Trails and tribulations... and the odd triumph!

Well, I believe that on marathon weary legs, after a disastrous Guernsey Marathon, I emphatically announced  that I was not doing any more long stuff until the new year and that my aim for the autumn season was to get back to enjoying my running by hitting the trails and reconnecting with what running should be about: moving freely through the great outdoors. I can happily announce that I have succeeded in these goals. I have thoroughly enjoyed the past few months which have been packed with some pleasing bonus performances over the 10k distance but have mostly been crammed with lots of fun, muddy and beautiful trail runs around the Devonshire countryside.

The off-road season got under way in September with the fun and fast Jurassic Coast 10k, where I was amazed to set a new female course record: was not expecting that at all! Then in October came one of the best running days out of the year with 24 Exmouth Harriers all hiring a mini-bus and heading to Somerset and Dorset for the Parrett Trail relays. This event covers a distance of 52 miles from Steart on the North Somerset coast, to Winyards Gap, in deepest Dorset - not too far from my old home in Sherborne, with the distance split into 6 legs of varied terrains and distances.

Team spirit really was the order of the day with the Harriers fielding 4 teams of 6 runners, each taking on one leg of the relay. Legs varied from 5.8m (the shortest) to 9.1 miles (the longest). Legs 1-4 were all totally flat, 5 had one major hill on it but the remainder was flat, and 6 was predominantly hill - so you can probably guess which one I ended up on?!

But given the choice, I would happily opt for leg 6 again. Yes, it was hilly, but it was so varied, with river-side tracks, boggy fields, rutted and ploughed fields, church yards, railway lines, waist-high grass, streams and country lanes to traverse. No chance of getting bored! Also, the entire route is self-navigated and there are only very few marshalls here and there for safety at the major A-road crossings, so you have to keep alert as it's easy to venture off the path, as many runners do every year! I completed my 8.9 mile hilly leg in a time of 1h11; fastest female on that leg but our women's team finished in 3rd place overall. Our men's team did retain their trophy though, so the mood on the minibus on the way home (for those that were still awake - it was a long day!) was upbeat!

Nearing the end of my 8.9m Parrett Trail relay leg, leg 6

As endings go to a race, this one is particularly sneaky as the hill keeps getting steeper the further up it you go!

I'd just been told by a spectator here that the finish (and the pub!) was just around the corner!

Next on the agenda, at the start of November, was the Templer 10. I did this race back in 2010 when I'd only been running for a couple of months and I really enjoyed it. I remember being utterly thrilled to place 4th then as they had prizes for the top 5 in this race. I was eager to see how much I had improved over the past couple of years and how much faster I could go this year... Well, that didn't quite happen as cue the most torrential wet summer and autumn in my living memory and the ground was totally saturated and the fields were swampy, boggy and churned to pieces.

The route for this race - which is in fact 9.7 miles, but that doesn't lead to punchy alliteration for the title - is 3 miles of roads, 4 miles of fields and a couple of miles of gravel paths around Stover country park. The road and paths sections were ok, but the fields were a quagmire and, in road shoes, I was slipping and sliding all over the place and just couldn't get traction to push the pace. My pace dropped by over a minute a mile in this section and this meant the difference between me beating my time from 2 years ago and not. In the end, I missed it by 15 seconds, but I can take comfort from that fact that if I'd had the ideal conditions of 2010, I would definitely have been faster. Bloody British weather! I did, however, improve my place from 4th to 1st, so I couldn't ask for any more than that.

The interesting thing is that I finished exactly 1 second behind a guy called Rupert Kempley from Dartmouth AC. Following his navy and amber strip around much of the course was giving me the most curious and vehement pangs of déjà vu: I had been in this position before. After this race I got my "scrap book" out (oy! no sniggering there. I have never sought to hide the fact that I am an outrageous running geek - I have my own blog for starters, so I was bound to keep a scrapbook!). Looking back over previous race results I found that this was the third occasion that I had crossed the line exactly 1 second behind this navy and yellow vested individual! He also features in a fair few of my race photos! At this week's Cockington Caper race, we actually acknowledged and introduced ourselves for the first time and it turns out that he had also become increasingly aware of my presence chasing him down at the finish of races. "It's like having a flaming stalker! I swear, I turn around on a daily basis now, half expecting to see you there, snapping at my heels!" Apparently his club mates now delight in informing him of my presence at races: "She's here, your nemesis"!! Anyway, we had a good laugh about it and apparently Rupert even reads my blog, so Rupert, I believe I promised that I'd give you a mention. You also feature in quite a few of my photos, as you are always just right there in front! But, at least it means we are both consistent and not getting any slower!

About to finish 1 second behind Rupert Kempley of Dartmouth AC at the Templer 10 race... and not for the first time!

Two weeks later and it was time for the Drogo 10. Starting and finishing at Castle Drogo, this is a truly stunning trail race in a spectacular setting, but it's brutally tough. There are 3 killer climbs over the 10 miles and other undulations in between, bringing the overall feet of climb to 1500ft: half the height of Mount Snowdon. The race starts with an insanely steep and technical descent down into the Teign Valley. I found that I would work hard on the climbs, digging in, breathing hard, arms pumping, and gain a few meters on the male runners around me, only for them to put the foot to the floor and overtake me again on the descents and regain the distance and more besides within seconds. It seemed so unfair that I was doing all the hard work and they were essentially just making better use of gravity and gaining the advantage! Downhill running, at speed, on uneven surfaces is definitely something I need to work on.

I knew that the talented Tavistock AC runner, Jo Meek, was on the start line for this one and so I never expected to win, but I was pleased to get within less than 2 minutes of her over the 10 miles as last year she had a 4 minute advantage over me at the Haytor Heller race over just 6 miles, so I must be improving. I was very happy to take 2nd spot to her and even happier for my Harries team mate, Hannah Bown, to get third and for us and Hannah's sister, Emma, to claim the top female team prize. Victories are always great, but nothing puts you quite on the same high as a victory shared with team members. Also, I managed to beat that Kempley fellow (!!) by 30 seconds - the first time I have finished in front of him and not chased him in to the line!

We were very lucky with the weather for the Drogo: a perfectly cold, crisp, sunny autumnal day; ideal for trail racing! 

About 500m from the finish, having just climbed the gruelling 'Hunter's Path Hill' at the Drogo 10

The last trail race of the season was the 7.25 mile Cockington Caper. Although almost 3 miles shorter than the Drogo, the overall distance climbed is in fact more: 1600ft in total. This race is pretty relentless. With the Drogo, there are 3 main climbs but the bits in between are fairly flat. At Cockington you are either going up a hill or coming down the other side of it; there's only one short section between miles 5 and 6 along the river bank that is flat(ish). 

