Here we go gathering Medals in May

So, when the subject of doing the Ox Ultra (36 miles) came up between myself and Neil, we were just thinking about completing the Ox medal set before the designs changed. It was also mentioned that, you know, it was 'only' 5 or 6 miles longer than our first Ultra, the RTTS 50k, so not a huge leap.....
I'm sure we made that mistake before RTTS, not realising the effect that the previous 26 miles would have before those last few!

Still the month of May 2016 started out with 4 of us Rebel Scum trying out the mainly trail section of a round the harbour run route which I hoped would one day be turned into an event. It turned out to be a tad longer than Jenny thought at 16 miles but she battled on towards the end, going into 'dont stop me' mode as we approached the Studland Ferry. The concensus was that it was a very nice route. 

I got back to a bit more cycling and also managed a kind of parkrun PB, well a course PB anyway, the fastest I had ever run the Moors Valley event. 

The week before the Ox Ultra me and Jenny decided to cycle the entire round the harbour route and we had a lovely sunny day to do so in. This would be the longest cycle I had ever done at 28 miles!
Now Jenny can do this sort of cycle mileage in her sleep, but I could really feel it towards the end :-)
I had decided to film the route so as to make a little video but unfortunately when I looked at the footage I realised there had been a little problem. Unbeknown to me the Ricoh camera I was using which was Kev's only filmed around 20 minutes at a time, after which it stopped recording and you would have to re-start it for another 20 mins. As i didnt know this, we had a little problem. I think that I managed to record a fair bit just by the fact that I happened to turn it off and on again in less than 20 mins segments for a while, but then of course after a longer section it turned off and then when we stopped for a short rest and I thought I had stopped the camera, I had actually turned it on, and when I thought I had restarted it, I had actually turned it off! So after about an hour the only footage I got of the 3.5 hour ride was recordings of our rest stops! 

Bit annoying as it meant I'd have to go back and do it again to record all the missing bits. :-(

anyway, couple of short runs later and Me, Neil and also Dave who joined us in signing up, are at the start of the Ox, wondering if we have done the right thing and whats the worst that can happen.. 

The weather is dodgy and there has been a bit of rain, so mud is likely.
We start before the Marathon but on the same course to start with for the first 15-16 miles and then approx the last 7 or 8 so we expected to see some of the marathon runners especially the faster ones! We had already agreed to only run the flats and downs and anything vaguely up was to be walked.
The course did a 10 mile loop before coming back near the start and then setting off towards the Ox Drove for the remaining 26-ish
It rained, it was muddy, we did a lot of either slipping about or wading through puddles, putting waterproofs on, taking them off....
In fact it was so muddy that towards the end it was impossible to even run DOWN some of the hills for fear of going arse over tip, thus meaning that we were getting precariously close to the cut off time of 9 hours.
My mate Chris was sweeping the Ultra with his two collies and we were expecting to see him behind us at any moment but he didnt appear until after we had eventually finished in just over the cut off at 9 hours and 9 mins making us almost the last in!
Dave had dropped behind me and Neil with a few miles to go so we waited to cheer him in followed by a few other stragglers. Eventually Chris appeared accompanied by his collies (for which 36 miles was just a stroll!) and a nice lady by the name of Kim who had been struggling but kept going and had been allowed to carry on to finish. 

And so we had completed our medal set, and our second ultra!

the rest of the months runs were few and short. However I did manage a 26.2 cycle ride on the last sunday of the month, on the road this time. The reason I knew it was 26.2? well myself and Gemma from WSR were checking out the route for the inaugeral Dorchester Marathon

The route was pleasant but hilly in places, going up through Dorchester town, and then out through surrounding villages. Although nowhere near the hills you would encounter on some trail marathons, i could imagine it would make the legs ache! It certainly worked my cycling muscles :-)

And so after my longest run, and my longest ride, and a month which turned out have my longest mileage so far (359km if you are interested), we look forward to June and the very first of something......sadly it was my first DNF......

