It's been a while...

I've been busy!

Luckily including busy running. Fairly normal service will resume I'm sure.

Now, what this about, could be many things, but for now I'll stick to... cross country!

I'm a lousy trail runner, I've said this many times before, so by extension I'm a pretty lousy XC runner. I'm not great on tarmac either, but getting better...

However, as a part of my club I've been running in the Gwent Cross Country league. Dragging my oversized gut through mud in several very nice locations.

Firstly was to our fair capital city, Cardiff, in particular Llandaff Fields. I didn't really know what to expect, I thought the standard would be monstrously high and I was right. Regardless, I strapped on my new-from-ebay spikes and off I went. It was tough, very tough but I ran quite well and it was over before I really realised. It was fun! Now my score was counting towards the Aberdare D (maybe Even E?) team, so I wasn't setting the world alight. But it was a start.

Next it was on to Brecon and much tougher heavy conditions, however I improved my finish place by quite a few places (less people there maybe) and was lapped by Dewi Griffiths...



Didn't run so well after a busy schedule really but it was ok. Tough but good day in the office.

Finally (more to come) was a longish drive to Pembrey Country Park, and by far the best conditions so far. Sandy climbs weren't the easiest but I got my highest placing to date, which is the kind of progression I can track. Wasn't feeling 100% well either so, all good!



The moral of the story I suppose is, try something new, you may enjoy it.

With that in mind, my 2018 races will hopefully include my first Ultra... only slightly further than a marathon, but baby steps.

Race report - Great Welsh Marathon

Now I've taken a couple of days to mull this one over...

Did I enjoy this? Yes and no, things went against me on course, diabetic hypo, which lead to a few stomach cramps and an emergency... comfort break at mile 16/17ish which left me somewhat drained. After that I couldn't get going again and my resultant poor running form ended up giving me some quite bad hip pain.

Up until then I'd been solid, slightly (3/4 mins) to fast over the first lap (we'll come to that) but regulated my pace onto the second to just about 9 a mile, even while quaffing jelly babies to keep my sugars up.

The first half marathon was solid in around 1:50, at which point I felt fresh as a daisy, but then, well check my splits!

The course was scenic enough (except for an industrial estate, but you always get something like that) but 2 laps. Now I didn't think that laps would bother me. I thought wrong. As soon as I got onto the second lap I suffered mentally, shortly after the shakes started, I'm confident they're not connected but the timing... As a half marathon this would be outstanding but the retread of the same area twice means I don't think I could recommend the full race.

Also running with the half runners the first lap was odd, as obviously very different pacing going on, and it also made the 2nd lap feel, empty, at the time where most runners need that extra energy around!

So how did I do? Targets were:

Baseline:
Not bother the nice St Johns people too much... (finish)



Achievable:
4:20:00 (9:55 min/ml)



Would be nice, but maybe beyond me this time:
4:05:00 (9:21 min/ml)


and I did:



My actual time was 4:15, due to the aforementioned reasons... watch stops when I do!

The rewards were a very nice medal and possibly the nicest running shirt I now own. Thing is beautiful and deserves to be on a better runner than me!

Overall, I didn't deserve better for the prep I'd done. But on course I felt I could have done if all was well. Mixed feelings bordering on disappointment and keen to do another, looking at Tenby in a couple of months... work hard and I'll get better results.

Be the Treforest 10k next out though end of the month.

Edit!

A note to the marshal I rushed past when he was trying to give me a gel. Toilet was calling. Leaving the gel and water outside the loo  for me when I come out was a genuine nice act. You deserve my medal more than me! 

Tired...

I like to think when I run etc I give it 100%. Maybe this isn't always the future, after a busy weekend with a 12 mile 8 min/mile run and a 5k PB, I'm tired.

Come gym time today the legs were heavy and the heart wasn't in it. So I took the rest day.

I can live with that,  got a massive 6 days til my longest race of the year (still only a half I suppose) and if I turn up there still tired, I'm going to have a very long day ahead.

On the plus side my Run Britain handicap has continued it's downward trend, now reaching the all time low (in a good way) of 12.2. Apparently to better this further on the weekend I'll have to set a comfortable new half marathon PB (Currently 1:50:50 on an easier course).

Maybe next race hey!

I'm off to contemplate if I should renew my Running Club membership for another year. Massive benefits... tight financial time, so it may have a month or two off... We'll see...