Running for Han"N"ah Challenge - The Norfolk 100 km !

I arrived in West Runton Friday evening, in a disagreeable mood, after a long and busy train journey from London via Norwich. What logic is there in having a one carriage train on at rush hour on a Friday? What!

Anyhow. Immediately that I got off the train in West Runton, my mood lifted, and in a flash I liked the place. 

A tiny village where the train station had only one platform, and I could see my hotel from it, down a poppy lined lane. I stayed at The Links Hotel, which was a beautiful old building, and brought to mind Agatha Christie sitting in an armchair by the fire writing Murder On The Links. I'd unpacked and had tea (still working through rations) by 8 pm, and feeling nervous for tomorrow I decided to go sleuthing for where I had to catch the coach at 5.30 am the next morning. I found it OK, about a 10 minute walk from the hotel through the village, and feeling a bit more relaxed went back to The Links, where I firmly locked my door, should any Christie characters be poking around, and worked out a vague plan for my pace tomorrow. There was a cut off time of 16 hours, which I had no idea if I could do or not. But, I had to, somehow! This was the second N of my Running For Hannah Challenge, and there was no way I was not going to do this! 

Up at 4 am after a few hours sleep. I was reassured on the murder front, the old building was so creaky no one could move around without waking the whole place up, as I discovered on my slow and noisy journey down four flights of stairs.  The run route was a linear one, so the organisers (Positive Steps) had put on a coach to take runners from the finish (West Runton) to the start (Castle Acre), then we could run back to cars/ accommodation at the finish. The bus journey was fun, but I started to feel a bit anxious about how far it seemed, and this wasn't even as long as the full route was. 

When we finally made it there, it was a fab surprise to see Sarah who was crewing for some members of her running club. I hadn't expected to know anyone, and was feeling really nervous about that, so I instantly felt better seeing a familiar face. Checked in, bag dropped, and sun cream applied. Ready! ...ish.... Oh My God. Everyone else looked so good. What was I doing here?? This was my first ultra of this long with such a short cut off time. Plus! On the coach, I'd realised the closing time for CP5, which on the instructions was at 82 km, was 18.00. Which meant only 11 hours to do the first 82 km (51 miles), but 5 hours to do the last 18 km (11 miles). Which didn't seem to make much sense, and meant my vague plan of pacing was now useless.

I made a snap, and rash, decision, to run to the coast as quickly as I could, and make up all the time in the starting sections. Because that's the sensible thing to do at the start of an ultra. Right? 

The route was basically a loop around Castle Acre (a beautiful village), then straight up the Peddars Way to the coast at Holme Next The Sea, at about marathon distance. Then it turned right, and the rest of the route was all along the Norfolk Coastal Path, until the end at West Runton. 

Once we started off, everyone seemed to be going so fast, so I tried to as well. The Peddars Way is pretty, mostly along a hedge lined footpath with poppies and wildflowers scattering the landscape, and the miles seemed to pass easily. Although, I'm pretty sure everyone says Norfolk is flat like a pancake, but it's not! It doesn't have mountains, but it has undulations. It does, it does, it does! The Peddars Way follows the route of a Roman road, although it might be even older, some (Wikipedia) suggest it was an ancient trackway that was remodelled by the Romans. 'Pedestar' is Latin for 'on foot', which may, or may not, be where it's name is from. It's also meant to be the haunt of the Black Shunk, a ghostly East Anglian hound. 

A pug was watching (not by itself, but with it's owner, whose partner was running), but the pug looked quite solid and not at all ghost like, so got to CP2 at Holme without seeing any ghosts (or Romans, or Roman ghosts), in just over 4 hours, which was far too fast to do a marathon at the start of 100km. I was pleased I now had plenty of time for the CP5 cutoff, but also thinking I'd probably messed it all up by going off too fast. It was nice to be by the sea now, in any case, the skies were bigger and the air different. But an immediate and obvious problem presented itself. We could see where we were going for a long way ahead. I suddenly started to feel tired, seeing all the miles of coast stretch off into the distance.

Soon the route went inland for a bit, along the longest uphill road in Norfolk, possibly even the world. After eternity had passed, and then a bit longer, CP3 near Titchwell materialised. On the instructions, it said this was at 52 km, so I was pumped to be over half way! Until, I saw a sign that said '45 km'. What was going on? How could it have been only 4 km since the last CP?? I was so confused, even more so than normal. But I was distracted by the friendly marshals and watermelon (hurrah!) and jammie dodgers. 

