Crazy Horse

Some recent advice to me was when in a field of horses or cows try not to run or cause too much excitement as they are inquisitive animals.

So take some time to visualise the scene and the characters therein; George, rested but was in the latter stages of a gruesome back to back (18 the day before and currently 10 miles into the next one), Jerry running at the far end of a 52 mile 7 day stretch, the day is hot, the trail tough and we enter a field with a lone horse, remembering the advice above we slowed down, chattered quietly to the horse, passed it and sighed some relief as it did nothing.

It then turned, followed us and gained so I sped up, George sped up, I said "I don't care I am going first" and got to the stile first, clambered over it to hear George hoot out with a laugh, I looked around to see the bottom of George's running shoe coming towards me at head height and the vision of the horse snapping out trying to bite his arse.

George is safe but what a vision!!!!! It is no longer ultraGeorge but ultraHurdlerGeorge

Last Big Run

Today saw the last Long run before London to Brighton. The Bank Holiday weekend caused a topsy turvy in the plans as we had gone away and today was even more different as it took place late in the afternoon which limited the time and length of the run due to the early evenings.

This didn't prevent us from doing a very steady, if seemingly cautious 16.2 miles up and around the North Downs in some very hot and humid conditions.

What was nice though was ever so often we stopped off at hedgerow and took handfuls of blackberries dangling in their thousands inviting us to eat them, all the extra sugar we needed in Nature's over burdened basket, beautiful.

Big Bad Wolfe

For some reason I have had feelings of dread about tonight's run, I suppose it is because I am coming to the end of my training plan and the taper starts for London to Brighton next week.

I planned to run 13.1 miles last night and tonight I planned the same distance but on one of my set routes on the road, so I left for Greenwich Park with a plan to take it steady and arrive at General Wolfe's statue by the Royal Observatory. It is not the most picturesque of runs but what with the shorter evenings and my tiredness it was by far the safest. I soon arrived at the park and surveyed the vista from the viewpoint enjoying the sunset in the West of London and then returned from whence I came.

What makes yesterday's and today's run so good is that I ran the same distance for both, 13.1 miles and also took exactly the same time 1:48:00 which works out to be a 3:36:00 marathon......without trying and running on extremely tired legs...I think I could crack a good marathon out if I rest up but that is for another time.

Shiny eyes

Decided to go out for a 13 mile run tonight, I had no plan apart from taking my new headtorch in case I stayed out past sundown. At about 8.15pm I cut from road to woodland path and put my headtorch on, wow, I was happily doing 8:30 min/miles down a trail covered by trees and feeling very comfortable and safe, it was even better about half an hour later down a notorious alleyway which I navigated with ease.

The only scary thing was THE EYES, the scary eyes. Out from every nook and cranny in the woods I could see green or yellow eyes up ahead looking at me and then disappear....gulp.

Don't think I will do this all the time but it is really good to know that it could get me out of a little bother if I stay in the woods too long.

Ooopps I forgot this one

Ooopps, I got an email tonight from Trionium reminding me about my trail marathon place in the Greensand Marathon, a beautiful run along the Greensand hills of Surrey, up and over Dorking - Westcott - Coldharbour - Leith Hill - Somerset Hill - Holmbury Hill- Pitch Hill - Reyards Hill - Winterfold Hill - and back again! 5,200 feet of ascent, I did the Leith Hill half marathon in 2008 and it was one beautiful run.

In a matter of one month and 5 days I will have to run the London to Brighton (56 miles), Caesar's Camp (50 miles) and now Greensand (26.2 miles) or 132.2 miles of trail....utter madness

Running out of ideas

I am beginning to run out of ideas! I have planned a 12 mile run for Thursday evening and I have absolutely no idea what route to take, I have this idea of running to Greenwich Park but it is a 13.1 mile round trip. Not a great deal of difference but I would rather run trail, maybe I am just worrying too much and I could just get out of the house and run.

I have only had company on runs twice in the past 2 weeks and miss the company after nearly running 93 miles by myself.....Bloody Hell, I have just realised I am really cracking the miles out, no wonder I am tired.

