Virtual Cambridge HM race report

[Curlygurly2]

I started this training plan for the Cambridge HM which is usually in March, When that got cancelled I decided to keep the training going, and do a virtual...then the Cambridge challenge was announced...as many KM as you can manage during March including a HM - that'll do nicely...

The journey to here hasn't been without a few stumbling blocks... a nasty fall in December that sent me to hospital to have my face glued, and strained muscles in my chest - cue two weeks off. My Garmin went bonkers and had me running at very very slow speeds to try and keep within the HR zones, I can tell you that if you run very slowly for enough miles it's really hard to pick up any speed when you want to...then a pretty bad reaction to the Covid vaccine triggered my radiotherapy fatigue which had all but disappeared, and my Meniere's disease, three full-blown vertigo attacks in two days meant more setbacks to the plan...

Anyway, finally I finished the plan and ran my virtual HM yesterday. I was up early and very nervous. I set off slowly, thinking I didn't want to wear myself out, and could always speed up a bit later (ha ha!) The first 10K went really well, I was sailing along really enjoying myself, picking up a bit of speed with every KM. Then I turned the corner into Grantchester and the road surface changed. Well not exactly changed, more broke down completely....narrow, potholed pavements and fast cars, and I started to struggle... my legs were hurting by this time, not something I usually suffer with.

I clomped past Jeffrey Archers house, remembering to stick two fingers up as usual, then I actually got lost! I've run around there many times, but I think I've normally gone the other way round, and I just didn't recognise the tiny path down to the meadows...found it eventually... by this time I've got a voice in my head saying stop... stop...where did that come from? Is this what people call a gremlin? That's another first...

Eventually I did stop, at about 16K with the excuse of retying a shoelace, and I really wished I hadn't. I just couldn't get my rhythm going again. I had to walk some...turn the corner, and oh look! There's my street! I could just say that's enough for today and go home....No I couldn't, shut up Gremlin....so I kept on getting slower and slower and walking more and more...nearly there... that last KM was around the Common, the paths were all beautifully resurfaced last year so I managed a bit more running.

Then it was over! Not the total success I wished for, I had wanted to find it easy and it was anything but... I wanted to beat my HM last time of 3 hours, but I came in at 3 hours 16....not too bad really. I feel that the plan I followed really didn't prepare me for this distance, my longest run had been 12 K. C'est la vie, we live and learn don't we? I shall do a different plan next time. Will there be a next time? Oh yes....I'm entered into the Cambridge Half in October..

[Decker Ultramarathon]

Brilliant report Curly! Congratulations!! You’ve been through so much, you can and should be proud of getting through this uniquely challenging HM. Yeah that longest run on your plan seems a bit short, but you pulled it through just the same!

[Curlygurly2 Half Marathon in reply to Decker]

Thank you Roger. The runs were by time, the longest was two hours at HR Zone 2. I don't know if most people would have done closer to the HM distance in that time, I couldn't with keeping the HR down... I'll know for next time!

[Decker Ultramarathon in reply to Curlygurly2]

Ah right that makes sense Sarah. Yes now that you know, for next time you can adjust the plan

[Curlygurly2 Half Marathon in reply to Decker]

I won't be doing that plan again, it was a HR zone plan, really didn't work for me. I'm thinking of doing a guided Garmin Connect plan with a time goal, to see if I can speed up a bit. A couple of friends have had a lot of success with those...

[Decker Ultramarathon in reply to Curlygurly2]

Even better to find a plan that works better for you. Yes I’ve not had the best results trying to follow the HR plans and my current watch does not even measure HR. But I am trying to ease up on the long run pace to try and get a better injury free base

[Curlygurly2 Half Marathon in reply to Decker]

I've set up my next plan, a guided 10 to finish at a race in June. Can't wait to get going now!

[Decker Ultramarathon in reply to Curlygurly2]

Great stuff!

[Madge50 Marathon]

Yay! Well done ! Super commitment to get that done 👏🏃‍♀️💪Do you get some bling? 🏅

Mx

[Curlygurly2 Half Marathon in reply to Madge50]

There is a medal for the challenge, but I doubt it will say HM, because it's not obligatory to run a HM during the challenge. I'll wait and see, I might get it engraved, I might design my own on the internet.

[Grannyhugs 10 Miles]

What a brilliant run after all that’s been going on for you this year. You should be very proud that you persevered and continued to the end. Well done. 🤗

[Curlygurly2 Half Marathon in reply to Grannyhugs]

Thank you, I am a bit pleased with myself, I'm not fast but I don't quit!

[Grannyhugs 10 Miles in reply to Curlygurly2]

And those two will always combine to give rewards 🤗

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon]

Wow CG, what a journey! I’m in awe of your grit and determination. 👊 Really well done on completing your HM. It’s a heck of a way isn’t it? 🥵 🏃‍♀️

[Curlygurly2 Half Marathon in reply to cheekychipmunks]

Hell yes!

[nowster Metric Marathon]

Did you look at the washing line in Grantchester to see if there were any burning trousers? 🤣

I also try not to stop mid-run in case my legs decide they don't want to run any more.

"And is there honey still for tea?"

[Curlygurly2 Half Marathon in reply to nowster]

That liar's pants were all burnt years ago!!

And honey? Used it all up with his porridge!!

I'll remember that about legs next time!

[Buddy34 Half Marathon]

After everything you've described that you've been through in this post , I think you've had amazing success. Well done 👏👏👏

[Curlygurly2 Half Marathon in reply to Buddy34]

Thank you, there are things I could have done better, but a HM is a HM innit?

