RACE RUNDOWN: Adidas Thunder Run

You may have seen on my Twitter and Instagram channels that I have recently been out in the sticks of the great British countryside running for 24 hours (well running as part of team).

Last year, when my running club decided to enter a team into the Adidas Thunder Run, I was there, hand in air like 'pick me, pick me!'. After taking part in Mizuno Endure24 (which you can read about here) and loving it, I was super keen for the Thunder Run. It seemed I wasn't the only one interested in giving it a go to as we ended up signing up two teams of 8!

However, come late June this year when our team captain sent out a reminder email about the event, my reaction was 'Oh f**k'. Since entering it yonks ago, I had completely forgotten about it. Months had passed where it was all about the triathlon training, wedding planning, new job etc that the fact that I was down to attend Thunder Run had slipped my mind entirely. It wasn't even written in my diary!

Despite not having actually trained for this sort of running, nor run over 5K for months, I wasn't one to be a drop out. So I kept to my word and decided to attend, aiming to do four 10K laps, totalling 40K overall. It sounded totally doable in my head...

Arriving on the Friday night after a five and a half hour car journey (damn traffic jams!) it was pouring it down and we had to set up camp. Never have I been so grateful for a pop up tent, yet despite the ease in building my den the weather was putting a huge dampener on my feelings about what lay ahead. I did not want to be out in the woods for 24 hours whilst it rained cats and dogs.

(the night before!)

I decided to get to bed for around 11pm and despite the rain crashing down on my little tent, I managed to drift off into an okish sleep. Come morning, I was awake at 4am and believe it or not, the sun was shining! Our little camp was very relieved to have this glorious weather shine down on us.

Come half 11, we were all walking up to the start line to see off our first runners. I was in the first team for the club and scheduled in for 4th leg. The predicted start time for my first lap was around 2.30pm so I had a couple of hours watching some running action from the side lines before I needed to enter the handover pen.

(team Chasers!)

(some of the team out on the course)

Due to Saturday being so hot and sunny, runners were coming off the trail course looking rather clean, reporting that all the mud had dried up from the heavy rain. I loathe cross country so this was music to my ears! By 2.30pm, I was ready and raring to go!

Earlier on in the week, I had bought some brand new Mizuno Wave Rider 17s to test run on the course but I was a little fearful of getting them muddy (vain I know) so I opted for my old pair for the first lap. As I started off I was bouncing along the field feeling fresh and vibrant but all that abruptly came to an end when 500m in, the course turned off into the woods straight into a long steep hill. Now you know me - hills aren't my friend and I soon realised 1K in that I was in for a very undulating ride. I kept steady, around 8.45 per mile and it felt good. The only thing holding me back was the heat. I could feel my scalp burning and theres only one water stop on the course so I was lacking in fluids. Coming through to the end of the lap, my crew were cheering at the sides as I came in to hand over to my friend, Nicola. I finished in 53 minutes and was very happy with that.

I'd got some super nasty blisters on the inside of my feet and after slapping a couple of band aids over them, I decided to switch to my new trainers. My old ones were knackered (they had holes in them!) and I don't think they were fit for the terrain of the course. 

My second lap was around 8.30pm and I went out feeling pretty good. No aches from my last run and I actually found myself going faster. My GPS wasn't working for this one, so I was running to a stop watch but I definitely felt a lot faster. Half way in I was bounding along but did reach a point of discomfort where the right side of my leg, around the knee area was aching. A pounding, dull ache. I knew exactly what it is - it was the return of my dreaded ITB injury. Stupidly, instead of slowing down, I carried on at the same pace and crossed the finish line in 52 minutes.

Hobbling out of the pen, I knew I had done something bad. Bending my right leg hurt. Instinct kicked in and I headed straight for the sports massage tent. After a 20 minute wait, I was assigned Jamie who confirmed that I had a lot of tension in the muscles around my ITB. To add to this I had cramp in my calf. After a very painful rub down, I asked him if it was OK to carry on. His response: 'With the pain your in, it might be best to call it day but it is totally up to you.' Hmm ok then...

By this point it was coming up to 11pm and I was starving. All I had eaten all day was snacks and junk food. So I went and got myself a cup of tea and a big cone of chips and headed back to camp. By midnight I was in my tent, determined to get some shut eye until my next lap at 5am. Sorry Jamie, but I didn't come here to do half the job. I am going to be foolish and carry on.