So it looks like trail but which one? I'll see tomorrow I think.

Plod Plod ZOOM

That is how I felt last night when I started off from the house to go to the Club, it was a real strain to put on my kit and just get through the door. As I started off I felt every muscle and sinew in my body complain miserably and was only about 1/2 mile up the road thinking about turning around... but no, I struggled on even though it felt like I was running in a deep sea diver's suit

I decided to take a round about route through the woods and took it really easily across the trails until I arrived my legs feeling a bit better by then.

Then came the group run and it was decided to run a steady, easy pace which after 2 miles suddenly upped for another mile and then we hit a long, steady hill that is hard work at the best of times. At the top we rested up for a minute and we all ran off until we hit the main road where we normally split away and race each other back to HQ. I broke away early and tempoed off and then I really hit a pace and was astounded to see I was running at sub 7 min/miles at one point and still had some gas in reserve, I pulled off sufficient to beat everyone back :-)

Still not sure where that last burst came from but it really goes to show that just because your legs ache, doesn't mean you have no energy.

Anyway, last week of Long training and then a taper so will have to take it easy, don't want injuries now.

Ultrarunners food

I was instructed by Mrs Jerry that I was to take the family down to Hastings for a day by the sea today so there was no hope of a early morning run as we had to leave reasonably early. However, like every ultrarunner, I had a cunning plan!!!!

The Cunning Plan
On hearing of this outing I calculated a 21 mile route from one of the junctions of the A21, so have a day out and on the way back they could dump me out, which happened to be a mile or so south of Knowle Park in Sevenoaks and then map read it onto the North Downs Way and make my way home.

All I did in preparation was have a scrumptious fish and chip meal in the Mermaid Cafe on Hastings seafront, a rest on the beach.

An extremely tough run not helped by the 26 degree centigrade heat and a very tough ascent of the Downs at Chevening, that is one gritty ascent made so much more difficult by a herd of enormous Fresian cows getting in the way at Chevening but nothing I haven't dealt with before but ye gads, that ascent is tough.

Great run, my leg is still very sore and it is more the muscle that is bruised from the trip than the actual cuts, will rest up and see how it feels for Tuesday evening when I am due an easy 10 miles.

Money well spent

Last nights fall finally focussed my mind that I needed to purchase that headtorch I have been whittering on about for so long and the evenings are not getting any lighter now. So after going to the chemists for some steristrips and patching my leg up (which is quite a nasty gash) I armed myself with my Cotswold vouchers and drove to the local shop. I was really pleased when I found that they were having a sale and the headtorch I wanted was reduced by £10 which allowed me to buy a space blanket and an OS Map 135 covering the Ashdown Forest.

My new headtorch has the following ranges:

• Maximum- 35 metres
• Optimum - 27 metres
• Economy - 18 metres
• BOOST - 50 metres

More than enough for my expeditions

Somebody call a Doctor!

GGrrrrr, it was starting so well tonight, the plan was to go for a 12 mile run through the woods and trails. Initially it was a 6 mile out with a 6 mile back but there was a change in plan as the trails were just a little muddy to feel comfortable in the failing light and then disaster struck

Click to enlarge

At 8 miles I stumbled on a very prominent root and I went a tumbling, luckily I was able to twist around so as not to hit any of my major joints but in doing so slid across some glass. Have it covered now but I have a feeling I have sliced through two layers of skin and it may need glueing.

One month to go...

It is getting really exciting now, most of the training has been done, the last mileage increase is during the next 2.5 weeks maxing out at about 58-60 miles and then a lovely slow, 3 week taper.

Did some map reading practice at the weekend and feeling a lot happier

My map, race number and tag have arrived on the door step and Mike, George and I will be meeting up at my house to put the final plans together for the day, watch this space

Mob Match

Really chuffed with myself today, I had a Mob Match with the local rival club on Tuesday evening and what makes it funny is I have second affiliation with that club so I was racing against friends from both clubs.