That There London...

April 2016 brings the London Marathon.
Before we visit London we need to visit the Devon coastline, however.

Neil - not looking enthusiastic

Picture a group of runners who think that they've done some hills because they've run in Dorset, and are about to get a bit of a shock. A bleak seafront in Exmouth, and a freezing cold coastal wind, and we're off on the Exe to Axe 20 (ish) mile coastal path race.

I suppose the small fact that this race is registered as a fell category race should have given something away but we were not fully prepared for the steepness of the hills that were in store for us.
Me, Neil and Jenny had spotted that there were some pretty serious looking runners on the start line, this also should have been a big clue!

half a km in and we are already going up, as we head off for Budleigh Salterton. In fact the section from Budleigh to Ladram bay (a distance of around 8km) turned out to be the 'flattest', only reaching 42m elevation in height but once we were past the holiday camp and headed for the aptly named 'high peak' it seemed that the terrain was only going either UP or DOWN and quite steeply at that, and nothing in between!

it was pretty much like this and steeper the whole way!

Total elevation was 1256m in the end, a lot of that crammed into the second half.



Having reached the halfway point around Sidmouth, we were told that we had just done the 'easy half' and we had the worst to come, a fact which Jenny was none too pleased to hear as the furthest she had run prior to this was about 14 miles, and she was fast running out of oomph, a fact that became apparent upon hitting approx 15 miles and we came to a grinding halt while she contemplated the meaning of life and whether in fact she was going to carry on. Top marks to Jenny though as she battled the demons and got going again, assisted by the dry wit and spare sports drink of the sweeper, Danny, who had caught us up by that point (we werent the slowest up till then, but a few people had dropped out).
He conjured up such gems as 'Are you looking for sympathy? If so i'll send out and see if we can get some brought in'. He was brilliant!

We finally overtook the last runner in the last couple of km (thus giving Danny the slip) and headed thankfully for the finish line on Seaton Seafront

it was all a bit emotional for some, well done Jenny!

Last long run over with, it was time to look forward to that there London, and start to taper training. We also had some birthdays to celebrate.
Each year we have a joint birthday party for myself, Kev, and my 2 daughters Stephanie and Hazel as all our birthdays are within a few weeks of each other. Coined by a friend of mine, its entitled P.O.T.Y or Party of the Year! and its always fancy dress.
This years theme was book characters. Kevin and I were dressed as Sam Vimes and Lady Sybil from Terry Pratchett's 'Guards, Guards'. I had the maddest red wig on!
I had promised a unicorn birthday cake to Steph so this is what I came up with

looking like a good party!

So, to Londinium. Saturday 23rd April
Thanks to my work having a Premier Inn account I had managed to book a room right inbetween the London Eye and Waterloo train station. I was due to meet some friends who were also running the marathon the next day, and join them along the south bank for a meal.
Eve was going to be running her first marathon at London and Graham her husband was supporting, and Steve was also running.
I had a lovely walk along the south bank, and took some great pictures, here are a couple of my favourites.

Forward to the next day we're up bright and early. I'm feeling nervous. My aim is to start and finish feeling OK. In addition to that I have decided it will be a bonus if i finish in under 5 hours.
Its flipping freezing, and I cant remember the start we were on but its a long wait on a drafty field, and we are struggling to keep warm. Steve is resplendent in green mohican wig, and union jack running tights and is living up to his nickname of 'media whore' because in the first 10 minutes of arriving on the start field he has managed to get himself interviewed and also for some reason japanese runners are keen to have their pictures taken with him! I have a dilemma about what to carry and wear. for some reason I dont want to wear the waist pack i bought with me so stuff gels in my pocket.
We start slowly, running together. Im eventually starting to warm up. We see Graham at a few points and he kindly takes my longsleeved top from me.

Waving to Graham, and Steve in his outfit!

