ABP Newport Marathon & the Halloween Horror

I think I may have bitten off more than I can chew by entering this one, as it's only three weeks after the Manchester marathon. What was I thinking?

I think I just got carried away in the euphoria on Facebook, with many of my club mates entering this, and some of those being my closer friends in the club. Some people think that I have taken on too much, however there are some very experienced friends/runners who think that this is doable, if I rest for a few days after Manchester and then just do a couple of short runs in between, they think I should be OK. But I may end up doing a combination of walking and running from 15 miles, which is fine by me.

The route has finally been announced and to be honest, it brings no surprises as the course had already been described as flat and fast, so that had to take in the wetlands. Personally I would have preferred to have seen a route that began in Newport and ran out to Cardiff before heading back to Newport on a out & back or loop route. But I think this route has been devised and designed this way as it means there would be very few road closures.

Anyway, I'm quietly looking forward to getting into training for this, in a masochistic sort of way, But at least I have some nice people and good friends to run with and share the pain.

Halloween Horror 🦇👻

Club night this evening was a new route especially devised, (I think) for Halloween, appropriately entitled, Halloween Horror. The horror being the steepest hill in Newport, and one that, fortunately, I hadn't come across previously, and to be honest, one that I won't be sorry if I never see again 😅

We ran as a group with several stops to enable us to regroup and make sure that no one had got lost down those dark, spooky 👻 country lanes, and of course the Celtic Manor golf course, which was really dark and our head and chest lamps really came into their own there.

Anyway, I did enjoy this run, but then I usually enjoy the club runs. It's about the people as much as the running.

Laura Davies - The Purple Plodder

Before I go, check out the Favourite Links on the top right of my home page. Laura Davies lives in  N Wales although I believe she is originally from Newport, and has been running for a year now, but has already signed up to taking part in next years Snowdon marathon, probably the toughest Marathon in the UK. Laura has set up her own blog so that people can follow her progress, and I shall be keeping a close eye on her. 

I may just arrange to meet up with Laura in the near future, join her for a run and carry out an interview for this blog.

Watch this space.

And talking of the Snowdon marathon, I would like to say a big well done to CRC members, Andrew, Phil, Ian and Jason, Griffithtown Harriers members Cath and Lena who all completed this gruelling race.