March roars in like a lion

[Charliecat5]

Bloody Safety Pins

I ain’t been running much of late.  And what running I have been doing has been dogged by a sore hammy, shin splints and blisters.  All of which I think are related.

I need to get back to it… re-ignite the mojo… get back into the swing of things.  So I went track running with the herd tonight.
 
But let’s back up a bit… earlier in the day we realised that we hadn’t got any safety pins to pin the Moyleman numbers on the Moyleman runners, so I volunteered Mrs CC5 to source said items.  It proved to be quite a challenging task, as our local shops don’t stock the numbers we were after.  However, following a cleverly placed tweet my problem was solved by the running club.  On arrival this evening the Chairman presented me with a box of 2,000.  Yippee.

However, this presentation took place just as tonight's leader was explaining the evening’s fun.  Minutes later, our esteemed leader called out my name and enquired which group I was meant to be.  I panicked and mumbled: “yours Sir”.  “Come on then” he barked, and we were off.

Tonight was a series of 500 metre circuits – 400 at an even pace, followed by a 100 metre sprint.  Two circuits in and I had a major rebellion on my hands from pretty much every part of my body.  So I decided to enquire which group I was actually in.  “2b” was the reply.

“Arse” said I… I usually run in 3b.  No wonder I was in pain.  I did manage another circuit before I took the sensible decision and dropped down a group.  Only one mind… I was still in 3a which is still a group above normal.   10 bloody tough circuits.  However, whilst I was buggered, and whilst my hammy was moaning a little, overall I felt ok.

I think my mojo is back.

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

Crikey, that's a helluva way to restore your mojo. I hate to think what you do to yourself when you really want to get motivated!

[Charliecat5]

Crikey, that's a helluva way to restore your mojo. I hate to think what you do to yourself when you really want to get motivated!

Remember, I made the fatal error in choosing* BGG as my running mentor... and as a consequence subscribe to the: "fu*k it, just do it" philosophy of running.  

*I say choose... I don't actually remember how that happened. 

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

Crikey, that's a helluva way to restore your mojo. I hate to think what you do to yourself when you really want to get motivated!

Remember, I made the fatal error in choosing* BGG as my running mentor... and as a consequence subscribe to the: "fu*k it, just do it" philosophy of running.  

*I say choose... I don't actually remember how that happened. 

I do remember, as I just happened to be there at the time (Con Club in Lewes, 2013). He had you in a vicious vice-like grip at the bar, pouring Harveys down your throat. I don't recall seeing any struggle. He must have had you hypnotised. Or maybe it was the beer.

Yeah, that was it. The beer.

[Charliecat5]

Guess what I did yesterday?   I helped organise the best bloody marathon in the whole bloody world, that's what!

It wasn’t as emotional as last year… having said that last year was REALLY emotional.  Last year I spent most of the afternoon blubbing as runner after runner came over the line.  This year was different.

Don’t get me wrong, it was still emotional, but this year my eyes didn’t leak as much.  The question I’ve been asking myself all day is why?  What was different?

I think the biggest reason is that I didn’t bike it this year… Whilst the biking is tough, really tough, it gives you more time to think… plus its knackering which itself makes you feel more emotional.

This year I didn’t have much time to think.   I was mobile, organising, chasing around, solving problems, doing stuff, making sure it all ran smoothly (with the rest of the team of course).

At 6am I was sorting our signs that had been torn down during the night.  At 7am I was liaising with our brilliant farmer who provides access under a very busy road.  At 7.30am I was at Harvey’s yard chatting to a lovely guy making sure the gate was open and that we had power, AND BEER.  At 8.00am I was at the school, opening up and getting things ready for registration.  At 8.30am I was chatting to the bikers confirming last minute arrangements.  At 8.45 we started registering runners and I was flat out taking names and dishing out numbers with our amazing time team.  At 9.00 I had my first coffee of the morning.  At 9.40 we had the runners briefing and then headed out to the start line.  At 9.55 I was having a little panic with the race director (aka Ash) because we had mislaid our time keeper – what a time to go to the bloody loo.  At 10.00 the first runners were off, at 10.15 the relay runners left.  OK, I had a little tear in my eye at this point.

Tears of a different sort came at 10.30 when I was cleaning the loos after the impact of what I can only describe as being 200 runners shedding a little weight before they set off.

