Well, nearly, anyway. It's true, I have now completed all of my races and have run a total of just over 104 miles whilst completing the "Weston 100" challenge. These past few weeks, I think, have been the hardest of all as well. Because it has been the summer holidays, my little chaps have been away from school and nursery (the times when I would normally train) and I have to admit, I haven't actually been training that much. If I am honest about the matter, I have gone from running 4 or 5 times per week to twice (if I'm lucky and really stern with myself). I have to admit that, last week, for example, when we were having a holiday in Bridlington together, I only ran once. (Well, it's difficult when you don't know an area particularly well, and I was on holiday... ahem). Anyway, because of all this lethargy and laziness engendered by our holidays I was feeling in particularly awful shape for my penultimate event, the Great Longstone Fell Race. I suppose, I was really worried because it WAS a fell race and there's nowhere to hide in these events. Nearly everyone there is going to run faster than you - if you're an amateur like me you're pretty much guaranteed to come last. If you don't get lost as well as come last, it's a bonus. I nearly didn't show up for it at all, but I kept thinking about all of that sponsorship money people have pledged to me if I complete the challenge, so somewhat reluctantly, I showed up. I'm so glad I did. It was fantastic. I'd forgotten in the interval since my last fell race (Stoney Middleton) just how friendly a bunch of people fell racers are. I mean I still came last, but at least, this time, I kept up with the pack, so I wasn't last by miles. Also, and somewhat amazingly there was still daylight when I finished (Only just though - it started at 6.45pm and I finished it at 7.45 pm, so it was definitely turning very dusk-like). I also met the only celebrity I've ever met at this event (when I first started this challenge somebody said to me that I was bound to meet loads of celebrities running these events - up until friday, when I met Roy Hattersley, no less, I hadn't met any).
Today saw my final event - the Great Yorkshire Run; and there were celebrities at this event too (but I didn't see them). I wasn't too worried about it because there are always so many runners in these events that you are never going to be the worse one there, and I certainly didn't come last. I enjoyed it too. Plus, I found it easy. I think my fitness has certainly improved through undertaking this challenge. I think I've also discovered that I prefer the fell racing. OK, I'm not very good at it, but I just think it's more fun. I might even carry on.
So the runs are all over. But the challenge, I suppose is not. Because now I've got to start collecting all that sponsorship money in. This is the part I am dreading. I haven't been very good at asking for sponsorship in the first place and now I've actually got to go and part people from their cash. Oh God. I think this will be the hardest part of all.
In summary, however, if everyone honours their pledges, then I will have raised £970 through my justgiving site, a further £100 from my generous colleagues, an unspecified amount from my colleagues at the staff magazine (oh God there's something else I need to chase up) and all of these sums will be doubled by William Hill itself. This means, that in total I will have raised somewhere in the region of £2,140. That's not bad, considering the climate, and that we're all skint at the moment. Apparently the Great Yorkshire run will be shown on tv this morning at 1.05 am. Don't miss it! You might see me loping past in my final athletics outing of the year. If you would like to sponsor me, it's not too late! Please do so at my justgiving site, http://www.justgiving.com/valderbyshire I, and the Weston Park Hospital Cancer Charity would be extremely grateful for your support.
Sunday, 6 September 2009
Friday, 24 July 2009
It's been a while...
Yes, it's been a while since my last post. Sorry. I'm sure the none of you who are following this blog with baited breath will be greatly disappointed.
Anyway, despite the silence, I have been progressing with my 100 miles. I have, in fact, completed three more events since the three lakes classic (yes, it didn't put me off - although it should have done - it would have put anyone off who was in their right mind, which I am clearly not, hence continuing with the challenge). In fact, I'm enjoying a nice cup of coffee out of my nice three lakes classic mug as I update this blog. Very nice. See, something good did come out of it.
In actual fact, rather a lot of good has come out of it (I'm not including my new and dangerous and slightly mad addiction to running). I've raised nearly £2k for the hospital (including William Hill's generous donation). I've lost a ton of weight (well maybe not a ton, but I've lost a bit) and I've found a bit more confidence. Yes, I still come in last at most of these events (particularly the events like the one I did last night where it's limited to serious runners and there's nowhere to hide - but more about that later) but I can do them. And actually, I don't disgrace myself that much anymore. Even the Three Lakes Classic (where I think I performed really badly) I didn't disgrace myself. I finished after all. I've got the coffee mug to prove it (mmm, lovely...)
I've also discovered a new love - fell running. Yes, I did my first fell race, in the form of the Bakewell Pudding Chase and LOVED it. I didn't come last and I didn't get lost (these are my two main aims in these events nowadays). I loved the fact that there was a challenge with the terrain to be met and I got a pudding. I found out afterwards that all competitors got a pudding, but never mind. In actual fact I didn't even get to eat my pudding - the kids promptly nicked it off me when I got back and scoffed it, but I don't like the Bakewell puddings anyway, so that's OK. It was definitely the best event I've done so far. It went from outside of our house. I went and registered and then nipped home and had a coffee and used the loo and didn't have to queue for hours to use some boggy crapper portaloo (last night's was still attached to the back of somebody's Land Rover on a trailer which was rather worrying - imagine towing that when it was at full capacity!) Plus there was zero travelling time home afterwards. I had this idea (this is the competitive streak coming out in me) but I had this idea that now I know the route I'd go out and practice it a bit (and next year I will be INVINCIBLE ha ha ha - sorry, getting carried away with the competitive thing there), but I thought that a bit of practice wouldn't do me any harm. Anyway, I went out and had another go (it's worth it - it's a fantastic route - beautiful scenery) Half way round the heavens opened, I had a fall, scratched my glasses (which have subsequently had to be replaced because I couldn't stand the annoying scratch right in the middle of my vision) and went over on my ankle causing it to swell up along with three of my toes. Disaster. That's where being competitive gets you. I'm not very good at the competitive thing anyway. I always think that if you are out enjoying the country, you should be able to stop and look at it - and fell racing doesn't allow time for this. So I won't be invincible next year, but I will be having a good time.
The next event I did was the Weston Park's 10k run in Graves Park. Again, another good one. I love Graves Park and the kids were able to come and play and see the farm animals whilst I did the run. We all went to Mcdonalds after for dinner (a favourite treat for my eldest son and I needed the carbs... ha ha) Plus there were loads of interesting people there. Lyndsey, the fundraiser from the hospital, the professor who founded the cancer charity, the patrons of the charity plus people who had been treated there in the past. I didn't do bad there either - i.e. sticking to the formula of not being last and not getting lost, I did alright and there were some good views over the top of Sheff to look at too.
