The Experience of a Lifetime

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I know that as a phrase is is much overused, but in this particular case it almost under-states the reality of what the 10 in 10 was for me.

Two years ago the first of these was held. Lorna and I didn't know about its existence before that, but once we did we looked at each other, and almost in unison said,

"You know what...? *WE* could do that."

That in itself was a significant point. It was a challenge that we saw as an *us* challenge. Something that we could do together. And that was really important.
And we thought about it from that point forward.
Logistically we couldn't organise things to take part in 2008, so we started badgering Scott Umpleby at Brathay as soon as we'd finished running the Marathon in May.

In our minds we were already training for it. At least, it was the *focus* for the training that we were doing. If I'm honest, I always thought that of the two of us, V'rap was more likely to get accepted by virtue of the greater number of marathons and longer Ultra events that she's done. I wasn't at all confident that *I* would get a place at all.

We talked about what we would do if only one of us got in, and really there was no question. The other would be there to do whatever they could in a supportive role.
Because it was an *us* thing!

We needn't have worried. An email and letter from Scott informed us that we'd both be part of the running 'team'

And then came the self-doubt for me
A marathon is a significant undertaking - it's a LONG way - it's a distance that you have to respect - ONE is pretty tough - how on earth does one train to do 10 on the bounce...???

We formulated a plan - which was quite simple really.

Make running something that we *DO* not something that we *TRAIN FOR*
Make sure we have one decently Long Run a week
Do some back to back long runs and races
And run more than once a day.

The last point was important, I think. We quite often ran quite long mileage broken up into smaller chunks. So getting the volume and the strength to hold good form, without battering the body too much with repetitive longer runs.
And it gave us the "get back out there and do another one" mentality that would be needed for the 10 in 10.
I also think that it went some way towards conditioning our bodies to quick turnaround recovery (although that is just a guess on my part!)

But it also changed the way we thought about running. A half hour gap would have previously been dismissed as too short to bother getting changed for.
Now it was an opportunity to trot out a 3 mile circuit.

Over a week - that's another 21 miles! Training without realising you're doing it!

We started training in earnest in September, and initially it was going well, and then V'rap developed a phigglesome shin in November, so December was a bit of a write-off. I found it difficult to get out and train when she couldn't - and even once she was back in January, it took me a couple of weeks to get back to it!

But from that point on it all went well.
We did most of our training together, something which I think benefited both of us.

An interesting side-effect of this was that I started to get quicker over every distance, and from February to April, I was bettering personal bests pretty much everywhere. And recovering from harder run races really quickly.
I was particularly pleased to run under 3 hours at Shakepeare, just 12 days before the start of the event, and even happier to see Lorna massacre HER marathon PB on the same day.
We had clearly got something right to this point!

There was something quite surreal about driving up to Brathay on the Thursday. We arrived reasonably early, having waited fro the rush hour traffic to peter out.
We followed the signs to Shackleton Lodge, which was hidden away in the woods away from the main buildings. There were a few faces that we already knew and had met.
Steve and Teresa Edwards, Aly Knowles, Tom Giles (briefly in passing on the race route on weekend when we were recce'ing it), David Baylay (briefly at Shakespeare), and then slowly but surely a bunch of new faces. As it is with groups of people meeting for the first time, Day 0 was NOTHING like any of the other days

The really striking thing about it was how relaxed people were in each others company from the off.

We were introduced to Robin, the Team Nutrition fella, and a little later, Amy the Super-Physio did a little presentation about what she and her team would be able to offer us during the event.
I wonder if she realised *then* just how much work it was going to be!!!!

Day 1 was the most nerve-wracking of the 10. I was my usual caged-lion self, and incredibly nervous. Logically I knew that once we got under way I'd be OK - and that proved to be the case. But the anticipation of ACTUALLY getting started was unbearable.
And the weather was unhelpful

I won't repeat the minutiae of each race here.... because there was SO much more about the event which I didn't put into those reports!

The most incredible thing about this whole event is that, while it is a deeply personal challenge, it was also one where the very BEST in people was brought out.
Nowhere have I seen the level of support between the participants as I did here. From Adam who broke the event record numerous times and was running just over 3 hours for most of the 10, to Anastasia who often took over 7 hours to complete the course - always missed Lunch and so had significantly less recovery time than everyone else.
There was genuine relief and joy when people returned - a fair number of "Oh. My God.'s" when folk defied their injuries and posted an unbelievably great run.
Tim winning a race outright - a real highlight for me

And the day that Tom came into the Lodge in immense pain, collapsed on the floor and sobbed, saw everyone in the room galvanised into action. The initial look on Amy's face was not that of a physio concerned for a client, but of someone that was truly concerned about another human being in distress, and one about whom everyone cared.
Tom rose up from that point with his infectious good humour, and his achievement blew me away

And a crashing low point when Gareth had to pull out of the event on day 3 with an injury with which he was simply unable to continue.
The strength of character, and the measure of the bloke that he is was shown in the fact that he came back to support the remaining runners for the last few days. And quite rightly took his place with the team at the presentation on Sunday.
It's hard to describe - but it was like being a Family - but one that REALLY cared about every person there.

There were few defences and barriers amongst the group. There couldn't be really. With Mark S on one bed and me on the other, galvanising the physios into a competition to see who could make whose 'bum' wiggle the most, and elicit the most humorous 'squawks' which WAS a great spectator sport

There were low times too.
On the evening of Day 6 I was all but ready to throw in the towel. I'd upset Lorna - and I just wanted to get the hell out of there. I really couldn't see the point of being there at all. I was REALLY bad company that evening, when Lorna's parents took out for a really lovely meal
And come the start of Day and Race 7 I was less than mono-syllabic - it was awful!

BUT - I ran better, and by the end of the race, the GrumpBee Demon had been cast off and under the wheels of a passing lorry. He wasn't a welcome guest!

