tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59274726287410924572024-02-21T07:44:17.080+00:00SwimBikeRunMy long-winded rambling, originally about completing my first Ironman, now about what comes after.Normhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13076980299596740020noreply@blogger.comBlogger181125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5927472628741092457.post-37328387542550479572021-01-02T14:50:00.001+00:002021-01-02T14:50:14.905+00:00Happy New Year! Events for 2021<p>As we roll into 2021 (hi, from Tier 4) there's not a lot of in-person running going on, so along with the rest of the world I've adopted the "virtual event" lifestyle. "Health in mind and body" is my theme for 2021, which means aiming for consistency.</p><p>I found a <a href="https://www.endtoend.run/lands-end-to-john-o-groats-virtual-run/" target="_blank">virtual Lands End to John O'Groats challenge</a> last year, from <a href="https://www.endtoend.run/" target="_blank">End to End</a> events. I signed up for a bit of motivation, there's a year to complete it which for me is 27th September 2021 - I'm currently about 200 miles into the 874 mile distance. There are several events running concurrently, so if you fancy joining the challenge you can still sign up to start on January 1st.</p><p>I went back to the site looking for something interesting for 2021. I found the <a href="https://www.endtoend.run/everest/" target="_blank">End to End virtual Everest challenge</a>, complete enough ascent to have made your way from base camp to the summit - a total of 19,696 feet, or 6,003m. The challenge started in October but I only came across it late December so I'll have a go at completing it during January (final date to complete is February 25th). Only two days in so far (and 658m out of 6,003m completed) so a bit early to have an opinion on achievability.</p><p>Next is a distance challenge. I just about cleared 1,000km last year (after injuring my calf mid-year and needing to start from literally zero again with C25k!) so that seems a good place to start for 2021.</p><p>At the start of 2020 I entered the <a href="https://www.virtualrunneruk.com/product/1000-km-challenge-2020/" target="_blank">Virtual Runner 1,000km challenge</a> to show solidarity with some workmates; that seemed like a good baseline for 2021 so <a href="https://www.virtualrunneruk.com/product/1000-km-challenge-2021/" target="_blank">I've entered that again</a>. I need a bit more of a challenge for this year, so entered <a href="https://www.virtualrunneruk.com/product/1000-miles-challenge-2021/" target="_blank">the 1,000 mile version</a> too. I'm holding a place in my mind for a 2,021km stretch objective - but I'm keeping that on the back burner for now.</p><p>Who knows what 2021 will bring - I'm staying optimistic for some in-person races in the last third of the year, so Mrs and I signed up this morning for the <a href="https://www.bedfordrunfest.co.uk/" target="_blank">Bedford Running Festival</a> - <a href="http://www.onehundredandthree.com/2018/09/race-report-bedford-twilight-10k.html" target="_blank">I wrote about that in 2019</a>. We're going for the 5k and Twilight 10k on Saturday, and then the half marathon on Sunday. I'm cautious about entering anything earlier int he year, we'll just have to see what happens.</p><p>I'm looking forward to a year of running, and, yes, even doing a bit more writing about it.</p>Normhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13076980299596740020noreply@blogger.com0London, UK51.5073509 -0.127758323.197117063821153 -35.284008299999996 79.817584736178844 35.028491700000004tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5927472628741092457.post-7071280843921547512020-05-27T14:43:00.001+01:002020-05-27T14:43:07.887+01:00Remember me?I'm still here! Despite no updates I've still been running fairly regularly. Last year's attempt to run the full set of <a href="https://www.centurionrunning.com/">Centurion Running</a> 50 mile events fell down at the first hurdle - South Downs Way 50 after a transatlantic flight was not clever, dropped at 27 miles. I have parkrun'd every weekend I could, of course, up <a href="https://www.parkrun.org.uk/sixmilewater/news/2020/03/18/covid-19-announcement-18th-march/">until parkrun was cancelled of course</a>.<br />
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I've found a new and very conveniently located (literally at the end of my road) gym to go to - <a href="https://www.personaltrainersinwimbledon.com/">DNPT</a>. One quick chat with proprietor, Dan Newman, and I've since been working with a PT, Jack, since August 2018 - twice per week until COVID-19 got everyone staying inside for weeks, so I switched it up to three times per week in the back garden over Zoom, and now in the park - all at 2m+ distance with equipment wiped down between uses, of course.<br />
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Too much self-medication beer and pies have seen my weight drift up gradually - now back up over 95kg. I'm not caring too much, I'm still fit, just a bit 'cuddly' :) It's my birthday next Monday so I've decided not to care about it until then. It's clear working from home and not traveling is here to stay, for me until at least October, so need to now drift into slightly better habits.<br />
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For some extra motivation this week I've entered the <a href="https://www.centurionrunning.com/races/one-community-2020">Centurion Running One Community</a> run, a virtual event which takes place
over 7 days, starting at 0001 GMT on Monday 25th May and ending at
midnight GMT on Sunday 31st May 2020. The event is for everybody,
anywhere in the world, of any age, and at any of the target distances from 5km to 100 miles run in one go or over the course
of the week. I've only run once so far (day 2 of the five) and it's day 3 today - so I'd better get out there now!Normhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13076980299596740020noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5927472628741092457.post-73988211456516578102018-09-05T17:34:00.003+01:002018-09-05T17:34:38.389+01:00Race report: Bedford Twilight 10kTime for another 10k, and this one is the <a href="http://www.bedfordhalf.co.uk/bedford-twilight-10k">Bedford Twilight 10k</a> which is paired up with the <a href="http://www.bedfordhalf.co.uk/">Bedford Half Marathon</a> - enter both to run the 10k on Saturday evening and then the half marathon the next morning (assuming you're not so much in need of a lie in that you misread the clock and sleep through the start - not that anyone would be that careless).<br />
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Taking in the two flat laps of Great Denham parkrun in the morning (resplendent in the sunshine), we headed up to Bedford. We stayed at the <a href="http://barnshotelbedford.co.uk/">Barns Hotel</a> conveniently just the other side of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/River_Great_Ouse">River Great Ouse</a> from the race HQ in Priory Country Park - yet somehow still a 25 minute walk away to find a bridge.<br />
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<i>Great Denham run briefing in action</i></div>
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The run route was quite narrow at the start - runners were asked to self-seed into 5 pens based on predicted time, but as usual some people didn't listen (or care) so even the front wave had some walkers in it. I've nothing against walking if it's permitted, but please start at the back!<br />
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<i>Priory park was pretty gorgeous at sunset</i></div>
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I set off with <a href="http://www.totkat.org/">Mrs</a> in wave 2, predicted time 55-59 minutes. The route was flat and led around the park, up into the edge of the town area along a river, and then back into the park. It was a fairly average run, and it was nice to be running out in the early evening rather than the searing heat of the last few months here and on holiday.<br />
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<i>Post-race glow, with surprisingly heavy medal</i></div>
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I came in at 55:42 and picked up a weighty piece of bling and my free t-shirt. We got back to the hotel for a disappointing dinner and went to bed, all tucked up and ready to sleep through tomorrow's race.<br />
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<br />Normhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13076980299596740020noreply@blogger.com0Bedford, UK52.1359729 -0.4666545999999698352.0580089 -0.62801609999996977 52.2139369 -0.30529309999996984tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5927472628741092457.post-85159123694067783842018-08-26T21:08:00.001+01:002018-09-05T16:45:01.950+01:00Race Report: South Lakes 10k and 5 other races (all at the same time)Contining the tradition of races whilst away on holiday/business, I entered the South Lakes 10k on a whim last night. Race HQ is <a href="https://southlakeshs.fcps.edu/">South Lakes School</a> in Reston, Fairfax County, Virginia. It's a beautiful area, full of large houses buried in the forest. As with most organised races in the US (in my experience at least) it was pretty expensive - $59.50 including fees and a voluntary $10 donation to the Track & Field team.<br />
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<img alt="Event Logo" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/media.racebx.com/transfer/img/5/b/7/5b7d6729-982c-4e28-bc1f-2d1f5206f5f9.png" /></div>
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<i>In its 7th year</i></div>
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When I was looking for races I found a load of "virtual" races that seem to be vehicles for squeezing a few quid out of people plus some charitable donations. But you get a medal. I'm a sucker for the bling. Before entering the 10k I was going to run 10k anyway, having already entered the 2018 World Chocolate Day 5k & 10k virtual event (run whenever you like in August, submit your time, and they'll mail you a medal). So I was up for a two-medal run! I wonder how many others I could get?<br />
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<i>Milling about, ready to go - flags on the right with mile pacing to encourage self-seeding</i></div>
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So toeing the start line this morning I was ready to run the 2018 South Lakes 10k real life event, the 2018 World Chocolate Day 5k & 10k virtual event, the 2018 Dash for the Donuts 5k & 10k virtual event, the Potato Day 5k & 10k virtual event, the Smile run virtual event (with 2017 medal because they had some supplies left and are clearly sweating their assets), and the 2018 WHO Wants to Race for Autism 5k & 10k virtual event (featuring a really cool <a href="http://www.theoldrobots.com/images31/K9-5.JPG">K9</a>-shaped medal).<br />
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There were three other virtual events I found, but their medals were rubbish and 1+8 events all at once would just have been silly (1+5 is perfectly sensible).<br />
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<i>All lined up, can we go now?</i></div>
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The school is beautiful, clearly in an affluent leafy area. I arrived by taxi at 6:45 to pick up my number (the DC Metro doesn't start running until 8am on Sunday). I was oddly nervous, it's a while since I've run a 10k at effort. I picked up number 247 and ran. up and down in the car park to warm up a bit.<br />
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<i>Selfies are not my forté</i></div>
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We started bang on time at 7:30am, a nice short downhill out of the school and left out onto the perfectly finished wide local roads. The whole route was on tarmac, very little of it was flat. There were no big climbs or flat out descents, but the continual undulations were quite draining.<br />
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<i>Lumpy - no massive climbs or descents, but nothing on the level</i></div>
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I felt a bit weak at around 7.5km to go, but picked it up from 8.5km onwards. The final 300m was on the running track - I rarely run on tracks, they're so springy! Must do a track session one day...<br />
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<i>The only photo I stopped to take - I couldn't help it, so beautiful here!</i></div>
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The field sorted itself out quickly, pacing overall seemed to be remarkable good - after the first couple of km of sorting ourselves out I only gained and lost a handful of places for the rest of the event. All the intersections were staffed by police controlling the traffic, with cars parked up with their blues on. I don't know if the school get charged for the police engagement, but with closed roads all the way round I wouldn't be surprised.<br />
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<i>Trying a bit hard for the finish</i></div>
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It was an enjoyable run and I enjoyed running 10km hard (well, as hard as I can at the moment!). I came in 14th of 30 in my age group, and 120th of 364 overall. Clock time was 55:39 which translates to 5:34/km (8:58/mile) - or it would if it was precisely 10km, I measured it a little long at 10.2km and going through 10km in 54:49 (which I'm happy with as I thought I'd come in at around 55 minutes, give or take a few seconds).<br />
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<i>A big loop around the neighbourhood</i> </div>
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<i>Here's the one you get on the day, photos of all the others to follow</i></div>
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I enjoyed the run, but it's a little bit tough to swallow given I ran my 10k personal best just 18 months ago, and I was over 10 minutes faster! Still, I'm getting better at working exercise into my work routine now, so we'll see what happens in the future.<br />
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<i>Making a brief appearance on the <a href="http://www.parkrun.us/results/mostevents/">parkrun.us most events table</a></i></div>
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Bonus news: I ran Kensington parkrun in Washington DC yesterday, which means I'm now 5/5 on DC parkruns, but more importantly I've made it onto the US most events table! I'm informed it won't last long, parkrun is gaining in popularity here and with a few more events the entry criteria will raise to 15 events.<br />
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Challenge accepted.<br />
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<b>Update from September 5th: The virtual race medals turned up!</b><br />
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<b><br /></b>Normhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13076980299596740020noreply@blogger.com1South Lakes School38.938671 -77.33053100000000835.784355 -82.494105 42.092987 -72.166957000000011tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5927472628741092457.post-11904113419438337472018-08-08T02:00:00.000+01:002018-08-08T14:49:20.535+01:00Race report: Xterra 5km trail race (and loads of holiday photos)I like to look for local races to do on holiday - so was happy to find the <a href="https://www.xterracolorado.com/XTERRA_CastleRock.php">2018 20K/10K/5K Phillip S Miller Park XTERRA Trail Race</a>, an Xterra branded event in Castle Rock, Colorado just an hour's drive from where we're staying in Boulder. The race was to mark the opening of several miles of newly created trail in the grounds of <a href="https://www.crgov.com/2051/Philip-S-Miller-Park">the park</a>. <a href="http://www.totkat.org/">Mrs</a> and I signed up for the 20k event - but I dropped down to the 5km on the day. Why? Let me offer some background...<br />
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<a href="http://www.totkat.org/">Mrs</a> came to Boulder for work a couple of months ago and loved the mountains, we agreed to come back for a holiday. A quick check of the map showed two beautiful parkruns within easy driving distance (a rarity in the US) and so I was all-in! Let's go!<br />
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We arrived on Tuesday, and by Thursday afternoon we'd hiked to the top of Green Mountain at 6,854ft (2,089m) and I'd thrown myself head first down the other side and spent the afternoon in Boulder Medical Centre getting bits of mountain pulled out of a massive cut in my knee (laceration with complications, according to the paperwork), and then getting it put back together with ten stitches (my first ever stitches, very exciting!).<br />
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<i>Almost at the top</i></div>
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<i>The top of the trig point shows the other peaks you can see from Green Mountain</i></div>
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<i>Last known photo of me before the tripping incident</i></div>
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<i>I fell running down a path like this - long runable/fallable downhill trail</i></div>
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<i>Fetching new pink bandage hiding a bit of a horror show underneath!</i></div>
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The following day I drove to Aspen so we could run Aspen parkrun on Saturday. It was my first run after my accident so I was prepared to walk the whole route. Turns out I was able to jog along a little, and walk the hills, so I finished third from last (still in 6th place!) in a parkrun career personal slowest time of 0:44:24 - but I don't care, because the course was staggeringly beautiful, the team were really friendly, and at 8,000 feet (2,438m) above sea level it's the highest parkrun in the world.<br />
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<i>I love finding the parkrun flag on a Saturday morning, it's a high point of the week</i></div>
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<i>The course starts on an astroturf sports field, they were warming up to play baseball after we'd run</i> </div>
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<i>There were more than twice as many doughnuts as there were runners!</i></div>
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<i>Just look at the mountains! I've honestly never seen a parkrun so beautiful</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7k31RWn7MypP9PIJt0tKX81KzsINkBCiAYDzY6bdgpu_Y_1uHpdOanWoZmIEPom9yFWnnSrVv7rfOnpXi58U32xPG6aomcbg1QRR2RVRbgHrdSNaC-EkejDWkFubgDwVXkb0wLiFgWQWA/s1600/IMG_4178.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7k31RWn7MypP9PIJt0tKX81KzsINkBCiAYDzY6bdgpu_Y_1uHpdOanWoZmIEPom9yFWnnSrVv7rfOnpXi58U32xPG6aomcbg1QRR2RVRbgHrdSNaC-EkejDWkFubgDwVXkb0wLiFgWQWA/s640/IMG_4178.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>Jeff gives the run briefing - taking part are two Brits, two Germans, two Australians, and two locals</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8SYNolF63XV0sq-gUpSnftRX6jNwaSWvDuQ6LWuUozRl97NOMPb9xYQue5C5sLJj-NK7wbNsyAjTWJq8P1hdFa0KZqQOmFfsKTdb5p38CMPXCeYjIH5OyBOR7c07jmf4oPvNfsqGSg1tM/s1600/IMG_4180.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8SYNolF63XV0sq-gUpSnftRX6jNwaSWvDuQ6LWuUozRl97NOMPb9xYQue5C5sLJj-NK7wbNsyAjTWJq8P1hdFa0KZqQOmFfsKTdb5p38CMPXCeYjIH5OyBOR7c07jmf4oPvNfsqGSg1tM/s640/IMG_4180.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>A bridge on the outbound leg of the out-and-back course</i></div>
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<i>The whole course is on what they call "trail", well paved and maintained pathways</i></div>
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<i>A bridge on the return leg with an old church to one side</i></div>
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<i>A large painted Aspen logo on one of the walls of Aspen High School</i></div>
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We drove back via Mt. Evans, the highest paved roadway in North America, and one of the famous <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Colorado_fourteeners">fourteeners</a> in the Rockies (a peak of 14,000 feet or higher). We drove up a winding road with 180-degree hairpins and no guard rails to the car park near the very top. Up at 14,000 feet the effective oxygen level is just 12.3% (compared with 20.9% at sea level) and I really noticed it! There's a short hike to the peak, and I had to stop every minute or two to catch my breath, I felt like I was on the verge of passing out all the time! The view from the top was hazy but incredible.<br />
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<i>The top of the world (almost) - Mount Everest is twice as high above sea level as this</i></div>
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<i>My doing a good impression of someone not about to pass out</i></div>
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<i>Mrs seemed far less bothered by the altitude, and even jogged down the path back to the car</i></div>
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<i>Mrs, looking like she's in a fitness magazine photo shoot</i></div>
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<i>The highest ground either of us have ever stood on</i></div>
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So, that's enough background and holiday snaps. Back to the race. I was signed up for the 20km but there was no way I was getting round that so I dropped on the day to the 5km. Registration was 6am to 6:30am with race start at 7am. They like it early round here, to get out and done before it gets hot. We got up at 4:15am and were out on the road by 4:45am (it's not a holiday without a stupid early start to get to a race).<br />
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The course was very up-and-down, and all single track trail (proper trail this time) so overtaking was hard. I was fine with that as there were no heroics required - I cringed inside whenever I imagined tripping and falling onto my leg again!<br />
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I trundled round the 5km and was really pleased that once warmed up I was running fairly well. I completed the course nearly ten minutes faster than yesterday's parkrun! Mrs was sticking to the 20km and ran a really impressive negative split with the second 10km lap 90 seconds quicker than the first.<br />
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<i>Post-race, with free t-shirt...</i></div>
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<i>...and a decent slab of bling</i></div>
