Sunday, September 25, 2011
Crossdale 10k
It’s dull, windy and miserable here in Bakewell but still oddly picturesque with the hills behind us. L though is running in Keyworth, the Crossdale 10k, and up against the U23 GB canoe team. Not sure if they’re any good at running though. She is three minutes down on last year. ‘Shoot me now’, she proclaims, as she heads off to make a donation at the charity cake stall. Does she mean for the run or the cake?
Her time isn’t too bad considering she did have two working legs last year and she was supposed to be taking it easy.
L Time: 01:02:54
Races: 31
Miles: 216.1
T-shirts: 17
Medals: 10
Bags Of Crisps: 3
Chocolate Bars: 3
Mugs: 1
Plates: 1
Paperweights: 1
Bandanas: 1
Drinks Bottles: 1
Sticks Of Rock: 1
Rosettes: 1
Dog Biscuits: 1
Saturday, September 17, 2011
Tails n Trails 5k
Today it’s the Tails n Trails 5k at Catton Park, which, as you can probably tell from the name, requires a dog. So I’m doing it with MD. Today's race doesn’t start until noon, so we even get a lie-in first.
L decides to enter the 5k with Doggo – the old team. We think ‘Granddad’ can manage an amble round 5k, question is, can L cope with the mental stress, 5k’s a lot of sniffing.
The publicity hasn’t been the best and there are only six entrants, consisting of three men and three women. L starts texting everybody before she starts telling them of her podium finish.
There’s also a dog agility show going on as well, one that I wasn’t aware of but I vow to support them and put MD round the practice ring before we leave. Topping all that entertainment wise, is a fun dog show. You know the kind, with categories such as ugliest dog, waggiest tail etc etc. We reckon MD has the noisiest dog category sewn up. On second thoughts we might skip that.
L takes it really seriously and borrows a proper running harness off a chap who looks like he knows what he’s doing. When we start he goes off like a rocket and I didn’t see him again. So he wins, while MD and I pursue him in second place. We probably pursue him faster than necessary and I rush MD through the many drinks stops - bowls for dogs, nothing for humans, in an attempt to defend our position. A cup of tea at half-way would have been nice; something to do while MD has one of his mega long drinking sessions. We lose by three minutes but come second by a further six minutes, so as I said, the haste was perhaps unnecessary.
Our time isn't great but the course turns out to be on the long side, 3.6 miles rather than the 3.1 miles a 5k is supposed to consist of.
Once finished we go out to the edge of the course to cheer L and Doggo along, which doesn’t quite work out. Doggo grinds to a halt when he sees us cheering him along with still around half a kilometre to run. L accuses me of sabotaging their run. So I lash MD to a nearby tree, climb over the fence and go join them for the last stretch. This gets Doggo moving again. It upsets MD though, the howling was pitiful.
We get medals, rosettes, dog biscuits etc. In fact we got a goody bag before we started and another one afterwards. It doesn’t get better than that!
L And Doggo's Time: 00:38:04
Races: 30
Miles: 209.9
T-shirts: 16
Medals: 10
Bags Of Crisps: 3
Chocolate Bars: 3
Mugs: 1
Plates: 1
Paperweights: 1
Bandanas: 1
Drinks Bottles: 1
Sticks Of Rock: 1
Rosettes: 1
Dog Biscuits: 1
L decides to enter the 5k with Doggo – the old team. We think ‘Granddad’ can manage an amble round 5k, question is, can L cope with the mental stress, 5k’s a lot of sniffing.
The publicity hasn’t been the best and there are only six entrants, consisting of three men and three women. L starts texting everybody before she starts telling them of her podium finish.
There’s also a dog agility show going on as well, one that I wasn’t aware of but I vow to support them and put MD round the practice ring before we leave. Topping all that entertainment wise, is a fun dog show. You know the kind, with categories such as ugliest dog, waggiest tail etc etc. We reckon MD has the noisiest dog category sewn up. On second thoughts we might skip that.
L takes it really seriously and borrows a proper running harness off a chap who looks like he knows what he’s doing. When we start he goes off like a rocket and I didn’t see him again. So he wins, while MD and I pursue him in second place. We probably pursue him faster than necessary and I rush MD through the many drinks stops - bowls for dogs, nothing for humans, in an attempt to defend our position. A cup of tea at half-way would have been nice; something to do while MD has one of his mega long drinking sessions. We lose by three minutes but come second by a further six minutes, so as I said, the haste was perhaps unnecessary.
Our time isn't great but the course turns out to be on the long side, 3.6 miles rather than the 3.1 miles a 5k is supposed to consist of.
