Majestic Trails and Tough Terrain: Conquering the Cliveden10K with Strength and Spirit

What does it take to conquer a challenging trail race set amidst the stunning backdrop of a historic estate? Join me as I relive the Cliveden 10K Trail Race experience, running through the breathtaking grounds of Cliveden House just outside London. The majestic mansion and picturesque trails filled us with awe even as we faced the arduous terrain. This is not your typical flat road race; it’s part of an exciting three-race series organized by Burnham Joggers, and the sense of community and impeccable organization truly set this event apart. I also share my anticipation for the upcoming Burning Beaches half marathon, promising even more adventure and camaraderie.

Ever wondered what it feels like to push through the physical and mental barriers of a gruelling race? I recount my battle with the challenging terrain, numerous steps, and undergrowth that tested my endurance and strategy. From the initial adrenaline rush to pacing challenges and the sheer determination required to push through fatigue, this segment offers a vivid recount of overcoming obstacles and breaking through barriers. Hear firsthand the strategies and mental fortitude necessary to complete such a demanding race.

Finally, discover the world of minimalist running through an intriguing encounter with a fellow runner sporting thin-soled flip-flops tied with rope. This sparked a fascinating conversation about the benefits and challenges of minimalist footwear. I also reflect on personal recovery and the exciting lineup of upcoming races, including the unique "Beat the Boat" event. As I share my longest run to date and the joy of exploring new worlds through running, this episode encapsulates the thrill and fulfilment that come from pushing boundaries and creating lasting memories.

Thanks for listening. Keep on running.

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

The race is on. The race is on, so let's get straight into this episode of 30 years of running marathons. And this episode is a little bit late because I'm still recovering from the Clifton 10k which I ran on Saturday evening. Now the Clifton 10k is set in the beautiful grounds of Clifton House Now Clifton House. It was originally built for the second Duke of Buckingham for his mistress, and it's set in 376 acres of grounds and it's the most beautiful place to actually go and visit Very popular tourist site. It's just outside London and now it's a five-star hotel. But I mean you can just go there and visit the grounds. Grounds are run by the National Trust and it's absolutely beautiful. I've never been there before, even it's only just down the road from me. So that's one of the advantages of my running I get to see all these fabulous places that I wouldn't normally see. So I really enjoyed going there, not not just for the running but just to see the spectacular hotel. And it was a lovely summer's evening.

Speaker 1: 1:08

And 10K is approximately 6.2 miles. It's not my favourite distance. I find it a bit too quick and, unlike my previous 10K which I ran in Reading, which was a very fast, flat road race. This was very much a trail race and a very hilly race and there's a particular part of the course which is quite unique. I mean they basically the organizers market this as a quite a unique race. It always used to be held, in fact, in january, just after christmas. So the weather over here in the uk can be very cold that time of year and you know you'd have to wrap up warm. There might be ice, snow could be any sort of conditions. And I've never done it because I'm still suffering from a hangover of the indulgence over Christmas. So I'm always very reluctant because I'm not my fittest, to have to go and do a 10K, especially a grueling 10K like that, and normally it's very much sold out, so I've tended to avoid it.

Speaker 1: 2:08

But it's part of a three series of races. So the first in the series was the beckonswood 5k, which is one of my previous episodes, which I did a few weeks ago, and that's the first. This is the second in the series. And then, finally, we've got the burning beaches off marathon which I'll be running in august, which I've always run. I've run it since I was a youngster, so so those are the three and if you get the three medals. They actually join together, so they're magnetic and they all sit together, so it's part of a series and the organisers give you two years to get all the three medals.

Speaker 1: 2:37

But I just decided well, look, no, I'm going to go for it. Life's too short, I don't know what's going to happen to me next year. I'm injury free at the moment, although I've not done a lot of training. But it's a 10k, so it's not like a marathon or even a half marathon, so I'm sure I can cope with it. Little did I realize how tough it was going to be.

Speaker 1: 2:54

Anyway, these three races run by burnham joggers and a friend of mine is actually a member of burnham joggers and they always organize a really good race. Whatever race they do or organise, you know the organisation is spectacular. So I get there. It starts at 7.15 and I got there, you know, a good hour before, parked the car up and, as I say, when I walked into grounds, picked my number up and the first thing I wanted to see was this magnificent, I mean, it's basically a mansion and the grounds. And the first thing I wanted to see was this magnificent, I mean it's basically a mansion, and, and the grounds and the drive. I mean we, you know we weren't running that part, obviously, of the estate, but wherever we run on the estate you go by the river thames, you know you see glimpses of this massive mansion. I mean it towers over the whole, the whole place and there's this majestic fountains. I I mean just everything's so beautiful and we were lucky with the weather in the UK because it was a beautiful summer's evening and you know, perfect running conditions and I'd say there's probably only a few hundred of us. I mean there was no queues for the toilets or anything like that. So the start was and, to be honest, I met many runners that I run with at my local park run. So it's very much a runner's race and a lot of people knew each other and, you know, a real runner's community.

