the Over The Hills 7 and a bit miles multi-terrain race . . not over the hill just yet . .

3 November . .

What a fab way to spend a morning. Yes, some of us were a little dismayed to realise it was 10am start (we've got to set off when?) but it was certainly well worth the effort. I loved the flat bits, and the downhills too (this is progress, recently I've only enjoyed running downhill!). The start and finish were beside the old Tithe Barn in Bradford-on-Avon, and we set off along the Kennett and Avon Canal towpath to the aqueduct at Avoncliff. Here we left the canal and struck out across fields, before climbing up the first of the eponymous hills.

 

 Debbie and I head for the hills . . photo (c) Karen Carter . .

Once we left the canal there was mud everywhere, all slippery and slidery. I think there were three major hills for us to climb . . and then, inevitably, drop back down again. We knew that there was a "river crossing" at some point in the race, and we'd been warned that the river was high.

There came a time when the peace and tranquility were suddenly broken by screams and laughter . . nervous laughter, and I guessed that the River Frome wasn't far away. Sure enough, we went down another slopery bit and there was Iford Manor ahead of me, with a bridge crossing the river in front of it, and a marshal telling me to turn left (away from the bridge) and be careful . .

  the ford across the River Frome had been quite busy earlier in the morning . .

photo (c) Karen Carter . .

Oh boy . . what a lot of water! I saw the steps out of the river over on the opposite bank and started to head directly towards them, only to be yelled at by a marshal in the river (who I hadn't seen), and instructed to go towards him and grab the rope overhead and make my way over to the two other marshals who were up to their chests in water close to the other bank.

 

 

and was a little less frenetic by the time I arrived . .

photo (c) Karen Carter . .

 

The first guy told me to look out for a step . . splash . . too late, I'd found it . . and the water came up above my waist and took my breath right away. Like having a panic attack, I started shallow breathing. Fortunately there were no other runners around, so I didn't need to worry about anybody else, and I was able to keep it under control until I'd crossed the river and emerged onto dry land. This was immediately followed by a long uphill stretch which I walked up, and gradually got my breathing back under control. The marshals in the river were essential. I imagine that by the time I arrived they'd been in the water for at least 30 minutes but they were still good humoured and conscientious. Wonder if they've dried out yet?

Afterwards we all laughed and joked about the river crossing. When I was in there I remember wondering how Marie and Vanessa had coped, given their lack of height, and indeed it turned out that Vanessa now has two new friends, being the marshals who gave her a helping hand or two as she forded the stream!

But not only was this race memorable for the water crossing. There was (as there usually is at these events) the friendliness and encouragement from all the marshals. There was the sunlight shining through the leaves on the trees, throwing shadows in front of us, and of course the leaves were such a glorious variety of colour. There was the smell of wood smoke from some of the barges moored beside the canal, and towards the end there was the driving rain bouncing off my spectacles! There was the first 4k, shared with Debbie, that went by so quickly we hardly noticed. There was the sign telling me there was 400 metres to go, and shortly after that there was the finish, and the noise made by Vanessa, Debbie and Paul as they waited patiently for me to cross the line. Thanks guys, you were great.

 

By the time I'd washed most of the mud off I'd missed some of the prize giving, but I was pleased to get there in time to see Andy receive his award for finishing 1st V40, what a great run that was! Tracy ran a great race too, just missing 1st place in her category by a few seconds. In fact everyone ran really well, and certainly all who I spoke with afterwards had really enjoyed their morning's splashy fun!

As for me, well 7+ miles or 11.5k is the furthest distance I've covered for almost 4 years, since I ran in a 10 miler on November 1st 2009, so I'm thrilled to bits about that. And although I was last man home once again, there were 6 ladies behind me, three of whom had overtaken me on the hill up away from the ford, but who I'd managed to get back in front of in the last couple of k. That's better!

11.5k closer to Copenhagen!

Edit . . and having had my serious run head on . . thanks to Paul and Vanessa for the reminder . . How could I possibly write about this race and not mention all the laughter, all the fun that together with Debbie we had on the way to and from the race. One of the funniest days I've enjoyed in a long time, thank you . .

Over The Hills (officially 12k)
winning time 44.17
6 48.28 Andy 1st MV40 
80 58.06 Alan 
82 58.13 Marie  
117 61.47 Tracy  
183 69.44 Maggie  
228 76.31 Paul 
252 81.14 Sheila  
261 82.12 Sue  
275 85.10 Vanessa  
290 89.52 Debbie 

291 93.12 Me
297 finishers

the Nightingale Nightmare 10k . . Revenge of the Jelly Baby . .

27 October

Many many years ago, when I was aged 8 or 9, I remember sitting on the floor with my brother Phil and our cousin Sue at the feet of our Grandad. He was sat in an armchair with a packet of jelly babies, picking them out of the packet one at a time, and inspecting them. It turned out that they all had dirty feet! Nowadays of course we might send them back to Bassetts in the hope that they'd send a whole case of them back by way of apology! Grandad's solution however was to amputate the feet and give them to his doting grandchildren, whilst eating the rest of the sweet himself.

