Virgin Money London Marathon 2014

This was the second time that I took part in the London Marathon. Back in 2012, I was super excited to run in my first major city marathon, especially as it was in the lead up the London Olympic Games. However, I had a awful experience due to illness during the week before the race. So I wanted to do London again and try to put things right.

I had a very good training period with Zoe, my now fiance as well as training partner. She was flying in training and it looked like we were able to run the race together. Unfortunately she injured a hamstring and missed 3 weeks of training including several long runs. So we decided to run our own race.

I managed to get to the start line in good health this time. After what happened in 2012 when I caught a bug before the race, total paranoia kicked in this time. A bottle of hand sanitizer became my new best friend for the final weeks leading up to the race. My job takes me into doctors surgeries on a daily basis and I was in the danger zone!

The weather the day before the race was perfect for running. Light cloud cover, cool and dry.  However, come race morning, the cloud was gone leaving clear blue skies with sunshine. Perfect for spectating but not what I was hoping for.  I'm not great at running in heat and there had been no hot days in any of the training months leading up to the race.  The race started at 10am, so it was already feeling very warm as we made our way onto the start line.  I wished that London started the marathon earlier in the day like they do in Canada, often around 7 - 8am, and avoid running in the hottest part of the day.

After the slow start due to the mass of runners, I soon got into my stride.  Despite the weather forecast, I decided to run at my planned pace of 7min 15sec per mile and go for my target of 3hrs 10mins. Not sure if this was the right thing to do but the temperature was OK to begin with and I just hoped that it wouldn't get too hot in the latter stages.  I felt good and clocked the miles off and maintained the planned pace.  The crowds were incredible, thousands of the lining the streets and making so much noise.  

I crossed Tower Bridge and the half way marker bang on schedule at 1hr 34mins 50secs.  However, the heat was rising and it was getting tough.  I took water on board every two miles and ran in the shade whenever possible.  However, I feared that my pace would start to slow in the miles still to come. As I reached mile 16 it was clear that I was slowing.  Time to dig in and just get to the finish.  Maybe I should have started slower in anticipation of the heat rising towards the second half of the race. Maybe so, I just had to give it a go all the same after months of hard training.

The last 10 miles of the race were a struggle but I ran with a smile on my face all the same.  The atmosphere was fantastic and the support was overwhelming.  I passed a few people showing signs of heat exhaustion and some that were being attended to by first aiders.  The last few miles were past some of the most famous landmarks and the noise levels seem to reach fever pitch.  The last mile came and I was relieved. Then one of the celebrities passed me, a guy called Tony who plays a part in the TV series Emmerdale. I remember he passed Zoe and I in the Yorkshire Marathon last year.  But to add insult to injury this time, he was sporting a huge plastic false bottom.  That was it, I gritted my teeth and picked up the pace and passed him.  Take that Tony! I beat him to the finish which was a very welcome sight. I crossed the line in 3hrs 26mins.  

Zoe finished in 3hrs 41mins and also had a tough race.  Running in such a huge race is quite an experience.  Both times have not gone to plan for me but I feel lucky to have done it twice.  Zoe has now done it 8 times! Time for a change and some new challenges.

East Hull 20 2014

This race was another build up for London Marathon and one to be just used as a training run, not to be raced. Zoe and I have been training hard and were planning on running it together. However, Zoe suffered an injury to her hamstring in the final week before the race, so was unable to do it. She still came to support and watch though. Team Boofee!

The weather was warm and sunny but also quite windy too.  The race course was mainly flat and through country lanes.  I planned on averaging 7min 45secs per mile pace for the 20 miles and bag myself a good long run in preparation for London.

Once underway, I soon settled into my rhythm and clocked the miles off but my pace was more like 7min 30secs but it felt easy.  The wind was at our backs and I decided to go with it. I reached the 10 mile mark and I was feeling good. The wind proved to be great as it was cooling the runners in the warm conditions. However, once we turned back towards the direction we had come from, it became a headwind which made the going much tougher.

The effort level increased to maintain the pace and it became hard work. After a few more miles, my pace was slowing.  I dug in and decided to just focus on each mile and get to the finish.  Tiredness crept in and the last 5 miles were tough.  My legs were now reminding me that I had not tapered for the race. A 19 mile run the week before and speed training during the week, my legs were not happy. I was pleased to finally see the finishing line and Zoe's smiling face. No usual sprint finish today, just cruised over the line in a time of 2 hours 37 mins. Slightly slower than I had hoped for at 7min 51sec per mile pace but OK in the circumstances. 