Speaker 1: 4:13

So we line up on the start line and, as I say, the one thing I wasn't expecting although I had done some research on youtube, because I I like to see you know the course I'm going to be running, because I heard it was tough, it was hilly, we started off on the road, which was fine, and then you go off onto the trail and luckily it's. I mean it has been raining here, but not recently, so it was fairly dry conditions, but I wore my trail shoes anyway because, you know, in the past I've listened to my previous episodes you know, know, I've suffered an injury when I didn't have my trail shoes on. That was when I was very naive and thinking, well, I don't need to wear trail shoes for a trail race. I'm. You know, trail race is literally just run on grass, isn't it? But it's not quite as simple as that. So, even though it's dry conditions, you probably could have got away, uh, with road shoes. I decided to wear my trail shoes and I'm glad I did, because there were some.

Speaker 1: 5:09

I mean, it wasn't just the the ascents, but the descents. There were some really sharp descents and you know, as I say, if you listen to my recent episodes, you know that I've suffered with knee problems before. I've had a torn meniscus in my knee and a baker's cyst. So you know, I was a bit wary, obviously, on the descents, because the descents can be worse than the ascents, to be honest, because there was basically these sharp declines and then you've got like tree roots and just the ground was so uneven. And it's interesting because you could tell the runners that didn't have the trail shoes because they were very wary going down and I trusted my trail shoes, even though I had to be constantly on the lookout. I was constantly looking at the ground more than anything, obviously, trying to dodge the runners in front of me because parts of the course very narrow, but I was just trying to keep on my feet, but I had confidence in my trail shoes and I was just let myself go down these hills and the runners who didn't have the trail shoes, you could tell because they were being very wary and I hate to think what it was like if it was wet.

Speaker 1: 6:08

But, to be honest, the ascents, um, and the descents, I mean they were nothing compared to what I see and I've seen it on youtube, but I still couldn't believe. I mean, nothing prepares you for it. I mean that seen on youtube. Okay, you can see there's like these steps that you have to go up, um, but you don't actually see. You know they don't show the actual depth of them. When you're actually there, the actual um, it's hard to describe, but when you're actually there it's completely different. They look a lot worse when you're actually there and there's 172. Basically it's 172 steps, but they're not narrow steps. They're big, wide, so you can't just jump from one just like that. They're not within your stride length, so you have to really push yourself to get up each step.

Speaker 1: 7:03

Now, what I find was there was runners in front of me and they were trying to run at the side because there's a little gap between the bushes, the undergrowth, and there was a little section where maybe you could just push past the undergrowth and run on the side. But, to be honest, you won't really go much faster. But it helped me because obviously I wasn't putting pressure on my knees, the constant having to get up each step. It was just like running up a flat slope, a flat hill. So I tried to do that, but then the undergrowth would get in the way. So certain sections you had to come back on um to these steps and a lot of people were walking these steps and I saw on youtube, you know, runners had done before, said well, you know they were going to be walking these steps. I mean I tried to keep running and I did keep running, albeit very slowly. So but you know, and the first time was a shock, I mean that was bad enough, but obviously the first time it was towards the end of the first lap. So it's two laps and the first lap, uh, as I say, I work in miles. So you're looking at approximately 6.2 miles for 10K. So I'm looking about, you know, a 5K being about three miles, 10. Well, it's probably just under three miles.

Speaker 1: 8:14

When we finished the first lap, and just before we finished the first lap was when these steps came into play, so I wasn't feeling too bad. To be honest, the first lap, you know, when I had to get to these steps, I was like all gung-ho, but after about the first couple of steps I realized that it wasn't going to be that easy because they just, they just went on forever and I wasn't counting them. But I just looked up and saw people walking and I knew, I know, and I wasn't even thinking about doing on the second lap, I was just trying to get through them on the first lap. But as usual, I probably started the race off too quick because I did like 8, 17, 8 minutes, 17 seconds for the for the first mile, primarily because it started off on the road and you know, the adrenaline of the of the first mile, uh, always kicks in. I think it was slightly downhill too. So 8, 17, when I should be doing sort of near as of nine minutes per mile. Second mile came down at 10, 21, then we went to 9, 37 and then I got back under under nine again.

Speaker 1: 9:15

So, to be honest with you, after the first first lap, which is approximately 5k, which is why I do a park run most weeks I was running sort of my park run pace which, bear in mind, is a 5k pace, and your 10k pace was going to be a little bit slow. So I was happy with that, even after the steps. But then it really started to hurt on the fourth and the fifth because you, we had to do an extended lap so that the second lap was slightly longer and that that was fine. So I managed to get into a really good rhythm. I mean my times you're looking at just over nine minutes, um, nine minutes, 9, 25, but it was really the last lap that that really did me in um, we came down towards the river um and it seemed like forever.