Finally, last night, I did the 5.2 mile fell race at Stoney Middleton. (Aptly named, as it turned out - it's very stoney). I loved that too and didn't get lost or come last (although I had a worrying moment when I was running along a lane, with not a soul in sight and not quite trusting that I'd taken the right turn - but I was OK). There were some serious fell runners there and so I was pretty near the back. The terrain was really challenging too. (Very stoney, as I have said, plus some really challenging and steel climbs. Last night, I met a man who has run from base camp at Everest to Kathmandu, a woman who was training to complete her Bob Graham round, an old guy who was probably twice my age and did the run in half my time (in fact I had a very embarrassing moment when I was running up the hill and he passed me at a walk) and just about everybody in between. I was not up to their standard, but was made to feel welcome and encouraged along. What nice people. What a lovely thing to do on a sunny Thursday evening. (Tell that to my legs now - I don't usually ache anymore but I'm in pain today). I went over on my ankle again last night too and also felt that achilles tendon popping again. But I've got a break now. Summer holidays with the kids and my final two events (The Great Longstone Fell Race and the Great Yorkshire Run) in September. Two more events to go and about 10 miles left to run out of the 100.
My sponsorship page is still open at http://www.justgiving.com/valderbyshire If you'd like to sponsor me, I'd be very grateful. All money goes to the Weston park Hospital Cancer Charity who are providing valuable treatment for and research into cancer. In the meantime, even if it goes a bit quiet, I am still plodding along (plodding probably being the right word given my race times) with this.
Anyway, despite the silence, I have been progressing with my 100 miles. I have, in fact, completed three more events since the three lakes classic (yes, it didn't put me off - although it should have done - it would have put anyone off who was in their right mind, which I am clearly not, hence continuing with the challenge). In fact, I'm enjoying a nice cup of coffee out of my nice three lakes classic mug as I update this blog. Very nice. See, something good did come out of it.
In actual fact, rather a lot of good has come out of it (I'm not including my new and dangerous and slightly mad addiction to running). I've raised nearly £2k for the hospital (including William Hill's generous donation). I've lost a ton of weight (well maybe not a ton, but I've lost a bit) and I've found a bit more confidence. Yes, I still come in last at most of these events (particularly the events like the one I did last night where it's limited to serious runners and there's nowhere to hide - but more about that later) but I can do them. And actually, I don't disgrace myself that much anymore. Even the Three Lakes Classic (where I think I performed really badly) I didn't disgrace myself. I finished after all. I've got the coffee mug to prove it (mmm, lovely...)
I've also discovered a new love - fell running. Yes, I did my first fell race, in the form of the Bakewell Pudding Chase and LOVED it. I didn't come last and I didn't get lost (these are my two main aims in these events nowadays). I loved the fact that there was a challenge with the terrain to be met and I got a pudding. I found out afterwards that all competitors got a pudding, but never mind. In actual fact I didn't even get to eat my pudding - the kids promptly nicked it off me when I got back and scoffed it, but I don't like the Bakewell puddings anyway, so that's OK. It was definitely the best event I've done so far. It went from outside of our house. I went and registered and then nipped home and had a coffee and used the loo and didn't have to queue for hours to use some boggy crapper portaloo (last night's was still attached to the back of somebody's Land Rover on a trailer which was rather worrying - imagine towing that when it was at full capacity!) Plus there was zero travelling time home afterwards. I had this idea (this is the competitive streak coming out in me) but I had this idea that now I know the route I'd go out and practice it a bit (and next year I will be INVINCIBLE ha ha ha - sorry, getting carried away with the competitive thing there), but I thought that a bit of practice wouldn't do me any harm. Anyway, I went out and had another go (it's worth it - it's a fantastic route - beautiful scenery) Half way round the heavens opened, I had a fall, scratched my glasses (which have subsequently had to be replaced because I couldn't stand the annoying scratch right in the middle of my vision) and went over on my ankle causing it to swell up along with three of my toes. Disaster. That's where being competitive gets you. I'm not very good at the competitive thing anyway. I always think that if you are out enjoying the country, you should be able to stop and look at it - and fell racing doesn't allow time for this. So I won't be invincible next year, but I will be having a good time.
The next event I did was the Weston Park's 10k run in Graves Park. Again, another good one. I love Graves Park and the kids were able to come and play and see the farm animals whilst I did the run. We all went to Mcdonalds after for dinner (a favourite treat for my eldest son and I needed the carbs... ha ha) Plus there were loads of interesting people there. Lyndsey, the fundraiser from the hospital, the professor who founded the cancer charity, the patrons of the charity plus people who had been treated there in the past. I didn't do bad there either - i.e. sticking to the formula of not being last and not getting lost, I did alright and there were some good views over the top of Sheff to look at too.
Finally, last night, I did the 5.2 mile fell race at Stoney Middleton. (Aptly named, as it turned out - it's very stoney). I loved that too and didn't get lost or come last (although I had a worrying moment when I was running along a lane, with not a soul in sight and not quite trusting that I'd taken the right turn - but I was OK). There were some serious fell runners there and so I was pretty near the back. The terrain was really challenging too. (Very stoney, as I have said, plus some really challenging and steel climbs. Last night, I met a man who has run from base camp at Everest to Kathmandu, a woman who was training to complete her Bob Graham round, an old guy who was probably twice my age and did the run in half my time (in fact I had a very embarrassing moment when I was running up the hill and he passed me at a walk) and just about everybody in between. I was not up to their standard, but was made to feel welcome and encouraged along. What nice people. What a lovely thing to do on a sunny Thursday evening. (Tell that to my legs now - I don't usually ache anymore but I'm in pain today). I went over on my ankle again last night too and also felt that achilles tendon popping again. But I've got a break now. Summer holidays with the kids and my final two events (The Great Longstone Fell Race and the Great Yorkshire Run) in September. Two more events to go and about 10 miles left to run out of the 100.
My sponsorship page is still open at http://www.justgiving.com/valderbyshire If you'd like to sponsor me, I'd be very grateful. All money goes to the Weston park Hospital Cancer Charity who are providing valuable treatment for and research into cancer. In the meantime, even if it goes a bit quiet, I am still plodding along (plodding probably being the right word given my race times) with this.
