#15 Hugin Challenge

22nd February 2015
5:12:28

Note to self: don't plan to run an epic-ly awesome hilly trail marathon and then run anything the next day, especially not another marathon.

Had a lousy (pathetic) and incredibly painful 5 hours of hobble-jog-faff-walk-shuffle yesterday with pretty views and copious amounts of cake and jammy-dodgers.

I really shouldn't have run more than a couple of miles after the leg burner yesterterday- it was a 'challenge course' of 3-and-a-bit mile loops you could complete as few or as many as you wished in a 6 hour period. But I'm too stubborn and completed 8 laps for 26.4 miles in a painfully slow 5hours12- my slowest time by far for a 'decent surface' marathon.

Laps 1 and 2 went ok. I was plodding long at a steady speed. Hungry and tried to stay savory with Ritz crackers and water.

Lap 3 I started walking top of the big hill. Took a quick #1 break at the aid station. Moved into jammy dodger territory.

Lap 4 I walked quite intermittently. Stopped at the top o f the hill to stretch my QL using a gate to hang off. Wind picking up now at the far end of the loop. Jelly babies at the aid station from here on.

I rang the boyf on lap 5 and made him talk to me on speaker.... he was nice about it. So while I had my phone I took some snaps of the views on the loop. I was walking quite a bit now.

White cliffs in the distance

The National Trust: Pegwell Bay 

The Hugin ship

Cliffsend sign

Lap 6, pretty brutal, everything hurt. lots of run-walk. Wind getting ever stronger and becoming a
nuisance. At least the kite surfers were enjoying it (jealous).

Laps 7 and 8, really wanting to just run and get it finished. Ran as much of each loop as I could and did find an extra gear for the home straight but it was nothing which could be described as fast.

The epic goody bag and giant 'Hugin' Medal

Full credit to Travis and Rachel, and all their team of helpers from handing out hair bands we wore on our wrists to count laps, manning the picnic *ahem* aid station and always cheerful and encouraging. 

#14 Trailscape's Rail to Trail, West - Wendover

21st February 2015
5:50:51

Was naughty at the weekend and decided as I'd paid up for both events, to go to the Trailscape event on Saturday knowing I could drop at half way, and then go to the Hugin on Sunday knowing I could drop at any 5k interval if I needed to.

Anyhoo- had an total ball on Saturday and did the full route in the snow, forests, loam, slop, slodge and sunshine. Barely any Tarmac- brilliance in route planning, wet feet, tripped over a tree root, took a gazillion photos and ate about a half a kilogram of Haribo gummy rings. Sunshine, glute busting ascents, quad mashing descents and the most awesomely epic views. Absolutely loved it!

Honest, best fun I've had all year.

Sudden snow on the M25 on the way there. Boyf asks, should we turn around?

Conditions a bit unusual as no snow(or any wet) forecast, expecting sun and about 5degrees with a bit of a breeze.

Took a gazillion photos because phone was on the mandatory kit list, and I got a bit carried away. This is just a selection. Most of them are fuzzy because I didn't stop to take them, or check them.

Snow making the forest all pretty.

The sun did play ball and was a real mood lifter.

About 5 miles in, trying to keep feet dry

About 8 miles in, embracing the mud and getting the f on with it.

The back of the 10k race just started.

Some signage and tape

Epic view

Loved the quotes, "Blisters are in this season."

Signage was awesome. X sign ahead prompts to look for arrow.

Some enormous house

Really quite near the finish now.

Insane view

Piri-piri

UPDATE
I'd been struggling since the last double with what started as pains either side of my calf and had my sports massage guy listing scary injuries as possibilities, but none of my symptoms really quite matching. I was having weird shooty-needle pains up the outside of my lower right leg, when walking, as the heel comes to the ground. Worse downhill. He was most sure it was a soleus strain or compartment damage because the pain was so localised to my calf and gave me some stretches to do over the next two weeks saying one would hurt and then we'd know what the issue was.
Anyhoo, I did the stretches and nothing hurt, but the shooty pains were still there. About 10 days later, still unable to walk properly, I was resting up on the sofa and my back, bum and whole right leg was aching terribly which developed more specifically to my piriformis going into spasm. (or at least that's what it felt like). I commenced piri stretches twice a day and things eased off in a matter of days! Hurrah!

I was feeling great from the Sunday 2 weeks after the double (, also 2 weeks before the next) but like a good girl I acted on the advice of my sports massage guy and kept stretching, icing and resting. I missed the Wokingham Half marathon, something I signed up to 18months ago but was cancelled last year due to flooding on the course. It just wasn't meant to be. I went as personal supporter to Phil who beat my PB by 45 seconds..... Grrr. I'm proud obviously.
In total I had 3 weeks off running completely, and then a (difficult) 3 mile and 6 mile before my next adventure!