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!