Running Roundup # 14

It has been a little while since I've posted anything, and that is mainly because I haven't done anything much, running wise anyway. After Manchester I rested for a week, then due to some stuff going on at work I lost my mojo for a couple of days before about 10 days later going out to run with the 5210k group in Caerleon who were on week # 1 of this course, and we decided to introduce the group to the joys of Indian running. Unfortunately we had a temperature of around 22°C and so by the time the group had covered 2 miles, they were melting and had been sapped of their energy.

The Saturday saw me running at Riverfront Parkrun as usual, and it was nice to be able to run it at my own pace, as the previous 10 weeks had been run with the C25K group. I always find running at a much slower pace than I'm used to, is much more difficult than you would think. You may think it would be easy, but actually, I don't find it easy at all. So I paired up with Claire Louise, (who had also helped out with the C25K group) and we ran the distance together.

Me with Claire to my right (glasses & pink hair)

Claire was looking for a PB, which I didn't know if I could get for her, but I thought that if I just ran at a good strong pace then maybe it would happen for her.

We got to the half way turn around point by the rickety bridge, and Claire was still there, hot on my heels. By the time we reached George Street Bridge, with about half a mile to go, she was beginning to lag behind a little, and I slowed down to let her catch up, but she insisted I carry on at my own pace so that she could chase me, so I picked up my pace again and off I went.

I crossed the line in a time of 26:00 and Claire came in at 26:29 and yes, it was a new PB for her, which she was really chuffed with. Yayyyyyy 😂



Saturday evening was party time 

for the C25K group, and quite a few of us met up at The Potters in Newport town centre for a few celebratory drinks to mark the end of their running adventure, and a good time was had by all and I'm sure a few sore heads on Sunday morning.





On Tuesday the group met at the canal at 14 Locks for their run, so I thought I would tag along for a nice and easy plod, after all, I was going to be running another marathon on the next Sunday.

The weather was shocking, with strong winds and heavy, lashing rain, which reminded me of a couple of my marathon winter training runs where I got soaked through to the skin and was freezing cold. Fortunately we only covered a little over 3 ½ miles and not the 14 - 18 miles I ran my nightmare runs in.




Thursday saw the group back at Caerleon and this evenings session was to run a 1 mile time trial, make a note of their individual times and then at the end of 9 weeks to run the mile again and see how they have improved. We then did some 100 metre sprints before jogging back to the club house. 

On Sunday I will be running in the ABP Newport marathon, which has been promoted as the flattest marathon on the planet. I don't know about the planet but quite possibly in Britain. Once we leave the city and head out into the countryside it is definitely extremely flat. I ran many miles across those flat lands during my training sessions and feel it is flatter than Manchester was.

I've been contacted by Newport Live who have asked if we can arrange to meet before and after the race to interview me on camera, for their website I guess. They also asked for my race bib number so that they can track and tweet my progress. So I am meeting them at the wave at 8 AM to do this.

Before I go, I would like to say a HUGE thank you to all of my friends at Caerleon RC who have shared my training runs, and my pain, in the wind, horizontal rain and cold, but we did have some laughs along the way also. So thank you Sally, Carl, Tania, Rachel, Ann, Michelle, Maddy, Karen, (I will NEVER forget that grueling run with you, fortunately your company was awesome)! I would also like to thank others in the club who have given me sound advice, and to all the C25K 2018 group who must be bored to death by now of my marathon training stories. This maybe you in a year or two.

I'm hoping for a time of around 4:30 - 4:45 ish, so wish me luck, as I wish all of you luck, and I shall keep my eyes open for many of you who I know will be dotted around the route as marshals or spectators. But please don't shout out, "you're nearly there", as someone in Manchester did when I was still 9 miles out 😠