Hi lovely run fans,
So...I RAN AN ULTRA MARATHON....I'm still excited!
As promised here's my race review for the 2015 D33 Deeside Way Ultra Marathon. D33 2015
I thought about doing a 'proper' serious review with mile splits and terrain info ....but it didn't feel very me! I don't find reading those reviews very interesting either.....I'm a bit of a rubbish grown up.
So here's a review my way. What happened and how I felt, using moments from Disney movies for reference.
So here we go: Once upon a time I RAN AN ULTRA MARATHON.....
So...I RAN AN ULTRA MARATHON....I'm still excited!
As promised here's my race review for the 2015 D33 Deeside Way Ultra Marathon. D33 2015
I thought about doing a 'proper' serious review with mile splits and terrain info ....but it didn't feel very me! I don't find reading those reviews very interesting either.....I'm a bit of a rubbish grown up.
So here's a review my way. What happened and how I felt, using moments from Disney movies for reference.
So here we go: Once upon a time I RAN AN ULTRA MARATHON.....
You know that bit in Frozen where they are opening the castle for the coronation and Princess Anna is overexcitedly leaping around the castle and getting in everyone's way?
That was me before the race. Surrounded by calm, chilled people who knew what they were doing. I was filled with nerves and excitement and ENERGY. If I hadn't been afraid of looking silly and wasting energy I would have danced around the start line to shake off the EEEEEEEEEKKKKKK!
Then finally "For the first time in forever", we amassed at the start line, they gave us a few final instructions and we set off. Annnnnddddd breathe.
That was me before the race. Surrounded by calm, chilled people who knew what they were doing. I was filled with nerves and excitement and ENERGY. If I hadn't been afraid of looking silly and wasting energy I would have danced around the start line to shake off the EEEEEEEEEKKKKKK!
Then finally "For the first time in forever", we amassed at the start line, they gave us a few final instructions and we set off. Annnnnddddd breathe.
So off we went. The first few miles were dodgy as usual, as I settled into the running. I felt like I was going too slow, but was afraid of pushing too soon and ending up exhausted.
I started overthinking how far there was to go, how I'd missed a long training run, how I'd only had a donut for breakfast, how far there was to go, how I needed to pee, how far there was to go.......
I felt like Carl Fredrickson at the end of the opening montage of Up. Alone and tired and afraid and not sure that I could do this. The first aid station boosted morale. But seeing 3 quarters of the field pass me on their way back before I reached the halfway point made me really frustrated.
I didn't know if I could do it.
I was Eeyore.
I started overthinking how far there was to go, how I'd missed a long training run, how I'd only had a donut for breakfast, how far there was to go, how I needed to pee, how far there was to go.......
I felt like Carl Fredrickson at the end of the opening montage of Up. Alone and tired and afraid and not sure that I could do this. The first aid station boosted morale. But seeing 3 quarters of the field pass me on their way back before I reached the halfway point made me really frustrated.
I didn't know if I could do it.
I was Eeyore.
Well enough of that despondency. The second half (or Act 2 to my theatre pals) of the race was a different story In the words of Mary Poppins:
"In every task that must be done, there is an element of fun. You find the fun and snap the job's a game. And every task you undertake, becomes a piece of cake..."
I'm somewhat of a Mary Poppins when the endorphins kick in. Overly cheerful, enthusiastic and prone to singing about every day tasks.
And it turns out that I agree with her. On the approach to the halfway point there was a lady giving out Jaffa cakes. At the halfway point oodles of flapjacks and jelly babies. I indulged in lots of both, plus Lucozade from my drop bag. Thus a spoonful of sugar did help the medicine go down.
I realised that I wasn't very tired and I could totally do this. Basically the endorphins and sugar clicked my mind into realising that I was capable of finishing and feeling pretty good while I did it!
I bounded through the next 8 miles and found even more abandoned treats at the last aid station. I took a fudge and some jazzy new flavoured gels!
(If you want to read about why ultra eating is delicious: Cake chat this way )
I ran on for 4 miles until I found some new friends laughing and joking and doing a walk run strategy from dog poo bin to dog poo bin! Their running pace was above my comfortable pace but they walked half the time so this suited me. I could have plodded on alone but I wanted some company and friends to finish with. We had a right giggle and split to run the last half mile or so at our own pace.
