that though as we needed to get things set up. There were jelly babys wine gums jaffa cakes flapjacks mini mars crisps pringle pepperami soup beans friut salad rice pudding......yeah all that and a constant stream of cups to wash as each runner was visiting us at the end of every lap and that would be 10 times if they did the hundred. I think there were about 90 starters for the 50 and 100 so no way we could not recycle.

So for the next 12 hours I filled cups, water bottles and camelbaks. I made sure food was kept stocked and offered tea and soup to weary runners. I had a bit of a moment at about 1am where I started to flag so I got in the car but I was so cold and the music was so loud and rubbish I couldn't sleep. so I started work again.

Early in the evening I girl I had met at another race who was doing the 100 asked if I fancied doing a lap with her later. I said yes she just needed to tell me when. About 2 am she came in and said could I do the next one with her, 70-80 miles. So at 4.30 I got my running kit back on and I think we set out at 4.45 when head torches were definitely required. Obviously Ester was tired but having someone to run with her cheered her up and she was in pretty good spirits. She was desperate for it to get light and to get to the halfway CP but apart from that it was ok. Toward the end of the lap she started to talk about giving up......I told her what I thought and offered to run the next one with her...........well hef best friend was at the CP and he said he would walk the last one with her so she then agreed I would run 80-90 with her.

This one was hard. Despite not having run 80 miles I was knackered, and Ester was much more down. She was hurting badly and obviously exhausted. I was trying all tactics to get her to run the runnable bits. When she was obviously going to cry I dropped back a bit to let her, but told her lots how well she was doing and congratulated ANY running no matter how short a distance. We talked about how much nicer the second half of the course was, which made getting to the halfway CP a real boost and somehow we made it through that lap in the same time as the one before.

Just before we got to the end of the lap she announced she was giving up :-/

I said what I thought but ultimately it was her decision.

She changed her mind :)))))

I found out today that she finished (I had to leave before she got back) in 26 hours something. Just brilliant and I felt really happy to be able to help a bit.

I just loved the weekend.  Though I have hardly trained since cos I have been so so tired. But I now have some idea of what it will take to complete 100 miler. And I know if I have to I can stay up all night, and still run (well get round) 20 miles. COOL!

Do I think I can?

What do you think?

On anniversaries, teeny tiny terrors, being up all night and sandbagging......

Hello :)

I didn't blog yesterday, had a really busy weekend that seemed like it was worth nothing when I woke up yesterday. Doesn't put you in the mood to blog.....

However today I am new and improved and my smile is the right way up.

So the news this week..... tomorrow me and Mr H have been married for 20 years. I find this astonishing. It really does seem like only yesterday I was telling his dad that if he didn't turn the video camera off I wasn't coming out of the house (and I wouldn't have either, even if I had missed the wedding, maybe a not so loveable quirk :-s ) Anyway since I was so shy I dont know where any photos are, and there are def none online. I do have this one though, which was the first trip to the future in laws......so about 3 years before the big day.

awwww......blimey did I never know what was to come there. Note the Ford Escort, we spent a lot of time in that going up and down the country, sitting in traffic jams and praying it would start again. Also note white shoes. Essex. The only way :-D

Anyway, we had a curry to celebrate that. And the spent the rest of the weekend trying to eliminate the teeny tiny terrors. I wont go into this I'll just say there is a little rhyme people say to children as they go to bed. If anyone says it to me I will punch them, very hard. We will win in the end. There was some amusement though, I rang my sister and told her that in the US there were sniffer dogs trained to search out this particular pest and asked her if I could borrow her dog (a chow chow or whatever the way you spell that word is) she informed me he hadn't been trained for these pests however he was ace at sniffing out hedgehogs. I am going to remember that the next time I cant find the damn hedgehog thats been bothering me all night! (yeah I know sounds wrong but I'm leaving it there, insert whichever jokes spring to mind)

Being up all night refers to the fact that I am rather hoping to be on Saturday night. Now depending on what your idea of fun is you might not think that marshalling at a 100 mile race is it.....but I do, so thats what matters innit! So I am off to Caesers Camp. They do 30, 50 and 100 mile options, all on the same lapped course. I havent done it, and there is every possibility that once I have seen it I never want to but the best way for me to appreciate how I will feel whilst I am running through the night is to see other athletes doing the same. And I like helping out too, I may meet some people who are doing the TP100, which would be nice.

Aaaaaaand so to todays final subject. Sandbagging. It's got to be done hasn't it and so as I state publicly that I have entered next years Outlaw, I shall also state that I will be rubbish. I am doing the 100 miler in March. There is noooo waaaaay I will be able to do enough cycling between then and July to be any good at all.

And my legs will be broken.
No actually they will have been amputated.
Have I told you my big toe has gangrene?
See, I will be rubbish. If I scrape in before the 17 hour cut off I will be amazed.
(is that enough yet? There is more where that came from and I will wheel it out every now and again)

I should say something about training now shouldn't I?
Every now and again I go running.
There that'll do.

It's right glamorous being me you know........

No really, being a scientist in Londons 'Global University' it's just wall to wall glitz. Basically I just swan about in a white coat looking clever, and pondering questions of science.

Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa. Nope. I slope about in my jeans and a pair of latex gloves trying to improvise equipment and borrow reagents and repeat the same experiments again and again with the tiniest tweaks here and there because you just know that what you are trying to prove is right. Then you do prove it, once and then you cant do it again.......so you spend the next 12 months trying to work out what is different whilst being reminded that your competitors are also working hard to prove it too. Then you get results that seem wrong, but you keep getting them.................so how are they wrong? You cant assume anything is wrong if it's repeatable.

