Nine Twitten Runs done. I might just leave the write up at that ... but actually deserves more. Legs this morning felt OK, except when I tried going upstairs.
The Twittens loop (up and down 12 hilly alleyways in Lewes) involves around 420 feet of climb. So nine lots is akin to a run up Snowden plus some more. The "marathon in a day" idea is to complete the distance in whatever way you wish over 24 hours on this weekend. A friend had come up with this idea as a way to raise awareness about mental health issues and to help people for whom a marathon all in one go might be too much. With other Twitten runners I had often talked about doing a Twitten half - so this seemed too good an opportunity to pass up.
I set times from 1pm Saturday onwards - for five runs through to 8pm. And then four more on the Sunday morning from 7.30am, with the last to start at noon. I reckoned each would take 35-40 mins - following the Twitten rules of run up, jog down and walk in between. Helpfully others said they would accompany me on some of the runs - though I expected to do some solo.
The first at 1pm saw Duncan (CC5) and Nick Williams and my partner Paula enthusiastically starting off at good pace - and unsurprisingly this was the quickest of the nine at just over 35 mins. I was feeling quite bouncy and as we had finished post loop coffee by 2pm, I posited that 90 min intervals might be too long. But 2.30pm came and we launched off again minus Nick, but with same enthusiasm.
Running Saturday pm introduced new challenges since the High Street at the top of the Twittens was now overrun with shoppers, tourists and the occasional wedding party, hazards usually entirely absent on a Sunday morning. But that one also put to bed in just under 36 mins.
Our 4pm run was due to see Tom Roper - Moyleman Chief of Marshals - join us since his usual parkrun plans had gone awry earlier. We used the gap to take in a Lewes Artwave show and rehydrate at Ground Coffee once more. This would turn out to be the slowest of the set at just over 42 mins - since Tom by his own admission is not a hill sprinter. Duncan (completing his third) and I were very thankful.
Another photo done at the bottom of Keere Street (midway point on the run) as is tradition and one-third of the run done. Each pic was posted on twitter as the run was completed - and the @marathoninaday was busy retweeting this and others' runs, so there was a great feeling of togetherness across the country.
False confidence instilled, there was now a longer break until 6:30pm - created inadvertently in my planning by my failure to be able to count reliably in 90 min intervals. This enabled a dip in the Pells outdoor pool - with the cool spring water providing welcome relief to muscles. Some food and water back home, a bit of foam rolling on calves and quads, and we were ready for number 4.
Experienced Twitten runner and always speediest up Keere Street, David Stacey would be along for this after his own Artwave exhibition. Paula switching in for her third. As we headed up the first - Broomans Lane - a person ahead started heckling (pubs out early we thought) but it turned out to be another Moyleman/Twitten Runner Brian Courage along for the run.
Keeping to a steady pace we clocked 38 mins and adjourned to the Lansdown Arms for a pint. This pint (local brewery Longman and their delicious APA) turned out to be a psychologically and physically wise relaxation approach. Three sweaty runners did occasion crowd interest as we explained to various groups of drinkers what we were doing.
By 7:40 we were ready to push on - and throwing out the scheduled 8pm we cracked on with the fifth of the day. My recollection of this now is a bit hazy, but the stats tell me we took only 15s more than for the 6:30pm trot. Homewards with thanks to all runners - for pasta and a glass of wine. The first in the morning had been pushed back to 8am to avoid standing round in the cold between runs.
And 8am swung around - with legs slightly sore but much less than I feared. Duncan was back for more - as was Brian, this time with his daughter Edie. This one was another 36 min effort with cool morning conditions. Ground Coffee was just opening up - and a quick espresso then it was 9am and time for the official Twitten run for the weekend.
David Stacey returned and this would also mean Duncan completing a half marathon of Twittens with his fifth of the weekend (half being bottom of Keere Street). And suddenly there was James McCauley - who has done almost as many Twitten Runs as anyone and is the eponymous creator of the McCauley Stretch at the bottom of Keere Street.
And this seventh run was where the wheels began to fall off for me. All the pics half way round show smiling faces - and that's a good thing since it's because the second half, kicking off with steep and long Keere Street is arguably the harder direction. The third and fourth runs had involved a little calf strain - but I had always felt strong on the ups. This time, as I toiled up the third or fourth uphill my legs felt dead and energy levels at zero. My last two uphills are usually my best, but they were unyielding - and only the kindness of others not wanting to pass me meant I didn't trail in dead last I think.
We made it back to the usual Ground Coffee finish point in just under 40 mins. Paula tells me as she arrived to support for the 10.30 run, I looked dead beat. Indeed the pic taken here on this blog is taken by Rick Curtis - owner of Ground and excellent distance runner himself (top 10 Moyleman finisher) - shows me firmly seated albeit with smile on my face.
We walked the short trip into the centre of Lewes to stretch legs and buy some stationery item which was needed (unrelated to the run) - and then decided to kick off early before legs seized up.
This one - the eight of nine - was tough, but with just two of us there was no hanging around. We plodded on and this time we were just over 40 mins. This for Paula was now her own half marathon done.
But I could see the last run reaching 45+ if this 8th was anything to go by. A quick trip home for more foam rolling/massage - and I was now very thankful of the 90 minute gaps between runs.
Noon arrived and Mary-Louise, who sadly didn't have spare time to run, popped up from her house opposite Ground and did an impromptu video interview of me on twitter as we ran up the first twitten. James McCauley had snapped me too, so with this boost of the last run we pressed on.
As we breached the top of Keere Street for the last time and my legs didn't completely give up, I realised I would now indeed complete the run within 24 hours. And it was quite a thing to have done.
Duncan (CC5) magically reappeared outside Ground Coffee on the final stretch and we three ran the last four twittens together. For me this was as much about camaraderie, support and the mad enthusiasm of running this odd set of lanes in Lewes as it was completing the marathon distance.
I may well have forgotten lots of things that happened, but that's my best recollection now 24 hours on from the 24 hours that were my Twitten Run Marathon in a Day. Thanks to all and every one in person and online on twitter (especially Sweder who was work bound in Singapore) who supported this venture. Let us never speak of it again.
Now, about the 2018 Twitten Run Marathon in a Day plans ...
RE: Marathon in a day