Claimed by the Hill of Doom

Saturday morning was a sobering dose of reality. Everything had been just fine on Xmas day, potentially all too easy. Perhaps I should have headed back to Chelmsford, kept running there for a little while, I'd have not realised my current limitations for a little while longer. The parkrun route in Chelmsford is everything a runner like me could want: tarmac, flat, well drained so no standing water. Nothing too energy sapping, perfect time for masking my current lack of training.
Instead though I took the car to Great Notley. I wanted to challenge myself, take on the hill of doom and get a true understanding of my current capabilities.
I was second to arrive on site, there to assist with pre event setup, ticking both the volunteer and running boxes. I'm a temporary addition to the GNPR core team to give me ED training so when the volunteer roster was short I was eager to still help whilst not sacrificing a run. So there is was, in shorts and a ludicrous Turkey Trot jumper, trying to comply with the Xmas jumper theme.
Saturday became a waiting game. The core team and volunteers waiting for someone from the on site cafe to arrive so that the event could get setup. Things weren't looking good when we'd noticed the amended opening times and Len, GNPR's ED was none the wiser. So it was time to make phone calls.
By 9am there was still no one in attendance so with a bench as the finish funnel it was time for the minimalistic parkrun. After a short briefing urging tourists and first timers to try and buddy up, it was on the start line. To say I was cold by the start would be an understatement! Under my Turkey Trot sweatshirt was a hot base layer as I'd presumed I would overheat, so with nothing to do but shiver beforehand, the cold was really getting to me.

The Run

It was a far smaller field that usual for the run, the cold temperature and windy conditions kept many people wisely in their beds. Time to start the insanity though.
I opted for a wide right route to try and at least keep dry for the first then metres! The trail path was littered with puddles, I'd probably add distance to the course just with my zigzagging. My first lap was reasonable, there was no doubting just how much hard work the conditions were. The final field of the lap was horrendous as you turned into it, muddy on the turn and then the option to either so substantially inside and cut the course, go straight and get soaked, or turn further and run in the longer, less saturated grass. I opted for the latter and then took an even wider line at the base of the hill of doom. 

All smiles at the start of the first lap. Deluded muppet.

Oh the hill of doom, how I've not missed you. Negotiating the climb was tough, the two runners just in front of me were also struggling, but I had more grip. Avoiding their slips whilst also striving for a vertical base was hard work, I eventually went to the long grass once more, a bit more purchase was available there. The photo of me towards the peak tells you everything about the run on Saturday. I was determined to not stop during the climb, but also aware that the sheer effort involve in achieving this would come back to bite me.
Being a man made hill the Garmin never picks up the climb, but at the peak I took a moment to veer off course to touch the bird, not many of my fellow runners showed such eagerness. The descend was all about not hitting the slick grass, any more rain and I suspect the route would be run without the hill, just a standard two lapper. 

Hill of doom - there to break you

After the climb and following downhill I was completely done, shame there was still another 2km to go. I had completely overcooked the hill. Though commendable to not stop on the climb, my pace had gone, like a cyclist with only first gear, everything was moving but very little was being achieved. My second lap high five to Andrea the bridge marshal was substantially weaker, more being used as a means to get myself going. After the relatively easy return on Xmas Day, this was a crashing back to earth. The lack of miles in my legs & cardio in my lungs was coming back to get me here, the treacle like conditions not making my life any easier!

The remainder of the lap was just a struggle. I was thankful for the low turn out, it meant the underfoot conditions didn't deteriorate too much. My pace was a write off, a 5:58 third km was followed by a 5:34 & 5:39. In fact only a quick first km was under the 5:30 mark. I crossed the line / reached the table in 27:34, over three minutes slower than my previous effort at Notley. Lesson learnt. Stopping was tough, the finish area completely saturated. Had I a change of clothes on me then I'd have been very tempted to Klinsmann my way through the funnel!

Such a happy face

The Eat 

GNPR is surely the foodie capital of parkrun. I regularly contribute a box of sausage rolls & with attendance significantly down, a number made their way home to Stansted for consumption throughout the day. One half of the new RD team Jenna had also attempted Tiffin, something GNPR is famous for. Nothing can be better than finishing a 5k and gorging on some tiffin & sausage rolls. Both were excellent (though I am biased).

Once home it was back to the Xmas carb loading (is nine months too early for Berlin). Fair to say this rest period combined with the festive period has led to a bit of weight gain. Thankfully nothing too drastic & restarting the cycle of training and cutting out the white carbs will return me to a happier weight.

That said, Saturday night was all about the rare roast beef, crispy potatoes (gave them a proper fluff up, though might have cooked at too lower temperature), parsnips, veg. So much food that it is now Tuesday & I'm only just realising we forgot Yorkshire Puddings!

Hmmmmm Beef

The Conclusion

If you don't like the truth, don't make a visit to Great Notley, especially during the winter. The course is tough (Run Britain gave it a SSS score of 5.0 - anyone?), unforgiving & a true test. Can't blame anyone that stayed in bed on Saturday morning, they were the sane ones.....

A Festive Return

November 16th. 

The last time I laced up my running shoes with the intention of racing. I've not been completely out of action, despite the rest period I've taken a few trips to the Forest as the planning continues. This has included finding and testing new routes as a very wet and muddy route run in November made it clear we needed alternatives. I've also started playing squash again, though my swimming has stopped, need to pick up on this as we enter 2015. 

During the time off I've also volunteered as work commitments have allowed me. With Event Directorship in my future it has been imperative that I've continued to learn the various roles required to keep an event going, even if it does mean getting chuffing cold on a December morning! That in itself is a lesson, if you're just standing around you need more layers. I'll be investing in some decent gortex boots to get me through the wet and cold mornings. 

Of course I had promised myself I'd stretch and rest and of course I've done one of those and it certainly wasn't stretching!

Chelmsford parkrun - Xmas Day special

A banana for breakfast on Christmas Day? Surely not! Normally by 9am on Christmas Day I've consumed multiple chocolate bars & am already slipping into my first food related coma after a combination of eggs and salmon (recently the benedict variety). Last Christmas I ventured out locally for a run, before settling in to the usual overfeasting that is expected.

Though I'd started to properly get into parkrun towards the second half of 2013, 2014 really was the year of the parkrun for me. My total stood at 35 at the end of 2013. By October 18th it had increased to 62. Yet it would be another 9 weeks before that total would increase. I hadn't since a gap between parkrun attendance that large since 2012, had I fallen out of love with parkrun?

Not quite. Statistics only tell you the part of the story you want to hear. Since that time I'd had my enforced break, but also been in attendance half a dozen times to volunteer. In addition I'd made plenty of trips to the Forest & spent countless evenings in meetings or putting together paperwork & here I am moaning as if I don't enjoy it!

