Waterworld part two.. this one has seals

[pinkaardvark]

It's so wet here that they have closed the flood barriers on the guided busway I run to get to saint ives.. so my usual route has gone from ankle deep in sections to knee deep.

Also we now have a colony of seals, yes that's right! I said seals, I live 40 miles plus from the sea, but they are persistant blighters and the burst levies let them in this time of year. If you like the sound of that cambridge news has some video cambridge-news.co.uk/news/l...

So due to all that I had to run east towards cambridge and what a run it turned out to be. It is so light now I actually had a pretty amazing run with the setting sun at my back and then ahead of me on the turn around. At the 3 and 12k marks there is a windmill and a modern super tower radio mast, it's quite a juxtaposition and quite something to run between. I have used a stock photo as I don't carry a phone or camera when I run but hopefully you get the idea.

Although this was my longest run to date, it felt like I found a new gear, some kind of long running mojo turned up and I even ran click 14 in 5:53(though it felt like I was going 5:00).

I have added a cheesy pic of me end of run, as it really felt like a run to celebrate tonight.

17-18k next week

[ancientrunner Graduate10]

Ooooh, one of my schoolmates lives in Swavesey. Sounds like a great run, can be good to find a new route.

[Joy57 Graduate10]

You'll be running in a neoprene wetsuit soon... 😄

[pinkaardvark Graduate10 in reply to Joy57]

kinky

[Anthie Graduate10 in reply to pinkaardvark]

With a tuba and running fins, just in case Very impressive in any case!! Go for the 20 kms!

[Joy57 Graduate10]

No - practical!

[pinkaardvark Graduate10 in reply to Joy57]

try running 15k in a wetsuit then

[TedG Graduate10]

Impressive outing Pink, well on your way to 21k 😊🏃🏃

[pinkaardvark Graduate10 in reply to TedG]

Thanks Ted. I'll be happy with 20 though, well happy for a few weeks lol

[TedG Graduate10 in reply to pinkaardvark]

21k’s the magic number.....HM 😊🏃🏃

[Fionn42]

Very impressive, well done you! So have you thought about triathlon? I’m sure the seals would be glad of some company in the levee 😆🌊🧜‍♂️

[pinkaardvark Graduate10 in reply to Fionn42]

hehe, will leave that to the brownlees. I need to do couch to 50m for the swimming I think lol

[HeleneCorsa Graduate10]

Woah, you are really moving ahead in terms of distance. Well done!

[pinkaardvark Graduate10 in reply to HeleneCorsa]

Thanks Helene. I had planned to do this last week, but after planning it and saying it, it then seemed like a very long way. It wasn't bad at all, and now I have a new route I can't see 18k next week will be too much bother. Famous last words though hehe

[HeleneCorsa Graduate10 in reply to pinkaardvark]

I really fancy a nice long run outdoors and want to get my distance up as on 15 April it's the Rome Appia Run (13k), but I've been on the treadmill a lot lately largely because of weather. The places I can run comfortably at the time of day I am free have been underwater, then under unmanageable quantities of river mud. Running in the city at that time is just impossible as it's so ridiculously jammed with people, and I don't usually have the time to get to the parks.

The good side is it seems to have been a kinder alternative to my knees which are perfect now. I ran 10k yesterday and it's as if I didn't even run at all. There is no comparison between the treadmill and cobbles/Roman hills/trails near the villa in terms of difficulty, though I am keen to get back to the great outdoors.

The negative side is that Mr Gym Man stands on the treadmill next to me attempting to engage me in conversation throughout the entire run. But then thinking up suitably snarky replies keeps me occupied mentally I suppose.

You increased pretty quickly from 10 through to 18, didn't you? Was it by accident or design? Great you've found your long distance mojo, hoping mine is in the post.

[pinkaardvark Graduate10 in reply to HeleneCorsa]

I did 12k two weeks back, but fell off the wagon last week. I think the fact I had committed to 15k helped me fall off also lol. But I came back stronger for the 6day break I'm not sure if that is a pretty quick increase, it just felt the right amount. I did feel very strong in the run last night and started sprinting at 14k. Well I say sprinting as it felt like I was going quickly but it turned out to be 5:53 and not the 5:00 my brain was telling me lol.

So I think I could have gone further. 20k is only 4 park runs and I have this motorway smooth and flat as a pancake route to run it on, so all good I hope

Hope you sort your gym issues out, cant you flick your chin at him or some other suitable sicilian gesture that gets the message across. Or maybe tuck some toilet paper into the back of your gym outfit, that'll put him off

see this chap for inspiration hehe youtube.com/watch?v=sIFeAn7...(Not working as expected?)

[HeleneCorsa Graduate10 in reply to pinkaardvark]

Oh the tissue thing is perfect! I must try that. I once saw a guy walking around the centre of Rome with a long TP tail. I kept seeing him at intervals throughout the afternoon and the tail was always there.