You have to think about it differently. You have to take a step back and put all your assumptions away.

Hmmm, where am I going with this? Oh yeah, that's like running that is :-D I look at my training log at the moment and I dont see much in it to be honest. But today I was thinking about that on my run. I'm assuming because a few weeks ago I had a good race I should be bouncing around running miles and miles. (Dont tell me I should be tired I wont have it) I'm not. I'm actually struggling to get out the door.

More specifically struggling to get up and run in the mornings. I am a morning runner. I always have been. So I need to take a step back and think about it.

As much as it pains me I am tired. (I can say it). I have repeated something at work which is good but also makes me more busy and thinking a lot (blimey!).

I also have had a pest problem at home (not Mr H he is actually pretty well trained) which has made it hard to sleep and made me a bit down. However I have my fingers crossed we have sorted it this weekend. If we havent I may well be dong a stretch for arson. I dont know if they allow you to blog from prison, but I am sure I will find plenty of other things to fill my time. (I've seen Prisoner cell block H)

Moving seamlessly back to sport, I did kind of follow Kona on twitter so I know the result, and of course CW did amazingly well but I don't understand all the people going on about the non recognition by the bbc etc. Despite me explaining about a million times at work about what an Ironman is, NOBODY KNOWS. And that I feel is going to be true where everybody works. We only know about it because we are freaks who spend far too much time with other freaks, normally running, cycling or swimming, or, just for a bit of a change, talking about running cycling or swimming.

I remember a while ago one of my colleagues asked me how far I had run at the weekend. I replied (whatever it was, something stupid) and she looked at me in disgust and said 'but I don't even like walking'

Sums it up really.

How much do you want it?

This week I have been reflecting on last weeks race, as you do.

It occurs to me that since the 10 in 10 it's the first race I have done where it was important for me to run it well......well long race anyway. Although I have done the 2 50's they werent the same. The first one was, can I do this, and the second one was, can I do this with some fecking big hills :-D

So I know now what I got from the TIT. I got the ability to tell myself (my central governor perhaps?) that I am going to run as hard as I can even if it hurts because this is a one off , I dont have to do it again tomorrow and any discomfort wont last forever.

The ability to be willing to push myself harder then.

I like that, a lot. It is tempting to speculate on what time I could have done if I hadn't gone out the day before but that is a bit pointless and takes away from what I did do.

So I wont.

Anyway moving on, I have mainly rested this week. Work is busy, but exciting so that keeps me occupied. This weekend I have swum, run and biked twice, none of it massive milage but exactly what I wanted to do. It's so hot I dont want to be running long, I have plenty of that in my future, and probably plenty of cooler weather to do it in. I have really enjoyed cycling despite meeting someone yesterday who really did appear to want to kill me :-O First of all he reversed out of his drive obviously not noticing I was right there, then 500m down the road he overtook and turned left right in front of me causing my already elevated heart rate to see if it could get just that bit higher. Still. He never got me :-P

Speaking of heart rate I have been recording my resting heart rate each morning to see if I can correlate it with poor performances or when I know I am not well. It was raised after the wekend for a couple of days and funny enough if you go out and have a few drinks that affects it too. I might do a small study, see how much your bpm he next morning goes up per 1 pint the night before. Obviously there will be a limit to this as it is possible to get to 0 bpm. We dont want that.

Lastly I got my VLM magazine. I knew I would but last year they never sent me an acceptance one so I was never really sure I had a place. I will need to run another GFA to get in again, but I reckon I can. I wont enter the ballot again.......ironically I have never got in through the ballot, and I can see peoples frustration about it. I dont think it's very constructive telling people to run quicker to get in, not London where you get the celebritys who dont train for it or people running as giant caterpillars. Maybe there should be a separate London for those runners who think it should only be a serious day. Training logs should be scrutinised and anyone not logging 100 miles a week (at least) should be barred!!!!! There should be a regulation short length, and only water on the course at halfway. Absolutely no support either in case it puts the runners off. Then at the end, if you fail to acheive a GFA time.....................obviously the womens 18-49 should be changed to 3.30 to keep the riff raf out ...................you will be shot.

That would improve long distance running in this country ;-)

Just Wonderful weekend......

This past weekend I travelled up to Birmingham in order to take part in the JW Ultra a race that has been important in my calendar for 4 years now.

I first did the race in 2008, having heard about it being really good in it's first year 2007 ....... I didn't really know anybody involved in the running of it at that point but was into runners world and so was aware of them and other people who would run this sort of thing. I remember travelling up on a Friday to stay in a hotel in Brum, after a horrible day at work and not feeling well. I had argued with Mr H because he was supposed to come and then decided last minute he didn't want to. (on reflection, maybe I WAS being unreasonable asking him to come). So next day which was race day didn't start the best and tbh it didn't really get any better. I didn't feel well and had a pretty awful run. At 20 miles or CP2 I could have easily thrown in the towel, but met up with Dick who was having a bad run too....we decided to finish together and just moaned and ranted our way home :) I think the time was something like 5.50.

I hung around for the presentation and despite being pissed off with my performance realised that this was actually a pretty special race, where the organisers knew everybody and cared that they had a good day. I had a train booked that evening but realised lots of people were staying and going out that night. I decided that in 2009 I would do that too.

2009 - 4.45 much better, got pissed after....even better ;)
2010 - 4.40 ran most of it with Matt and had a really enjoyable run that ended with a PB. Got pissed after. brilliant.

2011 special 5th run of the race and social run.