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No more races, we've got the rest of this week out here, and then we fly back on Saturday after South Boulder Creek parkrun.Normhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13076980299596740020noreply@blogger.com2Colorado, USA39.5500507 -105.7820674000000233.2362192 -116.10921590000001 45.8638822 -95.454918900000024tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5927472628741092457.post-58419837832763180692018-08-08T00:22:00.002+01:002018-08-08T00:22:12.007+01:00A quick recapIt's been a while so let me catch you up:<br />
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I finished the Chiltern Wonderland 50 in 2017 comfortably. I jogged round without paying much attention to my watch - and finished with 20 minutes to spare, but still jogging along happily. There isn't a race report for this race.<br />
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I did not finish Wendover Woods 50 - I managed 45 of the 50 miles (4.5 out of 5 laps) and couldn't go any further. I learned the hard way - even if you've finished the race before, you gotta give it respect and go in trained. New job and travel was not kind to training, so I couldn't quite make it. Second ever DNF, and no grand slam for me. Not doing any 50s in 2018, but I'll give the 50 slam another go in 2019. There's a race report that's been in draft for months, I've included it below so you can live through the disappointment with me (aren't I kind :).<br />
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parkrun has been ever-present, and I've only missed a couple of Saturdays - despite a really heavy cold that lasted for three weeks in November and December. I'm pleased that I've maintained my parkrun obsession (even if it is bordering on addiction) - it's good for my head, and if I'm parkrunning then I feel like I am in some control of my rollercoaster schedule. This has continued into 2018. I still #loveparkrun<br />
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A navigational slip-up a couple of weeks ago led to repeating a parkrun course for the first time in years - Reading parkrun, it was lovely to see you again.<br />
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<a href="http://www.totkat.org/">Mrs</a> made it to John O'Groats, with a short break 2/3 of the way through to recover from a foot injury. I'm immensely proud of her, and <a href="https://www.totkat.org/2017/11/lejog-2017-second-half.html">you can read all about it on her blog</a>.<br />
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<b>Wendover Woods 50, 2017</b><br />
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The last 50 of the grand slam, and far and away the hardest. <a href="http://www.onehundredandthree.com/2016/11/race-report-centurion-running-wendover.html">Wendover Woods last year</a> was my second 50-miler. I know the course inside out thanks to many training laps last year, and a couple when I could squeeze them in this year, so knew exactly what was in store. Hills mainly. Many many hills. Well over 3km of climbing over 5x 10 mile laps. There’s a well stocked aid station (now fully enclosed) at the start/finish, and a half-way aid station for a mid-lap top-up. Like every <a href="http://www.centurionrunning.com/">Centurion</a> race the route marking is excepotional, the aid stations are well stocked even if you’re right at the back (and I’d know), and the support from the volunteers is relentless.<br />
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I stayed over the night before at Tring Premiere Inn, picking up <a href="http://www.totkat.org/">Mrs</a> on the way straight from an overseas business trip. All kit laid out ready for the morning, a quick beer and pub-grub from the Beefeater next door, drop-bag packed - ready for the morning. The hotel is only a mile or so from the race start, so no crack of dawn required. We were up and out by about 6:30am, and by 7am I was checked in, kit checked and race number collected, and back in the car with the heating on waiting for the race briefing - and damn was it cold. Nice addition over last year was a little coffee stall where we topped up the caffeine levels with a couple of large cappuccinos. <a href="http://www.totkat.org/">Mrs</a> left at just gone 7 to head off to the mid-point aid station where she was volunteering from race start through to 4pm.<br />
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We filed out over the stile to the race start area - race briefing is outside on this race and it was barely above freezing, so James kept it short and sweet. In no time we were off, and all that stood between me and my grand slam medal/dinner plate (it’s enormous) was a cold day in the forest running in circles up and down hills.<br />
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The first lap was good - the sun was coming up and the crunchy frost on the bright fallen leaves and grass was beautiful. I covered the lap in 2:14. No need to stop for long at aid stations, let’s just keep on trucking.<br />
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Lap two was mentally tough. I wasn’t sure how I was going to make it - it was still cold, and I didn’t feel too confident, but I pushed on confidently - my brain wasn’t happy, but I wasn’t letting it slow me down. No stopping on the hills! Short aid-station stops only - in and out! Keep the cadence up throughout. 5 hours down for laps one and two, I’m happy with that.<br />
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Lap three was a lap of two halves. I started the way I’d finished lap two, feeling like there was still a very long way to go (which, of course, there was). But as I got nearer the midpoint, and the regular sunshine boost I get from seeing <a href="http://www.totkat.org/">Mrs</a> running the tea urn, I cleared the mental fog. My second wind was kicking in and I pushed on.<br />
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The unusual thing about this race is you’re continually being lapped (at my pace anyway) which, earlier on, is kind of fun - the front runners are so damn fast, they come flying past, and once again I was getting lapped by the mid-point of my second lap (where I had covered 15 miles, and they were already 10 miles ahead of me!). Arriving at the start/finish aid station at the end of lap three, the front runners were finishing their race.<br />
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In the later laps it gets depressing. Everyone says “hi” and swaps a few words, which I love, but the constant reminders that “everyone” is going faster than you can get draining - all part of the race. There seemed to be a never-ending train of people lapping (or catching and overtaking) me on lap four. Knowing they were all on lap five or were faster was getting to me. The sun was starting to set, the temperature dropped quickly. A few km into the lap I stopped to put my head torch on. I was still pushing on, and although I wasn’t happy I was a long way from any dark thoughts of “why am I doing this?”, or even worse “I can’t do this” - I knew I could do it, I did it last year.<br />
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Lap four took a long time. I was slower than last year, and spent some time doing a little mid-race maths. I thought if I had set off on lap five by 11:00 elapsed time then I would have all the time in the world to get round - that’s even half and hour more than last year’s final lap which I walked. I saw <a href="http://www.totkat.org/">Mrs</a> in the start/finish aid station, she’d made her way up from the mid-point now, and after a quick hug (no unnecessary stopping at aid stations!) I was off again.<br />
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Lap five got hard almost immediately. Last year I was suffering but was still able to march on forward - this year I felt like I had less energy with every step. At around 6km in is a long drag from virtually the lowest point on the course, near the mid-point aid station, to the highest, the Go Ape centre by the car park on the top of the hill and at the centre of the woods. I was struggling hard by this point, making very slow progress, getting slower and slower - finding even my marching was dropping into scuffing along if I wasn’t 100% focussed on it. I found it damn near impossible to get up the hill. I stopped again and again, unable to make any real progress. A trickle of people also on their last lap were rushing past me - how were they still going so fast? I stopped for a moment around two thirds of the way up, I was out of breath, my pulse was through the roof - I could feel my heart happening in my chest - but I was getting colder, and barely moving.<br />
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I got to the top after what seemed like a lifetime, and collapsed onto a bollard. I stopped my watch. My race was over. My year-long quest to complete the grand slam of 50 mile races was done, having fallen short just six or so miles from the end. No one gets a big medal and a special green t-shirt for running 194 out of 200 miles though. I called <a href="http://www.totkat.org/">Mrs</a> and asked her to tell James I was done.<br />
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I scuffed my way, full of emotion, back to the start/finish. <a href="http://www.totkat.org/">Mrs</a> met me at the stile with a cup of tea and helped me to the tent. Having been hardly moving for the last 90 minutes I was now really cold - I should have put on my emergency dry layer (mandatory kit) but I’d forgotten it was there. I sat on a chair in the tent - she immediately wrapped me in a foil sheet, and before I knew what was going on she’d got the medics and I found myself in an ambulance being poked and prodded.<br />
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The medical opinion was that I’d stopped at the right time. I sat in there for what seemed like hours but was probably no more than half an hour. They burried me in blankets, and clipped an oxygen saturation sensor to my finger (which didn’t work at all as my finger was too cold). After some further monitoring they released me into the care of <a href="http://www.totkat.org/">Mrs</a>, and she looked after me from there.<br />
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We got back to the hotel and I got into bed with all my clothes still on to warm up slowly (medical instructions - don’t jump into the bath or a hot shower - warm up gradually). I was bitterly disappointed I’d got so close, but ended up with only my second ever DNF. And what a race to DNF. Not how I wanted to finish the season.<br />
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I’ll have another go at the grand slam, but not next year. Maybe 2019, where I will give this race the respect it deserves, and make sure I get to the starting line fitter and faster.<br />
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Thanks to <a href="http://www.centurionrunning.com/">Centurion</a> for putting on the best races on the circuit; to <a href="http://www.totkat.org/">Mrs</a> for the mid-lap boosts and for looking after me while I got myself together at the end; and particularly to the medical team for checking me out and making sure I was OK.Normhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13076980299596740020noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5927472628741092457.post-53881996841601402282017-05-28T14:33:00.000+01:002017-05-28T14:33:32.309+01:00A tough first week on LEJoG<h2 style="text-align: center;">
Please consider supporting - <a href="http://www.phcuk.org/lejog">www.phcuk.org/lejog</a></h2>
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<i>The adventure starts here</i></div>
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<a href="http://www.onehundredandthree.com/2017/05/an-amazing-woman-doing-amazing-thing.html">I wrote last week about my wife's amazing challenge</a>, and this weekend I went to fulfil my first round of cheerleading responsibilities by driving out to Taunton to meet her on Friday night. I'd got a room at a nearby B&B for us to stay in, then I was going to drop her off Saturday morning to carry on, take a quick tourist trip to Taunton parkrun, and then catch up with her again later in the day. She had been clear with her rules regarding no outside assistance - I wasn't bringing any supplies, fresh clothes, or even food - but we'd agreed that being ferried to and from overnight accommodation when I visit was acceptable, otherwise we'd never see each other for the six weeks.<br />
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<i>The South West Coast Path</i></div>
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I've been in sporadic contact with her during the week - she's been out of coverage a lot, and using her phone on airplane mode for most of the days to save battery. The fun started on her very first day - trails that hadn't been cleared for years and were waist deep in brambles and undergrowth, challenging surfaces with sharp loose stones, and rising temperatures and an unforgiving sun.<br />
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<i>Overly familiar cows</i></div>
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It seems that land owners in the South West don't seem to take too kindly to paths across their land - she's battled with razor wire, deliberate sealing shut of gates, and even electric fences. A route such as this one is far too long (and time consuming) to view properly before hand, so she was seeing the paths for the first time - whatever condition they were in. Not to mention the local livestock are considerably bolder than we're used to. A cheery "Hello, cows!" and a bit of arm waving is normally enough to have them wandering off elsewhere - but the Cornish cows are much more determined to get a sniff of the stranger in their midst.<br />
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<i>Thou shalt not pass</i></div>
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There have been high points too, of course. Mile after mile of incredible chocolate-box countryside, wildlife, and beautiful spring flowers. Perfect villages with local shops and pubs, and the kindness of strangers. Some of the pictures she's been posting are just incredible (all the pictures apart from the first and last accompanying this post have been posted during the week).<br />
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<i>Nature, doing her thing and doing it well</i></div>
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When I met her on Friday in the middle of nowhere down a track so narrow I have no idea what would happen if I met an oncoming vehicle, she was not happy. It had been a very long, hard, and slow day. She'd picked up a little foot problem on the first day that hadn't given her any respite all week, and had escalated painfully. She said she wanted to stop, she'd had enough, it was too hard, her foot problem hurt too much and both her feet were sore - it was over.<br />
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<i>You are now entering cream tea country</i></div>
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The frustration was that apart from her sore feet, she felt fine! She had energy and wasn't suffering from any muscular or mechanical pain. As she put it: her engine was fine. I hugged her tightly, and bundled her up in the car so she could go somewhere clean and soft for a shower.<br />
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<i>This, apparently, is a path</i></div>
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Over dinner at a local pub I said that now wasn't the time to make any decisions. As she was clearly in pain and upset, I suggested a rest day on Saturday. Feet up, relaxed, following a good night of sleep - and then we can think about what to do next. I was so happy when she agreed to sleep on it, and take a rest day.<br />
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<i><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cornwall-34410847">This sign has a chequered history</a></i></div>
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After I'd enjoyed the delights of <a href="http://www.parkrun.org.uk/longrunmeadow/">Longrun Meadow</a> parkrun, we drove into the town centre and found a nice little bar attached to a hotel where we had breakfast, and then spent most of the day sat on their sofas with a couple of pints, taking turns to pop out on errands - me to check in to our hotel for Saturday night, her to stock up on foot care products from Boots. She was able to go up and down the stairs perfectly well, and was walking normally, save for the hurt feet - incredible given she's covered 170 miles in the previous six days!<br />
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<i>Simply stunning</i></div>
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We talked about the next week's plan, her route and where she was going to stay. She booked a couple of places for the next few evenings - we didn't need to talk about if she was going to continue, she'd already decided to push on. Her mental strength is enviable. In the end we spent so long in the bar that we also had dinner there.<br />
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<i>Breaking in new shoes, ultra-style</i></div>
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Up at 6am this morning, I made some coffee while <a href="http://totkat.org/">Mrs</a> re-packed her bag and prepared for the day ahead. I dropped her off at the exact spot I'd found her on Friday, and made a quick getaway - keen to take away any chance of a last minute change of mind! A little over three hours' drive later, I was back home. She was still out there, jogging and hiking her way to the end of day seven of the toughest task she's ever taken on.<br />
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<i>The sign of a good tea room</i></div>
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Battling nature, man, and the elements this week, I think she found out just how hard this challenge is. It's definitely not a given that she will make it to the end, and that makes it a genuine challenge - adding a sense of adventure and excitement, just as much for me and her followers as for her!<br />
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<i>Land's End, the day afternoon before day one</i></div>
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There will be more tears before the end, but she reads all her <a href="http://www.twitter.com/totkat">tweets</a> and texts each evening, and with our messages of love and support she can make it: one incredible woman covering the length of Great Britain on foot - 1,035 miles, over 100,000 feet of ascent, all in under six weeks.<br />
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<h2 style="text-align: center;">
Please consider supporting - <a href="http://www.phcuk.org/lejog">www.phcuk.org/lejog</a></h2>
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Normhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13076980299596740020noreply@blogger.com0South West England, UK50.89607204564043 -3.530875000000037349.609353545640431 -6.1126620000000376 52.18279054564043 -0.94908800000003746tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5927472628741092457.post-22114873348432960102017-05-21T22:20:00.000+01:002017-05-21T22:20:01.301+01:00An amazing woman, doing an amazing thing, for an amazing cause<h2 style="text-align: center;">
Please consider supporting - <a href="http://www.phcuk.org/lejog">www.phcuk.org/lejog</a></h2>
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<i>This is what a bloody long way looks like... </i></div>
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For a few months now <a href="http://www.phcuk.org/lejog">Mrs</a> has been planning her latest and greatest adventure. She has been working towards running unsupported from Land’s End to John O’Groats in order to raise awareness of (and money for) a new charity named <a href="http://www.phcuk.org/">Public Health Collaboration UK</a> - a charity dedicated to informing and implementing healthy decisions for better public health.<br />
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<i>The tide was out on a beautiful still evening on the South West coast</i></div>
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All her planning, training (under the watchful eye of James from <a href="http://www.centurionrunning.com/">Centurion Running</a>), packing, re-packing, and re-re-packing came to fruition this morning as she set off on day one. She’s hoping to take somewhere in the region of 37-40 days, with a couple of days in hand for rest/recuperation/replanning if needed.<br />
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<i>Welcome to Penzance!</i></div>
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On Friday I took a day off and we drove down to Penzance where we stayed in a wonderful boutique hotel named <a href="http://artistresidencecornwall.co.uk/">Artist Residence</a> (highly recommended, full of character and charm). On Saturday morning we completed a little gentle parkrun tourism at <a href="http://www.parkrun.org.uk/penrose/">Penrose parkrun</a>, where we were joined by fellow parkrun übertourist and accomplished ultra-runner <a href="http://abradypus.wordpress.com/">Louise</a> who had made the trip down to offer some much appreciated received support.<br />
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<i><a href="http://www.phcuk.org/lejog">Mrs</a> getting a shout out from </i><i>Penrose parkrun's run director</i></div>
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<i><a href="http://www.phcuk.org/lejog">Mrs</a> with Louise in the first kilometre of parkrun</i></div>
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<i>Turning the legs over at Penrose parkrun</i></div>
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Penrose parkrun is in a National Trust area, and in the clear blue sky and beaming sunshine it was as perfect a parkrun as you ever could find. <a href="http://www.phcuk.org/lejog">Mrs</a> got a shout out by the day’s run director, and a round of applause from the assembled runners.<br />
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<i>The corner of the UK, with thousands of miles of Atlantic Ocean stretching far beyond the horizon</i></div>
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<h2 style="text-align: center;">
Please consider supporting - <a href="http://www.phcuk.org/lejog">www.phcuk.org/lejog</a></h2>
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We all took a drive down to Land’s End, about 10 miles form Penzance, to see the famous sign, get the obligatory souvenir photos taken, and get her progress sheet stamped and dated for Sunday as the plan was to set off at around 8am and nothing opens until 10am.<br />