Then it was back out to the coast for what felt like a really long, but very beautiful, section to CP4 at Burnham Overy Staithe. 

It was so hot, I was drinking loads, but not eating much as I felt sick, so was low on energy and every step was dragging. Plus not knowing how far I had run was really messing with my head. I was planning on emergency bananas and custard at the next CP (where our drop bags were) but couldn't even face the custard. Things were looking grim! I managed to eat the banana though, a cheesy pastry foot (haha!) and a mini peanut butter sandwich. 

We temporarily got caught up in a triathlon that was going on in Burnham, and I worried someone was going to make me swim, or worse, cycle for ages, but we made it back to the coastal path still on our feet. The next bit was through sand dunes and then along a tree line, which was so pretty it hurt to look at it. The route had been really easy to find so far, following the acorn signs...

...but suddenly the acorns stopped, and a I had a complete navigational failure for the rest of this entire section. I'd gone wrong twice and got back on route, then managed to do another massive mistake and added on about a mile running around the wrong side of a camp site. When I got back to the right track in the woods, I hit a rock with my foot, and had a total breakdown, where I kicked at the rock (what great solution), cried, said some bad things to the rock (fortunately no one heard), and when I failed to get any apology from the rock, turned my back on it, and stomped, stoney faced, through the wood. Fortunately, Sarah was the other side of the wood, which really cheered me up - thank you Sarah for your support throughout, you don't know how much it helped!

Buoyed, I caught up with Paul, who I'd met earlier before becoming lost, and ran quite lot of the rest of the way with him. Running is always easier with someone to laugh with. Cheers Paul! Plus, other people are always so much better at things than me. He set his alarm every hour, and had an energy gel and was very disciplined with his eating. What a great idea! I was impressed, and am going to try the alarm thing. Plus, he'd also looked at a different source of route info and had the right KMs for the checkpoints, and soon after we ran into James who I'd met on the bus, who had a GPS watch, and who knew exactly how far we had come. So, my conclusion is, I need to invest in some technology. 

Soon after we made it to CP5, which wasn't at 82 km at all, but at about 75 km, and I made it there way before the cut off of 18:00. I was so relieved! I finally thought I might be able to do it now I wasn't going to get kicked out. It was getting harder though. I felt the faster marathon at the start in my legs which were heavy, it was hot, I had a headache and was feeling tired, and my foot hurt (thanks, rock). But so what? I chose to do this, and I'm lucky to be able to do something that I choose to do and that I love doing. It's nothing really is it, being a bit tired and sore. So what. I thought of Hannah, and sent my thoughts about the day to her (I edited out the bit about the rock) across the sunny skies (which was how we were communicating today) and I knew she was thinking of me too 💜

We got to CP6, the last checkpoint, at about 17:00. CP6 was magic. The marshals were brilliant, and Sarah was there, and Paul's family, and it felt like a big party in a car park by the sea with cola and crisps and hugs and laughs. The marshals even gave me a goody bag to take for the last 8 miles. Just 8 more miles!

Four of them were along a shingle beach. 

Oh.

These four miles have catapulted right up to the worst four miles of any run in my whole entire life. It went on, and on. And on, and on. I could see the cliff where the path left the beach, and it never got any closer. Fortunately the tide was out, so at least the wet pebbles closer to the sea were a bit harder to run on, but still. I started to imagine the pebbles were cancer, and I was kicking them and stamping on them, and hating them. It was kind of hypnotic, I was in a bit of a trance, kind of like a really really not relaxing at all meditation session. Then, the last mile, there were lots of sea fishermen further up the beach, with their long fishing lines thrown into the sea. The lines were transparent, so you couldn't see them until the last moment, so the thrill of almost decapitating yourself by running into one jerked me back out of my trance, and back to the pebbles.

After an hour, the beach was conquered, and then it was up for the last four miles onto the cliffs... 

.....and over the Beeston Bump, for a final downhill to the finish. 

Great atmosphere at the finish! Thank you to Kevin at Positive Steps and your brilliant crew. My first Positive Steps event, but I will definitely be back! Thank you Sarah for you support the whole way around. The other people who gave support too, and the other runners I met and ran with along the way. I was worried about not knowing anyone, but as always at running events, it's such a brilliant and welcoming community, that that never matters once you've got there. 

 I finished in 13 hours and 13 minutes. The last 100 km I did (Trailwalker 2009), was in 26 hours, so this is a new personal best of a personal best for me. And I came second lady and got a medal for it. 

