What a year

 Well, what a time.  We are still battling this pandemic : coronavirus has affected us all to differing degrees, and we are still fighting this. If anyone had told me, at the start of the year, that the world would have to lock down and cope with hundreds of thousands of deaths this year due to a new illness, I would have told them that they are crazy. Yet here we are.

The easing of this may be in sight, with the start of vaccination :  for now, we continue to work with the effects of this virus.

Running has been a steady constant through all this, for me.  Experiences from the ice ultra flavoured the first part of my year :  then the rhythm of training has provided the routine I needed to continue through this huge tragedy. Partaking in running events feels a luxury and somewhat insignificant, against the current crisis which has unfolded around us. However, maybe, next year..... If things settle, if the virus is under control, if we can get back to anything like the life we were living, if we can safely travel..... Maybe, we can start to run and explore again. Maybe.

For now, we run. We work, we continue. And just maybe.... 

Good luck with the remainder of the year guys. Please keep going. 

Autumn running

 A beautiful Autumn run yesterday at Derwent , with another running work colleague. Soaking up the views and air.  Blissful. 

 

 

Photos from Lakeland Trails website

 

Lakeland Trails : covid secure

 I feel it must be pointed out, how safe these events felt. The organisers went to great lengths to ensure there was space and safety. There were many hand sanitising stations, no occasions where groups of people had to congregate. We were asked to wear face coverings at the start and at the checkpoints: food was painstakingly individually wrapped at the checkpoints, no plastic cups but full water bottles instead. Most impressively, we were given staggered starting times to leave in groups of six : I can only imagine the work involved in distributing hundreds of different start times, then trying to calculate the corresponding individual finish time. But, they managed it. It just shows that, under some circumstances anyway, this is possible :  good for them, putting in this effort to ensure these events could go ahead. 

Lakeland Trails Coniston marathon, 2020

 I don't think I can overemphasise how thrilled I was, to take part in this event during these times. We were incredibly lucky that the weekend was allowed to go ahead,  and this race took place on a day when many mass participation marathons had been postponed, including London. With this in mind, there was not a minute of this race that couldn't be loved.

An absolute stunning Autumn day in the Lakes. The race encompasses over 900 metres overall elevation gain, and was wet and tricky underfoot.much slipping and squelching through peaty mud. The last 5k through the most uneven wooded path compelled many swear words in my head. The marshals were lovely, the route well marked. Two food stations with plenty of snacks to energise the next section. 

I have run the course before, but this was the first time that I had attempted back to back trail races:  the 15k on the afternoon before the full marathon was enough to affect my legs and therefore finishing time. Somehow though, it did not matter a jot. Running through the most beautiful area, for the whole event, was the reward.

I have never before appreciated the actual 'taking place' of a race, until now. Like most people, I just presumed they happened and I went along or I didn't. All the events that have been postponed this year due to the pandemic, have made me savour this one opportunity to participate in a marathon. Hugely grateful. 

What a fantastic race

 Finished in just under six hours, what a fabulous race today. Avoided the cut off by er three minutes I think. Work colleague sped past effortlessly, awesome. Pictures to come. Fantastic day, fantastic lake district running weekend, loved every second. Lakeland Trails, you did a smashing job. 

Coniston marathon

 Back here again for the marathon today. It is truly beautiful here at the start, incredible scenery, amazing. After yesterday's rain, I was a bit concerned. But..... What a day. Fingers crossed we'll all make it OK to the end. Happy to plod, want to soak up these views.

 Awesome 15k, slippy and muddy and everything you want in a lake district run. Plus the quintessential rain at the end. Fabulous stuff.

 

Coniston

 Very excited to be here. A bit rainy but not too bad yet. Beautiful here. Races feel really well organised, lots of space between runners and starting groups. Now I just need to get up those hills. 

Lakeland trails running weekend

 Well, brilliantly, it looks like the Lakeland Trails races can still go ahead, and we are allowed to go.  The company seems to have done a really good job of ensuring the event is covid secure :   they have asked people not to car share, race numbers have been sent in the post to avoid groups congregating at the race Village,  : we have been given staggered start times with small groups setting off at one minute intervals. Presumably, this will be running events for the foreseeable future.

For me, I am thrilled at the thought of participating in an event at the moment :  after this years' earlier lockdown, I did not think this would be possible this year. I need to take a deep breath before we enter the second phase of this pandemic : I think this weekend will allow that.

Fingers crossed. 

 Long, bimbling run at Lyme, in the English rain of course. Hopefully getting ready to run in the Lakes next week, on a couple of Lakeland Trails races. These are still fitting in with covid guidelines, : running outside, small groups, at a distance from others. Fingers crossed, I'd be made up to be able to hit the trails for a bit.