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<i>Getting the record sheet stamped at the Land's End hotel reception</i></div>
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<i>There's also a photo of me taking this photo of someone taking a photo of our plucky adventurer</i></div>
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We had a relaxing afternoon with Louise before she headed off for her train, and we turned in fairly early after some food to get a good night’s sleep ahead of the start this morning. We slept well despite the deafening racket from the monster seagulls - they really get big around here!<br />
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<i>Training all done, now just need to relax ready for the start tomorrow</i></div>
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Up this morning, and back to Land’s end for about 8:30. We planned to get a coffee form the hotel, but they seemed unable to do anything at all until 10am (tough luck if you’re staying there I guess). So, with a kiss and a hug, and a few more photos, that was it - and she was off.<br />
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Over the next six-ish weeks she’s going to run over a thousand miles, covering an average of over a marathon distance every day, and accumulating a staggering 100,000 feet of ascent (which is roughly four times the height of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Everest">Mount Everest</a>). She’s supporting a cause which means a lot to her personally, and which is in its infancy - in fact, she is their very first fund raiser!<br />
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<i>The official challenge t-shirt</i></div>
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We’ve scoured the Internet and she’s just the second woman we can find recorded to attempt LEJoG unsupported (no crew, no one driving along to help, no one bringing her any kit or equipment). The other person we found used a buggy to transport her kit, so <a href="http://www.phcuk.org/lejog">Mrs</a> will be the first (that we can find) to have completed the challenge with everything in a rucksack - all meticulously weighed and planned 8.5kg of it.<br />
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<i>3... 2... 1... Go!</i></div>
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Other than moral support, I haven’t been a part of this - it’s her route, her kit list, her focus, and her courage that has got her to the start, and will get her to the end. It’s a real challenge, success is not assured - but she’s as prepared as she can be, with emergency rations, a lightweight tent for wild camping where there’s no B&Bs, and a truckload of grit and determination.<br />
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I’m going to try and see her every weekend if I can, wherever she is in the UK - I’ll bring hugs and kisses, but no fresh kit or supplies - she’s determined to complete the route unaided and is very serious about it!<br />
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<a href="http://www.totkat.org/">Read more about her preparation on her blog</a>, and <a href="http://www.twitter.com/totkat">follow her on twitter for updates</a>.<br />
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Please consider supporting - <a href="http://www.phcuk.org/lejog">www.phcuk.org/lejog</a></h2>
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She’s an amazing woman doing an amazing thing, for an amazing cause - please support her if you can.Normhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13076980299596740020noreply@blogger.com0United Kingdom50.007739014636876 -5.36132812547.441521014636876 -10.524902125 52.573957014636875 -0.19775412500000034tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5927472628741092457.post-50711919715053293132017-05-14T18:53:00.002+01:002017-05-14T20:31:28.637+01:00Race Report: Centurion Running North Downs Way 50The second of the four 50-mile races from <a href="http://www.centurionrunning.com/">Centurion Running</a>, and the second I needed to complete to stay on track for the grand slam - this year's big challenge. I haven't had the best preparation - a debilitating cold for a week, then starting a new job, and then being away for a few days with said new job sharing plenty of wine with my amazing new colleagues, not getting enough sleep, and eating all the wrong things.<br />
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<i>Assembled in a Farnham school for pre-race briefing</i></div>
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But there I was anyway, on the start line, tired, heavy, but determined! As with all Centurion races it started bang on time, 8am on the dot. I'd already been up a while, having got up at 4:30 to get the train to race start Farnham to register.<br />
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<i>The acorn symbols are your friend, follow them and you can't go wrong</i></div>
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This is a race of two halves, the first from Farnham to Box Hill, with more rolling hills and runnable trails; the second from Box Hill to Knockholt Pound with much more challenging ascents and more technical downs with plenty of tree roots to watch out for.<br />
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<i>Obligatory tourist shots in front of the official start point of the North Downs Way</i></div>
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The course is almost entirely on the <a href="http://www.nationaltrail.co.uk/north-downs-way">North Downs Way</a>, starting right at the beginning in Farnham, and only deviating for the last half mile to get to the village hall in Knockwood Pound. I'd run the course before, last year when <a href="http://totkat.org/">Mrs</a> and I <a href="http://www.onehundredandthree.com/2016/08/longest-run-ever-ndw153.html">covered the full length over six days</a> so I knew what I was in store for.<br />
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<i>All lined up ready for the off, I like to start near the back :)</i></div>
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Turns out it was a race of two halves for me too - the first half was lovely. I settled in to a nice steady pace, barely pausing at the first couple of checkpoints, just to get my presence logged and water topped up - not to mention a nice surprise when a jam sandwich turned out to be a peanut butter and jam sandwich. Yum.<br />
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<i>An early hill, first uphill hiking of the day</i></div>
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The trouble started towards the end of the first half - a bit of an ache in my right knee. In a long race the aches always come and go, but this one was stubborn. After the (roughly) half way aid station at the stepping stones I found the climb up the 100+ big steps to the peak of Box Hill hard going.<br />
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<i>Unofficial aid station known as The Bacon Boat - free bacon sarnie from a couple of inflatable sumo!</i><br />
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It's a fairly technical section next, with short sharp ups and downs, plenty of roots, and dozens of groups of 8-10 kids with their houses on their backs out camping on some expedition or other. I noticed that I'd stopped running so much, and wasn't taking advantage of the down hills. Knee aching a bit more. I was still jogging, but had slowed considerably.<br />
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<i>Beautiful bluebell season</i></div>
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There's a little section at Merstham where the North Downs Way passes through a graveyard in a church, with some short sharp steps. Two of the steps led to a sudden sharp and exceptionally painful stabbing feeling into the knee - I couldn't help but yelp with the pain. That was it - any more of those and I'm stopping - no race is worth picking up a real injury!<br />
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<i>The view behind me from the famous Box Hill summit, looking down towards Dorking</i></div>
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Unfortunately this hit my confidence. Since the 50km mark, around the Reigate hill checkpoint, I'd been concerned about possibly needing to hike the rest of the way - I was not enamoured with the thought of hiking for 30km. However, I was still doing some jogging, and making progress - after the pain at Merstham, with still 25km to go, I was quite unhappy.<br />
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I couldn't stop though, I wasn't after a PB or record breaking performance, I just needed to finish - and if I didn't, the grand slam was off.<br />
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So I carried on, trying to cover the ground as best I could. The hills were very slow and hard now, and the flats not much better. I started working out the average pace I'd need to hit to finish within the 13 hour race cut-off, but unfortunately didn't know what the overall race distance was - they're never exactly the distance on the tin, and usually a little bit further.<br />
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<i>The very definition of point-to-point</i></div>
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Trying to keep to at least 5-6km/h (10 to 12.5 minutes per km) I shuffled, scuffed, and dragged myself forward. Counting down the kilometres I knew it was going to be close. Finally across a field I saw the finish area, but the course spirals round it, so not home yet. I checked my watch, just 20 minutes left - I'd been going for over twelve and a half hours!<br />
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There were still a few runners around me, but they didn't seem to be as broken as I was - they all overtook me in the last mile as I forced myself to keep going - it was going to be close. Finally down a gentle and painful hill into Knockholt Pound village I saw <a href="http://totkat.org/">Mrs</a> waiting for me - just a few hundred metres to go!<br />
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<i>Blue - pace, plummets after 40km; grey - altitude, 1,915m (6,283feet) over 50 miles</i></div>
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Running (well, "running") up the side of the village hall, and under the inflatable finish line I'd got there. 5 hour of running, 8 hours of determined forward shuffling, and I'd made it with just seven minutes to spare! I was the second to last person to finish, a bit of a change from my PB at the South Downs Way 50, two hours faster just a few weeks ago - but it doesn't matter. I was overjoyed to finish within the time, to pick up the side-plate sized medal, and still be in the running for the grand slam.<br />
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<i>Second to last in 12:52:56 - and I've never been so happy to finish!</i></div>
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Thanks to <a href="http://www.twitter.com/abradypus">Louise</a> for giving me a lift back to Wimbledon, and to <a href="http://www.totkat.org/">Mrs</a> for being wonderful and supportive, and bringing me extra warm socks and cold beer, and helping me out at the end while I sat shattered and emotional on a chair.<br />
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<i>Significant bling - two down, two to go...</i></div>
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Nine weeks to my next ultra, the <a href="http://www.xnrg.co.uk/events/details/chiltern-challenge-ultra2017.aspx">XNRG Chiltern Challenge 50km</a> (<a href="http://www.onehundredandthree.com/2016/07/race-report-xnrg-chiltern-challenge.html">which I ran last year</a>), and a whole 18 weeks to prepare for the next in the grand slam series, the <a href="http://www.centurionrunning.com/races/chiltern-wonderland-50-2017">Chiltern Wonderland 50</a> on September 16th. I need to arrive there better prepared and lighter - I can't handle a repeat of today's experience!<br />
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<i>Best sausage baguette ever</i></div>
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Normhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13076980299596740020noreply@blogger.com0North Downs Way51.225807882969711 -0.16616821289062551.146239882969709 -0.327529712890625 51.305375882969713 -0.0048067128906250089tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5927472628741092457.post-55239079927635256152017-04-10T15:44:00.000+01:002017-04-10T15:44:14.660+01:00Race report: Centurion Running South Downs Way 50The first 50 mile race of the season seems to have come around very quickly. The <a href="http://www.centurionrunning.com/races/south-downs-way-50-2017">South Downs Way 50</a> is the first of the eight races <a href="http://www.centurionrunning.com/">Centurion Running</a> are staging in 2017. They organise four 50 mile races (South Downs Way, North Downs Way, Chiltern Wonderland, and Wendover Woods), and four 100 mile races (Thames Path, North Downs Way, South Downs Way, and the Autumn 100). <div>
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I've signed up for the <a href="http://www.onehundredandthree.com/2017/03/centurion-running-50-mile-grand-slam.html">Grand Slam of 50 mile races</a> which is achieved if you complete all four 50 mile events, therefore the primary objective of the day was to get to the end within the thirteen hour cut-off. The second objective was to still be running at the end - historically my legs have broken down a bit in the last ten miles or so of ultra distance events and I've had to march my way to the finish. Third objective, set a new 50 mile personal best time and tick off another distance in my <a href="http://www.onehundredandthree.com/2017/01/objectives-for-2017.html">year of PB attempts</a>. The target was the 11:38:31 time I'd set last year in the <a href="http://www.onehundredandthree.com/2016/09/race-report-centurion-running-chiltern.html">Chiltern Wonderland 50</a>.</div>
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<i>The route is point to point, and runs from Worthing to Eastbourne</i></div>
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Thanks to Southern Rail and another of their apparently never ending series of strikes, the trains on race day were set to be even more unreliable than usual. I opted to minimise the risk and splash out on hotels for the nights before and after the race.</div>
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Registrations were available the night before - this is a good move as it can get a bit busy and stressful on race morning with upwards of 300 people trying to register at once. I strolled up to Worthing College, Race HQ, and registered on Friday evening. It was nice and relaxed, I'm a big fan of pre-event registration.</div>
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<i>Race HQ in Worthing College, the start was in a field over the road</i></div>
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Race start was 9am, plenty of time for a light hotel breakfast of bacon, egg, tomato, and a couple of cups of coffee. For anything up to a marathon I wouldn't eat before hand, but when I'm going to be out all day I prefer to have something to start the day. There were a couple of other runners down in the breakfast area, one offered us all a lift up to the start which was very kind and saved me a 40 minute stroll.</div>
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<i>Assembling behind the starting inflatable before race briefing</i></div>
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After the customary short briefing from James, and a show of hands of who was taking on the 50 mile grand slam (and a couple of nutters who are attempting all eight races!) it was time to set off. I'm always impressed at the number of runners who choose a Centurion race for their first ultra - their reputation for well run, inclusive, and friendly events is well deserved.</div>
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<i>Pre-race selfie</i></div>
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We set off bang on time. Spirits were high, everyone was smiling, the sun was shining already - it looked like a perfect day for a run in the countryside.</div>
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Given that the primary objective of the day was simply to get to the end, there was no need for early heroics. I trotted off at my own pace and soon fell in with a group of a dozen or so who were leapfrogging each other as we covered the early miles.</div>
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<i>James Elson giving the race briefing</i></div>
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In order to get a new PB I needed to average around 8:30/km. I had configured a display on my watch to show me the time the last kilometre took, and the average time per kilometre. Sometimes, just knowing how far you've been running or how far you've gone can be quite a negative influence. It means you're continually trying to do mental arithmetic to see if you're on pace or not. I wanted to remove some of that stress.</div>
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The first half of the race passed by very comfortably. I'd set off a bit too fast (don't we always?), but not to the extent that I'd regret it later. As always the aid stations were staffed by friendly and supportive volunteers, and the choice of food and drink was excellent.</div>
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The weather was absolutely perfect. Bright and clear, warm but not too hot, and with a slight breeze to help sweat evaporate rather than get you all wet and drippy. Maybe, it was a little too perfect - as we ran through midday and into early afternoon my arms and legs started tingling a little from the sun. The problem with a point to point race is that the sun is always on the same side - and the problem with the South Downs is that there's very little shade. We were being lightly cooked in a surprisingly strong early April sun.</div>
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<i>One of the early runnable inclines</i></div>
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I passed through 40km, around half way, in just a couple of seconds short of five hours. I expected a positive split (meaning the first half of the race is run faster than the second half) so I knew I'd take longer than ten hours overall, but it was looking good for a reasonable time - and I was in no danger of failing to meet the cut-off.</div>
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After the half way point I was on familiar ground - I'd run this half in training a fortnight ago, and it shares shares a 10 mile stretch with the <a href="http://www.onehundredandthree.com/2017/03/race-report-moyleman-marathon.html">Moyleman marathon</a> which was also just a few weeks ago. Sure, there was still 25 miles to go, but I could visualise most of it and I knew there would be no nasty surprises.</div>
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Passing through the aid station at Southsea Youth Hostel, 50km in, I was happy to see Louise who topped up my water and chatted for a moment or two. I'm not a big fan of talking to people whilst racing, I prefer my own company, but it's nice to see a familiar face at the aid stations to exchange a few words with. Thanks Louise!</div>
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<i>The yellow brick road</i></div>
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The second half of the route is very exposed, you climb from the aid station to the top of the South Downs, and follow the ridge for a good few miles. There's nowhere to hide from the sun, and the combination of growing sunburn and relentless chilling breeze was becoming a bit uncomfortable - however I was still running on the flats and downhills so progress was good.</div>
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As the afternoon drew on and the sun started to sink a little lower in the sky the temperature dropped a few degrees. The aid stations are closer together in the final third of the race and started to feel like they were coming round more frequently. It was nice to meet fellow parkrun tourist Kiernan Easton at the last aid station, we've been Facebook friends for a while but hadn't managed to meet face to face before.</div>
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<i>It's not a run on the South Downs without a picture of the Whitehawk Hill transmission station</i></div>
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The final section was quite hard going, there's a steep climb up from Jevington and a few people were finding it very hard going and had dropped to a slow walk. I tried to keep my pace up and climb with determination - but it was challenging for sure.</div>
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I'd been leapfrogging one particular runner all afternoon, and as he came past me with about 5km to go, As he passed he said "there's an outside chance we might just finish under eleven hours!". I had done well not thinking about aiming for a time, but with just 5km to go I was clearly going to get to the end, so I let myself take a look at the elapsed time. I'd been going for about 10:35, and I knew there were just a few kilometres left. He was right, maybe I could break 11 hours - that would be amazing!</div>
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<i>A typical view - nowhere to hide from the sun</i></div>
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The final steep downhill into Eastbourne is tricky - it's narrow, a bit slippery, and there are lots of roots. I was taking it very easy - tired legs are easy to trip on if you're not careful. Once I'd got to the bottom I resolved to run, as best I could, to the end and try and get in under 11 hours.</div>
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I summoned everything I had left in the tank, this was a race now! I was thankful for my recent training run on this part of the circuit - knowing where you're going and exactly how far there is left is so helpful in these situations. I ran non stop for the last few kilometres, overtaking a couple of walkers along the way. It looked like I might just do it. There's a cycle track running from a main road to the athletics ground which is the finish - I'm sure it's twice as long as it was a fortnight ago!</div>
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<i>The last couple of miles on the flat and a lap of the athletics track</i></div>
