Day 1 of 10 days!
This blog is about the running, but first, an update on the Travelodge (aka, The Blue Bunkhouse, where I am staying for the first 3 nights)....
Friday, 8pm: Andrew and I arrive at Travelodge.
A man is already at reception, sorting out some problems with his room.
After listening for a couple of minutes, it became clear he was completely blotto, and from the fumes emanating from him, everyone around him would be joining him soon as well.
After a lengthy exchange, where not much progress was made, due to an unnecessarily long pause after each question whilst Mr Blotto's booze battered brain attempted to process things, it transpired his room had not been cleaned that morning. Furthermore, there was blood on the sheets.
For a couple of minutes (whilst Mr Blotto composed his answer to the receptionist's next question) I felt quite enraged on his behalf, that his room had had dirty sheets when he arrived.
Turns out, the blood was actually something to do with him, as he'd had "a bit of an accident".
Worried as to what he meant by "a bit" (I mean, like, was there a body??), I relaxed some when he declined getting new sheets right now (can't be too bad then), only for the worry to return as he asked for a bin bag (to hide the evidence?), but then relaxed again as out of the options presented, he chose the small flimsy bin bag over the big heavy duty one (couldn't fit a body in that).
Things looked up after check in, and our room was free of any crime scene. Went to sleep, but was woken at 11.30 by shrieking, screaming girls, sprinting up and down and around the corridors, banging on the doors. This went on for so long, I estimate they must have been in ultra distance territory, and if only I could be bothered to get up and walk to the door, I would have left some Phoenix Running leaflets outside, so they could have put their drunken drug fuelled energy to better use in the morning.
Woke up refreshed (ha!) at 06.15 and prepared for the day - day 1 of the 10 day challenge! Andrew and I met Sarah and Annabel downstairs, and Dom kindly gave us a lift to the start.
The weather was actually nice for running in, and the incessant rain had finally stopped, just in time! The run started at The Wier pub, and the route was the 5km west bound lap along the towpath on the Blue Bridge route (named after the little bridge that goes over Walton Marina). Andrew came to do a marathon, and to keep us entertained with his jokes. Lots of people taking part, and the atmosphere was great. The aid station, as always, was fun, and there were two types of pink shrimps on the aid station today (did a taste test at half way), and tried on the medals (to see if they would fit as bracelets) a bit later on.
Sarah and I did 9 laps, so 29.5 miles, for ultramarathon #1/10. All went fine, and I enjoyed day 1!
The medal today is the Fortitude Ring.
Sarah is colour co-ordinating her nails each day with the colour of the medals, and I have yellow nails, for Hannah.
Did some refuelling (important) with food in the Wier afterwards.
This is the first day of my 10 ultramarathons in 10 days challenge, to raise money for the Royal Marsden Cancer Charity, in memory of my friend Hannah. Thank you so much everyone who has sponsored me! My justgiving page is HERE!!!!! 💛
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