What a hoot that was! I have to tell you, I was absolutely dreading this run. Mostly because I knew what to expect as I ran a HM only 2 weeks ago in similar conditions. ๐จ๐จ Iโd been watching the weather forecast all week, getting more and more despondent, as where I run on the trails, the wind is relentless. To add insult to injury my escape โshelteredโ trails - which had become smooth and bone dry - had been rained on hard over the last 48 hours and I couldnโt risk clagging my treads up and carrying extra weight!
Soooo - hereโs where I had to dig extra deep. I ran round and round and round and round in 0.47km loops! The footing was fine and the SW wind thankfully was only head-on on the short edge (westerly last time which was brutal). It was 32kph though, so stronger than 2 weeks ago. ๐จ๐จ๐จ
The cheery (albeit robotic ๐ ) linda9389 had me smiling with the brilliant commentary and VRB shoutouts, and what a fab playlist! ๐ถ I was bopping (ish) whilst running along! ๐โโ๏ธ๐ถ๐โโ๏ธ I munched jelly babies and mini Haribo strawberries and sheer stubbornness had Flossie and I romping home in 3hrs 00m 17 seconds. I lopped 5 minutes off 2 weeks ago. ๐ช I was off my non-trail PB by 11 minutes, but heck the trails and that #*@! wind must be worth something!
What a wonderful event! Iโm mighty happy itโs over, but yes Iโd do it again (possibly not on the common!) ๐
Written by
cheekychipmunks
Half Marathon
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Whoop whoop, another half marathon done and dusted. I donโt know how you can run .47km circuits for 3 hours cheekychipmunks, you definitely deserve an award. ๐๐ฅ๐ต Did you swap direction half way through to balance the strain on hips and ankles?
I am afraid we wimped out of the windy run and are doing ours on a sunny Tuesday when itโs a bit quieter too.
Enjoy a nice long bath and get someone else to do Sunday lunch
Thanks Dexy. ๐๐ป I didnโt change direction because it would have altered where the wind would hit me in the face! So round and round in clockwise loops I trotted. ๐โโ๏ธ๐โโ๏ธ I didnโt dare veer off because I found a comfy little niche which I was scared to mess up!
What a tough sounding run Munks! That takes real mental resilience to run around in little loops ๐ฉ so very well done to you ๐๐ช... and Flossie too of course ๐
Youโve done brilliantly, two HMโs in two weeks! Iโve been thinking that you might as well join them together next time and run a full FM ๐
Aww thank you Brian. Iโm nothing if not stubborn, and there was no way I wasnโt going to run today. Tempting to walk on occasion, but nope, my little legs kept running. ๐๐
Awesome effort CC. Two HMs in that space of time is a magnificent achievement. Chill out and eat and drink copiously is the order for the rest of the day! Toughest chipmunk in the world. ๐๐๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ฅ
Thank you BC. A slightly bonkers chipmunk if ever there was one, but you already know that! Iโve achieved my goal of completing my lockdown running with these 2 HMs on the common, and I might venture further afield now ..... but I do love it up there and Flossie can run free, so maybe I wonโt! ..... ๐ฅฐ
Great run cheekychipmunks and to Flossie too! What a great time and two HMโs under your belt....bask in the glory and rest up a bit ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐
Thanks Over62. No records broken on these 2 HMs compared to when Iโve run in town on pavements, but Iโm proud I did them. I never thought Iโd be able to! ๐๐ป
Thanks Shakes! ๐ My saving grace was the shift from a westerly wind last time to SW today. It makes a heck of a difference, and Iโm not sure how Iโd have got on otherwise. ๐๐ป
Thanks Juliet! I zoned out and just listened to the tunes for the most part, except towards the end when I was able to count them down, just over 2 loops per km! ๐
Thanks Andrew. Pretty crazy Iโd say, but the virtual Bath Half needed to be run on the actual weekend of the real event. Not sure Iโd do 2 in quick succession again! ๐ณ
Thanks so much 00marks. ๐ Whoa, what a fantastic run you had! Wasnโt it great running โall togetherโ with our wonderful forum friends? ๐โโ๏ธ๐โโ๏ธ๐โโ๏ธ๐โโ๏ธ
Congratulations CC on running your second Half Marathon in two weeks, I hope Flossie enjoyed that run as well, remember to log that run to COGH, once again well done ๐ ๐๐พ
From that COGH list I have, there are 78 people taking part, there are more runners than walkers, at 18.30 UK time 51 have more running totals against 27 walkers although 9 in the top ten have walked more than ran.
Thanks SM, it wasnโt my first choice, but it was dry underfoot and I didnโt want to risk running through sticky mud and getting weighed down! ๐โโ๏ธ
Thanks so much over61! Certainly had to dig deep again, but I never thought Iโd manage more than 10k on the common and now Iโve run 2 x 10 miles and 2 x HMs up there. All thanks to the support of VRBs like you! ๐ฅฐ
Great report Cheeky. It sounds almost enjoyable even with the horrendous wind and muddy trails. Congratulations to you and Flossie on your HM. ๐๐๐ฅณ๐
Thanks CSMN! It would have been properly fun last weekend as the weather couldnโt have been more perfect, but now that itโs over I did enjoy todayโs run too. The wind wasnโt pleasant, but I was expecting it, and I was determined not to let it beat me. ๐ wasnโt this event fun? ๐๐
It was fun and challenging. I was tempted to put it off until the conditions were more favourable later in the week. However, I did delay until the driving rain had become more of a drizzle. Xx
Ahh, I bet youโre pleased you overcame the distance and the drizzle now! Youโre hardcore! I was my own worst stubborn enemy - I could have driven the short distance into Bristol and run a more conventional route, but no I stuck by my guns and tortured myself on the common! ๐ณ
Thanks Jonathan! The wind shifting from W to SW made a huge difference, even though it was stronger than last time. The weather gods clearly approved of your dance! ๐บ๐
Very well done! That is hard doing so many loops! And the weather! I was thinking of you knowing it was the same for your last one! Hope Flossie had fun!
Thanks CLR, I made the best of it after realising Iโd be running in similar conditions to last time! Flossie was oblivious, she trotted along happily! ๐
Great run report and a run of dogged ๐ถ๐ determination! Well done CC.๐๐๐ I failed to get the commentary playing on my 10k for some reason๐คทโโ๏ธ - might try again and use it next weekend instead.
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