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Clearly some other runners had the same idea as me - I lost a couple of places along this stretch, but I couldn't go any faster! I rounded the final corner with about three and a half minutes to spare by my reckoning - but there was a lap of the running track to run yet! <a href="http://www.totkat.org/">Mrs</a> was here to greet me - she'd been on a business trip in the US and had come straight from the airport. She ran with me round that final lap of the track - I pushed with every ounce I had left and crossed the line tired, relieved, and very happy.</div>
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<i>Official finishing pic from Stuart March Photography</i></div>
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My official time was 10:58:12 - I'd dipped under 11 hours by almost two minutes, and had knocked an entirely satisfactory 40 minutes and 19 seconds off my previous best - with a <a href="http://www.onehundredandthree.com/2017/04/race-report-chatham-maritime-10k.html">new 10k PB last week</a> that makes two PBs in six days! What was particularly pleasing was that my legs had held up enough so I was still able to run properly at the end - this is a huge confidence boost as it's been a real problem in the past.</div>
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I was 275th out of 364 finishers, which I'm very happy with - 76% down the field as compared to 83% (132nd out of 159 finishers) at <a href="http://www.onehundredandthree.com/2016/09/race-report-centurion-running-chiltern.html">Chiltern Wonderland</a> and 70% (100th out of 142 finishers) at <a href="http://www.onehundredandthree.com/2016/11/race-report-centurion-running-wendover.html">Wendover Woods</a>.</div>
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<i>Ridiculously enormous medals this year and a t-shirt featuring new coloured arms</i></div>
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What a wonderful day - amazing organisation, a great result, and a fantastic start to the grand slam. Just five weeks to North Downs Way 50 - bring it on!</div>
Normhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13076980299596740020noreply@blogger.com1The South Downs, UK50.89794512926683 -0.0904711054688505150.817860129266833 -0.2518326054688505 50.978030129266827 0.070890394531149481tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5927472628741092457.post-75861146830848533532017-04-03T15:26:00.001+01:002017-04-03T15:26:44.924+01:00Product review: Garmin cycling speed and cadence sensorI've churned through many speed and cadence sensors over the years - usually it requires fiddling around with magnets and zip ties that invariably get twisted and damaged. They're also liable to get knocked out of alignment or snapped off - particularly in a crowded triathlon transition zone.<br />
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Therefore, I haven't bothered for a while - but having done a few turbo sessions lately I wanted to at least keep an eye on my cadence. So, I thought I'd see what the latest offering from Garmin is.<br />
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<i>The latest iteration of the Garmin bike speed and cadence sensors</i></div>
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Turns out it's completely redesigned from last time I bought one, and infinitely better. Rather than being triggered by a magnet passing a sensor, these sensors have simple tilt switches - no magnet required.<br />
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<i>Contents of the box: Instructions, cadence sensor and bands, speed sensor and rubber housing</i></div>
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Fitting them is a breeze - just attach the cadence sensor to a crank arm (non-chainring side recommended) with the a rubber band (three sizes included), and the speed sensor to the hub. Nothing to line up, no further configuration required. It takes about two minutes form start to finish (including reseating the battery in the speed sensor as it wasn't transmitting at first).<br />
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<i>The cadence sensor, fitted on the non-chainring side</i></div>
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A small LED on each sensor flashes green with each rotation of crank or wheel, so it's simple to see that installation is successful. The batteries should last a year under normal use. The LED starts to blink red when they need replacing.<br />
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<i>The speed sensor in its rubber housing and mount</i></div>
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<i>The profile is discrete, and it doesn't matter that it's not perfectly level</i></div>
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The sensor units appear to be well sealed from the elements. The only moving part is the battery cover - this is well made and fits snugly, with a small rubber seal to keep water and foreign materials out.<br />
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Connecting the sensors to a Garmin receiver is simple. I used a Fenix 3 HR and the pairing was immediate. No Bluetooth here - the sensors use ANT+ so don't expect a connection to a phone.<br />
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<i>Pairing is simple and fast - Spd (speed) sensor connected, Cad (cadence) sensor awaiting connection</i></div>
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The Fenix supports renaming the sensors should you have multiple sets on multiple bikes - however fitting is so fast you could swap them across bikes easily.<br />
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I can't comment on longevity as it's only been fitted for a ride or two - but I'd certainly recommend it based on my experience so far. <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00JM6DKUA/ref=pe_385721_37986871_TE_item">I bought this from Amazon</a>, but it's available from most cycle accessory retailer.Normhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13076980299596740020noreply@blogger.com0London, UK51.5073509 -0.1277582999999822351.1912379 -0.77320529999998222 51.8234639 0.51768870000001777tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5927472628741092457.post-82342697393813361632017-04-02T16:50:00.001+01:002017-04-02T20:52:33.532+01:00Race report: Chatham Maritime 10kIn my quest to <a href="http://www.onehundredandthree.com/2017/01/objectives-for-2017.html">set all new PBs in 2017</a> I was looking at <a href="http://www.runbritain.com/">Run Britain</a> a couple of weeks ago at what distances I was yet to have a race entry for. It's a great site for finding random little local races that you'd never hear about otherwise, and it's how we find races to enter when we're on holiday (like the <a href="http://www.onehundredandthree.com/2016/06/race-report-freckleton-half-marathon.html">Freckleton Half</a> last year, or the <a href="http://www.onehundredandthree.com/2015/09/race-report-derwent-acs-cumberland-ale.html">Cumberland Ale 10</a> and <a href="http://www.onehundredandthree.com/2015/09/race-report-lancaster-half-marathon.html">Lancaster Half</a> the year before).<br />
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<a href="http://www.totkat.org/">Mrs</a> jetted off to New York on business yesterday, and I was looking for something to do today. As luck would have it, I needed a 10km race and today was the first running of a new event, the <a href="http://www.sportingeventsuk.com/enterevent/chatham-maritime-10k/">Chatham Maritime 10k</a>, over in North Kent that was describing itself as flat and fast - I signed up immediately.<br />
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<i>What a beautiful morning at Race HQ</i></div>
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Race start was a civilised 10:30am, so no need to get up at the crack of dawn. Arriving at about 9:15am, I parked the car (the parking marshals were excellent) and went to register. There was a very local community feel to the event, good representation from local running groups and even though there was just one little coffee van and six portaloos there were hardly any queues.<br />
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I relaxed in the sun and drank a coffee. No food before the race today - I certainly perform better, at least up to half marathon distance, on just a black coffee. The weather was perfect for running - wonderful blue skies, warm but not hot, and just the gentlest of breezes.<br />
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<i>Milling about with around 45 minutes to the start</i></div>
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I used the time to work out my pace target bracket. The objective was to break 49:57, which I'd set way back in 2012. I knew I'd achieve that, I've certainly run 10km several times faster than that, but not a recorded race time. My gold-level outcome would be 47:30. So I was aiming to hit an average of between 04:45/km and 04:59/km. I set a new display on my watch to just give me "last lap time" and "average lap time", with a lap as 1km, which is all I needed to see to know how I was doing.<br />
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<i>The route was two laps of St Mary's Island in the River Medway</i></div>
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The MC gave the call for runners to assemble, and this is where the first opportunity for improvement for next year can be found. The start was down a long straight, a good 4-500m long, which is fine, however it was only about 5m wide. This can be workable with strict self-organising in pens based on predicted time, however there was no such guidance.<br />
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<i>Perfect conditions</i></div>
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There wasn't a lot of self-organising going on so I decided to start right near the front and try and stay out of trouble. I was in about the third row back. After a concise race briefing and with a three-two-one count, we were off!<br />
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The decision to start at the front was a good one. The front row shot off like the rockets they are, and there was only a bit of manoeuvring required to go around a few slow-starters in row two, meanwhile I tried to run in a straight line so the faster runners behind me could overtake with ease.<br />
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The runners thinned out very quickly, as a result of the relatively small field, with little packs and clusters already forming in the first kilometre. Several changes of surface and sharp corners thinned us out further.<br />
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<i>Pace graph in minutes/km - very fast start, trying very hard at the end</i></div>
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As I often do, I'd set off a bit promptly - but was amazed to see the first kilometre pass in 04:08! That was clearly unsustainable, but I really didn't want to slow down by 40 seconds to get back into my target bracket so instead I thought I'd just run easily, letting the pace drop off naturally.<br />
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I focused on drawing in a few of the runners who had started even further outside their target pace than I had, and one by one I was catching them (and being similarly caught by the better paced runners behind me!). The exuberance of the first kilometre had dropped, but I was still doing well with 04:26, 04:23, 04:24 for the second third and fourth kilometres.<br />
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<i>This cross-over seems odd, and is so easily avoidable</i></div>
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The route had one odd loop in it with a sharp right inland, a few hundred metres down a path, round a loop in a park at the end, and then back up the path to rejoin the bank side again. The odd bit is that the loop in the park was clockwise - so the runners completing the loop had to run through the runners arriving to start it. Why not run round anti-clockwise with no need to cross the streams?<br />
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Coming up to half way I was still running hard, though the 5th kilometre took 04:38. I expected to pay hard for my fast start, and assumed that my one kilometre lap splits would now drift up. In any case, I was in for a good time, so I kept the pressure on.<br />
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<i>The last kilometre involves almost a full lap of the dock</i></div>
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Well into the second circuit, I started doing some in-race maths (which is never a good idea!) and realised if I could hold my pace I'd be well set for 47:30. As I went round the odd loop the second time, and checked my average pace (still showing as 4:24) I suddenly realised that 4:30/km average was 45 minutes for 10km whereas I'd been thinking for the last couple of kilometres that it was 47:30.<br />
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Note/reminder to self: when running hard, maths is impossible! I learned that the hard way in the Royal Parks Half when I forgot how many miles were in a half marathon - went all out for a stupendous PB and strong finish between mile 11 and 12 - staggered at my time - then remembered I had another 1.1 miles left - that was a very, very, very long mile I can tell you...<br />
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<i>The last push - sharp right in front of the band stand, and just 30m to go</i></div>
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The realisation of a finish around 45 minutes gave me renewed vigour! I pushed as hard as I could for the last few kilometres - I pulled in a couple more people that were in front (though I note that three or four people ran past me at an easy consistent pace - I bet they didn't start at 4:08/km...). I forced my legs to keep going, focussing on speeding up every time I felt them failing - finally, I rounded the corner and crossed the line.<br />
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<i>Stunned</i></div>
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My watch time for the race was 45:39.9 (though I realise I started it before I passed the chip-timing sensor, so my official time may be a second or two quicker). My watch GPS measured the course slightly long, at 10.17km, and showed me passing through 10km at a barely believable 44:54 - far better than I had even dreamed of for today.<br />
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<i>Garmin Connect helpfully has my previous fastest recorded 10km time - damn right "Accept"</i></div>
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In summary - a great race and a fantastic first event. Ask people to self-organise with some helpful timing signs, run round the loop in the other direction, and I'll certainly be back next year to try for another massive PB!<br />
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<i>Very very happy with today's hard-earned bling</i></div>
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<b>Update</b></div>
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The <a href="http://www.sportingeventsuk.com/race-results/chatham-maritime-10k-results-2017/">official results</a> have just been posted. I was in 37th place out of 333 finishers which is by far my highest placing ever, and I registered an official chip time of 45:36.</div>
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<i>Official results table</i></div>
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Normhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13076980299596740020noreply@blogger.com2Chatham Marina51.4041706 0.5325206999999636525.8821361 -40.776073300000036 76.9262051 41.841114699999963tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5927472628741092457.post-8726851821445710792017-03-26T10:48:00.000+01:002017-03-26T10:48:10.883+01:00The "February Five" challengeYou may remember that in <a href="http://www.onehundredandthree.com/2017/02/ridiculous-february.html">Ridiculous February</a> I was planning to spend a lot more time in the pool - culminating in a 5km swim for the <a href="https://www.februaryfive.com/">February Five</a> challenge of doing something "five" related during the month of February and raising a bit of money for a good cause - <a href="http://mind.org.uk/">Mind</a>, the mental health charity.<br />
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Running every day, the main objective of <a href="http://www.onehundredandthree.com/2017/02/ridiculous-february.html">Ridiculous February</a>, soon put that plan over the hills and far away, but I was annoyed I hadn't done it. Annoyed was joined by guilty when onto the front door mat landed my February Five completion medal. Well I had to do it now.<br />
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<i>Not allowed to look at it until you've earned it</i></div>
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In amongst running, meetings, and various other commitments it looked like this morning was the only day that would work. So I arrived at my local pool at 7:15am (though it felt very much like 6:15am thanks to the clocks "spring forward"ing overnight).<br />
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My pool is 30m long, which is not a convenient factor of 5,000. I wasn't going to be attempting 5,000m non-stop, so had toyed with a few ways of chopping it up. I needed to swim 166.7 lengths, so I settled on 10x 16 lengths plus 1x 8 lengths to finish, with a minute break in between each set. A minute would feel like a long time at first, but I was fairly sure I'd need it at the end.<br />
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The pool was virtually empty when I started. The first few sets went by quickly and consistently. A few others arrived, but never more than one other in my lane. After the fourth set I could tell I'd slowed a little, but I wasn't too concerned - there's no time target here, just completion.<br />
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<i>Pace drops off a little, and stroke efficiency (need more strokes per length), but no explosions!</i></div>
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During the seventh set I was told off by the lifeguard for circulating clockwise in an anti-clockwise lane. That's a first.<br />
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During the eighth set I saw the lifeguard and assistants making moves to re-partition the pool. I have never known a pool that continually moves lane boundaries around and sections off bits for various reasons with the frequency of this place. Sometimes you lose the whole shallow end and your lane suddenly gets 5 (or 6? or 4?) metres shorter - breaking any plan, and taking away an end to push off from.<br />
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This time they left one full length lane and partitioned various bits of the rest of it - I'd have had a minor breakdown if my 30m length suddenly changed when I was so near to the end. Though they did manage to soak my towel in the process.<br />
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With the final sets of 16 and 8 done, I was finished. During the last 16 my watch somehow gave me an extra length of credit, so my distance is logged as 5,070m rather than the 5,040m that I actually swam.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL6vWejhNZXAkRE7nl22hUG7ofk1BBnFzrs7VMRODFmM-GMJB47WushRVd72twCa3dG7J_ayvEf2N8KISGXuynnHYog4AeceMafWWkFD2hP8RIGLF0elaBasUXdizpWX9zNQ216GRJhY3A/s1600/Screen+Shot+2017-03-26+at+10.02.44.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="130" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL6vWejhNZXAkRE7nl22hUG7ofk1BBnFzrs7VMRODFmM-GMJB47WushRVd72twCa3dG7J_ayvEf2N8KISGXuynnHYog4AeceMafWWkFD2hP8RIGLF0elaBasUXdizpWX9zNQ216GRJhY3A/s400/Screen+Shot+2017-03-26+at+10.02.44.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>Done it!</i></div>
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February Five done, and with it a new personal best - I've never swum 5km in one go before! I left it a bit late in the month, finally completing it on February 54th, but I got there in the end. I can now remove the medal out of its little wrapper and take a proper look, it didn't feel appropriate to do so before.<br />
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Thanks to <a href="http://www.twitter.com/febfive5">the organisers</a> and sponsor, <a href="http://leemerrettwealthmanagement.co.uk/">Lee Merrett Wealth Management</a>, for a different kind of motivation to get going in February (sort of) and for a good cause. Looking forward to next year already!Normhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13076980299596740020noreply@blogger.com0Wimbledon, UK51.418338899999988 -0.2206287999999858651.378736899999986 -0.30130979999998586 51.45794089999999 -0.13994779999998586tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5927472628741092457.post-83132589801867203662017-03-20T13:30:00.002+00:002017-03-20T13:31:57.296+00:00Today I ran the solar systemAnnounced earlier in the year, <a href="https://www.britishscienceassociation.org/">The British Science Association</a> have held a virtual 10km running race this week called <a href="https://runthesolarsystem.com/">Run The Solar System</a>. Sign up, download their companion app, and run 10km any time you like during British Science Week - from Monday 13th March through to yesterday, Sunday 19th. Entry is free, but for a £15 donation you can receive a special medal and membership of the British Science Association for a year - and I'm a sucker for a medal.<br />
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<i>Run The Solar System</i></div>
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Using the app you're taken on a virtual guided tour of the solar system, starting from the Sun and working your way out to Neptune (poor Pluto), roughly scaled to the 10km run. The journey is narrated at regular intervals by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dallas_Campbell">Dallas Campbell</a> who bursts in every kilometre or so with interesting facts about the planets as you pass them.<br />
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I learned a few things - I had no idea that <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uranus">Uranus</a> spins on its axis almost at right angles to it's plain of rotation around the sun. This gives it "extreme seasons", with one pole being blasted by the sun for a few decades and the the other in permanent night, and then vice versa, for each of its 84 year long trips around the Sun.<br />