At 11.00 I was out checking a tricky section of signage and having a lovely conversation with a lady in Glynde.  At 11.20 I was at the halfway point to watch the first runners come over this milestone (or finish/start in the case of the relay guys) and to sort out a particular issue that had arisen.

At 12.00 I was marshalling a critical turn whilst the ‘official marshals’ made their way to their second postings of the day (brilliant, brilliant people).  At 12.30 I met with Ash to grab the beer tokens which were still in his truck and needed to be at the finish.

At 13.00 I was at the finish line cheering the first runner over the line, cutting up beer tokens, pouring endless glasses of water, clapping, cheering, congratulating and trying not to blub as Brian and Cam came in.

At 15.00 Ash and I were on a mission to find another barrel of beer (we had run out – I KNOW) and succeeding through the awesome generosity of Harveys and the John Harvey Tavern.

   

At 16.00 we were starting to wind down with only a few last few runners out there.

At 16.30 the last runner was through along with the fantastic Mr Porter on the sweeper bike.

At 17.00 the yard was clear and we were heading home to drop stuff off.

At 17.10 we were in the pub raising a glass to a fantastic day and a fantastic team.

At 18.00 it was just me and the big man, chewing the fat, sipping a beer, reflecting on what an amazing thing we have achieved over the last three years.  All from a drunken conversation in the pub one evening.

At 18.05 we left the pub, hugged and went home… tears in our eyes. 

I am so unbelievably blown away by all the people who get involved and give their time and generosity for free.  All those people who do that extra mile without any fuss or any complaint... smiling all the way.   I cannot believe the thanks we get and the smiles, even from (and often in particular from) those who have fought their own demons to get around the course.

But best of all, I am so unbelievably grateful to do this with such a great bunch of friends.  Thank you all.  Now I am blubbing! 

[Sweder]

One year, soon, we have to run this, you know.

[The Beast of Bevendean]

One year, soon, we have to run this, you know.

Men of parts like yourselves could easily direct a marathon while running it. I've tried to think of something coherent to say about Sunday, but I can't find the words. Not sure in all my 61 years I've ever been involved in something quite so real and meaningful.

[Sweder]

One year, soon, we have to run this, you know.

Men of parts like yourselves could easily direct a marathon while running it. I've tried to think of something coherent to say about Sunday, but I can't find the words. Not sure in all my 61 years I've ever been involved in something quite so real and meaningful.

That right there says it for me, Tom. It's still sinking in to my befuddled noggin.

[Charliecat5]

So what about my own running?

Well it ain’t been brilliant, but it ain’t been too bad either.  In-between organising marathons and the usual work stuff, I have managed to get out a bit.

Following the track incident involving the safety pins, I headed out the Saturday before the Moyleman to mark out my section of the course.  In previous years I have biked this, but this year I was on my own two feet, running.  Having marked out from Bo-peep to Glynde, the only way home was over Caburn.  10 miles in the bag, albeit with quite a few stops to nail up Moyleman signs.

On Tuesday I headed out with the herd.  The evening’s entertainment was circuits.  Two intermediate groups headed out… one to run the fire station circuit (a mile circuit on the flat); the other to Houndean Rise which is a smaller circuit but involves a ‘nice little hill’.  I chose the latter.  A fairly sedate run out to the circuit along the south side of town lulled me into false sense of confidence.  As we turned into the Winterbourne, the runner I was running with - a lovely Moyleman runner - suddenly took off heading up the hill.  Bloody ‘ell, so I took off as well.  She had run the Moyleman two days previously… I hadn’t… and it was me struggling to keep up! 

We waited at the top for the others to catch up, she was chatting, and I was trying not to die. 

We then started the evenings exercise.  Tag running around a half-mile circuit.  And yes, you’ve guessed it, I was paired with the Moyleman runner girl.  I like tag running… you each set off in different directions and when you meet you tag and run back the way you came.  It’s good as it matches different runners of different abilities as you only have to run back the distance you ran out.

However, it is in my experience quite competitive, as you: a) want to run more of the circuit than your partner (particularly if you’re a bloke I find – we’re idiots like that); and b) you want to get back before them.  We only did two of these, but mixed in with a further three circuits running as a group, it was surprisingly demanding.