This year I went up Thursday and shopped. Sometimes I do act like a girl :) Ate in a pasta place and went to bed early. Friday got picked up and went to Rowheath to meet up with Mark, Matt, Gavin and Sharon and Gus. Sharon drove us to the start of the race at Stratford, and we started the first JW social run which was also a chance for Gavin to run the race for the 5th time (he had run every year before) as he couldn't make the Saturday.

We basically ran walked the whole route, with banana cake stops at the checkpoints (Thanks for the cake Sharon, I am a fan) It was a pretty fab way to spend the day with friends, and different for me than always worrying about how long I was taking and if I was doing better than last year, yeah all that rubbish Anyway, we finished in about 7 hrs and then it was a quick dash back to the hotel to eat and shower before meeting back at Rowheath for traditional night before drinks. I decided to try 3 pints this year (bearing in mind I had covered 30 miles already) and some vegetable pizza. I think I was quite well behaved and I did apologise for throwing the money :-D I was asleep pretty much before my head hit the pillow.

Race day (official)

Woke up feeling ok. Lifted the sheet, nothing had fallen off in the night. Slight blister on one foot.

Got a lift to Rowheath with others and got on the coach with Matt. He said he felt ok too but tired. Yeah I guess I felt a bit tired too but nowhere near as bad as I felt some days on the 10 in 10. Arrived at Stratford and did all those stupid faffy things you have to. Tried to work out who the lunatic who kept smiling at me was (I am soooo sorry Jules you must have thought I was very rude at first......) and finally lined up. I said to Matt 'I'm just going to start steady and see how I feel' and then suddenly we were off. And I had that thing......that race thing. My head said just effing go and my legs seemed to concur. So I did, thinking at any minute I was going to blow right up.

I was sure that any minute it would all go wrong and I know how long 30 miles is. I also knew very well which were the parts of the race I disliked the most it being fresh from the day before. Well that spurred me on because the only way to get those bit over quicker is to go faster.

And so it went. CP1 didn't stop just grabbed water. The run to CP2 seemed as long as ever and I promised myself a special tablet when I got there :-D I also got to see Meldy waving her pint at me which truly warmed my heart...................not!!! But it did make me get running again, sadly losing my water bottle top almost immediatly and therefore giving my knees a lovely drink but not me. I knew this wouldn't be good, so some time later wasn't suprised when I started fantasising about lying down and dipping my face in the canal. However, when you come off the canal onto the road there is a shop so I got some coke which was as usual the best coke I have ever tasted and spurred me on to the finish.

Finish 4.42 and something. Absolutely delighted and presented with the best goody bag ever.

Found out that Matt had stopped at CP2 and was going to stop but obviously somebody knew which buttons to push because he had a pint of cider and then set off to finish (do you think that's what happened to Haile yesterday? Cos I do) which he did....legend ;)

Didn't think the weekend could get any better really but then me and Matt were presented with fantastic hand painted mugs for 'doing the double' (Sharon they are absolutely beautiful) AND THEN I WENT OUT FOR BEER.

I will post a picture of the mug when I remember to take one, currently I appear to only have pictures of chafing on my phone (why? I have no idea) and you dont want to see those.

I said I would................

So I have.

Yesterday I went to Redricks Lake in Harlow to do the RG Active aquathlon. There were 2 choices, a sprint, 750m swim 5k run and an olympic, 1500m swim 10k run. They were the same price so I thought I would get value for money and do the longer one. As I said last week I wanted to do a decent swim. I sure I can, but it's like predicted results isn't it, no fucking use unless you actually get the grades. I was predicted a good result in Biology A level at school for the mocks but since all I wrote on the paper was my candidate number and a (very good) sketch of a character from Mad magazine it meant nothing.

Anyway, we turned up at the lake and as I suspected it was a low key affair with I think around 80 competitors over both races. Oly started at 10 and sprint at 10.30. I mentioned to Mr H that no one would be hanging around much and that it was very likely I would be last out the water......he didn't disagree cos he has seen me swim!

Got in, water was colder than I have been in this year but not too bad. Had a bit of a swim about to check my goggles, they seemed ok and I felt ready. Then we were off. Up the lake and turn right at the bouys, back to the start and then another lap.

For the first minute or so I felt fine, then I felt a bit of water leak into my goggles and almost immediately I felt a band go round my chest and tighten. This is panic. I know it, it's happened before, I have no doubt it will happen again. So now I cant get enough breath in my lungs, and I cant put my face in the water, when I try I just get a mouthful of water because all rythym is gone.

So its head up fc as the field goes away from me.Thats ok, I know I can do it, just keep going. I do and round the far bouy, then the next one whch sends you back down to the start. This bit is just horrid, we had been warned about weeds but I dont know where they are and I cant see anything so I swim right into them. They actually stop me as I get tangled up and the boat comes over. I tell the guys I am alright but not having a particularly nice swim, they say thats ok just keep going you'll be fine. Swim into the middle more you will be out of the weeds.

What I wanted them to say was ok then get out you've done enough.

Got a clearer bit and made my way to the end of the first lap. I fully intended to get out, I really had had enough but when I got near the exit every flippin bugger there was cheering me on to keep going, so I bloody have to dont I.

Second lap I finally got a rythym going and my face back in the water. I beach myself on an island on the way up to the far bouy (no one told me there was land in the middle of the lake) and get caught in weeds on the way back, but I am so last by now I dont care. I get out run to transistion, apologise to Mr H for embarrassing him by being so useless and set out on the run.