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I also learned that one of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neptune">Neptune</a>'s moons has a retrograde orbit - it orbits in the other direction to the other moons and opposite to the planet's direction of rotation. It was probably an interstellar wandering asteroid that was minding its own business got a bit close and became captured.<br />
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<i>My not so inspiring route</i></div>
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Given that <a href="http://www.onehundredandthree.com/2017/03/race-report-moyleman-marathon.html">last week's Moyleman</a> turned me into Limpy McLimpFace for a few days afterwards, I left it as long as possible through the week to run, finally getting out on Sunday afternoon. After a 2km warm up I hit the Start button and set off. After a week of limited running, apart from parkrun the day before, my legs felt good.<br />
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As part of my <a href="http://www.onehundredandthree.com/2017/01/objectives-for-2017.html">year of PBs</a> I wanted to break my fastest 10km time - I'm not sure if it counts given it's not a proper race, but it's worth a shot and I haven't run a hard 10km for a while. Setting off at about 4:50/km pace I managed to hold that for most of the way, despite a brutal headwind at times, and a couple of small hills. I two laps of a variant of my regular local 5km loop. I know the roads well and there aren't too many side roads and junctions to watch out for.<br />
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<i>That'll do</i></div>
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Final time on my watch was 48:48, a minute and eleven seconds faster than my race PB. Now I just need to do it again at the <a href="http://www.sportingeventsuk.com/enterevent/chatham-maritime-10k/">Chatham Maritime 10k</a> in a fortnight.<br />
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<i>Somewhat restrained bling by today's standards, but bling nonetheless!</i></div>
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The only slight annoyance was that the app didn't automatically stop timing when I reached 10km, despite Dallas telling me congratulations, and I've finished and can stop running now. It took me ten minutes to look at my phone and realise I was still being timed, so my official time is 58:20!Normhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13076980299596740020noreply@blogger.com0Wimbledon, UK51.418338899999988 -0.2206287999999858651.378736899999986 -0.30130979999998586 51.45794089999999 -0.13994779999998586tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5927472628741092457.post-33546718703568155472017-03-14T12:28:00.000+00:002017-03-14T12:28:36.696+00:00Race report: The Moyleman Marathon<a href="http://www.onehundredandthree.com/2016/04/race-report-moyleman-marathon-relay.html">I ran the second half of this last year</a> as a relay with <a href="http://abradypus.wordpress.com/">Louise</a> and loved it so was determined to come back this year and run the whole lot. It's also about the right time to take on a longer and more hilly race - and the South Downs is perfect as it'll make for some great terrain-specific training for the first of the year's Centurion 50-mile events, the <a href="http://www.centurionrunning.com/races/south-downs-way-50-2017">South Downs Way 50</a>, which is coming up in a month.<br />
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<i>The route of the Moyleman marathon</i></div>
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It's easy to get to Lewes where the race starts and finishes, only an hour and a bit in the car, so no need to stay over the night before or after. The civilised 10am start helps.<br />
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<i>Super friendly cat in the car park was a nice race-day bonus</i></div>
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I toyed with not taking a bag at all, there are five aid equally-spaced water stations on the route, but instead opted to pack light. My trusty Salomon 5 litre pack was pulled into service, and packed with some essentials:<br />
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<ul>
<li>Because I'll be in fairly remote areas: Foil blanket, whistle, little head torch</li>
<li>Because I might have to bail: Phone, bank card, some cash</li>
<li>Because I may need sustenance: 500ml floppy water bottle, an energy bar</li>
<li>Because weather: Waterproof jacket, hat, gloves</li>
</ul>
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It was scheduled to be around 10C with a good chance of potentially heavy rain, so I opted for a thin merino long sleeved base layer with my bright Adidas mid layer on top. Shorts as always (unless it's sub-zero or there's lots of undergrowth), and my new most favourite shoes - La Sportiva Helios SR.<br />
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<i>032 and 033, ready for action</i></div>
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<a href="http://www.totkat.org/">Mrs</a> was running too, she had also run last year but pulled out at half way with stomach discomfort. We were both hoping for a good day in the hills. She was going for a long training run whereas I was out to treat it more like a race so we decided to start separately and meet at the end.<br />
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<i>Race briefing in the school hall</i></div>
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<i>Ready for the 10am start for full marathon entrants, relays start 15 minutes later</i></div>
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I started well, running comfortably. I'm not really one for chatting while I run, so I was pleased that the field strung out quite quickly. I don't mind the odd "hello" or "good going" but I'm not up for a deep and meaningful or anything that requires too much thinking.<br />
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The start was a gentle series of runnable climbs, then some lovely fast shallow downhills to open up into. The segment to the first aid station flew past. The sun was trying to peek through, the ground was damp enough to provide some light cushioning but with very little mud or slippery grass. Perfect.<br />
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<i>Working our way up one of the early inclines</i></div>
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The first longer climb comes after aid station one, and is a fairly long slog. I ran the shallow part, but used my head and dropped to a hike rather than tire myself out for little benefit. On a clear day there would have been some good views from the top, but today was a bit misty so the horizon was a flat grey colour.<br />
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My legs were feeling good, and I was running at an even pace, averaging about 9km/h which is a bit faster than my normal hilly trail pace of 7.5-8km/h. Annoyingly, I had started was sweating profusely from my head. I wasn't that hot although there was very little breeze, and I wasn't suffering from overheating in my body, but my head just wouldn't stop sweating - it was ridiculous. I realised the one thing I'd forgotten to bring was a buff to use for mopping!<br />
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I reached half way in around two and a quarter hours - happy with that time. I ran the second half in 2:12 last year. I knew it would take longer this year having already run a hilly 13.1 miles, but I should be on for a finish under five hours.<br />
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<i>This was the last time I saw the two ladies in purple I'd been leapfrogging ever since the start</i></div>
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After the midpoint is the longest continual climb of the course, from sea level right up to some prominent transmitters on the very top of the Downs. I remembered this well from last year and was mentally prepared. Although I hiked at a good pace I found it hard to get my legs going once I'd got up there. I felt a bit light headed and took a big drink from my flask and ate my emergency nine-bar. In time, I got a second wind and picked up the pace again.<br />
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The route drops back down in to the valley after about 30km, following a steep twisty road - the altitude it took 5km to gain lost in just 500m. I always try and make best use of downhills as I can, running them with effort (free speed!) rather than decelerating with every step - but this one was really punishing on the quads.<br />
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A more level segment followed, and I told myself to keep running - I had slowed a little now but was determined not to walk apart from up hills.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW1n6HBUA6gUa9hVORnlDprTNjWrtsEsCUgbqwBEmkV4wEI2Ji1ilAAglgtJoVxsll_aQRrtwyJqD2_B2JsZZe0ToWoo2inG4V_am3VOg2Tqs86K8-LVkD-GwxdrgPgO1AJuga5lhTX5xH/s1600/IMG_5966.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW1n6HBUA6gUa9hVORnlDprTNjWrtsEsCUgbqwBEmkV4wEI2Ji1ilAAglgtJoVxsll_aQRrtwyJqD2_B2JsZZe0ToWoo2inG4V_am3VOg2Tqs86K8-LVkD-GwxdrgPgO1AJuga5lhTX5xH/s640/IMG_5966.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>Bravely combatting the challenging penultimate climb</i></div>
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The course has a lovely sting in the tail in the form of a steep path up a field and hill side, then a punishing descent, followed by another more shallow climb, then a steep road descent again back into Lewes. The last few kilometres really could be a painful experience if you've overdone it previously.<br />
<br />
I picked up the pace through the town, and reached the finish two second shy of 4 hours and 52 minutes. Comfortably under my five hour target, and happy to have ticked an early season marathon off - it's a good confidence builder. I've had some hard ones in the past and finished in quite poor condition (<a href="http://www.onehundredandthree.com/2016/04/race-report-seville-marathon.html">Seville last year springs to mind!</a>) - so I was happy to finish still running and still in one piece.<br />
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<i>Pace in blue, cadence in pink, and route profile in grey</i></div>
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<i>Seriously, how could my head even generate this much water?!</i></div>
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Most races give you a bag of adverts and free samples of stuff you don't want at the finish - this race sets the bar a little higher with a free pint of beer and a free pizza! Outstanding, and exactly what I was looking for after almost five hours on the trail.<br />
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<i>Thanks to <a href="http://circacirca.com/">Circa</a>'s mobile pizza van and <a href="https://www.harveys.org.uk/">Harvey's and Sons</a> for the pint - best finishing gift ever</i></div>
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In general the organisation was good - there were dozens of marshals out on the course, and no end of big purple arrows. The aid stations were water only and were a bit low on stock when I got there - I understand from later finishers that they ran out later on. That's inexcusable - it's the later finishers who are out for the longest time and will be most in need from the water stations.<br />
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A mental note for next time, it is just water at the stops - don't expect food!<br />
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<i>Nothing like seeing the winning time to put things into perspective!</i></div>
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I'm not sure where I came overall as the results aren't out yet. To be honest, I don't really care - I had a good day out, I finished well, and I got my free beer - what more do you need?<br />
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I showed a much more consistent pace and cadence than I have done in the past. Now I just have to do it twice for <a href="http://www.centurionrunning.com/races/south-downs-way-50-2017">South Downs 50</a>!Normhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13076980299596740020noreply@blogger.com4Lewes, UK50.873872000000013 0.008780000000001564350.833792500000015 -0.071900999999998438 50.91395150000001 0.089461000000001567tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5927472628741092457.post-6378480929071400552017-03-01T15:28:00.003+00:002017-03-01T15:28:32.076+00:00Centurion Running - 50-mile Grand Slam, 2017So I just got a waitlist place in the North Downs Way 50... The 50-mile grand slam attempt is on, I repeat the 50-mile grand slam attempt is on!<br />
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<i>Help!</i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
Normhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13076980299596740020noreply@blogger.com0London, UK51.5073509 -0.1277582999999822351.1912379 -0.77320529999998222 51.8234639 0.51768870000001777tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5927472628741092457.post-59387548616036104422017-03-01T15:24:00.000+00:002017-03-01T15:24:22.498+00:00Ridiculous February: The results showI challenged myself to a <a href="http://www.onehundredandthree.com/2017/02/ridiculous-february.html">big and somewhat ridiculous February</a> - getting some miles in the tank as a good base upon which to build for the races coming later in the year (suddenly, not quite so later either...).<br />
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A reminder of the objectives:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><b>Swim:</b> 28km, one for each day, including a ramp up to a 5km challenge swim for the <a href="https://www.februaryfive.com/">February Five charity challenge</a>. The swim will be hard, until last week I hadn't got in the pool since February 2015 - almost two years! I had no idea it had been that long.</li>
<li><b>Bike:</b> Seeing as there's so much swim and run, I thought I'd add some bike to the mix - I'll go for a sit on the turbo every other day and take in an episode of <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0306414/">The Wire</a> (no, I've never seen The Wire, yes I know it's reputedly the best TV series in the world ever).</li>
<li><b>Run:</b> The original idea for February was to see how far through the month I could get if I run 1km on the 1st, 2km on the 2nd, 3km on the 3rd, and so on throughout the month. Why? Because it's a bit different, it ramps the load up over 4 weeks and is good for consistency, it's going to be hard, and last but by no means least - it's fun!</li>
<li><b>Race:</b> There are a couple of races in here including the <a href="http://www.26point2.co.uk/valentines10k/">Valentines 10k</a> which will give me a chance to see what 10km shape I'm in (an early season attempt at a new PB?), and <a href="http://www.dashforthesplash.com/">Dash for the Splash</a> which is going to be wet, muddy, and a whole lot of fun.</li>
</ul>
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So, how did it go? In short: boy, did I ever underestimate the impact of running slightly further every day for a month...<br />
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It started off OK (unsurprisingly, running 1km in one day is fairly straightforward), and during the first week it was trivial to hit the pool and sit on the turbo from time to time.<br />
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<i>Week 1 - having started off getting *precisely* the right distances, the tone was set...</i></div>
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I had three small wobbles over the month that resulted in missing two (and a half) days of running - but the turbo and swimming dropped off quickly.<br />
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<i>Week 2 - scene of the first wobble</i></div>
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The first wobble came on the 9th when my good friend Matt came round to fit some connectors he'd soldered for me - I'd been struggling for literally two years to get it done, so we went to the pub to celebrate. After 4 pints, my 9km run detonated half way through. Apparently magic-beer-energy only lasts 4km, then it's all gone. I limped back home with my tail between my legs and claimed an "amber" in Training Peaks (session not completed, but at least you gave it a shot).<br />
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<i>Week 3 - and with no turbo and just one swim, I realised running was enough on its own</i></div>
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The second wobble was the 13th when, after a few days of it building, I was finally beaten by painful toothache and had to get an emergency dental appointment. No running today. Session red.<br />
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The third wobble was on the 21st, when (after being out the previous evening) I was in no condition to run! Session red.<br />
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<i>Week 4 - emergency trip to the dentist put pay to Tuesday, but apart from that carrying on well</i></div>
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As I started getting into the teens, it got harder to do anything else - the fatigue was building up and it was all I could do to complete the distance the next day, without cycling or swimming too. On the plus side, I didn't miss any more days, and finished strongly on the 28th.<br />
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<i>Week 5 - the last couple of days, getting out the door on the 28th was a challenge</i></div>
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As for races - no chance - I simply didn't feel like it. I didn't want to go out, tired, only to tire myself even more for the next day.<br />
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Swimming and biking started well, but as noted dropped off fairly quickly. Needless to say, I failed to take on the February Five challenge I'd set myself of swimming 5km (where do I get the idea I can do all this stuff at once?). This puts me in a bit of a quandary as the organiser had already sent me the medal. I'm going to give it a shot tomorrow morning, and hope nobody notices I didn't do it in February! If I don't make it, I'll have to leave the medal in its sealed bag until next year.<br />
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<i>If I'd known I was going to get such a pretty graph I'd have tried harder...</i></div>
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In summary, I'll give myself a grade B for the running challenge as despite missing a couple of sessions I am still particularly pleased to have completed all the longer days; and a grade D for everything else - a good start, but bitten off more than I could chew.<br />
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I've been wanting to try the ramping-up month for a while, I'm looking forward to a future second attempt.Normhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13076980299596740020noreply@blogger.com0London, UK51.5073509 -0.1277582999999822351.1912379 -0.77320529999998222 51.8234639 0.51768870000001777tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5927472628741092457.post-77541417860861724342017-02-01T09:00:00.000+00:002017-02-01T09:00:17.470+00:00Ridiculous FebruaryI just invented Ridiculous February.<br />
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It's a challenging and motivating month of activity with a few key characteristics:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><b>Swim:</b> 28km, one for each day, including a ramp up to a 5km challenge swim for the <a href="https://www.februaryfive.com/">February Five charity challenge</a>. The swim will be hard, until last week I hadn't got in the pool since February 2015 - almost two years! I had no idea it had been that long.</li>
<li><b>Bike:</b> Seeing as there's so much swim and run, I thought I'd add some bike to the mix - I'll go for a sit on the turbo every other day and take in an episode of <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0306414/">The Wire</a> (no, I've never seen The Wire, yes I know it's reputedly the best TV series in the world ever).</li>
<li><b>Run:</b> The original idea for February was to see how far through the month I could get if I run 1km on the 1st, 2km on the 2nd, 3km on the 3rd, and so on throughout the month. Why? Because it's a bit different, it ramps the load up over 4 weeks and is good for consistency, it's going to be hard, and last but by no means least - it's fun!</li>
<li><b>Race:</b> There are a couple of races in here including the <a href="http://www.26point2.co.uk/valentines10k/">Valentines 10k</a> which will give me a chance to see what 10km shape I'm in (an early season attempt at a new PB?), and <a href="http://www.dashforthesplash.com/">Dash for the Splash</a> which is going to be wet, muddy, and a whole lot of fun.</li>
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<i style="text-align: center;">The plan for February, courtesy of Training Peaks</i></div>
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Better be careful, at this rate I'll end up entering a triathlon!Normhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13076980299596740020noreply@blogger.com0London, UK51.5073509 -0.1277582999999822351.1912379 -0.77320529999998222 51.8234639 0.51768870000001777tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5927472628741092457.post-48651471676901248842017-01-29T17:25:00.000+00:002017-01-29T17:25:05.107+00:00Race Report: Romsey 5DNS. Stayed in bed.Normhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13076980299596740020noreply@blogger.com0London, UK51.5073509 -0.1277582999999822351.1912379 -0.77320529999998222 51.8234639 0.51768870000001777tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5927472628741092457.post-90144014249753697792017-01-21T16:44:00.000+00:002017-01-21T16:44:09.062+00:00The LOOP (London Outer Orbital Path) - Part 1 of 2<b>Background</b><br />
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Over eight or nine days I'm running round the <a href="https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/walking/loop-walk">LOOP</a> - the London Outer Orbital Path. A 152 mile circuit around London split into 24 sections and designed for walkers, with the start and finish of each section being convenient for public transport.<br />
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The route starts at Erith, on the southern bank of the Thames estuary, and runs right round London in a route that takes in many green spaces and less urban areas, to finish on the North bank of the estuary at Purfleet.<br />