I must just mention Day 8. As you know, I had a bad day at the office. My slowest marathon, and mild hypothermia by mile 14 - day saved by Amy and our friend Dave. Interestingly this wasn't my worst race! I very quickly accepted that I couldn't run (when I couldn't) and my head zapped into a completely different place. Finishing became to goal - do the VERY best I could became the goal as well

I was at peace with that - and suddenly walking sub 13 min/miles was not only a goal but a triumph!!
Starting to run again - an incredible experience
Spending a bit of time with Dave running just behind me yattering about everything and nothing - fantastic - it could have been as beautiful sunny day, I wasn't really noticing the weather.
I waxed lyrical about how much I loved the course (easy when you are on the 'easy' bit though )
Tim cheered me in as he was lowering himself into the river

I finished in 4:32 - it hurt - a lot. But I was strangely happy with it.
Lorna (who'd had a really good run) came belting out of the Dining Room to hug me looking worried and upset. She had scared the Kitchen Staff in to making up some more hot food for the cold runners. Dave and Helen came in for a chat as well.
Everything about that day summed up for me the incredible power of Good that is in people. It was both humbling and uplifting at the same time

The last 2 days were like a big party
Incredible support on Saturday, and the knowledge that, barring death, once it was done then completion of the event was GOING to happen.
Missed seeing Aly's parents though. They'd been a permanent fixture on the course but were otherwise engaged that day. It was really noticeable that they weren't there

The Final day was a revelation. The weather was perfect for running. The start 'huddle' was strangely quiet and intimate, and that spell broke when we stood up.
The end of the journey which had been such an intensely personal one - but taken with an incredibly tight-knit group of people- was in sight. It could have felt like an intrusion with so many people sharing in it..... but it didn't.
It felt like a celebration of something incredibly special, and with a large number of people that had been following our progress through the power of technology.

I felt incredibly privileged to be standing on the start line with the extraordinary people with whom I'd shared this journey, and for there to be so many friends, family and well-wishers there to see us off is something that I'll never forget.

There was a striking difference between the noise and hubbub of the build up to, and the start, and the quietness of the road once we had started. Because I was running well, I spent most of the run alone.
It was amazing - and intensely emotional.
I have come to think of the course as an old friend, and in a way every footfall was bidding it a fond Au Revoir.
I had to control the urge to cry may times during that peaceful first 12.5 miles.

The finish was the most spine-tingling thing I've ever experienced. It is a memory that will stay with me forever!

If the events of your life, and the people you meet along the way shape the person that you are, then this event and these people - EVERYONE who was involved - have been a huge chapter in mine.

I think that the synergy created by that specific group of people, at that time, in that place, doing that event was completely unique - utterly unrepeatable.......

The experience of a lifetime!


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10 in 10 - Race 10 The Finale

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Woke up this morning feeling quite nervous, as did Lorna.
This is normally a Good Thing, but with the events of the last couple of days, I didn't dare hope for my self.
I had a really good feeling about what Lorna would do though :)

So the morning routine of food and physio commenced. Amy and I discussed what to do with my Left Ankle, and we felt that more of the same was sensible. So I was taped up.
We headed down to the start area to see if we could meet up with any Fetchies - and it didn't take long :)
Before we knew it our names were being called, and we 'huddled' before setting off from under the Finish Banner to the Start.

There were hundreds of people about and the start was a real party :)

Mind-blowing!

And so the final race started - Adam shot off (as he does ;)) and pottering up- the first hill my ankle seemed to be behaving itself.
The first downdulate was also comfortable, although I had to really concentrate on form so that I could run without anything hurting.

I thought to myself - "this is the last marathon - if you are feeling good, go for it!"
So by the 3rd mile I'd picked up the pace and was feeling good on it.

I was running alone, with Adam somewhere ahead, and Steve and Tim a little way behind.

"Run your own race!" I told myself - "Keep it relaxed, and just see how you go"

Before I knew it the Mile 7 Hill was upon me, and I took it easy on the ascent, relaxed on the flat, and bombed the down. I couldn't believe how good I was feeling, and how well I was running.
Psychologically, this next section is great. It's nett downhill for 5½ miles :)
Along here I was cheered on by Kelley and Sprog - Brilliant - unexpected surprise :)

And there were more supporters in Newby Bridge.

The next section to 17 miles is the toughest part of the course. Unremitting and undulating. I kept the effort level down on the Ups, and let it fly on the downs.
And then around mile 18 I saw Adam a little way ahead.

"No way!" I thought.

18-20 is delightful to run, and I saw that Adam was slowly coming back to me. I caught him just after Bowness where he said he was waiting for Steve and Tim so they could cross the line together.
I left him and headed up the Speed Bump, at the top of which were Stuart, Ruth and a few others - Awesome positioning guys :) That is the last of the hard running and the run-in over the next 4.75 miles is fabulous - I LOVE it!!!!!

I started to pick it up.
I wanted to finish with a good run, and I was running really smoothly.

The updulate at 23 miles went without a hitch - as did the move on to the road in Ambleside.
The last half mile started to feel a little more hard work.
As I turned into Brathay, I could hear the announcer telling the crowd that I was coming and a real shiver went down my spine!!!

I eased up over the crown of the hill, and then gunned it to the line.
There were LOADS of people there - it was amazing :):)
I think I put my hands above my head and started clapping back to the crowd.

I crossed the line and was completely spent, and who was there to give me a huge hug....??
"Where the HELL did THAT come from?" asked Amy.
I shrugged my shoulders because initially I couldn't speak - told Amy that I loved her (again) with her Hubby looking on :)
I know I've said this before, but she is amazing. She knows Sports Physio like no-one I've ever met - and if you live up this way and need looking at - she's the person to see!
Gareth was also there - which made the day complete. We'll SO be up to support him next year!!!!

The rest got a bit blurred.
Someone went to get my bag from Reception
I had something to drink and eat
10 minutes later Adam Steve and Tim came in :) the Sub-35 hour Posse :):):)

And I was waiting for my Soon To Be A World Record Holder Wife to arrive.

And she duly obliged with a STORMING run of 3:55, Closely followed by Adam T who has been truly inspirational in his squaring up to adversity having been held together with elastoplast since Day 2 :)

I missed a few coming in but caught up with them as soon as I saw them
Everyone was brilliant.
Incredible runs by incredible people - and it has been an absolute privilege to share the same space and road with every one of them over the last 11 days.