Me and Eve have to stop for the loo at 8 miles and we tell Steve to go on, but he waits for us.
Just over halfway, Eve is struggling with an old injury, and Steve says he will stay with her, but they both urge me to go on. Im torn between staying with friends and running my best time, and it takes me a mile to leave them, feeling very guilty as I do so.
However, I manage to keep a decent pace up (for me anyway) and at around 21 - 22 miles I see all the nifty nanas and support crew at the side of the road, and so i stop for a quick chat and it really gives me a boost.
Weirdly just before Birdcage Walk, I suddenly think about my mum, and I think 'this is for you mum' and then im so choked up I cant breathe and am gasping like I have asthma, and have to walk for a little while.
Turning into the Mall though i suddenly realise 5 hours is fast approaching and I manage to pick it up and get to the finish in 4:59:29! Phew, half a minute to go, but I am ecstatic because i have finally broken 5 hours :-) Unbeknown to me my friend Luretta is in the stands and has managed to spot me among 1000's and take a picture!

I didnt realise though how horrible it would be finishing such a big event with no-one I knew to greet me after the medal/bag collection etc.
Bit sad really.
I had arranged to meet the others in a specific place, but i couldnt see anyone, and was quickly getting cold, so decided i needed to get changed. Having looked at the crowd between me and the changing tents, and not be able to cope with any more jostling, I snuck into a little quiet area between the corner of the first aid tent and a wall, and proceeded with the kind of changing routine you do at the beach under a towel. Luckily the surrounding area was so busy no one really took any notice!
Then i made my way over to the meeting areas again just in time to see the others arrive.
After many mutual pats on the back, we made our way out of the crowd and headed off to the underground station to start making our way to Graham and Eve's car and then home.
I was nice to get driven home and not have to take the train!

medals!

I'll finish on that happy note.
May brings a 36 mile ultra.....yep thats it, what more do you want?

Keep Marching on....

March arrives and with it my first bit of Grandma shopping - I could get used to this, its great fun :-) 

I only bought the one thing, dont want to overdo it but I could work up to overdoing it later...

This shirt is so cute!

Being a Grandma I hope will be awesome, but Mothers Day this year was once again a bittersweet affair with mixed emotions. I love my children and they spoil me again, but I also miss my own Mum.

My training for London and in the shorter term the Larmer 20 mile race was struggling a little with the Sinus problem hanging around a bit too long, and so the start of the month contained some pathetic attempts and some missed sessions, but hey at least i got out there!

I tried a (unintentional) kill or cure approach on one dark heath run, involving ending up calf deep in such churned up cloying mud I had to wash it off in a freezing stream before it dried. Maybe it worked as soon after that i managed 13 miles including parkrun.

I've never been one for winning things so was very surprised to win a cycling jersey from OSmapping on a Twitter competition. Even more suprising was that it fitted as well :-) My first bit of proper cycling kit.

The ideal time to test it out came up with an invite from Jenny to come along on an 8 mile bike ride round a local Try-a-Tri bike route (she was taking another friend along for a route recce who was doing the event). And then that was followed an hour later by a 7km run so I'm sure that was almost a 'Brick' session (although I'm sure my Tri friends would suggest that an hour between means it was not even close!).

There seems to have a been a few 'shuffling a bit and finding it hard' type runs in March interspersed with stuff like 'intervals in the rain' and a couple of short dark heath runs plus another 13 miler, but nothing too much to write home about, well apart from the following three exceptions:

Larmer Tree 20 miler on 13th March.
This started off OK, but ended up feeling like a really bad run. I had picked Jenny up in the morning and we headed for the Larmer Tree Gardens on the Rushmore Estate on the Dorset/Wiltshire Border.
If you have never been here I would suggest a visit. The Gardens are very beautiful and they hold other events there such as the Larmer Tree Music Festival.
Jenny was running the half and I was running the 20 mile race. We hoped that given the difference in start time and the fact that the routes converged at one point, we might spot each other on the way round, but this was not to be, mainly due to the fact that somewhere around mile 14 the wheels appeared to fall off and I struggled with energy levels and just had to slog on to the finish, where Jenny had already arrived some time ago! Fellow Rebel Scum member Dave was also doing the 20 miler, but he dissappeared ahead near the start and I didnt see him again till the finish either!

