Number 11 is done! What a great day, one of the best so far. I hadn't really done too much training this week as have been a bit distracted by other things, and hadn't really thought too much about the run either (other than the well advertised cake refreshments, of course), I was more looking forward to seeing my Mum and Dad and Andrew. Once I got home though, and my parents had printed all the information and directions for the route and we started talking about it, I soon got focused and excited!
The event is organised by the Long Distance Walkers Association, and I've never done one of their events before. So the routes are organised for walkers, but often they let you run them as well if you want, and there are different distances you can do, so today there was 18 miles (which my Mum and Dad walked, and Andrew ran) or 26.2 miles (me), which was the 18 mile route (a big loop), with a few extra loops added on. I was a bit worried that most people would be walking and not many running, and as the route isn't really marked you need to navigate it yourself, although you do get given instructions, so I was worried that considering I have got lost on a couple of (well!) marked runs already, that this might not end well!
My fears were unfounded though, as there were loads of people running, hurrah! So at 9.30 am we all set off. For the first few miles it was quite busy and it was a great group of people to run with, a lot of camaraderie and joking going on. The first few miles were also pretty complicated, navigating wise, so it was good to be in a big group together to figure it out!
After a few miles the 18 mile and 26 mile routes split, and as I was at the front, we mostly ended up going in the wrong direction for our distance, oops. After turning around and successfully making it through the next couple more miles we finally made it onto the canal towpath for an easy few miles. Checkpoint 1 was at about 7 miles and I ran into (literally) my parents just before it! Checkpoint 1 was also in a pub, I've never been IN a pub on a race before! It improves it, I have to say.
There was porridge and cereal and all manner of breakfast goodies to be had, but I wasn't hungry so grabbed some squash and sweets and headed off apprehensively on my own. After a mile or so I saw a familiar looking figure in the distance. It was a guy called Brian Mills, who I have spotted on a few of my runs this year. He is a bit of a legend in the running world; he is going for the record of the first person from the UK to run 1000 (!!!) marathons. I think this was his 926th and he’d already run over 40 this year so I felt a bit stupid telling him about my 13, which he’d probably done by the end of January, but he was very nice about it, and a really interesting guy.
Checkpoint 2 at 13 miles (halfway!) was sandwiches and pineapple. Then I saw on the instructions that it was only 4 more miles to Checkpoint 3 which was the cake competition, so decided to push on again by myself. Feeling a bit more confident about running by myself, having made it to half way without any major navigational errors.
The next part was more through the middle of Birmingham, through the Gas Street Basin, which felt a bit precarious on my own, but there were some walkers about which gave me confidence and I made it through!
My Dad, near the Gas Street Basin
The next part confused me as there were runners coming in the opposite direction, but it turned out they were just a lot better than me, and were heading back from the part I was about to do. Sigh. The next part, around the Soho Loop, was completely terrifying and I thought I was actually going to die like in a horror film at any point, running along the back of creepy derelict warehouses, complete with a cast of weird people at various points. Then Checkpoint 3 appeared; wooop, cake time! I decided to go for a double hit of sugar and caffeine with a chocolate and coffee cake, nom nom!
The next part went back to the Gas Street Basin and through some more dodgy parts through tunnels, but then I caught up with another runner and we ran the rest of the way together. Two more checkpoints to go, one including trifle. Trifle!!!
The sun came out for the last few miles, and I finished in 4:44 in the sunshine :-) Dead pleased with that. I really enjoyed it a lot, very different to the big city runs, but I enjoyed it even more. Really felt like I’d achieved something by navigating it myself, and as I wasn't at all bothered about what time I did, I just chilled out really and stopped at the checkpoints and if I was unsure where I was, and I met some really lovely people along the way and had some interesting conversations which have made me think about what I'm going to do after 13 in 2013 is over....
Afterwards there were baked potatoes, tea, bananas and custard. I will definitely do some more of these, great fun!
Andrew did the 18 miles in 2:35 and my parents in 5:40. Bravo!
We agree Amy. It was a really good day and none of the stress associated with London marathons etc. It's the second LDWA challenge event we have done and the refreshments at both were really first class. I think they are the only events where you put on weight. We did miss out by doing the 18 mile route though. You had 2 cake stops. we had only one although a certain person who shall remain nameless had a very good attempt at tasting everything on offer!! It was very difficult to move away from that one!
ReplyDeleteOnly slight downside (and this was entirely my fault) was the low bridge part way down Farmers Bridge flight of locks. Yes I know it had warning signs on it but I was reading the direction sheet and not concentrating. I still have the bumps on my head and shoulder to show for my lapse in concentration.
I shall study the LDWA challnge events book and try and find some more we can do together.
Mum
A brilliant day - great to be together again doing what we all like doing and a great atmosphere all round. I was informed that there was a cake competition which required judging so I thought it only right to sample as many cakes as possible in order to make a fair judgement ! (ginger parkin got my vote).
Dad