MK Marathon 2012 - I survived!

Wow I made it: my first marathon and what an experience!  My own headline is a chip time of 4 hours 12 minutes which means I was about half way in the field.  But hey, along with the 3000 or so runners taking apart, everyone was on their own journey and it was very special.  Here goes with the details....

The weather

I am English; we like to talk about the weather and this is no exception.  Yes it was raining "cats and dogs" and strong winds blew the rain in horizontal at times.  I could feel it stinging against my face and legs at times.  The car park was sodden with all of the recent rain and saw me and many other drivers needing to take it easy as we tried not to get too in stuck driving over the undulating muddy grass.  I was wet and cold even before the race started, not a good sign but being in the middle of the pack in the starting pen, many of us could keep warm together.  We must have looked like a bunch of penguins huddling and shivering together!

At one point I almost wished the rain would get even heavier but instead it eased off for a little while.  When you're wet and can't get any wetter you might just as well enjoy the exhilaration of a real downpour.  All in all I am sure the weather will be a memorable feature for many people; it is things like these April showers and weather which is temperamental at this time of year that makes life in England so great!  Notwithstanding this, it looked like some runners were suffering at the end.

Pace

I adopted a steady 10 minute per mile pace, or thereabouts from the outset.  I think this was fairly constant throughout.  As normal, although I started in the middle of the field there were many over taking me in the first half; in my first ever race I was fazed by this but I'm not bothered nowadays.  I liked running with my competitors but I didn't talk to anyone; it was a case of remaining focused.  Quite a few times I would spot someone a little further ahead who looked like a "good" runner and they'd become my pace setter for a couple of miles.  That's nice, especially if it's an older runner who gives me that inspiration to press ahead today and for the rest of my life.  

The pain

When I got to mile 21 I was starting to hurt - some of my upper leg muscles were being worked hard and they were telling me!  And yet that is the wonderful thing about our bodies and the natural pain relief that kicks in.  No sooner had it started to hurt, it was gone again.  In spite of the endorphins, I knew I was pushing myself and I was starting then to feel quite tired when I jogged up some inclines (in Milton Keynes these inclines are short, just like coming up from an underpass) but they were enough to slow everyone down.  I refused to walk, I had to keep going.

A glimpse of the end

I caught a glimpse of the MK Dons Stadium through the trees and I knew I really was nearly there.  Around another corner and on to a (traffic free) road and I knew I was on the home straight.  My pace picked up and ran through some crowds of spectators all cheering and clapping (there must have been someone more worthy behind me) and into the stadium itself.  I made it. " Thank you Lord" I said quietly to myself as I walked around the pitch perimeter to get my goodie bag, a nice way to cool down.

And now, the following day

I feel great within myself.  I did it.  Just sitting here wondering how everyone else is, especially the first timers like myself.  How is everyone feeling?  Everyone feeling the achievement?  

Me?  I'm so pleased I did it.  My blog reader H suggested Vaseline but as I've never had any problems "down there" there seemed no need.  I wish now I had.  

"Wet shorts + 26.2 miles = chafing where the sun don't shine"

I feel a little stiff but okay walking around the house.  I know I'm going to have a hum-dinger of a cold but it is definitely worth it.  Having a bit of Type A personality in me, I am not satisfied with myself.  I could have done better and would have done if I'd stuck to the training schedule.  That's life: I have a job and a family to take care of.  I am so thankful to everyone bearing with me through this race and most of all to Rachel, for putting up with me on this journey.

Some pics from the day....

Not doing much business today!

A group warmup

Runners resorting to plastic sacks to stay warm and dry

Time to go for a "cuppa" and put my feet up!

An impressive place to cross the finish line

MK Marathon Results 2012

Congratulations to the winner Dave Mitchinson (2 hours 41 mins) and everyone else taking part.  Thanks to all of the supporters, volunteers also the Race Director and his team - you were all great!

Click here for the results

Click here for my own blog ramble about it.

Pre Race list

Decided to go to the gym for a treadmill run, for about an hour.  Just a gentle run to keep me loosened up.  Left home in such a rush I got there and found I'd left my running shoes at home.  Now that presented a challenge and some choices.

