I ran 19 miles yesterday. Well, I walked a bit, had a couple of stops, but mostly I ran. I also took a few photographs as I went along just so I could share them with you. Not because i wanted a rest, of course not.
The route I took went along a disused railway line which is now a cycle path that links Chippenham to Calne. My turnaround point was Black Dog Halt, complete with platform and beautiful gates. My son used to be train mad when he was little, my parents live very close by, and it was always a good day if they took him up there.
At this point I was heading to Calne (5 miles) not Chippenham (1 mile)The start of Chippenham’s very own “Love Lock” bridge. I love Wilkos tooThe view from the Love Lock BridgeEverything but a train
I used the platform to lean against and do some stretches, then turned around and ran back home.
Black Dog Halt. best gates everArty grasses. Just because.Well of course I “woo hoo”ed through it
Back home after a shower and a change, I loaded up a tray with lunch and retired to the sofa. Even Big Cat joined me – a rare treat.
Sunday was a beautiful day – a cold start which turned into blue skies and brilliant sunshine. A great day to be out and about, but probably not the best day for running a half marathon, nor for marshaling said race.
The Chippenham Half Marathon is a fantastic race, and I say that as someone who has run it twice previously. It has an interesting route that goes from the town out into the countryside on little lanes and then back into the town, friendly locals, amazing marshals, a great medal and t-shirt, and it’s not expensive to enter. A couple of years ago, the race was voted in the top 5 half marathons in the country by readers of Runner’s World. With all this in mind, I felt under just a tiny bit of pressure to be an amazing marshal. As the race is organised by my running club, Chippenham Harriers, we were all press ganged into helping.
Those of us with bikes were given a section near the start, and then a section near the end (with a speedy short cut bike transfer between the two). I was at just over 1 mile, and then at about 12.5 miles which meant I saw everyone at the start when they were still fresh (well -most of them), and then nearly at the top of a sneaky hill just before a final downhill stagger to the finish.
Having frozen on the ride into town, I then baked in sunshine for nearly 3 hours (thank heavens I fight to slap sun cream on). Honestly, the way the runners were complaining you’d think they had it hard. They just didn’t think of me standing there, with sore hands from constant clapping and little voice left from shouting encouragement. They probably never consisted the danger I was putting myself in by lying so blatantly on a Sunday – I was expecting a thunderbolt from above each time I shouted “looking fresh!” at a staggering runner. I was also a little worried a really hacked off runner might just come over and punch me. Well, when you’re suffering, being told how fabulous you look might just be the final straw.
I did have one large, sweaty runner ask me to hold him up whilst he stretched out his hip. That was surprising and rather unpleasant, but apparently all in a day’s work for a marshal.
Despite working so hard, I had a fabulous day. I really was tired as I cycled home, but maybe not quite as worn out as the runners.
It’s all very technical. I printed out the comments from my ShotBlok giveaway, given them all a number with pencil, then used a random number generator to find the winning number*. (I’m sure there’s an easier way, but this seemed to work just fine!)
The lucky winner is ….
Comment Number 8 – Susie Besford. Congratulations!
I will contact Susie and get her ShotBloks to her. Thank you to everyone that entered – I have some more ideas for long run fuelling now. I’m especially liking Vikki’s idea of mini sandwiches!
You ran a fast 10 miles and then spent the rest of last week nursing sore shins, but you finally persuade yourself out for a nervous 4 miles in the rain and your shins feel fine.
Everyone likes a freebie, yes? And everyone likes Shotbloks, yes? Yes?
You do, great. Then head to the bottom paragraph to find out how you could get some freebies.
You don’t? Oh – I’ve never met anyone who didn’t like those little jelly cubes of goodness.
You’ve never tried them? Well now here’s your chance.
ShotBloks
I have used Shot Bloks on many long runs and each of my marathons. They are like eating those little pre-dissolved cubes of jelly (or was that just a “growing up in the 70s” thing? ), but 3 of them give you basically the same energy boost as an energy gel. You have to have some water to help them down, but they also contain the salts you’ll have been sweating out so they have everything you need. On a personal note, I’ve found that picking them out of your teeth for the next few miles is a fine way to pass the time on a long run.
I can really recommend Shot Bloks, so you may be wondering why I’ve got two packets to give away instead of just scoffing them myself? Well I ordered a selection of flavours from Up and Running, and by mistake they sent me these Black Cherry flavour ones. I hate anything cherry flavoured with a passion (but I love cherries -weird, huh?) so they kindly sent me some other flavours and said I could give these away.
The Black Cherry variety also has caffeine in then, so they are ideal for a boost towards the end of a race when you may be flagging.
To enter this giveaway, please leave a comment after this post telling me if you’ve tried Shot Bloks before, what you thought of them and what’s your favorite method of fueling on long runs. Winner will be selected at random on 1st September 2015 from people who’ve left a comment by 23:59 on 31st August 2015.
Something funny happened to me on my long run today. I’m taking it as a life lesson, so I’ll share it so you can learn from it as well.
I decided I’d better fit my long run in today, and planned a beautiful 10 mile route from Chippenham along the River Avon, then along the Wilts and Berks canal to the National Trust village of Lacock. As ever, I just can’t resist taking photographs as I go:-
A previously neglected corner of ChippenhamRebuilding the top lockA boat – never seen one on the canal before
Shortly after this section the path crosses several fields before eventually winding down to Lacock. As I entered the first field, I spotted this:-
Cows – my nemesis
Look closely – yes, cows. I am scared of cows. Well, I’m reluctant to run through a field of the bovine monsters – have you seen how big they are, close up?! After a close encounter with a pair of amorous bulls on the Marshfield Mudlark in 2013 I reserve the right to stand on my moral high ground and refuse to run near them.