That's it, just 5 weeks until London.  Time to focus, stay healthy and train hard. I really hope Zoe's hamstring gets better soon and she can continue training too.  Fingers crossed!

Brass Monkey Half Marathon 2014

The Brass Monkey Half Marathon in York is a very popular race.  The 1700 start places sell out in a matter of minutes. Zoe and I were lucky to get in as the website was overloaded and kept crashing.

After a very festive December and limited number of training miles during January, it was decided that we were not in the best shape. Therefore, we would not be racing this one, rather just use it as a good training run in our build up for the London Marathon in April.

My lucky weather streak in never having run a race in the rain came to an abrupt end. We huddled together to keep warm as the cold fat rain fell upon us as we lined up at the York racecourse start area . We purposely positioned ourselves towards the back as we intended to start off at a steady pace and ease into the race. A negative split was the order of the day. It was clear to see there was a large number club runners from far and wide in the north of England. Large groups of runners from each club standing together in their club shirts.

We were happy to start running once the race begun, a chance to warm up and get our cold muscles working.  We soon got into a steady rhythm and our pace was averaging 7min 20sec per mile.  That seemed fine and we headed out into the country roads towards the south east of the city.  The race course was mostly flat and rural.  We were constantly passing runners and keeping a solid pace going. The plan was coming together nicely.

After the first few miles, the rain eased off.  We clocked our halfway time at approx 48mins and we were feeling good. We started to slowly pick up the pace and headed for home.  Zoe was running really well but I was starting to feel fatigue creeping in. I dug in behind Zoe and ground out the last few miles.

We crossed the line together in 1hr 36mins and felt very happy as we had stuck to the plan and ran a solid time. I was really impressed with Zoe's performance and am confident that she will have a stellar year and PB's galore.  As for me, a decent race to kick the year off and now time to knuckle down to some hard training as London Marathon will soon be here. I so want to put things right this time after the huge disappointment I suffered at the same race in 2012. All roads lead to London!!

Edwinstowe 10k Trail Race 2013

This decision to run this race was a spontaneous one, like many of my races.  We made it with our good friends Justin and Julia. It looked like a scenic course through some of the trails of Sherwood Forest at Edwinstowe near Nottingham.  Julia was brought up in Edwinstowe and her parents still live there, so we decided to stay over and make a weekend of it.

We woke up on race morning to blue skies and frost on the ground.  After a leisurely breakfast, we headed out for the start which was just a short walk through the village. As it turned out, the race had sold out with 500 runners signing up, making for a great atmosphere.  Justin and Julia hadn't had chance to train much and Zoe and myself had only managed one run in two weeks as we had both been suffering colds.  Hence, a group decision was made to just relax and enjoy the occasion.  

The course was undulating but the trails were dry and firm.  We were soon running into Sherwood Forest and enjoying the best that mother nature has to offer.  The hills came and went, the trails twisted and turned, the air was crisp and cool, we all had a blast.

I crossed the line in 44mins 33secs, Zoe then finished in 46mins 07secs, with Justin and Julia coming in at 58mins - holding hands and smiling faces.  This was a really enjoyable race and one that might well become a yearly event.

That wraps up my race calender for 2013.  I've had a brilliant year with many amazing memories including my first ultra marathon. I've managed to stay injury free and have run more mileage than ever before. I will miss running with my Canadian friends now that I am living in the UK but have found myself the best running partner ever in Zoe:)  I'm already planning many races for 2014 and hope for a few more PB's and many more adventures.  I can't wait!

Leeds Abbey Dash 10k 2013

Believe it or not, this was my third race in as many weeks. Two weeks ago I ran the Deepdale Dash 10k and last week it was the grueling Goathland Trail Marathon. I wasn't planning on making it a hat-trick of races but couldn't resist the temptation of a flat, fast and local10k race.  I just hoped that a week of rest after a marathon would be sufficient for my legs to recover enough to run a 10k.

So, once again, Zoe and I jumped in the car and set off for another race.  Two weeks ago it was a one hour drive south to Barton Upon Humber, last week it was a one hour drive north to Goathland and this time it was a one hour drive west to Leeds.  It's great to be able to travel around Yorkshire trying out races and seeing different parts of the county.  