The run was a lovely run, two laps up and down the river and through the woods. I dont wear an HRM but I am sure it would have told me interesting things if I did. I could NOT push. My chest was still tight so I was stuggling to breathe properly but at the same time I wasn't out of breath. I kept trying to get my legs moving faster but it just wasn't happening, none of it made any sense to me and I just had to keep going at the one pace I had. About a mile from the end I saw a branch on the floor and thought...ooh dont want to tread on that I might turn my ankle, and then I bloody did...........had a minute where I hopped up and down thinking I would have to stop but it eased and I carried on.

I finished finally not worn out at all, I would normally finish a 10k feeling like I want to throw up or die, I finished this one feeling like I hadn't run it. I honestly cant explain it, but I didn't like it at all. I want to feel like I worked, I want it to hurt, you dont get the feel good after if it doesn't and it must be pretty obvious by now that it's my drug of choice :-/

Anyway, I dont know times, they wont be good and I suppose it's one of them races that make the good ones seem better. Alarming Mr H greatly by blubbing in the car on the way home 'because I'm so shit' indicates to me that something about me wasn't quite right on the day, I'm not normally quite that fragile.

Today I dont feel like I raced yesterday but my foot is annoyingly a bit sore. I am not sure what exercise I am going to do today but I have been promised a trip to Aldi to look at technical thermal underwear.......I think you can tell we have been married nearly 20 years now cant you  :-D

Next weekend I am going to run, a lot. I am going to treat it as a purely social weekend with good friends doing the things I love to do, but I do hope it hurts a little bit ;-)

PS RG Active do good stuff, I will go and do one of their events again if they wait for me.

Just because you've got nothing to say......

Doesn't mean you can't do a blog ;-D After all I am mainly talking to myself you see.

I should have been reporting on a 5k and a 5 mile at the weekend. After a horrible nights sleep on Friday ( I was sober you see) I woke up Saturday and couldn't face parkrun. I could have run there, done it and run back but I wouldn't have been happy with the race and I see no point at all in setting myself up for dissapointment, you get enough of that in life from everyone else.

Ok fair enough I thought I will do a short run when I feel better later. So I did, it was ok nothing to write home about. Then early to bed so I could run to the Chase and run our club 5 miler then run home.

Another bad nights sleep but ok it wasn't an early start, but when 10 minutes before I was due to run there I was curled up on the sofa holding my stomach, Mr H 'had a word' with me and we decided the best plan was just to forget the running bit and get a lift there and find somewhere I could sit and marshall. Which I did, and it was fine. I enjoy marshalling partly because I think anyone who does races owes something back, but partly because I enjoy seeing people enjoying it..................often that means the people at the back because the front ones probably want to vomit, but whoever, I love it! Below is Dagenham in the sunshine from where I was sat marshalling.

I went home and later on felt ok for a bike ride so I did that. I would have a rant about it but I am sooooo over the two twats who tried to force me off my bike. I shall put it down to sharing the place I live with pondlife.

 Anyhow I was thinking whilst I was cycling (thats why I go through red lights, not cos I am one of those idiot cyclists who thinks they own the road, I normally just dont see them :-O) how much I enjoyed the tri last week and how much I want to do some more. I have decided that running is like going down the pub to meet your mates. Its nice and cosy, you can have a chat and you can pop in for one or two quite often. Now, triathlon on the other hand, is like when you go clubbing, it's exciting and loud and most of the time you (I) havent got a clue whats going on but you really like it :-D you cant do it so often as running, but you look forward to it.

(In my youth a night at a nightclub could often end in some sort of disaster or other entirely of my own making. I got lost many times.....see, like the bike course!)

Anyway, next week I am doing an aquathlon, 1.5k swim, 10k run, so a little in between the two...hmmmm wine bar maybe? though I always assume they are full of sleazebags :-D .......who like rubber.....oh!

I'll pop back when I've done it.

Triskaidekaphobia.......

is.......fear, dislike or hate of the number 13.

I became infected with this fearful disease this past Sunday. Shall I tell you about it?

Go on then I will.

This year has been all about the running, and that has been my focus, but when when Mark said BRAT club were doing a new Olympic tri in September I thought....oooh! Why not, so I duly entered (£40 a bargain for a standard distance).

I have been mixing up my training doing some swimming and biking too, and every now and then chucking in a 50 mile run just to keep it interesting. What could POSSIBLY go wrong?

Me and Mr H drove up on Saturday and stayed in a hotel ...... just slight sound of aeroplanes taking off and the new building creaking and cracking every 10 minutes. We were up at 5.15 so I could force some instant porridge down my neck and kit myself up properly. Got a phone call to announce 'IT'S RAAAACCCEEEE DAAAAAAY!' in case I hadn't remembered ;-) and set off.

Met up with Matt and Mark at the waterski venue, and I think basically we all faffed in the drizzle setting up in transistion and trying to get wetsuits onto already wet bodies (well I struggled with that bit).

I drifted through the race brief, (this will become apparent) and suddenly it was time for me to jump in off the jetty.

Now this may be where my first problem was. The water wasn't too cold I dont think but in the deep water I obviously didn't adjust my goggles properly so when we started they immediately filled up. I stopped and tried to make a seal but I just couldn't. The wave basically swam off whilst I arsed about becoming more and more frustrated. The canoeist came to check I was ok. I assured him I was and I would be alot happier 'if I could get a fucking seal' (hehe that made me giggle, he might have thought I was after a blubbery marine mammal) ........ but eventually I decided that if I didnt want my friends who were off 20 minutes after me to swim over my head then I needed to do something. So I did face out of the water front crawl!!! Blimey that is energy sapping and hurts your neck but needs must. I found myself a rythym and when I got to the turnaround I decided to try swimming properly. Turns out my eyes were used to being full of water by this time and they let me put my face in the water and actually swim fairly decently. I was passed by many people (I passed a couple or 3 girls who had swam off earlier) but I hadn't given up.