I did this race last year as my first comeback race after being off sick for a couple of months (won't go into details again, but basically landed myself in hospital with a severe kidney infection after running the Snowdonia Marathon on antibiotics for a water infection... not my finest call). After I was discharged I was off work and at home recuperating for 2 weeks but it took a good month for me to finally feel 'right' again. So, going into Cockington, I knew I had lost fitness, so I was shocked to find myself leading the race from the outset, particularly so as it was a quality field with Wendy Urban and Lucy Commander on the start line. I lead until mile 7 when, with only a quarter of a mile to go, Wendy Urban passed me on the last climb as I was struggling with my lack of fitness and sports asthma, and she went on to take the win with me coming 2nd just 4 seconds behind her. So this year, I had some unfinished business with the course!

I felt fitter than ever this time around and so I felt confident that I could not only win it but hopefully knock a few minutes off my time from last year. Two things put pay to this: 1: the organisers modified the route at the start to add in yet another colossal hill, 2: I went off course and ended up in the thick shrubbery in some woods and lost valuable time (I estimate about a minute). That'll teach me not to blindly follow the guy in front, assuming he knows where he's going! We knew we'd gone wrong when the path suddenly came to an abrupt end and we were in the middle of a dense thicket of brambles. This guy started to shout for help and I started 'f-ing' and blinding, thinking that I was about to concede my first place whilst faffing around in the forest. Fortunately the Torbay runner who was about 100m behind me appeared above us at the top of the ravine which indicated to us where the path was. Instead of back-tracking I decided to just plough on up and make my own path through the brambles. Once I crested the top of the hill I put the hammer down, knowing I had only about a mile left to go. I had easily been on course to break my 2011 time but, as with the Templer 10, circumstances had seemingly conspired to prevent this from happening. In the end I finished 12 seconds slower than last year, but I did manage to net the top female spot... and I also managed to beat that Kempley again! (Are you still reading this, Rupert, or have I put you off?!!) ;-)

It's a fun race and thoughtfully organised in 3 large loops that have you running back and forth through the start / finish area, so that spectators get to cheer you on at multiple opportunities. You also get to choose your own prizes from a table of running accessories, so I bagged myself a nice new pair of running sunnies for my hols!

Coming through the race HQ area at the end of the first short loop

Passing through race HQ again after loop 2, about 3 miles into the race

And approaching the finish of the Cockington Caper: 7.25m / 1600ft. 59m13s

First Devon vest!

Yesterday I earned my first Devon county vest after placing in the top 8 Devon finishers (4th, to be exact) at the Devon County Cross-Country championships, held in Exeter.

It was a day of many 'firsts': my first time doing XC since secondary school, where I only made a grand total of 3 performances (one each year for years 7, 8 and 9); first time wearing spikes; first time competing against such a competitive field and, the final first, Exmouth Harriers ladies were the first female team, claiming team gold! Can I hear a 'whoop' please?!!

The course, which took place on the Exhibition Playing Fields, next to Exeter athletics arena, was a nasty one! Not one bit of it was flat. It basically weaved its way like a snake from the bottom of the field, up hill to the very top, back down to the bottom again, and back up to the top. 4 big loops forming a circuit which had to be completed twice, with lots of twists and turns and plenty of mud, totalling 5k in distance. Too short! I hate 5ks on the tarmac as they just represent 18-19 glorious minutes of asthmatic wheezing, but on the mud they are even worse as to keep up the same pace requires about 15-20% more effort. In short: they hurt!

On the start line with my fellow Harriers teamies, like a hunting pack!

I managed to get myself to the front on the start line of my race, which was shared with the under 17 men, senior ladies and masters ladies. The gun went and I was shocked by how furious the pace was from the start. The under-17 lads all shot off the front, but so did loads of women, and within the space of 5 meters I found myself in about 50th and going backwards! They were all fighting to get to the front for the first tight turn about 100m from the start. I was in the middle of the pack but managed to find a good line to it but I was scared stiff about getting someone's spikes in my leg as we all became congested in the bottle-neck. Fortunately I didn't and after this the course dragged uphill for 400m and so the field started to spread out.

In the chaos of the start, I had lost track of all my competition, but now as we started to string out I started to pick people off. Firstly I overhauled a couple of Exeter University runners,then my team mate, Hannah, who had sensibly started fast and got herself to the front for the first turn, and then my track training partner, Lucy, from South West Road Runners (now my 2nd claim club). I did get past Lucy but never managed to put any real distance between us. At this point, my team mate and super-star vet athlete, Cathy, came up onto my shoulder and then passed me and I dug in to stay in contact with her for most of the race. So the battle turned out to be a bit close to home with my team mate, Cathy, and my training partner and friend, Lucy, as my nearest competition!

Starting the second of 2 long loops, trying to hang on to Cathy and an Exeter Harriers athlete, with Lucy just behind hanging onto me.

Before the race I foolishly hadn't had time to walk / study the course and I didn't really understand the course map, which looked more like an algebraic equation than a running route (complete 2 x ABCD, then BC, F. Err... E = MC2?) ! But my Dad, bless him (uttered between gritted teeth!), believed he had it sussed and talked me through it, saying when you come down the hill for the last time there is an added loop through the woods before heading to the finish. Wrong. I came down the hill for the last time and suddenly, without gravity's assistance, I completely hit the wall. This was the most dramatic 'hitting of a wall' I have ever had in a short race. I just had nothing left in the lungs. Thinking I had another loop of the woods to complete, I backed off the pace, at which point Lucy surged past me. It was then that I realised she was kicking for the finish and I was in fact on the home straight: there was no extra loop. I then managed to dig deep and find something extra (as you always can when a finish line is wafted under your nose!) but Lucy had got the gap and Cathy in front had kicked too and I left it too late to react to them. I did manage to  hold off the runner behind me who was finishing fast though and I finished 8th lady overall, out of the Cornish and the Devon runners, and 3rd senior Devon female, earning myself a bronze medal for my 18:58 minute's worth of sheer, tortuous pain!

Definitely not my best angle! Nearing the end: knackered, at the upper end of my limits!

The final surge for the finish line: hallelujah!

The icing on the cake was that both Cathy, myself and Hannah all earned ourselves the gold medal in the women's team competition and we each got 1 of the 8 available places for selection to run for Devon at the South-West inter-county XC championships at Bicton in January and at the national inter-counties championships, alongside all the country's top elite athletes, at Birmingham in March. Unfortunately I will on holiday for the January match: typical, first Devon vest and I ain't in the country to wear it! But I will definitely be taking up my team place with pride in Birmingham. Unfortunately the Birmingham race is the day before the Grizzly, so that one might have to be shelved for another year. The crazy part of me, the part that believes I am invincible, says I could do both the XC on the Saturday and the Grizzly on the Sunday, but the more rational me says that that is likely to break me totally and jeopardise my chances in London a few weeks later, so I fear the Grizzly might be a no go for 2013.

