After the drive back from Buxton on Saturday night, I bypassed home and had a good old shower...I was pretty mucky from the ravine, so this was definitely a good idea. Also had time to chuck some muddy running gear in the wash :) I didn’t manage to totally scrub my toe-nails clean, but I guess they hardly ever are clean for long haha...but at least I have a full set...at the moment!
It was going to be another really early start in the morning and I really wasn’t looking forward to it. Fortunately, I was being driven the 3+hours to Farnham, Surrey and therefore, I was able to get in some MUCH needed sleep in the car. I literally slept the whole journey. I was really feeling the stiffness when we finally arrived at the start venue, however. My legs just felt like they were solely comprised of pure lactic acid and nothing else. This probably wasn’t so far from the truth. The hills in Derbyshire are a bit hilly and my legs had definitely worked hard.
Yesterday was always going to be tough after that little adventure, but I had known this for some weeks, which is why I guess I was so nervous about this weekend. And so, it was really lovely to see some familiar faces and have company for the whole marathon route. I love my marathon mad running friends. I especially love it when they are also feeling the aches of an ultra/ marathon from the previous day as well and we can both hobble around laughing. It was a really good day.
The marathon route yesterday was also quite hilly. I have done quite a bit in this area and along the North Downs Way before and it is a really beautiful part of the country. I guess we did bypass some of the hillier bits I have encountered in this area before, but never the less; it felt that bit hillier anyway. In reality, I guess the hills probably weren’t so bad, but Saturday’s efforts were making me feel every little incline to the greatest extent. I was feeling quite knackered and again, quite hungry in the last couple of miles...but all was good and we managed a bit of a sprint over than finish line. All in all, a great day was had and I wasn’t as slow as I had imagined I would be.
So now, I am in ‘recovery’ mode for a few days. My right big toe was absolutely throbbing after yesterday; I guess I must have kept banging it and irritating it against the front of my shoe whilst running. Anyway, it seems to have calmed down now. The next day and a bit will involve a lot of refuelling and sleeping.
Wednesday will see the start of The Great Barrow Challenge: 4 marathons over 4 days...Wednesday to Saturday! Hey, at least I get the Sunday off :), a fact that I am quite excited about, since I haven’t had a Sunday off in quite a while! But for now, until Wednesday, Lazy Liz will rein!
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