Sunday, 21 June 2009
Fifteen Miles of Misery
So, as you may have gathered from the last post, I really didn't want to go and run the Three Lakes Classic. It was worrying me for a number of reasons. In brief:
a) The event was organised by an athletics club and I was basically worried that I was going to be outclassed by all of the other runners there.
b) The map provided looked like it had been drawn by a bloke down the pub (probably after a few beers) and I was seriously worried about my ability (given my proven poor map-reading skills) to follow it.
c) Fifteen miles is a long way. It's particularly a long way to run if you've got a dodgy knee.
d) (Selfish reason), but here it is anyway - it's Father's Day today and I quite wanted to spend it with my husband and the kids and perhaps my own Dad (who, incidentally, had chosen to spend his day having a very nice Sunday lunch out). Shallow reason I know, but it all sounded much more tempting than running fifteen miles.
Anyway, in short, I didn't want to go. But I DID go. Yes, I went to bed early last night (no alcohol before a big event, etc) and I got up early this morning and got ready and drove for an hour to the venue and turned up and signed in and got my number and had all - yes, that's ALL - of my worst fears realised.
Not only was I horrendously outclassed by every other person there (bar one - who, I suspect, under normal circumstances would have horrendously outclassed me - but she was ill, thus permitting me to beat her by a good 2 minutes - although hats off to the fact that she finished at all - I was thinking about jacking it all in and going home at some point before the first marshall and I wasn't ill); I also got lost (twice); and felt every single knee-jarring step of that sodding fifteen miles. In short, it was fifteen miles of Hell. I know I performed poorly, because at some point during the last three miles, the first aider chose to run with me and make sure I got back alright (I told him I was OK, just incredibly slow). It took me nearly three hours to run it. Well, I say run. I walked quite a lot of it due to the knee and also, I've got to admit, my motivation just not being there. It had gone out to lunch. Perhaps with my Dad. Where I would rather have been.
But anyway, I've done it. Yes I am now 15 miles nearer to the 100 I promised to run. I have, in fact, now run 75 miles, so I'm 3/4 of the way there. Not so with the fundraising sadly. I've stalled at around the £2k mark. This could be due to the fact that I've not been pestering so many people lately (failing motivation, etc). Still, there's still time to find it again. Next week - the Great Bakewell Pudding Chase in which the first 100 runners home will win a Bakewell Pudding. If today's performance is anything to go by I won't be taking any puddings home. Still - and no sour grapes intended here - I don't like them anyway.
a) The event was organised by an athletics club and I was basically worried that I was going to be outclassed by all of the other runners there.
b) The map provided looked like it had been drawn by a bloke down the pub (probably after a few beers) and I was seriously worried about my ability (given my proven poor map-reading skills) to follow it.
c) Fifteen miles is a long way. It's particularly a long way to run if you've got a dodgy knee.
d) (Selfish reason), but here it is anyway - it's Father's Day today and I quite wanted to spend it with my husband and the kids and perhaps my own Dad (who, incidentally, had chosen to spend his day having a very nice Sunday lunch out). Shallow reason I know, but it all sounded much more tempting than running fifteen miles.
Anyway, in short, I didn't want to go. But I DID go. Yes, I went to bed early last night (no alcohol before a big event, etc) and I got up early this morning and got ready and drove for an hour to the venue and turned up and signed in and got my number and had all - yes, that's ALL - of my worst fears realised.
Not only was I horrendously outclassed by every other person there (bar one - who, I suspect, under normal circumstances would have horrendously outclassed me - but she was ill, thus permitting me to beat her by a good 2 minutes - although hats off to the fact that she finished at all - I was thinking about jacking it all in and going home at some point before the first marshall and I wasn't ill); I also got lost (twice); and felt every single knee-jarring step of that sodding fifteen miles. In short, it was fifteen miles of Hell. I know I performed poorly, because at some point during the last three miles, the first aider chose to run with me and make sure I got back alright (I told him I was OK, just incredibly slow). It took me nearly three hours to run it. Well, I say run. I walked quite a lot of it due to the knee and also, I've got to admit, my motivation just not being there. It had gone out to lunch. Perhaps with my Dad. Where I would rather have been.
But anyway, I've done it. Yes I am now 15 miles nearer to the 100 I promised to run. I have, in fact, now run 75 miles, so I'm 3/4 of the way there. Not so with the fundraising sadly. I've stalled at around the £2k mark. This could be due to the fact that I've not been pestering so many people lately (failing motivation, etc). Still, there's still time to find it again. Next week - the Great Bakewell Pudding Chase in which the first 100 runners home will win a Bakewell Pudding. If today's performance is anything to go by I won't be taking any puddings home. Still - and no sour grapes intended here - I don't like them anyway.
Friday, 19 June 2009
One Golden Gate, One Cancellation and One Poorly Knee
I know I've not written for ages. It's bad and I've had things to write about as well. No real excuses other than the rigours of keeping up with the training (hard), the children (even harder) and a couple of part-time jobs which are aspiring to become full-time and take over my entire life - but that's another story - and if I start moaning about it here, I might never stop.
So One Golden Gate: Well I suppose really, it was two golden gates - yes, this was my last event. The Chatsworth Golden Gates 10K. I personally thought this event was fantastic. You would really struggle to find a better setting for a 10K race. Stunning scenery and you get to go through the Golden Gates entrance (normally reserved for family, the Duke of Devonshire and other visiting royalty etc) but on this day, thrown open for your common or garden "athlete". Plus - and I don't think you'd find this anywhere else - lots and lots of very posh people manning the drinks stations - pouring Perrier out of the back of their brand new Discoveries. OK, probably not Perrier, but there was definitely more designer gear than you'd normally see at one of these events (and I'm not talking Nike here, but Dolce and Gabanna Sunglasses, etc) and if the tap water isn't posh around there, well I don't know where it is. Sadly, there was a lot of moaning about this event on Runnersworld.com. Lots of people berating the fact that there was a very large hill to run up at the beginning scuppering any chances of personal bests - that there were only 15 toilets to go around 1,500 entrants (why would the Duke worry about such things I ask you - after all, royalty doesn't use the toilet). That some of the slower runners dared to take up too much space on a narrow strip of course. I haven't really got any answers to these complaints. I don't really know why they're moaning. There were loads of bushes around to avail themselves of, it was a beautiful day, beautiful scenery and being a slower runner myself (although I hasten to add I'd put myself near the back of the starting line for just this reason) I can't really say anything about that either. I think it's a bit sad, really, that the experience for them was ruined by a hill (sadly hills do happen in Derbyshire - actually they happen quite a lot) and the fact that they couldn't beat their personal best. But then that's up to them isn't it? I enjoyed it. I think the children (who came to watch with Daddy and Grandad) enjoyed it too, although we did have a very early picnic after the event (in the region of 11am) because they'd got bored of running around in a field and loading their toy recycling truck up with grass (grass which I later found strewn all over my lounge floor... Oh well).
