Race You To The Poop Deck And Back!☠

[Pugwash]

A couple of months ago I committed to the Edinburgh Virtual Half-Marathon and today, Christmas Day, I only went and competed it!

As you can imagine, many circuits of a pirate galleon are required to clock up the necessary knottage and I was at the mercy of the tides as to the amount of ascent and descent involved, but I got it done.

This is the furthest continuously I've ever run in my life and at 65 I was beginning to worry that I'd left it too late. However, with the motivation derived from members on here, friends made at my local Parkrun and a mate who urged me on, I was happy to order a splicing of the mainbrace and ship's biscuits all round on the Black Pig today. Ahoy!

[Deals1 Graduate10]

Excellent!! Well done.... 👍👌👏. Especially today of all days. Hope u r now relaxing, celebrating and eating!!I signed up for this one too and only completed yesterday. 😁

[Pugwash Graduate10 in reply to Deals1]

Thank you - and very well done to you too. Today suited me to be honest. I don't make a big deal of Christmas these days (long story) and it was fair and clear so I got out there. Oh, and yes, chocolate has featured as part of my recuperation plan 😀.

[Juliet202 Graduate10]

Wow amazing ! Congratulations !! At least today’s one day when you can sleep it all off !! Hope you are indulging in whatever unhealthy recovery food takes your fancy 🥳 Merry Christmas !

[Pugwash Graduate10 in reply to Juliet202]

Thank you - your congrats are much appreciated. Sleeping has certainly been factored in to my day post run, as has a big banger butty on my return and chocolate later!

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate]

Wow I’m very impressed, most I’ve run is 10k

[Pugwash Graduate10]

Me too until a few weeks ago. Then I participated in my local city's "Virtual 10k" and, in the reverie of getting my medal and T shirt, looked for other events in which to enrol in order to add interest to my post C25K running and I rashly signed up for this half. To be honest, it was hard and not in a fun way, even though I did follow a training programme for it. I really enjoy 10-15k but today was a real stretch. Thanks for being impressed though😀👍.

[Cmoi Graduate10]

Fantastic run @Pugwash! If you want to pop over to the Marathon forum you can claim a HM badge too

[Pugwash Graduate10 in reply to Cmoi]

Thank you. Ooh, another badge? Don't mind if I do, even if I'm still in a "never again" frame of mind right now! Secretly, I'm hoping it is easier with a crowd cheering one on, because the last 3 or 4 Kms yesterday without one were a mind over matter battle.

[Lifluf Graduate10]

Gosh well done Pugwash! A half marathon is a huge achievement. Happy Christmas!

[Pugwash Graduate10 in reply to Lifluf]

Thank you very much. The step up from 10km to HM (21.1km) is a bigger one than I imagined, but I'm nothing special, I just followed a proper preparation plan. So I'd say that, if you can manage to get up to 15km, you can do a HM 👍.

[Lifluf Graduate10 in reply to Pugwash]

I think even 15k is a big step further for me but I suppose that's probably my next big challenge once I feel more comfortable with 10k. Just over a year to 65 so I probably won't get to HM.

[Pugwash Graduate10 in reply to Lifluf]

I did it in weekly 1km increments (and some weeks no increments at all). It's important to vary distance and speed whilst training to - hence following a plan. Just believe you can do it!

[CBDB Graduate10]

Well done!!!! HM! My oh my! Brill!

[Pugwash Graduate10 in reply to CBDB]

Thank you very much. Honestly, I'm glad to get it out of the way, although I can't get the smile off my face (or the lactic acid out of my legs)!

[SlowLoris]

Kipper me capstans. Well run Horatio.

[Pugwash Graduate10 in reply to SlowLoris]

Couldn't have done it without Tom the Cabin Boy and Master Mate - I got round a good deal quicker after they'd careened me!