Off out to transition feeling a bit exhausted to be honest, but glad to be getting on the bike. The rain was becoming steadier but I was well prepared for this having done 1 training ride in the rain this year. My aim on the (2 lap) bike course was to go as hard as I could so I was passed by my friends as late on as possible. I knew they both had potentially better swims than me and definitely both would be faster on the bike, so the way I saw it after a horrid swim they wouldn't be too far behind.

The bike course was actually really nice, it would have been better without the rain but you cant have everything! I felt I was having a good ride, concentrating on staying on the drops and maintaining effort (i dont do tri bars) and when I saw 12.5 miles on my bike computer I was happy because I hadnt seen either of the other two pirate tops pass me by.

Then it went tits up.

I came to the roundabout where if you were doing the sprint you turned back to the centre one way or if you were doing the oly you went another. I missed all the signs, and although there was a women shouting stuff I wasn't processing it...............I thought I had to go second left but I obviously missed the first left because what I thought was left was apparently straight on..........anyway just to make it better in my confusion I just stopped and another cyclist shouted 'this way!'. So I followed him. Would've been great if he was doing the same race as me.

Anyway I happily cycled the wrong way for about 2 miles...............and turned left into transistion. I wish someone had had a camera then because the look on my face must have been priceless. I was absolutely furious with myself and wanted to stamp on the bike for taking me the wrong way. However I calmed down a bit and established that I could just turn around and go back on the course, adding a little bit more to the distance as I did so. I'm an ultra runner, miles dont phase me!!!! Anyway, spent most of the next lap on my own (but nice to see Sharon marshalling cos I missed her the first time) completely convinced I was going the wrong way and annoyed at myself because my initial target of breaking 3 hours was never going to happen. But I wasn't going to stop.

Walked my bike into transition cos there was absolutely no point in running, snapped at Mr H who was only trying to be helpful. Ran out.

After my disaster on the bike I realised I had no bloody idea where the run went or how many laps or anything really.....completely my own fault and a beginners one at that. So to make up for it I ran the first lap scowling at everybody and being not nice. Sorry.

Once I had worked out where I was and how many laps to go I cheered up a bit and got into it. I like running. It wasn't a particularly easy course with a long upslope that was a bit energy sapping but it wasn't too bad. I saw both my firends at different points and learned that they had both had their own dramas....but they both did lots better than me! Anyway they supported me loudly as I finished my last lap which was actually really nice and did spur me on. So thank you Mark and Matt, I think we all held up the Pirate tradition very well :-D

Finish time 3.14 something, ie since I last did an Oly 3 years ago I have made no improvement. In fact 3 years ago I would have looked at the race instructions and known where I had to go so I have got worse. But I didn't give up.

I wanna do another!

Do you remember the first time?

....and yep I do remember the worst time. It was Abingdon 04 limping the last 6 miles with a crocked knee. The next time I ran would be the following January. Yeah I was well happy.

But do you?? do you remember that feeling when you finished your first race......for me it was absolute elation and somewhere at home I have photos of me red faced and beaming holding up my medal for the very first Nike 10k in Kew Gardens. I didn't know if I could run 10k when I started it but the realisation that I could and in just under an hour made me very happy.

When do you think it is that you lose that? That feeling that you have acheived something, rather than the feeling that you could have, should have done better......I dont know. It is probably the reason that myself and lots of people I know enter ever more 'tough' events.

Heh, we would all probably be drug addicts without the exercise. Just start with a little puff (10k) 'go on you'll enjoy it, it wont kill you' before long it aint enough is it, so you graduate to a bit of C (marathon) 'everybodys doing it, do you want to be left out?' before you know it you're addicted to H (signed up for a 100 miler) because nothing else takes the edge off :-) and you never know, it might kill you, enough people have given me the benefit of their very UNexpert opinion to tell me how bad running is for you.

Anyway I went a bit off course there, I was thinking about a 5k I did at the weekend. Basically I ran 24.40. My PB is 22.48. I was sorely dissapointed in myself because I expected to be able to run close to my PB after multiple long distance events and no speed work.

Of course I'm a muppett, I know I am but I reckon there will be a lot of people (HA!) reading this who will know exactly what I mean, but I felt it was important to get this down so that the next time I am being an arse about my performance I can read it and remember that. Better people than me have already told me I'm an idiot for feeling like that........

So.....this weekend, an Olympic distance tri in Birmingham. Fits seamlessly into training for ultramarathons, ie it will be a bit of fun that may hurt a bit, but gives me a chance to walk my bike around holding the saddle so i look like a proper triathlete who knows what she is doing :D (I bloody love all the kit and stuff in tri it's the only reason I do it). You never know I might expand my shoe collection too.

Below is a picture which pretty much sums up what I saw at the PULP gig I went to last night (ie bugger all) added a bit of other stuff to keep my audience happy. I am nice like that.

Get me!!!!!

I went on a boris bike today, I asked my workmate to escort me as he cycles in regularly and we cycled to Liverpool Street and back. And...........it was alright. I didn't feel particularly bad about being on the road in London, I just would never have found my way there alone.

(you can all pretend to be shocked at that if you dont mind)

Anyway, plan is to go out at lunchtime a couple more times on my own to make sure I have it properly sussed and then whenever I need to I can do that bit of the commute by bike. My ultimate aim is to be able to do the whole commute on my own bike but you have to start somewhere dont you. Just imagine how useful a cycle of 13 miles each way would be for IM training. Not I think that I would manage it everyday.