A bit of self indulgence here:

Finishing time 3:10:45

Splits:
* 7:54
* 7:42
* 8:05
* 7:35
* 7:37
* 7:42
* 7:16
* 8:07
* 7:05
* 6:49
* 7:15
* 7:13
* 7:06
* 7:27
* 7:23
* 7:21
* 7:07
* 7:07
* 7:08
* 7:13
* 7:13
* 7:14
* 6:57
* 6:40
* 6:41
* 6:45

1st HM: 1:38:02
2nd HM: 1:32:43

Quite pleased with that :)

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10 in 10 Day 9 The Race........

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This morning was all about getting trussed up and minimising any potential problems from my ankle.
Walking was fine. I had no idea what running would be like.

We were a little late setting off and we did so just as the rain eased. There was a fantastic crowd of Fetchies to see us off. That set the day up for being a good one :)

Off we went and I hit The Wall after ½ a mile!!!
The sneaky blighter had done it's best to second guess me. And my ankle was REALLY painful.
I fiddle-faddled with different ways of running until I found a decent compromise that kept propelling me forward faster than walking.

V'rap, Adam T, Mark B all went past me, and I was struggling to get any kind of pace. I settled into 9:30's, caught back up to Adam and mentioned that I thought it was going to be a Long Hard Day.

At about 5 miles I was running a little more freely and caught back up with my lovely wife. Haddi and family Haddi were at the 6 mile Feed Station - Brilliant :)
He said they'd next be at Newby Bridge!!!
Once again people from the Fetch community prove to be the best supporters in the world.

The Mile 7 hill saw Adam's Dad catch up with me on his bike. I ran up it faster than he rode :) Funny as it seems, that was a real confidence booster!

I could see Mark ahead of me at the 8 mile Feed Station, and caught him at 10. The ankle was loosening up and giving me far less grief, and I started experimenting with running as fast as I could without hurting myself.
It was a really fine balance, and EVERY footfall had to be exactly right. Kept me very focused and I had to concentrate really hard.
Passing the 12 mile Station I knew that Newby Bridge was just around the corner.

And as promised, there was haddi - with the promised Jelly Babies. He said something about "....around the corner"

Oh.My.God.!!!!!!!!!

An enormous group of familiar Fetch faces making a huge amount of noise. What a lift :)
Thanks Guys - You are awesome :)

I started the long open section to the 14 mile Station, and was reeling in Foxy Davy. I caught him at the feed Station, where Amy had promised to be if I needed anything.
I didn't this time :):)

Things were going reasonably well - but this part of the route is the most undulating, and the quick changes were proving slightly troublesome with the ankle.
Amy drove past me just before 15, and checked on me. I told her that my ankle was a bit sore, but in 2½ miles the course becomes flat, and that I'd be fine from there.

She said she'd wait at the top of the Speed Bump :)

haddi was at the 18 mile Station and found my bottle for me and ran with me until I was done with it (Cheers mate - really appreciated that )
And as I'd predicted running was much easier. A quick check of the Garmin showed that I was averaging less than 9 minute miles overall now, and I was running well.

This section is easy to run, and makes it one of the best last thirds of a marathon I know.
I found myself waving at loads of cars with people who beeped their horns, or who cheered. It was great :)

Was feeling reasonable through Bowness and up to the Speed Bump. Amy was there as promised.

"You OK..?"

♫ "I'm still runnin'.." ♫ I warbled :)

And I headed straight on.

Average pace read 8:37min/mile!!!!

I started pushing the pace as far as I dared. There are some lovely downdulating sections along this section.
22 passed
23 passed
and the short section to the last water station loomed.
I felt like I was running well - and I was - I was seeing 7:3* pace
Blimey!!!

I was thirsty - so stopped for a decent drink and to wet my Buff. And set back off again.
2½ miles to go.
I picked the pace up a bit - ankle said - OK :)

Loved the run into Ambleside - managed not to fall over.

And as I headed out - ANOTHER Fetchpoint had created itself. AMAZING :):):):)

My average pace had dropped below 8:30's - now THAT I never expected at the start!!!

As I entered the grounds of Brathay I changed the display on the Garmin to show me the running time 3:37:57
Oooooh - If I get a move on, I'll get under 3:40.......... (sad, eh!!!)

As I crowned the hill, I picked it up...... and there was ANOTHER Fetchpoint at the finish line - Unbelieveable :):):):):)

3:39:45

GRRRRRRAAAARGH! (no Idea *why* I roared, but it seemed appropriate at the time!!)

Said a quick hello the the good folk who'd turned out to see us in, and went for FOOD!!
Cheered the next couple of runners in, and headed out to hug the wife who'd had ANOTHER brilliant run :)

When we went back up to the Lodge for physio and the like, discovered that Tim had won today:)
That REALLY made my day. Tim has been running really well, and is such a nice bloke. I was absolutely delighted for him, and I think that it showed. :)

Fantastic day :)
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10 in 10 Day 8 - the Race..... OR.....

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Hi Dave and Helen :)

GO

Tum-ti-tum-ti-tum..... :)

Hmmm.....

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH :-O (PTT which had been grumbling a bit became impossible to run on) (Mile 11)

Walk

See Dave and Helen at Newby Bridge - Say something like " I'm in a bit of trouble"

Set new goal - "finish"

Shiver (Blue lips the lot!)

WOO WOO WOO WOO (Amy comes to the rescue)

WOO WOO WOO WOO (Dave gives me ALL of his clothes and a couple of his buns :) )

Lorna goes storming past looking fantastic

Davy nicks a dry shirt off Dave

Mark and Adam T go past

Shuffle Shuffle

WOO WOO WOO WOO ( Amy comes to the rescue again )

Walk FAST sub 13m/m

Try shuffle run - OK for a bit

WOO WOO WOO WOO WOO ( Amy returns with Coffee, Jelly Babies and paracetamol)
(16 miles)

Start running really gently
Sub 12 min/mile - YAY - Go me!

Oooh - sub 11m/m

Oooh - about 10m/m

Oooooooh - 2 sub 10's I'm "nails", me :)

WHAT - miles with an '8' in them. YAY, I'm shuffling nicely now.