Come 4am, I had barely slept. It was impossible to with all the hubbub of people coming back to their tents, giving reports to fellow team mates. I groggily put on my clothes and went for a little walk near my camp to see how my leg was. Not going to lie, it was stiff. The ache strong. But I had to carry on. I'd never forgive myself if I gave up on my team. So I popped some paracetamol and headed over to the change over pen. 

Going out on lap three, I was hobbling quite a bit. It took a while but I finally found a rhythm where I could step lighter on my right leg, allowing me to run at a steady speed of around 10 minute miles. The hills were agonising and so I opted to do a brisk walk up these but I actually preferred being in the woods on the softer surface, compared to the open fields where the ground was really hard and uneven. I was determined to get through this lap and speaking to some of the solo runners out on the course made me realise that what I was doing compared to them was very little. Some of these guys were going to complete 20 or so laps. If they can do 20, I can bloody do four!

I came back in just over an hour - a time I was actually really chuffed with considering my ITB. 

By this point, I was on the brink of tears. My leg was, to put it bluntly, buggered. So it was back to the sports massage tent where this time I met with a lady called Nicola who worked to flush out the lactic acid in my thigh. It was painful but worth it. 

By the way, to give you an idea on how you look after no sleep and 30K, this gives you an idea:

Heading back to camp, I was seriously questioning whether I could go through with lap four. I was down as the last runner of the 24 hours and the thought of bringing it home for the team was pressurising. To add to this, the heavens had opened and the rain was back pelting down on our tents. I sat in my little den and waited until the time had come for me to head out for the fourth and final lap. The morning dragged and my team mates were coming back from their final runs looking absolutely shattered. I was worried how I would make it round.

By 11.45am, the runner before me had returned and I was back out for the final time. The rain was so heavy by this point, I was dressed in leggings with a high vis jacket zipped up with my hood pulled over my head. The run was miserable. The woodland areas were so muddy and boggy, my brand spanking new trainers were ruined and where the hilly bits had turned into a mud slide, I was struggling to hobble up them with my injury. 

Not going to lie, at 2K I stopped and had a little cry. Lame I know but I had honestly hit what I've heard people call 'the wall'. I'm not a marathon runner, or an Ironman, so doing this level of exercise for me is a huge deal. I just felt utterly shattered, in so much pain, stuck in the middle of the woods in the pissing rain. 

Watching all the other runners pelt past me made me feel a little embarrassed so I did eventually man up and get going again. In my head, I just needed to reach 8K. Once I got here, I knew I was on the home straight through the fields. It honestly came round quicker than I thought and despite my brisk walk/light jog, I found myself overtaking quite a few people which gave me a much needed boost. 

When I came up the 9K mark, one of my fellow team mates was there waiting for me. I have never been so grateful for this kind of support before. He joined me by my side and ran with me up the home straight. At the very end for the final 400m, the rest of my team were there, who also joined me running up the hill and round the back to cross the finish line as a team. I have never felt on such a high as I did at this moment. Rather ironic as 45 minutes previously I was crying like a baby in the woods. 

(my team bringing me home)

I crossed the finish line in 1.06. Considering I could barely walk, this time was good going I think. But just so you know, by this point, I really couldn't walk. I had ran 20K on an battered leg and I was getting my karma. Just bending it slightly was excruciating! My team had packed up all the tents whilst I was out running, so all I had to do was drag myself to the car where a much needed cider was waiting for me...

By the time I got back to London, all I wanted was a bath and my bed. Never have I felt so knackered. This was a much tougher experience than Mizuno Endure24, but one I am definitely very proud to be a part of.

Would I do it again? Maybe. But I would definitely make sure I had trained a little bit for it. It really is a fabulous event! Along with a beautiful (yet hilly course), Adidas provided great camping facilities and a pretty hefty medal at the end. My only comment would be to consider another water station out on the course, especially when it is such hot conditions as it was on Saturday. Oh, and for the fish and chip van to stay open for the whole 24 hours. 

RACE OVERVIEW

Course: 4/5

Scenery: 5/5 

Facilities: 4/5

Water Stations: 2/5

Goody bag: N/A (but all participants receive a medal, t-shirt and an Adidas shower gel)

LIPSTICK RUNNER'S OVERALL RATING: 3.5/5

To learn more about Adidas Thunder Run, visit the website here.