I stood on the edge of the field and dithered for quite a while. I didn’t want to abandon my run and turn back, but I really didn’t want to go past the cows. Inspiration struck, and I decided to leave the footpath and make a detour through some neighbouring fields. Unfortunately this meant crawling on my belly under a gate adorned with barbed wire, running along the rough edge of a field of maize, crashing through a scrubby hedge with another wriggle under barbed wire, then around another field. Success!
I made it to Lacock and ran though the village, no doubt spoiling several tourists’ photos, past the National Trust tearooms (showing great willpower) and then headed back the way I’d come. As I crossed a field on the edge of Lacock I had to overtake a couple of walkers, the sort of walkers where the man has a large floppy brimmed hat, and the woman has sensible walking shoes and a floral top.* I said “hello”, they said “good morning” in a slightly snooty way, and I ran on.
At the bottom edge of the cow-infested field I again set off on my detour through hedges, maize and barbed wire. I was just crawling on my belly under the final gate, when I looked up and guess who had caught me up? Yes, Mr and Mrs Slightly Snooty.
“I see you braved the cows!” I called out whilst casually brushing mud off my legs.
“They’re only heifers” I was grumpily informed. I sighed, and made a mental note that it’s hard to take the moral high ground when you’ve just been spotted face down in the mud under a gate. I think that’s a good life lesson to take away from that incident.
* I’m making no judgements, just setting the scene.
Everyone loves a bargain, and everyone loves new running gear. (Well, most runners love new running gear. ) So, if that describes you, get yourself down to Lidl!
I popped down there yesterday when I heard they were having one of their regular promotions of running gear. I love their running socks and have been buying them over the last few years whenever they have them in. I stockpiled two pairs yesterday – well at £1.99 a pair it would be a shame not to.
New socks - not pink! Old legs -a bit pink
Whilst I was there, I couldn’t resist also buying this cool running vest.
Snazzy new vest - also not pink!
It was sold as size 10/12, so as a standard size 12 I was worried it would be too tight but at £2.99 I thought it was worth a try. It turned out to be nicely snug meaning it didn’t rub under my arms as I ran tonight. The material it is made from is fairly thin, but in the current warm weather that’s not a problem. It is also a really groovy pattern (and not pink), which pleases me greatly!
Lidl also have capri trousers in various jazzy patterns, and of course they have men’s running gear as well as women’s.
I have received no payment or freebies for writing this review, I am simply happy to recommend good, inexpensive kit.
I am feeling very smug, as I’m on holiday and I still got up for parkrun. Truth be told if I’d known it was quite such a hilly course I might not have bothered.
Lanhydrock parkrun is set in the grounds of a very fine National Trust house in mid Cornwall. It was a warm sunny morning as I arrived and used my time honoured technique of ‘following the crowd’ in order to find the excellent National Trust toilets, and then the start. Chatting with some locals I learnt that the second half of the course is all uphill, including the final climb they referred to as “heart attack hill”. Fortunately I also learnt it was a one lap course.
A blast of vuvuzelas sent us thundering down the grassy slope towards Lanhydrock house. With a brief sideways glance at the house we entered the woods and started climbing.
The course is beautiful. Partly on tarmac, and mostly on trails with some grass, it winds through the woods down to the river. This was my favourite part, but sadly it didn’t last long before we were heading uphill again. I was determined not to walk, and succeeding, until the final hill when a man in front of me started walking. It was impossible not to stop at that point. The spur to run again came when I realised that the cows I thought I could see in the field next to the path were actually on the side of the path – no fence!
There was a great downhill sprint to the finish, but most people seemed too shattered for much speed at this point. I staggered over the line in 29:34 which isn’t a parkrun PW but is pretty close. Harriers Vest on tour
I then decided that seeing as the National Trust tearooms open especially early on a Saturday I really ought to go and sample their wares. Mmmmm. Happy holidays all!
On my run down through a field today I spotted two signs, one on either side of the footpath both in a crop. Being nosey of course I had to stop and read them.
“This is malting barley to make beer. Please keep your dogs out”“This is wheat to be made into bread and biscuits . Please keep your dogs out”
Of all the ways to get people to keep their dogs out of the crops, I thought this was brilliant. Self interest is a very powerful motivator!
Oh and for a quick kitten fix, these were my little cheerleaders seeing me off on my run today:-
I ran on Friday around my village, a very small and quiet Wiltshire village that often feels a million miles away from the modern age (my teenagers agree with me). It’s a unique place, a place of beautiful sunsets and traffic jams involving ducks crossing the road. It is hard to imagine anything bad happening here, and yet on Friday the long arm of international terrorism reached down into this little sanctuary. The awful news about the shootings in Tunisia was shocking enough, but to learn that a lady from our village, and her partner, were amongst the victims was almost unbelievable.
I stopped off on my run in the church and signed the books of condolences. Was it disrespectful that I was in running gear? I don’t think so. Eileen had always been a big supporter of our village sports teams and the village hall so I felt it was highly appropriate.
On my run I thought about how we never know what is around the corner in life, and we cannot know when our time is up. I am sending love and sympathy to Eileen and John’s family and friends and I can’t help but feel a lesson to be taken from this tragedy is to live every moment to the full and to enjoy life.