Some MEGA support from Dave - You are a star, mate - Awesome :)

Blimey - only 2½ miles to go

GAH - Garmin has died (25.2 miles) [ note to self - Charge it tonight!! ]

Ambleside - Helen tells me Lorna went sub-4. My wife ROCKS :):) Best moment of the day :):)

Finish - GRAAAARGH. 4:32:17

I'm SO happy with that - I thought I'd have to walk from 14 all the way.

Food - LornA has MADE the kitchen staff make a pot of HOT food "because there are some hypothermic runners coming in"

My wife ROCKS :)

Physio - Kath ( a friend) pops in to say Hi :):):)

Fetch People ROCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Amy and I have a conspiratorial chat about the plan for tomorrow ;)

Off for tea shortly.

All in all a REALLY hard day - but about an hour better than I thought It'd be.

Gotta be happy with that :):):):)

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10 in 10 Race 7 - What a difference a Day makes....

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Was it sitting in the river?
Was it the incredible work that Amy has done making my Glutes wiggle (you had to be there ;))
Was it simply just a better day at the office?

Dunno.


But my legs were much *boingier* today

The only concern was some discomfort on the inside of my left ankle.

Lorna and Steve were being interviewed by Border TV this morning, and somehow I got dragged into the bit featuring my lovely wife
This was a reasonable distraction before the start of Day 7 - even though I was still feeling really low.
The first mile saw Adam fly off :) Followed by Tim, and for a short while I was running with Steve.
He pulled ahead and caught up with Tim around Hawkshead, and for the next few miles they were pretty much in sight. I was running comfortably and got a fantastic surprise just after 6 miles...

Hannah (SW from Fetch) was there at the side of the road, and I stopped for a hug :) Brilliant!

Mile 7 hill went fine, and the ITB didn't grumble.
Amy has done some real magic with me and the other TiTs - she is amazing!

I was really enjoying the nett downhill section to Newby Bridge today, the only concern being that my ankle was becoming more uncomfortable.

At the turn I could see both Steve and Tim.
"Do my eyes deceive me?" I thought, " they look closer"

They were!

By Mile 16 I was only about 20 seconds behind Tim, and looking good pace-wise for about 3:19 or 20.
Then the ankle became troublesome.

Mike the other physio was doing 'front' support and asked if I was OK at 18, and I said I was. About half a mile later I regretted that, as running was becoming more uncomfortable.
I really hoped that he'd be at the mile 20 Feed Station - he wasn't :(

I pottered on through Bowness and though 21 miles, running OK, if cautiously. And for the first time I walked up the first section of the Speed Bump.
It flattens a third of the way up and then steepens again, so I'd started running at that point, and saw Mike at the top.

MARVELLOUS :)

"Do you want some cold spray?" he asked
"Yup -and some scissors!!!!!!" I replied.

Off with the shoe and Mike set about cooling the hurty bits, while I set about surgically altering my shoe.

I muttered something about walking if I had to - and at the time I genuinely thought I'd have to!!

That all done I set off again, limping initially, and then getting back into my running. As 22 miles passed I knew that the running was nice and easy, and with a bit of work, I'd be able to get *just* under 3:30.
I ignored the 24mile drink and headed on, safe in the knowledge that if I could hold my current pace I'd get that time!!! :)

The ankle held up OK for the most part - stopped me from gunning the last incline, and I was REALLY happy to see the finish line hover into view

3:28:32

I was SO pleased with that.

I waited for Lorna to come in and went with her to the Dining Room (I'd already eaten) and then made my way to the river.

I don't think any 'normal' rules can apply to this event, which is BRUTAL!!!

Amy has worked her magic on me, and we'll see what tomorrow brings.
:)

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10 in 10 - Day 6 The Race

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Warning - Self-indulgence contained herein....

With some physio work done on me with regard to my Rt ITB V and I headed to the start which was sunny and breezy, with a few fluffy clouds round about.

We were a bit late setting off today - and what a fantastic sight to see a Fetch vest with XB inside it at the start :)
And saw him again on the first half
Fabulous :):)

Within about half a mile a was feeling the fatigue in my legs,and Adam, Steve and Tim soon went out of sight.
The engine was ticking over fine with my HR in the 140's (just over 60%WHR!), but there was nothing in the legs!
At 6 miles the ITB started to twinge, but it coped OK with the hill at 7.
The nett downhill into Newby Bridge didn't yield any faster running, and I gave up on the idea of 3:30 at about mile 8.
12 through 17½ was turgid - and I had to adjust my shoes a couple of times.

At 18 I started to feel a little better and shortly after that saw a Fetch Away colours with Kev Scone inside it
Brilliant :):) That provided a real lift.

I stopped at all the subsequent Feed Stations for a drink and felt the pull of the finish at 24 once again.

Near disaster coming into Ambleside where I tripped on something and stubbed my whole body on the road, narrowly missing a car. And that really shook me up. Hip and hands were hurting, and I was virtually in tears running through the village.
Most odd!

The run in passed in a bit of a blur, and I clocked 3:37:41.

Headed straight to dinner and then went and sat in the river. After today, I'll try anything.

Head was SO scrambled that I thought I was first on Amy's physio list - apparently not!
upsetting Lorna is not on the the agenda.
Epic Fail!!!!!!!!!!!

Amy did all sorts of stuff that made my bum wiggle this evening. My glutes are tight and it's partly responsible for my ITB issues.

Having a real 'down' evening this evening, and I have hardly spoken a word
:(

Lorna's parents are here and are taking us out this evening, which is rather good of them :)
I'm hoping Mr Grumpy will make himself scarce!

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10 in 10 - Day 5 The Race

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OK - that was tough!
I was clearly tired last night, judging by the amount that I slept last night.

And there was a great deal of lethargy hanging around this morning.

Adam, Steve and Tim headed off at a super quick pace, and for the first 7 miles I could see them (well, Steve and Tim!!) ahead of me running really nicely.

Although I was running OK - I felt tired. And my concern about my Right ITB, which said "Hello" briefly yesterday, reared it's ugly head on the hill at 7 miles. I stretched it out at the top of the hill, and it seemed to ease on the downs and the flats - but was niggling away at me on every incline.

