Hayling Island Billy Trail Long Run

[Dexy5]

I promise I will keep this short, because I’ve got to get into the shower!

My intention today was to run 13 or 14 km depending how it went.    UpTheStanley was going to run about 8 km and then sit in the car with a newspaper. So no pressure on me. Except I didn’t plan it very well and went out on a banana and half an energy bar instead of breakfast an hour before. I also had put the wrong socks on with my trails - they are great in the winter but my feet get hot in them in the warm weather. So excuses in I can confirm to    over61andstilltrying that this was tough!

I started slowly enough and was running well making each km a little bit faster than the last without trying to . From the start point to the end of the trail, where the station would have been, is 4.25km so I turned and ran back 2.25km, turned again, and again at the end, to return to the start point. It was 18C with just a light SE breeze but I was mainly protected from it by the trees. The tide was high on the other side of the path and dog walkers and cyclists were a plenty.

Although cloudy when I started it got very warm when the sun came out and the perspiration was rolling down my face. Glad I remembered my buff to mop my face. I walked and drank water and had a fruit pastille at 6k and did the same at 9k. During 10k I found it really tough, my legs were like tree trunks and I ended up run/walking. Coach Bennett (NRC 90 minute run) was advising me that when we get tired our posture goes and it makes it even harder. So, eyes up, chin up, chest out, breathe properly, swing arms back and forth and let your feet just kiss the ground. It did help get me through the 11th km , but I was run/walking again on the 12th. I spotted UTS on a bench and ran past him until I reached 12.5km. That was enough for me.

I will get to 16.1k on the Great South Run , and I will be better prepared , and on a road in supportive shoes, which will help. But I will be hoping for a cool, cloudy day with a gentle breeze. Now to get some daily exercises done to strengthen those glutes and legs.

Oh yes, and I saw a little egret, and lots of pensioners walking while on their Warners holiday not far from here. I thought “I am going to get a bus pass and a pension next month. Aren’t I lucky that I can run?”

I am very aware that lots of my buddies have not been able to put in the miles of training for the GSR because of varying circumstances, so I’m thankful that I managed this much today, and I will be glad to see them that weekend, whatever they decide to do.

Well, maybe it was not short after all.. 😂

[Shake-and-run Half Marathon]

Hay Dexy, lovely photos and good running. You will be amazing at the weekend, spurred on by atmosphere and the crowds. I’m sure it will be wonderful. Feet up now and ‘taper’!

[Dexy5 10 Miles in reply to Shake-and-run]

I’m thinking I should do one more long run next week as it’s 18 days away yet. Unless someone tells me otherwise. 😂

[SueAppleRun 10 Miles]

It's still very warm isn't it? I went for a half hour walk and was still hot in tee shirt and shorts. What a good run and great prep for GSR.. ..hope the shower and exercises revived you 😃

[Dexy5 10 Miles in reply to SueAppleRun]

I think the exercises will start tomorrow . I am lying on the couch again now.

[David_G Metric Marathon]

Well done Dexy5 that sounds like a decent outing to me! Looking forward to catching up at GSR, although I’ll be walking most of it I think 😊

[Dexy5 10 Miles in reply to David_G]

Thanks David, I bet when you signed up last year you didn’t think your life would change like it has. There is some guidance on the GSR website regarding the cut off times for the various parts of the course, so have a look if you haven’t already. Enjoy your 100th parkrun and c25k garaduarion on Saturday and see you soon.

[David_G Metric Marathon in reply to Dexy5]

Thanks Dexy5 I’ll have a look at the website 😊👍

[AlMorr Half Marathon]

Another set of lovely photos Dexy5 I think Shake-and-run is getting a little mixed up thinking that The Great South Run is this weekend, it's the Great Scottish Run 10k and half marathon this coming Sunday.

Well done on your run today, UTS only ran 8K (I also ran 8K this morning) and then sat in the car reading the paper, that's not fair while you sweated running in 18C that 12.5k, I just hope that when you do run the Great South Run the weather is cooler than it was today.

[Dexy5 10 Miles in reply to AlMorr]

Thank you Al, to be fair UTS ran a lot further than me last week so is taking it easy now. Oh yes, Great Scottish Run is also GSR.

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon]

More miles than me Dexy, you know that! Really well done! 👏👏

I do have my HM at the weekend which will make or break me, but whatever happens both then and at the GSR, I’ll be definitely having a whole ton of fun doing it.