After the Golden Gates, which was on 31st May, I've had a bit of a break. I was supposed to be running the Buxton Chick's Chase on 17th June, but sadly, due to there only being 7 entrants in the race, it was cancelled. It was a shame and a blessing all at once. It was a blessing because, somehow, I've injured my knee. I don't know how. I've hurt this knee before so maybe I've just got a bit of a weakness there, but the Saturday before last it was really hurting and the next day it was so swollen I thought it might be as well to rest it instead of going for my normal Sunday 12 miles. The next week it was a little better so I did a little light running in the week and then did 12 miles up to Stanton in the Peak on the Sunday (very hilly - if you didn't like Chatsworth you won't like it there because the hill goes up and up and up and up and up and you think it's never going to stop...) When I got up there, they were ringing the bells for church. I don't want to be too critical here, but it sounded terrible. There's something wrong with those bells (or those bell ringers). The people trying to have a Sunday lie-in in the cottages across the street must have been thinking "SHUT UP!!!" Anyway, it was all down hill from that point so I was able to make a quick get away from the noise.
But the next day my knee was up again. And sore. Like really SORE. And I was a bit worried because this weekend I've got my longest race. It's the Three Lakes Classic which is 15 miles long. I spent the first part of the week thinking I wasn't going to be able to do it and worrying about not finishing the challenge. I spent the second bathing my knee in Voltarol and thinking Sod It, I'm going to go anyway. How hard can it be? (Don't answer that). So, in some ways, the cancellation of the Buxton Chicks' Chase was a real blessing because it's given me longer to rest that knee. It was, however, a bit of a shame as I have said. For some reason I'd been entered into the men's race and there were only three runners in the men's race (including me), meaning that I would have DEFINITELY won a prize (probably third). It was my one and only chance to be in the prizes in any of the events I've entered - although I may have been disqualified for flouting entry requirements (i.e. I'm not a man). However, with my knee being as it was at that time, it was looking like one of the men was going to be dropping out of the Buxton Chicks' Chase anyway - so I suppose it was more of a blessing than a shame.
The knee is still a bit sore but I've got loads of Dextrose and loads of Voltarol and loads of determination to both start and finish the Three Lakes Classic. Although I may get lost. Yes, there are some marshalls. Yes, the course is partly signed. Runners, I am told, (rather worryingly for someone who has got severe dyslexia when it comes to map reading) are also given a map to help them find their way around the course. The map supplied looks like it has been drawn by a bloke in a pub. So if I don't finish it's because I got lost. And if you don't hear from me again, it's because I'm still lost. Somewhere near Ullapool or Treeton or Orgreave (which my Dad tells me featured prominently in the Miners' strike, but I don't know it myself).
To date I have raised £895 through sponsorship and my friend at work has raised a further £100. My boss has promised to double everything I raise so, in actual fact, I've raised around £2,000 to date - which I don't think is all that bad, considering the economic climate, the fact that I've been doing this now for nearly a year (taking training, planning, preparation and everything else into account), I've run 60 miles in events and probably nearer 600 in training miles and the fact that I'm completely sick of it. If you should find yourself reading this, please take all these things into account and sponsor me - it doesn't matter how much - any measure of support, no matter how small - is all that is keeping me going now.
So One Golden Gate: Well I suppose really, it was two golden gates - yes, this was my last event. The Chatsworth Golden Gates 10K. I personally thought this event was fantastic. You would really struggle to find a better setting for a 10K race. Stunning scenery and you get to go through the Golden Gates entrance (normally reserved for family, the Duke of Devonshire and other visiting royalty etc) but on this day, thrown open for your common or garden "athlete". Plus - and I don't think you'd find this anywhere else - lots and lots of very posh people manning the drinks stations - pouring Perrier out of the back of their brand new Discoveries. OK, probably not Perrier, but there was definitely more designer gear than you'd normally see at one of these events (and I'm not talking Nike here, but Dolce and Gabanna Sunglasses, etc) and if the tap water isn't posh around there, well I don't know where it is. Sadly, there was a lot of moaning about this event on Runnersworld.com. Lots of people berating the fact that there was a very large hill to run up at the beginning scuppering any chances of personal bests - that there were only 15 toilets to go around 1,500 entrants (why would the Duke worry about such things I ask you - after all, royalty doesn't use the toilet). That some of the slower runners dared to take up too much space on a narrow strip of course. I haven't really got any answers to these complaints. I don't really know why they're moaning. There were loads of bushes around to avail themselves of, it was a beautiful day, beautiful scenery and being a slower runner myself (although I hasten to add I'd put myself near the back of the starting line for just this reason) I can't really say anything about that either. I think it's a bit sad, really, that the experience for them was ruined by a hill (sadly hills do happen in Derbyshire - actually they happen quite a lot) and the fact that they couldn't beat their personal best. But then that's up to them isn't it? I enjoyed it. I think the children (who came to watch with Daddy and Grandad) enjoyed it too, although we did have a very early picnic after the event (in the region of 11am) because they'd got bored of running around in a field and loading their toy recycling truck up with grass (grass which I later found strewn all over my lounge floor... Oh well).
After the Golden Gates, which was on 31st May, I've had a bit of a break. I was supposed to be running the Buxton Chick's Chase on 17th June, but sadly, due to there only being 7 entrants in the race, it was cancelled. It was a shame and a blessing all at once. It was a blessing because, somehow, I've injured my knee. I don't know how. I've hurt this knee before so maybe I've just got a bit of a weakness there, but the Saturday before last it was really hurting and the next day it was so swollen I thought it might be as well to rest it instead of going for my normal Sunday 12 miles. The next week it was a little better so I did a little light running in the week and then did 12 miles up to Stanton in the Peak on the Sunday (very hilly - if you didn't like Chatsworth you won't like it there because the hill goes up and up and up and up and up and you think it's never going to stop...) When I got up there, they were ringing the bells for church. I don't want to be too critical here, but it sounded terrible. There's something wrong with those bells (or those bell ringers). The people trying to have a Sunday lie-in in the cottages across the street must have been thinking "SHUT UP!!!" Anyway, it was all down hill from that point so I was able to make a quick get away from the noise.