Then this morning was Twitten running… BBG is away, sunning himself in far off places, and as no one else is prepared to get up 45 minutes earlier and come out for a pre-twitten run with me (I have no idea why), I was on my own this morning… three miles around Sweder’s circuit before I joined the gang for the Twittens. 

It has been three weeks since I ran the Twittens and in that time I swear they have grown in length and elevation.  It was tough running this morning with David and Felix hot on my heels as we raced up the hills… no prisoners spared.  A couple of slower runners meant we had a reasonable rest at the top before heading down to do it again.  A coffee and a mile run home means that the last couple of weeks haven’t been that bad.  However, I do need to get out onto the hills and start racking up the miles.   People keep mentioning races to me… and at the moment whilst I’m doing all right with the sub-ten milers… I need to breakout and get some post-ten milers in the bag.
 
On another note, it is time to resurrect the beer/mile ratio (BMR).  I am happy to report that my BMR is somewhere in the region of 2:1… in favour of the beer.  MLCMM will approve.

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

BBG is away, sunning himself in far off places...

I am happy to report that my BMR is somewhere in the region of 2:1… in favour of the beer.  MLCMM will approve.

Sweder claims to be working, therefore you will have to fulfil his BMR for him as well as yours. Drink up!

[Charliecat5]

I had spent the week planing a 13 mile run today.

I woke up.

The weather is glorious.

I did some work, I bought three crates of beautiful IPA and 13 Easter Eggs.

I did a little gardening.

I didn't go running.

Pah.

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

Sorry, you are going to have to explain yourself. Thirteen Easter eggs??

[Charliecat5]

Sorry, you are going to have to explain yourself. Thirteen Easter eggs??

I don't have to explain myself to anyone.

THEY'RE MINE... ALL MINE... MY PRECIOUS LITTLE ONES...

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

Any left?

[Charliecat5]

Any left?

Nope.

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

Any left?

Nope.

Thought so.

[Charliecat5]

Well there’s a thing.  I dumped the running club this evening because I fancied running on the mud rather than pounding the pavement.  Whilst I might have lost an hours sleep ahead of the Twitten Run on Sunday (clocks went forward), I have gained day light in the evenings… which at last opens up evening runs over the Downs.

Also, for the first time in over a year, I fancied running with music.  Trouble is my iPod has died so I grabbed Small’s iPod… wacked it on shuffle… and left… I list the playlist below.  It was an interesting mix.

Next thing… really suffering from shin splints at the moment (well ‘shin splint’ to be honest – just on my left leg).  It was agony from approx. the first mile to the third.  Then it disappeared… well the pain subsided to a low throb.  This is really irritating me as the pattern has been the same for the last few runs.  I'm blaming tight calf muscles and embarked last night on a stretching regime. 

So the run: It rained… and it was very blowy.  My favourite conditions.  Blackcap was in a very moody mood.  A slow ascent given the shins, but I flew back over Mount Harry and into Lewes.  7 miles in the bank.

Sunday was a pre-twitten run (on my own (again)) and then the Twittens; a total of 7 miles... so not too shabby. 

I need to get the shin sorted and then embark on a programme to extend the miles.   After all, I have the Moyleman route to run... backwards apparently. 
 
Eels, Bombs Away
Matilda the Musical, Loud
Caro Emerald, Tell Me How Long
Crash Test Dummies, Untitled
Moby, Temptation
Eels, The Turnaround
Munford & Sons, Broken Crown
Amy MacDonald, Rock Bottom
Placebo, 20th Century Boy
Amy MacDonald, This is the Life
Moby, I Like It
Matilda the Musical, When I Grow Up
PSY, Gangnam Style
Amy McDonald, This Much is True
Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, I come in Please
Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, Child
Florence + The Machine, No Light, No Light
The Jamie Freeman Agreement, Key of Me
Munford and Sons, I will wait

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

There are few things in the world of running that I hate more than shin splints. Persistent, nasty buggers they are. I can only say "toe raises - thousands of them" as being the best exercise you can do to assist the demise of the injury. If that doesn't work, you're in the hands of the medicos.

Sometimes you can run through the bastards, sometimes you have to rest them. You'll have to work that out for yourself. But if you keep running and they don't get better, then they won't get better without lots of rest.

Good luck. I hope it doesn't take you as long to be rid of them as it did me... quite a few chapters of my book seems to be devoted to them. Hateful things. Hate hate hate.