Anyway I'm training for a flipping 100 miler not an IM right now, I should be running it :D

Sooooooo, how am I feeling after the 50? Just tired. I am a broken record I know. I feel very run down and maybe I am, I do have a very attractive facial rash caused by too much sweating. But on the plus side I am sure I did not injure anything. My big toe is a bit sorry for itself but tbh I dont care about it anymore it can do what it wants :)

I have read a number of race reports about the 100 and they dont put me off. They do make me glad the one I am doing is flat. I am rubbish at hills. Ask anyone. I am quite excited about running in the dark which may make me a bit wierd but then given the event is in March it barely gets light does it?

No events this weekend. I will train obv but maybe I will make it light training, say some OW on sat and a nice cycle on Sunday. I get upset if I dont do anything at the weekends because they are designed for exercise arent they!

Someones bound to ask me, Henry is fine after last weeks exertions. He is getting himself a bit of a fan club and I had to remove an intruder on Sunday night (pint glass, envelope underneath) she didn't want to go and I had to chase her round the room a bit, I guess I will have to get used to this now, but honestly he is very shy and not looking for anyone......HE'S MINE :)))))

Back to the future!!!!!

As you can see, in 2012 I ran the North Downs Way 50 miler,
You might wonder how I managed that, but see, I do have a friend who is a scientist and owns a DeLorean (although tests have revealed a top speed of only 85 mph which is not quite the required 88)

Joking aside, this was one of the toughest challeneges I have faced, but I am delighted to have done it. I wanted to see before the 100 next year how I would fare on a point to point as opposed to laps (I have done too many laps lately) I took my trusty sherpa Mr H, and we set of at 3.45am to go somewhere in Surrey.

We arrived about 5.15 and I duly registered and signed the form. I sort of listened to the briefing and took from it that I was following the NDW. With no deviations WHATSOEVER. Cool. I check my back pocket. Henry is there.

Saw Ogee and Matt and Mel and Dave and before I knew it we were off. It was light but only just so it all felt a bit surreal. But also very crowded for the first few miles because it was 50 and 100 milers all together. I just sort of switched off really and followed people.

I intended a 25/5 so after 25 I stopped to walk and it felt like everybody else went by me! Probably not though. Anyway the first few hours were pretty uneventful, I was aware of it being very humid so I tried to drink lots...I was carrying a rucksack so had plenty of water with me. I also had some haribo sweets with me for emergencies :-)

Past cp1 at 6.6 miles, feeling good, got to cp2 at 13.1 miles......didn't even notice going that far, had a gel and some coke and set off again feeling fine. I think here is where you start going up into the woods (I might be wrong I am well known for my goldfish memory) but a number of people told me about the steps at Box Hill.

I can confirm that they are there and at first it reminded me of the ones at Beachy Head. After a while though you can get bored of them and after the 14th millionth set of steps I was a bit peeved and my quads and back were killing me! At one point I took this picture

now you are thinking, wow!!! how pretty is that. I was thinking. Oh fuck, it's uphill again :D There was lots like this, it was you are right very pretty. But very hard work. At the next cp3 I had another short stop (and ran the last couple of miles to it with a girl called Emma who was lovely and incidentally won the 100 mile female race) for more coke really, I love coke when I'm running.

Then I think it was about 10 miles to the next stop (32m) which was fine as Mr H caught up with me a few times en route but then couldnt find where to park at the checkpoint so I didn't see hime there. Didn't matter I was well looked after there and ate some real food!! I have discovered that a small ham and cheese wrap is soooooooo much nicer than a gel :). Advised that it is 10 miles to next cp. That was actually a bit of a lie it was more like 12.

This section was hard. I have now run 22 miles further than any of my training runs since Kent 50. It is very hilly and due I suppose to tiredness I am starting to doubt my navigation. Everytime I see a signpost for the NDW I follow it, and then 100 yards later imagine that I have it wrong and have to go back to check.....not really what you want to be doing. About 8 miles along I realise I havent seen any red and white tape for a while (even though I am following the NDW markers) and ring Mr H almost in tears. He reassures me and says he is at the next cp but will start walking back towards me.

Eventually I see some tape and convince myself that I am on the right track. Unfortunately this track takes me into a field with loads of cows in it. Another call to Mr H who has to talk me through it. I know I'm pathetic but they are bigger than me and I am not fooled by the cow eyes :-/ anyway after what seemed about 40 years (and another cow filled field where I actually had to crawl under some flipping holly bush so I didnt have to walk in front of one of them) I finally get to Mr H. He tells me it is only about 400m to the checkpoint and its pretty flat.

He's lucky he's not divorced now. It was actually about half a mile and all up. " oh" he said "it was much easier coming the other way" of course it pissing was, it was DOWNHILL!

Anyway, luckily he was aware I was tired and had no sense of humour left at this point so he just agreed with everything I said.

This was the last aid station then, and here it was lovely to see Cas and Smithy who were volunteering, even if Smithy was his usual caustic self :D I knew from here it was almost exactly 7 miles home.

These were probably the worst ones though. Nothing as hilly as the box hill bit but loads of field track that I just found it harder and harder to run on. I knew I had blisters on the bottom of one foot and running was more comfortable than walking but everytime I tried to run I would turn my ankle. I was dreaming of tarmac and getting more and more pissed off with myself for not being able to run more.