I feel this is likely to be the most successful I shall ever be, so I shall now retire on a high, sell my medal, and live off the profits.

Only kidding! I've always said running isn't about times or positions, and it's not. Running is about pushing your own boundaries, enjoying yourself, and looking after your body and mind. And, more importantly than all of this for my current challenge, it's about using something that I am fortunate to be able to do, to raise money and awareness, and show support for my fabulous friend Hannah 💜💚💛💙

So, I am proud to have completed runs H, A, N and N of my Running for HANNah Challenge! 

Thank you very very much to everyone for all your support, sponsorship, messages.... you are the best! 

The last two runs Hann"AH" will be in three weeks time, on the same weekend - the Hallow 12 Parish Challenge on 13.07.19 and the Andredsweald Circuit on the 14.07.19......

💛💛💛 https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/runningforhannah 💛💛💛

Two days...until the Norfolk 100 km, of my HANNAH Challenge!

Yes, only two days to go until the next part of my Running For Hannah Challenge! 

Next up is the Han"N"ah run....the Norfolk 100km.

I'm really nervous. I've never run a 100 km before. I walked the Oxfam Trailwalk 100 km in 2009....2009...TEN YEARS ago!!! But I've never run one. Trailwalk was the first time I'd ever done exercise overnight. Sometime in the early hours of the morning, I hit a wall and lost all power. Soon after, my Auntie, who was being our support crew, was due to meet us. My main memory of the event, is of seeing her with her car parked in a field in the dark, with a camping stove out the back, with a pan of custard bubbling away. We all sat in deck chairs, in the dark, and had the best bananas and custard. I think she / it literally saved me from the brink of disaster, and I've had a high dependencey on bananas and custard ever since.

I am determined not to repeat the nutrition and hydration disaster I had at the double ultra a couple of weeks back!  So I've invested in portable bananas and custard for the race.

I might not need three helpings, but I thought it best to be sure.

And I'm not sure what there will be at the checkpoints, so I've just been to the shop got some other stuff too.

In hindsight....I might have got a bit carried away. I forgot I have to have to carry everything I want to take. So I will spend the evening downsizing rations (or, eating the rations).

The main question is, is this enough flapjack to run 100km on?

We shall see.

Thank you so so much to everyone who has sponsored me so far! Fundraising is going really well, and your kindness knows no bounds. Your messages of support are meaning a tonne to Hannah and me, thank you! 💕 If you would like to check out the fundraising page and help us get closer to the target, it is HERE !!!!!! 😀

Thank you a million everyone for you support.

Right off to eat rations, I mean, pack bag....yes, pack bag. Right.

The Victoria Park 10 km - 16.06.19

Today was fun. I ran the Victoria Park 10 km with my friend Mel. I have known Mel for about 6 years, from the time I was living in Leeds. She is a fabulous friend, and I am so lucky to have her. There was, however, a point that we always disagreed upon. Running.

There was many a time when I would be putting on my trainers to go out for a run in Leeds, when Mel would give me a look, and, I quote, say something along the lines of "you will never see me running / I can't run / I hate running / WHY!!??"

Well.

You can see where this is going.

Mel is now a runner!

Through a difficult time, she has found running as a way to meet people, and to help feel better physically and mentally. All of the things I bang on about all the time, and it is so just totally brilliant to see a friend find the benefits too. 

I am so so proud of her! And very excited to be able to run together! 

Victoria Park is my local park, and I can't believe I've lived here for 5 years and never done a race in it. It's shameful. It was time to put this right. I'm glad I did as it's a great place to have a race. Big open spaces, trees, flowers, nice paths to run along. Plus, the weather is always good there. Ha ha! Only kidding! It absolutely chucked it down for the full half an hour before the race. Having a shower beforehand was POINTLESS, I should have left it till now. I don't know WHAT is going on with the weather this week, but EVERY time I have been out of ANY door I have got COMPLETELY soaked. It's JUNE, for crying out LOUD, and, so I CAN STOP USING CAPITALS this weather can DO ONE, and ACT LIKE IT'S SUMMER.

Ahem.

Sorry.

As soon as the race started, it stopped raining, and was quite nice for running in. So I apologise for my previous statement, and shall write in lower case from now on. The route was three laps around part of the park. It was a well organised event (which, as it was organised by The Race Organiser, would be logical), with great support, lots of nice people there, and was a lot of fun. Mostly because I was running with Mel, who did a top job, and did a PB to boot!

