My Top 10 Runs - Part 2
Over the past year I have taken part in quite a few different events and run close to 1000 miles. Recently I was thinking about where and when I have run and trying to choose my favourite experiences. I thought I would share the top 10 with you.
10 - Night running.
9 - Park Run Christmas Day
8 - Lode Half Marathon
7 - Rock Solid OCR
6 - River Wye
5 - Shires & Spires Ultra
My first Ultra Marathon took place just a few miles from home in the heart of the Shires. The 35 mile run took in the beautiful villages of north and west Northamptonshire. The weather was perfect, the scenery stunning and the race exhausting.
It was a new experience to be able to stop and eat, to walk up hills and to chat to so many different people on the way around. Not only that but I finished in a pretty decent time too and was back for tea.
4 - Parklands Jog & Run
Joining a group has kept me running. If I hadn't go involved with this motley crew I don't think I would be running today. It's not only about the discipline, the encouragement, the banter and the routine but it is a wonderful set of friends with which to practice our shared enjoyment of running and to socialise.
Monday nights you'll find us doing fartleks, hill runs, shuttle runs or interval training. Come rain, snow or sun there will be at least a dozen of us, sometimes as many as 40 sweating, panting and laughing.
It was through the encouragement of Chris and the others that I felt confident enough to try running a half marathon, then a full marathon and then Obstacle Course Racing. There are all ages and abilities in the group and the annual awards night is a highlight of the year.
3 - Cheddar Gorge
Into the top 3 and not a race but a holiday run. This was all about the place. My wife and I were staying in Cheddar with family for a few days and I couldn't resist running up the Gorge. Of course being the competitive person I am I couldn't let myself stop until I reached the top.
It was a steep 3 mile climb up the winding road between the sheer rocky slopes, passing mountain goats and bemused cyclists. I reached the top, lungs burning and thighs throbbing. A few minutes later i had caught my breath and was heading across the top of the Gorge. What incredible views! The whole of Somerset was laid out beneath me from Glastonbury Torr to the sea at Weston-Super-Mare.
The run back took me down a steep rocky track at full tilt before descending Jacob's ladder to the foot of the Gorge and it was still only 9am.
2 - Isle of Wight Ultra
My second Ultra Marathon took place on the Isle of Wight over a weekend in June during the Round the island yacht race. The route took us in a clockwise direction from Cowes to Brighstone on day one and from Brighstone back to Cowes on day 2. A total of 72 miles.
It was by far the most grueling thing I have ever done and left me totally exhausted both physically and mentally. For a great deal of the race all I wanted to do was stop. It was very hot and while everyone else was sunbathing and eating ice creams we were running for 8 hours a day.
Immediately afterwards I was passionate in my feelings that I would never do another Ultra Marathon. But looking back it was a very special weekend. Not only did I complete the full distance but many memories were made with Richard my co-runner. We supported each other every step of the way, saw some amazing sights such as the flotilla of yachts sailing around the cliffs, the Needles, the cliffs, beaches and lighthouses.
I'd pushed myself to the limit and achieved my goal. Never has a run left me so tired, so weak yet so satisfied.
1 - London Marathon 2014
The London Marathon has to be my favourite run so far. Ok so it isn't as long as the Ultra Marathons or as naturally beautiful as Cheddar, I didn't run it with my club or have to climb any scary obstacles but it had everything a run should have.
It is my number one because:
10 - Night running.
9 - Park Run Christmas Day
8 - Lode Half Marathon
7 - Rock Solid OCR
6 - River Wye
5 - Shires & Spires Ultra
My first Ultra Marathon took place just a few miles from home in the heart of the Shires. The 35 mile run took in the beautiful villages of north and west Northamptonshire. The weather was perfect, the scenery stunning and the race exhausting.
It was a new experience to be able to stop and eat, to walk up hills and to chat to so many different people on the way around. Not only that but I finished in a pretty decent time too and was back for tea.