By 12 miles it seemed to be behaving itself again, and once I was through Newby Bridge heading to half way, I felt ok - if tired.

I went through Halfway in 1:44:44 and then started the Bad Patch from Hell.
Every step was heavy - I'd lost so much time on the 3 ahead that the Feed Station was unmanned (and I needed a wee!) and I felt REALLY tired
The next 3 miles were horrible, and I was mentally having to break down the course into tiny sections
The 16 mile feed Station
The pub just before 17
The 18 mile Feed station.

I gave up on the idea of being under 3:30

And then it went away!

The section from 18 to Bowness (20) is really easy running, just after 21 is the Speed Bump which I ran at 'effort' rather than pace

The next 2 miles are lovely - really easy running and one almost imperceptible incline, and my last Feed Station was just before 24 (on purpose)
I glanced at the watch and realised that I could stop and take a decent drink and my average pace would be *just* sub 8. THAT lifted my spirits a HUGE amount!

The last 2½ miles are lovely - and some folk came out of the Hotel in Ambleside to clap and cheer

The run up the drive was fine and into the finish there were a decent number of supporters there including Teresa (of course ) Steve and Tim who'd had great runs, and Adam who'd had an absolute screamer

3:27:32

All in all that was far better than I expected.

Had a quick lunch - saw V'rap in, then headed up to be looked at by Mike.

Been ordered off my feet tonight!
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Race 4 - No-one finished before me!!!!! :o)

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I was unbearable this morning. I had no idea why, but I was really nervous. You'd have thought that I'd got used to the routine and the like.

I paced about like a pacy thing, was dressed in my racing kit an hour and a half before the start. That said, my BP and HR were lower than they were yesterday. Curious!

It was a GORGEOUS day. Sun - Blue Sky - Cool and with a nice breeze. Couldn't have been better :)

We set off at about 10:05 and Adam headed off into the distance, albeit a little slower than he did the last couple of days.

Steve, Tim and I were in a little group initially, and I was waiting for the first downhill to test out my Left Foot.
I whizzed down it and it didn't grumble :)
Ooooh! I thought - That's good!

I let the brakes off on the next couple of descents and found myself a short way ahead of Tim And Steve at the 4mile Drink Stop after Hawkshead.
Theresa (who has been the most INCREDIBLE support) was a little way ahead of the station with a selection of drinks for those coming through, and told me to drop it when I was done and she'd collect it :)

I was running the next couple of miles really smoothly, and the foot was conspicuous by it's lack of noticeability ;)

The climb after mile 7 had me feeling a slight tightening in my Rt ITB - nothing too worrying - but one that I filed in my "To watch out for" box.
Mile 6 and Theresa had 'extra' water (I had no drink at this station) and asked if I wanted it - I did - It was brilliant. This was a pattern that repeated at EVERY station at which I didn't have a specific drink!
Shortly after this, I saw Adam ahead. I thought "I'm not getting faster - I wonder if Adam is OK"

Caught him at about 9 miles, and he said that he was having a problem with his Left Leg, and couldn't run down hill. I went past, expecting him to follow, but he didn't :(
Coming in to Newby Bridge I suddenly thought
"Sh1t - I'm in the lead - What on earth do I do now....."

I focused on my next drink at 14 miles, and Theresa met me before the station with my bottle again - with some words of encouragement.
I can't tell you how valuable she is to this event! Amazing :):)

The next section is quite undulating - and 16 and 18 miles were the spots where I'd had to stop the last two days. They passed easily - And the flat section to Bowness was really enjoyable.

I LOVE the section from just before 22 to the end - and with 4 and a bit miles to go - and feeling great - and with my running having a real spring to it, I headed for home :)
At about 23 I could hear the footfall of another runner when the wind was in the right direction. It didn't sound like Adam so it was going to be eight Tim or Steve.

And Steve is an incredibly strong runner, and I felt like he was bearing down on me like an exocet.

Realistically - I could only run my own race - and so I did :)
Last four full mile splits:
7:13
6:59
6:52
6:56

I glanced back as I ran into Clappersgate, and couldn't see anyone.
Was I about to record my first EVER race win..??

I hammered up the last slope and to the Finish Line.

3:16:29

And 40 seconds later Steve came in :)

AWESOME day.

Waited for Tim and Adam to finish, then went for a shower, and then dived into Lunch while there was still hot food around.
And cheered everyone else in through the open windows :)

And took my lovely wife a glass of water after she finished :)

It sounds like the physio team have had a really busy day today too.

Well - we HAVE run over 100 miles in the last 4 days....!!!

:)

.

Race 3 - VERY pleased

.
The weather when we set out was perfect.
Still, cool but neither too cold or too warm, and high clouds. There was a forecast for showers during the day as well.

I had predicted a probable slower day, what with a swollen foot and some tendon crepitus, and was fairly sure I'd have to walk some of the downhills.

I set off really conservatively, with Steve again. Apart from anything else he makes a fabulous running buddy for me. We were pacing things slightly differently today. I was stronger on the climbs, andn he was quicker on the descents, which I was taking really easily. It was a case of working out what worked to prevent me from getting pain in my foot.

Just before we came into Hawkshead when I was about 10 yards behind, an elderly driver actually hit Steve.
He was SO close that the car brushed his leg, and the door mirror hit his arm.
The sound from where I was was sickening. And it could have been SO much worse than it was.
Steve was visibly shaken, and I was absolutely fuming...... even more so when the same driver then pulled alongside, wound the passenger window down and drifted SO far into the left that Steve was almost pushed into the hedge

YE 57(or 58) **D

We ran side-by-side for the next 4 miles, and then Steve seemed to get his 'head' back, and he picked up the pace a bit and went away.
With the first 'half' done out of Newby Bridge, I was running quite easily. The foot wasn't complaining - and the next couple of miles were a gentle updulate. Perfect for me. The foot was always happier when climbing :)

And I caught up with Steve again at around 14 miles.
Shortly after this was a Fantastic surprise.
CumbriAndy, resplendent in Fetch away colours came into view. What a boost :)
I managed to miss the low High 5 though - sorry Andy :(

There are a coupe of sections along here where the gradient drops away, and within a mile, my foot was grumbing at me.
So much so that I sat at the 16 mile Feed Station to adjust my shoe.
Tim went passed and asked if I was OK, to which I said "I'm in a bit of trouble" which I genuinely felt I was.
"I'll send someone back for you when I see them" he said.... and less than 400m later - Amy appeared :)

I pulled in to the next driveway - and asked for some scissors to cut my lace so that i could knot it in the second eyelet
Some magic cold spray on the new most painful bit, and a reattachment of said shoe, and I was off again.

