Adam in Runderland

I allowed myself to have a few alcoholic drinks during June, but nothing to excess. Unfortunately, I did let some other areas slip. One of these was my daily stretching routine. This has led to some stiff hips and may have contributed to the pain I’m experiencing in my feet. My diet still could be better. I am a strict pescatarian and have built a habit of drinking plenty of water. However, I have also developed a less healthy habit of eating large bars of chocolate every evening. Good for energy, bad for my teeth! I’m trying to find something suitable to replace it with. Achievements 200 miles run Clifftop Challenge Marathon completed. 6/12 for the year. Goals for July North Downs Marathon 7/12 Replace chocolate Daily yoga stretches Continue drinking and eating well. Highlight It is a tie this month. I expected it to be the Clifftop Challenge which I loved. Running with John and Kevin along the canal and above the cliffs from Appledore to Dover was as much fun as...

One of the greatest strengths I have developed through running is nothing to do with muscle mass or flexibility, fitness levels or VO2 max. It is being able to master my own body and mind; to apply a measure of control over both my mental and physical urge to quit. I believe that this is fundamental to becoming a better runner. When everything is telling you to stop, you somehow manage to keep going. The legs are screaming, the lungs are burning, and the mind is throwing in the towel, but still you are moving forward. One. Step. At. A. Time. It is one of the mysteries of the sport I love. Doubtless there is a scientific explanation, but I revel in my ignorance, and I am grateful for my learned ability to overcome myself in this way; to reach a degree of performance that I previously thought unobtainable. It is this that has enabled me to complete races at all distances. It is no easier in the short ones than it is harder in the long. A full on 5k can require the same mental...

The alarm went off at 4am. I slithered out of bed and managed to put the coffee on and eat three Weetabix with my eyes still shut. A banana and some almonds swiftly followed. My clothes were all laid out from the night before. I threw them on and was on the street corner by 4:45 to meet the baldest of all monkeys Mr John Lawrence (he likes a mention). A perfectly coordinated series of pickups resulted in myself, John, Steve, Craig and Jodie arriving in Appledore by a quarter to six. There was a small group of other runners already there and we waited (im)patiently for the 55 mile runners to pass through the checkpoint before we were sent on our way at 6am. The sky was overcast but fine as John, Kevin H and myself headed east towards Walmer and Deal. We were at the 36 mile start but I would be finishing at Dover after 26.2 while John and Kevin carried on for another 10. The route followed the Royal Military Canal towards Hythe and was nice and flat. We chatted happily and to...

This week I was in Glasgow for work. I managed to find time for a run or two while I was there. I set my alarm for 5am on the Monday and was out the door by 5:30. The sun had already been up for over an hour and it was a clear blue sky above. I’d heard that Loch Lomond was not far from the city and wanted to find a good trail. It only took half an hour to escape the confines of the metropolis and I was soon winding along the banks of the River Clyde towards The Trossachs National Park. A thick mist had settled on the surrounding Munros and it was chilly in the sunshine as I got out the car. The car park was in Ballach, a small village bordering the Kilpatrick Hills. It is on the southern shore of Lock Lomond and has a harbour full of boats and small cruisers. I didn’t have a route mapped out but hoped to follow the shore. I’d given myself two hours so would see how far I could get in an hour before turning back. The trail began as a rough stone footpath winding through woodl...

May was a month of milestones. During the final week I completed my 250 th parkrun on the Saturday, ran my 5 th marathon in five months on the Monday, and broke the 1000 mile barrier for the year on the Wednesday. It was also my sixth month teetotal and I remained injury free. Achievements 213 miles run No alcohol A balanced diet Cakeathon Marathon completed in 3.31.24 Daily yoga stretches 250 th parkrun 1000 miles for the year Goals for June Clifftop Challenge ultra-marathon No alcohol A balanced diet Daily yoga stretches Highlight After almost seven years I finally made it to my 250 milestone at parkrun. It is a long wait between getting your 100 t-shirt and applying for your 250. I now have four of the five colours – red for 50, black for 100, green for 250 and purple for volunteering 25+ times. Just the white one for 500 to go! Best run That would have to be the Cakeathon. One of the least painful marathons I’ve run despite achieving a fast tim...

My name is Adam and I struggle with depression. I’ve been on medication for a number of years now. The depression isn’t a constant state but rather ebbs and flows like the tide. Sometimes it reaches high up the shore and threatens to overwhelm and engulf me; at others it gently laps against the shore of my life with little impact on my daily ability to function. I suffered with it before I became a runner. I took up running with no thought about my depression. However, I know that running is one of the main weapons in my armoury to cope when the waters rise. The physical act of running, the challenge it presents and the sense of achievement it provides are all positive aspects. Being able to spend time in the countryside, with friends, exploring and enjoying the world also boosts my moods. The time it provides to think, pray or simply to switch off is also beneficial. Running isn’t the only breakwater. I am also on medication, practice yoga and meditation and seek to surround m...

The day dawned clear, sunny and hot. The prediction was that Saturday 1 st June would be the hottest day of the year so far and it was indeed beautiful. I left the house at 6:15 after a large breakfast. The plan? To follow the Elham Valley Way from Folkestone to Canterbury. I had researched the route, stocked up on supplies and found out that I needed to arrive by 11:20 in order to catch the train back. However, I hadn’t charged my phone, this was an oversight that would dog my run. As John always tells me ‘Fail to plan, plan to fail.’ One day I’ll listen to him. Just two miles into the run and I was on top of Castle Hill overlooking the town. I headed west with the sun behind me, already warm on my back. The trail follows the top of the hills and then plunges down a steep descent into the village of Peene. From here I picked up the signs for the Elham Valley Way and headed north-west along the old railway line which last ran in 1947. The birds were in full song and I pic...