One thing I was certain of, I'd certainly be slower than the last time I went to Chelmsford & took home a lifetime best over 5k. Although one forest run had shaded under 30 minutes, realistically I didn't know what to expect. I'd promised myself not to start too quickly, blowing up after a stupidly quick 2km would be ridiculous.

My first visit to Chelmsford since volunteering in November also provided a couple of interesting sights. Event Director Gerry was resplendent in a Santa Claus outfit & brother in law Alec was donning the fluorescent vest for the first time & volunteering as a marshal. As I was parking in Meteor Way for the first time & unsure of how far the walk was I ended up being one of the first on site, so lent a hand with funnel setup, finish cones etc. The parkrun itself would be minimalistic, zero signage & just a handful of on course marshals. Thankfully the A route was runnable so there wasn't a need for too much guess work by the runners.

The Run

I lined up alongside fellow Core Team member Jim who is in the form of his life at the moment. I'd last seen him dressed as David Hasselhoff at Notley's fancy dress day, this time he was in standard running garb & ready to attack a PB set on the far harder Notley course.

Easy to spot when I have bright blue legs (Smurf outfit one day perhaps)

We did initially run together, but after the first corner I told him to go on without me, I didn't need to drag myself along & I didn't want to cost him any time. I settled straight back into a rhythm, through a kilometre in 5:02 despite my best efforts to slow down! I was able to apply the brakes a little during the second click, only ten seconds slower but I was feeling more comfortable. This was the first time I was using trail shoes at Chelmsford, on Alec's advice as he runs there more regularly than I do. The stretch 2-4km does include a fair amount of grass & I was thankful for a bit more grip certainly. With their recent Forest exploits I've now covered 100km in my trail shoes. If you'd have suggested this to me at the start of 2014 I'd have laughed at the idea of even owning trails!!!!

My pace continued to be reasonable & I was soon out of Admirals Park & heading through 4km & onto the finish. This was a well known path to me, Christmas Day being the occasion on which I ran a single event for the tenth time. Chelmsford has been good to me this year, 8 visits so far I believe, the adaptability of the team to the issues the many parks present has led to many different course configurations during that time.

I still felt reasonable as I entered Central Park & readying myself for the final lap. Despite having no intention to race I was still checking over my shoulder, old habits I guess.

As I said, no intention to race, just get home. Then I spotted Alec as the last marshal. I beckoned him to come a bit closer and with a high five I turned onto the grass and kicked into an almighty & completely out of character sprint finish.

Sprint finish - A return of my happy running face....

The Result

Turns out the sprint, though ill-conceived, was worthwhile (in my mind at least), I'd clocked an unofficial 25:01 (nearly going through the funnel), but Jim was certain I'd ducked just under 25. Given that I always start a couple of seconds early, that was certainly plausible. Until that text message came through, nothing was certain.

Mid morning, the phone bleeped & there was confirmation, 24:59! Surely, nearly 2 minutes over PB, but a result I was exceedingly happy with. After nearly two months off, I really wasn't expecting to be that quick. Bizarrely, the Run Britain handicap system (and the SSS & vSSS ratings that I still don't get) put this effort in my top ten. Guess that means that it was tougher on the day than I'd originally thought.

Jim not only broke his PB, he ran up behind it, tapped it on the shoulder & knocked it to the ground. I'd promised Chelmsford was fast & I was true to my word, a mid 22 for Jim. A PB for Christmas, nice start to the day (well less of a start when you have two young children)!

The Eat

Christmas Day, even with 500 extra calories from a 5k, it was going to be a day of gluttony wasn't it? Be it a refuel with a bag of Snow Bites & an Orange Lucozade (they should really sponsor me through Berlin) on the drive home. Toast with a slab of butter upon my return home, a full Turkey roast at my Mother's place, the completely unnecessary but predictable 4pm table of extra food or an evening of Celebrations & Sausage Rolls, it was a day of complete overfeeding.

But I ran a 5k at the start of the day so that makes everything all right yes?

The Conclusion

A very satisfactory return to running, what could possibly go wrong after this Xmas Day effort (bit of foreshadowing there as another blog post is to follow)?

After seeing the camaraderie & enjoyment the event brought, it reminded me that by this time next year, my core team will have a decision to make (if the venue allows for us to run an event). Holding an event on Christmas Day might seem like lunacy, but can mean a lot to those who run & volunteer.

Not running, honest.....

Well mostly honest. I'm itching to get running again having hung up the trainers after the St Neots Half in November. Since that time I've been keeping activity to a minimum. Other than a couple of games of squash and some route tests around the Forest, I've kept myself away from actually running, but found plenty of fulfilment.

Time keeping duty at GNPR

Over the course of November & December I've volunteered at Harlow, Chelmsford & Great Notley parkrun events covering all kinds of roles, even the event starter at Notley on the Saturday just passed. I've learnt that I don't have the camera or the skill to be an event photographer, that I need to talk at a slower rate when giving briefings (nerves & confidence) & that you can never have enough layers of clothing.

Xmas Fancy Dress at GNPR

With Christmas Day approaching it is time to get the trainers back on & aim myself at the Cambridge Half marathon in March. By lunchtime on the 3rd I'll have added five parkruns to my total & volunteered three times as well! My schedule currently looks like this:

Xmas Day - Chelmsford Central
27th - Great Notley (+ pre event setup)
NYD - Great Notley (+ tailrunner) & Chelmsford
3rd - Chelmsford Central (+ 30 minute pacer)

Six months ago I'd not even volunteered, when I picked up my 50 shirt at the Great Notley inaugural, I still hadn't donned the florescent vest. Sure I had reasons of distance, but in truth I knew it was time to start paying back to parkrun. Then I found out just how enjoyable volunteering can be, although I'm pretty confident with people I know, but actually forcing yourself outside of your bubble to engage with strangers is no bad thing. It doesn't come natural to me at all to just strike up conversation with people I don't know, but the warmth that is the parkrun family has shown me that it's not that hard. Once you have an icebreaker of being insanely stupid to be out of bed and running or volunteer at 9am on a Saturday morning you can pretty much talk to anyone.

Starting Great Notley parkrun

I'd encourage anyone who regular runs at a parkrun (or club or other) event to consider volunteering every so often. Don't ever feel burdened by it, the experience can only be enjoyable if you're not resenting being there, so if it is not for you, so be it. Many events have pacers or tailrunners, why not combine the two? On Saturday I really fancy running, but as a temporary member of the Notley core team I'm also aware of the volunteer roster & it's need to be filled. The solution? Pre Event setup. I get to lend a hand, volunteer & still run. Who knows, there might even be a sausage roll left by the time I finish!

Be careful what you wish for

October 17th:

Sadly some runners will be desperate to run the London Marathon & bite the charity bullet. Where as in previous years I'd entered, been turned down & said I'd wait another year, this time around I want to run a marathon. I want to see how I can perform over 26 miles so in 2015 I'll find a race, sadly it won't be London.

