My stomach turns in nervous anticipation as I see the sign ‘this way to the finish’. Turning into the stadium grounds I hear the excited buzz of the finish area. I hold myself back for a moment & take a deep breath. A few quiet words as I compose myself.
I’ve done it.
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Friday 20th July 2018 I arrived at the finish line of the North Downs Way. Technically it’s not quite the finish line as although I have run Farnham to Dover in several stages, I still have to run the 33ish mile Canterbury loop. So it’s not quite the end.
But neither is this blog post the end of my journey.
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In a grump mid-race I decided I wasn’t going to write about the North Downs Way 50 this year. It wasn’t going to plan, I saw no reason to remember it or to prolong the suffering. On reflection my run writing has always been about preserving my memories & there are definitely things from this race I want to remember, so here we go…
I’m sitting here a few days later, wearing the t-shirt, the massive shiny medal in front of me, looking at the happy, smiley, official race photos telling myself it was a good day, it wasn’t that bad, was it?
No, really, it was.
It’s twelve months since I first started writing this blog, nearly six months since the NDW50 & I’m about to embark on training my next challenge. NDW50’s sister race, the SDW50.
I’ve had a great summer of running, but it’s been just that, running. I never wanted to be writing about every mile I covered, so I haven’t. This blog is more about the runs that I do that challenge me, that push me, that take me outside of my comfort zone & beyond. The running that I do that I want to remember. Continue reading
22 miles, 4:11:42, 11:26 min/mile, 2,400 ft elevation gain
When it’s the hottest day of the year so far what’s the best thing to do…? I’d like to say 22 miles on the NDW & whilst I enjoyed it, 30+ degrees was just a little too warm!
At 6:30am I jumped on the first train outta Norwood Junction that headed to towards the Downs. Arriving in Caterham at 7:01 I hot footed it up the A22 to the Caterham Viewpoint, or as I now like to refer to it ‘Mile 38’. I walked rather than ran to my start line to stretch my legs a little, my right quad was feeling a bit tight & I wanted to stretch it out before I started running. Continue reading
A week ago I was running through fields & woodland, up & down hills, across stepping stones & up some steps. Smelling the scent of the wild garlic lining the paths, basking in the late afternoon sunshine.
A week ago I was running 50 miles. Continue reading
51 miles, 11:21:02, 13:21 min/mile, 5,600 ft elevation gain
Nine months after I entered on a bit of a whim, six months after I started training & we are finally here. Race Day.
I am nervous, so nervous. I have butterflies in my tummy. I am scared. I repeat to myself a phrase a friend said to me. It becomes my race mantra.
The body achieves what the mind believes. Continue reading
As I write this post it is five days until race day. FIVE DAYS! How the f**k did that happen?
My training is effectively done. I can do no more A few easy miles over the next few days to keep the legs moving & the mind happy but the main priority for the coming week is rest & recovery & preparing myself physically & mentally to run 50 miles next weekend.
It only seems a few weeks since I signed up for the race, since I started my training & now here we are.
How do I feel? Continue reading
Like most things following a bank holiday I’m running late, but that’s ok because my runs are a day late too so this week’s post is a little off kilter with an extra day thrown in!
Banstead Woods parkrun: running in the bluebells
5km, 23:39, 7:44 min/mile, 141ft elevation gain
I still don’t quite believe it when I run a 23:39 5km, especially when I feel as if I could have run harder. It was May last year that I first dipped under 24 minutes with 23:51 on the flattest, smoothest road parkrun I could find & here I am now running faster on a much harder course. It just shows how much my running has improved over the past 12 months.
London looking mighty fine!
5 miles, 46:56, 9:23 min/mile, 142ft elevation gain
Two days post-mara & I ran! I’ve never done that before, I’m usually still struggling to move at this stage! I think it’s a testament to how much improved my post-run recovery routine has become over the past 12 months.