As a result of the 8 minute stoppage, I realised that Adam (not Tango) must be fairly close behind, as his Dad cycled past me on the way to the 18 mile feed station (He was waiting for Adam at each one, then riding past to the next - AWESOME support - and he was also selecting my drinks bottle if he knew I was coming so that I didn't have to search for it :)

We had a pretty heavy shower around this time - and avoiding some of the deep puddles that formed was impossible. But trail shoes dry VERY quickly ;)

Coming to the 22 mile station - where I'd planned to take a decent drin and check out my foot, I saw Heebiejeebie NOT at the bottom of the hill.
Cracking place to wait, With a camera pointed at me, I wasn't going to grimace or anything ;)

A 30 second stop to check that all was well, and I headed off. With there being a little over 4 miles remaining, and it being the 'kindest' section of the course, I found myself revitalised and running better than I had all day. The foot had calmed down, and it was actually easier to run a little more quickly.
I like this bit of the course. You don't have to think too much about the terrain, because it's very easy running - and the first point that you can properly see Brathay is just before 24 miles. A real boost :)

I just got quicker!

My last 4 full mile splits were 7:51 7:36 7:10 7:06

I was LOVING this - and the sun had come out - It was perfect :)

I finished in 3:36:11 - and in the circumstances, I am absolutely delighted with that :):)
It's a lot quicker than I was expecting to be able to do, and I don't feel like I've taken too much out of myself.

Amy had a good work on my legs after Lunch, because I'm sure there was some sub-conscious compensation going on.

Very pleased with today :)

.

2/10 - Race 2 - ouch!

- Race .
Before we started today I had terrible trouble getting the lacing right on my left shoe.
It felt too tight- I loosened it - it still felt too tight - I loosened it more. It still wasn't right - but I thought it would be OK
- this was to prove a problem!

The plan today was to set off more conservatively and spend the first couple of miles letting the legs loosen up, and then see where I went from there. This went well. The weather was good, windy but dry with the occasional spatter of light drizzle - perfect running weather

I ended up running with Steve, and we chatted about a whole bunch of things which made the early miles fly by. We run in a very similar way in that we run undulations at similar relative paces, and so there was no need to tweak pace

By Newby Bridge my instep was feeling a bit tender. A quick 'tweak' of the shoe seemed to relieve it.

And then on the downhill at 18 the discomfort became unbearable.
I had to stop and radically re-lace my shoe in a way that took ALL pressure off a large part of the top of my foot.
Stupid Stupid boy!

It was fine on the flats and the ups, and with this agricultural 'fix', I was able to run with less and less discomfort.
But it had wrecked my rhythm.

I stopped for a quick rest and to further relieve the pressure on the foot at the 22 mile feed station, and to have a decent drink.
With 4 miles to go, what had been a really nice run had turned into a slog.
I just wanted it over.

I finished OK - but was feeling a little sorry for myself as the wind and rain had started to pick up in earnest. Everything seemed to hurt as I went for a quick shower before heading to lunch.

Lorna came bowling in looking fabulous in well under 4 hours again

Foot was treated, and a plan for the morning was made. Swelling hasn't completely gone down yet.

I'm hoping that it'll settle by the morning!

.

1/10 - The First Race - TOO fast, Leon...!!!

.

Not the best night's sleep, in that it took me AGES to get to sleep. But when I woke this morning I was feeling well rested.
Toddled off to make our porridge and kinda 'nodded' at a few early birds....

And then the rain started.

Well - hail!!

Hmmmmm!

It was incredibly relaxed actually.

I missed a call - which was from Jason - who had arrived to see us off
AWESOME, mate :):)

Shortly before 10 we trundled down to the Hall for a quick chat from Scott, Lorna and I had our pic taken with Joss Naylor (what a lovely fella) who - at the start line advised everyone to run fast enough to keep relaxed. :)

We were 'started' by the Gamekeeper - then we made our way to the start proper.
It was good to get started :)
There was a nice little crowd gathered to see us off and after the first mile folk settled into their own races.
I'd started with my Montane top on - it was quite cold. But I dispensed with it at Mile 2 where the first drinks were situated - Jason was there too, taking pictures - A really unexpected surprise :)

I was running a little quickly really, and I knew it, but it was comfortable and the HR was low enough.

And then the rain stopped. I was running pretty much with one of the Adams, chatting away and it was most enjoyable

Jason popped up a further couple of times before our 'agreed' meeting point at Newby Bridge where I grabbed a couple of Jelly Babies.

The turn there which FEELS like half way, saw the wind behind us, and the next few miles were delicious. I was averaging 7:45's which was faster than planned, and I kept on telling myself that this was JUST the first one and to stop running it like it was the ONLY one.
Did I listen?
Errr - no!

I was caught and taken by Tim who was running really nicely, and caught back up to Adam who'd shot off at one point, and then was going through a bit of a rough patch.

The Speed bump at 21 passed without fuss, and the last 5 miles I concentrated on trying minimise the effort I was using.

The run in to the Hall was really nice - there was a sizeable group of folk applauding us in - fab!!!

I dived into the Dining Room to catch the hot food - and to watch for the others finishing.
Lorna came bounding in looking like she'd been out for a 3 mile recovery run :)
And she ran an FANTASTIC time :)

Back to the Lodge for Amy the Physio and Support Person Extraordinaire to do her thing - and drink copious tea :)

It's been a cracking day - and the sun has just come out to cap it off. And Dinner is in an hour.

.