November 20th:

Just after that October blog was posted, the Berlin ballot opened, I wanted in to the Marathon party so signed myself up. A mere four weeks later (something London should really take on board), I get back from my lunch break & see that Joel posted his acceptance on Facebook. It dawned on me, D-Day had arrived.
The sense of anticipation grew as I launched into my email. Sure enough there was something there from the Berlin organisers, I couldn't be sure if it was good or bad news from the subject so opened it up & scrolled down to the English section.
I was in, I'd drawn a spot in the ballot and would be running my first marathon. The news took a while to sink in, a full marathon to run. It was a prospect that held both fear & excitement. The joy of finally making it through a marathon ballot & the chance to test myself over 26.2 miles & the fear that I had made it through the ballot & now had to prove myself over 26.2 miles.
Joel & I chatted through the afternoon, getting flights & hotels booked before availability got snapped up, both of us trying to take in what we'd signed up to.
And with everything now booked, there's nothing else to do for now. The marathon is just under ten months away & the best thing I can do is embrace this period of rest & recuperation until Christmas. My current goal is to recover from the multiple training plans over 2013 & 2014, not consume too many mince pies & start 2015 feeling injury free & mentally refreshed.
My 2015 schedule is essentially in three parts. January to March will be all aimed at the Cambridge Half & potentially a 1:50 attempt. Then, from mid April the marathon training will begin, to also include the Endure 24 hour race in June that'll be a completely different experience for me. The final phase will be post September 27th, where with a marathon medal to hold I will be taking another break, a chance to take in what looks to be another good year of running.
I wanted to run a marathon, now I have the opportunity to. Be careful what you wish for indeed.

St Neots Half - The end of 2014

Oh the St Neots Half. The race that wasn't overly planned and really in my current condition shouldn't have happened. When the plan for 2014 was put together the idea was to complete just three halves, Brentwood, Helsinki & Richmond. Then once the California road trip was booked the US Half in San Fran was added into the mix. My thoughts were to run it as a tourist, take photos, enjoy it. Whilst I did do just that, I still managed to drop comfortably under the 2 hour mark.
So 2014 already had four half marathons, although only two were the end point of training plans. Then our friend Fergie moved to St Neots and sold us all on their immensely popular half marathon event in November. It was just a fortnight after San Fran, although I wouldn't target a PB, why not run it? A plan then formed, why not run with Joel & Fergie and try to attack the 2:15 mark. I'd be running well within myself and could provide pacing. The last time I'd paced Ferg hadn't quite gone to plan (Check out the Edmonton 10k report from October 2013), but I was confident everything could run to plan.
Then three weeks out from the race Fergie quite rightly decides that his Berlin Marathon exploits had taken too much of a toll and that he wouldn't be making the start line. As soon as we got the news I consulted with Joel and he was still good to go.
Fast forward to Sunday morning and I'm lying in bed wondering why I'd signed up for the race. My enthusiasm for putting my weary body through another 21km was minimal. A quick message to Joel confirmed he was still heading to the start line, we'd been chatting goal times in the days leading up and he was adamant that it would be a gentle run with no attempt to break his PB.
Once the fog had been negotiated I found myself parked up in St Neots and picking up my race pack. Credit to the organisers, they'd printed our names on the front. This lead to lots of encouragement later on as we made our way around the course. As Joel & I chatted before the start it turned out that neither of us really wanted to run, we were both there out of a sense of obligation! Although Joel was still clear that he didn't want to go for a PB, but had mentioned a 6:30/km pace, this was a surprise as his 2:19 PB would be breakable with 6:35/km. So there wasn't a goal, but a pace that maybe we could maintain. 

Just before the start. Deluded smiles

The Race

Having raced the past two weekends in California, this was an unwelcome reminder of how cold autumnal UK can be. Sure the temperature was around eight degrees, but in a long sleeved shirt I was feeling the cold! Joel did have half a dozen layers and bases on, thankfully he realised this might be overkill!
We lined up a long way from the front, way behind the two hour pacers. The PA system appeared to be a bit hit or miss and depending on who was announcing the race start was either ten or five minutes away. Both of us were entirely relaxed, this was not a day for heroics, we'd decided that already.
Soon we were underway and taking on a gentle climb out of St Neots. Pace for the first couple of kilometres was pretty much on point and we'd heard that the last three miles was downhill, so there was potential in the course.
My job was fairly easy, maintain what for me was a gentle pace and ensure Joel was fine. The fog wasn't clearing so there were times when you couldn't quite grasp what the course was going to be like. The only other course tips I'd seen were some roadworks later in the race and a mention of the Abbotsley hill on twitter.
With 5km banked we were just over the 32:30 target but still under a 2:19 pace. Joel's PB was a mid 2:19 so I was also factoring in that we might have seconds to play with if required. The course was full of gentle undulations, so I encouraged Joel to carry on working at the same rate uphill, take a moment and then enjoy the downhill. We were soon in Abbotsley and the hill was in focus. In truth it wasn't overly taxing, a sharper incline, though the climb then continued as we left the village. At this point we saw the nine mile marker so were aware we'd have to climb through Abbotsley once more.
Joel's pace was remaining consistent and although there was another relatively tough climb as the first hour completed, he was on track for getting close to a PB. The 6:35/km 10k target was 1:05:50 and we were through with around ten to fifteen seconds of buffer. If this pace could be maintained then at 20k we'd be at 2:11 and then Joel could essentially walk to a PB.
I had taken gels at fifty and one twenty, unsure what strategy to take as this would be one of my longest duration runs. I had four with me, my usual half quota. Just after 10km there was a true downhill section and for a couple of clicks we were able to make decent progress, though every kilometre appeared to have some form of climb! The pace carried on, under 6:40/km as we passed through Abbotsley for the final time. As we reached the crest of the climb I encountered some sharp momentary pain in my left glute. Hardly a surprise, but something I didn't want to share with Joel whilst he was still going strong. After a couple of (hopefully) subtle winces the terrain thankfully evened out enough that I wasn't working it so much and everything loosened off again. A reminder that I'm overdue some rest!
Once Abbotsley was done we were approaching the 9 mile marker and the friendly water table. I picked up just to top up my bottle. The climbing was now over and the pace was still excellent. My job here was just to keep Joel talking, make sure he's comfortable and I did this partly by identifying runners in front that we'd reel in. Soon we were turning right and back towards St Neots. Just after 9.5 miles we entered the road works area, they'd stripped back the road surface so we had a bizarre firm trail footing to contend with for the next one and a half miles.
During this trail we crossed the 10 mile marker and Joel now had around 34 minutes to run a 5km. 34 minutes and the course was now downhill. The 17th km was a 6:40/km pace, but as we got closer to the finish line the faster Joel got. And sure enough we started reeling people in and passing them. With 4km the equation was to run seven minute clicks and still get a PB. Be the slowest you've been all race and still PB! But Joel wasn't slowing up and we started to push. Eighteen through twenty went 6:22, 6:26, 6:23, and true to form we were at that 20km marker at 2:11 and we could now practically walk and score a PB.
This wasn't on the agenda though a Joel dropped the hammer with a 5:47 final kilometre! This include a kick the moment we turned into the housing estate at the end of the course. For a moment, my legs felt shaky as Joel kicked, I hadn't expected that and thankfully recovered straight away. Of course the housing estate stint was a bit longer than Joel thought and it was now me urging him to keep going to the finish.
We reeled in our final target just as we crossed the line, Joel delivering a two minute PB of 2:17:26!!!! Post race my job changed to holding him up and giving a moment to recovery.

