My original blog was started to allow those interested to follow my progress as I trained for and finally competed in the 2014 MDS. I have no idea how many people, if any, will be interested in just listening to me rambling on about my post-MDS running but I'll carry on for a while and see if I have anyone is still reading.
So what have I been doing post-MDS? Well it certainly didn't put me off running! Before I went away it was all rather muddy and grey in the UK and the desert appeared to be largely shades of sand so it was quite overwhelming to be running in the UK through fields of green and yellow oilseed rape and through woods full of bluebells. My first few runs were just for the pure enjoyment of the English countryside, and for the enjoyment of not returning covered in it as I was doing pre-MDS, however things were soon to change...
I had abandoned Parkrun about six months before the MDS, partly because it didn't fit with my long weekend runs but mainly because I stopped any sort of speedwork in favour of endurance - which is my excuse for being a bit lazy really.
Anyway I was still following Parkrun on Facebook and so when I saw that they were having a 'Bring your Bling' day I naturally couldn't resist the opportunity to show off my MDS medal and t-shirt. My medal and t-shirt drew many admiring glances and comments as well as co-starring in the weeks run report. However what was particularly good was that my co-star was Ian Brazier, who some of you may remember first entered my blog as 'tent man' on my very first Ultra, the excellent Saltmarsh 75 and more recently as one of the tail runners on my last ultra before the MDS, the equally good St. Peter's Way Ultra. Ian had already managed to collect 5 medals in 2014 before the end of April and so was 'quantity' to my 'quality' - as the run report put it anyway.
After thoroughly enjoying my return to running and discovering I could still run at a reasonable pace I came across a link to the 'Halstead and Essex Marathon' - probably on Facebook, I don't remember. What I do remember was thinking that the medal looked particularly cool and I would like one - so I did the only logical thing and entered the event, after all I still had over a week and a half to prepare for it - what could possibly go wrong? I had entered the Chelmsford Marathon and the ballot for the London Marathon a week earlier so road marathons still figured in my plans even though my main focus was still on what the next big ultra challenge was to be - I have an idea...
A new PB at Parkrun thanks to a 'Pacer Day' event started to make me think I might even be able to get a new PB at Halstead, after all it was nearly two years since I'd run a road marathon and I'd done an awful lot of training since then, could I get a sub 3 hours 30 minute time this time? What I really wanted was a sub 3:20 time so I could go straight into the London Marathon with a 'Good For Age' time but that was a little optimistic, especially as Halstead was, by all accounts, a very pretty but not particularly fast course.
Before we finally get to the marathon I should mention Run1000. Run1000 is a particularly excellent Facebook group whose members are all trying to run 1000 miles (or kilometres) in 2014. The group provides encouragement and a monthly log of everyone's miles. In return the page owner hopes that everyone will donate a penny per mile run to St. Elizabeth's Hospice. I've had a lot of support for my MDS training from people in this group and have made some friends so I'm quite happy to support the chosen charity. The reason I mention it here is because 23.7 miles into the marathon, somewhere around water station 5 on the second loop I would break the 1000 mile barrier for 2014.
Of course all this getting the medal and breaking 1000 miles malarkey was assuming I'd actually finish the event. Phase One, finding the start, was accomplished very easily due to copious signs and marshals directing us. The instructions said that parking was less than one minutes walk from the start, so why was it about half a mile from the leisure centre (the start) to the car park? The answer was that a) it only seemed that far and b) we'd actually gone round and back on ourselves so that when we took the footpath out of the car park we were indeed directly opposite the leisure centre. When I say 'we' I mean myself and my ever supportive crew, Sharon - who had driven me to the start and was planning on cheering me on through the run.
I collected my number and chip, attached both to myself and made my way to the start, where I met Mr Brazier, intent on collecting medal number 6. We set off almost spot-on 10 'o' clock out into the lanes of North Essex.
The first few hundred yards seemed a little congested but things quickly settled down, the rain had more or less stopped and I settled down to what I hoped would be a comfortable pace for the next 26.2 miles. After a couple of miles everything seemed to be going well and a sub 3:30 marathon looked distinctly possible. Half a mile later my left hamstring put in an informal complaint about the idea of running a marathon and made it quite clear it wasn't at all impressed and furthermore would not let the matter drop. I stopped for a bit of a stretch, told my hamstring to shut up, and carried on. I was in some discomfort but I was still able to run at a reasonable pace and still felt that sub 3:30 was viable.
The organisation of the Halstead and Essex Marathon was quite excellent, not just for the runners but also the spectators. Parking and tea was available to spectators at a point where the runners would pass four times. Sharon had made for that point and was there to cheer me on for the first time just over four miles into the race. The support in this area was brilliant but what was particularly surprising was the level of support all round the course. The marshals were extremely enthusiastic and supportive as were all the spectators. I was wearing my CRUK running vest with my name on the front and received a lot of encouragement all through the race. Given that most of the race was through country lanes and the weather wasn't the best, the level of support was especially impressive.
The rain had definitely stopped and, whilst the wind was very strong, it wasn't as much of an issue as I had feared it might be. By now I had run over 11 miles and passed the main cheering point for the second time. I high-fived Sharon on the way past and carried on. My hamstring wasn't getting any better but it wasn't getting significantly worse and at the half way point I looked to be on for a time of a little under 3 hours 30 minutes.
At around fourteen and three quarter miles I started the second lap. ordinarily I don't like doing multiple laps but as I didn't know the area and it wasn't simply a return to the start/finish point and out for another lap it didn't really feel too much like doing the same thing again. Even the third pass of the main cheering point just before 16 miles didn't seem too repetitive and this time Sharon had the camera out so I had to pose as I ran past.
All was well until I reached 19.5 miles. At this point my hamstring obviously got fed up with being ignored and put in a formal complaint in writing. I had just over 4 miles to reach my 1000 mile target and less than 7 to the finish so while ever I could keep moving I wasn't going to give up and thanked my hamstring for its communication and explained that I would deal with it later - after I'd finished. I continued running but at a significantly reduced pace and realised a sub 3:30 was probably not going to happen now.
However it wasn't all bad news. I had previously not stopped to take advantage of any of the jelly babies - and in one particularly delicious case, Jaffa cakes - that were on offer at various points, preferring instead to speed past and rely on my own much less appetizing gels. However as I wasn't going to get a PB I might as well enjoy the goodies that were available.
I passed Sharon for the last time at just after 23 miles and as predicted reached 1000 miles at the next water station. By now limping was figuring quite heavily in my repertoire, this seemed to make the marshals even more supportive , urging me on to finish. Less than a mile from the finish the route went off-road for a short while. This seemed to slow a few people down as I hopped past about three people on this section. I gritted my teeth, ignored my hamstring and made my customary 'sprint' finish. My view is that if people have waited over 3 and a half hours to see me finish they deserve to see a bit of effort.
I collected one of the best medals I've seen and a goody bag containing - amongst other things - a very pink t-shirt and a bottle of commemorative beer. I finished in 3 hours 36 minutes and 16 seconds, 1 minute and 1 second over my PB. I think it says a lot about how my expectations have changed in the last two years that I was slightly disappointed with that, however it wasn't bad all things considered and most importantly I had really enjoyed the event. Whilst waiting for Sharon to pick me up from the finish (as I said before it wasn't very far to the car but I pleaded injury) I saw Ian finish to collect yet another medal.
The organisers, marshals and supporters all deserve a massive vote of thanks for making my first road marathon for two years such an enjoyable event. I fully intend to be back for next year regardless of what the medal looks like!
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