With 10,000 runners, the Leeds Abbey Dash 10k turned out to be a big race.  I'm pleased to say that the organisation was fantastic and everything ran without a hitch.  We soon found ourselves on the starting area and feeling very excited. After missing my 10k PB by a matter of 7 seconds at the Deepdale Dash a couple of weeks earlier, I was hoping to snag one here as this was a much faster course. Just hoped the legs would hold out.  

Once under way, I soon found my form and clocked the miles off. My pace was good and the legs felt fine.  The course was indeed flat and perfect for a fast time.  It was basically an out and back along a river valley through the centre of the city.  I reached the 5k turn around point in 20mins 30secs.  I turned for home and focused on maintaining my form.  My legs were coping fine and my confidence began to grow.  The last mile arrived and my legs were finally reminding me that they had run a marathon only 8 days earlier but I demanded that they hang on.  Not long to go.  The finish line soon came and I crossed the line in 41mins 28secs. A PB by 40 seconds!  Elation flooded my mind and the pain was gone.

Zoe P ran a 42min 54sec time. Her second fasted 10k and felt pretty happy too.  This was a great 10k race. Flat and fast, well organised and an exciting atmosphere with 10,000 runners. We will be back in 2014 but with fresher legs next time! 

Hardmoors Goathland Trail Marathon 2013

The Goathland Marathon is part of a series of races based in the North Yorkshire Moors. The Hardmoors race series is comprised of distances ranging from 10k all the way up to 160 miles.  This race was just the 26.2 mile marathon distance, or so we thought!

The North Yorkshire Moors is a National Park in the north of England.  It's one of the largest expanses of heather moorland in the United Kingdom. It covers an area of 1,436 sq km (554 sq mi). The moors are made up of sweeping hills, dales, valleys and inland headlands. Much of the terrain is made up of peat bogs, bracken and standing water.  What better place to run a marathon!!

Zoe and I love a challenge, so we were looking forward to testing our metal in this race.  Being a Yorkshire lass, Zoe had some running and hiking experience on the moors but it was my first time.  I have lots of trail running experience under my belt from my time in Canada but the moors would offer a whole new challenge.  We knew that this would be tough but decided to just focus on trying to enjoy the experience and get to the finish.

Our hopes for dry weather were realised as we set off on the drive north. We were rewarded for the very early start with some stunning views as the dawn was breaking. The race began in Goathland, which was just a quiet village located in the moors until a TV series called Heartbeat came to town.  As a result, the village is now a popular tourist area, especially in late summer when the huge expanse of heather is showing its beautiful purple flowers.  We arrived at the race HQ at the village hall which was buzzing with runners and volunteers.  There were some very tough looking runners who looked like they were no stranger to the North Yorkshire Moors.  Veterans of the Hardmoors race series for sure.  We felt a little nervous of the challenge that lay ahead.  The weather was chilly but dry and not too windy. Relief!  

We readied ourselves on the start line at 9.00am along with 100 other runners.  Just before the start, one runner was given an award as this was going to be her 100th marathon, most of which were ultras! Another runner was recognised as this race would include his 1000th Hardmoors race mile.  We were in the company of greatness. Then we were off and running.  To say the pace was steady was an understatement.  Even the hardened vets were taking it easy. The first part of the race lead us out of the village and down into a river valley.  A nice easy start but I was feeling a sense of impeding doom for what was to come. 

Even before we reached the end of the first mile, we started to climb.  Soon we were into the open and rugged moorland and the terrain become difficult.  As well as the steep ups and downs, the ground under foot is constantly changing too.  One minute it is firm, then it's rutted and uneven, then it's soft and unstable and then it's wet and muddy bogs.  Add in the bracken, the large volumes of standing water and the many streams to cross, the moors offer extremely challenging and leg sapping terrain. We just took our time and tried to keep a steady pace going, walking when we were climbing up steep inclines and running the rest.  The views were amazing and we were taking a few snaps with Zoe's camera along the way.  The weather was constantly changing too. One minute the cold wind was blowing across the area and our hands hats and gloves were on, then we were running in a sheltered area and the hats and gloves were off.  They were on and off several times throughout the duration of the race!  

