Virtual Bath Half ✅🐕💨🏃‍♀️🏅

[cheekychipmunks]

Until today my longest run on the common was 10 miles which I’ve done twice, and it’s hard going. 🥵 I vowed never to run up there for longer than that, so of course today saw me do my 4th ever HM! 😳😅 Not my fastest, not my slowest, but definitely the windiest 💨💨

Nothing like yesterday, but still plenty strong enough to buffet me full in the face on each circuit. I tried running on one of the side trails which normally would offer some shelter, but it was simply too muddy to endure for a run of that length. Tried another couple of unsuccessful options, but ended up mostly on my little (not) PR loop of just under 0.5k and braced myself each time I rounded the far bend! 💨💨 Unfair how it was a headwind for all but one side of my loop. 🤦‍♀️ I’m hoping no one heard me cussing the wind out loud on several occasions! 😅

Flossie the dog accompanied me of course, trotting along by my side. 🐾🐕❤️ It got busier and busier with dog walkers as time went on, but no-one hampered me I’m happy to say. There was also a horse rider, and I hoped she wouldn’t be there for long, and she wasn’t. She probably took one look at all the people and dogs and decided to ride elsewhere.

So 3hrs 5 minutes of running in the bag today (PB was 2hrs 49 last October, but that was on pavements and it wasn’t windy). I’m ok with that, but I REALLY hope there’s no wind for 2 weeks’ time when I do it all again. Or if there is, please can it be easterly and dry underfoot! Any chance weather gods? Please? 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

Short reluctant legged cool down walk, then home for a quick post run yoga, and nothing planned for the rest of the day! Got some lovely Mother’s Day treats, so demolishing chocolate and supping fizz will be on the agenda! 🌸 🥂 Can’t wait to receive my Bath Half bling! 🏅🥰

Thanks for all your support guys. When the going got tough, which is did often, I thought of you all waving your pom poms and cheering me on. You’re the best! ❤️

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon]

You're a superstar! The mental fortitude required to do 0.5km loops for 21.1km must be off the scale! Add in wind and mud and it becomes a physical test of similar proportions. But there was nothing coming between you and that bling, right? Massive congratulations. This time next year I look forward to your race report from Bath itself ... 🙏

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to linda9389]

Thanks Linda, I underestimated how taxing the wind would be, and the reprieve up the one side that it was behind me lasted no time at all! Why does that always happen? 😅

I’m entered into the real Bath Half in September. That should be fun! 👏👏

[RunaroundSue]

Well done Cheeky.

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to RunaroundSue]

Thanks RAS, doing nothing now! 😀

[Shake-and-run Half Marathon]

Fabulous x

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to Shake-and-run]

Thanks so much Shakes! 🥰

[Granspeed]

🎉👏🏼🎉🏃🏼‍♀️🎉👏🏼🎉🍾🥂

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to Granspeed]

🙏🏻❤️😀 Thanks GS!

[David_G Metric Marathon]

Well done Cheekychipmunks that’s a great effort in very difficult conditions!🙂👍 Enjoy your celebration! 🎉🥳🥂

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to David_G]

I will, thanks David! 🥂🌸

[AlMorr Half Marathon]

Congratulations on completing what will be the first of 2 half marathons within 2 weeks, good time as well, a very happy Mother's Day to you, I am just wondering how many times you ran around that park when you run a HM, enjoy the rest of the day. 😊 🏃🏾

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to AlMorr]

Thanks Al! I lost count of the times I ran the loop. Over 35 I’d say, even including a few diversions. If I wanted to run the perimeter of the common it’s 2.5k, which would be less loops for a HM obviously, but it’s very hilly, and too hard for me for a long run. 🥵

[Charlies1 Half Marathon]

Brilliant, well done!

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to Charlies1]

Thanks so much Charlie! 😀

[BaddieThePirate]

You more than deserve that bling! 🏅👏💨

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to BaddieThePirate]

The bling certainly kept me going, thanks Baddie! 🥰

[Over62 Half Marathon]

Great run cheekychipmunks in battling conditions - enjoy the rest of the day and bask in the glory another HM under your belt 💨💨💨💨👍👏💐

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to Over62]

Aww thanks Over62. It’s a long way and yet again I’ve confirmed to myself that there’s no way I could run a FM. 🥵🥵

[Over62 Half Marathon in reply to cheekychipmunks]

I know how you feel 😕... I thought that maybe this summer I may push it to 25k after all I never thought I’d get this far 💭🤔 what do you think?

