Nudging towards Eridge

[OutAlongTheRiver]

Feeling the need for another target run - and having failed to actually blog post on the Round Sheffield Run [NB that's their facebook page] - I hope to redeem myself with the Eridge 10. A muddy ten miler trail run in the grounds of some large country hall or other. Tom Roper (of Moyleman, Seaford Striders etc) planted the seed of the idea by entering in the first place. It's on 10 September, so I need to get back into more 15K plus runs and possible one fewer beer per crafty Thursday at the Elly.

I should also - by way of making commitments public and thereby having additional incentive to achieve them (see Nudge Theory) - say that I aim over summer to break my parkrun PB. Since I set the PB with my very first parkrun in December 2013, in a way I have been attempting to break it in (in a way) in the subsequent 25 runs ... But now I've actually said it's an aim. Let's see what happens.

And finally, let me recommend The Art of Running Faster by Julian Goater. Not that it's actually made me run faster. But it's got interesting things to say on how you can try to.

[marathondan]

Nudge nudge, say no more.

Actually do say more (when there is more to say) - this public commitment thing is very powerful.

Good luck!

[Charliecat5]

Nudge nudge, say no more.

Actually do say more (when there is more to say) - this public commitment thing is very powerful.

Good luck!

This public commitment thing is a complete pain in the arse.  I read OATR's post this morning when I was clearly feeling somewhat vulnerable and easily impressed.   I've only gone and entered the stupid thing.

[OutAlongTheRiver]

Ha! Glad to see this.

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

Nudge nudge, say no more.

Actually do say more (when there is more to say) - this public commitment thing is very powerful.

Good luck!

This public commitment thing is a complete pain in the arse.  I read OATR's post this morning when I was clearly feeling somewhat vulnerable and easily impressed.   I've only gone and entered the stupid thing.

Hah! This will be interesting.

[OutAlongTheRiver]

So the battle was joined and we fought our way round the estates of the landed gentry of Eridge (prop. Marquess of Abergavenny). 

   

And their promotional boast that this was deeply steep and seriously muddy was no lie. Over 1000ft of gain over the 10 miles, and bogs and streams and leaps to avoid plunging into said bogs and streams. And climbs where everyone was reduced to a walk. Then a finish along what seemed like a mile-long length of mud track. Oh, plus weather which turned from bright sun to torrents of driving rain (albeit the faster finishers were back before this hit).

Some 400 runners in the pack - and this included the four of us, Tom Roper, CC5, David Stacey and myself. Inspired as above by nothing more than the need to go out and run something.

I won't recount every twist and turn, every mile run and stream crossed. Not least because looking at the map even with satellite I can't actually remember much of it. I think that's because it's a route you would never take, unless you were looking to try to fit a 10 mile run in over grassland and forest. (In contrast, the Moyleman actually takes in routes you'd take to go from point A to point B so it makes sense to the mind as you recall it.)

But key elements for me were:
- not heading out too fast at the start, even though it was temptingly downhill - which I welcomed later
- managing to cope with running through and over mud (which I had told myself I would not like at all)
- finding myself keeping going uphill while others walked (which is pure twitten run training, especially from last week's niner: your legs just keep going almost of their own volition)
- not giving a damn what my pace said, even though unlike Duncan I did keep my watch on for the stats
- enjoying the pint and cake at the end.

This is a run I would recommend.

It's not a run I would seek to do again in a hurry.

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

This is a run I would recommend.

It's not a run I would seek to do again in a hurry.

Yes, it's always good to know other people are as mad as ourselves. More seriously, though, some races are just good to do once so you can add them to your body of experience.

Strangely, however, these mongrel, brutish races do seem to lure you back just as soon as the bad memories have faded a little. You know how it goes: one night in the pub, someone like CC5 will get thoroughly muntered and suggest doing "that" race again; and flush with the enthusiasm that comes positively reinforced by the good memories (the bad ones being pissed and laying comatose somewhere in the background), you agree, and next thing you know, you're committed.

I use the word advisedly.

That aside, a great effort, and thanks for the quick write-up.

[Charliecat5]

This is a run I would recommend.

It's not a run I would seek to do again in a hurry.

Yes, it's always good to know other people are as mad as ourselves. More seriously, though, some races are just good to do once so you can add them to your body of experience.

Strangely, however, these mongrel, brutish races do seem to lure you back just as soon as the bad memories have faded a little. You know how it goes: one night in the pub, someone like CC5 will get thoroughly muntered and suggest doing "that" race again; and flush with the enthusiasm that comes positively reinforced by the good memories (the bad ones being pissed and laying comatose somewhere in the background), you agree, and next thing you know, you're committed.

I use the word advisedly.

That aside, a great effort, and thanks for the quick write-up.

Hey, I cannot be blamed for this particular run.  The blame falls firmly at the feet of Mr Roper.  

I like the way that Rob ran the first part of the race at a steady pace.  I kept up with him for the first mile, I can't pretend it was a steady pace in my dark little world.   The man is running particularly well at the moment.   I'm not.

[The Beast of Bevendean]

My high-repented blames,
Dear sovereign, pardon to me.