June 2018 Running Challenge

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  • cburke8909
    cburke8909 Posts: 990 Member
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    Ok @girlinahat I admit that when you first said a 7 hour marathon I was like "What's up with that? 7 hours??? Why?" Now having seen your race report, I completely understand. You rock, congrats!!!
  • polskagirl01
    polskagirl01 Posts: 2,014 Member
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    PastorVincent wrote: »
    Elise4270 wrote: »
    PastorVincent wrote: »
    LaDispute57 wrote: »
    @PastorVincent Here is the link... https://www.facebook.com/events/2025688057445859/
    It offers a 50k, 25k and 12k distances.

    Ah, over 3 hours from me. A bit far since I will need to be back for early Sunday morning. :(

    Take a vacation day.

    HA! YOU ARE FUNNY :lol:
    A lot of people who attend churches have this crazy idea that pastors should never take vacation days. I hope that's not the case where you are serving!
    girlinahat wrote: »
    Race Report – Giant’s Head Marathon 2018

    TL:DR – 7 hours and 32 minutes of hot sweaty hurty hilly rough terrain.

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    Number of entrants 515, number on waiting list desperate to get in – 180+ Number of finishers 465

    This event is the most popular in White Star Running’s calendar. Described as a ‘very very hilly challenging route’ it won Best Marathon in the UK award in its first outing. This year was the 100th Race put on by the WSR team.

    WSR describe themselves as providers of ‘nutty races for nutty people’. Their races have the sense of a festival atmosphere about them, and distances tend to be approximate so you never quite know how much further you have to go. There are no mile markers on the course, but with aid stations every couple of miles you know roughly how far you’ve been. Hills are guaranteed.

    Arrived on the Friday night and pitched my tent in the field next to the village taken over by the event. A quick collection of my number from registration, before lasagne dinner provided by the ladies of the Women’s Institute in the village, and a sneaky pint of ale. Sleep was surprisingly forthcoming.

    Saturday woke at 6.30 – race starts at 8.30. Brewed a coffee and ate the largest bowl of fruit, yoghurt and granola before wandering down to the village green. And it’s hot. Like really hot, already.

    Had a plan to start with a walk, but had to start running to keep in front of the Sweeper – a lady with a broomstick sticking out of her pack.

    It wasn’t long before we hit our first hill, a chalky track leading up, and yes, I walked it. That was always going to be the case for the ups, but I thought I could run the flats and downs – how wrong I was to be!!!

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    As expected, everything was stiff for the first couple of miles, but by mile 5 my feet and ankles were hurting. I suspected I was getting blisters under the ball of my big toe on both feet. This didn’t bode well.

    Mile 8 arrived, and we’d taken TWO HOURS to get this far. My hips were hurting now. At this rate, I’d need to maintain the pace or faster to get through cut-off. And I was seriously hot and getting heatstroke. But we passed the infamous Cerne Abbas Giant with his rather large appendage, and all stopped to take a photo.

    Next water station I dipped my buff in water, and put it around my neck. Magic. Not being too hot allowed me to plod on in a bit less discomfort. I’d repositioned the way the feet landed and this helped with the possible blisters forming.

    We’re all walking at the back. Spent the next couple of miles chatting with a guy called Graham, but at mile 11 decided I wanted to try and push on to keep away from the sweeper. This mentally may have been a mistake.
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    The terrain was tough. Walking through ploughed fields that had not seen rain for a while, with short stubby cropped grass meant that running was barely possible if you didn’t want to break your ankles. Soft terrain was few and far between, and the chalk tracks were rocky and slippy. Around mile 12, as I walked, alone, on a flat ridge, I decided I didn’t want to be there, didn’t see the point in doing this. I had no one to talk to, and no music to keep my mind off things.

    Mile 13 came along, but halfway means nothing when you hurt.

    Then something happened. My mind cleared. I got to mile 14, and though, well, let’s push on to mile 16, then if I can get to 16, maybe I can get to 18. The water-soaking of the buff became essential – there was a water station where I forgot to do this, but found a dirty puddle later.

    We got to the Lovestation at mile 20. The Lovestation is legendary, there’s a mix of sweets, cakes, mini sausages etc. What I REALLY wanted at this point was a cheese sandwich but it didn’t happen. Also at the Lovestation is vodka. Now there really is NOTHING like a quick shot of flavoured vodka at mile 20 to make you gird up your loins and get going. I ran the next half mile, then I started running with a girl named Susie, doing 12 marathons in 12 months. At mile 22 we found a stream. Oh, the moans of pleasure as we stood in the stream up to our ankles for five minutes, cooling down our aching feet.