But the next day my knee was up again. And sore. Like really SORE. And I was a bit worried because this weekend I've got my longest race. It's the Three Lakes Classic which is 15 miles long. I spent the first part of the week thinking I wasn't going to be able to do it and worrying about not finishing the challenge. I spent the second bathing my knee in Voltarol and thinking Sod It, I'm going to go anyway. How hard can it be? (Don't answer that). So, in some ways, the cancellation of the Buxton Chicks' Chase was a real blessing because it's given me longer to rest that knee. It was, however, a bit of a shame as I have said. For some reason I'd been entered into the men's race and there were only three runners in the men's race (including me), meaning that I would have DEFINITELY won a prize (probably third). It was my one and only chance to be in the prizes in any of the events I've entered - although I may have been disqualified for flouting entry requirements (i.e. I'm not a man). However, with my knee being as it was at that time, it was looking like one of the men was going to be dropping out of the Buxton Chicks' Chase anyway - so I suppose it was more of a blessing than a shame.
The knee is still a bit sore but I've got loads of Dextrose and loads of Voltarol and loads of determination to both start and finish the Three Lakes Classic. Although I may get lost. Yes, there are some marshalls. Yes, the course is partly signed. Runners, I am told, (rather worryingly for someone who has got severe dyslexia when it comes to map reading) are also given a map to help them find their way around the course. The map supplied looks like it has been drawn by a bloke in a pub. So if I don't finish it's because I got lost. And if you don't hear from me again, it's because I'm still lost. Somewhere near Ullapool or Treeton or Orgreave (which my Dad tells me featured prominently in the Miners' strike, but I don't know it myself).
To date I have raised £895 through sponsorship and my friend at work has raised a further £100. My boss has promised to double everything I raise so, in actual fact, I've raised around £2,000 to date - which I don't think is all that bad, considering the economic climate, the fact that I've been doing this now for nearly a year (taking training, planning, preparation and everything else into account), I've run 60 miles in events and probably nearer 600 in training miles and the fact that I'm completely sick of it. If you should find yourself reading this, please take all these things into account and sponsor me - it doesn't matter how much - any measure of support, no matter how small - is all that is keeping me going now.
Sunday, 24 May 2009
“Scale the hills and you'll be rewarded with spectacular views over the Peak District”
And that’s what the Runners’ World website had to say about the Buxton Half-Marathon. Now, before I wrote this blog up I was fully convinced that what I’d have to say would go something like this “And the only view I got was of my knees as I was sick through them.” I was absolutely convinced today was going to be my worst event. After all, the first three miles (yes, that’s the first THREE miles) is uphill. This is followed by a downhill bit and then more uphill, and then the course undulates for a while (in short, more uphill) followed by another really steep uphill bit and then finally, just at the end when you can’t take anymore another bloody uphill bit through the Buxton University of Derby campus – but I wasn’t sick through my knees, so I can’t write that.
In actual fact – just blowing my own trumpet here – but I did rather well. Well, I wasn’t last and I didn’t have to call out the air ambulance or mountain rescue to come and get me, and so that’s what I rate as “doing rather well”. I also finished it in 2 hours 21 mins – which is only 7 minutes slower than the time I completed the (flat) Sheffield Half-Marathon course in. I have to admit, I did NOT run the entire course. In fact, I did most of the uphill sections at a walk – and it was rather pleasant – the company was good (I’ve never met a friendlier bunch of runners), the atmosphere was good and the scenery can only be described as stunning. The view from the top of Axe Edge and the views of the Dragon’s Back really were a reward in themselves.
It was also exceptionally well-organised. Marshalls directing you at every twist and turn on the course, cattle grids covered and manned by volunteers from Buxton Mountain Rescue and water stations. I can’t think of a single complaint (unless I moan about my own performance – should have tried a bit harder, run a bit faster, but, then again, it was hot – I’ve got the sunburn to prove it – and I just don’t think you should rush through scenery like that). All in all it was fantastic. Whatever happens with the fundraising – and I’ve raised around £1,000 myself now for the Weston Park Hospital Cancer Charity, so that makes £2k as William Hill have pledged to match whatever I raise – I’m going back there next year. I might even try and run all the way up Axe Edge next time. I reckon I could do it, now I know just how long the agony is going to endure... But I’ll have to wait until next year to find that out.
In the meantime, next week I’ve got the Golden Gate 10k. (No, sadly not a jolly to San Francisco...) It’s at Chatsworth – and I think it’s called the Golden Gate because it must start somewhere around the Golden Gate entrance to the Chatsworth estate. Now, under normal circumstances you don’t get to go in that way – it’s for the Duke of Devonshire’s family only - but next Sunday, the athletes (yes, ATHLETES – that’s me!) get to go in the posh entrance. I’m quite excited about that aspect of it all on its own – yes, just driving through those gates (normally locked against your common everyday visitor – that’s the likes of me again) makes it into a bit of an event. I don’t know what the run will be like, but again, the scenery at Chatsworth is stunning. I don’t know if it will come up to that view of the Dragon’s Back as I came down the hill at Buxton today, but really today’s race was just in a league of its own.
In actual fact – just blowing my own trumpet here – but I did rather well. Well, I wasn’t last and I didn’t have to call out the air ambulance or mountain rescue to come and get me, and so that’s what I rate as “doing rather well”. I also finished it in 2 hours 21 mins – which is only 7 minutes slower than the time I completed the (flat) Sheffield Half-Marathon course in. I have to admit, I did NOT run the entire course. In fact, I did most of the uphill sections at a walk – and it was rather pleasant – the company was good (I’ve never met a friendlier bunch of runners), the atmosphere was good and the scenery can only be described as stunning. The view from the top of Axe Edge and the views of the Dragon’s Back really were a reward in themselves.
It was also exceptionally well-organised. Marshalls directing you at every twist and turn on the course, cattle grids covered and manned by volunteers from Buxton Mountain Rescue and water stations. I can’t think of a single complaint (unless I moan about my own performance – should have tried a bit harder, run a bit faster, but, then again, it was hot – I’ve got the sunburn to prove it – and I just don’t think you should rush through scenery like that). All in all it was fantastic. Whatever happens with the fundraising – and I’ve raised around £1,000 myself now for the Weston Park Hospital Cancer Charity, so that makes £2k as William Hill have pledged to match whatever I raise – I’m going back there next year. I might even try and run all the way up Axe Edge next time. I reckon I could do it, now I know just how long the agony is going to endure... But I’ll have to wait until next year to find that out.