The aid stations were a blessing. Friendly faces offering coke, water, flapjacks, cookies and jelly babies. Apart from these wonderful volunteers and the occasional hikers, there weren't any other people on the course. We definitely saw more sheep than people in this race! The miles were coming and going with constantly changing terrain, views and climates.  Wet feet, dry feet. Hats on, hats off.  Climbing upwards, descending downwards.  Nothing remained the same.  Probably the hardest thing was inability to run in a straight line for more than a few metres at a time before having to step out of a rut, leap over a stream, avoid a deep puddle or pulling your foot out of peat bog.  

Finally we got to mile 20 and we were starting to feel like we were nearing to end.  Fatigue had set in and we were looking forward to the end.  However, we were feeling good.  Then we found ourselves climbing up the most boggy, water logged and rutty section of the whole race. And it went on for almost 3 miles.  It was horrendous, my legs turned to jelly and every step became painful.  It felt like we were on an SAS endurance test, could we survive and make it to the end? Just then, out of now where, this young girl ran past us, full of energy and far too cheerful, told us that the course was actually 27.5 miles instead of the usual marathon distance of 26.2 miles. Then she skipped off and proceeded to disappear in the distance at a super human speed. This was demoralising to say the least but we gritted our teeth and slogged on.  

After what seemed like an eternity, we could finally see Goathland in the distance.  It was now agony, I tried walking a little but this hurt more than running. So we kept running, slipping, stumbling and moving. We just had to keep moving! Then we were on the road heading towards the village hall. It felt strange to be back on a hard and flat surface again, our sore legs cried out but the end was near.  We reached the finish line in 5 hours 18 minutes.  It was sheer relief!  We stumbled into the village hall and were welcomed with a table laden with hot soup and home baked treats.  We found ourselves a couple of chairs near a warm radiator, sat down and ate.  We had made it, just! 

The Hardmoors races certainly offer an almighty challenge and are super well organised. Total respect to the people who complete the 110 and 160 mile versions, they are damn tough runners!  We will do another race in the future but next time with some training on the moors! 

Deepdale Dash 10k 2013

For me, running in some local races is an integral part of settling into my new life in the East Riding of Yorkshire.  This includes big races like the inaugural Yorkshire Marathon but also some smaller low key races put on by many of the local running clubs. One such race is the Deepdale Dash 10k organised by Barton and District AC.   

On a sunny but very windy Sunday morning, Zoe and I bundled ourselves into the car and drove the 40 minutes south and across the Humber bridge to Barton Upon Humber.  The race started and finished at a school in the middle of the town.  We quickly realised that there was a super friendly atmosphere and everything was very well organised.  Lots of smiling faces from volunteers and everything close to hand.  We noticed lots of racers there from other running clubs from near and far. 

After a good warm up, we were lining up to start along with 300 other runners.  The weather was chilly but dry and sunny.  However, the wind was very blustery and could come into play as we headed out of the town and into the dales. Then we were off and the first half a mile was down hill.  Zoe was ahead of me and we were galloping at a rather speedy pace, too fast but I knew it would soon settle down as the course turned uphill as we headed out of the town.  Zoe and I decided to run our own race this time but I knew she would give me a run for my money!

Once out of the town, we were running through the undulating countryside of the dales which might explain the race name. The rolling landscape allowed for fantastic views, beautiful English countryside in the Autumn sunshine. The first three miles of the course lead us up and down several hills with a strong side wind had been blowing across us. The noise of runners race bibs fluttering against our chests was the predominant sound. However, this cross wind wasn't affecting my pace and my legs felt strong. I had passed Zoe towards the end of the first mile but knew she would be hot on my heels. 

Then we turned a corner and hit a flatter section with the wind at our backs. It was a relief to be on an easier section but then another corner and a short but steep downhill. The four mile marker was the start of the longest climb of the race, over one mile of constant uphill and also into a strong headwind too! I gritted my teeth and dug in but my pace was slowing as I neared the top.  The five mile marker was the top of the killer hill and then it was downhill for the last mile and back into Barton Upon Humber.  I ran as hard as I could in an attempt to make up lost time on that last climb and headed for the finish.

The final few corners and roads lead us through the town and then back into the finishing area.  I crossed the line in 42mins 14 secs.  Although I missed my PB time by 7 seconds, it was a hard course and also a windy day too. So I was really pleased with my time.  I finished 47th overall and 12th in my age category.  Zoe crossed the line in 44mins 6secs bagging her 8th lady overall and 4th in her age category.  Impressive running indeed! 

The Deepdale Dash was a blast.  Great organisation, warm and friendly atmosphere, scenic course and a good challenge.  It's a keeper!