As there wasn't much time left, there certainly wasn't enough time to get dressed again, go home, pick the shoes up, explain three times (plus a forth time to Poppy the dog) why I was home so early and return to the gym.  I decided to go for a swim, after all, why shouldn't I swim in my running shorts?

And so I did.  Did some people watching, if ever I needed a reminder about staying trim I had both extremes to look at.  While bored swimming up and down I decided to have a go at swimming a length under water.  The first attempt left me about 3 metres short.  Second attempt managed it fairly easily; felt good.  Had a bake in the steam room (love it!) and made a mental list of everything I need to take on Sunday for the MK Marathon:

• race pack including map, car park pass
• SatNav with car park post code
• Ibuprofen
• race number
• safety pins x4
• running shoes
• I'll be wearing my shorts and base layer top
• small ruck sack, labelled with race number
• camera for pre/post race photos (for my blog!)
• waterproof jacket to hopefully leave in my rucksack
• fleece
• mobile phone (battery charged)
• energy gel for half way point
• disposable jumper

Have I missed anything?

Have you seen the weather forecast for race day?  http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/2642465

Did you see the text "Cloudy, wet and windy for much of the weekend with heavy rain and easterly gales by Sunday"?  

Sounds horrible but I can't wait!  I'm not that confident, have hardly had the chance to run since the weekend but I'm looking forward to the marathon, if not the weather!

Is Watercress good for you?

freshly picked watercress from our garden pond

We started growing watercress in our pond by accident a few years ago.  Rachel was sprinkling a few seeds onto some soil in a seed tray and some fell into the pond.  Since then we have a regular crop of watercress year by year.  In our family, I'm the only one that eats it and so most of it never gets eaten!

Is it good for you?

Easy answer is yes.  It contains Vitamins A, B, C and E.  Also has some other trace elements which are useful - iodine, iron and manganese.  Amongst the various attributes, it is said to have anti cancer properties and has a general tonic effect.

How is it grown?

Ideally it needs running water from which it picks up various nutrients.  In our pond we have a water pump which circulates the same water through a filter with the aim of keeping the pond clear and healthy.  It seems to work judging from the health of the plants, handful of goldfish and the frog / tadpole population.  We never clean our pond out; it just seems to have the right balance and goes along nicely on it's own.  I think the circulating water helps but I'm not sure it is absolutely essential for watercress.

It dies back to a certain extent in the winter and looks pretty hopeless when it is encased in 10 cm of solid ice but it seems to bounce back alright on it's own.

History

Watercress has been grown in the UK over a long period of time but became particulalry popular in te Victorian times when large quantities were grown in Hampshire and Wiltshire.  Such was the demand in London, there was even the "watercress line" which was a special train service that brought the produce straight to the market at Covent Garden.  I got reminded of this when I had a bike ride last Saturday and came across these at (I think Whitwell) and had a brief conversation with these two men.  They explained they only sell the watercress through Farmer's markets and not to supermarkets.  They're having some problems in coping with the low water levels we are experiencing at this time of year (for readers around the world, we have a water shortage in the UK with various measures in place to conserve water).

Watercress beds at Whitwell(?), Hertfordshire

How to use it

I like it best raw and I enjoy the peppery taste.  I enjoy it in a cheese sandwich or in a salad, just one or two stalks at a time, not too much.  If you don't like the taste but want the benefits, it could be used in mash potato or easily mixed up with cottage cheese and still eaten raw.

A word of caution!

Always wash and inspect it before you eat it - look out for tiny creatures you may wish to avoid!

MK Marathon - decided for sure

Here's a bit of a rambling round-up; time to sit back with a coffee as I go through this with you.

Remember me telling you I was a little uncertain about doing the MK Marathon?  About a month ago as part of the training I did a 20 odd mile run, thoroughly enjoyed it, but I managed to pick up an injury that has bugged me ever since.  I've tried to treat it by easing off running but not completely - still need to keep my hand in but I've done some cross training (for me only worthwhile if made to be really hard work - just boring otherwise) and a bit of cycling.

I think I'm mostly recovered and yesterday morning was the self imposed "test" with a gentle 9.5 mile run.  I ran at roughly 10 minute / mile pace (6mph) which is which is the pace I hope to average on the marathon itself as a "get around".  Already I'm thinking I'll be in better shape for a Cheddar Gorge event in September!

