I couldn't resist signing up for the Milton Keynes Reimagined Half Marathon really:
"This is an EA measured and certified race course taking in the beautiful lakes and scenery of Milton Keynes. This self-supported race features advanced timing technology with built-in turn-by-turn voice navigation for round-the-clock service in a two week period from 6 September."
And half of my family live in Milton Keynes, so I could pop in on them after the run. Hadn't seen any of them since before the lockdown π
In the end there were actually THREE apps involved: 'What 3 Words' to get me to the exact starting point, the MK Reimagined Google app for links to the required race route, and RunGo to load the map and give directions throughout the run. I was glad I thought to practice all of it ahead of time!
So off I went in my car on Tuesday morning. I arrived at Willen Lake bright and early, and eventually managed to more or less pinpoint the start. A sweaty man was looking at me wandering around looking at my phone and said "Excuse me, are you doing the MK Reimagined race?' It turned out that he had just finished the half marathon, and he told me that the sign-post stickers along the route, and the app directions, were really good, and there was a slight diversion on the other side of Willen Lake (due to some engineering works), but it was all fine, and he wasn't happy with his finishing time, but there you go... π
So with this unexpected single spectator, off I went! Round the lake, I got to the diversion spot, followed all the signs no problem, and then RunGo started warbling on about lovely Willen Lake and all its watersports "to my left". As the lake was actually on my right I felt a little bit anxious at that point! But it was fine, and I followed the route mostly with no problems - a couple of times the app went quiet at the wrong moment, where there were no stickers as back up, so I did actually run a bit further than a half marathon in the end, but no bother!
And at this point I must just say that the other reason for wanting to do this run is that the route is just BEAUTIFUL!!!! I took no photos at all (apart from that of my swag in the hotel later), so I have cannibalised some pics from Google Images to make this collage. The vast majority of the route was along water, under trees, past overgrown meadows. I barely saw a soul the whole way round, it is gorgeous and I thoroughly recommend any run organised in MK!
OK, but now the bad bit. I was not in a good place for this run. Many of you know that I have been having another bout of Achilles trouble recently, and although it's not terrible, I have cut back on my running because it's just no fun running very far with a slightly sore leg! I have been trying out a somewhat pioneering method of rehabilitation which you can read about here if interested:
outsideonline.com/2392880/g...
But also, I have been terribly stressed out recently, waking up in the early hours and fretting. My diet has been a bit summer-holiday-ish π So on Tuesday, after very little sleep and a two hour drive I was terribly tired, and if I hadn't booked this event I would not have gone running! It was a really warm day too. My heart rate soared as soon as I started running, and actually hit the highest number I have seen since I got my Garmin! I could not catch my breath, and had to walk frequently. I got abdominal cramp quite early on, and it wouldn't shift - probably because I was so very tired. Here's an interesting article about cramp while I'm here π
outsideonline.com/2416514/m...
My finishing time was 2 hours, 27 minutes, which is by far my worst HM time EVER!!!!
But. I had time to enjoy the scenery, and a chance to philosophise. My new plan is to get my diet, cardio fitness, and sleep back on track, work on my abdominal strength, carry on fixing those tendons, and most of all to step away from this computer more often and prioritise my personal health and fitness! (I'll still be around though) As it says on the the t-shirt I collected from Up and Running MK after the run, I will "NEVER GIVE UP"!!!
roseabi xxx