Lipstick Runner.

KIT PICKS: Budget Sports Buys

Do you do a lot of exercise but find kit can become a costly necessity? I don't know if you're like me but when I go shopping for new kit that I need, price point is something I closely analyse along with the technical elements of kit and how it looks. Vain I know but you have probably guessed by my Operation Bridal Bod project that appearance matters to me and having nice gear makes me want to 'sport' it with pride (like what I did there?).

With running, getting great kit at an efficient cost is easily accessible and I though I'd share with you some of my favourite picks and ways to build your ultimate kit wardrobe.

Don't be swayed by a name.

I have a draw which holds all my running, swimming & cycling kit. It's full to the brim and a struggle to close at times. With gear for Summer and for Winter, I have kit from all sorts of brands. Don't think you have to head to the mainstream sport lines when shopping for kit. There are plenty of other smaller brands out there which offer just as high quality of product.

Here in the UK popular chain Sport's Direct house Karrimor - a sports & adventure kit brand. It is a favoured go-to for me for running tees and shorts. I think I have their short sleeved t-shirts in every colour going! Normally priced around £6-12 these are great for all varieties of sport. The brands accessories I find are also great value for money. Both my cycling bag and running waist pack are Karrimor and were purchased at a fraction of the cost of other labels. I love this little bumbag - it fits my phone, keys, inhaler and gels plus I can squeeze a light jacket in just incase the heavens open whilst I am out.

That said though, where I have been running for a while, I know when money is worth spending. Nike will always be my chosen pick for leggings. I love the fit of them and I find the waistband sits comfortably on my hips and doesn't cut of my blood circulation! I wear leggings almost everyday for cycling and running and having a high quality, durable pair that lasts a long time is key for me here.

Wear race t-shirts with pride!

My kit draw is full of running tops - 60% of which are race shirts from events I have taken part in. Most races you participate in now offer a t-shirt in the price package. Whether it is your rejection letter from London Marathon (I have two tops from this now), or included in a post race goody bag, these tops are designed from runners and make great kit essentials! My bright green Mizuno Endure24 top is my favourite one. It's a slightly thicker option but also a bit baggy, which I prefer when running. You'll rarely see me in a tight sports top - not quite got the abs for it yet.

Invest in the right gear.

For women, ensuring we wear the right kit for our bodies is incredibly important. Running is a high impact sport and us ladies need to keep our best assets safe. If there is one piece of kit to put good money into, it's a sports bra. 

There are various shapes you can purchase with different style straps and cup form. The three pictured here are my go to choices. I'm not exactly a busty woman, but I'm not small either. Coming in at an average 34C, I ensure I am always wearing a decent sports bra. Comfort is crucial and I find Shock Absorber is a great choice, especially for my longer runs. It has a lot more ribbing than the Adidas & Puma options (these are stretch pull over bras that practically flatten my chest) and has a bra style clip which you can tighten and loosen. That said, when doing interval training and fast HIIT sessions, the pull over options I do prefer as they are incredibly lightweight and are made from better breathable material.

If you are on a budget, I would recommend Puma sports bras. Again, purchased from Sport's Direct, I can pick these up for £10-£12. They come in lots of bright colours too!

In all, I absolutely love getting a good deal. My kit picks are always purchased with three things in mind:

1. Will it last? 

2. Is it the right fit and comfort for me? 

3. Is it a decent price point?

These days, I have more sports kit than normal clothes (how bad is that!?) and I love opening my kit draw to a techni-colour rainbow of tops, bras, swimming costumes and jackets. I hope this post has helped to guide you into spending your money in the right places and getting a great kit that will help you reach your fitness goals! Before signing this post off, I wanted to leave you with a few of my favourite places to purchase kit at great value...

Sport's Direct

Decathlon

Wiggle

Achilles Heel

Thanks again for reading!

Lipstick Runner.

Running Clubs: The Benefits

I have been a part of a running club since I was nine. My parents enrolled me into my local athletics club for social purposes and to keep active. I remember clearly heading over to the playing fields every Thursday evening and Mum paying 50p. We did drills, mini gladiator obstacles and learnt to throw javelin with sponge spears. It was great! In the six years I represented the club I recieved brilliant training and I got to take part in many competitions which lead to a ranking of 7th in the UK for U15 girls 100m.

Today I am part of a London based running club which offers excellent facilities, group runs and coached training sessions. All for a small annual fee.