Day 1 of 10 - Like a lamb to the slaughter ;o)

When we went down to the hall in the morning, Joss Naylor was already there. I gave him a big hug because he's the man I want to be when I grow up. He assessed the amount of flesh covering my ribs as if I were a Herdwick going to market, pronounced me to be in need of full-body thermals and gloves, and checked my F-Lites to make sure they wouldn't rub my ankles.

But I'm getting ahead of myself. Let's go back to last night. We had an early night, although a spectacular thunderstorm meant it took me a little time to fall asleep.

This morning, Leon was up before the alarm clock to make some of his excellent porridge, which only fell short of his usual standard because there was no full-cream milk in the kitchen, a situation which should be remedied by today. Amy the Physio arrived, and a queue formed for treatment. I didn't want fixing because I wasn't broken, so I did all the washing-up until there was none left, then wandered down to the road with Leon to see what the weather was like at the start.

It was slightly windy. "This'll do," we agreed.

Then the rain came on. Not a decorous drizzle, but full-on stair-rodding from a sky that looked as if it had enough of the same to last all day. "I'm expecting to hear that it's been cancelled," said Michelle, while Adam provided the quote of the day by telling Amy that he wasn't really a runner.

You'll recognise me in the start-line photos. I'm the one wearing the raincoat. It stayed on for almost 14 miles, too. No point stressing my immune system by getting cold and wet on Day 1. It's not as if I can rest tomorrow.

The support for this event is awesome. Not a "skeleton crew" at all. There are two physios patrolling the course in well-stocked cars, Steve's wife Theresa in another car, and Aly's husband Mac on a bike. We make up our drinks the night before, and they're taken in crates and left at strategic points every two miles or so along the course. Some people had a drink in every crate. Since the forecast wasn't for a heatwave, I put isotonic drink in the Mile 10 and Mile 17 crates, water in the Mile 22 crate, and a handful of Werthers Originals in my pocket. Leon and I have deliberately trained ourselves to get round a marathon without needing a picnic on the way.

And the course itself ... well, I still love it :o)

From the start, six fast boys - Steve, Adam, Leon, Mark, Adam and Tim - left the rest of us eating dust.

I set out to run at an easy pace, and mostly managed to stick to that plan. I did stiffen up a little around Mile 19, but you wouldn't spot it from my mile splits and within a few miles I was running comfortably again. Nothing hurt. I didn't feel thirsty or unwell despite only having a swig from each of my bottles of isotonic drink and a few Werthers on the way. I did have some mild complaints from my bowel, but managed to fob it off with promises until after the finish.

The finish. Yes. 3:52:02 by my Garmin (official time awaited). Scott Umpleby told me that I was seventh. I haven't been that high up the rankings since I came fifth in a Race for Life, and there were four women ahead of me in that one. He also told me that Leon had finished ages ago and had had his lunch already.

Lunch was a plate of a very substantial salad - think quiche, pork pie and potatoes, not lettuce and tomato. Excellent post-marathon food, except for committed salad-dodgers like me. "Could I have a sandwich?" I asked, before seeing some tuna and pasta in mayonnaise lurking within the salad platter and asking for a big helping of that. Perfect :o)

Now, three hours and one warm shower later, I think I'm fine.

Tomorrow will be the REAL test!

0/10 - .......and so it begins.......

.

We have been fed (amazing food - this foodatarian will be WELL catered for this week)

We have been briefed - Amy the Physio who is charged with keeping us in one piece has outlined the options available to us, and the support she'll be available for - before, during and after each race.

We've loaded the feed station crates with the bits 'n' pieces that will be placed at strategic places around the course.

The porridge is soaking ready for the morning....

It's finally about to get under way, and our fellow runners are all displaying a variety of nervous behaviours........ and I've had to drag Lorna back a few times from getting herself changed and going for a run ;o)

She'll stop bouncing off the walls like a powerball at some point ;)

I get the impression that this is going to be a brilliant event :)

More tomorrow........

.

Event Kit has finally arrived.....

And it's very yellow.

I approve :o)

A Brickbat ...

... for T-Mobile.

Who, when my 'phone (and hence my mobile internet connection) completely stopped working today after a couple of weeks of being unreliable, refused to allow me an early upgrade despite the fact that my upgrade date is only 18 days away and despite my forthcoming separation from my family.

I wonder if Sir Ranulph Fiennes has to put up with this sort of mindless corporate obstructiveness?

(Actually, I've read his books and I know the answer. He does. Copiously!)

Ah, well. I signed a contract. T-Mobile is within its rights. What's one more ex-customer?

Shakepeare Marathon ....... OR

The Last Long Run Before the 10-in-10...!!!!

OK - in reality I had about 4 plans for the race, and it depended variously on how the legs felt, how I was running, what the weather was like etc.
But in the context of Lorna and I having recovered from hard run races quickly of late, it was an ideal opportunity to run this as a pretty serious race effort!

I started too far back at the start which meant there was rather a lot of jinking about at the start - (stoopid boy), but once it thinned out a bit, running was reasonably elbow-free.

Plan A was simple - Aim for 6:50ish min/mile See how you are going in the first five miles, and reassess.
And keep reassessing until you get to the end!
I was running smoothly and easily, and really enjoying the ride. I was reeling in plenty of people and only occasionally being passed by folk who'd clearly started further back than they should have.
After about this distance, I could see a runner I know from Fetch some distance ahead. It took 'til after 9 miles to catch up to him. By this time we were on the Greenway, which I LOVED running along. Flat - nice surface - and perfect for just concentrating on minimising effort for the pace.

Then we split from the Half course for the second lap.
Half Marathon came up just before a Water Station

1:29:51

And on viewing the video on YouTube I was in 54th place!


Oooh! That's OK.
I knew that I was running at about that pace.
And I was feeling pretty good.

The updulations on the second lap slowed me slightly more than on the first lap, but generally I was making that time back on the downs.
The extra section that takes you further down the Greenway seemed to be all downhill - it was fabulous, and an opportunity to let the legs run that little bit quicker, for no extra effort.