So, have I managed to replace the horror memories of school cross-country with nice, shiny new positive memories? Yes and no! It still hurts like hell and, whilst running it, there wasn't a single moment of it that I could say I actually enjoyed, but the feeling of satisfaction and achievement you get afterwards definitely makes up for the pain. In trail races, and in many local road races, the gaps between your rivals can reach epic distances (I once won a marathon with a 28 minute cushion between myself and 2nd place), but in XC, you don't get that. The competition is tight, you can see your rivals the whole way round as the course is so open (no bends to hide behind!), and you have to fight fight fight for every second and every place. Cathy finished 2 places ahead of me, yet the time gap between us was just 4 seconds: you don't often get that in local road or trail races. Yes it hurts, yes its unpleasant, yes it's a total asthma attack from start to finish, but at least the pain is short lived. Only 18m58s worth on this occasion! Hopefully less next time!

The Exmouth Harriers female team: Devon County XC champions 2012!

It was my first attempt at true, competitive cross-country, so I didn't know what to expect and it was a steep learning curve! What I learned from this outing is that I need to go out harder from the gun next time so that I don;t end up so far down the field before the first technical section and so I don't spend the first mile having to pick people off again by going wide on the turns. I also learned that I need to really study the course better next time and not rely on my Dad to give me the relevant information and advice! Hopefully I won't be caught out next time!

So, I guess that now I have earned myself this 'ere vest I am going to have to embrace more of this pain and do it justice in Birmingham! Roll on 2013!

Less is more, apparently!

It's been a while since my last post but the silence is not due to the fact that all has been quiet on the running front: far from it! I took a welcome 2 week break from training after returning from Guernsey and did little more than a few 5 mile (ish) 9m/m plods, just to keep the legs ticking over whilst also allowing them and my tired and aching body to recover.

As I mentioned before, I decided not to run the Snowdonia Marathon, which, incidentally, is taking place in 2 days time, and now the date is drawing near, I of course wish that I was running it! I know I will be glued to the TV screens on Sunday night, watching the S4C highlights programme of the race on Sky. I also know that if the winning female time is no faster than my 3h13 from last year, I will be kicking myself and wishing I'd run! But I am learning that you cannot do it all and that a bit of moderation has to come into play if I want to have a long, healthy and injury free running career.

Kicking back a bit and cutting back the mileage has also shown to me that less really is more and that it is indeed quality and not quantity that counts. For the past 5 - 6 weeks I've only been running 20-30 miles a week, whereas previously 30 miles has always been a "bad" week and the absolute minimum mileage I would do. I have tried to make those 20-30 miles count though, by doing one track session a week, one long run a week - which, at no more than 10 miles is in fact just a medium run by my usual standards! - and either a tempo run around Killerton at the Saturday Parkrun or a race to round off with. In between running days I have been swimming, cross-training in the gym, cycling into Exeter and back on a regular basis, and doing yoga once a week. I remain unconvinced by this latter's benefits - 7 weeks in and as yet I have not seen any noticeable improvements in my balance and/or core strength. I still wobble and topple over into an embarrassing heap, rather like Bambi trying to stand for the first time, when we do the balance work; meanwhile, all the middle-aged rather less athletic-looking women in the class are nailing these poses with a level of style and finesse that I could only aspire to... It's bloody embarrassing. As a child, my mother sent me - against my will, it must be said - to ballet, and I don't recall having any difficulties with posture and poise then. In fact, I think I whizzed through the grades with 'highly commended's; so why aren't I as flexible, balanced, poised and elegant as my 4 year old self? Humph. And as for the "relaxation" part: I find that bit hilarious! How can you relax under strobe lighting in a sports hall when the serenely melodic music is punctuated by the not-so-melodic grunting of old men playing tennis right behind the flimsy piece of curtain that is all that separates us?! I remain sceptical as to the merits of yoga as a lifestyle choice and, with the best will in the world, I will never be "Zen".

Although, jokes aside, I have been having a successful autumn season as far as racing is concerned, so maybe the yoga is doing something. Since the Guernsey Marathon wrapped at the end of August, I have competed in five races; four 10ks and one 10.25 mile. Of those five, I have won four and come second at one. Not a bad tally I guess. I was just as pleased, if not more pleased, with my 2nd place, which was an all ladies event in Newton Abbot. I was up against some stuff competition at this race, which included Heather Fell, the silver medallist in the Olympic Modern Pentathlon from Beijing, 2008. It also featured the number 1 ranked vet 55 athlete in the UK over the 10k and half-marathon distance, Anne Luke. Age is clearly no barrier to this talented lady and I used her as my bench mark in the race, trying to hang onto her and sit on her shoulder for as long as I could. That turned out to be until 6k when she started to open up a slight gap that I could not close again. However, I finished just 13 seconds behind her, which is the closest I have ever got to her in race, which is progress! And yes, she may be 26 years my senior, but she is so phenomenal I just see her as tough competition and someone to aspire to. It also gives me hope that if I look after myself, I may still be running and competing in 26 years time, and, like Anne, I may then be giving the 29 year olds something to worry about!

I have also managed to set 2 new female course records in 2 of the 5 races. I have held course records before but only by default, in that I have won an inaugural race and so naturally, with no previous time on the course, my winning time has become the record. However, I have never before broken a pre-existing course record and, in the past few weeks, I've broken two! The first of these was at the Jurassic Coast 10k, where I took 10 seconds off the previous record that had stood since 2008. Then just this last Sunday I took 1 minute 27 seconds off the previous female course record at the Dartmoor Vale 10k. Both were nice surprises as I had no idea what the records were and attempting to break them was not on my agenda, so I only found out after the race. It really is a boost and a sign that things are going well and that I am moving forward with my running. So the past couple of months have told me that the theory that upping the miles does not equate to upping the speed and that superfluous junk mileage can in fact be detrimental to performance has some, er, mileage in it!

The one thing I did not manage to achieve this year, and which I was really going for at the Dartmoor Vale race, was a new 10k PB. So far this year I have set new PBs at the 5k, 10 mile, half-marathon and marathon distances; the only one that still eluded me was the 10k. I hadn't realised when I posted my 38:04 time at the Exeter 10k in August 2011 just what a bench mark I'd set for myself. I was in great form last August and all came good on the day and I remember that run feeling quite comfortable and so I thought it would only be a matter of time before I went under 38 minutes this year. A bad start to the year and problems with my achillies after it totally stiffened up on the long-haul flight back from the Maldives in January meant that I did not perform well at the First Chance 10k race a few days later (40:10 on the same course as my Exeter 10k PB, not good. I even managed to do 39:45 on that course in January 2011 when I had only been running for half a year, so this year was a real shocker).
I then targeted the Crewkerne 10k in May, when I was on excellent form at the height of my build up to the D.D., but I hadn't bargained for such a hilly course - the event even started with a 'King / Queen of the Hill' race-within-a-race, not a good opener for a PB attempt! I ran 40:18 which would most certainly have been worth 2-3 minutes on a flat course as the whole thing was so hilly.
Next came the Exeter 10k in August but this year, unlike the last event, I was not in good shape. It was just before Guernsey and my legs were trashed. I managed 38:48 and I think that was the best I could have hoped for considering how stiff and heavy my legs felt just warming up for it.
Next shot - the Ladies 10k. Late September, in good fitness, should be doable... er, no! Queue the most horrendous weather I've competed in this side of Snowdonia and the driving rain and gale force winds, coupled with the undulating course, did not make for PB friendly conditions. So time was running out, only one last attempt at a sub-38 minute clocking in 2012 and that was to be at this weekend's Dartmoor Vale race.
I went for it. I went out hard from the gun - 5.45m/m, maybe a bit too hard! - and was totally fired up. I had good competition there pushing me around - Jaine Swift of Erme Valley, who has beaten me in the last 2 races I've competed against her in - amongst others, were on my tails and the weather conditions were ideal. The only thing that wasn't ideal were the two small hills on the course. Nothing major, wouldn't even notice them on a training run or in a marathon, but when you are at your limits they can quickly break you. It's never a good sign when a bloke overtakes you on a hill and offers you a puff of his inhaler. I did try to explain in as few words as possible, between the wheezing, that I suffer from sports asthma and always sound like a dying steam-engine that needs to be retired and sold off for scrap, but he still looked concerned... My pace dropped to 6:20m/m on the two hills and that was enough to drop the overall average pace to just bellow my target. I crossed the line in 38:10: an agonising 6 seconds shy of my PB and just 11 seconds short of a sub-38. So, not to be for 2012, but it gives me a goal for 2013 and an incentive to keep the hill, track and speed work up over winter!