Once finished we go out to the edge of the course to cheer L and Doggo along, which doesn’t quite work out. Doggo grinds to a halt when he sees us cheering him along with still around half a kilometre to run. L accuses me of sabotaging their run. So I lash MD to a nearby tree, climb over the fence and go join them for the last stretch. This gets Doggo moving again. It upsets MD though, the howling was pitiful.
We get medals, rosettes, dog biscuits etc. In fact we got a goody bag before we started and another one afterwards. It doesn’t get better than that!
L And Doggo's Time: 00:38:04
Races: 30
Miles: 209.9
T-shirts: 16
Medals: 10
Bags Of Crisps: 3
Chocolate Bars: 3
Mugs: 1
Plates: 1
Paperweights: 1
Bandanas: 1
Drinks Bottles: 1
Sticks Of Rock: 1
Rosettes: 1
Dog Biscuits: 1
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Robin Hood Half Marathon
I struggle to sleep due to a sore back, which doesn't bode well at all. A week in a tent and the back’s fine but as soon as I get in a comfy bed it falls apart.
So to today’s half marathon in the place which has been crowned the best city to run in the UK. The tannoy keeps telling us this, so it must be true. I can’t say I agree but I haven’t ran regularly anywhere else, so I assume all the other cities must be worse.
There’s a field of around 7,000 for the main two races, the full and half marathons and the start is a bit more chaotic than I remember from last year. Perhaps because of the use of metal barriers on the start pens, which rather than encouraging people to get in their right start areas I think has the opposite effect and you simply get in where you can.
Once we've started though, the brilliant organisation kicks in and it's this along with the excellent support of the spectators and marshals, that makes this such a good race.
It took a mile to get in my stride which isn’t too bad I suppose. My stride being 7.15 per mile pace. Which I hold quite well at first. I’m slightly up at 3 miles and then on pace until 8 miles. Then it collapses a bit. Nothing over 8.00 mind, which is encouraging, although 7.59 for mile 12 was edging it a bit. Mostly my last five miles are in the 7.25-7.40 window, which means simply that I must train harder.
My excuse is that for some reason it seemed hillier this year. L says not. Well at least not until the end where the finish has been made more interesting due to the flood defence work. They zigzag us though the new flood wall before finally taking us up and over it on a steel ramp. It was nearly one hill too far and then still you can’t see the finish because it’s off to the side but eventually I staggered over it.
1 hour 37 minutes is a minute down on my PB set last year but a best for this year, so I can’t be too dismayed or perhaps I can. I’ll ponder that over a pint later.
The goody bag was a bit pathetic again, for what isn't a cheap race. Some cleaning cloths and toothpaste might come in useful but it’s hardly much of a reward for thirteen miles. Thank heavens for the pack of crisps and the mars bar...
The medal is ok, if you like medals, personally I don't and I’d rather have a t-shirt or one of the much maligned and now axed lace panels but probably just because I’ve never had one.
L's quick, a lot quicker than at Leek but a bit slower than at Newark. So she's not happy. She sounds so like me. Today's thirteen miles takes her total over the 200.
L's Time: 02:18:00
Races: 29
Miles: 206.3
T-shirts: 16
Medals: 9
Bags Of Crisps: 3
Chocolate Bars: 3
Mugs: 1
Plates: 1
Paperweights: 1
Bandanas: 1
Drinks Bottles: 1
Sticks Of Rock: 1
So to today’s half marathon in the place which has been crowned the best city to run in the UK. The tannoy keeps telling us this, so it must be true. I can’t say I agree but I haven’t ran regularly anywhere else, so I assume all the other cities must be worse.
There’s a field of around 7,000 for the main two races, the full and half marathons and the start is a bit more chaotic than I remember from last year. Perhaps because of the use of metal barriers on the start pens, which rather than encouraging people to get in their right start areas I think has the opposite effect and you simply get in where you can.
Once we've started though, the brilliant organisation kicks in and it's this along with the excellent support of the spectators and marshals, that makes this such a good race.
It took a mile to get in my stride which isn’t too bad I suppose. My stride being 7.15 per mile pace. Which I hold quite well at first. I’m slightly up at 3 miles and then on pace until 8 miles. Then it collapses a bit. Nothing over 8.00 mind, which is encouraging, although 7.59 for mile 12 was edging it a bit. Mostly my last five miles are in the 7.25-7.40 window, which means simply that I must train harder.
My excuse is that for some reason it seemed hillier this year. L says not. Well at least not until the end where the finish has been made more interesting due to the flood defence work. They zigzag us though the new flood wall before finally taking us up and over it on a steel ramp. It was nearly one hill too far and then still you can’t see the finish because it’s off to the side but eventually I staggered over it.
