Two weeks Sunday is the HM I’ve entered and my training has been [insert expletive of choice]. Injury and illness have knocked out all my consistency, especially with the long runs and I really felt I had to get a chunky one under my belt today or my gremlins would be bothering me until the race.
The fairytale version of this run has me triumphantly bashing out ten easy miles while floating on air and deciding to carry on to twelve (what I did last time as my final long run). Instead, today was TOUGH! Grey weather, tiredness, and general unsettledness meant I made I out at 2pm. A silly time to start a long run. Last time, I drove to a lovely, flat disused railway but this time, it had to be local so that meant hills. Ah well, it had to be done. One thing is for certain, if I’m going out on a run I’m not really up for, Coach B is coming with me! I choose the 15km run from this month’s playlist and decide I’ll extend the end.
The first 5km felt like an absolute crawl round one of my old c25k routes. Lots of uphill. It took an eternity to warm up. I decided to keep it interesting by really focussing on keeping my heart rate down and even walking a couple of times when it crept up. I’ll do that again. There were bunnies in a field I sometimes spot them for the first time this spring. That cheered me up.
As 5km passed, route turned sharply uphill. A challenge but an enjoyable one. Coach B talked about running on cruise control. Usually by this point I’ve hit my google but today still felt really hard at this point. At the top of the hill, there’s an option to keep ascending to reach my favourite stretch of downhill but I don’t have it in me to climb another step. I remember at this point I’ve got dates as fuel and decide this is a good time to eat the first one. I note that I’ve become a proper grown up based on how much I enjoy it!
The next stretch is quite steep downhill and requires done concentration. This takes my mind off feeling tired and finally, as 10k comes up (!!!) I feel like I’ve warmed up. The next 3k is a lovely run along some undulating lanes and it’s really enjoyable. Then, rain! I wasn’t expecting this and I haven’t brought anything to put my phone in. The solution I come up with is to eat one of the remaining dates and throw the other in a hedge. The bag gets turned inside out and used as an impromptu phone case. My leggings will be sticky but that’s better than a dead phone.
The rain was welcome. I’d been slowly warming up in the kind of muggy heat you get before a ln epic downpour. Another steep downhill into a village, too severe to enjoy really and at the bottom, a flood (see pic). Just like the bear hunt, the only way was through it and now to add to tired legs, sodden trainers.
The grumpiness gave me a burst of energy (or maybe it was the dates) and my tired legs have a second wind. 14k comes up, as I run alongside a lake with the biggest seagulls I’ve ever seen. Coach B tells me to get ready to celebrate as I’m running along the wooded trail. I throw my hands in the air and do a little dance…and then I remember. 1km to go to hit the ten miles.
It’s as if all the energy drained from my body at that moment. That last 1km felt like it was actually 10km again. Every step was exhausting. This time, there was no triumphant finish, only relief! A cool down walk, stretches and a king lift home and I’m done. Totally done in!
I’m so glad I got through this today, even though it wasn’t that enjoyable for most of the time. I can’t decide if I’m looking forward to the HM but at least I’m confident that I can drag myself round! More than anything, I’m relieved not to have to do another long run before then!
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MissUnderstanding
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Thanks! Super long bath. Pizza. Wine. Happy days!!! Feeling really pleased with myself. Think you can only really appreciate a run like that once it’s over!
Fabulous run MissUnderstanding , and your flood makes my trail mud today look like a spa treatment! You'll be great when it comes to the HM, never fear!!
I’m sure some spas will cover you with mud for a fee. I’d take the trail version any day! Confidence has had a big boost today and that’s worth the wet feet!!!
Character building is a great way to describe it. At one point I almost cried when I thought I might have to stop and go home (8k was a bit of a low!). Just glad to get through! Bring on the HM…once my legs have recovered!
Excellent run for you today MissUnderstanding, I hope you are enjoying your training for that half marathon two weeks on Sunday, I am not sure if I had been out running that I would have ran through that big puddle in that photograph or turned round and ran the way I came, it was very brave of you running right through it, good luck for your HM a fortnight on Sunday
Thanks Alan! This time round I’ve found it tougher, I think probably because I’ve been constantly recovering from something. It’s been a bad run of thing! I’ve had a lot of fun with the shorter runs-especially the speedy ones. The longer runs have been tough. The next thing I’ve got coming up is a local 10k in June and I can’t wait to be back to the slightly shorter long runs.
The village does often have a flood there-usually I’m more prepared. Maybe on a day when I’m not running, I should investigate an alternative route!
That’s a super useful thing to know! I’m trying to think if the water got waist deep in other parts of the village when there were bad floods a few years ago. I forgot to check if my hydration vest has the capacity to carry flippers when I bought it recently!!
I’ve never done scuba but I’d absolutely love to. I know who to ask for tips now!