In the meantime, next week I’ve got the Golden Gate 10k. (No, sadly not a jolly to San Francisco...) It’s at Chatsworth – and I think it’s called the Golden Gate because it must start somewhere around the Golden Gate entrance to the Chatsworth estate. Now, under normal circumstances you don’t get to go in that way – it’s for the Duke of Devonshire’s family only - but next Sunday, the athletes (yes, ATHLETES – that’s me!) get to go in the posh entrance. I’m quite excited about that aspect of it all on its own – yes, just driving through those gates (normally locked against your common everyday visitor – that’s the likes of me again) makes it into a bit of an event. I don’t know what the run will be like, but again, the scenery at Chatsworth is stunning. I don’t know if it will come up to that view of the Dragon’s Back as I came down the hill at Buxton today, but really today’s race was just in a league of its own.
Monday, 18 May 2009
I wanna be on TV... (Part 2)
So last time I was going on about how my husband doesn’t really want to go and see Green Day with me. I think I wrote something like “In actual fact, my husband doesn’t want to go and see them at all – he doesn’t even like them that much and he hates arena concerts – it’s a measure of his love for me, I feel, that he’s prepared to come with me to a venue he loathes, to not sit with me throughout a concert he doesn’t even want to go to and see a band he doesn’t particularly like. Oh well – I’d do it for him if, say, Slayer played somewhere and he really wanted to go...” In fact, I know that’s exactly what I wrote because I’ve just copy and pasted it out of my last entry. (oh the wonders of modern technology). Anyway, as you can see from my last entry, one of the reasons he doesn’t want to go and see Green Day (apart from not particularly liking their music) is he cannot stand arena concerts. Anything, he says, that gets that big, becomes soul-less. He much prefers smaller gigs. Indeed, one of his fondest memories of watching live music, is the time he watched the Red Hot Chilli Peppers play at the Sheffield Hallam University Student Union to an audience of around 8 people. He tells me (I wasn’t there – we hadn’t met at that point) that he overcame the (non-existent) security to jump on the stage, pat Anthony Keidos on the back and jumped back into the audience (no crowd-surfing though – not enough folk for that). Obviously, this was in the time before the Red Hot Chilli Peppers were as big as they are now. In fact, I don’t think anyone had ever heard of them at that point – well, only a handful anyway. (It’s a fair guess that out of that 8 people, a few people were just there because they’d wandered in to get drunk – as students do. I’m sure that all 8 were not bona-fide fans – although I’m equally sure they were after the event). Anyway, I digress. No, this has not become a blog dedicated to Green Day/the Red Hot Chilli Peppers or indeed, any other band with colours in their name (for which, I must admit, I seem to have a penchant. I also really like Pink Floyd. I’m not a big Deep Purple fan though). But I’ll get to the point. The point BEING: I did the Great Manchester Run on Sunday and it was MUCH TOO BIG. MUCH MUCH TOO BIG. I can’t really think of any other way to describe it, apart from in those terms:
TOO BIG
And, as a result, and just as my husband says, it had become soulless. The Great Edinburgh, with 10,000 runners, was fantastic. We all went off together. There was a great vibe and a great atmosphere of excitement on the day. It was also a challenging run in beautiful surroundings (the Great Manchester was not a challenging run in not very beautiful surroundings at all). I can say this – I was born in Manchester. I spent the first 9 years of my life there. I remember it being a bit of a... well, shall we say, not a great-looking city back then, but it did have a kind of industrial charm to it. Now, it’s been regenerated and there’s just an awful lot of glass. There’s nothing charming at all about running down a by-pass. I liked the Hilton building (Britain’s biggest skyscraper or something like that?) But that was about it. I do think the Manchester United football players could have stood outside Old Trafford to cheer us on, just like the snooker players stood outside the Crucible during the Sheffield Half-Marathon and cheered us mere mortals on in our sporting endeavours. Sadly, there was a dearth of Man Utd players outside. (I suppose this might have been a good thing – it was raining quite hard and they wouldn’t want to ruin their designer hairstyles in the first instance – also, in the second as I was running past there was a bloke running next to me singing: “We’re going to buy your football ground, we’re going to burn it to the ground...” Not a Man U fan I feel – and the players might not have felt like cheering us on at all if they had heard that).
The run was totally flat (one slight incline – I scarcely felt it after the Great Edinburgh and the Sheffield Half). The only challenging element of it really was that you couldn’t really run because of the sheer volume of runners who were trying to run too. It was run a bit... walk a bit because you can’t get past the person who is walking there and having a chat with her friend at the same time... and then run a bit when you get past them... oh and then walk a bit until you can dodge round the man dressed as an octopus.... (surely that’s cheating – he’s got 8 legs!) and then there’s Scooby Doo to get past... and oh God, I think I’ll just walk the rest of the way, this is too stressful. As a result my time wasn’t great (although it wasn’t disgraceful – I still did it in an hour). Then, just as I crossed the finishing line, the heavens opened. I got soaked. I then had to wait for two hours for a train (I’d reserved a seat on the cheap train, but had to wait until 2.20 pm for it) being utterly sodden in Manchester Piccadilly. I’ve got to say, I must have looked like a tramp. I know I got that thing where you smell slightly of damp dog, because you’re clothes were a bit stinky and then they got rained on. I was in my scruffy jogging bottoms and my trainers smell so much now that they’re starting to take on a life of their own. I genuinely felt sorry for the woman who had to sit next to me on the train on the way back because I could smell them – I’m sure she could too. In fact, the way they’re going, the amount I must have sweated into them by now, they’ll be taking me for a run – I won’t need to put in any effort at all – which is a good thing because next week I’ve got the Buxton Half-Marathon. Not sure how many runners (at least 32,500 less than 33,000 though) I will probably come last – the first three miles of the 13.1 are uphill. Yes, the first three miles. Up to Axe Edge – then down – then a further (even more challenging climb, the organisers felt) of 600 feet in one mile up another hill (the name of which I’ve forgotten). Oh well, I’ll go and do my best. I’ll put my trainers on and let them go... Go on trainers... Run free... Oh and can I come along too for the ride?
(Oh, incidentally, I didn’t make it onto TV this time either – it was on BBC2 at 5pm last night – they interviewed the poor sod who was running dressed as Scooby Doo though).