As ever, keep safe. 

Sparkly trainers....

 New, clean shoes for some Autumn trail runs... I give them less than two weeks before they look wrecked. 

Running for.....

 Today, I am running for all the people in my everyday life who have been so generous with their encouragement and interest, in the running endeavours of myself and other people. Let's savour every moment we have. 

You're all awesome, guys.

And........ Breathe....

Social distance training

With huge excitement, I went off to run some trails this week, with a much treasured work colleague. Unbelievable to be out, after all these weeks of constriction. More unbelievable to my legs : the shock of attempting a proper hill again left them grumbling with aches and pains.


We managed quire successfully to practice social distancing, more due to the fact that I could hardly keep up with the girl while she was on her bike. Within two meters of her? Lucky to be able to spot her on the horizon more like.



We sat for our stops and biscuits and chat. Gazing at the freedom around us felt like seeing some kind of paradise. Oh, to be out on the trails. Breathe. Love it.

Yoga time!

My gym has started live streaming a few classes, before a hopeful reopening next month. Such a joy to see some regular teachers, although they cannot hear my comments shouted back to them through the lesson.

Relieved to have the opportunity to start training properly again. A version of returning to a routine, kind of.

Good to see, also, that the lockdown hasn't altered my inflexibility or lack of coordination. Some things really never change.

Yay!!!!

Well, good news occurring, for some at least...... We can exercise as long as we want outside from tomorrow.  I'm planning my first long run later in the week, after eight weeks of short-trying-to-keep-to-an-hour sessions. The prospect of bumbling along for longer, has made me hugely happy.

I am not sure when /if  we will race again this year : that does not bother me : it was the restrictions on everyday training that was making me feel claustrophobic. But this has been nothing, compared to the awful experiences many families have lived through, in the last few weeks.

I am sorry that the limits are still imposed  on major sporting fixtures for the foreseeable future, and am hoping that ways around this will be found. It will make a lot of people very happy to see their football / cricket / rugby clubs back in action again,

Hopefully somehow, soon.

The intensity of dealing with some of the consequences of this pandemic, have exhausted me.

Roll on the long run. Keep going.

Keep going, keep going, keep going

I think next week we will start to see changes announced to what has become one of the biggest endurance events many of us will experience.
The Uk's death rates have been huge, the victims and families at the forefront of our minds always.

Please keep going. For us, lucky enough not to be personally affected by this virus : we are nearly there. The pressure will start to relieve soon. Life will be hugely different, but we will do this.

Missing a few races is nothing, compared to what some people are experiencing. Changing our daily habits , is a small price to pay. We can do this. And there is light on the horizon.

Two things have made me unbearably proud throughout this : working for the NHS on the 'frontline', and watching two small people in my life become the most resilient, uncomplaining, accepting individuals I have ever come across. So impressed, so proud with it all.

We're nearly there. Keep going, keep going, keep going.

Essential running dreams

I just wanted to say hello, and to anyone out there : I sincerely hope you are surviving this lock down.  I have allowed myself a maximum of one meltdown /cry a day, and it seems to help : I swear, the kids are coping better with this than I am.

Luckily for all of us, we are still allowed to run outside:.... in many countries in Europe, this has been disallowed completely.

Although I've not seen a hilly trail in weeks, I've managed to develop a couple of interesting little routes locally. My favourite being the completey empty cinema car park nearby, and trying to sprint between parking bays (sprint???? Really????  Maybe not that fast).

Please keep going. It is at this time that we need to plan and dream the most, whether that's a new autumn race or shopping trip to look forward to. I really, really, need my dreams right now.

I'm convinced this will be over soon. We will be affected by this forever, and the people who have lost their lives to this virus will never be forgotten by anyone.

Stay safe, keep dreaming for the
 future.

Covid-19

So, tragically, the world is on hold. We have to isolate as much as practically possible: for our own protection and that of others. Huge numbers of people are losing their lives, this situation is unprecedented and overwhelming.

As runners, trying to maintain fitness is our best defence. However it is possible. I am hoping to still run either outside, if it is still allowed, or on the treadmill (always a bit yuk, but certainly better than not running).  It is still a welcome avenue of escape. Unfortunately, cross training for me will take a hit, until more normal times resume.

Guys, all I can say is, please keep going in these hideous times. Try and do at least one thing a day which makes you really happy. Stay safe, stay sane, see you on the other side.

More pics... Thank you so much Beyond the ultimate

Beyond the ultimate - pics

The lovely people from Beyond the Ultimate (photographer Mikkel Beisner) have started to put some fantastic photos of the race on line

I just thought I'd put a couple on here, to try and demonstrate how magic this race was.