    I left Susie at about mile 24. I needed to push on and try and run a bit, just for my mental health and to get out of the punishing sun. At mile 25 my Tomtom watch decided it had had enough. All that way and my run was recorded short.

    Mile 25 and a bit was the final aid station. There was a guy sat there saying ‘I think I’ve broken my wrist’ but at the suggestion he get carted off in an ambulance he swore and suggested he was going to finish. (I later found out he fell badly at mile 13, and broke BOTH wrists, a couple of ribs, and hurt his eye. He DID finish, and then went to hospital).

    The final downhill (after the final up) was a breeze.

    Sat down after the finish to watch the last runners come through. The Sweeper came in some 45 minutes after I finished, but she’d had to pull quite a few runners.

    Saturday night was full of beer, and chilli provided again by the village WI (glad that wasn’t FRIDAY night’s food….) and some barn dancing. Well, mostly beer drinking.

    Sunday morning my feet felt surprisingly ok, my quads less so. But because this was a nutty people event, what better to do than run up a hill again? So on to the ‘Bell Race’. I chose the shorter 3k event rather than the 8k for obvious reasons. Started with all our shoes being confiscated and left in a pile. Then warm ups (who makes runners do squats?) and a massive conga, before we all got to hunt for our shoes. Walked up the hill, did some star jumps as a forfeit, and ran (yes, ran) back down the hill proudly wearing a very loud cow bell. Then queued for an HOUR AND A HALF for a massive ice cream, which wasn’t worth the wait.

    Mixed feelings about the weekend. Next time I spend seven and a half hours in the sunshine I want it to be by a pool with an ice cold drink in my hand. Not sure where to go next, although suddenly remembered I have two deferred half marathon places – one in November and one in Spring next year. Both are said to be ‘hard’ courses, but to be honest, nothing now is ‘hard’.

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    Great write-up, and it sounds like you did a great job persevering! Congratulations!!! The half marathons will be a breeze after all that!

    I already upped my goal once and am not doing it again, but it looks like I just have to complete Saturday's race (I'm so excited about it), and I'll hit 100 miles for the month. Today I counted C25k w4d1 with my friend (6 min running/2walking x4) as part of my run, and then tacked on about 2k by myself, trying to go fast to raise the overall pace (it didn't work, it's just too early in the morning for silliness like that).

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    Upcoming races:
    6/30 Silesian Highland [trail] Half Marathon
    7/16 CityTrail OnTour 5k
  • polskagirl01
    polskagirl01 Posts: 2,014 Member
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    Elise4270 wrote: »
    Omg! @girlinahat you're my hero! I have to run this race with you. Next year?
    Me, too! Hmm... I might be serious. I'm not sure what this says about my level of sanity.
  • girlinahat
    girlinahat Posts: 2,956 Member
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    cburke8909 wrote: »
    Ok @girlinahat I admit that when you first said a 7 hour marathon I was like "What's up with that? 7 hours??? Why?" Now having seen your race report, I completely understand. You rock, congrats!!!

    Scary isn’t it? You could WALK the distance at that speed!!!

    My sister asked what my time was yesterday, and all I told her was ‘slow’. For perspective, the first two guys in made it in 3h 15m (no idea how). The next person was a full thirty minutes behind them. In a road marathon, you’ll get plain old club runners finishing in 2h 20m

    I’d have liked to been faster for sure, but my legs were beaten up pretty quickly, and the terrain was so unforgiving. Usually I can handle that kind of terrain and love it, but not when I’m tired.

  • Elise4270
    Elise4270 Posts: 8,375 Member
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    polskagirl01 wrote: »
    Elise4270 wrote: »
    Omg! @girlinahat you're my hero! I have to run this race with you. Next year?
    Me, too! Hmm... I might be serious. I'm not sure what this says about my level of sanity.

    I've started working on DH about going. . He loves going places and being away from home. I juat have to see if i can get him to save a few bucks.
  • RunsOnEspresso
    RunsOnEspresso Posts: 3,218 Member
    edited June 2018
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    @mbaker566 OMG he is so cute!
  • AmyOutOfControl
    AmyOutOfControl Posts: 1,425 Member
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    6/1 = 4 miles
    6/2 = 5.5 miles
    6/3 = 10 miles
    6/4 = 3 miles
    6/5 = forced rest day (stupid work)
    6/6 = 13 miles
    6/7 = Vinyasa yoga class
    6/8 = 12 miles
    6/9 = rest day
    6/10 = 8 miles
    6/11 = 4 miles & 45 minutes strength training
    6/12 = Vinyasa yoga class
    6/13 = 10 miles
    6/14 = 30 minutes strength training at home
    6/15 = 14 miles
    6/16 = rest day (literally sat on my butt doing nothing all day - it was fantastic)
    6/17 = 8.5 miles (group run with walk/run intervals)
    6/18 = 4 miles & 45 minutes weights at the gym
    6/19 = Vinyasa yoga
    6/20 = 10 miles
    6/21 = rest day
    6/22 = 10 miles
    6/23 = out of town for a funeral
    6/24 = 8.5 miles
    6/25 = 3 miles (treadmill) & 30 minutes strength training
    6/26 = Yoga