1 hour 37 minutes is a minute down on my PB set last year but a best for this year, so I can’t be too dismayed or perhaps I can. I’ll ponder that over a pint later.
The goody bag was a bit pathetic again, for what isn't a cheap race. Some cleaning cloths and toothpaste might come in useful but it’s hardly much of a reward for thirteen miles. Thank heavens for the pack of crisps and the mars bar...
The medal is ok, if you like medals, personally I don't and I’d rather have a t-shirt or one of the much maligned and now axed lace panels but probably just because I’ve never had one.
L's quick, a lot quicker than at Leek but a bit slower than at Newark. So she's not happy. She sounds so like me. Today's thirteen miles takes her total over the 200.
L's Time: 02:18:00
Races: 29
Miles: 206.3
T-shirts: 16
Medals: 9
Bags Of Crisps: 3
Chocolate Bars: 3
Mugs: 1
Plates: 1
Paperweights: 1
Bandanas: 1
Drinks Bottles: 1
Sticks Of Rock: 1
Sunday, September 4, 2011
Wilne 10k
L likes being inaugural. So despite the fact I point out it’s the inaugural Dunchurch bike ride and offer to hire a tandem, we’re here a mere ten miles down the road a Church Wilne for the inaugural Wilne 10k. So too is protégé, so I have competition. This is what his personal trainer has been destroying, sorry I mean training, him for.
It is possibly the most hyped new race I’ve ever known and I mean that in a nice way. The organisers have promoted this race at every opportunity and have been present to push it at many local races. They are rewarded with a field of over 560 entries.
The organisation is impressive apart from one major fail, a distinct lack of loos. Which is a basic thing to get wrong. I could also gripe that the car park and race village falls mid way between the start and finish points, about half a mile from each. This makes spectating for people like my Dad difficult, as he’s not capable of hot footing it from start to finish. He’s happy though and positions himself at the finish which is also the 4k point on this is a two lap course but I do think having the finish by the race village would have made for a better post-race atmosphere.
The race itself went well. Almost as flat as they advertised but not pancake flat. The course was basically a big square, lots of straight flat traffic free sections. We could have done without the rain though. Mainly dry for the actual race but downpours before and afterwards.
The local residents came out in force especially in Draycott and especially the mad woman with the bell, which may or may not have helped. Plus a nice cotton t-shirt at the end, I’m a bit sick of all the technical ones that we keep getting and they usually don’t fit me anyway.
I went for a 42, held a pretty constant pace and just dipped under 42:00 so was happy. Three minutes ahead of protégé, not that I’m counting. As for L, a dodgy groin seemed set to put paid to a good time for her but no. She gritted her teeth and got home in her first sub-57 of the year and for some time. Perhaps her sessions with her personal trainer are helping, I hope she thanks him properly later.
L's Time: 00:56:27
Races: 28
Miles: 193.2
T-shirts: 15
Medals: 8
Mugs: 1
Plates: 1
Paperweights: 1
Bandanas: 1
Drinks Bottles: 1
Chocolate Bars: 2
Sticks Of Rock: 1
It is possibly the most hyped new race I’ve ever known and I mean that in a nice way. The organisers have promoted this race at every opportunity and have been present to push it at many local races. They are rewarded with a field of over 560 entries.
The organisation is impressive apart from one major fail, a distinct lack of loos. Which is a basic thing to get wrong. I could also gripe that the car park and race village falls mid way between the start and finish points, about half a mile from each. This makes spectating for people like my Dad difficult, as he’s not capable of hot footing it from start to finish. He’s happy though and positions himself at the finish which is also the 4k point on this is a two lap course but I do think having the finish by the race village would have made for a better post-race atmosphere.
The race itself went well. Almost as flat as they advertised but not pancake flat. The course was basically a big square, lots of straight flat traffic free sections. We could have done without the rain though. Mainly dry for the actual race but downpours before and afterwards.
The local residents came out in force especially in Draycott and especially the mad woman with the bell, which may or may not have helped. Plus a nice cotton t-shirt at the end, I’m a bit sick of all the technical ones that we keep getting and they usually don’t fit me anyway.
I went for a 42, held a pretty constant pace and just dipped under 42:00 so was happy. Three minutes ahead of protégé, not that I’m counting. As for L, a dodgy groin seemed set to put paid to a good time for her but no. She gritted her teeth and got home in her first sub-57 of the year and for some time. Perhaps her sessions with her personal trainer are helping, I hope she thanks him properly later.
L's Time: 00:56:27
Races: 28
Miles: 193.2
T-shirts: 15
Medals: 8
Mugs: 1
Plates: 1
Paperweights: 1
Bandanas: 1
Drinks Bottles: 1
Chocolate Bars: 2
Sticks Of Rock: 1
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