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to Over62]

My only exception would be a metric marathon, but judging by how my legs felt this morning it won’t be happening any time soon! Maybe that would be a nice goal for you too (there’s a badge to be had!) 😅

[Over62 Half Marathon in reply to cheekychipmunks]

Yes a possibility to work towards 🏃🏻‍♀️🏃🏻‍♀️

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to Over62]

I’ll be watching you with interest - you’ll do it I’m sure! 👊😀

[SkiMonday Ultramarathon in reply to cheekychipmunks]

Maybe you wouldn't run a FM on the common, but once other options start opening up...

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to SkiMonday]

Hmmm I don’t know SM, it’s soooo far. I love when others do it though! 😀

[Dexy5 10 Miles]

You are a Superstar cheekychipmunks. A half marathon is an amazing achievement in my eyes but to do it in those circumstances is absolutely amazing. Well done you. You deserve that bling.

Now let the family spoil you for the rest of the day.

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to Dexy5]

Thanks lovely Dexy! There were a few moments when I doubted myself I have to say, but you know me and my stubborn streak! 😅

I returned home to flowers, chocolates and fizz! 🌸🥂❤️

[Dexy5 10 Miles in reply to cheekychipmunks]

Having all your kids back home for lockdown does have advantages.

♥️🍫 🍾🥂🌺🌸🌷🌻

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to Dexy5]

Yes it does Dexy! 🌸🥂❤️

[Beachcomber66 Administrator Half Marathon]

Magnificent achievement cheeky. 40 plus circuits on a muddy trail in a gale? Few would have taken it on, never minded succeeded. I have this mental image of you sinking lower and lower into the common as you deepen a trench with each Circuit; would have provided some shelter from the wind! Enjoy your pamper afternoon!! 🙂

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to Beachcomber66]

😅😅😅 What an image BC! The little circuit, I’m very happy to say, is mud free for the most part though. It’s the more interesting trails that aren’t great after all this week’s unfortunate weather. 🙄 But the loop is very exposed to the elements and there’s no reprieve from the wind. I wasn’t very polite to it on more than one occasion! 🤣

[Beachcomber66 Administrator Half Marathon in reply to cheekychipmunks]

I think that a full and frank exchange of views with the conditions was fully justified! You inspire me to keep going; got to get that HM distance back....I was toying with idea of a 25 before my latest run of injuries....not ready to give up yet 🙂

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to Beachcomber66]

I confronted the weather with frankness that’s for sure. Maybe not as polite as the weather gods would prefer, but I was cross with them for not listening to my pleas for a nice calm day - conditions were perfect last weekend. 😩

Oh you’ll be back BC. Keep up your exercises and keep it slow as a cheekychipmunk and long runs will be yours again! 👊🏃‍♂️

[Beachcomber66 Administrator Half Marathon]

Will conjure up a post on my 3k today.....one small step for man !!🚀

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to Beachcomber66]

Woohoo, a step in the right direction! 👏👏🏃‍♂️🏃‍♂️

[RunWillie Marathon]

Yay 💪🏻❤️🏃‍♀️ Well done cheekychipmunks

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to RunWillie]

Thanks RW! 😀😀

[Irishprincess Administrator Half Marathon]

Fabulous Munks! Whoop whoop 👍🏅💪 you Wonder Woman! That wind was fierce today, I thought of you but knew you’d beat it.

Enjoy your treats and relish that post-HM glow. You’ve earned it 🥰

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to Irishprincess]

Ahh thanks IP, I wish it could have been the real thing, but the medal will be nice! 🏅😍 The wind affected me way more than I thought it would, and it didn’t let up once.’🙄💨

[Irishprincess Administrator Half Marathon in reply to cheekychipmunks]

The medal will be THE best 🏅🙂

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to Irishprincess]

Evidence submitted, now I’ll be waiting eagerly for the postie each day IP! 😍😍😍

[Stephen_UK Half Marathon]

Hello CC. So pleased to see this post. Knew you’d have a good run. Sounds like it went well. And good on Flossie for keeping you company. Well done to both of you. A most impressive effort all round. Take it easy and enjoy the rest of the weekend.

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to Stephen_UK]

Thanks so much Stephen! Flossie trotted along with me for the vast majority of the run, only breaking off for a few sniffs and rolls! It was lovely having her there. 🐕🐾🥰

[Stephen_UK Half Marathon in reply to cheekychipmunks]

Well I hope you will share the medal with her...