Seeing 100 milers coming back the other way inspired me though. They were going to repeat everything they had just done in reverse and I really do take my hat off to them. Counted Dave, Ogee and Matt through (didn't realise Ogee would end up ill, heres wishing him a speedy recovery and no lasting ill effects) and Emma the girl from earlier.

And then all of a sudden the field I am in tips me out onto a road. Bliss! It is then only 500m or so to Knockholt Pound and the finish. A volunteer puts a medal round my neck and shakes my hand. I probably said thanks or something and promptly laid down :) Henry climbed out of my back pocket and made me take a photo of him with his medal.

Anyway, a top race with fab organisation. A definite step on the way to my hundred.

It was only ever a matter of time.....

Not much to report really, except that they do really good deals on trainers at tri expos. Hyde Park on Saturday was no exception.

So what do I think (apart from the fact that they go with my shorts)...... well, I like them, yes when you are walking you can feel the sticky out bits (technical term, bear with me) but when you are running you dont really notice them. Yeah, I'm running more midfoot and my calves aren't achy but I feel like they have worked a bit more than normal. So I have done 2 hours so far in them and I dont think I would have a problem running a long distance in them but, maybe 50 miles on Saturday would be a bit too much. What I will do I think, is ask Mr H to bring them so I can if I want wear them when I am tired to see if they improve form.

It's an experiment innit!

Oh yes, I got my bike back too. The young lad went round the back to get it and I heard the other bloke round there say "lovely bike this one" :-) Now I know it isn't in the big scheme of things a fantastic bike, but it did make me smile, and be glad to have it back. When all is said and done I do look after it, and always always would choose to go on it before either of the other bikes I own. Which is why I have no doubt it will be doing outlaw with me next year.

I went to Yo Sushi for the first time in my life today. I can report that you dont have to have raw fish. You need not to mind being shouted at by mad Japanese people, green tea is alright really and dont go there with a really fat friend. Or if you do, dont offer to split the bill :-D

Right, for someone with nothing to say, I cant half bang on! Bye.

It's not easy being me you know.......

Why does everything shiny and new look sooooo attractive to me? Why is my attention span so short.....why dont I have any patience?

Why on earth have I got the idea that Newton trainers are such a damn good idea fixed into my head? I dont think they look good.......no really I dont. (you do understand I would NEVER be so shallow as to buy trainers for their colour*)

 But what they do, or at least what they claim to do, is resonating with me. Ever since 10 in 10 I have been conciously trying to run mid/forefoot. To stop that impact through my knee. Would the Newtons aid me in this? Thats the big question isn't it. £120 worth of question. I need to think on it a bit longer.

In other training news, I am being quite good at going out on my bike and enjoying it too, well, I was until a spoke broke on Sunday as I was stood up on the pedals going up a hill. Was a bit concerning until I realised what had happened. Still I was easily rescued and the bike is now in the shop getting fixed and having a service as I do like to get it done once a year by someone who isn't as incompetent as me!

One good thing though is that I flipped the wheel on the fixie to make it a single so Mr H can ride if it he wants to (he doesn't want to) and I can do some hill stuff on it. I need to lower the seat though, an hour on it Sunday left me um, well in pain cos I was having difficulty slowing at lights and actually getting off it!

Not only that, I am getting in a fair bit of swimming as well (I was, this week I have failed a bit!) so I do know I will be ready for BRAT tri in September, with only transitions being wonky because of a lack of tri experience this year.

Nearer than that though is NDW 50 next Saturday. I would tell you what prep I am doing for it but I'm not doing any. I am going to assume that my body will cope with it cos I asked it to. The only thing I'll ever ask of you, you've got to promise not to stop when I say when........

*this is a blatant lie. Look at those blue shoes and tell me I didn't buy them because they go with the green nike shorts in a way that the pink ones dont.

The other side of the fence.

This last weekend I travelled up to Nottingham to support at the outlaw iron distance tri. Mr H came with me, Henry had to stay at home because he wasn't well (I forgot him).

We got there Saturday and I registered for the 1500m swim just in time. Raced into my wetsuit,(that was the extent of my speedwork that day) then I swam. It was nice, the lake at Holme Pierpoint is lovely to swim in. I posted 40 minutes, no great shakes but then I had no aim or goal but to get a swim in.

Then met Matt & Sarah and had a beer before heading to the campsite to put the tent up.
We will gloss over that.

Passed the evening with a pub tea and a chat to the camping pirates. Then early bed. I was worried about the loos being so far away but I needn't have been. I was so cold my organs stopped working and no urine was actually produced. Bingo!

Up at 5am Sunday to try to persuade Mr H out of bed and get down to the start to see the athletes off at 6. It was a brilliant sight with the sun coming up and made me nostalgic. That was me last year getting in the lake so excited I could pee myself....actually I did, 3 times :D. We then took up position by the bike mount point to cheer and give abuse as necessary. This we did reserving our biggest shouts for pirates, and my friend Jen. Was great to see Matt come out when he did, he looked like he would have a great day. We waited until the last person went through then back to camp for brekkie and a shower before heading off to pirate feed station.

Feed station was great, I loved it when I managed to actually get the bottle to the person and I helped a few fill their aero bottles. Everyone was really cheerful and grateful, and I know how they felt which made doing it feel good.

After a few hours me and mr h went off to a Marshall point and basically just cheered people through for a few more hours. About 4 we could head back to the lake to support the run.

We met Ditchy and Aitch on the far side and spent a while cheering there, saw Matt looking good, and various other pirates. Gave Cake some beer :)
We then went back round to the grandstand to find Sarah and the kids so we could support Matt and Jen finishing.

