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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Wendover Woods 50, where do I start?
I wasn’t going to write about Wendover Woods 50, in fact, I’m only now sitting down, a few months post-race, with some words to say.
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How do you condense the story of 100 miles into just a few hundred words? You don’t. Mix a G&T, this is a long one.
A few weeks later & I’m still not sure if I have the right words to accurately tell my SDW100 story. I sit here, trying to think of the words I need, not just to paint the picture of the physical journey from start line to finish line, but also the words to describe the emotional journey because this adventure was as much about the mental challenge of completing 100 miles as it was the physical. Continue reading
With 5 miles to go I thought I’d blown it.
I had a goal time in my mind for the South Downs Way 50 but at the bottom of the final hill I just couldn’t see how I was going to do it. I was tired, my knees were in agony, my stomach was churning with every faltering movement. Every step was a painful effort & I still had what seemed like a mountain to climb. Continue reading
Toronto Waterfront Marathon, I did it! The marathon I didn’t think I’d be fit enough to start, I started AND I finished.
I could stop there, I don’t know if there’s a story in this race or not. There should have been the most amazing story had the best laid plans not gone AWOL but life has a habit of happening, and anyway this Toronto story was never just about a marathon, it was as much about the family as it was running. Continue reading
I sit here just a few days away from Toronto Waterfront Marathon with mixed feelings about the race. Feelings of excitement but also feelings of disappointment. Excited to run a marathon in a city I love, disappointed that I’m not going to be able to run the race I originally wanted. Continue reading
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.
I started writing this post on Saturday evening, lying in bed drinking pink gin in a tin & eating crisps (don’t judge, I had just run 50 miles…!). Those words were very different to the words I write here. Sometimes a few days of reflection are needed to rationalise thoughts, feelings & emotions. I write for myself, no one else, & as much to remember my adventures as anything else. So here goes my South Downs Way 50 story, mark II… Continue reading