Let’s order partly sunny and crisp, with no wind. 🙏

[Dexy5 10 Miles in reply to cheekychipmunks]

Oh yes, you can’t have picked a better place for that HM   cheekychipmunks , but I hope Storm Agnes has departed by then. I’ve got a niggle in my knee probably from running 3 long runs with trail shoes on so I am hoping that getting into my road shoes again may cure that.

[Beachcomber66 Administrator Half Marathon]

Maybe start slow and keep it that way if it is really hot Dexy5. I was a bit miffed at getting a slow time last year because of my calf playing up… but, looking back, I am not sure that the running time was such a big deal in that (lovely) crowd scene. The memories are built around the people I met.

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to Beachcomber66]

Totally agree Beachcomber66 . My time last year was a joke but it simply didn’t matter. 🥰

[Dexy5 10 Miles in reply to Beachcomber66]

Yes , meeting you for the first time last year was lovely .

This is a funny run because at the southern end the GPS goes totally loopy. I wasn’t aware that I was speeding up, it wasn’t that fast, but maybe faster than my 10 mile pace should be. .

Lap paces

[Beachcomber66 Administrator Half Marathon in reply to Dexy5]

Mission is to complete the run and collect the bling! . I started at the back last year after wandering about pre race.,I was able to overtake lots of people…. But I was 100% focused on just finishing. I dragged my right leg all the way back to the hotel….my time was rubbish….but I loved the weekend. You will get round.👍

[Dexy5 10 Miles in reply to Beachcomber66]

Complete not compete will be my mantra. 👍

[Beachcomber66 Administrator Half Marathon in reply to Dexy5]

Eloquently put 👍🙂

[over61andstilltrying Half Marathon]

Well done Dexy! It was tough but you did it 👏🏃‍♀️

I have just looked up the record of my last run that far - nearly 1½years ago. My knee complains about distance and pace so I just have to be patient. One run at a time. I shall look on in admiration 😊

[Dexy5 10 Miles in reply to over61andstilltrying]

My left knee is complaining a bit but hopefully that is short-lived.

[over61andstilltrying Half Marathon in reply to Dexy5]

I hope so too. According my various physiotherapists my knee, as a result of my gardening fall, will never be a normal knee. I'll keep trying, though.

It occurred to me that all you frequent park runners are, I expect, running your version of a speedy 5k most weeks. I think it is about time I, at least tried.

,,,,,,

Time delay. So I decided to put my beginning of a plan into action. I chose NRC 5K Race. My plan was to go for a sub 35 minutes, so just under 7min/km pace. Bearing in mind I haven't done this since February 2020! Yikes that is a long time ago. Only just looked it up. Well I started out and tried to go for effort 6+. Found my watch said pace 6:18 and I just couldn't seem to slow down. I ran 5 hours after breakfast so food should have been well digested. I can't really describe the uncomfortable feeling inside, but I decided that a full 5k wasn't for me today. The straight forward head homeward route meant I reached 2.65km. I plan to try the same thing next week and go for say 3km, then 3.5km the next week and so on. I refuse to believe that my heart rate was 124bpm with pace 6:19. I look forward to trying again.

Sorry for this long reply. All the very best with your GSR training. 😊🏃‍♀️

[Dexy5 10 Miles in reply to over61andstilltrying]

😂 Speedy Gonzales! If you are going to go faster than you usually do, perhaps best to do a slower warm up run first to get your body prepared. I tend to start slower then build up.

[over61andstilltrying Half Marathon in reply to Dexy5]

I had completed plenty of warm up including your funny lady routine

[Sandie1961 Half Marathon]

Well done Dexy. I think you are probably the best prepared of all of us this year and I know you really like the Billy Trail, which makes it so much more pleasurable. I know my time is going to be rubbish this year, if I do it, but it’s meeting up that I’m looking forward to most 😃😃

[Dexy5 10 Miles in reply to Sandie1961]

And I’m certainly less prepared than previous years due to the sciatica (thank goodness that’s gone), but even if I have to walk some of it, I’m sure I’ll get to the end eventually. I hope the physio can ease that piriformas for you.

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon]

Hope you made it to the shower. You did it even though it was tough - bonus points for that.I did my 16k (with the 99m 59s run that UTS recommended .. followed by music because it took a lot longer than that!). Stupidly I left my water at home. I'm paying massively now 🙈 I went and bought chocolate milk, forgetting that that makes me queasy after a run. So all in all, dehydrated and struggling to digest the milk drink, I've felt better. But at least I got it done too!!!