Before the run, we saw Matilda the musical last night. 

I absolutely LOVED this book when I was little. Capitals again, sorry. Still wound up about the weather. I mean, I absolutely loved this book. And it has some great advice, that's still relevant as an adult, I'd say.

I think I'm guilty lately of not doing things by halves always, as I am scared I won't get away with it (not, like, bad things, just things, you know, stuff you want to do - like runs and what not). Sometimes not doing them at all, for fear of failing.

Seeing Mel do this, which is something I know she thought she couldn't do before she started, really made me think again, that you just have to try stuff, and go for it - and look at how brilliantly she did, and all the great things that can happen along the way!

You have to grab life by the balls, and try it out! (I found this great collection of big shiny balls at Kew Gardens, incidentally, whilst we're on the subject): 

Well done Mel! Proud of you! Here's to the next one! ..........

Running for Hannah, Run #2 (A - The Air Run) and Run #3 (N - the KNight Run)

Yesterday was time for the next two parts of the Running For Hannah Challenge. Runs "A" and "N" were both down by the towpath in Walton-on-Thames with Phoenix Running, where I did my 10 in 10 a few weeks ago. It was my first time back there since, and I've missed everyone, so was excited to be going back!

The runs are six hour events, where you can run as many laps of the 5 km route as you like. As I am spelling out HANNAH in ultra marathons, this meant I must run 9 laps for each one, which is 29.5 miles each.

In hindsight, I had neglected to prepare very well for today. I love Phoenix events so much, and I love being there with everyone. Even on tough runs, everyone is so supportive that it makes you feel so safe and looked after, that I feel I can get on with it and do it anyway. I've never done 2 ultras in a day before, and I knew it would be hard, but I just kind of thought I'd be alright, because I would be at Phoenix, so hadn't given the mental side of things much  of a thought. I felt physically quite well recovered from the hundred as well, so I thought it would all be alright.

Which it was in the end, but it was really tough! It started well. It was so good to see so many of my running friends at the start, and time passes quickly catching up. Soon it was time for the walk to the start line, which as it was the D-Day 75th AIR Run, to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings, the walk was in silence with poppies along the way.

After the start, I felt good for the first couple of laps. My legs felt good, I was looking forward to a full day of running, I thought of Hannah and knew why I was doing it, and felt focussed. All good! Then on lap three, I had quite a sudden and dramatic falling apart. Literally within about 100 metres, my legs suddenly felt heavy, I realised I was only on lap 3/18 for the day, I felt all out of power. Then my mind, which has been quite well behaved of late, decided to join in as well, and everything turned from being all good, to being all bad, within about a minute. The next 7 laps were a challenge, I just couldn't get my mind to break up the remaining 17 laps of the day into 17 x 1 laps. I felt tired, useless, and totally out of my depth. But then, this is a challenge, and I had a job to get done, and I knew I had to do it. Thanks Andrew for running with me the whole way and for sharing your sweet stash! And to my Phoenix family for your smiles and waves and chats on the way round. And Rik and the marshalls for taking good care of us all. I completed 'A' in 5:05, which left 1:25 before the start of 'N'. I was really panicking, as I felt pretty bad by the end and I knew I would be slower for the second one, so was really worried I was going to get timed out, and wouldn't be able to do the ultra, which would ruin my challenge. 

I tried to keep a rational mind, and I knew the biggest problem I had was that I was really low on energy, and hadn't had a proper breakfast, or any proper food on the way round, and now I felt a bit sick, so eating something in between the races was going to be difficult, as there wasn't enough time to feel better, eat something proper, and start running again. I'd brought some fruits and bread, so ate a bit sat by the end. But then it was getting really cold. So decided to have a shower and get changed, which I think saved me! I felt totally different! Then I realized I hadn't needed a wee in about 6 hours, which was freaking me out. Then what freaked me out even more, was when I did wee, it was the colour of Iron Bru. It actually was. I thought my kidneys must have jacked it in or something. I thought I'd been quite careful with my hydration! But then I realised I also had a headache, so I can't have been that careful. I took some painkillers, but then immediately worried that if I was so dehydrated and had damaged my kidneys through being an idiot, then taking painkillers as well might just make things worse, and everything would stop working. I also realised I'd left my electrolyte tablets at home. Then I started to get really angry with myself. So I decided at this point it was probably best to leave the changing rooms, and return to other people, who were calm, and rational, and everything that I was not. 