And I was looking forward to the flat easy section along the Greenway for the second time. Somewhere along here 21/22 miles (I think) I saw a vest and pair of calves that I recognised ahead of me. Ian was running really nicely. I drew alongside with some inane comment like "Is this a Mr M I see before me?" Why couldn't I think of something better than that..??
We swapped a couple of comments, and then got back to our own runs, clearly both on course for quite significant Personal Bests!!

I tired a little in the last 2 miles, but was REALLY pleased with the way I held form. Waved madly for the second time at Alex who was taking pictures (and as I was in my Club vest, was not sure that he'd spot me)
The run into the finish along the river bank was a delight.

Second Half

1:29:52
Giving me a chip time of 2:59:43.
SUB 3!
And 22nd place overall!!

WOW!

The best thing was that I was waking about quite freely, chatting to folk, and getting some food and drink. I went to get my clothes from the clothes store and then to get a coffee for Lorna, who I estimated would be finishing around about that time.
Any event that gives free coffee and tea to the runners at the end of a marathon is a pretty damn fine one IMO.

She had finished! Already!!!!
In an outstanding 3:36. THAT brought about the biggest smile of the day for me

So this race marked the end of the 'hard' training for the 10-in-10, the plan now is to keep the legs turning over, and make sure they are in optimal condition for the 8th May!

I can't wait.

Thanks, Lizzie :o)

Fame at last!

My mother writes one of the local news columns in the Kilmarnock Standard, and she contacted Lizzie Struthers, one of the sports reporters, to find out whether she would be interested in featuring the 10 Marathons in 10 Days Challenge, the local interest angle being that I grew up in Kilmarnock.

I'm delighted with the article that Lizzie has written :o)

Leon and I have both made an excellent recovery from the Shakespeare Marathon. I was a little unresponsive in the quadriceps department on Monday, but was running normally again by Tuesday.

Looking back at Shakespeare, I am very pleased with my finishing time, and even more pleased with ... LEON! Come and tell these good people what you did on Sunday! But I'm most pleased with how easy it was. I had to tackle some head-stuff in the first ten miles or so, but physically I was never out of my depth and at the end the people I was passing were commenting on how effortlessly I was running. I only felt as if I was working at all in the last two-and-a-half miles, and even then I managed to maintain sub-8.30mm pace and a respectable finishing sprint.

D'you know what? I think there's a sub-3:30 lurking in this old body :o)

Meanwhile, it's nearly 10-in-10 time. Eight days from now, I'll have finished the first marathon. I'm starting to think about things I haven't bothered with until now, like what running kit and additional food to take, how many pairs of F-Lite 230s I'll need (I shall probably alternate F-Lites with my least old pair of Vaporflys), and - as someone who is always busy, this is a serious consideration - how I'm going to cope with not having work or domestic chores to occupy me when I'm not running. I wonder whether there are any surgeries in Hawkshead or Windermere in need of someone to do a little afternoon surgery ... ;o)

The Three Final Trials :)

I've been a lazy rascal again, except that this time, really, I haven't. Between work and running and domestic responsibilities, I've actually been extremely busy. But here's a short update.

A couple of weeks ago, I set myself a specific objective for each of our last three big training runs.

1. The Hawkshead Trail Race - to race it properly rather than just enjoying the scenery, and to run up all the hills.

2. Our final Windermere Marathon course recce - to run all the way up the three major hills (Mile 8, Mile 22, and the nasty little fiend at the end). Everything else didn't matter.

3. The Shakespeare Marathon - to avoid talking myself out of a PB attempt.

In summary ...

1. What a beautiful event! And yes, I did. I particularly enjoyed running all the way up the Coffin Trail, some of it at barely faster than 3mph. I went round under the illusion that I was racing with the big boys at the sharp end, and had a reality-check at the end when I discovered that I was, in fact, 233rd out of 560 finishers. Leon chose to run with me, and watching him dancing over the rough downhills and trying to emulate his footfalls was very useful.

2. Mission accomplished, and if you take out the stops and add-ons, our running time for the marathon distance was less than 3:55. My third sub-4 marathon ever, and I did it in training on an interestingly undulating course. I was well pleased :o)

3. I could write a long race report with gremlins in it, but, as I said, I'm very busy, so I'll cut to the punchline.

3:37:11 clock time, 3:36:39 chip time. A PB by 7 minutes.

:o) :o) :o)

I'm ready. Nothing more to do now apart from recover and stay recovered.

Last Long run in training

This weekend Lorna and I are running the Shakespeare Marathon.
It will be the last long run we do before the 10-in-10 starts, and we are both really happy with the way that training has gone.
We have been running reasonably big weekly mileages sometimes without realising just how many miles we've accumulated, such has been the extent to which we've made Running a normal part of our daily life, as opposed to something we have been 'training' for!

My running technique has progressed fantastically well since the Pose Clinic in March - and teaching others has had a very beneficial knock on effect on my own running.

Last weekend we ran the Hawkshead Trail race. Lorna's remit was to 'run up all the hills' and I chose to accompany her. And what a good decision that was!
It was a BEAUTIFUL day, the Lakes at their VERY finest. Sunny, but not too warm and with a gentle breeze. Amazing! We also met a large group of our running friends there, so the social side of it was also spectacular.
Lorna ran beautifully - really strong on the climbs, and confident and quick on the descents. It was a real pleasure to run with her :o)

On the Sunday morning we parked up in the grounds of Brathay (Yes - we DID ask if we could!) to spend the next few hours running the Windermere course.
We'd planned to break it up into 3 sections, stopping at Newby Bridge and Bowness, the idea being to consolidate the details of the course, without working our bodies too hard.
And that was exactly what we did.
It was another stunning day, and we were running for a few minutes under 4 hours.
On returning to the car, my legs would have been happy to carry on, but we'd done what we set out to do, and getting home before the traffic became ridiculous became a more pressing priority!!

:o)

This week has been gentler.
Less mileage, and a couple of short faster runs for me (It was the quickest and easiest way to get home after dropping the car for a service, and then collecting it later) and we are having a small taper into Shakespeare on Sunday.

Looking forward to running it, as it's a race I've not done. We'll be playing host to a couple of folk too, and there will be a large group of our running friends at the race.

Should be good!

:o)