[Irish-John Marathon]

That was a GREAT run! :)You kept going despite all the setbacks - my hat is off to you!

[Curlygurly2 Half Marathon in reply to Irish-John]

Thank you John, you know, I am in awe of you, you did a whole marathon...I thought of you as I struggled - along with so many lovely people here....this forum is brilliant isn't it?

Was it you who said we run on our own but we never run alone? I take that with me on hard runs. XX

[Irish-John Marathon in reply to Curlygurly2]

I can take credit for coming up with thst CG That and my "Famous Kitchen Timer" is probably what most people associate with me round here I'd lay odds

Full Marathons work just like my early days (except probably slower LOL) for me. One foot in front of the other, repeat slow and steady, keep in mind Old Floss's mantra - "Let your feet just kisd the ground" (even if, in my case, its like a Brontosaurus running across a Rice Crispies spill

And, at a certain point for me, acknowledging that the "pain" is as bad as its going to get so I just kept going

However, I certainly don't encourage anyone to use me as a role model Training is vital, I jumped the gun and most likely would have had a far better last three miles than I did

Some people are great runners - the genetically gifted Gazelles - others run great - us lot that are built more like English Bulldogd and just keep on keeping on

Best wishes CG and thank you for your nice comment ❤️

[Curlygurly2 Half Marathon in reply to Irish-John]

I was wondering what happened to your FKT, I guess it turned into a Garmin at some point?

A couple of useful points there - let your feet kiss the ground... I definitely felt like I was stamping on my HM but didn't know how to stop it, something to work on!

And the pain is as bad as it's going to get! I shall remember that!

Thank you John, and best wishes to you too xx

[Irish-John Marathon in reply to Curlygurly2]

At some point the FKT started getting old and cantankerous, would sulk and not turn on lol. I still have it however in my den, a reminder of those early days when I didn't think I'd ever make even three tenths of a mile at the Park

[Curlygurly2 Half Marathon in reply to Irish-John]

Of course you do, what a great souvenir!

[Irish-John Marathon in reply to Curlygurly2]

👍🏻❤️

[Magellan Marathon]

Well done, you are inspirational!

[Curlygurly2 Half Marathon in reply to Magellan]

Thank you, couldn't have done it without the support of my VRBs here... how's your plan going?

[Magellan Marathon in reply to Curlygurly2]

I'm enjoying it, thanks. It's a lot more varied than the last time I did a Garmin plan. I'm supposed to have a long run today and a short one tomorrow, but I'm swapping so that I can do the HU Virtual tomorrow with everyone else

[Curlygurly2 Half Marathon in reply to Magellan]

Remind me - which one are you doing? Is it guided HM? With Greg?

I'm starting a guided 10K with Greg tomorrow, that'll take me to "Flaming June" a local 10K race, then I'll do the HM plan for the Cambridge HM in October, and hope it's better than this last one! I'm glad to hear you can mix and match, my last plan was hard to change.

[Magellan Marathon in reply to Curlygurly2]

It's the Greg HM plan, timed. I don't know how it differs from the Greg HM plan that's without a time target, but there's a lot of timing in the runs, like where I'm told to do 30 mins at 7:50 pace then 10 mins at 6:55 and 5 mins at 6:20. They give you a few sec/min leeway either side, and I tend to run on the fast side and take walk breaks (that the plan doesn't put in) because I have totally bought into the idea that jeffing will keep me from getting injured. So far so good.

Is Flaming June virtual or are they hoping to have it 'live'? I hope things keep improving so that the live races can restart. My little nieces are looking forward to their Parkruns, at least.

[Curlygurly2 Half Marathon in reply to Magellan]

It's a live event - so far. To be honest I'm not really big on live events, I always think people will trip me up, but I think something to work towards would be good. I'm looking for a time goal too, my running has got really stupidly slow recently, I've been doing the HR zone plans, they haven't worked for me, so I'm hoping to shake everything up a bit.

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon]

Wow! You certainly powered through a lot there - congratulations! That's real determination. I hope the medal is suitably fitting. To go from 12k to 21k is a massive leap - no wonder the gremlins got a foothold on your shoulder. No match for you though!!!

[Curlygurly2 Half Marathon in reply to linda9389]

Thank you! That's very kind of you....I used to do longer distances, I just haven't done them recently. I hope I never hear that weasily voice again!

[RunWillie Metric Marathon]

Well done Curlygurly2 ❤️🏃‍♀️

[Curlygurly2 Half Marathon in reply to RunWillie]

Thank you Willie xx

[Irishprincess Administrator Half Marathon]

Well done CG! It sounds tough especially with everything you’d been through so extra hats off to you for getting it done 💪

I love the series “Grantchester” mostly for the scenery. My husband hails from that part of the world and he has relatives there so it’s always lovely to see it on TV 🙂

Happy training for the Cambridge Half and let’s hope it might be an actual real life event 🤞xxx

[Curlygurly2 Half Marathon in reply to Irishprincess]

Thank you IP, couldn't have done it without my buddies here. Is Grantchester actually set in Grantchester then? (I don't have a telly) You think they might have patched up the roads a bit then...

Yes, I'm hoping the HM will actually really take place!

[Irishprincess Administrator Half Marathon in reply to Curlygurly2]

Yes apparently it is filmed in the same place but I’m sure, like everywhere else, they only use the really nice bits.

[Curlygurly2 Half Marathon in reply to Irishprincess]

It IS lovely. It's hard to believe you can run for a few KM from the centre of town and be out in the country...I saw lambs and even llamas recently! And here's me thinking I'm a proper townie!