It was a nice little course of just under 4 miles and took us through a nice woody hill section and then out onto the roads for a mile or so to finish in park. I managed to run the distance in just under 27 minutes which calculates out that I did a 21 minute 5 km run, my fastest over that distance. What makes it so sweet is I ran a really hard 20 mile trail run 2 days before, I sometimes wonder how fast I could run it on fresh legs :-)

The best laid schemes o' mice an' men

As usual, the best laid schemes o' mice an' men, ang aft agley and on the complete fly Mrs J and eldest decided that they wanted to go to the countryside. So I donned my running kit, 3 pints of fluid, map, compass, hat, buff, sunglasses, and back pack, and they left me at the statue of Sir Winston Churchill in Westerham, Kent.

I said my goodbyes and then trotted off to think of my way home, what I found really weird was that normally if we get a map we plan a route that is the shortest/quickest way back but the distance was less than 20 miles so had to design a route that was both interesting and still didn't leave me in the lurch too close or far away from home.

I initially was fixed to only certain routes back over the M25 as the route was set by the number of bridges and their location and after that the trail was my own and I managed to to only hit about 10 miles of road and the other 15 pure trail and woodland path. Jeez, it was hot today and was really happy I had my sun gear on and again asked a friendly house owner for some cold water.

The training of late is taking it toll on me but the weather was very warm today, I was on a very hilly course, I was by myself, the only things I spoke to were a chubby little farm cat, a fox and the nice water provider. The scenery was out of this world today, so in all a nice run

Deer Me

Out on the trail tonight I was just passing through a section of woodland about a mile from my house, I hadn't seen another person for about 30 minutes and was aware of some movement ahead of me. To my amazement I saw a roe deer boldly standing on the path eyeing me up his nerve only getting to him as I approached so much that he bounded into the nearby bracken and fern, we both stopped and admired each other from a distance until we parted company.

What really amazed me was I never knew we had deer in the woods near us and he was obviously part of a group as he quite a young buck.

The Finish is closer to home...

...than the start!!!

72.42 kilometres, here I come

Don't worry, I did listen George

Went back to work today after my little break and to be frank, I am really run down so tonight I turned my back on running, had a lovely hot supper of fishcakes, salad & a pile of spuds and then lay back on the sofa for a lovely snooze.

Words floating through my head as began to nod off...

You are not going to lose any fitness now and all your miles are in the bank.
I know you will ignore me completely but I /we need you in top shape 6 weeks today.
Hopefully six weeks today we will at this stage be Kings of the LtB.

I did listen George...thank you

All thoughts of my running club were banished from my mind and a large scratch put through the Tuesday run.

So tired

I didn't do a massive week of running last week but all the extra walking in Paris + 49 miles of trail and hill running has taken its toll.

Last nights run involved a quick run up to my Sister and Brother-in-Law's house to pick up a few items and then come home...fine plan but coming home so late meant I didn't really want to eat a full meal so snacked and drank some banana milkshake and some Lucozade. This morning we were up bright and early to go to London and we just had time for a quick bowl of cereal.

We got back this afternoon, had a sandwich and then I felt quite ill, cold sweats and my legs really ached. I thought this was ridiculous as I have had heavier weeks than this but I think it totally down to not eating properly and I was completely burnt out. So tonight, I have had a massive plate of homemade fish pie with extra peas and mashed potato and a enormous helping of homemade apple pie with double cream, custard AND icecream, beginning to feel human again. I just have to remember to eat properly.

Are you training for an ultramarathon?

That was the question I got asked this evening whilst on a rather hilly road training run! I was running out to my sister's house to pick up a t-shirt and CD of pictures taken at the 3 Peaks Challenge we took part in, in June when I was aware of a cyclist coming up behind me, he shouted

"Are you training for an ultramarathon?"
"Yes" [pant, pant]
"Cool, which one?"
"London to Brighton in September"
"Wow that is brilliant, how are you feeling?"
"Hot but OK"
"How do you feel without running in the pack?
"Not too bad, it can be great sometimes"
"Good luck to you, see you later"........and he was gone, just like that!