So, here is a summary of my racing achievements in September and October:
9th September: The Force 10k @ Powderham Castle. 1st lady, 11th overall in 39:32.
15th September: Jurassic Coast 10k. 1st lady, 8th overall and new female course record in 40:26.
24th Septmber: Newton Abbot Ladies 10k. 2nd lady, 2nd overall in 39:22.
7th October: Teign Valley Toddle 10.25 miles. 1st lady, 6th overall in 1:08:49.
21st October: Dartmoor Vale 10k. 1st lady, 11th overall and new female course record in 38:10.

And now for some piccies!

With some fellow Harriers at the Powderham Castle 10k.

Budleigh Salterton: the stunning setting for the Jurassic Coast 10k. If you look closely you can see us runners as distant specks making our way up the cliff path!

Finishing the Jurassic Coast 10k and setting a new female course record!

Leading out the Newton Abbot Ladies 10k on a wet and blustery day!

At the half way point, crossing over the River Teign, in the Teign Valley Toddle 10.25 mile.

Ann Widdecombe gets us under way at the Dartmoor Vale 10k.

With Cathy and Berihu after the Dartmoor Vale 10k. Berihu won and set a new male course record of 33:30. I won the female race and set a new female course record of 38:10. Cathy was 1st Vet 50 and 4th female overall! A good day at the Harriers office!

Receiving my prize from Widders! She was a great sport, presented all the medals and prizes chatted to everybody!

On on to Autumn!

So, Guernsey is thankfully out of the way and with it any obligation to run anything of length until the New Year. I am currently entered into the Snowdonia Marathon. As I placed in the top 5 last year (3rd, to be precise), I was given a free entry to this year's race, which I took up with a view to deciding whether or not I wanted to run it nearer the time. It is now nearer the time and I have decided: I am not doing it!

Don't get me wrong, I do want to run, more than ever. It is one of my favourite races and, after Guernsey, which will always hold a soft spot in my heart, despite this year's shocker, it is my 2nd favourite marathon. The organisation is second to none and the route is simply stunning. Of course, it also endears itself to me as it sets off in Llanberis, where I was lucky enough to live for a time whilst studying for my PhD in Bangor, and it contours around Mount Snowdon: my favourite location in the UK. The nature of the terrain and the unforgiving weather conditions which tend to be characteristic of this event, also make it special. They were certainly true to form last year when driving rain and gale force winds buffetted us around the 26.2 mile course. Which ever direction I ran in, it seemed to always be into a headwind: unfathomable! I also managed to double the weight I was carrying as an ill-informed choice of clothing - that I thought was wicking fabric but was in fact not - apparently absorbed every drop of rain water and retained it, like a sponge, further adding to my discomfort! But despite all of this, I bloody loved it!

Snowdonia always attracts a top quality field and on the women's side last year there were a handful of sub-3h marathon runners lining up alongside experienced mountain marathon and fell runners and so my hope was to maybe sneak in to the top 5, but to finish 3rd was better than I could have ever hoped for. I was lying in 5th until the final 4 miles which are the steepest on the course and see you climb 1000ft to cross over Moel Eilio and rejoin the Llanberis side of the mountain. On this climb I overhauled 2 other runners who, on paper, were much faster marathoners that myself, but who, on the day, just didn't have the legs for this steep climb. I think that's where all the D.D. training had an advantage!

On the final descent off a wild, wet and windy mountain in the Snowdonia Marathon 2011. Just 1.5 miles to go!

Earlier in the year my plan was to return to Wales in October to try and better my 3rd place and to give it a good crack at victory. However, I am a spent force. I don't need to reiterate again how difficult Guernsey was this year. Last year I ran that on fresh legs then immediately picked up the training for Snowdonia. Right now, even 10 mile runs are feeling long and so another marathon this side of Christmas is out of the question.

I also want to avoid a repeat of last year whereby I crammed 3 races, including the Snowdonia marathon, into the 1 week of October half term. Before half-term week I had picked up a water infection and ran these 3 races whilst on antibiotics. (Shame they didn't also prescribe anti-idiotics!) After crossing the Snowdonia finish line, I went back to Moira's, showered, stuffed a bowl of pasta down my face then went to collect my prize. From the prize ceremony, Moira drove me straight to Bangor station where I got the train home, eventually getting in 8 hours later at 1am, then driving straight back to work again the next morning. I was beyond knackered. One week later I found myself in hospital with a severe kidney infection, eventually spending 4 days in there receiving intravenous antibiotics and then needing a further 2 weeks off work to recuperate. I had clearly overdone it! So recognising that I am tired now and pulling out of Snowdonia is a good thing: it means that I am finally learning to be sensible and recognise that I - yes, even I - have limits!

On the home straight up Llanberis High Street. Soaked to the bone, exhausted, cold and gritting my teeth. This marathon is a toughie - but I LOVED it!

That is not to say I do not have other plans to keep me busy through the Autumn season though. I want to just get back to enjoying my running and not associate it with constant pain and discomfort. A two week almost total rest period after Guernsey has already paid off as I was able to go out and take a comfortable victory at the Powderham Castle 10k on Sunday, finishing 9th overall in a field of 306 in 39:32. And I enjoyed it! I felt up for it and raring to race. By the end of the summer, toeing a startline had started to feel like a perfunctory task and I just wasn't getting fired up for it: I was just going through the motions.

With fellow Harriers at the Powderham Castle 10k: a lovely run.

So my plans for the Autumn are to build up some strength and base miles in the legs to take me into winter and the New Year by running lots of long, steady miles on the cliffs and by racing some 10 mile distance tough, off-road races. These are both fun to take part in and also invaluable in terms of building up strength and stamina that I will then be able to build on when it is time to pick up the structured training again in January.