4 - Parklands Jog & Run
Joining a group has kept me running. If I hadn't go involved with this motley crew I don't think I would be running today. It's not only about the discipline, the encouragement, the banter and the routine but it is a wonderful set of friends with which to practice our shared enjoyment of running and to socialise.
Monday nights you'll find us doing fartleks, hill runs, shuttle runs or interval training. Come rain, snow or sun there will be at least a dozen of us, sometimes as many as 40 sweating, panting and laughing.
It was through the encouragement of Chris and the others that I felt confident enough to try running a half marathon, then a full marathon and then Obstacle Course Racing. There are all ages and abilities in the group and the annual awards night is a highlight of the year.
3 - Cheddar Gorge
Into the top 3 and not a race but a holiday run. This was all about the place. My wife and I were staying in Cheddar with family for a few days and I couldn't resist running up the Gorge. Of course being the competitive person I am I couldn't let myself stop until I reached the top.
It was a steep 3 mile climb up the winding road between the sheer rocky slopes, passing mountain goats and bemused cyclists. I reached the top, lungs burning and thighs throbbing. A few minutes later i had caught my breath and was heading across the top of the Gorge. What incredible views! The whole of Somerset was laid out beneath me from Glastonbury Torr to the sea at Weston-Super-Mare.
The run back took me down a steep rocky track at full tilt before descending Jacob's ladder to the foot of the Gorge and it was still only 9am.
2 - Isle of Wight Ultra
My second Ultra Marathon took place on the Isle of Wight over a weekend in June during the Round the island yacht race. The route took us in a clockwise direction from Cowes to Brighstone on day one and from Brighstone back to Cowes on day 2. A total of 72 miles.
It was by far the most grueling thing I have ever done and left me totally exhausted both physically and mentally. For a great deal of the race all I wanted to do was stop. It was very hot and while everyone else was sunbathing and eating ice creams we were running for 8 hours a day.
Immediately afterwards I was passionate in my feelings that I would never do another Ultra Marathon. But looking back it was a very special weekend. Not only did I complete the full distance but many memories were made with Richard my co-runner. We supported each other every step of the way, saw some amazing sights such as the flotilla of yachts sailing around the cliffs, the Needles, the cliffs, beaches and lighthouses.
I'd pushed myself to the limit and achieved my goal. Never has a run left me so tired, so weak yet so satisfied.
1 - London Marathon 2014
The London Marathon has to be my favourite run so far. Ok so it isn't as long as the Ultra Marathons or as naturally beautiful as Cheddar, I didn't run it with my club or have to climb any scary obstacles but it had everything a run should have.
It is my number one because:
- It's the London Marathon
- I paced it perfectly.
- I finished with a PB.
- The atmosphere is unbeatable.
- The music gives me goosebumps.
- I was running in the same race as Mo Farrah.
- I won the chance to take part.
- I was injury free and had trained well.
- Running over Tower Bridge.
- The sun was shining.
- I didn't hit the wall.
- I gave it everything and still finished smiling.
- The last mile - Big Ben, Buckingham Palace and the finish in the Mall.
The whole weekend was special, the train down to London, the visit to the exhibition to get my number, resting and eating well the day before, the pre-race prep, the early morning tube with other runners, the warm up, the race itself and then the post race massage and buffet.
The day couldn't have gone any better as I set off at 8:30 pace and managed to continue that through to the finish. I feared that I would hit the wall a few miles before the end but it never happened and I crossed the line with a sprint to knock over an hour and a half of my previous time two years before.
The future....
So quite a year with so many different races and running experiences. My eyes have been opened to the incredible breadth of running experiences on offer and having tried many different distances and styles I think this year I will begin to focus more on particular types.
I'm keen to run in different places, just taking my kit with me wherever I go and heading out to explore. I want to do more trail running off the beaten track rather than sticking to paths and roads. I'm determined to better my Parkrun time and to enter more half and full marathons. I'll probably do a few OCR's too (in the summer).