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The purpose of this post is partially to record the journey, but mainly to share some of the photos I took on the way round. So far I've done half of it, I'll publish another post for the second half when I've done it.<br />
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<b>Day 1, Monday 12th December 2016</b><br />
<b>Sections 1 and 2 - Erith to Petts Wood, 26.5km, 03:16:53</b><br />
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I'm starting where the LOOP officially starts. It's a short run out East, then South West - skirting round Dartford and heading straight toward Bromley.<br />
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<i>Not too many navigational challenges today</i></div>
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<i>General upward trend, as you'd expect heading away from the river and towards Kent</i></div>
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On a cold December morning I hopped on an early train to get the LOOP underway. With Christmas coming up, and <a href="http://www.onehundredandthree.com/2017/01/race-report-country-to-capital.html">Country to Capital</a> soon afterwards, I know I'm not going to get the whole lot done within the same fortnight, but let's get started anyway.<br />
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<i>First LOOP sign</i></div>
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Although I had the route well planned in advance using my mapping app of choice, OS MapFinder, and I'd spent some time thinking about the route, I was still surprised at quite how industrial and remote it felt at the start of this first day.<br />
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<i>Looks a bit unloved out here</i></div>
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The LOOP follows the Thames Path Extension, the extra bit that runs from the Thames Barrier out to Crayford (if the previous 184 miles weren't enough Thames Path for you).<br />
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<i>The commemorative marker signalling the start of National Cycle Path 1</i></div>
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It also shares its first few miles with National Cycle Path 1, though to be honest I wouldn't bother unless you're on a mountain bike. The first mile or two are well surfaced, but it gets a bit muddy after that.<br />
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<i>This is where your recycling goes, along with old cars, white goods, and all sorts of other stuff</i></div>
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It's a fairly smelly and deserted industrial zone out here. There's plenty of machine activity in the recycle and waste processing plants, but I couldn't see many people. I saw no other walkers or cyclists on this stretch.<br />
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<i>The Queen Elizabeth II bridge</i></div>
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I have looked down from the top of the Queen Elizabeth II bridge many times, at the widening Thames and grey brown industrial areas - I like the bridge, and it was a pleasure to see it from this side for the first time. I've never been on foot in this part of London before.<br />
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<i>Looking behind me, back towards the Thames</i></div>
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The path curves to the right and heads up the River Darent, a tributary of the Thames flowing in from South East London.<br />
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<i><Insert usual rant about accessibility></i></div>
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You know you're on a National Cycle Way when you reach a horrific anti-cycling machine and this one was no different. I never cease to be amazed by the bizarre scaffolding contraptions designed to keep everyone off the path apart from able-bodied humans with no luggage.<br />
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<i>Nano-horse</i></div>
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Shortly after the annoying scaffolding, I came across some muddy but friendly miniature horses. A couple of them trotted along side me for a little while - it would have been a spiritual experience had it not been for the big chainlink fence in between us.<br />
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<i>2D bar codes get everywhere</i></div>
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The route took me over the A2 and through Bexley Village which was beautiful, I must go back and explore properly. A final climb up and over <a href="http://www.scadbury-park.org.uk/">Scadbury Park Nature Reserve</a> and then down toward Petts Wood station. The day was drawing in, I just about made it without being caught in the dark!<br />
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<b>Day 2, Tuesday 13th December 2016</b><br />
<b>Sections 3 and 4 - Petts Wood to Croydon, 20.8km, 03:02:42 </b><br />
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I like routes like today - where although it takes about ninety minutes to get to the start, and I have to go via Central London mainline stations, the finish is pleasingly easy to get home from - in this case just a tram from Croydon to virtually the end of my road.<br />
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<i>The LOOP heads West now, across South London and towards Croydon</i></div>
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<i>As every South Londoner knows, this is where they keep the hills</i></div>
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I set off bright (dark) and early (very) and almost over delivered as I arrived back at Petts Wood in the first rays of the day.<br />
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<i>Bit dark in the woods, plenty of fairy tales start out like this!</i></div>
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Thankfully the first mile or two was on nice spongy leafy trails and not a root-laden trip-fest. It soon brightened up to a slightly lighter shade of grey and the pace picked up.<br />
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<i>There was an eerie feel to the morning, still dim and misty</i></div>
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Running in the morning through parks is lovely, so quiet and peaceful. I saw remarkably few people, only the occasional dog walker.<br />
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<i>Going for some kind of adventuring/manic/Blair With Project look here</i></div>
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Pausing briefly to remind myself why I don't take selfies very often, the day was now well under way. The route was a bit fiddly, but worth it - staying nicely in parks and away from major built up areas as much as possible.<br />
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<i><a href="http://www.bbcamerica.com/anglophenia/2015/08/doctor-who-10-things-you-may-not-know-about-blink">Don't blink</a></i></div>
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<i>Great change comes from innocuous chats in the forest</i></div>
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<i>One of the best views in London, apparently... Addington Hill viewpoint</i></div>
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Coming up to 2/3 of the planned 30km distance I was starting to lose the love for the day - whilst deciding if I should cut short or not, I rounded a corner straight into a tram stop. There's a tram stop just a few hundred metres from my house - I couldn't resist such an easy journey home, so I called it a day at 20km.<br />
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<b>Day 3, Friday 16th December</b><b> 2016</b><br />
<b>Sections 5 to 7 - Hamsey Green to Ewell, 31.2km, 04:10:06</b><br />
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<i>Continuing the tour across South London, from East to West</i></div>
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<i>Bit bumpier today</i></div>
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Today was supposed to be 25km or so, but I had the end of Day 2 to complete first (which turned out to be almost 7km). Good job I got cracking early on - it's a bit distracting for evening commuters when a sweaty runner arrives in their midst.<br />
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<i>I love the way these headphones make my ears stick out</i></div>
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A brief pause for another selfie (my last, I promise) and then I found myself on more familiar territory. The LOOP follows a small section of the Vanguard Way, which I've run most of, and this section in particular as it's also part of the Croydon Ultra route - <a href="http://www.onehundredandthree.com/2015/07/race-report-croydon-ultra.html">the first Ultra I finished</a>).<br />
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<i>Full marks to who did this - a choice of three paths, and I've got the wrong one more than once</i></div>
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I was delighted to find some guerrilla signage on one of the trickier junctions, I know I've gone wrong here before and I always have to stop and double check. I made good progress here on familiar territory - spirits are high!<br />
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<i>Roundshaw Downs parkrun venue, and one of only four events I've done more than once</i></div>
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It was to be a day of familiar places as before long I came across <a href="http://www.parkrun.org.uk/roundshaw/">Roundshaw Downs parkrun</a> venue. I have fond memories of this place, it being the parkrun I made by the skin of my teeth on the famous <a href="http://www.onehundredandthree.com/2012/01/parkrun-quintathlon.html">New Year's Day triple</a> in 2012.<br />
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<i>Nonsuch park, home of the first inaugural parkrun I attended</i></div>
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Round a few more corners and another parkrun was before me - this time <a href="http://www.parkrun.org.uk/nonsuch/">Nonsuch Park</a> and another one of the <a href="http://www.onehundredandthree.com/2012/01/parkrun-quintathlon.html">New Year's Day triple</a> events.<br />
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<b>Day 4.1, Sunday 18th December</b><b> 2016</b><br />
<b>Sections 8 to 10 (part 1) - Ewell to Kingston-upon-Thames, 12.6km, 01:38:18</b><br />
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<i>Somewhat truncated today, but nice and local from Croydon through to Kingston</i></div>
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<i>Mainly downhill for this section, with a lump at half way</i></div>
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Today's run just never got going. The first few km went well, but quickly I felt fatigued and uncommitted - a rare run experience, but it happens from time to time.<br />
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<i>Launch tube 13</i></div>
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As I wasn't running particularly quickly, I had trouble warming up. It was a cold Sunday morning and it wasn't showing any signs of warming up.<br />
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<i>Another cold and misty morning in a London park</i></div>
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I decided to stop at the next convenient point and get a coffee. Shortly I arrived at Kingston-upon-Thames where there are a multitude of coffee options. Stumbling coldly into the local Bill's Restaurant I found myself ordering a breakfast as well as coffee. Only 10km in, but that's enough for today - time to warm up, and feed up.<br />
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<i>Yup, this was the right decision today</i></div>
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<b>Day 4.2, Thursday 22nd December</b><b> 2016</b><br />
<b>Sections 8 to 10 (part 2) - Kingston-upon-Thames to Hayes & Harlington, 23.9km, 02:39:40</b><br />
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<i>Heading up the Western side of the LOOP, some very familiar areas today</i></div>
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<i>Gradually rising, but only 25 metres in almost as many kilometres</i></div>
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Back to Kingston-upon-Thames, a convenient 15 minute train ride away, and on a much brighter and clearer day it was time to pick up my Day 4 route in a more positive frame of mind.<br />
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<i>Don't stray from the path</i></div>
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<i>The famous <a href="http://www.parkrun.org.uk/bushy/">Bushy park parkrun</a> starting straight - imagine a thousand parkrunners thundering bye!</i></div>
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Before long I had arrived at another parkrun - this time at the spiritual home of parkrun and where it all began over a decade ago - <a href="http://parkrun.org.uk/bushy/">Bushy Park</a>. With around a thousand runners every week Bushy Park needs a wide and straight first kilometre, and some military precision when it comes to managing the finishers who arrive at a rate of 100 per minute at the peak.<br />
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It's no wonder many parkrunners have a run at Bushy Park on their bucket list. There's something special about this course, and it's well worth the parkrun pilgrimage.<br />
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<i>Guerilla Christmas decorating in Bushy Park</i></div>
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A little further on I came across some decorated bushes. There didn't seem to be anything special about the bushes, they were just the lucky recipients of some festive colour.<br />
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<i>Hard to run in London without being saddened by all the rubbish</i></div>
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One thing it's hard not to notice is the amount of rubbish on the route. Most of the parks and forests are clean, but as the LOOP grazes more urban areas the rubbish gets really obvious. The volumes rarely get as bad as in my photo, but I felt sad and wanted to capture the mess.<br />
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Maybe on these long runs I should take a big bin liner and fill it up each day? Maybe if we all did that we could make a difference? Of course, it would be far better if everyone cared about their environment in the first place...<br />
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<i>Board walk across the marshes</i></div>
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The closing few miles of today's route go right past Heathrow. You don't really understand what a plane every 45 seconds is like until you run under the approach path (or live there, of course). I live under one of the final approach routes, but I don't get every single plane. Living here must be very draining.<br />
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<i>Almost literally running past the end of the runway at Heathrow</i></div>
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Full disclosure: Yes there's a little digital zoom in the pic above, but not much!<br />
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<i>Launch tube 7</i></div>
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That's the end of Day 4 - and the first half of the LOOP. Some familiar areas, and some very new and different. I am enjoying these runs - London can be a lot greener and pleasant than you may imagine. Get out there and run, walk, or cycle and see for yourself.<br />
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Bring on 2017 and the second half!</div>
Normhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13076980299596740020noreply@blogger.com0London, UK51.5073509 -0.1277582999999822351.1912379 -0.77320529999998222 51.8234639 0.51768870000001777tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5927472628741092457.post-43307770154979044232017-01-15T19:10:00.000+00:002017-01-15T19:10:16.395+00:00Race Report: Country to Capital<div>
I've fancied a crack at <a href="http://gobeyondultra.co.uk/">Go Beyond Ultra</a>'s <a href="http://gobeyondultra.co.uk/events/country_to_capital_2017">Country to Capital</a> race for a while. <a href="http://www.totkat.org/">Mrs</a> has run it twice before, in <a href="http://www.totkat.org/2014/01/race-report-country-to-capital-that-was.html">2014</a> and <a href="http://www.totkat.org/2016/01/race-report-country-to-capital-2016.html">2016</a>. Until relatively recently, entering a 43 mile race would have felt like lunacy - but now with two 50 mile races to my name 43 miles felt quite manageable.</div>
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<i>Country, to Capital</i></div>
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The race is just as it says on the tin. It starts in the country, Wendover, and finishes in the city, Little Venice near Paddington. The first half is primarily on well used trails away from built up areas, and the second half is along the Grand Union Canal towpath and moves through the industrial outskirts, urban ring, and re-developed centre of London. </div>
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<i>Probably being a little hopeful with the duration of the calendar entry</i></div>
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<a href="http://www.totkat.org/">Mrs</a> and I entered the race at the same time and were assigned sequential race numbers - amusingly, a transposition of our Ironman 2012 assigned numbers (<a href="http://www.onehundredandthree.com/2012/06/one-hundred-and-three-dot-com.html">and reason for the name of this blog</a>).</div>
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We stayed over at The Red Lion Hotel (<a href="http://www.redlionhotelwendover.co.uk/">noisy</a>) so we could get up at a sensible time and have a light breakfast ahead of registration at <a href="http://www.chefandbrewer.com/pub/shoulder-of-mutton-wendover-aylesbury/p1189/?utm_source=g_places&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=places&utm_content=p1189">The Shoulder of Mutton</a> pub just up the road.</div>
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<i>* Other configurations are available</i></div>
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Registration was very busy, with over 300 entrants to get through it was bound to be crowded and chaotic. We bumped into James from Centurion and old friend and parkrun tourist Mike.</div>
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<i>Me and Mrs, ready to go</i></div>
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<i>Morning, Mike!</i></div>
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It was cold, but not unmanageably so. My choice of merino t-shirt for base layer, long sleeved merino mid layer, and long sleeved outer seemed to have been the right choice. A little later than the advertised time of 08:30, and after a race briefing that was spoken over so much I didn't even realise it was happening, we were off.</div>
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The race starts with a 300m sprint down the road to a narrow chicane onto a pathway. Those who want a shot at winning know getting through this early pinch-point quickly is essential, so as the main pack jogged down the path the front runners set off at full tilt!</div>
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Mrs and I had decided to run together, not something we've done in a race before. We ran together a lot last year, particularly during <a href="http://www.onehundredandthree.com/2016/08/longest-run-ever-ndw153.html">the 6-day traversal of the North Downs Way</a>, but we haven't run together in a race - and not for as far as 43 miles.</div>
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<i>Assembled for the start, out of the car park and left down the hill</i></div>
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The opening stages of the race went well, we stayed together and made good progress. About 10 miles in <a href="http://www.totkat.org/">Mrs</a> started to feel a lack of energy, like she couldn't get properly warmed up or into a good rhythm. She's got an amazing diesel engine for running - once she's up to temperature she can run forever, but today it just didn't seem to be getting going.</div>
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Having covered the first third of the distance fairly well, we slowed considerably up to half way where the route joined the canal. Without talking about it too directly we covered the option of DNFing a couple of times, but decided to push on.</div>
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Jogging slowly, but still covering ground, we made our way down the first section of the canal and to the left turn to Paddington - that marked 30 miles down, 13 to go.</div>
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<i>The run down to the first pinch point</i></div>
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The going now was slow, with a fair amount of walking. We made sure to walk with purpose when we did walk to continue covering as much ground as we could. In between the last two checkpoints we decided to stop trying to run, and route march the last 10km (6 1/4 miles). That took the pressure off trying to run, and meant we could focus on fast and deliberate walking.</div>
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Darkness had fallen and we were wearing our head torches. The temperature dropped markedly, and that helped motivate us to keep going. <a href="http://www.totkat.org/">Mrs</a> moving well, despite aches and pains and a lack of diesel engine, and we were covering a kilometre every 10 minutes. </div>
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<i>Made it!</i></div>
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We got to the finish in 9 hours and 51 minutes for <a href="http://race-results.info/2017/19170114coun/">293rd and 294th place out of 312 finishers</a> - a full hour slower than <a href="http://www.totkat.org/">Mrs</a> had run it last year. I'm proud of our race - we kept going, stayed together, and pushed on through to the end. I'm proud of <a href="http://www.totkat.org/">Mrs</a> for pushing on and finishing when it would have been so easy to throw the towel in. It would have been very easy for us to stop any number of times - but we didn't. </div>
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<i>How not to pace 43 miles - lots of walking, and only walking (briskly) for last 10km</i></div>
