Round Rotherham 50 and Tamworth 10k

Rowbotham's Round Rotherham and according to the local expert in Stone was started by the rugby club a while back, one new years eve while discussing the boundary changes to the Rotherham area. They then decided to do a winter run, which would be back then 50 miles of water logged fields. Comparably today's Rowbotham's Round Rotherham is now in October and this year actually quite a nice day :) Last year I attempted this with fellow club runner Bernie and enjoyed it for the most part but more or less endured it more. I can see I'm definitely all fitter this time around. That's not to say there's not room for improvement, I still struggled with a few dips in energy but only for a short while. Thanks to a staple diet of jaffacakes, cola, winegums, squash, two quarters of a tuna sarny and one gel, oh and some ibuprofen (although I'm not sure that counts as sustenance) I seemed to be ok for the most part. It all seems like a balancing act with these races. Eat enough or else! But don't eat too much or definitely "or else!". Also I think I need to ditch the back  pack for this distance as one runner pointed out (who I found out was Andrew James runfurther champ, I think he was taking it easy that day. I say this as I was running with him for a section before half way and he tends to win the events I've seen him in.) It was overall annoying me and too heavy in the long term. I could have stuff most of the stuff into a waist pack or similar. But still every event I do I always learn something new either about myself or gear.

The run it's self was great, really spot on weather which is strange for this time of year. Rotherham really isn't as bad as I remembered it. It has some bad spots but most places do if you cover 50miles. Roche Abbey was as ever stunning and I saw a small herd of deer shoot past in the last lot of fields. The morning mist really set off the long view's across those endless plains. I guess it must have been the weather bringing out the best in the area. I didn't see the floating fridge from last year in the canal and no ditched mattress at the 35mile mark. Maybe people have started taking more pride in the area. Even the parks were busy, even if one guy was drinking tennents super and muttering at me at the 45mile mark as I ran past. Honestly by that point if he poked me I would have probably flopped over and fell asleep. I never seem to get the start of this event right, this year I arrived at 4am! And travelled straight from Stone at 3am. I didn't fancy sleeping on sports hall floor or a hotel. God knows why as I got no sleep at home either. Although despite all of this I still felt better at the end than I did last year. Only one small niggle which seems to be progressing around the top of my ITB.. I finished 8:10, 20mins faster than last year which made me 20th overall and 13th overall in the Run Further series. Which I'm happy with, last year I kind of came into Run Further half way so I didn't finish the series which was a shame. I really enjoyed it :)

On Sunday I decided to accompany Claire to the Tamworth 10k and possibly race. I basically got there jogged around a bit and then decided to race. My basic thinking was if it's over quick it might hurt less and I kinda think it did/didn't. Of course there's the argument that if I ran slower for longer it might also not hurt as much but the way my legs felt. Either didn't sound like a good idea. Another good run, a great route from the castle, to the road, around some canal tow paths and back in along a road/park with 2 laps'. The lap's didn't bother me at first until I realised on the second lap when I could see the castle that basically meant I was 2 miles away. And that didn't go so fast as everytime I looked up it didn't seem to move. No pb but still 38:53 and 15th overall, so I'm happy with that. 40seconds of my best time.

At the end of the RRR 50, mumbling nonsense but generally happy.

I don't know if it's the cold but my ITB doesn't seem to be getting any better so I may be considering these as neither does the current weather situation!

http://www.sportsshoes.com/product/SKI18/skins-sport-travel-and-recovery-long-tights/

VLM acceptance :)

Claire just told me I had a letter through from the Virgin London marathon stating my acceptance for my good for age application for 2012's marathon. Very happy now :)

Also on a random note, I don't often run to music however I noticed the other day that my jog pace is the exact same beat/pace as White Zombie - Black Sunshine. I try not to ever run to a beat, which is one of the reasons I don't run to music. I feel I probably speed up slow down all the time when doing so. But sometimes it's nice:

High Peak 40 and St Thomas 7 (the day after)

On the Saturday it was the High Peak 40 and this being my second attempt I wanted allot more than I could get out of it. I set off fast and maybe a little too fast but it felt good. And not just for a few miles, I felt good till about 20miles. I then realised I was more or less repeating what I did last year. Last year I got to 20 then felt terrible for some reason. I think I just need to train more hills. I was overall faster than last year but I'm quite sure I walked loads more than last year. I had this incredible heart burn pain at 20 which felt like a small heart attack. This didn't go away until the other side of Cave Dale (30miles maybe?) by which time I'd pretty much lost my pace and the will to live. I almost had a come back at 33miles when I started running with a few people and then completely bonked when I hit a small hill. On the way up the hill I saw a sheep with rigour mortis which was pretty much how I felt. On the last mile I was reduced to a stumble, I've never bonked like this before. The 1st lady in caught me and said: "Are you ok? Do you need some sweets?" I didn't even think about that, I was so out of it. I immediately went "Yes that's it I'm sure I'm low on sugar". And i was! I managed a run in for the last mile. On the last 10miles I went from 13th to 21! God know's I've learnt a valuable lesson on this attempt, take more sugar! I actually think I may have over hydrated before the race which may have caused the heart burn but I'm not sure and I've had it before. It was probably just unlucky. Any way I can't really complain I did 6:51 which is 66mins faster than last year. So if I actually run it and kept up with the guy who said "at this rate we'll be in around 6hrs" I guess I'll be in around 6hrs.. But it is a tough one and I don't really know why. The hill's aren't that steep but I think the combination of hill, general not well being and 35% of the running was on road made it tough..