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to Stephen_UK]

Of course Stephen, she ran further than me this morning! 😅

[Coddfish 10 Miles]

Well done Cheeky. I well remember you were signed up to do the real thing last year and bowed out just as COVID started burning. What a strange year.

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to Coddfish]

Thanks Coddfish, yes I pulled out at the 11th hour. So disappointing. I’ve signed up for this year’s actually - they pushed it back to September months ago, and offered the virtual version too. Hope it goes ahead. I’d like another HM medal! 🏅😍

[TailChaser Marathon]

What an amazing run cheeky! You really did brave it. You're amazing and so is Flossie 😍Those pom-poms are a thing of great joy, where would we be without them. See you next year in Bath 🤞🤞🤞👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to TailChaser]

Thanks TC. It was my hardest one by far, and I’m doing it all again on the 28th! What’s that all about? 🤣 Flossie wasn’t overly taxed, she just trotted along wondering what all the fuss was about! No way she’d keep up with you! 😅

[Cmoi Marathon]

Congratulations cheekychipmunks , I'm in awe of your discipline - I'd get bored after a couple of loops, let alone 35 or more! And in those conditions too, well done!

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to Cmoi]

Thanks Cmoi, I would have preferred to run on the other trails and mix it up, but they were too muddy so I had to pick the lesser of two evils! 💨💨😀

[JonathanP 10 Miles]

Oh my goodness Cheeky - what an achievement! Well done🎉 Here's to non-virtual races in the not too distant future!

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to JonathanP]

Thanks Jonathan! Absolutely can’t wait to run a proper race with real people soon! 🏃‍♀️🏃‍♂️🏃‍♀️🏃‍♂️🏃‍♀️

[JonathanP 10 Miles in reply to cheekychipmunks]

Yes - I'm not a 'racey' person, but am looking forward to the GSR 😀

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to JonathanP]

Oh yes, that’ll be fun! 😀🏃‍♂️🏃‍♀️🏃‍♂️🏃‍♀️😀

[Cowladyrunning Marathon]

Very well done! The wind was brutal today!!

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to Cowladyrunning]

Thanks Cowlady! Yes it was - and I wasn’t expecting it to be such a cold wind either. 💨💨💨

[Buddy34 Half Marathon]

Brilliant HM cheekychipmunks and you fought the wind as well. Hopefully your other route will be more run friendly for your next one 👏👏👏👏🐕🏃‍♀️🏃‍♀️

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to Buddy34]

Thanks Buddy! I’m running on the common for the next one too, but I’m hoping like crazy the conditions will be more favourable. No more wind or rain please! 🙏🏻

[Decker Ultramarathon]

Fantastic HM Cheeky! It's so much harder in a headwind. Especially one that follows you about! Lovely photo too.

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to Decker]

Thanks so much Decker, you’re right, it’s horrid! And the reprieve was so short-lived before it started all over again. 🙄 Never mind, it didn’t defeat me. 😀

[Decker Ultramarathon in reply to cheekychipmunks]

Exactly. It didn’t defeat you! 👊 😁

[Sandie1961 Half Marathon]

You are just amazing Cheeky. It might not have been your fastest, but just to keep going in such awful weather is awe inspiring. Can’t wait for real races to come back though!

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to Sandie1961]

Aww thanks Sandie! It was my hardest by far, and what made it so frustrating is that on the one side of the loop where the wind wasn’t buffeting me, I felt fine. The wind was energy sapping. 💨💨

Yes, bring back real races! 🙏🏻

[Katnap Marathon]

👏👏👏 you might have to change your name to madchipmunks at this rate! 🙀

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to Katnap]

Ummm yes maybe, but, I think you may need to change yours to Madkat then! 🤣🤣 Who runs a marathon a few days before a HM? 😳😳😳🤣

[Katnap Marathon in reply to cheekychipmunks]

Definitely madkats do!

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to Katnap]

It’s nice that there’s someone on this forum who takes the bonkers baton out of my hands Katnap ! 😅

[Cantstopmenow Half Marathon]

Congratulations cheeky. I've so enjoyed reading everyone's comments on your amazing achievement. A fantastic result in horrendous conditions. You are one amazing lady 🌟🥇🏆🥳 👏👏

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to Cantstopmenow]

Oh wow, thanks so much CSMN. It’s my obstinate Capricorn streak which got me through I’m sure! Hoping for less wind next time! 🤞🤞

[UpTheStanley Half Marathon]

Kudos Cheeky 👍🥂

Twelve and a half laps is the most I've been round anything ever, and that was a nice flat and dry athletics track. You must have been dizzy by the time you finished (we know already you were dizzy before you started 😀).