    Are there any vegetarian runners in this thread? Has it effected your running in any way? I used to be a vegetarian (almost vegan) once upon a time but I lapsed into being an omnivore about 10 years ago. This was before I started running. I am thinking of eliminating meat again. My only concern is that I found I was hungrier eating a vegetarian diet. I am a bit concerned that switching my diet while running 30-40 miles a week will drive my hunger to unmanageable levels.


    150 goal miles / 127.5 miles complete

    Upcoming Races (so far):
    10/10/2018 -Tough Mudder Half
    10/27/2018 -Hill Country Halloween Half Marathon
    1/26/2019 -Fitbit Topical 5k
    1/27/2019 -Miami Marathon
  • Elise4270
    Elise4270 Posts: 8,375 Member
    edited June 2018
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    @amymoreorless @ariceroni is vegetarian. She popped in our nutritional support thread. She runs killer miles and has a speedy pace.

    I'd make the assumption that as long you arent eating high glycemic foods, you should be able to manage hunger. But I'm not sure that works IRL. Just like you cant out smart PMS or pizza calories. :smiley:

    ETA a fair amount of healthy fat seems to be the key for me, regardless of my protein source. I cant
    do soy- or I'd be right there with ya on the no meat.
  • RunsOnEspresso
    RunsOnEspresso Posts: 3,218 Member
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    6/1/2018 rest
    6/2/2018 2.65 miles
    6/3/2018 9.05 miles

    6/4/2018 rest
    6/5/2018 3 miles
    6/6/2018 2.1 miles
    6/7/2018 2.5 miles
    6/8/2018 2 miles
    6/9/2018 2.15 miles
    6/10/2018 2 miles

    6/11/2018 rest
    6/12/2018 poor planning
    6/13/2018 poor planning
    6/14/2018 2.4 miles
    6/15/2018 2.75 miles
    6/16/2018 2.5 miles
    6/17/2018 10 miles

    6/18/2018 rest
    6/19/2018 4 miles
    6/20/2018 2.9 miles
    6/21/2018 2.8 miles
    6/22/2018 3 miles
    6/23/2018 2.6 miles
    6/24/2018 unplanned rest

    6/25/2018 rest
    6/26/2018 3.4 miles

    Total 61.8 miles /80-85

    Missing my 12 miles on Sunday means I won't hit at least 80 miles. I should hit 70 though, which isn't bad!

    I chanted lighter to myself this morning. I was beyond tired. I actually started using my garmin to track my sleep. I have used it in the past but always could feel it. I think I know why I never feel rested (guessing on my limited research). I only get one cycle of deep sleep and the rest of the night cycle through light and REM. I was reading light should be about 50% and REM/Deep about 25% each. My deep is maybe 12%? Light is 50+ and REM is probably about 20%. Also, my awake is also showing up as light. I'm assuming since I just try to fall back asleep without much movement it counts as light.

    Does anyone else track sleep? What do your percentages look like and how do you feel based on how much or little you get of each cycle?
  • ladysnickerdoo
    ladysnickerdoo Posts: 61 Member
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    @RunsOnEspresso I do track my sleep with the garmin but it only tells me light/deep/awake. I usually average about 30/70 deep/light but I have never been a good sleeper. I also notice that some of my awake registers as light sleep.

    No run today as it is a rest day. I am going to a local theme park with some family today so I am planning on plenty of steps.

    First time my legs have not been at least a little sore the day after a run. Maybe I am finally getting used to this...
  • Purplebunnysarah
    Purplebunnysarah Posts: 3,252 Member
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    @RunsOnEspresso I don't pay attention my sleep tracking because it's too depressing. My Garmin over reports my sleep when it tells me I'm averaging 6 hours a night.
  • Elise4270
    Elise4270 Posts: 8,375 Member
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    @RunsOnEspresso I only sleep good when medicated (rare). I use Garmin and i don't know how accurate those metrics are. It claims i get 8+ hours of sleep but i never feel like it. I'm always struggling to wake up.

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