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It was a pleasant surprise to see <a href="http://www.twitter.com/abradypus">Louise</a> at the finish, and she joined us in the pub afterwards to chat, warm up, and refuel. I don't think <a href="http://www.totkat.org/">Mrs</a> will run Country to Capital again, she's come to the conclusion, after three completions, that she just doesn't like the course. I will consider it next year, I feel like I have unfinished business and I'd like to see what kind of performance I can put in.<br />
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<i>All worth it in the end - another one for the collection</i></div>
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Normhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13076980299596740020noreply@blogger.com0Wendover, UK51.761877 -0.7397789999999986351.72257 -0.82045999999999863 51.801184 -0.65909799999999863tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5927472628741092457.post-89914857497701931672017-01-09T18:57:00.002+00:002017-01-10T09:13:01.850+00:00New year runs in the U-S-A!I've always enjoyed New Year, and since I entered the world of parkrun I enjoy it all the more. There was the famous (and once in a lifetime) <a href="http://www.onehundredandthree.com/2012/01/parkrun-quintathlon.html">New Year's Day triple</a> in 2012, and the <a href="http://www.onehundredandthree.com/2014/01/happy-new-year.html">tourist trip to Middlesborough</a> in 2014 where we celebrated the coming of the New Year in a Harvester and ran Stewart and Albert parkruns. In 2015 we ran a Reading parkrun double of Woodleigh and Reading, and there was last year, 2016, when I went away with <a href="http://www.totkat.org/">Mrs</a> to bonny Scotland, and we celebrated Hogmanay, saw the Northern lights, and <a href="http://www.onehundredandthree.com/2016/01/race-report-blairgowrie-annual-new.html">ran three Scottish park runs in two days</a> (St. Andrews, Camperdown (Dundee), and Perth). Whilst at Perth we found out about the third run available on that day - the (apparently) famous Blairgowie New Year's Day Fun Run - 6km flat-out racing round the village!<br />
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<i>First time on an A380 - it's yuuuuuge</i></div>
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This year we decided to push the boat out even further, and, courtesy of a boat-load (plane-load?) of Avios, we hopped across the pond to Washington D.C. With three of the eight parkruns currently live in the US (Fletcher's Cove, Roosevelt Island, and College Park) and soon to be joined by a further two (Anacostia Park and Kingman Island), D.C. is certainly a beating heart of parkrun.<br />
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<i>Left to right: Fletcher's Cove, Roosevelt Island, and College Park</i></div>
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I was hoping we might be able to do all three events, one on Saturday, New Year's Eve, and a New Year's Day double for the other two. As Fletcher's Cove and Roosevelt Island are just a couple of kilometers apart I dropped the event directors a note back in November suggesting they may want to put on the first ever US double event - however, I wasn't planning on the third annual "Fit DC - Run with the mayor" event.<br />
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The Fit DC 5km is part of an initiative led by Mayor Muriel Bowser to help DC residents get fitter in the New Year. It's a free timed 5km run that starts at 9am (sound familiar?) on New Year's Day each year.<br />
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Given the overlap between this mission and that of parkrun, I wasn't surprised that parkrun didn't want to put on a clashing event. I signed us up, and looked forward to 9am, 1st January, 2017.<br />
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Only College Park was running on New Year's Day, at 11am to give people time to get across after running with Mayor Bowser. I thought we could jog up, until I learned it was 12 miles away... After a brief chat with Colin Phillips, husband of Event Director Andrea, we'd secured ourselves a lift - thanks Colin!<br />
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Colin, and the rest of the D.C. parkrun crew had a tent at Fit DC. They were very welcoming to us, and all the Fit D.C. entrants - it looks like they'd secured a few dozen new sign-ups too.<br />
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<b>New Year's Eve - Roosevelt Island parkrun - 0:22:53</b><br />
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This is a really interesting course on Theodore Roosevelt Island in the Potomac river. It's a folded-P style, and only just about fits on the island. Most of the East side is swamp land, and a long section of board-walk covers that area. The main feature is the Roosevelt monument, set on the highest point of the island. It looks like there's an accompanying water feature, but it seems to be off out of season.<br />
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<i>The local Starbucks had a Roosevelt Island parkrun flyer</i></div>
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<i>The statue of Theodore Roosevelt</i></div>
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<i>The Roosevelt Island parkrun team</i></div>
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I set off hard, hoping for a quick time on the undulating course. Running on the board-walk was great fun - it springs very slightly and means you can virtually fly along. I ran the first couple of kilometres a bit faster than I should, for as I rounded the loop of the P to start my return journey my legs were complaining. I didn't have much left for the last kilometre, and was quite slow up the shallow hill to the finish.<br />
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<i>Classic folded-P design</i></div>
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Great fun though, small and perfectly formed, I'd highly recommend it to any tourists.<br />
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<i>Post-parkrun relaxation in the Watergate Hotel library - scandalous!</i></div>
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<b>New Year's Day - Fit DC 5k</b><br />
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The Fit D.C. course was on East Potomac Park - a wide flat out-and-back entirely on tarmac. I ran the first half with Colin, and the second half with Colin and Andrea once we'd caught her up. There was a huge turn out, and many looked to be new or inexperienced runners - it was great, I hope they get the bug and start parkrunning. The Mayor did indeed run, and she was waving and high-fiving everyone all the way around - not at all what you might think Mayors are like.<br />
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<i>The parkrun tent was very popular</i></div>
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<i>All the local parkruns, plus sign-up sheets for the interested</i></div>
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<i>parkrun t-shirts with numbers - an unusual combination!</i></div>
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<i>Colin Philips, <a href="http://www.totkat.org/">Mrs</a>, and me</i></div>
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There was a timing team there, and the race numbers were chipped, but I'm not sure if the times will be published - just like parkrun it was more of a run than a race.<br />
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<i>Well organised run, with a proper start/finish inflatable and free t-shirt - not bad!</i></div>
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<i>Quite literally running with the Mayor - Muriel Bowser, with the big smile and the fluffy white hat</i></div>
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<i>Out and back round the tip of East Potomac Park</i></div>
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<i>Started at an easy pace for the first third, and then settled in at a good pace for the remainder</i></div>
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<b>New Year's Day - College Park parkrun - 0:21:55</b><br />
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Hopping in the car we were ferried off to College Park - via Colin's house to pick up cake! I've been looking forward to this run for quite some time - it was to be my 200th different parkrun course (a "Double Cowell" in parkrun lexicon).<br />
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<i>Best parkrun cake ever - lemony goodness baked by Andrea</i></div>
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There was a good turnout, including a couple who hadn't got the memo and turned up at 9am! I got a shout-out in the run briefing, and before long we were off. I was determined to put in a good time, and went off fast. The course was a flat out-and-back with a dead turn at the mid-way point. I set off with a small group, but they slowly pulled away and I ran 4km on my own, desperately trying to reel in the person in front.<br />
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<i>A fast out and back - nowhere to hide if you're falling off the pace</i></div>
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<i>Worked hard all the way, the turn-around is easy to see, and I saved a bit for a quicker finish too</i></div>
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<i><a href="http://www.totkat.org/">Mrs</a> coming in for a big finish on a beautiful sunny New Year's Day</i></div>
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<i>The finish, with plenty of volunteers on hand</i></div>
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I didn't catch them, but I did finish in a very respectable 21:55, for my 5th fastest parkrun ever - I'm certainly not going to complain about that!<br />
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<i>Couldn't resist a picture of this reminder not to wander off with your position token</i></div>
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<b>Other runs we did this week</b><br />
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A run up to the Capital Building on the first day, trying to combat the effects of jet lag (then we got blindsided, and almost snow blinded, when it started snowing - as much to the surprise of the locals as to us).<br />
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<i>The Lincoln Memorial</i></div>
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<i>The Washington Memorial as seen from the far side of the reflecting lake</i></div>
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<i>Flags are positioned around the base of the Washington Memorial</i></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>The memorial is absolutely enormous, far larger than I was expecting</i></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZyBec5aDdKk46TPLmpInsCOptP64ULMazT_7K8-C0sEb2zzA6nal9-g7t4OZZDL9lGPvwegedyTLumou-Je70vlGlUs-9PoRXUClgMSC90G64Y6qTfxcyIeLtkyRSOY7aUmbDrtvURbwc/s1600/2016-12-30+11.01.59+HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZyBec5aDdKk46TPLmpInsCOptP64ULMazT_7K8-C0sEb2zzA6nal9-g7t4OZZDL9lGPvwegedyTLumou-Je70vlGlUs-9PoRXUClgMSC90G64Y6qTfxcyIeLtkyRSOY7aUmbDrtvURbwc/s640/2016-12-30+11.01.59+HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Looking up to the Capital building</i></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7rsQj8jbPH-sJi7JnSs9oTeAz1i0l-QrPuPWH8sfrKwzPHWKbxCHh9Us3FlUVzZGs9Lc-CZrezWJm8NClD_pT1n8LZBmpvqkH0BS5UIDcQDkmoWvHCGLxO3SQtXJdWS8HUsjPhyphenhyphenA4tLTs/s1600/2017-01-04+14.30.03+HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7rsQj8jbPH-sJi7JnSs9oTeAz1i0l-QrPuPWH8sfrKwzPHWKbxCHh9Us3FlUVzZGs9Lc-CZrezWJm8NClD_pT1n8LZBmpvqkH0BS5UIDcQDkmoWvHCGLxO3SQtXJdWS8HUsjPhyphenhyphenA4tLTs/s640/2017-01-04+14.30.03+HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>The White House - the place was surrounded by inauguration preparation activity and scaffolding</i></div>
<br />
Run down the river in a sustained heavy rain shower, only for the return path to be nonexistent, so we had to run back the way we'd come - on the plus side we now know the Fletcher's Cove parkrun course too!<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl4EGrwgzAIbDOSoI3FlGuDGwT1ML5x2aUjrblLQ0o4_LPyMEQTv8Oswb40CV85bJiVkIjKN4q0AtqGPlQx_QVv7mIQ1TY1h2aP_a_XDurhCiMW7MLa9F8IgHFMuavNK4ne8UOKD6IrKdS/s1600/2017-01-03+09.47.13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl4EGrwgzAIbDOSoI3FlGuDGwT1ML5x2aUjrblLQ0o4_LPyMEQTv8Oswb40CV85bJiVkIjKN4q0AtqGPlQx_QVv7mIQ1TY1h2aP_a_XDurhCiMW7MLa9F8IgHFMuavNK4ne8UOKD6IrKdS/s640/2017-01-03+09.47.13.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Another parkrun location ticked off</i></div>
<br />
A couple of Roosevelt Island freedom runs (or one at least, given a routing error the first time i tried it), plus a lovely run on our last day to the South to look at the Pentagon and the 9/11 memorials.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiesaRSXdFT8c5aemEgrk1s2JbRUjoacmEaxufO6a19xjpv63C81V0HQCp7_d9QZVouXVXCGFrzn1eWsOTniGVSdUyN_Zt6RK3YZyKDIRhpvDw3bsZgItV8Rrt_4F5-2EMX8n-iHmHnPmqM/s1600/2017-01-05+11.49.30.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiesaRSXdFT8c5aemEgrk1s2JbRUjoacmEaxufO6a19xjpv63C81V0HQCp7_d9QZVouXVXCGFrzn1eWsOTniGVSdUyN_Zt6RK3YZyKDIRhpvDw3bsZgItV8Rrt_4F5-2EMX8n-iHmHnPmqM/s640/2017-01-05+11.49.30.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Great view of the Washington Memorial and Lincoln Memorial from across the river</i></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPjCNo309TRqljSdPqMynrGOjgvLMF9rDVKKengWA0LaYKXVCiokiaOtq8deJbAqZRAthAYD_gIuB6Xuy6cfm4eXOaN9AphPD36Yl2ahPK4KvNg9B49RhxVHpeMbPtTuuaNOUoe2uqNOYx/s1600/2017-01-05+12.10.38.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPjCNo309TRqljSdPqMynrGOjgvLMF9rDVKKengWA0LaYKXVCiokiaOtq8deJbAqZRAthAYD_gIuB6Xuy6cfm4eXOaN9AphPD36Yl2ahPK4KvNg9B49RhxVHpeMbPtTuuaNOUoe2uqNOYx/s640/2017-01-05+12.10.38.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>One side of The Pentagon - also absolutely enormous</i></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfX4Vl4BfMDgv4tj0PircQ-DLHP59vRvTdJcFVMZfKAcZ6elASJPYDY5berkqJE4xnKnwDGva80YczPBZqbUIyNPjdF9KNvFAR4uQdAk8Vr8r8WLw2PRVXH61mJLHRaZUrPu1oZ-ZRiyCL/s1600/2017-01-05+12.24.34.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfX4Vl4BfMDgv4tj0PircQ-DLHP59vRvTdJcFVMZfKAcZ6elASJPYDY5berkqJE4xnKnwDGva80YczPBZqbUIyNPjdF9KNvFAR4uQdAk8Vr8r8WLw2PRVXH61mJLHRaZUrPu1oZ-ZRiyCL/s640/2017-01-05+12.24.34.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>The Air Force Memorial to 9/11 - a staggeringly beautiful structure</i></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhltUR6QsIVKaRdExeQXQkfLFlum3099Rb6azqAGvuPo2S1dNIxAa25yQ2LHOygXkU5okMFbwp6ufLAgLG46tJ-Rj__uyFLFkr1Rx_56kLmhaQoh-E_vubD83-h7djWwXCQP0PmB2zdhODW/s1600/2017-01-05+12.26.48.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhltUR6QsIVKaRdExeQXQkfLFlum3099Rb6azqAGvuPo2S1dNIxAa25yQ2LHOygXkU5okMFbwp6ufLAgLG46tJ-Rj__uyFLFkr1Rx_56kLmhaQoh-E_vubD83-h7djWwXCQP0PmB2zdhODW/s640/2017-01-05+12.26.48.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>The shape is designed to resemble the arcing of con-trails from aircraft</i></div>
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg22l9IdDcibb6D7Nx19ylb8aHWhTnb-nBaNvUGmzMoE2cVSI1hRfnamV_HLRJndy42tt84UJT1S2WUrSMr0OUo_J0NxOLNZBBwnQfo63LAahD3Otop9ZyDHgnWjy92z0VYtiZeAvGciFVm/s1600/2017-01-05+12.30.21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg22l9IdDcibb6D7Nx19ylb8aHWhTnb-nBaNvUGmzMoE2cVSI1hRfnamV_HLRJndy42tt84UJT1S2WUrSMr0OUo_J0NxOLNZBBwnQfo63LAahD3Otop9ZyDHgnWjy92z0VYtiZeAvGciFVm/s640/2017-01-05+12.30.21.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>It's beautiful from every angle</i></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIXLco4AoDpzKfyUDPgN6JttnBMyAEk5G_mvX3jC0wz7L2YYKUovc0pb11CW2IMulQNJ2ab39ut1i2SW0AP-d7VwsnsYnHjEvuCG78nH-b0JcScSxj3XsJl12a7RtBbsHuH9ry8PJCE4UX/s1600/Screen+Shot+2017-01-09+at+18.30.24.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIXLco4AoDpzKfyUDPgN6JttnBMyAEk5G_mvX3jC0wz7L2YYKUovc0pb11CW2IMulQNJ2ab39ut1i2SW0AP-d7VwsnsYnHjEvuCG78nH-b0JcScSxj3XsJl12a7RtBbsHuH9ry8PJCE4UX/s640/Screen+Shot+2017-01-09+at+18.30.24.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Our last morning's run, including a loop of Roosevelt Island again, just for fun</i></div>
<br />
<span style="background-color: #bd081c; background-position: 3px 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; background-size: 14px 14px; border-bottom-left-radius: 2px; border-bottom-right-radius: 2px; border-top-left-radius: 2px; border-top-right-radius: 2px; border: none; color: white; cursor: pointer; display: none; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; left: 42px; line-height: 20px; opacity: 1; padding: 0px 4px 0px 0px; position: absolute; text-align: center; text-indent: 20px; top: 216px; width: auto; z-index: 8675309;">Save</span><span style="background-color: #bd081c; background-position: 3px 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; background-size: 14px 14px; border-bottom-left-radius: 2px; border-bottom-right-radius: 2px; border-top-left-radius: 2px; border-top-right-radius: 2px; border: none; color: white; cursor: pointer; display: none; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; left: 42px; line-height: 20px; opacity: 1; padding: 0px 4px 0px 0px; position: absolute; text-align: center; text-indent: 20px; top: 216px; width: auto; z-index: 8675309;">Save</span><span style="background-color: #bd081c; background-position: 3px 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; background-size: 14px 14px; border-bottom-left-radius: 2px; border-bottom-right-radius: 2px; border-top-left-radius: 2px; border-top-right-radius: 2px; border: none; color: white; cursor: pointer; display: none; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; left: 42px; line-height: 20px; opacity: 1; padding: 0px 4px 0px 0px; position: absolute; text-align: center; text-indent: 20px; top: 216px; width: auto; z-index: 8675309;">Save</span><span style="background-color: #bd081c; background-position: 3px 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; background-size: 14px 14px; border-bottom-left-radius: 2px; border-bottom-right-radius: 2px; border-top-left-radius: 2px; border-top-right-radius: 2px; border: none; color: white; cursor: pointer; display: none; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; left: 42px; line-height: 20px; opacity: 1; padding: 0px 4px 0px 0px; position: absolute; text-align: center; text-indent: 20px; top: 216px; width: auto; z-index: 8675309;">Save</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #bd081c; background-position: 3px 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; background-size: 14px 14px; border-bottom-left-radius: 2px; border-bottom-right-radius: 2px; border-top-left-radius: 2px; border-top-right-radius: 2px; border: none; color: white; cursor: pointer; display: none; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; left: 42px; line-height: 20px; opacity: 1; padding: 0px 4px 0px 0px; position: absolute; text-align: center; text-indent: 20px; top: 216px; width: auto; z-index: 8675309;">Save</span><span style="background-color: #bd081c; background-position: 3px 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; background-size: 14px 14px; border-bottom-left-radius: 2px; border-bottom-right-radius: 2px; border-top-left-radius: 2px; border-top-right-radius: 2px; border: none; color: white; cursor: pointer; display: none; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; left: 42px; line-height: 20px; opacity: 1; padding: 0px 4px 0px 0px; position: absolute; text-align: center; text-indent: 20px; top: 216px; width: auto; z-index: 8675309;">Save</span>Normhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13076980299596740020noreply@blogger.com0Washington, DC, USA38.9071923 -77.03687070000000938.7094553 -77.3595942 39.104929299999995 -76.714147200000014tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5927472628741092457.post-73227328953533950452017-01-01T00:30:00.000+00:002017-01-01T00:30:11.482+00:00Objectives for 2017I've said before that unless you're really focussing on a particular distance, and if you're an average back-half-of-the-pack athlete like me, then there's no reason why you can't improve over all distances just by being fitter, faster, and taking better care of yourself.<br />
<br />
I've got gradually slower over most distances following my fitness peak and Ironman adventures of 2012. 2017 is the year I reverse the trend. I'm going to try and set a new Personal Best time over every distance I have a proper time for, and is a standard distance. I always work better with a tangible target, and it's nice to have a reason to aim for a new PB (rather than just wanting a new PB).<br />
<br />
Just for fun, I'm adding two stretch goals of running 2017 miles and getting my weight under 80kg - I've been there before, I know I can do it!<br />
<br />
Happy New Year everyone, and happy running!<br />
<br />
Here's what I'm aiming for:<br />
<br />
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<td height=19 class=xl65 width=71 style='height:14.0pt;width:53pt'>Distance</td>
<td class=xl65 width=64 style='width:48pt'>PB</td>
<td class=xl65 width=189 style='width:142pt'>Recorded at</td>
<td class=xl65 width=85 style='width:64pt'>Difficulty</td>
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<td height=87 class=xl67 style='height:65.0pt;border-top:none'>1 mile</td>
<td class=xl68 style='border-top:none'>00:06:53</td>
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Westminster Mile</td>
<td class=xl70 style='border-top:none'>*</td>
<td class=xl71 width=277 style='border-top:none;width:208pt'>The parkrun wave
- where I arrived late and flustered, and went off too hard. Legs fizzing and
breath burning for the last quarter. I've since run invididual miles faster
within parkruns.</td>
</tr>
<tr height=104 style='height:78.0pt'>
<td height=104 class=xl67 style='height:78.0pt;border-top:none'>5 km</td>
<td class=xl68 style='border-top:none'>00:21:14</td>
<td class=xl71 width=189 style='border-top:none;width:142pt'>June 2012<br>
Beckton parkrun</td>
<td class=xl70 style='border-top:none'>*****</td>
<td class=xl71 width=277 style='border-top:none;width:208pt'>This will be
very hard. Beckton inaugural was a slightly short course, and I was in peak
Ironman fitness. This will be the hardest PB to break - I've run many hard
5km in 2016 and only broken 22 minutes once.<br>
</td>
</tr>
<tr height=104 style='height:78.0pt'>
<td height=104 class=xl67 style='height:78.0pt;border-top:none'>5 miles</td>
<td class=xl68 style='border-top:none'>00:41:38</td>
<td class=xl71 width=189 style='border-top:none;width:142pt'>August
2015<br>
2nd Sunday 5</td>
<td class=xl70 style='border-top:none'>*****</td>
<td class=xl71 width=277 style='border-top:none;width:208pt'>The only 5-mile
races I've done are a local trail race, including a nasty hill. Twice.