Everything was fine, mostly.  Consistent with runs over the last few weeks, my leg was very painful and stiff to start off with.  Being aware I was running along the edge of my foot I consciously made myself run a more even form in making my foot land flatter.  Seems to work and aside from the odd twinge, I was good when I got back.  Not too fatigued so I'm cautiously looking forward to the marathon!

As ever the run was uplifting.  I enjoyed running through some country lanes that are now springing nicely into life.  The fields reminded me of how I like to run in "England's Green and Pleasant Land ".  No hugely inspired ideas, no weighty problems solved, no burdens lifted.  Just a pleasant run, enjoying the scenery and knowing I could do it.

After breakfast I happened to speak to my mother on the telephone.  She is horrified at the thought of me trying to run a marathon.  "At your age as well!  You should know better, I should rest and take it easy if I were you. What happens if it rains, won't you catch a cold?".  All the more reason to do it.  Can't wait to next Sunday and then to tell you all about it afterwards

Later on yesterday Becky, my eldest daughter, needed a lift over to Luton for a tap dancing class, so I took the opportunity to put the bike in the back of the car and go for a ride while she was dancing.

Really enjoyed it.  Got lost and what made it worse was having strayed off the edge of the map!  That is not cool.  As I was on the side of the road trying to figure out where I was, a car pulled up and started talking about directions.  I thought my luck was in, perhaps they were offering me some directions.  Turned out they were lost too and had no map at all.

You can see from the above photo, I was just inside Hertfordshire and a jolly nice area too.  "Very Hertfordshire around here as well" I thought.  The clouds were rather heavy looking and I was probably in store for a deluge but it didn't happen for me - a shame!  I know this probably sounds weird but sometimes it's really nice being out in really heavy rain - it's so refreshing and exhilarating.

I was really encouraged and pleased to see plenty of other cyclists out.  Mostly MAMILs* in pairs, whizzing along briskly, though nobody over took me!  There were a couple of mountain bikers and a woman plodding along - enthusiastically dressed in the Lycra gear and on an expensive-looking new Trek hybrid bike.  She wasn't going fast, in fact it looked a bit of a struggle for her, but the important thing was she was out there and having a go.  Seems there really is an explosion of new cyclists out riding decent road bikes in order to keep fit and lose that city bonus.  Brilliant.

So there y'go.  A "reassuring run" before breakfast and a nice bike ride after breakfast.  On that ride I covered 22 miles and, astonishingly, I hit 42mph as a maximum speed - I had no idea I did that yesterday!

*MAMIL = Middle Aged Men In Lycra

Book review - Earthing by Clinton Ober et al

Recently I really did enjoy the challenge of a book review by fellow blogger Natasha  for her 'The Nourishing Road' blog.

Click here  for the review, the blog itself and why not take a look around Natasha's blog while your there.  You'll see she makes a strong case for natural foods and it'll be interesting to see how this blog grows in popularity and expertise.

Is there anything you'd like me to review for you?  At the time of writing I get over 4,500 hits a month so plenty of readers.  I'll be honest in my review, so please bear that in mind.  Please - just leave a comment below.

Coast to Coast training ride

C2C practice ride for Becky & Hannah

"Becky how far do you think we've been riding for?"

"About a mile or two"

"Are you sure?  Must be at least 20 miles.  I never knew this mountain was so steep" panted Hannah

"Have you tried changing gear?"

"Ah great idea Becky, I know Dad explained all that gear changing stuff but which one do I press?"

"That small one on the left, by your thumb.  If you go any slower you'll fall off"

Clank goes Hannah's gears.  Much easier now; a little quicker too.

"Do you think Dad will buy us an ice cream when we get to the top?"

We got ice creams.  This was a "training" ride for our mini holiday to do our Coast to Coast ride in June.  We kind of got the idea last year when we stayed in Cumbria and couldn't help but notice all the route markings and fantastic countryside from the Irish Sea to the North Sea.

We're planning to do a short route consisting of 35 miles x 3 days and staying in Travel Lodges.

The great thing is, we're doing it with our like-minded friends Dave and Ruth with their girls Kate and Hannah (in the same classes as our girls).

I just needed a good run

My MK marathon race pack arrived this week.