It occurred to me that he must have picked up on the idea of me as an ultrarunner when he saw my kit as I was wearing by backpack, bottle belt, Buff, cap and glasses. Nice of him to pick up on it anyway and spare some time to have a chat, nice bloke.

Kid in a candy store

So there I was with my £40 Cotswold gift vouchers in the store and the various pieces of equipment lay out ahead of me, a wishlist of things I would like in my hand (which is why I am so chuffed with my vouchers)

Wish List

1. Headtorch
2. Bottle harness to attach to straps of back pack
3. Posh compass
4. Waterproof Map bag (If anyone finds one at the Nine Edges in the layby carpark near the start, it is mine)

So I start at the Headtorches, some really cool ones with loads of power, different types, halogen, LED, AAA or AA batteries, high beam, low beam, boost button, forehead strap.....it went on and I felt after 10 minutes that the camp bed in the display needed testing. So I moved onto bottle harnesses, met with blank look from assistant so moved to compasses, hmmmm lots of nice compasses and I saw a really cool one with the map case but if I bought them I wouldn't get a very good headtorch

So I gave up, I am sure there will be a sale soon and I don't need a head torch quite yet but I will need the map bag especially if it rains like it did last September, so maybe I should get the bag and get the headtorch next payday but is one with a 75 metre range really necessary....yes as long as I have a clear view of 15-20 feet ahead of me but I will have to carry spare batteries so should I get one with less power that doesn't need spare batteries.

Eldest daughter saw the Buffs and then decided to distract me as I started talking about colours so went back to the headtorches.........

One for sorrow...

...
two for joy,
three for a girl,
four for a boy,
five for silver,
six for gold,
seven for a secret never to be told,
eight for a wish,
nine for a kiss,
ten for a time of joyous bliss.

I saw seven of the little buggers tonight whilst out on the reserve......just trying to work out the secret that musn't be told now :-)

I can vouch(er) for that!

Walked through the front door today to find a letter containg £40 worth of Cotswold's gift vouchers! Apparently I raised the most money for the Edale Mountain Rescue last year when I ran the Nine Edges Endurance run, if I wasn't doing the London to Brighton this year I would have done it again, it is a really beautiful run.

Hey, £40.....what am I going to buy with that?

Back from Paris

Back from a short break (read Summer Holiday) in Paris and have done the usual tourist things but worked out I must have walked for a total of 6 hours per day which is some mileage but it didn't stop me going for a run.

Early on Tuesday morning I got up before breakfast and did a wonderful 7.2 mile run (longer than the planned one below) and seeing Paris in the early light just after dawn was a sight to behold, worth the trip. Thoroughly enjoyed a "running battle" with a French runner along the Seine, I knew I had a good run on me so toyed with him until the Eiffel Tower when I just left him for dust :-)

Back now and was straight back into training(see above)

My pre-breakfast run

This will be my run route for the next few days.....let's see if you can guess where it is:

Crayford Marshes

As per usual we went out for our obligatory Sunday morning run and this time was informed by George that he had discovered a new route he wanted to explore and had a map!!!!

So this morning when he got in the car he gave me directions to the Foots Cray Meadows and then pulled out of his pocket a scruffy old leaflet he had picked up from somewhere and told we were going to run along the Cray Riverway Path to Erith. By his calculations it would be about 9 miles there so a good round trip of 18 miles, undaunted by this we took flight and started to follow the River Cray (3 miles from its source) to run through the expanses of the Crays, Crayford, Bexley through the Crayford Marshes to Erith.

As you can imagine it was along a riverway so the run was effectively flat all the way there and through some of the industrial wastegrounds of North Kent, in fact it was decribed at one point in the run as the Arse Wipe of Kent. Scenic in some ways but desolate in others. Never did I think I would say "George I am just going to get some shade behind those lorry carcasses"

I am being too hard on George, it was a great run, a real change from our usual Downs runs we take and showed us some new places around the locality I would not normally go.