PB for Joel, so he's allowed to look knackered!

The Eat

Thankfully the freebies were perfect, some haribo, smarties and crisps, all much needed after the exertion. After chatting for a while with Ferg and the rest of the Oak Hill crew it was time to head home. As a bonus there was a donut waiting for me in the car!
Despite having a huge steak lined up for dinner, that was hours away and I fancied some dirty food! So as I left the M11 I headed into KFC for some takeaway. It certainly meant I had some very attentive cats to greet me upon my return.
Of course the steak was awesome, served up with sweet potatoes, asparagus & mushrooms, a well deserved treat. 

Steak & Zubaz

The Conclusion

The race that nearly never was became the race I'm glad I got out of bed for. Knowing that a PB was never on the cards for me meant a different focus for me. Being able to pace a friend to a PB is an amazing feeling, something I've been able to experience on multiple occasions this year. Running can be very solitary, yet to run alongside others makes for an all together different experience. To run with a friend and help them achieve a goal is something special and it was great fun to work with Joel and get him across the line.
And that's 2014 done for me. Apart from parkrun route planning I'll be doing nothing until Christmas Day, where I'll enjoy the festivities at Chelmsford parkrun. I've had an excellent year in terms of running form and now it is time to reward myself with an extended period of rest. After big personal bests at every distance and a lot of back to back training plans, now is the time to kick back for a little while. The next blog post will focus on what is already a blockbuster 2015.

Hollywood 5k race report

This blog started life on Wednesday 12th, I kept it parked waiting for official photos of the race. After a nearly 2 weeks, it wasn't worth the wait....

It's time to try and fight off jetlag by keeping myself busy with some fantastic blogging. The fantastic is more in hope rather than expectation! I was barely conscious after two alarm calls this morning. As comfortable as the flight home was, the 8 hour time difference and generally tiredness from a long twin city holiday is catching up with me. Last night I'm sure I woke myself up on the train home with a snore!
Of course one additional explanation for tiredness could be the early wake up call on Saturday. We were up at 5am in order to get down to Hollywood. Most folks would only get up that early to go on a day trip, perhaps see the sunrise. Me, I dragged everyone up to run a 5k just for the sake of some run bling!
Perhaps my addiction to a Saturday morning 5k is getting a bit too much. With parkrun struggling for traction in the USA, we weren't able to make a visit to one of their events. I searched online for various events up to 10k to get another running fix whilst in the states. At one point I was considering a 10k around Griffith Park, having been up to the Observatory, I'm pleased to have found a more sensible 5k. The Hard Rock Cafe 5k was due for its 2nd running. Sure the entry fee was a bit high (events in the US are just damn expensive), but the medal promised to look fantastic. Just five kilometres would also be non taxing and a good way to start the day.

Lots and lots of bling.....

We arrived in Hollywood with a good 45 minutes before the start. After number and t-shirt pickup we had time to take on a banana, stay hydrated and at least attempt a toilet visit (given up on, half a dozen portaloos for 1700 runners isn't a decent enough ratio). At this point I should point out that my race attire wasn't as regular as usual. The Um Bongo shirt was there, my sister Clare was also making her Team Um Bongo debut. But as we were in America I'd invested in a pair of Zubaz trousers to add all kinds of colours to the outfit. Once topped off with a pink leopard print headband and I was quite the colour palate!

Pre Race - Lots of colours

After the obligatory pre race photos we were off to the start line. Originally I thought we'd run together, but that plan was scrapped, which was a good idea as the race start was the most frustrating I've experienced. 

The Run

A slow start to Team Um Bongo

After the guy on the PA system hyped everyone for the start we were underway. Unfortunately the slow start from the US Half was to be followed by even more annoyance.
Perhaps we were too far back, but everyone around us moved like zombies, some folks barely walking! The decision to not run together meant I could just start weaving, I suspect I added a good extra 50-100m with sideways movement in the first kilometre. I suspect this is the norm, but why not having some timing pens, even a split for runners and walkers so that those of us that don't have all day to kill can get to the front.


The course was meant to be all about the music, however other than at the start line there appeared to be just one music desk along the route, a bit disappointing to be honest. The course itself was also a bit bland, 2.5km out and then straight back to the finish line. I'd managed to settle into a decent rhythm getting down to five minute kilometres and reasonably happy with the pace.
At halfway I turned and couldn't see Clare so presumed she might be hovering on my shoulder, looking to sneak a win. With that in mind I wasn't in the mood for offering high fives to the runners in the other direction, but did give Paula a wave once we passed.
Though my pace was decent, my decision to run in full length Zubaz pants wasn't clever. Despite a 7am start time the temperature was ramping up and I found myself in a self created sweaty mess!
Thankfully the finish line was soon in sight, the course took us gently downhill. I was grateful to see the ever closer finish line, the sheer volume of Korean, Japanese & American food consumed over the preceding days was all being sweated out! Another kilometre would have had me adding projectile to my already funky colour scheme!
My delightful Zubaz even got a shout out from the PA as I came through the finish and grasped a water bottle and medal. Stick a fork in me, I was truly done. My time of 25:11 meant that a family win was never in doubt. In turns out Clare wasn't on my shoulder, finishing a couple of minutes behind me and Paula coming in just under the half hour. Despite my 194th place I was the 2nd place international runner and 1st place British finisher. In fact we'd have swept a British 1-2-3 but my sister registered herself as an American! Sure there were only 6 countries represented, but a win is a win!

Post race with Bling!

The Bling

One of the reasons for signing up to American races is the excellent run bling. The half marathon medal was superb and in terms of shiny, the Hard Rock 5k medal really is something special. I also picked up the start and finish pin badges so that I can convert them to magnets for the bridge.

The Eat

We were in Hollywood so a trip to Roscoe's for Chicken & Waffles was mandatory. The early start meant we'd get there before any queues. How better to follow a 5k run than with half a fried chicken, a massive waffle and an oozing of maple syrup? I'm sure the 500 calorie deficit was more than repayed!

Pilgramage to Roscoe's

Chick N Waffles N Medal....