At the moment I am planning on racing the Jurassic Coast 10k this Saturday followed by the Newton Abbot Ladies' 10k the following week. This is a great race that was my 4th ever race back in 2010 and I also finished 4th in it. It's nice to get a rare opportunity to just race against women on the roads, as we often play second fiddle to the males and have our own race-within-a-race but never get to race each other outright. After that I will have a week off, maybe run the 5k Killerton Parkrun just for fun, and then in October I will be running a 10 mile leg of the Parrett Trail relays for the Harriers' mixed team, running the 10.25 mile Teign Valley Toddle and then either the Dartmoor Vale Half marathon or the Exmoor Stagger 15.5 mile multi-terrain fell race. November will likely be the Drogo 10 and our own Harriers' hosted event, the 10.5 mile Bicton Blister.  So, lots of fun times ahead, lots of mud and lots of catching up with some good friends on the race circuit.

 On on to Autumn!!

One marathon too many...

On Sunday 26th August, over in the Channel Islands, was the annual Guernsey Marathon. I took part in this race last year and, to my surprise and delight, won it. It was such a stunning course and so well organised and friendly that I decided to sign up again this year and to go and try and defend my title... oh, the rather nice sum of money I won last year might have also played a small part in luring me back!

This year, however, I knew that the task of winning again would be very tough as I had much stiffer competition in the form of Shona Crombie-Hicks. Shona is a vet 40 athlete from Bourton Road Runners who boasts a marathon PB of 2:38 and has previously represented Scotland at the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, Austrailia. Last year she won and set a course record at the Jersey Marathon with a 2:53 clocking: 10 whole minutes faster than my winning Guernsey time. On paper she was the favourite. All I could hope was that with a good summer's build up I could chip some more time off my 2:59 PB and give her a decent run for her money (literally!).... er, yeah, didn't quite happen!

Unlike last year, I had a shocking summer's preparation as far as marathon training was concerned. Too many short, fast races that took more out of my legs than I anticipated meant that I could not fit the quality long runs in. My old achillies problem also started to really bother me big time and on 3 attempts at a long run I got to 15 miles, 11 miles and 8 miles respectively and had to abandon and call the trusty parents for a lift back home as I was in too much pain to run. So, on the back of one 17 miler, completed back in June, and two 15 milers in July, I toed the start line of Guernsey in some lacklustre attempt at being competitive alongside a former Commonwealth athlete! I give my self 10/10 for delusions of grandeur but 1/10 for realism!

The previous day, as I flew out to the island, the weather was horrendous. Gail force winds made for a rather exciting landing on the flimsy Flybe prop plane, but I had to count myself lucky that I booked flights and not the ferry as many ferries were cancelled or severely delayed. About 50 competitors didn't make the startline, stranded in Poole, and another batch only arrived at 11pm the night before the race. On race day it was an entirely different story, waking up to clear skies and temperatures in their low twenties. Suddenly the problem became one of being too hot, out on the open coast road with no shade from the sun.

Before the start of the race I was a little too relaxed... I was sat with Mum in the stand of Footes Land athletic stadium, turned to her and said 'You know, I can't really be bothered with this'. Not the best mental attitude to have before running 26.2 miles, but I guess it was my body's way of telling me that it was both physically and mentally tired after the tough schedule I'd subjected it to since the start of the year and it needed a break. I tried to appease it by promising it that if it got me around the course today it could have as much rest as it liked after. I think we struck a deal.

So to the start line and Lee Merrien - Guernsey's answer to a celebrity, having been selected to represent Britain in the Olympic Marathon where he went on to finish as top Brit - had the honours of blasting the starting horn and getting us underway. From Footes Lane, in the centre of the island, the route climbs uphill for the first 5 miles, through a wooded valley, to the airport: the highest point on the island and on the route. These first 5 miles, whilst uphill, were at least shady. Once we topped out at the airport and then hit the coast road there was no escape from the sun's rays beating down and already, at 9.30am, making me very hot.

Lee Merrien, Olympic Marathon runner and Guernsey athlete gets us under way

At 6 miles I'd already had enough. My legs just didn't feel fresh at all. Rewind to April and to Taunton and I was struggling to slow the speed in the early miles to below 6:40 m/m as my well-trained, tapered legs were just raring to go. Now I was struggling to keep the pace from creeping up to 7 m/m, and 6:50 m/m felt like a huge effort. My rival, Shona, had shot off like a bat out of hell at the start and I had no choice but to let her go. If I'd tried to go with her feeling as I did, I would have perished by mile 10! Until mile 7 I ran with a handful of other guys, we exchanged a few words, they probably thought that I was a total winge-bag for moaning about the heat and my legs feeling tired so soon into the race! One of them pointed out the view of a lighthouse, and it was indeed lovely, but feeling as bad as I did I just couldn't muster the enthusiasm to appreciate it. I felt like a right grizzly ball of negativity! Nevertheless, I dug in and actually started to pull away from them all until I found myself running entirely on my own from mile 10 onwards. They were probably glad to see me go!

Shona hits the front and I just have to watch her go as I can't match her pace on this occasion

I went through the halfway mark in 1:31: this was actually 2 minutes up on last year as I had pushed on harder over the first 5 miles this year. But boy did I then go onto pay for it in the latter half! By mile 14 I was really struggling. We were running directly into the sun from miles 10 through 18 and there was no shade. At each water station I was having a few gulps of water then tipping the remaining 500ml bottle over my head. I looked like a drowned rat! At mile 14.5, at Cobo Bay, my Mum was waiting. I had mixed feelings about seeing her: it was lovely to see a friendly face as, unlike when I run in Devon, nobody knows me here and so you do not get anyone shouting your name in encouragement, which can really be a boost. However, when I did see her the urge to stop and join her at the Cobo Bay tea rooms for a coffee was so overwhelming. Part of me wanted to stop for her to give me a hug and some supportive words, but I knew if I did, I'd never get going again. So instead I ran on past shouting, 'I'm bloody hating it. I'm too hot. I want to quit so badly.' And then I was past and running onwards to mile 15, with my Mum's voice, 'Stick at it. You can do it. Sutcliffes don't quit' echoing behind me!

Ok, not a keeper! Mile 14.5 at Cobo Bay and feeling shocking. Had just chucked a bottle of water over my head to try and cool me down. Felt dreadful. Look dreadful. Wanted to quit so badly!

Mile 15-16 was the worst one on the course. At one point there was a slight incline, pretty much negligible, but my legs were feeling so ropey that even this smallest slope was too much. I could feel them starting to slow and wanting to walk. Every fibre of my body wanted to walk and I knew how lovely it would feel to stop pushing and slow to a walk, but I also knew if I allowed it, I would never get going again. At this point I actually shouted at myself, 'NO! NO WALKING', just as a family was walking past on the adjacent footpath. The look the mother gave me as she steered her kids away from the mad woman was priceless! Yeah, whatever, I bet they had just pulled up in a car and were only strolling 5 minutes to the beach! Anyway, my little word with myself had worked as I kept on running, but the pace was slowly dropping off. After mile 14 I never got it below 7 m/m again. Mile 19 would normally be my nemesis mile but on this occasion it was a positive mile stone. I knew I wouldn't be "hitting the wall" here as I'd already hit it back at mile 6 and had been running into it ever since! This was in fact the first point on the course that I actually believed I would finish.