So why is joining a running club so beneficial? Well that's easy:

1. Group running = great running

(out for a 12 mile run with fellow club members stopping at all the London sights)

(my best friend and running pal dragging me round parkrun to a PB of 21.58)

There's nothing better than running with a group. I mean, yes of course there are days you want to go at it solo, pound the streets and clear your head but in general, having company can really improve your run. Not only is it safe (especially during the dark nights in winter) but bringing in a social aspect helps to shift focus from the run. You naturally loosen up, run lighter and a lot of the time faster, especially if you are in a group pushing the pace! During my injury, I really missed my club runs. I wanted to see my friends and head out on long summer runs on Hampstead Heath. I love how we all get together to pursue the same hobby, which is rewarded with tea and biscuits afterwards.

2. Club Leagues 

(the first time I experienced cross country at Parliament Hill, London. Oh the pain...good fun though!)

When you are a part of a club, the chances for racing regularly open up through leagues. These vary per region and offer set agendas for both winter and summer months. October through to February is generally cross country season and these races offer the ultimate workout and strength building. Normally a short distance of around 5-8K, they come with hills, mud and woodland trails and are great fun when running as part of a team. During the Summer, track session comes into play for lots of clubs but also leagues for 10Ks in local parks. Each club/region vary but there will always be opportunity to represent your club with your entry supported by your membership fee or if not, drastically reduced. 

3. Community Feel

People join running clubs for many reasons. A big part for me was making friends as I was new to London at the time I joined. Meeting people with the same interests is a great way to build your running 'social circle'. Having people around you to support your training and encourage you to try out new distances/terrains is fantastic motivation! Some of my good friends I have gained since living in London are through my running club and we all keep up-to-date with one anthers training and progress. I also thoroughly enjoy long Sunday morning runs followed by a coffee and catch up after. 

4. Top Training

Running clubs come with great training facilities. With many based at local athletic tracks and offering special coached sessions, you can be sure you are getting the best advice and training. I love my weekly sessions with our club coach who works with us all on improving speed, endurance, strength and running style. He personally gets to know everyone so well, remembering peoples individual targets and what they are working on.  Having this support in your training really is so beneficial. You can never have another advice and guidance!

5. Team Work All The Way!

(Mizuno Endure24 2014)

If you really want to get involved in club events, why not encourage team races? I think it's great when people actively form teams for running events (Welsh Castles Relays, Adidas Thunder Run, Mizuno Endure24 etc...). This year, I got involved in my first ever team race at Endure24 and it was fabulous! Best 24 hours I have spent and being in the same boat with friends makes the experience all the better. I pushed myself and ran the longest I have ever run and despite the thunderstorms and mud up to my knees, I smiled for every minute. I would highly recommend getting involved in these sorts of opportunities for anyone looking to seek a place with a running club. 

Lots of running clubs welcome people along for taster sessions. Always check out their websites beforehand to see what days are best to go and even drop a committee member an email as most clubs consist of only friendly faces who are willing to help out.

So are you looking for extra motivation and guidance for a big race? What are you waiting for!? Get down to your local club and boost all aspects of your running experience. 

Lipstick Runner.

TRAINING UPDATE: Ticking over and planning dreams

I’m still injured and I am trying my absolute best to not let it get to me. There are days where I look outside at the summer sun and pine so bad to lace up and get running but realistically, this injury is worse than I thought.

It has been one month since Mizuno Endure24 and since my last Training Update, the pain in my right knee has definitely become more frequent and is making its show during runs sooner. Each weekend, I have attempted to head out for a jog praying I will be able to complete good distance (and by good, I am referring to at least 5K at the moment) but alas, I cannot even complete two miles before the familiarly strong, dull ache kicks in.

Of course, this does signal to me that something really isn’t right and I shouldn’t assume that it is just linked to my injury prone ITB. So as it stands, I am looking to seek some physio help for the very first time to learn what really is wrong with me and more importantly, how can I fix it!? I have also opted to pull out of Chippenham Half Marathon which I am GUTTED about but with it being just weeks away, I honestly feel like I won’t even be ready to shuffle 13.1miles, let alone run to my target pace of sub 8-minute miles.