Ever since then I've always had to check the feet of any jelly baby I've been given, which has led to some very puzzled looks during races. I've often tried to explain why I'm checking their feet but this only serves to make matters worse! And I've never found one with dirty feet!

 

I reminded Phil of Grandad's confectionary foot fetish a few days ago and he couldn't remember it. Hardly surprising really as he's younger and it was so long ago. But as I related this tale I realised just how silly I sounded!

 

thanks Debbie

 

So as I lumbered along through Leigh Woods this morning, when someone offered me a jelly baby I took it, said thank you, and popped it into my mouth just like a normal person. Oh, it felt so good! So liberating! But woe betide the incautious jelly baby eater, for this was the one with dirty feet! How else to explain the awful "discomfort" I felt during the middle section of the race, in the middle section of me?

But I digress! The Nightingale Nightmare was a great little race, and although there was an unfortunate issue with marshalling, Southville Running Club are to be congratulated on having staged their first ever event. It was a 10k starting and ending along the Avon Gorge towpath, and in between a lot of climbing, descending, slipping, sliding, working hard, and smiling. The marshalls were great, very encouraging indeed. Many of them were in fancy dress and the one dressed as a scarecrow in particular looked fabulous. Certainly frightened me and I'm not even a crow!

Lots of the runners were in fancy dress. There was a Halloween theme to the event and the mile markers, and the marshal positions, were all marked with pumpkins, each one especially carved out for the occasion. The half way pumpkin even had a candle lit in it. A lot of people went to a lot of trouble with their costumes and face painting, runners and marshals alike, and whilst this would have been an enjoyable race on any weekend of the year the Halloween thing made it all the more so.

It was really great to be with so many friends from Bristol & West AC this morning . . too many to single out really. But a big thank you has to be said to Alison, who came out and supported us all. We saw her twice during the race and she was even still there waiting for me to come through at the 9k point. Several of my friends won prizes, and the rest of us enjoyed cheering louder than our hosts, Southville did for their runners, when one of our runners was given a prize. It was so good to see everyone enjoying themselves so much, especially when some of us hadn't exactly been looking forward to the challenge earlier in the day!

I loved it. Of course it was hard work, and the long hill in the second k meant I soon got left behind by most of the runners. Those of you who've seen the photos will know that the old clown costume came out today. I managed to keep my red nose on for most of the time, and I don't think I terrified any children!

I was overtaken by a returning marshal in the final k. I was a bit confused about where the finish was going to be, and as he passed me the marshal said there were two runners chasing after me. I didn't know if I could pick the speed up or not because I was unsure how far there was to go. And then the marshal started shouting to the two runners behind "the clown's dying, I can see it in his eyes, the clown's dying!". He had a big grin on his face, so he was instantly forgiven, but I wasn't an ex-runner just yet, and at that moment I saw some tape, and a crowd of people in the distance. So I held on to my clowny trousers and hat and made a bolt for the line! I wasn't last!!

And just as I crossed the finish line, my baggy trousers fell down! Ooops! How very dare they!!

 

not sure who this photo belongs to, hope you don't mind me using it . .

the Horton Winter Bull Run . . he who runs last runs longest . .

20 October

Today I returned to Horton, a village at the southern end of the Cotswolds, to run across some more mud. Paul had a yen to run down on Exmoor so Vanessa and I were the only Bristol & West representatives in this one.
 
I'm sure that somewhere there is someone who enjoys being last but I've not met them yet. I really don't like it, trying my hardest with the tail runner breathing down my neck, knowing that I'm keeping all the marshalls and the people at the finish waiting.
 
I know someone has to be last, but I'd rather it wasn't me. Sometimes, there are positives, such as the time I was last in a parkrun whilst finishing in my highest ever position in any parkrun. Anywhere. Ever! But today I had to find other compensations.
 
Well, for one thing, it was a beautiful sunny morning, and the Cotswolds, of course, are a lovely place to be. I took my time to enjoy the views in the first few miles, when we were up on top of the world, or so it seemed.
 
I remembered how fortunate I am to be able to run. Several friends are injured right now and I thought of them as I made my way around the course. I also remembered my friends running elsewhere, in particular at York, Abingdon and Exmoor, and hoped they were enjoying their races too.
 
I realised as we started that I couldn't remember how far we were racing this morning! That's never happened to me before. I thought it was probably about 6 miles, and hoped it wasn't much further. In the end it turned out to be 5.73 miles (approximately). I think I may have run further than most, as at about the 2 mile point I came to a junction with no idea which way to turn. There were 3 alternatives that I could see, so I took the first option and turned left. After a couple of hundred yards I looked around and saw I'd gone the wrong way, as everyone else had gone straight on. I never did like multiple choice! It was whilst I was deviating that I was overtaken by the tail runner. He apologised for the lack of a marshal at the junction but there was no need. I couldn't say so as I was breathless but as far as I was concerned, I shouldn't have been so far behind the runner in front!