At the start I had been chatting to a lady called Kelly Lucas who is a much better runner than me and has completed among other things the Mont Blanc 80km for goodness sakes, and I think in unconsciously trying to keep up with her for the first few miles, I may have started off too fast instead of easing into it. Then at 3 miles came a blooming great hill which didnt help matters after a fastish start.

That Hill. With Kevin marshalling

not looking too bad at this point!

As you can see it was a bit of an energy sapper to be tackling when you've only just warmed up! We then had a slightly downhill road section towards what was camping field at the Ox races.
A left turn took us into the woods along a muddy track then left again through the woods of the Rushmore Estate.  Another 3 km or so which went through a large circular clearing in the woods called 'the roundabout' then saw us breaking out of the trees briefly to skirt the golf course, then back into the trees again for a long slow descent to an aid station and a sharp bend left to return back up the long slow hill we had just come down, albeit on a different path!
This was a tiring hill, not steep, but just went on for ever it seemed. Just before we hit the 'roundabout' clearing again we took another couple of right turns and downhill again, to exit by some houses. The route went around the houses and then took a nice little jaunt through some pretty woods to take us to an old path called 'The Shire Rack' which actually marks the boundary between Dorset and Wiltshire. We go up, once again through the pretty woods, then followed the edge of the trees. At this point which was about 13 miles I really felt the tiredness hit, and had to walk quite a bit. We then joined up with the half route and dropped down a nice hill to a junction and a gate.
The hill wasnt so nice heading up the other side to the Ox Drove path and Bigley Buildings (as the OS maps tell me), it was about a mile of slippy muddy track. Once onto the Ox Drove the wide flat gravel track seemed very monotonous and I was glad to get this bit over with.
Obviously now the half and the 20 mile were following the same route which is the one me and Jenny had practiced earlier in the year. And so I remembered the route from here on.
Just before the Ox Drove turns tarmac we doglegged onto a single track through some trees, the path was quite sticky mud by now due to loads of runners going through before me!
Pop out the trees, turn left, cross the road, and there was the LoveStation at which there appeared to be a party going on with no one in a hurry to leave!
luckily they also had a portaloo so i took advantage of the facilities and also the chance for a bit of a rest and a refuel.
The next bit was downhill for some time, across a field, then down a lovely grassy section along the edge of some trees, followed by a very steep hill down, and we were almost back to the bottom of the steep hill at mile 3.
This time however we turned sharp right and ended up going through a section that had sheep in it and up a steep hill that had been affectionately named 'Sheep Shit Hill' by Kevin!
the route took a wide horseshoe around the top of the hill then through some trees and a gate and down a very steep track towards Tollard Royal, where the Larmer Tree Lovestation had been last year. Just before the village green we were directed over a stile (How inconsiderate, having to lift legs high enough for a stile! Ow!), back up a muddy singletrack then across the top of the hill and back down where we rejoined and retraced the outward route for the final couple of miles, which of course cumulated in an uphill climb followed by the run to the finish past the folly within full view of the car park!

a right struggle to the finish

Not my finest hour of running, or certainly didnt feel like it, finishing in 4:38, which actually in hindsight was not a dreadful time, so perhaps I am being too hard on myself.

thank goodness thats over!

The following week I was attending a work event at Marwell Hotel, and managed to escape in the afternoon, while everyone else went Go Ape-ing or visiting the zoo, i went for a run. Interesting to run somewhere different for a change. As usual when running a strange route, an out and back is always recommended, and i managed to fit in a 10k in total.

I also was trying sections of a route exploring a new idea for a WSR race but can't say too much at the moment!

March ends with anticipation of next months big races - Exe to Axe 20 Mile with big hills and London Marathon.