Things haven’t totally gone to pot though. I have found that I am able to keep up cycling and swimming. Thank God otherwise I’d be going nuts! I cycle to work most days and I have managed at least two swims a week. During this period, swimming for me has been something I’ve discovered I'm actually fairly good at (sorry to boast). I have been heading to my local 25m pool and found myself to be one of the stronger swimmers in the lanes, even overtaking people! Wednesday just gone was also was an achievement for me as I reached the 800m mark in just over 25 minutes and to my surprise, I still had petrol in the tank.

So in all, whilst I cannot run and honestly feel like I have lost all signs of fitness in this field (I cannot remember the last time I ran over five miles) I have decided to start thinking about how I will start up again after I’m fixed.

Focus on my strengths

Before I was injured, I was dabbling in all sorts of distances. I love the challenge of getting those miles under my belt and building up endurance. My dream is to run London Marathon and I have tried a few half marathons to date to customise my body to distance running. Deep down though, I know I belong in the 5K/10K field. This is where I feel strong and dominant. I’m built for this type of running more so than marathons and so once I am able to get back out on road again, I will start to concentrate on these distances to build back up speed and strength. I cannot remember the last time I ran a parkrun (I’d say Christmas?) and my last decent 10K time was back in January so I am keen to find my feet again and get more involved in these sorts of races.

Set a challenge

Of course, if in October I get that much desired letter from Virgin London Marathon confirming a ballot entry, I will definitely, DEFINTELY switch to a training plan for this, no matter how fast or slow I am. However, as you may have noticed on my social media channels, I am incredibly curious to set myself another rather different challenge and that is in the form of a triathlon.

I just love watching triathlons on the TV. From the Brownlee’s storming it at London 2012, to the ITU World Championships (Jodie Stimpson, Non Stanford and USA’s Gwen Jorgenson are my faves) to just recently watching England dominate the singles and relay at the Commonwealth Games, I will watch it all, at home or on the go.

In the last six months, I have become more confident to dabble in this sport myself and now I have my shiny new road bike, all I need is a wet suit and I am good to go!

At the moment I am researching UK triathlon events and seeing which takes my fancy but I have decided to test the water and opt for a Super Sprint. The swim is the bit that daunts me the most so I want to start short and sweet. I’ve found Twitter a great help in learning more about this sport and have also picked up a copy of Triathlon Plus to get familiar with it.

Having this target for 2015 is what’s keeping me sane at the moment. Knowing that I have something to work towards and a project where I will start as a complete newbie does also reassure me for when I’m injury free and back on the road. I feel no pressure to beat any target and I thoroughly look forward to setting a new and very different challenge.

Weight Watcher!

As I am not running at the moment, I am noticing a erm…slight tum forming. I think this is due to me eating the same amount of food that I was consuming during the peak of my training. I need a food overhaul and VB6, which I blogged about in my last Fuel for Thought post, is definitely helping even if I may have slipped up this last week. But I have been working crap loads and when I am working long hours, I do reallllly struggle to maintain a routine.

As I am losing the luxury of high calorie burning through running, I need to ensure I cut my food intake and I have also decided to try and squeeze in core and glute strength exercises to keep the old bod toned (or close to being toned is more like it for me). Also, I get enough of my fiancé ‘casually’ mentioning ‘hey, why don’t you try and do some squats?’ so it’s safe to say my bum isn’t in tip top condition. Cheeky sod.

That's it for now but let’s hope next time, I actually have some ‘training’ to update you on. And maybe a perkier behind!


Lipstick Runner.

TRAINING UPDATE: ITB Troubles

The last couple of weeks have been what can only be described as ‘jumbled’. Half Marathon training was supposed to be worked around Mizuno Endure24, my biggest challenge to date, yet what has happened is well, not much.

In the week leading up to Endure24, as I mentioned in my last training update it was going to be a taper week. I had the time off work also so I spent it concentrating on getting my bike sorted for commuting and also seeing my fiancé, who had returned from a work trip.

By the time Endure24 came, I was energised and relaxed and managed to run four strong laps in the most horrific weather conditions (read my full review on the event HERE). The last lap was my toughest and I started to get a very familiar pain in my right knee. This was the sort of pain I had suffered a year previous and straight away I knew it was the dreaded return of the irritated ITB.