 
Eventually I finished, in 73rd out of 73 (although apparently 74 had started) in just under 71 minutes. I was only 4 minutes behind the runner in front so I hope the race officials didn't mind waiting too much. It was lovely of Vanessa to run down the hill from the finish to run back up it with me - thank you Ness, and well done, you ran well today.

 
It's the Nightingale Nightmare next week, and I almost dread to think what that will bring. The week after that there's more mud, around Bradford on Avon, and then the Sodbury Slog. Blimey, that's come round quickly! Which of course, is more than I'll be doing! Hopefully all these challenges are helping build up my strength and stamina, and when I get back to the roads I know I can run better, like I was able to last week. So it's worth it. I won't always be last. And I'm almost 6 miles closer to Copenhagen now

the Wistow 10k . . flat, fast and disappointingly mud free . .

13 October . . catching up . .

With my brother over from Melbourne for 10 days we needed a race in Yorkshire today, and I discovered this 10k near Selby. It proved to be a well-organised, reasonably priced, pancake flat race (despite rubbishy weather, the race was won in under 31 minutes!). The only concern for me was the shortage of recreational runners at the back - this was a race for club runners and many local clubs were out in force. It was great to see Di and Helen there too, and my sister-in-law Fiona defied her jet lag to come along and support us all.
 

There was a misty and very wet drizzle falling as we walked the short distance to the start line, and quite a wind too. Once the race started, I trotted along watching most of the runners disappear into the distance, and soon became aware of the tail ambulance pootling along behind me. Fortunately after the first k I realised I couldn't hear it any more, and presumed this meant that (a) I wasn't last and (b) I was going faster than whoever was. In fact in the first 3k I managed to catch and overtake a few runners, and then remained in the same position in the race all the way to the end.
 
The course follows a figure of eight, and could hardly be flatter. All single track roads, all tarmacked (if there is such a word!). Wistow is north of Selby, and just west of the River Ouse. The roads took us through the exposed fields of this part of the East Riding, at the mercy of the wind, and the lack of hedgerows meant I could see a train of runners stretching out ahead of me for several kilometres.
 
For a couple of k we shared the road with hundreds of cyclists. Not sure what their event was but many of them encouraged me as they whizzed by. Apart from them, the marshals and (highlight of the morning!) a passing tractor, there was only us, the runners, out there on the old Selby Coalfield.
 
I had set off running 6 minute ks, and as for the first 7k the wind was either behind us or blowing across, I managed to sustain that pace all the way. I was beginning to think that I might even scrape home just inside the hour, when we turned a corner and it was pay back time. The wind was in my face, the road was straight and long. I pushed as best I could, but didn't quite have the oomph to keep that pace going. But I didn't just give in to it and jog, as I have been doing for ages now, I fought, and I recalled what Keith tells us on Monday nights about staying upright and keeping form, and if there had been a prize for the finisher with the biggest smile (and why wasn't there?) I reckon I'd have been a contender!

 
It was great to see Phil and Fiona, Di and Helen waiting on the corner to cheer me home - thank you! I've no idea how I ran in under 62 minutes but I did, and it was such a good feeling. Very proud of my brother running 44 minutes less than 24 hours after stepping off the plane, and Di and Helen recorded great times too. Selby Striders should be proud of their event, it was great fun and well run. And the red woolly hat we all found in our goody bags was very welcome afterwards, even if all of us wearing them did look like a Swan Vesta!
 

216 days to Copenhagen!
 
winning time . . 30.46   
76  Phil . . 44.22
114  Helen . . 50.04  
126  Diane . . 51.47
174  me . . 61.57
182 took part

the Sutton Park 10k . . what a great little race!

29 September . . catching up

After being challenged by gradients last week in South Glos, I managed to find a fairly flat 10k in North Yorkshire today.
 
Di came over the Wolds to join in, although a severe planning fail meant that my orange top clashed with her purple one, and it was much to everyone's relief when she found a place on the start line some way ahead of me!
 
Starting and finishing in Sutton-on-the-Forest, the course took us through woody Sutton Park, across fields - fortunately not ploughed - and around farms, all connected by sections of road. For much of the second half of the race we could see the white horse at Kilburn in the distance, which I liked.
 
Through the woods were all sorts of obstacles - tree roots, mole hills, low branches (for me at least) and bear pits. Once out of the woods we had to contend with a strong wind which turned out to be behind us on the long, slightly uphill drag in the 9th kilometre, and very welcome it was too, although earlier in the race I'd been wishing it would blow elsewhere. It was very dusty out there too
 
There weren't many spectators, but the marshalls and their helpers were very enthusiastic. As we crossed the farm, I'd never seen hay bales stacked so high - three times my height, I reckon - and I did wonder how tall the farmers there are?
 
I had set myself some goals, and managed to achieve them all. I didn't walk (for the first time in a 10k since December), I beat last week's 5 mile time, my breathing remained under control throughout and I smiled the whole way round and enjoyed every step. I feel I'm on my way to my May marathon.
 
So a great little race which I hope to return and take part in again. Di did well after flying round Doncaster parkrun yesterday (and thanks again for coming over), and I just may have imagined the bear pits!