At a certain point yesterday I was thinking of cheese while running and probably smiling to myself about it (that's entirely normal, right?). He immediately leapt onto this, asking what I was thinking about that was making me smile secretly, and seemed rather disappointed with the answer, "Gorgonzola".

[TedG Graduate10 in reply to HeleneCorsa]

My youngest brother is in Rome to do the Marathon on Sunday

[HeleneCorsa Graduate10 in reply to TedG]

Ooh how exciting! Hope he has a great time.

The carb-loading opportunities in Rome are first class

[TedG Graduate10 in reply to HeleneCorsa]

It’ll be his 79th Marathon...he’s hoping to get to 100 😳

[HeleneCorsa Graduate10 in reply to TedG]

Woah!!! That's impressive. He must have been doing it for a long time now.

[TedG Graduate10 in reply to HeleneCorsa]

About 20 years. He does a lot of cycling too.

He’s taking his bike to John O’Groats then riding to Lands End unsupported in 7 days then join an organised ride back up to John O’Groats in 9 days.......he’s nuts!! 😂

[HeleneCorsa Graduate10 in reply to TedG]

What an adventure! It must be a real passion - good for him.

[Razouski]

Wow Pinkaardvark, that was a great run and epic distance. I’m in awe. I got as far as 18km at the end of last year, then had a dodgy hip so had time on the IC then illness and had to build back up from 5km as it was knackering. My last run was about 14k but included 3 5 minute walks.

But sounds like you’re well on the way to a half marathon. 😀

[pinkaardvark Graduate10 in reply to Razouski]

Now that's amazing, that you got off the IC and built back up again! I do fear what will happen if I let things slip.. it can make you feel like you are a hamster on Helene's treadmill living in fear of taking a break in case the treadmill gets bigger or further away

I struggle to have walk breaks as I find it really hard to start up again. Well I can start up again but I find it hard to go very far before stopping again. Last night I thought I should have a pitstop token, for every click that I run too fast I should take the difference and add it as a credit to be taken in case of emergency lol, which was something to occupy my mind but also a way of controlling pace and or making me feel I'd earned the stop if I needed it.

[Razouski in reply to pinkaardvark]

I don’t usually have walk breaks, had 5 minutes warm up, ran 7k to my friends house who is struggling with motivation, then had 5minute walk with him as part of his Week 3 of C25k, then did his run with him and tagged a few extra in on at the end before our 5 minute cook down walk. But I did find it hard getting my legs to keep running after the 5minute walk at his house. My legs were just completely confused about what on earth I was doing. 😂🤣😂

[pinkaardvark Graduate10 in reply to Razouski]

Yes, I remember as I read your post. Amazing thing supporting someone else that way. Much love to you

[ju-ju- Graduate10]

well done, I love seals...... great pics, you look really happy

[pinkaardvark Graduate10 in reply to ju-ju-]

Thanks ju-ju- Yeah I was pretty pleased with myself lol. Gonna be down near your cornish haunts in a month or so as I have a week booked in padstein, so will need some tips on running up and down cobbled streets lol.

[ju-ju- Graduate10 in reply to pinkaardvark]

ooo nice.... is there a big beach there? Or follow the coastal footpath which is what I do so I dont get lost!!!!!!

[pinkaardvark Graduate10 in reply to ju-ju-]

think the camel trail goes through there and trevone is the nearest beach. i went there last year but only bimbled around the town itself.

[MikeJones68 Graduate10]

Hat off to you Mike! 15k! I've still to do my second 10k......

[pinkaardvark Graduate10 in reply to MikeJones68]

Thanks Mike, clearly you have been working on speed though . Think this is my 5th 10k, I have a 10k race april 29th (3wks away) so hoping running a bit further will make the 10k feel like middle distance

[MikeJones68 Graduate10 in reply to pinkaardvark]

I never seem to have enough time to try longer distances. My runs are either at lunchtime at work or after managing to get my 6 year old daughter to bed at night. I wanted to try for 10k on Monday, but after 1 lap of Flitwick I was done (not feeling 100%), so I "only" managed 7k.

Good luck on the 10k. There's a local one at the end of April, but I'm not feeling brave enough to enter!

[pinkaardvark Graduate10 in reply to MikeJones68]

Could come and do the Childerley estate Hoohah with me. I work in MK but commute from Cambridgeshire.. so it's probably only an hours drive for ya

It sounds laughable you not being brave enough when you can crack off a 25min 5k

[MikeJones68 Graduate10 in reply to pinkaardvark]

Thanks, but I think I'll do a couple of Park Runs before entering a 10

[pinkaardvark Graduate10 in reply to MikeJones68]

a 10 is just a couple of park runs though lol

[MikeJones68 Graduate10 in reply to pinkaardvark]

Yeah, back to back. LOL

[Sandraj39 Graduate10]

Great run and fab distance - well done to both you and the tenacious seals!!☺

[Langley-Loper Graduate10]

What an adventure. My best wildlife spot on a run so far is an owl at dusk that scared me half to death. I need some new routes to spice up my runs. Flooding doesn't happen round here, just mud.