Iliotibial Band Syndrome (ITBS) first became a problem for me last September and came across in a weekend training run when I was running up a hill on Hampstead Heath. A very annoying, tight pain could be felt in the knee joint and for a good couple of weeks, I tried various stretches at home for knee related injuries. It wasn’t until I attempted a fast track session and pulled out in agony that my coach informed me that it was in fact not my knee but my Illiotibial Band I had triggered. Where the band runs from the pelvis and extends down over the knee, it has become almost ‘taught’ and was rubbing again my knee, causing inflammation and aches.

I was prescribed new stretches and a daily dose on a foam roller (at the time I used a Sprite bottle which works just as well!) and after a month or so, the pain decreased and eventually stopped. I did have to pull out of St Neots Half Marathon as that was at the peak of my ITB problems but I did manage to attempt Cabbage Patch 10 in a reasonable, yet slightly painful, 1.20.

So, going back to Endure24 on my final lap when that all too familiar knee ache kicked in, I knew exactly what I needed to do. This time, I have invested in a foam roller and have spent the last fortnight putting the right pressure on my ITB to almost loosen and relax the tension.

The week after Endure24, I did no running what so ever but I did start my cycling commute to work. I saw this as a great alternative for exercise and is less invasive on my knee than running. I also managed to squeeze in an evening at the local swimming pool so by Friday I was feeling ok(ish). 

Oh how I jinxed it.

Friday evening, my fiancé and myself took a nice evening walk after a meal out. During this walk (where I was wearing supportive trainers may I add), a searing pain appeared in the side of my left foot. This baffled me as I was merely strolling along a flat path but the feeling was very uncomfortable. I thought I may have trapped a nerve so went to bed that night thinking the pain would have subsided by the morning.

That weekend, I had another challenge to face in the form of the tough and very muddy obstacle course, Insane Terrain. Waking up on the Saturday and still feeling the dull, continuous ache in my foot I was a bit dubious about tackling this 10K course. After studying my foot for signs of swelling or bruising, to which there was none, I tried to shrug it off and ignore it. Travelling up to Peterborough, where Insane Terrain was taking place, I took some Nurofen to numb the pain slightly but by the evening, it has returned stronger. My friends Mum who is a nurse looked over it and after massaging it could feel a lot of tension and suggested that I drop out of the event on Sunday. I was gutted as my best friend had bought my place for my birthday and I felt awful letting her down, so the next morning we decided to opt for the 5K course and take it slow. Her Mum & Aunt were also taking part so it felt more of a team effort.

I won’t go into too much detail on Insane Terrian here as a Race Rundown will follow but I can reveal that it was actually a lot of fun. Despite crossing the line and smelling like a swamp, we were all in fits of giggles and actually, running it together proved to be more entertaining. The ankle held up, especially as I drugged myself with Nurofen again and even though I felt a bit battered from the course, I was still smiling.

This last week I have managed two runs and another full week of cycling to work and back. By Tuesday the foot and knee were feeling much better and were almost a distant ache and so I opted to go for a 5K. I don’t know if all this cycling is tiring me out or its where I haven’t ran properly for a couple of weeks, but I felt shattered! I managed an average of 8.15 minutes per mile but boy was it tough! The aches from my ITB also made a presence in the last 2K, signaling that perhaps my struggles weren’t gone for good.

On Thursday, I really wanted to head to my weekly track session as I had missed so much these last couple of weeks. Conscious that my strength and speed have suffered, the urge to go back out that, guns blazing is too fierce. However, my knee niggles weren’t far from my mind and instead of tackling a fast session with my club mates, I opted to go home and do my own speed session up on Ally Pally.

Ally Pally (Alexandra Palace) is a great place for fellow North London runners to head if they want to get a good training run in. If you want a run with a challenge, there is the big climb up to the Palace which gets the heart rate working but there is also a great flat straight if you want to concentrate on faster, shorter sessions.

This quiet pathway measures almost 400m so I find it is a great alternative to track training and the quietness and nature of the park is, to me, rather therapeutic. After a half mile warm up to the park, I did some drills before carrying out a session of 2x 800m at 5K followed by 4x 400m hard. It felt tough and when I got down to the 400m, the knee just about held up but I could definitely feel it was still hindering my performance. I then finished with a run home to complete 5K.

My splits confirm a loss in speed but I was surprised I managed to keep this pace despite everything that has unraveled these past few weeks. The half marathon training schedule on the fridge that I try to follow religiously is lacking in activity and I am worried how this will all contribute to my half marathon in September. I really don’t want a repeat of St Neots again and so I have decided to take it easy until my ITB has fully repaired. Injury, which I guess this is, is only temporary and half marathons can be run again and again. Whilst I am pining so bad for that glorious sub 1.45, keeping my body in correct working order is far more important.