Therefore, this should be achievable - however the race is more popular now,
and the course narrow, so careful with the optimism.</td>
</tr>
<tr height=87 style='height:65.0pt'>
<td height=87 class=xl67 style='height:65.0pt;border-top:none'>10 km</td>
<td class=xl68 style='border-top:none'>00:49:57</td>
<td class=xl71 width=189 style='border-top:none;width:142pt'>October
2012<br>
Clapham Common Race Series</td>
<td class=xl70 style='border-top:none'>*</td>
<td class=xl71 width=277 style='border-top:none;width:208pt'>This is the
fastest timed 10km I have, however I've run in the 47-minute range in
training since - therefore this should be straight-forward to better.<br>
</td>
</tr>
<tr height=87 style='height:65.0pt'>
<td height=87 class=xl67 style='height:65.0pt;border-top:none'>10 miles</td>
<td class=xl68 style='border-top:none'>01:19:17</td>
<td class=xl71 width=189 style='border-top:none;width:142pt'>September
2015<br>
Cumberland Ale 10</td>
<td class=xl70 style='border-top:none'>***</td>
<td class=xl71 width=277 style='border-top:none;width:208pt'>I've only run a
10 mile race once, a small local race when on holiday. I put everything in,
and had a really enjyable run. Might be challenging to beat.<br>
</td>
</tr>
<tr height=87 style='height:65.0pt'>
<td height=87 class=xl67 style='height:65.0pt;border-top:none'>1/2 Mara.</td>
<td class=xl68 style='border-top:none'>01:40:31</td>
<td class=xl71 width=189 style='border-top:none;width:142pt'>October
2012<br>
Royal Parks Half Marathon</td>
<td class=xl70 style='border-top:none'>****</td>
<td class=xl71 width=277 style='border-top:none;width:208pt'>Coming out of
2012 after a seasonof Ironman, this one will be a challenge to beat. Requires
sustained well-managed pacing, and a lot of pain!<br>
</td>
</tr>
<tr height=88 style='mso-height-source:userset;height:66.0pt'>
<td height=88 class=xl67 style='height:66.0pt;border-top:none'>Marathon</td>
<td class=xl68 style='border-top:none'>03:59:19</td>
<td class=xl71 width=189 style='border-top:none;width:142pt'>April 2014<br>
Rotterdam Marathon</td>
<td class=xl70 style='border-top:none'>****</td>
<td class=xl71 width=277 style='border-top:none;width:208pt'>Went out with
the aim of breaking four hours and made it by seconds thanks to the slowest
sprint finish ever. To beat this I'll need to hold my pace in check in the
first half.</td>
</tr>
<tr height=92 style='mso-height-source:userset;height:69.0pt'>
<td height=92 class=xl67 style='height:69.0pt;border-top:none'>50 km</td>
<td class=xl68 style='border-top:none'>06:20:59</td>
<td class=xl71 width=189 style='border-top:none;width:142pt'>July 2015<br>
Croydon Ultra</td>
<td class=xl70 style='border-top:none'>***</td>
<td class=xl71 width=277 style='border-top:none;width:208pt'>Both 50km races
I've completed involved a lot of walking, once due to injury, and once to
prevent damage ahead of a more important race. It's a hard distance to guage.</td>
</tr>
<tr height=104 style='height:78.0pt'>
<td height=104 class=xl72 style='height:78.0pt;border-top:none'>50 miles</td>
<td class=xl73 style='border-top:none'>11:38:31</td>
<td class=xl74 width=189 style='border-top:none;width:142pt'>September
2016<br>
Chiltern Wonderland 50</td>
<td class=xl75 style='border-top:none'>*</td>
<td class=xl74 width=277 style='border-top:none;width:208pt'>After just two
50-mile ultras, I respect the distance immensley. I feel I have a lot to
learn, and therefor a lot of room for improvement, over the next year, so am
rating this as easy to improve - but it won't be an easy race that's for
sure.</td>
</tr>
</table>
</body>
</html>
Normhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13076980299596740020noreply@blogger.com0Wimbledon, UK51.418338899999988 -0.2206287999999858651.378736899999986 -0.30130979999998586 51.45794089999999 -0.13994779999998586tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5927472628741092457.post-43275705385361081352016-11-28T11:14:00.001+00:002016-11-28T19:44:09.570+00:00Race report: Centurion Running Wendover Woods 50<b>The day before race day</b><br />
<br />
So, the day is upon us (or at least it will be tomorrow). I've been quite nervous about this race, it's going to be tough. I fully expect it to be the hardest race I've ever tried. Not helped by training not being as good as it should have been (is it ever?), a compulsion to eat and drink inappropriate foods meaning I'm heavier than I want to be, and my head not playing nicely (more on that somewhere else at some other time).<br />
<br />
BUT - I've never gone into a race not planning to finish, and this one is no different - so let's zip up the positivity vest and get on with it.<br />
<br />
Tomorrow, it will get dark at around 4:30pm - I know my pace will drop off then. I'm not confident in the dark, and I haven't trained in the dark with my head torch. Race start is 8am, so that's eight and a half hours of light - I need to use them well. The laps are 10 miles, and in training they've taken an average of around two and a quarter hours. Race day will be a little slower, but I should still be able to get three laps done in the light - an average of two hours and fifty minutes per lap.<br />
<br />
That leaves two full laps in the dark. On the plus side I've run four or five laps in training, on the actual course, so I know it well. Its twisty and complicated, but I can run it from memory now with no problem. Getting lost shouldn't be an issue (plus Centurion course marking is outstanding).<br />
<br />
Race cut off isn't until midnight so that leaves a further seven and a half hours to complete the final two laps - which is plenty of time. Providing I can still get up the hills! There's around 600m of ascent on each lap, so 3km of height gained over the whole course - more than I've done in a day before, even hiking in the Lake District. But - providing my knees don't explode - it's achievable.<br />
<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXNRtPJv9AVd6Ezt64t5d1gOOkgJXtUKX06md9OT2DcfhnOQdYPtPcbn-QyK1nfpxGksRwlnl928mhSflT6Z08OSpcBWwDy4_aCD49tyTvmSCKekQPzhIJkjfNQ-_MChP4F20B9z_no9kw/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-11-25+at+17.59.19.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXNRtPJv9AVd6Ezt64t5d1gOOkgJXtUKX06md9OT2DcfhnOQdYPtPcbn-QyK1nfpxGksRwlnl928mhSflT6Z08OSpcBWwDy4_aCD49tyTvmSCKekQPzhIJkjfNQ-_MChP4F20B9z_no9kw/s640/Screen+Shot+2016-11-25+at+17.59.19.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Cool, not windy, and clear once the fog lifts - good running weather</i></div>
<br />
The weather looks good. <a href="http://www.totkat.org/">Mrs</a> is on her way up on a train right now to support me tomorrow and help out at the mid-point aid station. And I've packed something for breakfast in the morning (to avoid having to chew on an old piece of steak like at the <a href="http://www.onehundredandthree.com/2016/09/race-report-centurion-running-chiltern.html">Chiltern Wonderland 50</a>).<br />
<br />
Now, it's time for dinner, and to relax a bit. I reckon it's going to be a good day.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Race day</b><br />
<br />
Up at 5:55 for customary pre-race coffee to kick start the morning biology, and out into chilly but manageable darkness for the short drive to the start. Race start is at the trig point which marks the highest point in the Chilterns. The fog heavy in the field - and it was much colder. I ran to the race tent to register, kit check, and pick up my number, then ran back to the car to hide in the warm and eat breakfast.<br />
<br />
It took a while for the masses to get over a single narrow style from race HQ through to the start on the road so James had to give a high speed briefing which ended with "...and we're starting in 10 seconds" - no time to worry, off we go!<br />
<br />
The field strung out very quickly and I was able to find some space to run in. I'm not a chatty runner, so I settled into back to back omnibus episodes of <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/thearchers">The Archers</a> and it's fan-made companion <a href="http://dumteedum.com/">Dum Tee Dum</a> (my guilty podcast pleasures).<br />
<br />
I'm not going to describe the course here - I covered it in depth in my <a href="http://www.onehundredandthree.com/2016/11/the-centurion-running-wendover-woods-50.html">course recce</a>.<br />
<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXofINc1ILTrMNQfOJKK7HMpNdqwHZt3J0jZGfn8PJgJfyNZyHEm5938U5g6NkFW6n7oHZK2wdmdj6jU6GNRQTL4R30l1hGkVGQWSAyTdRst4ko6M0Nv6BCvcGj8XdBfhupXEm6j9pGIJN/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-11-28+at+11.11.11.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXofINc1ILTrMNQfOJKK7HMpNdqwHZt3J0jZGfn8PJgJfyNZyHEm5938U5g6NkFW6n7oHZK2wdmdj6jU6GNRQTL4R30l1hGkVGQWSAyTdRst4ko6M0Nv6BCvcGj8XdBfhupXEm6j9pGIJN/s640/Screen+Shot+2016-11-28+at+11.11.11.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Up down up down up down, etc. - barely an inch on the level</i></div>
<br />
Laps one and two went past well and without incident. Knowing the course well was such a psychological advantage, when to enjoy a down, how long the ups are, and splitting the course into a few segments to tick off as I went round. I was astonished to get lapped as I left the mid-point aid station on lap 2, I'd just past 15 miles and the front runners were 10 miles ahead! On a point to point race you don't get that experience - the fast people just disappear off into the distance and that's it. I was pleased to support them with some "good running!" calls of support as they shot past.<br />
<br />
Hot cups of tea at the start/finish and mid-point aid stations were welcome, as were the couple of slices of cheese I took each time. <a href="http://www.totkat.org/">Mrs</a> was helping out <a href="http://abradypus.wordpress.com/">abradypus</a> and crew at the mid-point, so that gave me something to look forward to on each lap too - and gave a bit more impetus to set out on the next lap from the enticing camping chairs at the start/finish (never sit on the chairs at aid stations!).<br />
<br />
I was starting to feel fatigued during lap 3, but was still jogging along well. I could tell I was slowing, but not too much. I viewed lap 3 as "lap 3 of 5" which sounds like great progress (rather than "just coming up to" or "just after" half way). This running stuff is all mind games.<br />
<br />
It wasn't until almost half way through lap 4, coming up to 35 miles, that it got dark enough to need the head torch. I was very pleased to have got this far round - half a lap up on my plan. I slowed quite a lot in the dark, particularly on the rooty sections.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjeJE8XVBXp-I8Mg54GB2OJdwSrYZahCpo67kZRq3FJjfwWrELO9yk0QhrxFcKFKbsP-8BO8obX_6ZjWP9AWDJwgXrw1YuLoqBBwbZIvrB6TNJ9JXdA3-8Nwrk666OL7fLAilcbW7NDcXg/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-11-28+at+10.50.46.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="572" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjeJE8XVBXp-I8Mg54GB2OJdwSrYZahCpo67kZRq3FJjfwWrELO9yk0QhrxFcKFKbsP-8BO8obX_6ZjWP9AWDJwgXrw1YuLoqBBwbZIvrB6TNJ9JXdA3-8Nwrk666OL7fLAilcbW7NDcXg/s640/Screen+Shot+2016-11-28+at+10.50.46.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>5x 10 mile loops crammed into a 1.5 mile a side triangle - dizzy déjà vu </i></div>
<br />
As I set out on the 5th and final lap in the now pitch darkness I was starting to feel the fatigue. My knees were feeling the pressure of so much climbing and descending, and running was getting increasingly hard. I wasn't surprised, exactly there same thing happened at Chiltern Wonderland, and I marched/hiked as fast as I could for the last 10km or so and was prepared to do the same here. The change of stride and feeling of being on the home stretch gave me a mental lift, and I marched my way forward, only losing a couple of places and actually overtaking a couple of people too. Learning point: If you're going to walk, walk as fast as you can - it's part of the race, it's not giving up.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-gUALGHZJzJlfl3vRF0OGxOzrouwSi83W_7_Mh9DSLe5kUXA8j05Nmvus9zpoo8EwFJQUrig-6HyDXaHTyezgdOjnSqufcLsrLyT1lSrC2TkYnn3_TQN6QdLhKs2nzfxdIIXjQijOWJaP/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-11-28+at+10.55.03.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="40" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-gUALGHZJzJlfl3vRF0OGxOzrouwSi83W_7_Mh9DSLe5kUXA8j05Nmvus9zpoo8EwFJQUrig-6HyDXaHTyezgdOjnSqufcLsrLyT1lSrC2TkYnn3_TQN6QdLhKs2nzfxdIIXjQijOWJaP/s640/Screen+Shot+2016-11-28+at+10.55.03.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>99th place finish in just under 13 and a half hours</i></div>
<br />
Quite promisingly, I was gaining places throughout - from 138th after the first lap, to 124th after the second, then 110th, 97th, and finally holding for 99th. My laps had inevitably slowed down, but it could have been a lot worse - particularly when tired and in the dark.<br />
<br />
<br />
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; text-align: center; width: 302px;"><colgroup><col style="width: 65pt;" width="87"></col><col style="width: 78pt;" width="104"></col><col style="width: 83pt;" width="111"></col></colgroup><tbody>
<tr height="21" style="height: 16pt;"><td class="xl65" height="21" style="height: 16pt; width: 65pt;" width="87">Lap</td><td class="xl66" style="width: 78pt;" width="104">Lap time</td><td class="xl65" style="width: 83pt;" width="111">Elapsed time</td></tr>
<tr height="21" style="height: 16pt;"><td class="xl63" height="21" style="height: 16pt;">1</td><td class="xl67">02:13:40</td><td class="xl64">02:13:40</td></tr>
<tr height="21" style="height: 16pt;"><td class="xl63" height="21" style="height: 16pt;">2</td><td class="xl67">02:23:37</td><td class="xl64">04:37:17</td></tr>
<tr height="21" style="height: 16pt;"><td class="xl63" height="21" style="height: 16pt;">3</td><td class="xl67">02:36:19</td><td class="xl64">07:13:36</td></tr>
<tr height="21" style="height: 16pt;"><td class="xl63" height="21" style="height: 16pt;">4</td><td class="xl67">03:00:15</td><td class="xl64">10:13:51</td></tr>
<tr height="21" style="height: 16pt;"><td class="xl63" height="21" style="height: 16pt;">5</td><td class="xl67">03:13:03</td><td class="xl64">13:26:54</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Eventually, it was over, and I picked up my second Centurion 50 mile medal. Quite a few personal records fell today - the longest single run I've ever done in distance and in duration, and the most ascent I've gained on any single day. I've said it elsewhere, but I love that "at my age" I can still set lifetime best performances. I'm, once again, in awe of <a href="http://www.totkat.org/">Mrs</a> who covered twice this distance at the <a href="http://www.totkat.org/2016/08/race-report-centurion-ndw100-2016.html">North Downs Way 100</a> earlier in the year.<br />
<br />
What a wonderful sport this is!<br />
<span style="background-color: #bd081c; background-position: 3px 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; background-size: 14px 14px; border-bottom-left-radius: 2px; border-bottom-right-radius: 2px; border-top-left-radius: 2px; border-top-right-radius: 2px; border: none; color: white; cursor: pointer; display: none; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; line-height: 20px; opacity: 1; padding: 0px 4px 0px 0px; position: absolute; text-align: center; text-indent: 20px; width: auto; z-index: 8675309;">Save</span><span style="background-color: #bd081c; background-position: 3px 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; background-size: 14px 14px; border-bottom-left-radius: 2px; border-bottom-right-radius: 2px; border-top-left-radius: 2px; border-top-right-radius: 2px; border: none; color: white; cursor: pointer; display: none; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; line-height: 20px; opacity: 1; padding: 0px 4px 0px 0px; position: absolute; text-align: center; text-indent: 20px; width: auto; z-index: 8675309;">Save</span>Normhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13076980299596740020noreply@blogger.com0Wendover, UK51.761877 -0.7397789999999986351.72257 -0.82045999999999863 51.801184 -0.65909799999999863tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5927472628741092457.post-58846673372035549522016-11-15T13:12:00.001+00:002016-11-15T13:23:47.411+00:00An experiment with fasting<a href="http://www.totkat.org/">Mrs</a> has been reading <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Complete-Guide-Fasting-Jason-Fung/dp/1628600012/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1479210657&sr=8-1&keywords=fung+fasting">The Complete Guide to Fasting</a> by Dr. Jason Fung and Jimmy Moore. I thought I'd give it a read.<br />
<br />
It's very repetitive, and fairly evangelistic - but if you can look past that, there's a lot of sense behind it. Fasting (voluntarily) as opposed to starvation (outside your control) looks like a useful tool in maintaining good health. In particular it looks to be very helpful when combined with a good LCHF (low carbohydrate, high fat) diet.<br />
<br />
Whilst you can live for a surprising amount of time without food (the book cites one medically supervised case of over 380 days!), you don't last long without liquid. I've been restricting myself to water and black coffee, however for longer fasts bone broth is recommended to top up vitamins and minerals. The body becomes remarkably good at recycling so you need far less of a top-up than you may think.<br />
<br />
Fasting can be for any period - we all fast multiple times per day starting with the last mouthful of our last meal, but we don't fast for very long. As we're driven to continual snacking (mustn't let those energy levels drop!) the longest period between eating is usually over night.<br />
<br />
I tend to eat at around 8pm, and since going (mainly) LCHF I've preferred to get out and run in the morning at the weekend before breakfast - just with a cup of black coffee. Often I wouldn't eat until early afternoon, so that's a voluntary fast of 14 hours. This is good to promote fat burning, but there are greater (and additional) benefits from giving it a bit longer.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT-UnI2_y7EDg9HKxA_cFfBjhMNEzjukrXNcaFvV5bX_9EntBdW1q-bgrFMpcAGVxnsdS9HeMuLQEFHIVADHxBJm0FyTMRYWhMqBtxKYS2XItgT6lbR8jW4dWbfkjh2ocfO9CrkTWANsvl/s1600/81qrIVw3KeL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT-UnI2_y7EDg9HKxA_cFfBjhMNEzjukrXNcaFvV5bX_9EntBdW1q-bgrFMpcAGVxnsdS9HeMuLQEFHIVADHxBJm0FyTMRYWhMqBtxKYS2XItgT6lbR8jW4dWbfkjh2ocfO9CrkTWANsvl/s640/81qrIVw3KeL.jpg" width="526" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Give it a read if you're interested</i></div>
<br />
I went for 24 hours last week, from dinner one evening to dinner the next evening, and found it fairly easy. This week I thought I'd try for a 36-hour fast from dinner Sunday night through to breakfast this morning.<br />
<br />
Although my stomach sounded like an Icelandic mud spring when I went to sleep last night, I woke up this morning feeling mighty-fine, and not at all hungry. In fact, I feel very focussed, energetic, and even a little euphoric. I decided not to bother with breakfast and went for a run around the block instead. I'm planning to eat at dinner this evening - I'm going for a longer run tomorrow and would prefer not to pass out and fall in the Thames (low risk, but better safe than sorry). So that will be a 48-hour fast.<br />
<br />
I'm probably finding it relatively easy as I've been largely LCHF since the end of 2012. My body is used to being carb-restricted and burning stored fat. I wonder how hard it would be to go a week? The book describes some health benefits of fasting for a week per year which I won't repeat here, but I'm intrigued.Normhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13076980299596740020noreply@blogger.com0Wimbledon, London, UK51.418338899999988 -0.2206287999999858651.378736899999986 -0.30130979999998586 51.45794089999999 -0.13994779999998586