Anyway long story short we cheered from there til the end. My now working bladder almost caused me to miss Matts finish, but I didn't :-) and we were able to pack the tent up and be back to see Jenny finish.......awesome!!! Felt so pleased to be able to support people having been supported by so many people myself.

The journey home was uneventful but I don't know how Mr H stated awake. I'm quite glad he did though cos I've got things booked that couldn't do dead :D

Next year I intend to compete in the outlaw, and thank every volunteer I see.

Coming down.....

Well, I think it's not only important to document races but also how you feel afterwards, I can read this back in the future when I am having a goldfish moment and reassure myself that it's normal :)

I was a bit sore on Monday obv, but not as sore as Tuesday! Tuesday I was having trouble walking as my right foot hurt so much. It seemed to me that it was piriformis related as the pain went up behind my knee and at points into my back. Did a swim and a lot of stretching at my desk and actually I think this did help as things felt easier on Wednesday.

Wednesday I swam and with some good advice from a friend, think I finally got the bit about not lifting your head too far out of the water to breathe......yay!!! Seeing as I will have to go easy on the running for a bit I shall concentrate on banging this lesson home and you never know I might become a better swimmer :-/

Anyway that aside when I woke on Thursday it was painful to put my foot on the floor. Yeah, seems to be PF, so all the stetching and crap that goes with that is what I must concentrate on. I was also very tired and this has continued. I was struggling to stay awake on the tube this morning despite a good 8 hours sleep, but I am putting this down to my body saying 'yeah alright I don't mind running 50 miles at the weekend but for gods sake can I have a rest before you make me go back to work? pleeeaaassseeee!'

And it struck me today that this weekend I am going to Nottingham to support friends competing in the Outlaw and I have booked Monday off, but when I do a race on Sunday I rarely take any time off......today that seems a bit cockeyed ;D

I think I am telling myself via this blog to just flipping take some time out to recover!!!!!! I am probably breakable though I dont like to say it.

And last, Henry will be accompanying me to the Outlaw, he needs to see what goes on in an Ironman so he is prepared for next year. He has refused to camp though, and is insisting on a hotel. thinks he's a fucking celebrity or something. Ha, I can swear in this blog, I am NOT a role model.

This is me at the Outlaw last year, just to stay on theme.

In erratum

When I got home last night, it was to a stony silence from my friend Henry. After much cajoling he finally admitted what was wrong.

'I loved your blog he said, I loved that you wrote about me'

'okaaaay, but?'

'but you got it wrong, you didn't rescue me from the road, Mark did. You were excited that he had found me and said you had just the pocket for me'

So this blog is to set the record straight. Mark rescued Henry, I then adopted him.

There, thats better isn't it. History will not be wrong.

YES I CAN!!!!!!

But before I tell you about the Kent 50, I need to introduce you to Henry. He is my running companion. (in a plastic spider running companion sort of way)

We met on day one of the 10 in 10, he was just lying in the road and I rescued him. We agreed that he should accompany me on the rest of the marathons. My shorts have a special pocket for him so it was a bit like fate. He travelled with me quietly being my good luck charm until 10 day when he wasn't feeling very well (I lost him).

We were reunited last week when I wondered what on earth was poking into my bum when I put my running shorts on :) He said he wouldn't hold it against me and that yes, he quite fancied the Kent 50 too.

A tiny bit about Henry, he is named for Henry II, who he admires for being a proper king, and the first Plantagenet king. This period of history is of particular interest to him. He likes running (spiders are good at it) but not girl spiders, as they tend to eat you (I thinks he's gay) He also glows in the dark, which he finds quite embarrassing and him less than keen to go to evening social arrangements.

Anyway, Kent 50 (actually 52.4 miles) in 10 hours 24 minutes.

I am massively pleased with this as it was a bit of a foray into the unknown. My longest ultra to date was 40 miles and I think it was 2008. The course was not new to me as I have completed the moonlight challenge twice before which is 5 laps (kent 50 is 8 laps) but it was nice to see it in the daytime.

I knew I had plenty of miles in my legs, so I guess this was just an attempt to put that together with a strategy to get me through 50. And I guess I must have come up with that cos it worked. Basically I had some water and a gel at the end of 5 laps and then a bit of mars bar at the end of 6 laps then paracetamol, ibuprofen, water and proper coke at the end of 7.

Only one bad lap and that was 7 (see drug count above) with hindsight I needed to take something earlier it would have made that lap less awful. But I kept to my 25/5 plan for 7 laps and then on 8 it was run to the mile marker and then walk for 5 minutes. My first mara split was 4.45 so I obviously slowed up on the second half but I guess you expect that.

Anyway, I take a lot of confidence from that and don't think that 100 is out of my reach.
I do have a sore foot today.

Can I?

Run the Kent 50 this weekend?

I don't know. I ran 40 miles once, about 3 years ago I think. I was a lot less experienced then, so I am hoping that yes I can.

Why am I doing it? Well next year I am entered for the first ever Thames Path 100 miler. It has been an ambition of mine for some time to run a hundred miles as a one off.

But why? Just to see if I can really. I'm not doing it for charity, I wont be doing it in memory of anyone......in fact I was thinking about this earlier. My Nan would've hated the fact that I run and do tri, she would only imagine all the ways I could hurt myself doing it. My Dad, would've been entirely unimpressed unless I was actually going to win something and my Mum, well I have actually no idea what her thoughts would be. So, not in memory of anyone then.

It's just for me :) I suppose I hope that the people around me are a bit impressed with the things I do, but ultimately it doesn't matter.

How selfish do I sound? I don't mind, you can tell me.

Anyway, I'll let you know on Monday if I could or not.