For now, it’s all about getting in to the rhythm of cycling to work and introducing mileage over slower speeds. The less impact on my knee the better and so I hope to integrate some swimming sessions into my weeks (if work commitments allow) to help repair and build my ITB. I know what I can achieve and if I cannot reach that point at the moment, I know that one day, I will eventually reel back in my target pace.

This motivational message basically sums it up for me.

Lipstick Runner.

RACE RUNDOWN: Mizuno Endure24

I have been far too excited to write this review. Three days after Mizuno Endure24 took place, I am seriously suffering post event blues. I have looked back over my pictures a hundred times, I’ve been hooked on #endure24 on Twitter and quite frankly all I’ve been able to talk about is Endure24.

Held at Wasing Park, nr Reading, Mizuno Endure24 is a 24-hour trail event for various team categories to enter. You can enter as a solo runner, in pairs, teams of five or teams of eight. I opted to take part in a team of eight with my hometown running club, Newbury AC.

(Kitted up and ready to go!)

I hadn’t really looked into the race much. I knew it was a five mile woodland course and I knew I would have to prepare for a trail run (an area VERY unfamiliar to me) but other than that, I haven’t really taken time to research it. I just knew it would be a fantastic achievement and a right laugh with my old teammates. I also loved rocking the club colours from my junior days again.

On Saturday morning, I arrived at Wasing Park to meet the team who had set up our tents the night before. The sun was shining but we knew rain was predicted and we had all (luckily) packed a variety of kit to cater for all weather conditions. It wasn’t until 11am (an hour before the start) that a humongous, loud and slightly terrifying storm hit us. The rain hailed down and as we sat huddled in our tents, all we could think about was how battered the course was getting from all the rain.

(Athletes Village)

Midday struck and it was time to venture out to the start. Layering up with hoodies and coats, we all trudged to the start line and were definitely feeling a tad low from the awful weather. Attempting to keep team spirits high, we watched the start kick off with a huge siren and over 300 runners’ heading out on the debut lap on the course. 

(Runners lining up at the start)

Our first leg held a great position in the first group and came home in an impressive 32 minutes, caked in mud but looking like he had a great time! In fact, everyone that was coming back and handing over all had huge grins on their faces and no one had a bad word to say about the course.

(Our Captain, Chloe, waiting in the changeover box raring to go!)

As it got nearer to my start time, I started to feel really nervous. This is the first time I have ever been part of a long term relay and not being one of the stronger runners of our pack, I was feeling very concerned I wouldn’t make it back in good time. By the time 3pm had come round and I was in the changeover box waiting for my team member to come round the corner down the home straight I got my head into gear and realised that I just needed to try my best.

The buzz I felt as I set off for my first lap was incredible. The first kilometre was uphill on gravel through a huge open field. I passed several solo runners, who by this point was switching to walking and I even got chatting to a couple of them. I then reached the woods and the journey through mud, mud and more mud began.

It is safe to say I have never defeated this much mud before. This course made cross-country races look tame (as you can see from the picture above which was taken by @MattversusMatt on Twitter). Undulating through the heart of the woods, I found I was picking up good pace through the sludge and was really enjoying the fresh air and beautiful scenery. There were some areas where a careful step was required as tree roots were hidden under deep mud pits but once I found my rhythm, I felt fantastic! After 5km, you reach an open area of the woods where Al’s Bar was appropriately pitched, offering water and energy gels for all runners. On most of my laps I stopped a couple of times here, before heading up a short steep mudslide back on the trail paths.

(Photographer Kenesis.t2 captured me on the course - overtaking a real man wearing pink!)

Finally, you pop back out on the fields and slalom through the campsite to the start line to pass the baton to your team member. When I had finished my first lap, I was ecstatic to see I finished it in just under 42 minutes – three minutes ahead of what I had estimated I’d do each lap. I enjoyed the course so much I couldn’t wait to get back out there for a second leg at 8.30pm. I didn’t even care that my trainers were soaked through and covered in mud.