Worth getting up early for fried chicken goodness

Followed by $7 chocolate milk

Later in the day (once dressed normally, without those Zubaz) I even got a chance to make the pilgrimage to In-N-Out Burger. I'd been anticipating a visit since our visit to Vegas in 2011 and was well aware of their much publicised secret menu. My brother in law Dan and I were out wandering around midday and despite the post run refuel I was feeling peckish. It turns out the In-N-Out was just a five minute detour so we wandered in to order up a double double (double cheeseburger) animal style and animal style fries. The fries weren't amazing, though covered in plentiful amounts of cheese and sauce, but the burger was very decent with the extra sauces and cheese. It was probably never going to meet my unrealistic expectations, but for cheap and cheerful fast food it hit the spot.

Let's go Animal Style

The Conclusion

Start further forward at American races. End of conclusion. 

US Half Marathon race report

Sorry folks, it's been a while. The month of October was pretty much a write off for me in terms of decent running. Other than an unenjoyable visit to Newbury parkrun and some Great Notley volunteering there really wasn't much to report on.
The constant training and racing through 2014 left me with a need to rest and keep my miles to a minimum. This left me facing the prospect of the US Half in San Francisco with very little training. I fully expected a complete train wreck. The course wasn't exactly undulating, it would be either flat or steep as it started in the Marina area and was essentially and out and back over the Golden Gate Bridge.
I felt that I'd manage a decent enough first hour. Then the wheels would come off due to the lack of miles and I'd drag myself home, probably at around the 2:15 mark.

The Acclimatisation Run

On Friday morning we headed out to the San Francisco Bay and towards the Golden Gate Bridge. It was the first time in a long time that Paula & I had run together and the gentle pace suited me as I wanted to just get some miles done. Our Berlin conquering friend Fergie had mentioned that running to the bridge would give an opportunity to find Hopper's Hands.
Along the paths and trails to the base of the bridge was a nice, scenic start to the day and at half way I was able to see the hands and complete the ritual of touching them before we turned back for our hotel. The weather was starting to turn, but we were lucky with only a drizzle at most until we got back to base to grab a coffee.

The Expo

Big races have a whole different kind of setup & although a field of 5000 didn't necessarily require an expo, the US Half team had laid one on. We headed to the Fort Mason Center to pick up my race number and finisher t-shirt. There really wasn't much to write home about. Maybe a dozen stalls at best, some energy drinks or snacks to try. I picked up a timing band in the form of a temporary tattoo & another t-shirt from the merchandise stand and we were on our way. Compared to the expo at Helsinki or Copenhagen, it was a tad disappointing. Especially as the building chosen was huge, plenty more stands could have been accommodated.

Race number pickup at the Expo

We trawled San Fran for a fourth successive day of tourism, hardly ideal preparation! In lieu of a big bowl of carbs I found myself an awesome sandwich at Molinari's in the Italian quarter for lunch (and second lunch, the sandwich was huge), we then had some sushi for dinner close by to the hotel.
It was then time to lay out all of my kit, set the alarm for 5am & get some rest. 

Pre race carb loading with lots of bread and parma ham

The Race

The clocks went back on Sunday morning so I was able to grab an extra hour of bad sleep. Our hotel was on a main road and ear plugs weren't keeping out Halloween revellers at 1am or a bar emptying their bottle bins out at 4am. There seems to be a pattern that if I have a half marathon in the morning I'm practically guaranteed a crap night of sleep!

Pre race kit check

My 5am alarm was soon waking me and it was time to get showered and ready before walking to the start line. One benefit to our hotel was the Marina location. Only 20 minutes walk to the start area so I was able to get myself there with just under an hour to the event start.

All quiet at the start line

Regular readers will know that I'm always a fan of events that cater well to the needs of runners. Check out this huge line of toilets!!!! Race organisers get a thumbs up for me. The whole start area was pretty laid back, I missed the warm up as bag drop wasn't quite as fluid as required and as ever, one last toilet visit seemed like a good idea.

Organisers after my heart with this impressive spread of toilets

So with five minutes to go I got to the start line. Unfortunately there wasn't much segregation in terms of projected times, I saw a 2:00 pacer & placed myself in front of them. My intention was to try and keep to a two hour pace for as long as possible. Would I be able to sustain a 5:41/km pace?
The guy on the PA system hyped the crowd of runners up & without delay we were on our way. In a new race record, I passed two walkers after a mere 230 metres. You have to wonder at times why people are so dumb with where they line up. Surely it doesn't take much common sense to realise that if you need to walk straight away (or were planning to walk & run) that being at the front of the field is just stupid.
The first kilometre was frustrating, despite the roads being wide, the volume of runners meant it was hard to make progress. A six minute pace left me 19 seconds over target and my fragile state of mind already had me assuming this was already a disaster. My current glass half empty outlook isn't ideal for a good race!
Of course a slow first kilometre was largely irrelevant. I found a good pace straight away, wiping the deficit out and gaining a bank of time by the end of the third kilometre. The first five kilometres would all be flat, allowing me to ease into pace. Despite the target time, I found myself able to maintain a quicker pace, so carried on regardless until the hills came into play.
Between five and seven we first went up, then a more gentle down and then up all the way to the bridge. I didn't struggle too much on the climb, though did have to stop opposite a water station due to a loose shoe lace. Even though I stopped, everyone else slowed for water so I was able to maintain the same pack.
My quads were already starting to complain, but here we were at the major pull of the race. It was time to run out across the Golden Gate Bridge. A gentle up, followed by a gentle down. The bridge itself was around 2km in length so it was a long straight line drag in reality. Everyone appeared to be enjoying the experience, I grabbed some photos and carried on maintaining pace.

Heading out over the bridge

Sadly for all of us there was a rather rude lady, being a bit of a dickhead and barking at other runners to get out of her way. Generally the mood in big races is good, quite what this person's problem was I have no idea, no harm in having manners and being polite to fellow runners.
As we made it over the halfway point of the bridge we were passed on the opposite side by the lead runner, already holding a big gap over the second place guy. Soon we were off the bridge ourselves and I got chatting to a local who'd run previously. She told me the next section, though tough was the most scenic of the race. She was indeed correct. After negotiating a car parking area we headed down a trail underneath the bridge, a steep decline that my quads weren't happy about at all. Of course what goes down must come back up and straight away we were climbing towards the western side of the bridge. This was the last climb until the final mile (excluding the gentle rise of the bridge itself) and I surprised myself with the ease in which I was able to get up the hill. I maintained effort so the pace dropped slightly and despite taking a little while to recover, I came off the bridge with at least a minute banked.