From mile 20 you turn back towards St. Peter Port and into a headwind, which, whilst having a cooling effect, also served to slow my times down. My slowest mile was mile 24: 7:43 m/m. Over the last 7 miles I even managed to pick off 3 other men, so I took comfort from the fact that whilst I had slowed, so had everyone else, but more so. I was slightly worried about the next female catching me up. Vicky Barrett from Jersey had placed 2nd to me last year in 3:16. I knew she had been in hard training for an autumn marathon and had been doing weekly long runs of 20 miles, so I feared that she might have it in her to catch me. As it was, she also struggled in the heat and was in fact a good 12 minutes behind me, but you never know this when you are running, you can only assume they are hot on your heels so you have to dig the hell in and keep going!

Into the stadium - what a glorious sight - and I barely had the energy to raise an arm in acknowledgement of the sympathetic crowd who cheered me as the announcer said over the tannoy: 'Big round of applause for our second female who was unable to defend her title this year despite a valiant effort'. 3:07:49 - exactly 4 minutes to the second slower than last year and over 8 minutes down on my PB, but considering the awful preparation I had and how bad I felt, I'm surprised I managed to limit the damage and keep that time to below 3:15, so I've got to be happy. And then, what I had been focussing on the whole way: a leg massage followed by a long sit down and a glass of chilled white wine. Aaaaaaah. Bliss.

Prize giving with Peter Head, the race director. Want to be back on the top of that podium next year!

Will I do it again next year? As I was running I told myself never again. Once I finished I thought, 'I can't leave it on this negative note; I have unfinished business now with the course', so I may well be back in 2013 to try and take the title back again!

A weekend of ups and downs

So, on the weekend of 17th - 19th August I headed south across the boarder to my homeland, Cornwall, to participate in an 11 mile cliff top trail race. The Roseland August Trail (the RAT) offered 11, 20 and 32 mile race options, all of them finishing at Porthpean where the race village was set up at the Porthpean outdoor centre and where camping was available for the bargain price of £5 per night.

This is the first time I have been back to Cornwall since February half-term when I came for a weekend break. I always feel a churning feeling in my stomach as I pass the 'Welcome to Cornwall' sign. Going back there, since my parents left in November 2009, has been strange each visit. It's all so very familiar, I grew up there and spent 25 of my 29 years there, and yet it all seems so distant from me now and I feel like I no longer belong there; I am just an erroneous guest in its midst.

Heading there this time brought mixed emotions. I caught up with some old friends, which was really lovely, but it also reminded me of how little I get to see them these days and how much I miss having them on the doorstep. Yes, Cornwall is only next door, it's just a 1h30m drive to St. Austell, but life gets in the way every time and I am lucky if I manage 2 or 3 visits a year. I also got to do a race on some of the most beautiful trails in the country: the Cornish coast path, finishing at Porthpean, which was my childhood beach where I spent many summers rockpooling, swimming in the sea, building sandcastles, collecting shells etc, but again, this just awakened memories of times missed and made me pine to still live here even more!

I was camping with a group of friends from my second claim running club, the Teignbridge Trotters. The weather was not exactly kind to us over the weekend. It rained whilst I was putting up my tent and it rained even harder the time it came to take it down! The view from the campsite, north up coast to Charlestown, Carlyon Bay, Par and the Gribben, was stunning, but for the most part obscured from view by the driving rain!

The event HQ and my tent: sea views... when the cloud and rain wasn't obscuring them!

It was a very surreal weekend in a way. The 3 races all set off at staggered starts with the idea that all the runners across the 3 distances would then converge on the finish at around the same time.This meant for those of us on the 11 mile race that we did not need to start running until 12.30pm. Having been awoken at 5am by the 32 milers who were all waking up, getting ready, having a safety briefing annoucned around the campsite on a loud speaker, it seemed like an eternity of waiting around before we could finally get on the bus to take us to the start, which was at Gorran Haven.

Ordinarily I would have been running the 20 or even the 32 mile option, but as I have Guernsey next week that was in no way possible. It didn't stop me from feeling like a bit of a fraud and a softie though as I set off on what was termed by those doing the longer distances as "the fun run" option!

As the bus dropped us off at Gorran I saw Fergie, one of the race organisers, who came up to me with a face of shock and said that one of the favourites on the 32 mile race had just collapsed, right there at the check point in Gorran. That was my first warning of how tough this route is: a top level ultra runner had pushed himself to breaking point, 21 miles into his 32 mile run. As we lined up on the slip way at Gorran Beach to start our more sedate 11 miles, Fergie warned us at the safety brief: 'Know your limits. Do not exceed them'. And so we set off up the hill out of of Gorran - the first hill of a great many - with this warning ringing in our ears...

When we left the campsite it was pouring with rain and quite chilly; by now the sun had burned through and it was starting to get hot and extremely humid. The compression arm sleeves I had put on before leaving, fearing that I would suffer from being too cold rather than too hot, were now redundant. As was the water proof jacket that was a mandatory piece of kit requirement. Both were quickly stuffed into my Camelbak as I crested the first hill and hit the coastal path, heading north towards Portmellon.

The first 3 miles were fairly easy; there were hills (when weren't there?!), but they were all runable. The climb up from Portmellon towards Mevagissey got me breathing harder, but was nothing that taxed me. I ran these first 3 miles with a fellow Trotter, Stewart Dunn. On the climb out of Mevagissey harbour I started to gain distance on Stewart and did not see him again until the finish. On the next stretch, around Dodman Point towards Pentewan, I picked off a great many runners from the 32 and 20 mile routes, who had set off earlier but running double or treble the distance, were now beginning to slow dramatically. I tried to impart some positive encouragement to each one I passed - and the passing was of course done at quite a lick as I had only been going for 4 miles and was on much fresher legs - and told them I was glad I was only doing the 11. This was partly true, I wasn't feeling my best, my legs were not fresh, I had raced too much leading up to it and wasn't even mentally fired up for it, let alone physically firing on all cylinders... but all the same, a large part of me still felt like a fraud for only doing a piffling 11 miler when there was a 32 mile D.D. length option of offer!

One of the roller-coaster Jacob's Ladder sections on the route

Summiting one of the horrendous jacob's ladders sections

After Pentewan, the hard work started. The hills were monstrous, many of them being like roller-coasters where you descended down 90 - 100 steps, then immediately climbed back up the same number on the other side. The steps prevented you from keeping to any kind of rhythm, but at least you could get a grip on them. On the steep hill sections without steps I tried to run but the tracks were so muddy and boggy that as fast as I was putting a foot forward, it was immediately sliding back down again. On some sections tt was almost impossible to get traction, even in trail shoes. I thought of the fun that Tarq must be having up ahead as he had, for some unfathomable reason, decided to wear zero grip, Brooks T7 racers. Crazy fool! I slipped and slided a whole bunch but fortunately managed to stay on my feet. This required a cautious approach, however, and meant I couldn't push on over the sections with slope or camber, so this definitely slowed me down. Fellies would have been a better option.