And I too am so gratetful I am able to run 🙏

Rest and recover and you'll be good to go on 15th 🥰

[Dexy5 10 Miles in reply to linda9389]

I did Linda, and have been doing lots of laying around since. Well done you for doing 16k! No niggles for you I hope. Hopefully you are better hydrated now.

I was disappointed that I didn’t get as far as planned but I didn’t prepare well, and I probably stopped at the right time.

I was thinking of doing one more long run on roads in my GSR kit. Do you think that’s wise? I’ve got a sports massage on 9th so I was thinking of doing it on 1 or 2 days before. Then to take easy short runs.

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon in reply to Dexy5]

Yes, I think there's still time, especially if it will help your confidence. I've got another 14k next week on my (homemade by extending the NRC 10k plan in a kindof logical fashion 🙈) plan 😍I also have a sports massage tomorrow so made the effort to do calf stretches after this run. I don't think it'll be enough though - I'll be squawking tomorrow 😱🤣

[Dexy5 10 Miles in reply to linda9389]

I know, the calves are the worst.

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon in reply to Dexy5]

My eyes are watering just thinking about it 😪😕

[aliboo70 Half Marathon]

That's still a great training run for GSR Dexy5 ,well done that girl! 💪🏃‍♀️👌xxx

[Dexy5 10 Miles in reply to aliboo70]

Aw thank you Ali. Waving at you on the IoW. 👋🏻

[Irishprincess Administrator Half Marathon]

Well done Dexy! 👏 You're in great shape for the GSR and, as you say, hopefully it’ll be cooler then which will help. That, and all your VRBs and ARBs (actual running buddies) there in person 🥳)

Enjoy your taper 😍

[Dexy5 10 Miles in reply to Irishprincess]

I think I’ll do one more long run, and fairly light jogs before the big day

[Mudita11 Half Marathon]

Well done Dexy5 on running that far in such heat! Lovely photos. I love the Billy Trail. I ran part of it only once but it’s somewhere I will return to 👌🏻

[Dexy5 10 Miles in reply to Mudita11]

It seemed quite cool when we started with the cloud cover, but it suddenly brightened up when running. It is a nice spot.

[Katnap Marathon]

You've got this Dexy5 ! Have a good time at the GSR 🎉

[Dexy5 10 Miles in reply to Katnap]

Thanks, I’ll be thinking of you Katz , doing a marathon on the same day.

[Sandraj39 Half Marathon]

Well done Dexy - I’m sure you will smash 16k on the day - here’s hoping for the cooler weather and a constant tailwind!🙂

[Dexy5 10 Miles in reply to Sandraj39]

Thanks Sandraj39 , how are you doing now?

[Sandraj39 Half Marathon in reply to Dexy5]

Back out there running Dexy - and still seeing my physio. Not running more than 3k the moment though (initially run/walk but now just run) as things are still a bit ‘achey’ and working on all my rehab exercises!!👍

[Dexy5 10 Miles in reply to Sandraj39]

Good luck with building up again, slowly and surely is the best policy.

[misswobble Marathon]

Looks like a beautiful place to run 😀🏃‍♀️ I think having lovely views does help somewhat 😀 Having a supportive other half too 👍

Coach B is great 🥰 he was talking to me the other day when I fell 🤕😁

I’m getting my old age pension (or whatever they call it these days 🤷‍♀️). I’ve had confirmation - which is a stark reminder that I’m a certain age 😁 I don’t use buses as the fares are too dear, plus I can get into town much quicker on two feet, but if I can get a bus pass I’m planning on using it to expand my running horizons to pastures new 🏃‍♀️

Age is but a number etc 😀💪🏃‍♀️💪

Good luck with the rest of your training for GSR 👍🙂

[Dexy5 10 Miles in reply to misswobble]

Thanks misswobble. I could apply for my pass a month before the big day, and it has just arrived. I can use it straight away. How exciting. 🚌

[misswobble Marathon in reply to Dexy5]

Oh marvellous! I’ll check it out 😀👍

I have a plan already to explore a nearby town on foot, having got there by bus, and following a “philanthropists’ trail”. Apparently lots of them had fine houses there, including George Stephenson 🤓 There’s also a footpath leading to a farm shop with cafe ☕️🍰

Having taken the bus, using my shiny new bus pass, when I get one, I will run home 🏃‍♀️

[Dexy5 10 Miles in reply to misswobble]

Sounds a great idea.