Back over the bridge into San Fran

My pace was still good and I kept my refueling discipline with gels at every 20 minutes after 45. The downhill pass after exiting the bridge brought some welcome shade and I kept my shape to ensure the at times steep descend didn't have me falling over. With a flat four kilometre and one last climb through Fort Mason to come, I was happy to find myself passing through mile markers with an ever increasing bank of time. Perhaps the wheels wouldn't be coming off after all?
I did have a moment of doubt when passes by a two hour pacer with nearly three miles to go? They seemed to have only one person with them, probably due to them not sticking to a 2:00 pace! I double checked my watch and reassured myself that all was well, my pace was just fine.

Approaching Mile 12 marker

With the course now flat I was able to enjoy the sunshine and get myself home. Just before the 12 mile marker Paula came into view to offer support. I tossed my water bottle to here and started to sing along to my tunes. What's the frequency Kenneth & Final Countdown took me to the summit of the Fort Mason climb and I was also encouraging other runners to get through the last hill. As the course entered it's final downhill I was joined by Roxette's Dressed for Success. I couldn't do the vocals any justice so I shut my mouth and hauled my ass to the finish line.
The finish was in a minor amphitheatre and by discarding the water bottle I was able to give a full Daniel Bryan / Hunter Pence Yes arms. Sadly the crowd were a bit sleepy and the chance of interaction was missed! Got myself some awesome finishing photos (though yet to be purchased so will save for another day).

Got me a medal.....

I wandered through the post race recovery area, claiming an awesome medal, water bottle, snacks and an instantly thrown once tasted protein milk drink. I was soon reunited with both Paula and my luggage and was on my way.
I'd managed a very unexpected 1:57:59 chip time. More on that later.

The Eat

On the way back to the hotel I picked up full fat coke and a donut to redress my lack of energy. We were due to leave San Francisco and head south, so I showered quickly, enabling us to check out and take the Mustang to Santa Cruz.
Halfway along the coastal route we stopped in Half Moon Bay and picked up a very agreeable burger, Paula opted for a massive Philly Cheesesteak sandwich that was both vast and awesome. Soon we wound our way to Santa Cruz, the first overnight stop on our journey to Los Angeles. Luckily we didn't have to look for dinner options, we had a reservation to meet with a former colleague of mine and his partner who'd recently relocated to the area. An excellent steak (though accompanied by over seasoned fries) was the perfect way to toast a half marathon performance.

Steak - the perfect way to celebrate a good half marathon

They'll be more food reports to follow, the whole trip has been a culinary odyssey,  worth a blog post on its own!

The Conclusion

A thoroughly pleasing result. To complete a half in a comfortable sub 2 tells me just how well I've trained in 2014. I felt good throughout the race and worked hard to get the course to work for me. Although an out and back course essentially, it was immensely scenic and one I'd recommend. In the days following the race I found only my quads to be an issue.
I certainly didn't feel I had a right to a sub two time, but to be able to perform so well was great, a race in which the wheels came off would have been hard to take, even though it's what I expected.
It's time to reward myself with some time off. Other than parkrun route tests, I've nothing major scheduled after the St Neots Half on the 16th until 2015. I think I'll be taking a well deserved break from running, allowing some injuries to heal up and bring back a bit of focus and desire for the new year.

Temporary tattoo took a while to come off

Thoughts on the VLM Ballot

Early October is a time of mixed feelings for many runners. At the end of April around 125,000 of us apply to the London Marathon ballot, every year it fills up quicker, meaning many miss out on even registering an interest. The next four months of radio silence leave us all in limbo, unable to commit to spring races just in case we've been successful. No point putting together a long term training plan, you might after all have a marathon to run.

Then we get to the end of September, social media starts to buzz. The organisers have drawn the ballot. They're going to let you know if you're successful. Rather than email everyone and have the news out there instantly, they send you a magazine in the post. There is a No magazine and in theory a Yes magazine. Your timelines start to fill up, your friends, family and coworkers start to post a photo. You see more No magazines and with each one you feel disappointment for your friend, but also anticipation, perhaps this will be your year.

VLM 2013 Rejection

Then your time arrives, you get home and notice the A4 magazine, usually tactfully turned down. You turn it over and of course, this greets you:

Another year, another ballot disappointment. That's three years in a row for me. In the old days of the VLM you were at least offered a place after five unsuccessful attempts.

VLM 2014 Rejection

I have no problem with a ballot. It's a fair way of doing things, what I struggle with is some of the process and the fall out that results.

Time

Why does the ballot take over four months to draw? It is only open a maximum of 12 hours these days. If you look at New York or Berlin or Royal Parks, the ballots are open for a few weeks so there is no chaotic rush to sign up, less chance of missing out. The draw is then made within a month or two. That means the runners know what their plans are. 

Sure if you keep the draw open for longer you'll likely get more sign ups, maybe reduce everyone's chances, but at least you won't miss the opportunity to sign up. Then you have the four month wait. Surely the organisers know how many ballot places they're allocating? You of course have good for age entries, but if there is a solid number for ballots, just get it drawn so people can move on. For example the Tokyo marathon is in February. I'd like to run it one day, but with the ballot for London not being resolved until October it gives just four months to prepare, flights, hotels etc might have sold out. You almost have to go ahead with Tokyo plans and if you get a London place look to defer it a year. 

Transparency

It would be nice to know what your chances genuinely are. Apparently the ballot has one hundred and twenty five thousand applications. How many places are allocated? Do we have a one in four? One in six? Probably a one in eight? Once you've had multiple rejections you start to question whether it is truly worth it. I'll never get to good for age, so without a ballot entry there is only one remaining option......

Charity

I've raised funds for Mind previously and were I to get a ballot entry I'd be straight onto just giving to setup another page and bring in some income for them.

Charity has become the focus of the London Marathon. They raise a huge amount of money for good causes & we should rightly tip our hats to that. The problem is, they charge charities a high amount for places. Where a standard ballot place is around £50, a charity place appears to cost around £500. No wonder the ballot gives the impression of reducing in size every year! By charging a high amount for a place, the onus is then placed onto the charity to not only recoup the fee, but raise further funds on top. Most charities are now asking for £1750 to be raised, on top of registration fees from the runner to secure a place. So if you fail to get a ballot place, you could run for a charity. It'll probably cost you more than a standard ballot place based on various registration fees & have the burden of raising a huge amount of money whilst also trying to train.
There is also a knock on effect. By spending high amounts on places, many charities are now desperate to fill their allocations. Not only is the VLM magazine full of adverts suggesting you run for a charity but you now experience a new phenomenon when you post about a ballot failure online.
I can't recall if this happened in previous years, but within moments of posting that I'd not got a place I started to receive Charity Spam. Unsolicited replies from a charity that was far too quick to suggest I could run for them. I'd never heard of them & as I feel I could only run for a cause I had a personal affinity for rather than a marriage of convenience, I declined their offer.
That should be the end of it, I'd replied after all. The next morning I mentioned the ballot once more & sure enough very soon afterwards I received more charity spam from the same charity! Essentially they have someone just following various London Marathon related feeds & replying to anyone non successful. Essentially a policy of throw as much shit at the wall in the hope that something sticks. I was disappointed enough with not getting a place, I didn't need to be hassled repeatedly. I politely declined the offer a second time & asked that they stopped spamming runners.

