Recover, re-focus - retrain?

Six days now until Stage 2 >> Worms Head !
As you can see from the picture the place deserves it's name. I'm not running around that bit, but past it on the mainland and it looks set to be another scenery packed marathon.

So what have I been up since the last race ? Hmm well, it's been a difficult four weeks as the first week I was literally shot to bits and couldn't walk properly until about Tuesday. I then went to Guernsey and managed three runs with the longest 1 hour on the coastal path. I also got the bike out and did some gently cycling.
Second week, I went to the Isle of Wight and got a run in there, another 1 hour, and a few at home but mainly 4/5 milers. This week I managed a few more longer sessions culminating in a 2 hour run on the Coastal Path to Porthcothan. So nothing massive, and not nearly as much as I was doing in the build up, but then again this is slightly different. I'm trying to sustain the fitness and not do myself further damage (the marathon is a damaging race !). Really I'm looking to fully recover. This week I will try and get a few more quality fat-burning type runs in and perhaps a long bike ride, then it's off to the Gower on Saturday. I'm planning to bring my initial pace right back as I definately 'bonked' on the last one (ran out of glycogen - or 'hit the wall'!!). This should keep me burning fat for more of the race and allow me to speed up towards the end ! Well that's the theory anyway - we'll see what happens - Next Post after Stage 2 >> Gower Peninsula !!!!!
See you then.

Dorset Race Report

There's a good article about the race, seems it wasn;t just me who thought it was tough !!

Here's the Race Report Link

Jurassic Coast - Aerial Pictures

Just had a great flight out to the Isle of Wight, so on the way I did a fly-by of the Dorset Marathon Area ! The scenery was instantly recognisable - check out the steps up to the coastguard lookout ....

Check out the scenery - I completely missed it...

Look at the beauty !

It's EnduranceLife Jim, but not as we know it....

It's been 48 hours since the race, and only now have I been able to put the experience into words - ExtraFantasicallyPainfulExhilaratingSteepMuddySlippyWindyTangFastic !!!

Ok I admit, I couldn't speak at the end. I admit I had to crawl up some sections which were so steep people were literally sliding back down. I admit that I was probably totally unprepared. I admit also it was a crazily optimistic to hope to try and do this as my FIRST EVER marathon. But I did it one way or another even though at times I started to whimper and cry with the agony of the last 6 miles, and I finished 29th out of a field of 119 in 4hours 32 mins. The winner (a cyborg from the future) came in 3hours 34mins.

Here is what I can remember from the day:

As we set off from the start line, I started a kind of sporting conversation with a runner. "Alright Mate? How's it going?, doing any of the others?"
"Well I'm planning to do all seven..."
"Nice one, me too, think it's going to be a bit of a challenge..?!"
"Well I'm doing them for training 'cos I'm running from London to Paris in May"
"Wow that sounds awesome that's got to be 300 Miles? At least you get a rest on the ferry he he"
"Nah mate, I'm running on a treadmill during the ferry crossing because Eurotunnel wouldn't let me through"

What?!?! Who are these crazy people ? he also told me he'd done two Marathons THAT WEEK and planned to do a DOUBLE IRONMAN 3 Months after his jaunt to Paris.

At this point I realised i was not at your local fun run.


After a couple of miles we hit the coastal path. From here on I remember gazing skyward at hundreds of steps many times. Running /sliding down narrow singletrack and people 'wiping out' around me. Running across a farmers field which clagged up my shoes so much they felt like they were encased in depleted Uranium (very heavy).

I remember eating TangFastics at every refreshment stop (kiddies sweets !). I vaguely recall the sun breaking through the clouds and stripping off my waterproofs at the 15 mile point and seeing the lighthouse on the horizon which was the 20 mile point which seemed to never, ever get any closer.

I remember taking my Zippy cuddly toy out of my backpack on waving to the people at the finish saying "I've got the Z factor!!" with a crazed grin to innocent spectators. The effect of this race on the human body can not possibly be understood by medical science. The course was a full 26.2 miles and information from a runner who had to abandon at the 20 mile checkpoint had already clocked 1600 Metres ascent up to that point on his GPS.

I remember saying "no more - never" - but.....

... now I've recovered ....

bring on the Gower - I'm still coming !!!!!!!!

Coastal Trail Series Stage >> 1 8/11/08 Dorset Marathon. RESULTS 2009

Welcome to the Caernarfon Olympic Village...

So, what better way to prepare for a Marathon than to get posted to Caernarfon for two days. The fresh mountain air, ideal for an easy jog in the final week of training. Unfortunately, the freshly vomit stained pavements (only half past five as well) and indiginous chav popualtion letting fireworks off in the street made it safer to stay within the confines of the Hotel rather like a foreign worker posted to war-torn Nigeria. Besides, I left my new trainers in the back of the helicopter - doh.

Ah well, it was probably a blessing in disguise, as I would probably have had an embarrassing treadmill accident in the hotel gym (tripping up and getting my underpants
caught in the conveyor belt - that's the kind of thing that happens to me in hotels). I did however have secreted in my travel bag, a pair of SPEEDOS so spent a happy hour swimming in the hotel pool which was nice and relaxing. Well, that's what I'm counting as training this week, so there.

So that's it. Might just go for a quick 2 mile jaunt before tea, then back to the "Eygyptian PT" - lying on the sofa watching telly. It's all about recovery this week, or so they tell me. Just hope they're right !