Running in rain and randomness

 

Things that have made me smile this last week:

My motivation has evolved/ resembles proper motivation for the first time in ages. I have been regularly getting in the miles throughout the week and I feel like my pace has been much better for it. I have also been a lot happier in myself with it. It has been very de-stressing and I have been taking in my surroundings and really enjoying being out there. I have even been watching the rain fall outside whilst and work and absolutely itching to be out there and running. I love a nice rainfall and the fresh feeling that you get whilst running through it. Also this week I have been more supplement savvy. I have been taking my vits and a new iron supplement. And I swear that taking my CherryActive regularly is also really helping me with any stiffness or DOMS that I would normally get.

CBeebies ‘Small Potatoes’ has had me giggling for the last couple of days. I happened to stumble upon it whilst switching on the TV during breakfast t’other day.

So random and so funny. I couldn’t believe that I was actually watching animated singing potatoes dancing around and singing a song about ‘Potato love’. If you ever feel a bit down, please switch this on. It is hilarious and they make the potatoes look really friendly and cute.

Things I have moaned about/ rants of the week:

 Last Sunday put a bit of a spanner in the works, but I have not let it hold me back this week. I was meant to do the Shakespeare Marathon on Sunday and knowing that the weather would be bad and me being organised for once I checked the website that very morning before we left for the long drive to Stratford to make sure it was all still going ahead. Yep. It was all still going ahead, we were just told to wrap up warm. Personally, some of my best runs lately have been in the rain. I will run in pretty much all weathers. I have done ultras up on the moors in awful weather. Yes, it can be challenging, but somehow I can’t help but think it makes the achievement that much sweeter. After all, if they were meant to be so easy then there would be no fun in doing them. 

Anyway, I took into consideration that this wasn’t going to be some crazy off-road affair where anything goes and that, because the number of runners was high and this was a city marathon that there may be the possibility of a cancellation. This would have been fine in theory, in advance. However, trusting the website and the recent update therein I set off on my 2-hour car journey. We arrived, spent ages trying to pay for parking and I didn’t even make it to the start line. I encountered some familiar faces who informed me that they had been told that the half marathon (1 loop…marathon would have been 2 loops of the same course) would now be the only event taking place. The marathon would not go ahead. I could have taken part in the half, but before I knew it, whilst wasting time trying to get some sort of information out of the marshals, everyone had already commenced running. Confused and disheartened and dead-set on the marathon distance, I didn’t do the half. We just went home. I was pretty annoyed. Of course, these things happen with the weather, but the decision and timing of that decision and lack of communication or apology is unforgiveable. I will not venture here again.

Things I’m planning for:

As the weekend gets closer I’m getting really quite excited and nervous about this Saturdays’ Malvern Hills Ultra. Ironically - taking into consideration last week’s rainy no-starter - the course has had to be altered owing to flooding, but will take place. It’ll now be an out-and-back route of 48 miles, rather than the 53+ advertised miles. I just want to finish. 

I have serious unfinished business with this event owing to my dnf in 2010. After having completed 45 miles we were totally lost and freezing cold and did a full circle of one section before finding ourselves in exactly the same spot. It was miserable and we had done 7 extra miles that were not part of the course and therefore, in reality, we had only covered 38 miles of the route mileage. It was most frustrating. Although, I did console myself with the Neolithic marathon the day after. 

 

 

Last year, I couldn’t go back and enact my revenge because I was tapering for the 10-in-10 (I cannot believe it has been a year already)! This year, I probably shouldn’t really because I am meant to be soon tapering for the Grand Union Canal 145 miler and I don’t want to pick up any niggles. BUT, it is still within the first week of May and WILL be my last big run…except Windermere marathon I hope, on the 20^th, just to say hey to all this year’s 10-in-10’ers (or TIT’S ;-) ) So that means I have 3 weeks or so of easier stuff. Although, really, I feel my training hasn’t been top-notch. Yet, the sensible part of me is saying: sometimes in these things you just have to train as well as you can at the time and hope for the best. Even if I’d done more, who knows what can happen over 145miles. It’s unpredictable.

So my aim for this week is to really keep up my motivation levels and organise myself for the weekend. And hope that I don’t get lost at the weekend, because this has been on my mind for the last 2 years!

Random Piccies of the week:

 

I like to think that blogs and pictures go together…so I’ll just throw in a nice assortment here to brighten things up a little ;-) In general this week has been a week with lots of tea (of various varieties), huge mugs of coffee, running past fields, contemplating the Malvern Hills, eating Graze boxes full of yummy nibbles, Mangoes and hard-boiled eggs and driving and running in rain...Oh, and singing potatoes! Hopefully, next week’s piccies will be more exciting :)