TailChaser's Final Diary Entry!!! Whoop! Whoop!

[TailChaser]

What a lot of fuss over nothing....🤣🤣🤣 No...maybe not... Anyway, finally, finally, finally! It is done. 13.1 miles cracked in just slightly under 2.5 hours (depending on whether you look at Garmin or Strava (I'm going with Garmin as it said 02:29:44 as I pressed the stop button at 13.26 miles)). 13.1 miles really isn't that much further once you've cracked 10 miles and you can run it without your legs seizing up, but it felt really daunting before Christmas and I really wasn't sure whether I was cut out for it.

I would say that everything went right for the run, but maybe that's just in the last 24 hours. We ate lots of homemade pasta last night, followed by a big hot cross bun each. I made sure I drank lots of water yesterday and I got the best night's sleep I've had in weeks. Today was a beautiful day with perfect morning running conditions. Added to that both Katnap as my running support and eldest kitten being our support rider with our supplies on his bike, it just went as well as I could possibly hope for. The only blot on today was we missed Shake-and-run as we got to our 'socially distanced' designated waving area a bit late.

Thank you to everyone on here the past few months, I've bored you all to tears with my exploits. It will be nice to write about something else and hopefully reply to others more as well. I'm looking forward to having fun: doing some trail runs and breaking my parkrun pb as soon as it returns! And, of course, I want to do another HM now, please?!

[Katnap Marathon]

🎉 Yay!!! 🎉

[Dexy5 10 Miles in reply to Katnap]

To you too Katnap. Whoop whoop. 😺👏👏

[Katnap Marathon in reply to Dexy5]

Thank you!!! 🐱🐱🐱

[sTrongFuse Half Marathon 10 Miles]

Well done with that. I kind of had the same when I ran mine last weekend; everything just clicked into place and the miles just fell away one by one. Enjoy the feeling.

[TailChaser Marathon in reply to sTrongFuse]

Thanks TF. I have a smug, warm glow now before I go off and try to go down the stairs to make tea. Funny how we build it in to this monster but we've put the miles in and you're right, they just fall away one after the other. 👍

[Dexy5 10 Miles]

Congratulations TailChaser and Katnap, you have done it, and how great that you had a support rider too. I am so pleased for you as times have been difficult with finding quiet places to run.

You have raised some funds for your charity , and you have achieved a great goal. Now you have a new shiny badge too. Can you claim a medal from the stratford upon Avon half marathon based on your evidence?

[TailChaser Marathon in reply to Dexy5]

Thanks Dexy. We raised 85% of the target which I'm really pleased about considering all that has happened.

I haven't been very happy with how the Shakespeare Half people have handled the whole cancellation situation so I don't know whether I want to now. I have a feeling they'll just point at the T&Cs again. We'll be getting 'I ran it anyway' medals, so I'll be happy with that to be honest.

[roseabi Ultramarathon]

Awesome!!!!! Well done!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So, the question is now - do you want a Half Marathon or a Virtual HM badge????

[TailChaser Marathon in reply to roseabi]

Thanks roseabi, you've been very quietly in the background helping me with this one - your strength routines have been brilliant!

I'm pondering and pondering, I'm hopeless at making a decision. To be honest, as it's my first one, can I just have the plain Half Marathon?! xx

[roseabi Ultramarathon in reply to TailChaser]

Absolutely! Congratulations!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

xxx

[TailChaser Marathon in reply to roseabi]

🤸‍♀️🤸‍♀️🤗😘

[Irishprincess Administrator Half Marathon]

And she did it! I was thinking of you today TC and I’m just thrilled for you. That badge suits you so well and you’ve certainly earned every mile 🏃‍♀️🙂 Very well done 🎈🎉🎊💪

Hope you’re planning to celebrate in style tonight xxx

[TailChaser Marathon in reply to Irishprincess]

Thanks IP! Do you know, I think it does ☺️and it’s all been so worth it 😀

I suspect we will probably fall asleep in front of Outlander 🤣🤣xxx

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon]

Excellent! Excellent! Excellent!