I guess we could only stay together until the wind changed.
"In every task that must be done, there is an element of fun. You find the fun and snap the job's a game. And every task you undertake, becomes a piece of cake..."
I'm somewhat of a Mary Poppins when the endorphins kick in. Overly cheerful, enthusiastic and prone to singing about every day tasks.
And it turns out that I agree with her. On the approach to the halfway point there was a lady giving out Jaffa cakes. At the halfway point oodles of flapjacks and jelly babies. I indulged in lots of both, plus Lucozade from my drop bag. Thus a spoonful of sugar did help the medicine go down.
I realised that I wasn't very tired and I could totally do this. Basically the endorphins and sugar clicked my mind into realising that I was capable of finishing and feeling pretty good while I did it!
I bounded through the next 8 miles and found even more abandoned treats at the last aid station. I took a fudge and some jazzy new flavoured gels!
(If you want to read about why ultra eating is delicious: Cake chat this way )
I ran on for 4 miles until I found some new friends laughing and joking and doing a walk run strategy from dog poo bin to dog poo bin! Their running pace was above my comfortable pace but they walked half the time so this suited me. I could have plodded on alone but I wanted some company and friends to finish with. We had a right giggle and split to run the last half mile or so at our own pace.
I guess we could only stay together until the wind changed.
So. The finish. As I ran towards it my endorphins surged. Nothing hurt. Everything felt wonderful and I sprinted over the finish line. I was given a homemade wooden medal and a bottle of bespoke beer. I took my obligatory #medalselfie and collected handfuls of snacks.
Basically I was riding off into the sunset to marry a sexy prince/sing an uplifting ballad/hangout with my friends and living happily ever after.
Imagine all the clichés. I was Snow White being aided by forest creatures, Sleeping Beauty being awoken with a kiss and Elsa defrosting the whole world with love.
Yep. Finishing a race really does feel that good.
Basically I was riding off into the sunset to marry a sexy prince/sing an uplifting ballad/hangout with my friends and living happily ever after.
Imagine all the clichés. I was Snow White being aided by forest creatures, Sleeping Beauty being awoken with a kiss and Elsa defrosting the whole world with love.
Yep. Finishing a race really does feel that good.
Of course that didn't last.
A short taxi ride into town to find a shower and I could barely climb out of the cab. Eventually I'd found a shower (Thanks Pure Gym. Aberdeen train station you lie about shower availability and are mean) Once in the shower I discovered my back and hips were sliced to ribbons. TIP: DON'T FORGET BODYGLIDE/VASELINE ON RACE DAY.
The next morning I was stiff and sore and had to forgo a 6 mile race I'd booked before I'd signed up for the ultra. But then something magical happened. I had an amazing massage at Lush (details to come in another post on recovering the lazy way) and felt fine again.
Dangerously my body felt fine before my brain stopped being excited.......and I have access to the Internet.....long term readers may recall how this all started.
Here
So I "Did a Dory" and signed up for ANOTHER ULTRA the Clydestride 40 miler in July. Clydestride
There are still a few places if you fancy joining me. I'll get you round.
Because, as Toy Story teaches us "You got a friend in me"
Run cat girl run x x x
A short taxi ride into town to find a shower and I could barely climb out of the cab. Eventually I'd found a shower (Thanks Pure Gym. Aberdeen train station you lie about shower availability and are mean) Once in the shower I discovered my back and hips were sliced to ribbons. TIP: DON'T FORGET BODYGLIDE/VASELINE ON RACE DAY.
The next morning I was stiff and sore and had to forgo a 6 mile race I'd booked before I'd signed up for the ultra. But then something magical happened. I had an amazing massage at Lush (details to come in another post on recovering the lazy way) and felt fine again.
Dangerously my body felt fine before my brain stopped being excited.......and I have access to the Internet.....long term readers may recall how this all started.
Here
So I "Did a Dory" and signed up for ANOTHER ULTRA the Clydestride 40 miler in July. Clydestride
There are still a few places if you fancy joining me. I'll get you round.
Because, as Toy Story teaches us "You got a friend in me"
Run cat girl run x x x