The cafe was full of runners laughing and joking, was warm, and smelt of coffee. I suddenly felt a bit hungry, so managed a half a latte and half a bakewell flapjack, before I felt a bit sick again. Soon it was 3:45 pm and time to head to the start line of the KNight Run.

For reasons unknown, I felt better in the evening run than the morning one. Maybe it was having a bit more energy after half time snacks. Maybe it was a hot shower which helped my muscles. Or maybe it was now psychologically I was over half way for the days mileage (I do usually pick up after that point). Feeling slightly stronger, I decided if my mind was going to play games with me, then I would play games with it. Two can play at that game, and all that. I was going to conquer this lap issue that had been bothering me all morning, and I was now doing 9 x 1 laps, NOT 9 laps! I was still worried about my timings, but I worked it out in my head how long I could spend on each lap to still be in the cut off time, and checked in after each lap so I could keep track, and actually inform my emotions rather than letting them run away with thoughts not based on anything, and end up in a mess. I also paid more attention to what I should eat and drink after each lap and spent more time at the aid station each lap working on that, as I knew that energy and hydration would be the things that would stop me if I didn't pay attention to them. I have come to realise that with eating/ drinking and dealing with blisters, time invested in doing a good job pays off in time you will save by continuing to move well!

After lap 3, I celebrated with the rest of the latte and flapjack and some fruit. The rest of the run was powered by watermelon, grapes and oatcakes. Oh! And plenty of pink cups of pink 'rose/gin' squash each lap - thank you Jen and Jenny! Cheers! 

The weather was odd today. It was quite humid, but so windy. The eastbound route on the towpath is quite sheltered by trees, and the trees were swaying and whooshing about in the wind up above, but on the path it was quite sheltered. I finished before it got dark, but I like that time when it starts to get dusky and the light changes, and you've been running all day, and the wind was still whistling up in the trees....

As it turns out, I finished in plenty of time, 5:24, so my strategies must have worked. Despite the challenges, today was fun in that I caught up with lots of friends, and also made some new ones too. Thank you to everyone who listened to me talk about my challenge, for your support, and your generous donations. I am lucky to be a part of this running family! Thanks Rik and the marshalls for another day of super events by the river!

Total miles today was 59 miles, which is the 4th furthest I've ever run in a day in my life, which I only realised afterwards, and potentially goes some way to explaining why I found it so hard! There were times when I doubted myself today, but I'm pleased that I (eventually, anyway) managed to control my thoughts, and get the job done. I know the reason for my challenge, and I will not be defeated! Victory at all costs! (as my Dad likes to quote).

Or, to add my favourite Churchill quote to the mix:

So HAN of my Running For Hannah Challenge is complete!

And my next Running For Hannah Challenge run is in two weeks, the Norfolk 100 km...

Nothing has happened....

....but in a good way!

My almost biggest worry about the Hadrian Hundred (other than doing it) was recovering from it. I've probably bored everyone with tales of despair from the last hundred I did 2 years ago, where I was sick afterwards, and couldn't run for three months. I was exhausted, always ill, having all these heart symptoms - whenever I even walked up stairs my heart would race and I'd feel sick, and if I tried to run it was even worse. I had an ECG and there wasn't anything wrong, and eventually I got back to normal, but it was a bit frightening, and I was in such a bad mood the whole time not being able to run. I was really worried it would happen again this time.

But it hasn't! Flippin awesome! 

I keep thinking it will though, that I'll wake up one day and feel like that again. But so far so good. I also rested properly this time, and didn't even try to run for a bus, for 5 whole days.  

On Saturday, I went for my first little run in the park, but a bird pooed on me after 5 km, so I took that as a sign that I had started running again too soon and should stop, so went for ice cream instead. Plus, it's lucky right, to be pooed on by a bird? I'm sorry, but I really don't believe that; I'm pretty sure it's just to make you feel better about the fact you have been unexpectedly covered in poo, from above.

I also took time to stop and smell the roses, as taking time to stop and smell the roses in life in general is important for emotional wellbeing, and here was a perfect and literal opportunity presenting itself, to do just that...

I checked the sky for birds on Sunday:

It was clear, so ran 10 km and still felt OK, and there were no more bird incidents. I think this means that it's OK to run, and I should stop worrying about it now, and crack on. 

Looking forward to runs A and N on Saturday! The Air Run in the morning and the KNight Run in the evening, my first double ultras in a day.