TOO BIG
And, as a result, and just as my husband says, it had become soulless. The Great Edinburgh, with 10,000 runners, was fantastic. We all went off together. There was a great vibe and a great atmosphere of excitement on the day. It was also a challenging run in beautiful surroundings (the Great Manchester was not a challenging run in not very beautiful surroundings at all). I can say this – I was born in Manchester. I spent the first 9 years of my life there. I remember it being a bit of a... well, shall we say, not a great-looking city back then, but it did have a kind of industrial charm to it. Now, it’s been regenerated and there’s just an awful lot of glass. There’s nothing charming at all about running down a by-pass. I liked the Hilton building (Britain’s biggest skyscraper or something like that?) But that was about it. I do think the Manchester United football players could have stood outside Old Trafford to cheer us on, just like the snooker players stood outside the Crucible during the Sheffield Half-Marathon and cheered us mere mortals on in our sporting endeavours. Sadly, there was a dearth of Man Utd players outside. (I suppose this might have been a good thing – it was raining quite hard and they wouldn’t want to ruin their designer hairstyles in the first instance – also, in the second as I was running past there was a bloke running next to me singing: “We’re going to buy your football ground, we’re going to burn it to the ground...” Not a Man U fan I feel – and the players might not have felt like cheering us on at all if they had heard that).
The run was totally flat (one slight incline – I scarcely felt it after the Great Edinburgh and the Sheffield Half). The only challenging element of it really was that you couldn’t really run because of the sheer volume of runners who were trying to run too. It was run a bit... walk a bit because you can’t get past the person who is walking there and having a chat with her friend at the same time... and then run a bit when you get past them... oh and then walk a bit until you can dodge round the man dressed as an octopus.... (surely that’s cheating – he’s got 8 legs!) and then there’s Scooby Doo to get past... and oh God, I think I’ll just walk the rest of the way, this is too stressful. As a result my time wasn’t great (although it wasn’t disgraceful – I still did it in an hour). Then, just as I crossed the finishing line, the heavens opened. I got soaked. I then had to wait for two hours for a train (I’d reserved a seat on the cheap train, but had to wait until 2.20 pm for it) being utterly sodden in Manchester Piccadilly. I’ve got to say, I must have looked like a tramp. I know I got that thing where you smell slightly of damp dog, because you’re clothes were a bit stinky and then they got rained on. I was in my scruffy jogging bottoms and my trainers smell so much now that they’re starting to take on a life of their own. I genuinely felt sorry for the woman who had to sit next to me on the train on the way back because I could smell them – I’m sure she could too. In fact, the way they’re going, the amount I must have sweated into them by now, they’ll be taking me for a run – I won’t need to put in any effort at all – which is a good thing because next week I’ve got the Buxton Half-Marathon. Not sure how many runners (at least 32,500 less than 33,000 though) I will probably come last – the first three miles of the 13.1 are uphill. Yes, the first three miles. Up to Axe Edge – then down – then a further (even more challenging climb, the organisers felt) of 600 feet in one mile up another hill (the name of which I’ve forgotten). Oh well, I’ll go and do my best. I’ll put my trainers on and let them go... Go on trainers... Run free... Oh and can I come along too for the ride?
(Oh, incidentally, I didn’t make it onto TV this time either – it was on BBC2 at 5pm last night – they interviewed the poor sod who was running dressed as Scooby Doo though).
Tuesday, 5 May 2009
I wanna be on TV....
Not really. I just thought I’d use the title from the Green Day song for two reasons:
The first is, I almost was on TV... well, I could have been. Well, I did the Great Edinburgh Run and that was on TV. Sadly, 10,000 other runners were also doing the Great Edinburgh Run at the same time and they only featured the really outstanding runners, i.e. the ones who had a chance of winning (not me) or the ones dressed as daleks, storm troopers, Princess Leia, bananas or giant leprechauns (definitely not me).
One of my friends from the telebetting centre told me that she stepped outside to watch the Sheffield Half Marathon Runners going past last week (we ran right past where I work). Well, she said she went outside to watch the runners, but she probably just nipped out for a crafty smoke... but anyway, she told me that whilst she was smoking her sneaky cigarette she was also looking out for me, “but,” she complained, “I couldn’t see you at all. All the runners looked the same. They all had their hair tied back and they were all wearing running stuff... I wouldn’t have known you.” Well, whilst I was watching the Great Edinburgh Run on television (my husband videoed it for me) I could suddenly see what she was getting at. All the runners did look the same (with the obvious exceptions of the daleks and the bloke dressed up as Princess Leia) – I wouldn’t have recognised me. (In fact, I did, at one point, think I had recognised myself, but it turned out to be a man wearing a very similar t-shirt – worrying).
Onto the second reason for the title of this being the same as the Green Day song – I got tickets to see Green Day!! Yes! I am so excited (despite the fact that the event itself isn’t taking place until October). In fact, coincidentally, the concert itself is actually taking place the day after my very last run for the Weston 100 – and what a great way to celebrate – to leave the kids with my parents and go out for the night and watch my very favourite band. The fact that I’ve got the tickets at all is something of a miracle because I came back from the Great Edinburgh Run and found that they had pretty much sold out everywhere. The only ones to be had seemed to be from ticket touting agencies at 2-3 times their original face value price. Much as I love Green Day (and I love Green Day – I can’t think how many Green Day songs playing on my Ipod have seen me through my training runs and around the various courses of the races I have done) I can’t afford to pay £110 for a ticket to go and see them – so I had pretty much resigned myself to the fact that I wasn’t going to be seeing them this time (and being as this is the first time they have toured in the UK for the past four years, I was resigning myself to another four years of Green Day-less-ness). Anyway, then, just by chance (in an attempt to console myself about this miserable turn of fate) I logged onto their website and found that there were some tickets still to be bought, but that they were individual tickets dotted around the arena – none seated together - so I bought two. (Yes, what this means is that my husband, who will be accompanying me – hence leaving the kids with my parents – will not be able to sit with me. In fact, I’m in row M and he’s in row N – but at least we’ll have the mutual experience to talk about after). (In actual fact, my husband doesn’t want to go and see them at all – he doesn’t even like them that much and he hates arena concerts – it’s a measure of his love for me, I feel, that he’s prepared to come with me to a venue he loathes, to not sit with me throughout a concert he doesn’t even want to go to and see a band he doesn’t particularly like. Oh well – I’d do it for him if, say, Slayer played somewhere and he really wanted to go).