The route at Trennaren: not too far to go from here to the finish

Emerging from the undergrowth, just after Trenarren.

Because of the staggered start, it was hard to gauge my position in the 11 mile race. I knew about 10 people had gone off in front of me at the start, but with the colour coded numbers being worn on the front of vests, I did not always know whether the runners I was overhauling were people in my own race who had gone off too fast or people from the other distances. I guessed I was about 8th but upon crossing the line I was pleased to discover that I was 6th overall and 1st lady in the 11 miler in a time of 1:47:57. My slowest 11 miles ever!

                                      Finishing the race, right outside my tent: convenient!

As I crossed the line I felt shocking. Really dizzy and totally overheating. Only 11 miles, yes, but 11 of the toughest miles you could possibly run. This race is the same distance as the Snowdon Race, in which you summit and descend the highest mountain in England and Wales, and yet I ran that 11 minutes quicker - just to give you an idea of how tough this is! The biggest problem is that you could not establish any sort of rhythm as the terrain changed to radically, so frequently, totally messing up your legs and breathing. Despite this, my legs felt surprisingly fine at the finish. I think my strategy of walking all the really steep climbs and pushing on on the relatively flatter sections, was a wise one. I had picked off some of the other male runners on the route who went out too hard from the start and then struggled with leg cramps later on on the steep sections, which I avoided.

Utterly knackered and about to keel over!

Whilst my legs might have felt fine, I did not! I glugged a few glasses of water to try and rehydrate but I have never sweated so much in a race ever and before I knew what was happening, my legs buckled and I ended up in an embarrassing heap on the floor. This is the first time I have not been able to physically stand at the end of a race and it freaked me out a little bit, but mostly I just found it all hugely embarrassing! It meant a mandatory trip to the event first aid tent and a blood pressure check: too low! Way too low! 88/56. Oooops. More glasses of water, a cup of sugary tea and a granola bar later and it came back up, I felt less dizzy and was good to go! Thanks to nice ambulance lady and sorry for depositing 10 tons of mud in your shiny ambulance!

With my awesome prizes!

At the prize giving ceremony I was awarded with the most original trophy I have received to date. Sponsored by Tribute Ales, it's an old fashioned marble beer pump, mounted on a pure mahogany plinth. It's fab! Also a bottle of champers: big thumbs up for that one!

All the participating Trotters proudly sporting our 'survivor' tee-shirts

 After a great after-party, during which quite a bit of vino was consumed, I crawled into my tent. That night I slept like a log, even though I struggled to find a comfy position where my rib and hip bones where not digging right into the hard foam camping mat beneath. I drifted off to sleep reflecting on what a strange and emotionally all-over-the-bloody-place but truly awesome weekend it had been. A weekend of ups and downs, both in terms of the terrain we ran over and my emotions!! I fell asleep with plans to run the 32 miler instead of the Guernsey Marathon next year: no use having ultra ambitions but not acting upon them!

The Guernsey gamble

Going strong about 11 miles into the Guernsey Marathon 2011

Well, less than two weeks now until it's time to try and defend my title at the Guernsey marathon. When I won there last year in a massive new PB (at the time) of 3:03:49 I was in the best shape ever. Yes, I had the achillies niggle, as always, but it was only minor and didn't bother me on the run at all. It was only the last 4 miles into a strong headwind that became a sturggle, but up until then I was the most comfortable I have ever been in a marathon. Fast forward one year and what a different story....

I have niggles galore, mostly the left achillies but also now the right one. Due to this I have been unable to do any long runs. Since I ran the 32 mile Dartmoor Discovery in June I have run a 17.5 miler, once, 7 weeks ago, and two 15 milers. My three attempts at going out to 20 miles had to be aborted at 15, then 11 and, last week, at a pathetic 8 miles due to the pain in my left foot, both ankles and calves that was too persistent to run through.

Last week I saw a physio and she diagnosed a hip misalignment, where my left hip is slightly forward of my right causing a whole twisting motion that is resulting in pain manifesting itself on the site of my achillies. She seemed to think that some uncomfortable poking and prodding of my soleus and iliacus muscles would be sufficient to cure a problem that I have been experiencing ever since starting running two years ago. As I suspected, this was over-optimistic thinking and now, post-treatment, the issue is ever so slightly better, but not much, and the improvement could easily be attributable to the enforced rest I have taken over the past two weeks.

I knew that a Guernsey title defence would be a long shot anyway this year as a lady from Bourton Road Runners who has previously represented Scotland at the Commonwealth Games in the marathon and who boasts a marathon PB of 2:38 is also entered. She won the Jersey Marathon last year in a time of 2:53: 10 whole minutes faster than my Guernsey win. Realistically, if I was in my best shape, I might be able to stay with her and at least give myself a fighting chance, but as things stand with my abysmal preparation and current catalogue of injuries, I will be lucky to even get round. Nobody would advise going into a marathon with only one long run of 17.5 miles, and that 8 weeks before the marathon itself, let alone advise this as an approach for someone who is hoping to be competitive and post a decent time. Basically, I'm screwed.

It's not only been my shaky physical state that has hampered my preparations; I am also mentally exhausted and really fed up of having to do long runs. I have been doing long runs since January when I started my build up for the Taunton Marathon. After Taunton I had a few weeks off before running the North Dorset Villages Marathon. After that I had 5 days off before heading out of the door on my one and only day a week off work for an 18 miler: no time to rest after Dorset as I had the Dartmoor Discovery ultra to prepare for in 5 weeks time. All of this time I was doing the long run every Friday, on my one and only day off a week. I would wake up early, drive the 55 miles from Dorset to Exmouth, have a strong coffee and head out of the door. I wouldn't get back in until 2pm, then after some lunch and a shower, my one day off was almost over and I was usually too tired to enjoy what was left of it. It got to feel like a bit of a chore by the end and I began to resent the fact that I HAD to run every week on this day, whether I felt like, it was atrocious weather, whatever. After the D.D. was over I immediately started to think about Guernsey. There's little wonder that I am physically as well as mentally knackered! Most athletes would have the summer off and just do short runs before picking up the training again for an Autumn marathon. I thoroughly loved the Guernsey Marathon last year and desperately wanted to return again this year to defend my title and also have a crack at the course record, which I was 2 minutes off achieving last year, but the timing of it, at the end of a hectic summer's racing programme, is not ideal.

