Second time of trying for the first 10 mile of the year! Lets see how this goes. Bims has chickened out of the whole 10k......well, to be fair she has only just started back with her running, and last weeks 8.5 miles was a tough one for her! So today she was going to meet me at Normans Park, along with WendiMoo.
As for me and Mariana, we are ready to take on the big double number route! When I saw Mariana outside in her car I went outside ready to do battle with the elements! Ok, so it was quite a nice afternoon, for a January, considering 3 years ago there was snow on the ground!
The satellites found our watches and we were off. Down the ally to Turn-around-lamppost! WendiMoo had text me before we left that she was feeling energetic and would run from hers down the A21 to meet us as we ran up to her. Then we were continue to run to Normans Park where hopefully Bims would be just arriving.
It all went really well, when I say 'well' I mean, ok ish. Bims wasn't at the park, we had got there before her. I stood for just a couple of minutes, but then suggested we run towards Bromley and meet up with her, and then we can run back to the park.
Eventually all together, she was just a couple of minutes behind schedule, we ran through the park, and then up Hayes lane towards Bromley. I was feeling it this afternoon, the coughing malarkey had started to affect my chest, but only just a little bit, not enough that would keep me from running. I am beginning to think.......no.....I am confirming the fact that I am totally crazy! Who, at my age, after only 4 years running experience would again put their name down for the London Marathon! ME! Thanks who!
But after four years being in a fantastic running club then I know that runners, marathon runners, ultra marathon runners and triathletes are really very special people indeed! To keep just getting up and out, every morning or evening, come rain or shine, or warm or cold, we do it. We complain about it, but we keep coming back. We complain about those hills, I tend to turn the air blue when running up hills, but secretly feeling bloody pleased that you got up a particular hill in one go! Yes, a peculiar breed of humanity, that's what a runner is!
Talking of hills, there is a slight incline going back up to the A21, and I was not liking it! WendiMoo amazes me, she chats away as she runs along...even up hills "Aaaa, stop moaning and get on with it" she says to me. It made me smile and help me on the way up that blooming incline!
Just at the top of the road a motor bike came around the corner spewing its exhaust out just as WendiMoo took a deep breath in, I also was breathing pretty heavily coming up the incline and took a lungfull of the shit down too!
I pretty much jogged, nice and easy from this point. I could see that WendiMoo and Mariana had pretty strong legs, and I think if I kept side by side to either one, at this point, then they would be going just a tad faster than I could manage! We ran along, away from Bromley, and then turned left into Addison Road. I was looking forward to the next park. Fresh clean air, no exhaust fumes to suck up.
Once we got through the park we headed up towards Bickley. Bims will be going her own from here and the rest of us will be going over the road and up Oldfield road. I was really feeling it now and we still were only half way through. WendiMoo and Marianna looked as fresh as daisies! How? I don't get it!
Now is when I start beating myself up! "Why can't I look as fresh as these, why can't I at least have a pretence of looking like I am a 'proper' athlete?" The answers come back, 'They're younger' Well WendiMoo is my age, that isn't it. 'They're fitter than you' It could be, but again, I don't think so. So they only answer that made me feel good is 'They're taller than you, they have long legs" Now that one fits well! My legs are going ten to the dozen just plodding along keeping up with them while they just 'gazelled' along. Yup, that did it, that helped me not to beat me up!
We soon got to Jubilee Park, with the run/walk method, because that is how I planned my run again, run for a mile and then walk for 1 minute. Although by this stage the minute seemed to go on for just a tad further. Also I seemed to be looking at my Garmin every half mile now, just like last week. My legs just know when I have ran for half a mile now!
From this point I ran for as much as I can until the 1 mile mark, if I walked within that mile then that was ok, but I still took that walking break when the mile came up! It's a tough thing to run for 10 miles, It's a tough thing to run for half a marathon, and as for running a marathon well, it's idiotic! But, I am really looking forward to it! Strange, strange lady that I am!
When we got through Jubilee park I was really tempted to go home via Tent Pent Lane. But a plan is a plan. And my plan is to go over the bridge and then onto Willet Rec. That was tough, it just looked so tempting, so tempting. But on the marathon, there is no short cuts! On wards and upwards, well downwards really, as we turned left down Great Thrift.
This is the moment that I think nutrition and hydration needs to come into play. Next week I will be running with my belt and water, and dextrose. That is what I shall be running the race! I may even by jelly babies, I love jelly babies! Yes, sweeties, that's going to the the answer.
It was good going through the rec because now I can finally visualise getting home. Just down Southborough Lane, that's all there is left to do, Southborough to the Havester and then back through the park! Simples. We seemed to have picked up a bit of 'running zone' as we ran down there, I guess the down helped quite a bit.
Wendimoo left us at the Harvester to continue her run home to Bromley Common. Me and Mariana turned left to go through the park. I looked at my Garmin, there is no way we are going to make 10 miles, there was only about half a mile to go. "Do you want to cut it short and go straight back to mine, or do you want to go the longer way?" I asked Mariana. Well, as I said she was totally looking relaxed, it seemed to be very easy for her, and I think she will very well be signing up for a half! Mariana chose the long way!
We turned left when we got onto Whitebeam! Heading away from my home! Secretly I was pleased. I know if I was by myself I would have gone the shorter way, but here I was going away from my home again! Not sticking to the planned route, yet sticking to the planned distance! I can work with that. It was tough running away from the end, but I just thought "Every step from now is a step closer to home"
Finally on to Faringdon avenue, just a little further down the 9 mile bleeped. I took my walk, I don't usually walk on this road, but I wanted to walk now. The minute had gone and we started running again, all the way now, there is no more stopping.
We got onto my road and there was still another half mile to do to make the 10 miles. I just couldn't do it, I couldn't go right past my house. Mariana still had some more in her legs! She carried on, I went into my house and grabbed a drink and a banana! I sat down after my stretches and then said "Darn it, I should have done the extra half mile" Oh well, there is always next week!
Picture with kind permission from the Runningbug!
Geeky stats.
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