Charity Begging - Is it really necessary?

This is a problem of VLM's own creation. By charging higher for charity places, charities find themselves needing to fill places. And because charities keep buying the places, the ballot will in turn reduce in size to allow more. With the charges being so high, the amount runners are asked to raise keeps going up. Where £1500 might have been the standard a couple of years ago, the major charities can now command £2000 (one charity had a funding commitment of £2800 & registration fee of £150!). By the end of a training cycle you'll have exhausted not only yourself with the physical effort, but your friends & family with the fundraising.

The Conclusion

Sadly some runners will be desperate to run the London Marathon & bite the charity bullet. Where as in previous years I'd entered, been turned down & said I'd wait another year, this time around I want to run a marathon. I want to see how I can perform over 26 miles so in 2015 I'll find a race, sadly it won't be London.

VLM 2015 Rejection - Straight in the recycling bin

A good weekend

The difficulty with being told to rest up a bit whilst on a course of medication is that things are already in the diary & committed to. I am genuinely trying to rest & have dropped the number of kilometres significantly since the Richmond Half to at least allow for some rest. The trouble is, when it comes to a parkrun or a race event I am my own worst enemy!

The Non Run

During the week I found myself over in Belfast for work & staying just across the road from the beautiful Stormont Estate. It is a nice venue to run around, offering a nice mix of trails and scenary. With that in mind I packed my running gear & decided I'd treat myself to a gentle morning run.
Unfortunately my research was poor. Sunrise is late in Northern Ireland and it took me until 0720 to get out of the hotel and across to Stormont for a run. Yet there was an issue, all the gates were locked! Without any signage to advise of the opening times & meetings lined up through the day, I abandoned the run plan & headed back to the hotel rather disappointed. I was even more annoyed (mainly with myself) when I checked & found the gates would have been opened at 0730. If only I'd checked this beforehand, I could have taken in an easy kilometre along the main road & then ventured in & still had sufficient time before check out.
I learnt a valuable lesson, research beforehand to avoid disappointment! I clocked 200m back to the hotel, out of frustration more than anything!

The Run #1 -  Panshanger Inaugural parkrun

I'd committed to Panshanger's first parkrun before hearing of the desire to tone down inaugural events & lessen the strain on new event teams. The plans were with good intentions, meeting a friend to make is first introduction to parkrun. Sadly for him he'd got registered but then waylayed with other plans, probably gives me an excuse to visit MK or Bedford parkrun events in the future then!
I managed to tailgate Alec all the way to the A10 & then got parked up close to the start. The event team had provided signage off of the A414 to Hertfordbury Road, where you'd find a decent amount of parking for regular weeks. Joel & Fergie were also in attendance & technically this was now Joel's home run based on distance.

Run Briefing

The team behind the Panshanger event had put together a great video to introduce the course (an idea I'll look to steal for the Forest parkrun). This meant we had a good idea of what to expect. Trail shoes were a must!
The downside to an inaugural is the huge numbers brought to an event. Not only can this put strain on an inexperienced team, but also unexpected demands on the course. This was the case on Saturday as 250+ people converged on a narrow uphill start to the course. On a normal week they'd probably be half that number and you'd have more space, a luxury not possible for the inaugural. This meant a slow start, not something I was overly concerned about having been low on training recently.
The Panshanger course really is worth a visit, beautiful scenery. After about half a kilometre uphill, the entirety of the course was essentially downhill until the end. Once out of the woods we were lapping the perimeter of a couple of fields, underfoot was the usual tractor path. From about 2km my left achilles started to scream, the uneven footing was causing me issues. Being a one lap course there really weren't many options other than to try and carry on. A downhill third kilometre eased the strain slightly, it was time to grit my teeth and just get through. 

Fergie rocking the Orange

After 3km we passed a lake on the left and then the underfoot conditions got even more interesting. Perhaps due to the recent rain, some areas of the course appeared to have been filled in to make them passable. I nearly lost my feet completely though as we went from grass to very fine shingle to bark over a couple of metres! The final kilometre was soon upon us and I was coaching myself through, including chucking water over my unhappy achilles. There were a couple of wooden bridges to negotiate and then the finish was in sight.
Oh boy. The finish. Having been on a downhill course for the majority of the run, logic told me that we'd have to climb at some point. With half a kilometre left the finish came into view. A short sharp ascend, probably all of 200m maximum, but it was a biter! You then turn ninety degrees and get a nice short downhill to ease to the finish. 

Panshanger Hill of Doom

The course really has a bit of everything (except tarmac) and will be one of the tougher courses in the local area, especially over the winter. I crossed the line in 26:02, my worst time since early spring. I wasn't overly concerned with the time though, I didn't feel like I was pushing overly and the dodgy achilles definitely hampered me. I'm going to add Panshanger to the Hill of Doom series, by virtue of position, that nice little bite in the tail at the end of the course that could scupper many PB attempts!

The Eat #1

Burger Saturday returned with some mini slider burgers in brioche buns. Despite a plethora of bread products offered at our local Tesco I had to settle for some mini buns, no decent sized brioche buns for burgers. Think I'll have to research if any other supermarkets stock them.

Mini Brioche Slider Burgers

The Run #2

Another commitment to honour, I'd signed up for the Cambridge Town & Gown 10k as the route was moving to closed roads in the city centre and looked interesting. The day was autumnal, too cold to risk the Um Bongo singlet. The weather had definitely turned cooler, perfect conditions if you could keep warm beforehand. My intention was to just see how it went, get into a pace and see how I felt as the race progressed. I knew I wasn't in PB form and a quick stretch reminded me that I really ought to have iced my achilles on Saturday. Perhaps I'd be better off with a DNS? All of my usual injury anxieties started to come into play, my outlook appears to be get through the remaining events of the year rather than approach any with enthusiasm. Was it really worth competing and returning a result way below my expectations? After a slow parkrun and the Manuden 10k my confidence wasn't where it should be. All of this is nonsensical, I'd PB'd a half marathon only three weeks prior and stormed a parkrun PB a week later. If I'm going to manage a marathon then the one thing I need to improve is my mentality. There are times when I'm not even a glass half empty, more glass smashed on the floor and shards slicing up your feet!

Onto the race itself. The event had attracted around a thousand runners, a good turn out and base from which it can grow into a bigger attraction. I made my intentions clear and said goodbye to Alec at the start line, I wouldn't be trying to keep up! I'd see how my pace was and just try to remain consistent. 