I can talk about diving at length so do give me a shout if you ever fancy giving it a go. For the record, none of my fins would fit in my hydration vest 😂
That was a great run, very well done to you 🎉🎉👏👏! What makes it even better is that your still recovering from a bad bout of the cold and would have been drained of energy. Hopefully you will get to love them after a while once you settle down.
Thanks! I really enjoyed them last time but I’ve realised I was training through the summer for an October HM and mainly used to drive somewhere flat. There was also the novelty of having a new furthest run pretty much every time. This time I haven’t enjoyed the feeling of being not as ready as I’d like to have been so every long run has reminded me of that! I think once the event is done, I’m fully recovered and I’m running those long runs because I want to rather than because I need to, I’ll enjoy them a lot more.
Ah, I felt that run, right down to the rain and dates, I'd have been tempted to hold the last one until I was ready to eat it You can do this, well done you
Thank you! It was so nice to come home and think about it from the warm, with dry feet and no more running left to do! The last date was a dilemma. I was concerned about sticky fingers carrying a wet date for a while and i knew I needed to whatsapp my lift to collect me! Eating two at once might have been a bit much for my stomach. Hopefully it was found and enjoyed by a hedgerow creature!!
Thank you! I really enjoy looking back if the tough ones and finding the comedy. Sometimes the ridiculousness of what we put ourselves through just has to be laughed at. I love those really tough runs that are awful at the time but wonderful at the end!
Really enjoyed reading this. Sometimes runs, especially the longer ones, have ups and downs. Hopefully not too many ‘wet throughs’. And gosh, what a puddle. Does the height indicator suggest that village is used to flooding?
Thank you! That’s one thing I’ve really noticed-long runs have so much potential for highs and lows in the way that my usual shorter pootle round the lanes don’t! There has been some pretty spectacular flooding in that village. It’s very pretty but it put me off when we were house hunting!
great feeling when you’ve completed! I’m with you on taking Coach Bennett with you however it sounds as if his run talk only took you to near the end so psychologically that must have been hard! It sounds as if you’re very well prepped so good luck for the big day and totally agree taper is a fabulous word - you’ve put the hard work in now ease off so you can give a gold standard performance on the day!
In hindsight, I should have run a km at the start and then started the guided run! I’ve extended those NRC runs before but that’s been because I’ve felt good and wanted to carry on. We live and learn! Thanks so much for the encouragement. I’m so much happier about the prospect of enjoying it now!
I would love to meet them in real life-they’re on my dream dinner party list! I’ve often literally laughed out loud as I’m running, so it’s good I’m usually out of earshot of other people! That NRC app has been the best thing for my runs since couch to 5k!
Gosh... that felt like a toughie... But!!! That run proved your wobble fears were unfounded... you are SO STRONG !
If you could run that as you did, with a little dance put in their for good measure too, never mind that last exhausting bit.... you are going to Absolutely rock your HM!
Absolutely awesome run ... and I can totally empathise with that one.,.. ( I did my first 10 miler in torrential rain) !
It was so hard!! I’ve had another memorably tough ten miler-maybe that’s just my nemesis distance! Torrential rain must have been horrendous when you did yours. We are so much tougher than we think we are. That’s one of the best and most unexpected benefits running has brought.
Super run! Well done.... my 10 mile run is tomorrow and I woke up at silly o'clock this morning, late night tonight with visitors.... not the best planning!! I'll use the knowledge you've done it as inspiration to power me through and might nab coach B off you too.....
Thank you! I was thinking about all the runs I’ve done recently. Some of the toughest ones are the ones I now look on most fondly. Running is such a funny mental business-it goes from “I hate it. I hate it, I hate it, I can’t run another step (while running another step), I can’t possible keep going (while keeping going)” to “that was amazing-I love running” when it’s all over! Luckily most runs are easier!!
The taper has come at just the right time. I did a gentle twenty minutes today which was lovely and I’m planning a very chilled couple of weeks. Bring on the bling!
fantastic MissU. Love your write up. I have a ‘special’ long run tomorrow so understand where you are at. Your story is very encouraging and I will remember it when I’m trying to keep moving forward. I will take courage from you! Well done and thank you.
Fabulous! Fabulous! Fabulous! I am in absolute awe 🫢. You are brilliant and so inspiring. You’ll be great on your HM of that I’m sure. 🏃♀️🏃♀️🏃♀️👏👏Good luck.
Ooh that looks like the Puddle of Doom MissU! Well done on getting out there and finishing your 16km (16.1 for your 10 miles I hope). I don’t seem to mind having wet running shoes - they seem to have a wet suit effect and keep deep warm.
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week3run1 ✅. 3 x 17 mins with 1 min walks. 
How did your parkrun or (not)parkrun go?