Anyway, that’s the reason for the title of this entry. I don’t really want to be on TV. I don’t care about that. In fact, if I’m honest, I’d rather not be. But that’s not to say I didn’t enjoy the Great Edinburgh Run. It was an amazing experience to run along with 10,000 other people. I had a fantastic time. Edinburgh is just such a beautiful city that the 6 ½ miles or so went in a flash. The (slightly condescending, I felt) commentator on Channel 5 described the course as “challenging” and went on to make derogatory remarks about how charity runners never train enough. Well, I don’t know who you are, you silly patronising man, but I didn’t find the course “challenging” at all – OK there were some hills (and, OK, I admit, that around the 8k mark the only thing I was conversing with was my own pain) but – BUT I got a personal best on the course (59 mins 23 secs), the atmosphere was amazing and I just really enjoyed the experience (and that’s including the fact that Lastminute.com buggered up my room booking for the previous evening and I had to spend the night in the hotel owner’s private guest room because they’d double-booked the room). This is something that I’ve written to complain about (not because the hotel owner was less than gracious – he wasn’t – he was fantastic and I just felt as if I was imposing upon him dreadfully for the kindness and courtesy I received from himself and his family), but because Lastminute are big enough not to bugger up such things and, with this in view, only a donation to my justgiving site from them will make me feel better on this point.
My next run is even bigger than the Great Edinburgh – it’s the Great Manchester and it features 33,000 runners. It’s being covered on BBC2 this time and if you want to get on TV and are running that race, you do either need to (a) win it; or (b) dress up as a camel or a cyberman or something. I will be wearing my home made Sex Pistols/Blue Peter influenced T-shirt and probably won’t figure at all. I certainly won’t be winning it – I’m in the last wave of starting – again - and by the time I get to cross the start line, the race will already have been won by someone or other (it took me 12 minutes to cross the start line in the Great Edinburgh and that’s 10,000 runners – it’s going to be even longer with 33,000 crossing that line) – but that’s not going to stop me enjoying the experience.
The first is, I almost was on TV... well, I could have been. Well, I did the Great Edinburgh Run and that was on TV. Sadly, 10,000 other runners were also doing the Great Edinburgh Run at the same time and they only featured the really outstanding runners, i.e. the ones who had a chance of winning (not me) or the ones dressed as daleks, storm troopers, Princess Leia, bananas or giant leprechauns (definitely not me).
One of my friends from the telebetting centre told me that she stepped outside to watch the Sheffield Half Marathon Runners going past last week (we ran right past where I work). Well, she said she went outside to watch the runners, but she probably just nipped out for a crafty smoke... but anyway, she told me that whilst she was smoking her sneaky cigarette she was also looking out for me, “but,” she complained, “I couldn’t see you at all. All the runners looked the same. They all had their hair tied back and they were all wearing running stuff... I wouldn’t have known you.” Well, whilst I was watching the Great Edinburgh Run on television (my husband videoed it for me) I could suddenly see what she was getting at. All the runners did look the same (with the obvious exceptions of the daleks and the bloke dressed up as Princess Leia) – I wouldn’t have recognised me. (In fact, I did, at one point, think I had recognised myself, but it turned out to be a man wearing a very similar t-shirt – worrying).
Onto the second reason for the title of this being the same as the Green Day song – I got tickets to see Green Day!! Yes! I am so excited (despite the fact that the event itself isn’t taking place until October). In fact, coincidentally, the concert itself is actually taking place the day after my very last run for the Weston 100 – and what a great way to celebrate – to leave the kids with my parents and go out for the night and watch my very favourite band. The fact that I’ve got the tickets at all is something of a miracle because I came back from the Great Edinburgh Run and found that they had pretty much sold out everywhere. The only ones to be had seemed to be from ticket touting agencies at 2-3 times their original face value price. Much as I love Green Day (and I love Green Day – I can’t think how many Green Day songs playing on my Ipod have seen me through my training runs and around the various courses of the races I have done) I can’t afford to pay £110 for a ticket to go and see them – so I had pretty much resigned myself to the fact that I wasn’t going to be seeing them this time (and being as this is the first time they have toured in the UK for the past four years, I was resigning myself to another four years of Green Day-less-ness). Anyway, then, just by chance (in an attempt to console myself about this miserable turn of fate) I logged onto their website and found that there were some tickets still to be bought, but that they were individual tickets dotted around the arena – none seated together - so I bought two. (Yes, what this means is that my husband, who will be accompanying me – hence leaving the kids with my parents – will not be able to sit with me. In fact, I’m in row M and he’s in row N – but at least we’ll have the mutual experience to talk about after). (In actual fact, my husband doesn’t want to go and see them at all – he doesn’t even like them that much and he hates arena concerts – it’s a measure of his love for me, I feel, that he’s prepared to come with me to a venue he loathes, to not sit with me throughout a concert he doesn’t even want to go to and see a band he doesn’t particularly like. Oh well – I’d do it for him if, say, Slayer played somewhere and he really wanted to go).
Anyway, that’s the reason for the title of this entry. I don’t really want to be on TV. I don’t care about that. In fact, if I’m honest, I’d rather not be. But that’s not to say I didn’t enjoy the Great Edinburgh Run. It was an amazing experience to run along with 10,000 other people. I had a fantastic time. Edinburgh is just such a beautiful city that the 6 ½ miles or so went in a flash. The (slightly condescending, I felt) commentator on Channel 5 described the course as “challenging” and went on to make derogatory remarks about how charity runners never train enough. Well, I don’t know who you are, you silly patronising man, but I didn’t find the course “challenging” at all – OK there were some hills (and, OK, I admit, that around the 8k mark the only thing I was conversing with was my own pain) but – BUT I got a personal best on the course (59 mins 23 secs), the atmosphere was amazing and I just really enjoyed the experience (and that’s including the fact that Lastminute.com buggered up my room booking for the previous evening and I had to spend the night in the hotel owner’s private guest room because they’d double-booked the room). This is something that I’ve written to complain about (not because the hotel owner was less than gracious – he wasn’t – he was fantastic and I just felt as if I was imposing upon him dreadfully for the kindness and courtesy I received from himself and his family), but because Lastminute are big enough not to bugger up such things and, with this in view, only a donation to my justgiving site from them will make me feel better on this point.
My next run is even bigger than the Great Edinburgh – it’s the Great Manchester and it features 33,000 runners. It’s being covered on BBC2 this time and if you want to get on TV and are running that race, you do either need to (a) win it; or (b) dress up as a camel or a cyberman or something. I will be wearing my home made Sex Pistols/Blue Peter influenced T-shirt and probably won’t figure at all. I certainly won’t be winning it – I’m in the last wave of starting – again - and by the time I get to cross the start line, the race will already have been won by someone or other (it took me 12 minutes to cross the start line in the Great Edinburgh and that’s 10,000 runners – it’s going to be even longer with 33,000 crossing that line) – but that’s not going to stop me enjoying the experience.
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