December 2022 Marathons

Friday 09.12.22 - Phoenix Running Christmas Jumper Friday Marathon

A chilly day by the Thames at Walton-on-Thames, so the chance to give our Santa jackets from Lanzarote another outing. 

Saturday 10.12.22 - Saturn Running and Band of Runners Pantomime Dame Marathon 

Another chilly run along the Thames, this time from Staines. It was cold, but a nice sunny day, plus every runner got a Saturn giant bobble bobble hat, which was nice and toasty warm. It was fun seeing them all bobbing up and down the towpath as we all ran along. There was some good fancy dress outfits.

Sunday 11.12.22 - Phoenix Running Christmas Jumper Marathon

Today was my official 250th marathon, which I would like to dedicate in memory of my beautiful, brave, and dear friend Hannah. 

It didn't feel like a day to celebrate anything, or even be running, but sometimes I guess you just have to put one foot in front of the other and get something done.

The weather was so cold that the water jugs on the aid station had ice in, and everyone's hair froze, which made for some fabulous hair styles.  

Saturday 17.12.22 - SVN Usual Suspects Marathon

A Christmas holiday weekend in Dover for an SVN double, starting on Saturday for the Usual Suspects, where all the runners names are on the medal. This is the first, and let's face it, probably the only, time that my name is seen on a medal.

It was good to be back at Samphire Hoe, a tranquil little oasis away from all the world and worries. It was a nice sunny day running by the sea, followed by the Christmas Party of the Fenix Four in the Walmer Fish and Chip shop, which surely must be the best fish and chip shop in the land!

Sunday 18.12.22 - SVN Bobble Hobble Marathon 

After a night in the Purple Palace of Dover, watching a cruise ship and marvelling at how many lights it had, and also why a cruise ship would stay in Dover for two days, it was time for round two of the Samphire Marathons. It started off nice with an amazing sunrise, but the weather didn't turn out so nice today, and we spent the laps dodging the waves splashing over the sea wall, which added an extra element of excitement to the proceedings. By the last lap, when it had started raining as well, Sarah and I lost our sense of hummus/ humerus whilst rounding the cone of doom for the final time (whilst being splashed by a wave, and hit in the face with some hail-rain), and were quite content to have finished when we did.

Today I completed my 100 marathons in 100 weeks challenge (I took 87 weeks to do it, and the 100 was made up of 67 marathons and 33 ultra marathons including 8 x 100 milers).

Wednesday 28.12.22 - Phoenix Running Year End Marathon

There was a slight hiccup trying to get to the start, due to the train strikes making the trains start late, and then the actual train that was meant to be running turning out to be faulty. But no worries! I enjoyed spending an hour at Waterloo, I did. I bought my ticket, visited the loos just for something to do, did a lap or two of the station, went to Starbucks, sat in Starbucks, sat on the train, found it was faulty, sat there a bit longer, found it was cancelled, walked all the way back down the platform, found the next train, sat on that for a bit. I was quite sad to leave when we finally set off. Due to these hiccups, we arrived a bit later than planned at the start, but it all turned out fine. The towpath was nice and muddy, and it was nice to be out and about.

Friday 30.12.22 - Phoenix Running Zico-thon Marathon

Today, Sarah and I were treated to 8 Lovelock laps! What a great day on the towpath, and the rain and gloomy weather didn't matter when there were smiles and laughing and catching up to be done. 

Me and medal Zico are now at Gatwick.

Thank you Phoenix, Saturn, and SVN teams for some top events! And thank you Sarah for putting up with me for 7 marathons!

Wishing a very Happy New Year to you all! 💖

The Lanzarote Marathon, 03.12.2022

My first time to do this race, which has been on my wish list for a few years, as it is a big event for the 100 Marathon Club, and many many people have told me how much fun it is.

It's nice that the race is in December, as it's a good time of year to leave chilly grey London for a few days, to catch some winter sunshine. It was a nice temperature there, about 23oC, and for less then 4 hours on a plane, it's a good exchange for the UK winter!

An early morning flight from Gatwick, and met up with friends there for breakfast.

Once we landed in Arrecife, Sarah, Jon, Andrew and I hopped on the Hopper Bus, which took us to our apartments (the Celeste Apartments) in Costa Teguise.

We headed off to the Expo to pick up our race numbers, and signed up for the Santa 5km that evening. This was fun! At sunset, we ran the last 5km of the marathon route, back to Costa Teguise, all dressed up as Santa. It was a great run, but I have to say, it wasn't really hat weather 😂

Afterwards it was time to fuel up for the race, at Juanita Mexican restaurant in the Square (deconstructed fajitas), and catch an early night.

The marathon started at 08.00 on the Saturday, and it was only a 10-15 minute walk from the apartment to get there.

Great to see so many 100 Marathon Club members and friends there. There was a bit of a delay getting started, as there had been an accident on one of the roads the run went along, so we set off about 08.20, after an extra 20 minutes of chatting at the start.

Sarah and I ran together, and it was an excellent run and great fun. The course was 13.1 miles along the coast to the airport, and then back. It was all along nice paths, and was scenic running by the sea. 

It was harder than I thought it would be, and especially the first quarter and the last quarter were quite undulating. It was hot and sunny for the first half, which was a bit of a shock after running in the cold in the UK, but about half way it started raining, which was nice and cooling. Made a mistake in the first part, by following the pacer who I thought was the 4 hour pacer, but if I'm honest it was feeling a bit harder to stick with him than I really thought it should be feeling, and on closer inspection of his flag, it turned out he was the 3.45 pacer, which would explain the punchy pace. So we overcooked the first bit really, but it was a great race, felt good, and it was fun!

Good aid stations every few kms with water, coke, fruit and electrolyte drinks. We also had our own 4 x emergency shrimps, some Kendal mint cake and salt tablets. 

It was a well organised race, apart from going through Arrecife there was a turn that didn't have a marshal or a marker, where a lot of people went wrong, but luckily for us some people in the town pointed us the right way.

The end of the first half and the second half were the best parts, as runners were going in both directions by then, so we saw everyone, which was fun.

Also saw a plane landing!

Saw Jon and Helen at half way, waiting for their start of the half marathon, and Andrew at 10km before the end, waiting for his 10km start.

The finish was brilliant with plenty of crowds. We finished in 4:00:34. Beer and food at the end!

All the heavy rain had caused a problem with the electrics in Sarah's apartment, so the post marathon routine was a bit disturbed! Hairdryer and diffuser, football, post run drinks, poinsettia spotting, and another deconstructed fajita. 

Marathon Boxing Day involved breakfast at Bully's Scottish bar, watching egrets, a walk, spotting grey canaries/pigeons, listening to Andrew and Jon's top facts, lunch by the sea, shopping, a paddle/swim in the sea (warm!), cocktails, watching England win, and a belated post marathon night in Jesters.

 

Marathon Boxing Boxing Day involved another breakfast at Bully's, another walk, lunch, and then travel home.

Thanks Sarah, Jon and Andrew for our first international trip on tour! A fabulous weekend indeed. Well done to everyone. Lanzarote Marathon weekend is definitely as good as everyone had told me it was,  and looking forward to next year!