Yes, I needed a good run early this morning for a few reasons and that's exactly what I got.  Here goes:

Reason 1

The MK Marathon is looming very close and I'm far from my best.  It is on Sunday 29th April i.e.just 15 days to go.  The race pack arrived this week.  I've got a nice number.  So far everything about the MK marathon points towards a well organised race - I wish I was!

Reason 2

Regular readers will know I injured myself three weeks ago and since then I've eased back on running almost completely in order to allow some healing to take place.  I have done a couple of 10k runs and a couple of shorter runs or jogs to prevent myself from seizing up.  Plus I've had the odd bike ride and cross training session at the gym which I'm sure has been helpful.  So this was the main reason: doing my favourite 7.5 mile hilly run... how would that be?  Could I do that as easily as before?  Could that 7.5 mile run become 26.2 miles in two weeks?

Reason 3

I need to lose 4lbs in weight to feel "right" but I'm still in the middle of my ideal weight range with a BMI of 22.1.  I can feel it as I run, just a little tummy fat accumulating and that 4lbs makes all the difference.

Reason 4

I'm returning to work after the Easter holiday and starting to think about work.  Already I can feel the stress level starting to rise which is not a good sign.   I always used to worry what my offenders would get up to while I was away on leave.  Everyone's nightmare is a Serious Further Offence when there's an arrest for murder, rape or a handful of other serious matters and you're not there to defend yourself or explain why the file isn't completely up to date.  Everyone dreads that message awaiting for your return ("..... needs to see you about X urgently").  Even though I've climbed the ladder a bit, I still dread turning on my computer to see my emails and I have a potentially tricky meeting on Monday afternoon.

Reason 5

This reason is simple for me but maybe not so easy to identify with unless you're already a runner.  It's about the sheer joy of running.  Being free, just doing it and being alone with my thoughts.  Taking yourself to that different plain, thinking things through in a different way and rising above all of those niggles in life.  Feeling my body working and being more in-tune with it; listening to my breathing and my foot steps and rejoicing in the crispness of the early morning.  Sorry, I could wax lyrical about that for ages....

The result?

Not too bad.  I could feel my "shin splint" injury lurking there now and again but not too bad.  I'd say it is 90% healed and at this stage before the race, I'm going to risk going for it.  

I was watching my shadow at one point as this is a good way of checking my running form - again not too bad but not perfect.  My new Saucony's are brilliant, pleased I got them.

Just a quiet and soft dose of the Runner's High, in proportion to the run itself.  Nevertheless, satisfying and rewarding.

Although this was a "see how I do" run, my time wasn't bad and from a cardio point of view I've retained my capacity.  Mentally, a very nice lift too!

World's best saddle bag?

It is all very well for cyclist and blogger Tejvan Pettinger in his truly excellent Cycling Info blog to talk about buying the largest saddle bag you can, he has neglected the above Carradice saddle bags, still made in the UK (thankfully).

I was amused by the thought of other roadies asking him "are you going camping?" upon seeing his somewhat compact saddle bag on his training bike.  If they saw mine they'd be asking if I was moving house.

There are so many fantastic things about Carradice saddle bags.  They're so durable as this one testifies - being circa 1988 or thereabouts.  They're probably "bomb proof", timeless and that adds to the charm, I think.  Certainly heavy duty and comes in handy for carrying some paperwork to and from work, my lunch, mobile phone, wallet, ID badge and clothes for the day.  Permanent occupants are a spare inner tube, some spiders, tyre levers and a spare pair of glasses.

It is amazing what these can carry, having stuffed them full of tins from Sainsburys; I use my pannier bags for less robust cargo.  It is easy to carry a 4 pint bottle of milk, smoothies and tins knowing they're strapped in there really securely.  Hardly anyone ever cycles to our Sainsbury's to stock up on loads of shopping - people look at me and think I'm either a disqualified driver, weird or too mean to drive my car.

These bags are hardly  elegant, aerodynamic, modern or trendy.  Instead they look a bit dated, a bit CTC-ish of old and generally twinned with a Brooks B17 saddle but I couldn't care less.  For use on an all-purpose bike they are great bags.  Mind you, I can't imagine Tejvan Pettinger et al using one - unless you know different (and now there's a challenge).