We were all churning out fantastic times on our laps, so much so that we were positioning ourselves in 15^th place in the eight-team category by the evening. By the time I headed out for my second run, I was feeling faster and even when a second wave of torrential rain crashed down at the 6k mark, I still came back to camp with a smile on my face despite being soaked through to my pants (seriously).

 (Us girls in the team enjoying a moment of sunshine - after a change into dry clothes)

By night time, the team began taking shifts in sleeping in between laps. This was when the going got tough, as getting sleep was impossible. I was soooo uncomfortable and kept clock watching until I needed to be up at 1.30am for my next run. Also, I kept hearing fellow teammates coming back from their laps and talking about how bad the conditions of the course were getting and I couldn’t help but listen into their conversations.

By about 1am, I decided to get up and get my night gear prepped. I opted for leggings, my long sleeve Cabbage Patch top and a super bright head torch. The worst feeling ever however was putting my feet back into my ice cold, soggy trainers. That definitely woke me up!

Lining up in the change over box was the weirdest yet most uplifting feeling ever. Being around people, all in their mud-ridden gear, head torches on at the ready made me feel stoked to enjoy this run. I was pleased to have the first kilometre on gravel to adjust to running in the pitch black so by the time I hit the woods, I felt confident running with my head torch. It really surprised me how well your body judges your surroundings. All I could see was the dim trail of mud directly in front of me, yet my senses were on high alert for any trips and falls that could occur.

If I’m honest, I am struggling to try and remember my night run. It definitely seems blurry – a bit like how a night out on a few too many gins would be remembered. I don’t know if this was due to my extreme tiredness but I do recall feeling relieved to cross the finish line in 47 minutes. I did suffer a slight hiccup at the end of course where I slipped and twisted my knee but other than that, I felt fab!

 (L-R: my trainers after the night run, resting my knee with some ice cubes in a latex glove - good old first aid!)

When I got back to the tent, I decided to ice my knee to be on the safe side but by about 3.30am, I was fighting to keep my eyes open and so opted for a few hours’ kip. The run I think helped knock me out for a light nap. By about 6.30am, the sun was streaming through the tent as I groggily woke up, aware that my final run was in a couple of hours.

My knee didn’t feel 100% but I was determined to complete all my laps. By this point we were also jostling between 9^th & 10^th position so I knew I had to contribute a good time in order to keep in these rankings. Setting off at 8am, I felt really stiff climbing up the gravel incline for the very last time. I was relieved to actually have the soft terrain of mud to run on as this helped my knee a lot. I also got chatting to a woman on the course who was completing her 6^th lap and had her two young kids camping with her. This Super Mum made me realise that I could easily push myself to complete my final lap in good time. I crossed the changeover line in 45 minutes and was very pleased to learn I completed my four laps (20 miles) in 2 hours 55 minutes!

My body must have registered this torment was over as extreme hunger kicked in at this point. I hadn’t consumed much food through the 24 hours and I felt no shame in heading for a jacket potato with cheese and beans at 9am. Never has it tasted to delicious!

At midday, the claxton sounded to signal the end of the 24-hour period. Our final runner came in just gone 12pm with a fantastic time of 36 minutes and securing our 10^th place position. Waiting at the finish line to greet him home, we all rushed to get our medals to get our team snap taken. By this time, the sun was shining and the weather was scorching. Such a transition from the day before but a fantastic way to end what simply was the best 24 hours EVER!

 (Our final runner bringing home 10th place!)

This event provides ultimate value for money. I can’t quite remember the exact amount I paid but it was around £30-35 which includes camping, great facilities, sport massage tent, hydration and gels, vitamins, t-shirt and an impressive medal. If you compare this to some half marathons that charge the same (if not more!), it really is worth every penny. I am chuffed to pieces with my achievement at Endure24. Not only did I complete my laps faster than I predicted, I also tackled the worse trail conditions known to man.

I cannot wait to hear when the 2015 event will be taking place, as I will definitely ensure I get my spot pronto. If you want to set yourself a challenge and have fun with fellow runners, I suggest you do the same too as you will not regret it. This event will be a tough, if not impossible, race to beat.

(Feeling like champions!)

RACE OVERVIEW

Course: 5/5

Scenery: 5/5

Facilities: 5/5

Water Stations: 5/5

T-Shirt & goody bag: 5/5

My time: 2.55.39 (20 miles)

Lipstick Runner’s overall rating: 5/5

For more information on Mizuno Endure24, visit the website HERE. 

Lipstick Runner.