As for Sunday, why would any one run a 7 mile race the day after a 40miler! FREE OATCAKES! That's why. That and to support Mark C as he's a nice guy, fellow club runner and he organised it all. This surprisingly went better than the day before, which I guess means I'm fit enough just unlucky in the first race. I set off with Craig from Newcastle AC and a steady pace and generally chatting, probably too much for his liking but still we had a laugh taunting Gary about nicking his Oatcakes. I was really at odd's whether or not to race this one so I took it steady and said to Craig "I'll stick with you till I either go backwards or forwards". And surprisingly at 3/4miles I started to slowly easy away from him. I then at what I thought was the same pace. Still not pushing too hard and not that out of breathe took 4 more runners. I wish I had this on the 40, I guess that's a different game! I felt comfortable and happy. The course was great, undulating but not too hilly. The hill's were runnable and the down hill's were fast. Unlike the High Peak I think I'd like to do this one again next year and actually race all the way. I finished in 48mins and 16th overall, 5th in my age group which I've been told doesn't count but still it's something and I'll take what I can get.. At the end I jogged back for Claire and ran her in, hense the above picture. Although it would have looked better if I wasn't running with my goodie bag. Kinda looks like I did some shopping before I met her. We also finished just in take for the rain to start so we all hobbled back to the car. On returning I necked all 6 of my Oatcakes with cheese and brown source and I don't care! Screw you runners world diet plans!

All that's left now is my favorite: winter XC's and Britains premier ultra marathon the Round Rotherham.. I wonder if they removed the floating fridge from the canal.. I guess I'll just have to wait and see.. 

Thursday's beginners run!

Beginners running group meet at 6:30 Thursday, walk run 12 week session. £1 one off fee for temporary membership. We meet at Stone Tennis club. For more info please get in touch or check out the Stone MM website for info about them: http://www.stonemm.co.uk/

Rog

Le marathon des Oussaillès

Try saying that with a mouthful of cheese (and I did). Ok where to start here are the things I like in order of 1 being good 5 being not so good:

1. Friendly
2. For the most part down hill
3. Massive 1 mile at 25
4. Large French man not telling me which road to run down so I went from 3rd to 4th
5. They didn't even write my time down when I came in. I think this was because some relay runners were with me.

At the end of the day I can't complain, I ran my heart out and still felt pretty good for it at the end. And it's not often I get to run between a mountain, lake and small beautiful villages with random French people shouting what I can only assume was encouragement at me. I forgot to mention the start, at the start I went for the pre race nerve induced toilet stop. Which happened to be under a road down some steps by a very fast flowing river in the rain. It was actually a toilet I'm not trying to be disgusting (honest). I went into the cubicle and then out again as I realised there was no lights and then back in again after I realised there really wasn't any light but still needs must. When I flushed I realised a pipe was broke in the system, I knew this by the shower I got down my back before I left.

Other thing's that made me smile probably not for the right reason were: A guy at a drinks table telling me I should drink the whole cup of water before leaving. (I didn't argue but then I didn't hang around to either). And a few relay runner's at each of their leg racing me, passing me and then after 3 miles burning out and I passing them to hear strange French breathless verses. Again some kind of encouragement perhaps? All in all not to bad :)

Lakeland 100

There's way too much to say on this subject but here goes: The landscapes were amazing, the support was unreal, people in day and night cheering us on! I just wish I could have stopped at all the lovely pubs. Everything went to plan for me apart from my feet getting shredded by the unforgiving loose rock. I decided to use nuun's and I'm pretty sure they really helped, I had no cramps and no real muscle pain. I went slower than the Housman but honestly I don't care and because of the mountains of loose rocks I think in my case it was almost impossible (for me at least). I think the only way to get good at running the Lakeland ascents is to just run them. There's nothing like them at least that I've seen so far. They're unforgiven but very cool. The stats are a bit scary 250 entered 130 dnf'd :(

Everyone I spoke too/ran with was very cool and very friendly even when there was large groups of us getting lost in a field..

30hrs 7mins and 7 or more blisters some of which were bandaged up at Mardale head.

Here's my at the start still far to fresh: http://www.sportsunday.co.uk/photo11680670.html
I wasn't too sure why everyone was running so fast at this point but still it was a bit of a giggle..

Back to marathon training then followed by more ultra training, starting want a brake about now but i'm sure i'll pick up :)

Stone circle #4 (I think)

Well I ran the stone circle again, 35miles in a pw of 7 hours I think this was dew to the field before Yarnfield. The farm seems to have used 110% of his field and not left any room for the public footpath. I guess he could argue that no one use's it. Yes correct "because no one can access it!". But still for the most part it was enjoyable and I befriended some cow's and 2 sheep who were hiding in a tree. It would have been better if the camera worked slightly faster, instead I just have a picture of them leaving the tree.