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to UpTheStanley]

Haha thanks UTS! 😅 The dizziest part is me doing it all over again on the 28th! 😳🙄😅

[Deals1 Metric Marathon]

excellent running there! the wind can make it soooo much harder. so well done you. Hope u enjoyed the well deserved fizz n chocs

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to Deals1]

I really enjoyed them thanks Deals! They barely hit the sides. 🤣

[Magellan Marathon]

Blimey, that’s a lot of laps. And I know that although it shouldn’t be possible for there to be a headwind for ¾ of your route, the theoretical impossibility is not much consolation when it’s happening to you!

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to Magellan]

I wouldn’t believe it either Magellan, and until I began running I’d have scoffed at anyone who said it was a thing! But it is! 🤣

[aliboo70 Half Marathon]

That's fantastic!congratulations!🏃‍♀️💪😃👍xxx

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to aliboo70]

Aww thanks aliboo! 😀😀

[Curlygurly2 Half Marathon]

Goodness! You ran a HM on a half KM loop? Did you get dizzy? That's just amazing... I did 10K round my local common recently, it was icy on the pavements but I know this path is not slippery, I went round 6 times..that seemed enough, well done doesn't really cover it!

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to Curlygurly2]

Haha, I did Curlygurly! Not the entire distance on the same loop, but the vast majority! I attempted to go off piste to get a break from the wind, but the alternatives were still too muddy and/or too hilly for a HM. Crazy aren’t we? 😅

[grumpyoldgirl]

Nice work cheeky! That wind sounds like something else, I'm glad to see you got the better of it 😁

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to grumpyoldgirl]

Thanks GOG. I did, but it was so tough. I can handle the wind ordinarily, but during a long run like that it really wore me down. I spent the only tailwind edge of the common dreading the other three! 😩😅💨

[grumpyoldgirl in reply to cheekychipmunks]

Yikes! 😨 Make sure you rest up before the next one, fingers crossed for gentle zephyrs next time🤞

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to grumpyoldgirl]

Zero zephyrs would be best grumpyoldgirl ! 🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞

[over61andstilltrying Half Marathon]

Ah! I am staggered at your running such a distance in such conditions! Astounding! Brilliant well done to you x n, where n is an exceedingly large number! 🍾🥂🏅🏃‍♀️🐕🤸‍♂️🏃‍♀️🐕🤸‍♂️🏃‍♀️🐕🤸‍♂️👏🏻👍🌟 💥⚡️🎉😊

Did you listen to anything during your 3hours 5 minutes? Dare I ask if you enjoyed the run?

A seriously amazing lady with an amazing dog too. Many congratulations!

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to over61andstilltrying]

Oh wow over61, thank you so much! 🥰 I had my running playlist playing but I have to admit it didn’t help much as the wind was wearing me down - and because I knew exactly where it would hit, I couldn’t enjoy the one edge of my loop where it was behind me! 💨💨

Ordinarily I’d have alternative trails to give me some relief but the mud/hills made those impossible for HM distance.

I sound like a right misery, but I’m happy I did it and overcame the gremlins that were shouting at me to pack it in. Plus Flossie was my buddy the whole way round and she perked me up. 🐕🥰 So, yes I did enjoy the run (I suppose!) but I’m hoping beyond all hope that it’s not as windy on the 28th for the HUHM! 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

[over61andstilltrying Half Marathon in reply to cheekychipmunks]

Having completed it is definitely something to enjoy. The wind would make listening to anything very difficult. Yikes! Just 11 days before you go for another HM! And here I am very slowly, hopefully, nursing my knee back to some sort of health. But it is wonderful to read of your achievements, even if I am not even dreaming of such things.

😊🌸🏃‍♀️🐕 ..............................................................................................................................................🏃🏻‍♀️

That's me at the back!

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to over61andstilltrying]

🤣🤣🤣 I’m pretty sure you’re grinning though - I wasn’t! 🤣🤣🤣

[over61andstilltrying Half Marathon in reply to cheekychipmunks]

🤣