Running Madness..

After last weeks 16 miler round the Great Orme, I'd already decided that this was the perfect spot for my continued training..and especially my sternest test, a 21 mile run. There are many schools of thought regarding training for a marathon. I happen to believe in laying down hard mileage to get used to the punishment, both physical and mental, which will make or break a good run on the day.
My running companions for a while...

So this week I got up even earlier and drove to Wales through mist and fog, to find blue skies and sunshine! Still a nice coolness to the morning as I set off running through Llandudno, from West Shore. The smell of full English, or perhaps Welsh breakfasts was wafting from every hotel and B 'n' B and the sun reflected off the sea past Little Orme across the bay. This felt more like a holiday.
Setting a cracking pace...which I just couldn't match!

The idea was to run four circuits, which would total just over 21 miles. To keep things interesting I alternated my direction, first anti-clockwise to give a longer slower ascent, with a steep descent...to the other way round with a sharp climb and gentle roll down through town. So for my first circuit I enjoyed the splendid sea views and relaxed into a nice stride, which took just forty five minutes..bang on the pace I intended.
Just over 3 hours for just over 21 miles on undulating road...I'm quite pleased and know I can't go any faster. If I can match this pace in the race I'll be very happy!

Curiously there don't seem to be any other people using this area to run. Plenty of walkers and a few cyclists, but I was alone. The final circuit was my undoing. I'd just changed direction, so had hammered my legs down the steeper descent above Llys Helig, and was now climbing the same slope. I made the top by the cafe but the energy had gone from my legs and each stride seemed to jar through to my bones. This was now very tough..even on the level ground. Almost unbelievably I also got stung by a wasp that got down my left shoe?? If I hadn't been the furthest from the car, I think I'd have used this as an excuse to stop...but had to keep going. Every ounce of me was hurting and it was such a relief to finally, what felt like stumble back to the car through town. Despite feeling so slow on this last round, my time only suffered by just two minutes when compared with the previous. So that's it now...till the race I will not go any further, distance wise. I will treat the downhill sections with a little more caution. It took some Ibuprofen and a days rest till my knees were happy again. But I'm generally pleased...no other aches or pain.

Burghley X-Country Day

For quite a number of years I've watched the BBC TV coverage of the Burghley Horse Trials. The bravery and courage of riders and horses competing through the rolling countryside over impossibly sized obstacles, makes this a thrilling spectacle! So at last I was making the trip down to see all the action first hand..
One of the first riders to to finish the course comes home through fence 32 infront of Burghley House

This Summer's weather has again been trying its worst to spoil things. So after the the last few days rain, I wasn't sure if the cross country would go ahead. However almost miraculously Saturday was relatively bright and dry, as things go! We arrived in good time and spent little time queuing, and found ourselves parked quite close to the heart of things!
Belgian rider Karin Donkers jumps fence 30 The Flower Frame

There's a huge tented shopping area and I did have a small list of items to look for. But the crowds were busy and the place was so muddy that in reality I would be wasting my time. Plus I had that impatient anticipation of the event to come that shopping was really the last thing I could focus on! I did notice though, that there were several icecream vans with no custom...something which I remedied through the day!
After a fast down hill gallop it all went horribly wrong as Sparrow Hall takes off vertically and too early falling on the fence throwing Marie Ryan over onto her back!

Just before the start time of eleven, we met up, all too briefly with Debbie, a very good friend, who goes to Burghley every year for the whole four days. She showed us the scoreboard and the course secretaries tent, where we obtained a list of the running order and riders. By now it was time to start and the crowds were excitedly gathering at the course sides to see the competition unfold.
Sparrow Hall still panicked by the fall and having a leg trapped in his reins...

We watched the first couple of riders off from the start before beginning to walk round the course in reverse...as the majority seemed to be doing the opposite! This plan failed because the sheer numbers of people made every fence crowded..but it was always easy to get a view. What a tremendous feeling to be so close to the horses galloping by at a thumping speed, at barely arms length! Just as sobering, seeing a horse clip an obstacle and hear the resounding crack of hoof against wood and the inevitable topple and spill. We saw a couple of falls and plenty of near misses. We cheered as a crowd on valiant efforts and the feeling was ecstatic! What a brilliant place to be...what a fantastic competition!
Nicola Wilson on Opposition Buzz flying over the impossibly vast fence 19, the Cottesmore Leap..

Though the ground stayed in remarkably good condition, the heavy going obviously took its toll on many horses...some finishing..just, but plenty being retired. We managed to get round and see almost every fence. However just as I thought I had all day to continue enjoying the competition, the commentator announced only a handful of riders to run! The day finished with a heavy shower as we watched William Fox-Pitt on Tamarillo almost stumble at the sharp drop of the Leaf Pit, before recovering to post the best time of the day! Eventual winners of the competition.

Running progress..

In the last few weeks I've really stepped up my training for the 2008 Snowdonia Marathon. The knee pain that almost stopped me in my first week, has long passed. With barely five weeks to go I'm now trying to lay down some long runs and mileage, to ready myself for the ardure of race day..25th October!
This GPS device has been quite useful in my training, thanks to Tom for letting me use it!

One reason I've written less here than usual, is my pre-occupation with running. If I'm not actually running...I'm recovering from my last run...or thinking about my next one. Fatigue is a constant shadow in my life and I've done well to stay illness and injury free. When I last ran these sort of distances I was much younger and thought nothing of a quick ten miler...while the adverts were on, as it were. So it's been hard work, but I've been creative in my training and generally enjoyed my self inflicted pain
I "ran" up Snowdon itself, lurking in the mist, but it was a very hard lesson...

I've run far and wide..through muddy fields and slippery river banks. Stupidly thought I could run up a mountain and probably caused some concern to passers by with my red face and stumbling across misty rocky crags! So pavements and roads are now like a glide to my ever stronger legs. I seem to have put on a little weight..which I presume is muscle. My upper body is shrinking whilst my legs grow! Perhaps I'll have to learn to walk on my hands after this is all over, to redistribute things..!
At the top, the seagull in the picture was laughing at me and people were giving me concerned looks...but not making eye contact!

Someone from work thoughtfully let me use his GPS device to aid my training. So I've now become a collector of miles. If only it was money in the bank! However it's been useful to know how far I've gone. To date, eighteen miles is my longest run. This coming week I'm aiming to run four circuits of Marine Drive on the Great Orme. This will make a total of twenty one miles in similarly undulating road conditions. This should be the pinnacle of my training and I can then go on with confidence...The rewards being as much beer, chips, curry and icecream as I can eat!!
The descent of Snowdon was swift and my feet were on fire, so you can imagine the sensation of cooling them in Llyn Padarn, the lake by Llanberis where I'll hopefully finish my marathon.