Today was the hottest I think I have ever been. Even than in Australia. Even than in a sauna. Even than a sauna in Australia.
I wasn't on fine form this morning. I think I got pretty dehydrated yesterday and couldn't sleep much because of a headache. I didn't wee for hours, and when I did, it was red. I think that might have been the beetroot sandwiches I had at the end of the run, but it sounds quite exciting, so I'm going to say it anyway. I hadn't eaten much, and felt a bit sick. Then I forgot to take my headache tablets with me to the run. What a twit.
But anyway! Today was the Woldingham Marathon, by 1m2go Events, so time to stop moaning, and get on with it. I didn't know if anyone I knew would be there, but of course, there were loads of people there, and it seemed a pretty big event, with the half and full marathons taking place.
The half was one lap, and the marathon two. It started and finished at Woldingham School, which is a Catholic Girls School, which is kind of an odd place to have a marathon, but there you go. It's nice and near Woldingham station, so easy to get to from London.
The route was basically a big loop around Woldingham, with an extra bit across the middle, taking in parts of the North Downs Way and the Vanguard Way too.
It was a pretty route, very hilly, about 3600 feet of up, I think, on the marathon. And some very steep ones, including the dreaded verticle hill up from the M25. Twice. Going up it the second time, that was the hottest I've ever been, definitely. The weather was something else today!
It was a good event, and I enjoyed it. The marshals were fantastic. My favourite point was at the first water stop on the second lap, a mile or two after The Dreaded Hill, and I was hotter than a hot thing on a hot day in a desert, and about to expire, then and there. A delivery of extra coke had just arrived at the checkpoint! I drank a cup in one gulp. "You need more!" and the cup was filled again! "Now take off your sunglasses, and close your eyes!". Um, OK....being too knackered to ask about why, I did, and was sprayed with water from a plant waterer! A little bit of heaven on a hot day. Thanks marshals!
It was kind of like the apocalypse out there today, people lying on the ground knackered from the heat, and dehydration. I stopped to try to help the ones I saw, and I hope they all made it back OK. It was pretty tough out there today! I found it really hard going. I don't think I've ever drunk so much on a run, must have and been litres and litres of water, electrolytes, and coke. I think I must be made of 100% water now. And I'm still thirsty. Although my wee is no longer red, which sounds like progress.
I did 5.55, and I was just glad to make it round, and get back in one piece, to be honest. I have never wanted so much to stop at the half way point before, running past it took all my willpower! I really want to do 52 in 52, and not finishing the full today would have messed it up. #46 today, and three more double marathon weekends to go (but not till after a holiday, I feel like I need a bit of a break from work/back to back events for a couple of weeks).
And now time for the travel bulletin. I got there fine, and almost back fine....until the LAST stop on the overground, where the train has had a fault, and terminated! Ha! At least I can walk from here!
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