Make no mistake, Guernsey is going to hurt this year, really hurt. I anticipate that I will start to suffer from about 14 miles onward and that suffering will just keep getting worse and worse with every step until the finish. The ideal scenario would be to withdraw, but when I've already booked the flights and the marathon organisers are putting me up free of charge in a lovely hotel, the pressure is on for me to at least give it a go. I mean, there have been multiple other times when I have barely been able to put one foot in front of the other in my build up to races, even warming up for a race has been done at a hobble, but when the gun goes I have somehow managed to pull a performance out of the bag... even if I do suffer for it in the days after. I just figure that if I can haul my battered body around Guernsey then I can reward it with as much rest as it needs after. I just hope it will accept this deal and that the gamble to go out hard and try to be competitive on such little mileage and with already wrecked legs pays off.... Watch this space to find out!

The ups and downs of this running lark...

In the last posting I was feeling slightly deflated after some recent lack-lustre performances. Have things progressed since then? Well, yes.... and also no.

I followed up my 2nd place at the Sidmouth Beat the Bus race with another 2nd at the Run Exe Summer 5k series on July 3rd and then yet another 2nd at the Wellington 10 mile race on July 8th. The 2nd place at the Run Exe didn't seem so bad as I came 2nd to a superb athlete from Westbury Harriers who is a 17 minute 5k-er at best, and so by trying to hang onto her coat-tails, I bust my backside around the course to a new PB of 18:40, shaving 5 seconds off my previous best set last August. This was a pleasant surprise as I haven't done a scrap of speed work since May and the D.D. is still slightly in my legs. I had hoped to better my PB by the end of the summer season and so to dip under it in my first outing over 5k of the season was a massive bonus! The only annoying thing is that at the moment it does not officially count as a PB as the race does not have the appropriate UKA licence so it's not showing up on the Run Britain Rankings. Infuriating!

The Run Exe Summer 5k: 5ks are most hated distance, nothing but an 18 minute asthma attack!

The 2nd place at Wellington was harder to swallow though as, like with the Beat the Bus, I won this race last year and so had to settle for one place less this year, but, what really bites is that my time was also slower by 18 seconds! Yes, it was a hot day (the only hot day we've had so far this summer and so my body was perhaps not accustomed to the heat), and yes I had raced hard in the week, both on the Tuesday at the 5k and the Friday, running a leg for the Harriers ladies' team at the Erme Valley relays, but I still feel I am in better shape than I was this time last year. I felt I pushed on at every opportunity during the race; I didn't back off on the hills and I didn't just cruise the downhill stretches, I really did push, so I am struggling to understand where I lost those 18 seconds!

Come the evening of July 11th when I lined up on the start line again, my legs were feeling a little heavy with already having 3 hard races in them from the previous 7 days but I was desperate for a victory to prove to myself that I could still do it! On the start of the inaugural Colyton Rebel Run 10k I caught sight of the lady from Sidmouth Running Club who had just beaten me into 2nd at the Sidmouth Beat the Bus race the previous week. Now I was doubly keen to win, but I also knew that if I wanted to, there could be no taking it easy, even if my legs weren't feeling fresh. This time I at least had an insight to the strengths and weakness of my main competition and I knew that on the flat and the uphills, I had the superior fitness, but on the downhill, she had the superior descending skills. The profile of this course was a steep uphill climb for 1 mile - steep to the point that it reduced you to a fell running type hands on knees walk - then it levelled off for a couple of k, then came a long gradual descent into some woods, followed by another climb back out, then a flat stretch before the final 1 mile steep descent to the finish. I knew that I would have to work hard on the uphill and flat sections to give myself enough of a cushion to hold this lady off on the long final descent. Forewarned is forearmed and luckily I managed to stick to my task and I stayed in front for the whole race, eventually finishing about a minute ahead of her. Victory in the ladies race and 12th place overall in 40:34 (the course was a killer but the distance only 9k, not a full 10, hence the decent enough time!). A much needed confidence boosting win, at last!

Racing to victory at the Colyton Rebel Run

Two days later and I was off racing again. Like the Colyton, the Otter Rail and River 10k is also an off-road mudsy. A week before the race and the river Otter, alongside which you run for about 3k of the race, had totally burst its banks and so it was uncertain that the race would be able to go ahead. Fortunately the flood waters subsided a little but the course was still a boggy mud bath with thigh deep, 10m long muddy puddles all serving to make the going tougher and to slow your pace.

A very high quality field turned up on the male side, headed up by second claim Exmouth Harrier, Tom Merson. On the female front I notice the diminutive figure of Jane Allison from Plymouth Harriers; although tiny, Jane is a mighty fine runner who clocked a much faster time than me at the Erme Valley relays, although I did get the better of her by almost 3 minutes at the Torbay Half marathon, so I was hoping that maybe over the in-between distance of 10k, my stamina would help me out! Jane went off very fast indeed and shot out of the playing field and off along the river bank. I decided her pace was far too suicidal to try and go with so I stuck to my own task and, after about 1k, I came up alongside her and passed her. Get me, learning to be sensible and run my own race!! After that I also overhauled a few overzealous male runners who had gone off too hard and then crashed and then I found myself, to my delight, running on my own, with my own space around me. The course was terrific but very muddy, as advertised. Having half the contents of a muddy bog stuck to the underside of your shoes really did zap your energy levels and so in these conditions I was thrilled to cross the finish line in a time of 42:18 on an accurately measured 10k course. In the end I was almost 3 minutes ahead of the next female, Jane of Plymouth Harriers. Tom Merson had stormed around in 34:51 to set a new course record - on a flooded, muddy course - what a talent that guy is!

Start of the Otter Rail and River Run 10k

Approaching the finish of the Otter Rail and River Run: 1st lady and 10th overall.

So, 2 victories in a week, back to winning ways, all going well, right?... Well, as I said at the start, yes and no. Whilst I am doing well at all these races, the races are also taking loads out of my legs. If I was only doing these short fasties, that wouldn't be a problem, but I am also in the throes of a marathon training schedule in my build up for the Guernsey Marathon on August 26th. Fitting in a long run when I've also been racing midweek and each weekend has proved tricky. I had a 20 miler scheduled in for today but I have had to shaft it in favour of a rest day as I am starting to feel a few niggles in the achillies and calves. My plan is to skip the long one this week and do two long ones next week when I'm up in Wales and not racing. The thing is, I'm really enjoying all these short, off-road local races, they are the highlights of my summer, and I am getting really tired of all the long runs and the marathon training. Hell, I have been training for one marathon or another since January with no break! I trained solidly for my sub 3hr at Taunton, then 4 weeks later ran a 3:02 at North Dorset, then 4 weeks after that I ran the Dartmoor ultra, and then straight back into training for Guernsey after that. In hindsight, the timing of Guernsey is not the greatest and I think that next year I will not do a summer marathon, but give myself a break to enjoy the short stuff before picking up the training again for something in the autumn. At the moment I am down to run Guernsey and then Snowdonia in October. I don't think my body (or my mind!) is up to it. That will mean 10 months of solid marathon training with long runs on an almost weekly basis without a break: that's crazy even by my already crazy standards! Much as it pains me to say it but I fear my attempt at Snowdonia Marathon victory may have to be shelved until 2013...