You've worked so hard with amazing determination. So glad you enjoyed it. Congratulations, and here's to many more 👍👏👏👏🍾🥂

[TailChaser Marathon in reply to linda9389]

Thanks Linda, you’ve been brilliant throughout all of this 🤗😘

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon in reply to TailChaser]

Nah, the brilliance was all yours 😍

[TailChaser Marathon in reply to linda9389]

😳xxx

[Oldfloss Administrator]

Next Year..Monsal Trail...?

Go you...absolutely brilliant and a great time too...very very well done all...including backup team! Xxxxxx

[TailChaser Marathon in reply to Oldfloss]

Would love to Floss 😊, thank you 🙏 xxx

[Oldfloss Administrator in reply to TailChaser]

You look as fresh as a daisy too!

[TailChaser Marathon in reply to Oldfloss]

That was about 6km in 😳 so still early days. The purple top came off at about 8 miles.

[Oldfloss Administrator in reply to TailChaser]

That is so funny.. I stripped off at about 8K on mine last year... just before the cold tunnels too! Much to the delight of several young Aussie runners.. clearly they were shortsighted!

[TailChaser Marathon in reply to Oldfloss]

🤣🤣 Thankfully no one appeared to be around for my strip, even though it was on the corner of a ‘busy’ road.

[JonathanP 10 Miles]

Well done TC! Now you can rest on your laurels - until the next one !😋👍

[TailChaser Marathon in reply to JonathanP]

Thanks JP, I can’t rest too long, I won’t be able to get up again!! 😊

[Windoze Half Marathon]

Nice work TC 😎😎🥳🥳

[TailChaser Marathon in reply to Windoze]

Thanks Windoze 😊x

[Decker Ultramarathon]

Brilliant! Congratulations to both you and Katnap!! It’s lovely when everything just comes together when you need it. All your hard work paid off 👏👏👏👑🎉🎉

[TailChaser Marathon in reply to Decker]

It was near as perfect as we could ask for Decker, thank you 🙏😊

[SaskAlliecat Half Marathon]

Whoohoo!!!! Congrats! I'm so jealous of you guys being able to run in shorts; I had to pull my winter gear back out this week 😭. It feels like Spring will never come 😩.

[TailChaser Marathon in reply to SaskAlliecat]

SaskAllie! This is what I mean! I’ve not replied to you in an age, I’ve been so obsessed with this run! Thank you!

I’m sure it will come soon. Ours disappeared again during the afternoon and it’s now cold and very windy outside.🙄

[Jay66UK Half Marathon]

Superb 👏👏👏👏

[TailChaser Marathon in reply to Jay66UK]

Thanks Jay 😀🤗

[lexi6 10 Miles]

I lurk over here sometimes but knew today was “your day” so had to come over and wish you huge congratulations! TailChaser just awesome running and 👏🏻👏🏻 to your support crew too 👍

[TailChaser Marathon in reply to lexi6]

Thank you so much lexi! 🤗 This forum used to intimidate me, now I really do feel like a ‘proper runner’ (mad really!). 😘x

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon]

Oh yessssssss TC! 🎉🎉🎉 What did we all tell you? You’re awesome and that was a fabulous run! Huge well done to you! 🏃‍♀️🏃‍♀️🏃‍♀️🏃‍♀️🏃‍♀️

Your badge is beautiful, by the way. It sure suits you! 🏅😍

[TailChaser Marathon in reply to cheekychipmunks]

Thanks cheeky, you were right! 😁 And it is very lovely isn’t it? Xx

[Sandie1961 Half Marathon]

Woohoo, well done TailChaser and Katnap 👏🏻🥳🙌💥 I never had any doubt whatsoever that you would smash it. Your shiny new badge looks great and so well deserved. Hope you can walk pain free this morning (I couldn’t the day after 😂). If you’re going to go for Monsal, maybe I’ll switch my entry to the HM - says she who said never again! Enjoy the rest of your Easter xxx

[TailChaser Marathon in reply to Sandie1961]

That would be great Sandie, we are definitely up for it if we can get an entry.

I do like a shiny new badge. Metric marathon next?! Enjoy yourself too xxx

[aliboo70 Half Marathon]

Congratulations it sounds like it went really well and lots of support around you made it great well done!! Xxx

[TailChaser Marathon in reply to aliboo70]

Thanks Aliboo, I couldn't have asked for a better day xxx