Autumn racing season = cold

I started well, pace just over the 5:00/km mark and a tour of the closed streets of Cambridge was interesting. Mainly flat, it was easy to settle into a five minute rhythm. The course was clever, covering a lot of the city without needing to close all of it to traffic. The first five kilometre loop headed west and then back through to the cobbled streets near the colleges. I know I have one dodgy achilles, wasn't overly aware that I actually have two. At the 4km mark my right achilles started to beg for mercy. I started to wonder whether dropping down to an easier pace might help, would 6:00/km take away the pain or just prolong it?

In the end I opted for stupidity and carried on regardless. The flat nature of the course and beautiful tarmac underfoot wouldn't trouble me too much. I chose to grit my teeth and get to the finish line. I went through halfway at 25:07, rhythm good and other than a nagging achilles everything else was working just fine. I'd found myself in a group all at a similar pace and we seemed to be running nicely, pushing each other along. The second half of the course took us west through a park initially and then back east alongside the river. There was decent support along the route, including a family all whooping at every runner as you entered the park at 5k. Since the town section I'd been running with a guy in a blue green shirt, as we entered the riverside part of the course we were overtaken by a lady in a peach top (the organisers wanted everyone in orange) and she became our defacto pacer. The course stayed riverside for an out and back around the 8km mark, I exchanged a high five with Alec, he was around two minutes ahead of me and looked to be enjoying himself. 

Through the streets of Cambridge City centre we go

My achilles had started to behave and we left the river with a short and gentle uphill back to the main roads. The climb was over at around 8.5km and our Lady in peach was still providing a decent pace. Throughout the second half I'd maintained pace, still wavering around five minutes per kilometre, if anything I found myself getting quicker. 

The section from 8.5km to 9km rolled downhill, providing the perfect impetus for the end of the race. I upped my pace, seeing the light at the end of the tunnel meant I was free to go through the gears. Just before 9km the finish came into view, unfortunately a lap of the park was required before we'd get there. The guy in the blue green top was now alongside me and we worked to the finish together. I told him he'd beat me easily, long legs giving him a natural advantage. He returned the compliment, said I'd dragged him round and then we mutually agreed to both being absolutely funked (or words to that effect). 

The final straight was now upon us, my running buddy then announced "Let's beat the purple lady ahead!" and opened his legs out into a sprint. This was something I couldn't muster, but we shook hands afterwards and it reminded me of the camaraderie of runners, complete strangers using each others as pacers and company through the race. The lady in peach wasn't too far behind, we'd all had an excellent race. 

The question is, just how excellent? My finishing time was a very welcome surprise. A negative split had returned me home in 49:32, meaning a second half of 24:25. This was only my second sub 50 and means the first one wasn't a complete fluke. It also tells me that my base is good, even if I'm just keeping it ticking over at the moment. Alec recorded a crazy 46:15, serious pace there and on his current rate of progression a sub 45 HBO 10k would be a decent bet. 

Post race ice cream - every race should have a van on hand!

I was pleased with being able to maintain and then improve pace. My achilles haven't been thankful in the aftermath, but they'd have still be screaming if I'd decided to drop down to an easier pace. The run bling was decent, a custom medal, though they missed a trick with a blue rather than orange ribbon. A cotton t-shirt was nothing special. Perhaps in future years it should be a tech shirt and dispatched beforehand to encourage everyone to wear it on race day. 

The Eat #2

An easy script to write here. Run a 10k, find sushi. I was tempted by a small independent place up near the Grafton. Instead we got our halves of Cambridge in the wrong order and ended up on the other side of town at lunchtime and sought a table at Yo Sushi. 

Yo Sushi - More style than substance

I'm usually a big fan of Yo, they're a great intro to sushi for a lot of people, but this experience was pretty average. A full conveyor belt is always a good sign, though it seemed a bit top heavy, plenty of expensive yellow plates. We ordered a few hot dishes off the menu as well. Two pumpkin korroke were required as we're both a fan & the pumpkins we'd tried to grow in the garden never did materialise. The popcorn shrimp was poor, mainly batter, minimal amount of sauce. Paula had some Chicken Yakitori, we think there were spring onions on the skewer, they appeared to have been burnt to a crisp though. As for the duck katsu? No idea, it never arrived. Our order got lost in the post perhaps. The raw stuff was decent, though no tuna sashimi appeared to be available, it was salmon or nothing. Overall a disappointing experience, next time we're in town we'll head to the independent sushi place and see how it compares. Perhaps Yo has become just another middling chain. 

Thankfully Cambridge still has a fudge kitchen so the culinary experience was redeemable. The temptation to get a box of four or six was there, but we settled on a single slice of toffee original. A thick slab of sugary goodness that propped me up whilst my eyes wanted to shut watching the grand prix!

The Conclusion 

A really good weekend. The parkrun result is my worst since the start of the year on paper, but given the circumstances and the course, I'm happy with it. In my experience the Panshanger course is genuinely tough and even in the height of summer will provide a challenge. It already looks like perfect training for Endure, more on that later....

As for the Cambridge Town & Gown 10k, very happy with the result. The course was more to my liking, only the Pride 10k has presented better conditions. Despite feeling injured, everything worked. I think a sub 48 at some point in 2015 is not out of the realms of possibility. 

And the last conclusion is that I need a rest. 2015 is already looking busy so I think once I've got these two remaining halves out of the way I'll be toning it down until Christmas. Sure the weight will probably increase, but I'm carrying achilles, calf, knee, quad, glute and groin aches. All kind of expected given the training I've done in 2014, but now I need to repay my body for its hard work with some rest and recuperation. I can keep running down to just parkrun and perhaps not even slog all the time (I'm pacing the 30 minute group at Chelmsford Central in December for example). It also gives me time to volunteer more as my parkrun journey starts to take a different route. Once I'm through the St Neots Half on November 16th it'll be time to untie the laces for a while. 

As for 2015, the year is already looking interesting. I managed to grab a Cambridge Half entry before they went and my early spring training will focus on chasing down a 1:50. Just a week after is the Larmer Tree half down in Dorset. A whole new challenge of hills and trails. I'll happily admit the funky medal had my attention first and the difficulty of the course wasn't really researched until after sign up!! I'm then back in Forest for another White Star event over the August bank holiday weekend. Two races in fact, a Saturday evening 10k followed by a Sunday morning half. 

Trail continues to be a theme for 2015 as we have a team entry for Endure 24. We'd been hoping initially to secure a Thunder place and I'd picked up Endure as an insurance option. As 10,000 people descended on a farcical midnight event launch we unsurprisingly missed out. Doubling up would have been interesting, but thankfully all of our original Thunder team were still available for Endure. So between 8 of us we'll run for 24 hours, a completely new challenge. 

Speaking of new challenges I'll also be entering the Berlin Marathon ballot. They'll be another post on my VLM thoughts, but the time has come to test myself over 26 miles. Fingers crossed I'll have more success with this ballot.