Speaker 1: 10:05

I was like when are we going to get to the steps again? Because I was and you know I was moving along so well, I was get a really really good rhythm and I was. You know, I was running quite quick as well, or so I thought, and I was enjoying it. And we came down to river and then, all of a sudden, these steps just loom on you and it's like they come out of nowhere. I mean, you're expecting them and I was getting very anxious. I was like surely we should have got to the steps by now, because I was thinking you know the steps, I'm going at such a good pace here, I'm on for a good time and, to be honest, I was looking for something like an hour.

Speaker 1: 10:46

Um, I did the, the ready and green part, 10k. That was like what? 54 minutes? I mean, my fastest for 10k is 44 minutes. But you know, this isn't a flat road race, this is quite a unique race. So I'm thinking if I can do it in like 60 minutes an hour, and I think they still know at their website somewhere that you know the previous year's race know so many people were under an hour. So an hour was a benchmark and that's the time I was looking for and, as I say, after the halfway mark I was easily on for that, probably about 55 minutes, but obviously then the second lap took its toll. Anyway, I get to the final set of the steps on the second lap and I look at my watch, it's like five and a half miles, so probably got about, you know, 0.7 a mile left.

Speaker 1: 11:30

But as soon as I hit these first steps, I could feel my legs just going and yet again I was trying to run up the side but the majority of people were now walking and my legs were just giving way. I literally didn't have the energy. I've never been so tired on a 10k before and, to be honest, I really felt like stopping. But I thought from one stop I'm never going to get moved again and I had to move from one side to the other. So I was on the side of steps and I moved into the middle steps because the undergrowth got in the way, went over to the other side. Somebody came up behind me, wanted to pass. There's people in front of me, um, but it was. Yeah, it was tough and I'm not normally one to swear, but I was like, oh, I mean the runners around me, maybe they were too tired to swear, but I was swearing like anything and uh, but I just couldn't care.

Speaker 1: 12:23

In all it was just desperation. I'm thinking, you know, because I'm not counting them and I'm just thinking but these steps are never going to end. And I'm thinking I'm not even going to make the hour now because I'm just taking too long up these steps. I'm just looking at the the minute per mile on my watch go down, down, further down, and now it's all about survival. And I'm getting near to the top and I can hear this guy shouting, because at the top of the steps, where the spectators um are. And I heard this guy shouting and it was. He sounded like a sergeant major and it's like we're in the, the army or the marines it was. It was like come on, come on, move it, move it. And I was like, oh, my word. But to be honest, that that worked in my favor because I'm one of these people who, you know, if I get shouted at like that, I'm quite competitive, you know, it gives me the courage to get moving.

Speaker 1: 13:15

So as soon as I heard that, a few steps from the top, I was like, yeah, let's push. And I got this extra wind and I I really started going for it and there's a guy in front of me. So I moved to the left, to the right, just to try and avoid him, and I'm coming up to the top of the steps, even shouting, and then suddenly I get to the top and I almost lose my foot and all I could hear were these gasps from the crowd, as I almost fell. And that's how tired I was by the time I got to the top of the steps. And then, of course, it wasn't over, because I had to go around on this gravel path, around the corner and the most scenic of views, but I was just too tired to take them in. I mean, it's an absolutely gorgeous place, the ground, but I'm just too tired to take it in.

Speaker 1: 13:56

So I'm coming around the corner and the last bit. I mean, it just seemed to go on forever. I was just waiting to hear civilization, to hear the crowds, to hear the finish, or even to see the finish, but you went from one corner around to the next round, to the next, and there was no, there wasn't. I could see no one in front of me, no one was coming up behind me. I was literally on my own um, and it took a while before I could see the, the road section. You come back, it's a nice smooth road section and then I could start, you know sprinting, and I tried to sprint and there was nothing coming out. I thought, well, I better leave the sprint finish. You know, if I'm going to sprint, leave it to a bit closer. As I started to get a bit close, I'm like, have I got anything left in the tank? And luckily I had something in the tank and I managed to push it across the line.

Speaker 1: 14:41

Of course, these small races like this, they didn't have, um, uh, you know, a gantry with the time on. So you couldn't, you couldn't, you know, look up and see the timing. All they had was a, uh like a, the finishers map, which is like a strip that goes across the, uh, the finish line, under the finish arch, um, and then you've got a chip on your numbers. When you cross that, that'll give you a chip time, and I'd be a, obviously a few seconds after that, because they didn't start right at the front. But I'm thinking, have I made an hour or not? I don't know. I just I just sprinted for my life, all I could.

Speaker 1: 15:17

And obviously the first thing I do as soon as I crossed the line was just stop my watch, you know, um, and, and then I didn't know where to get. I was. I just wanted to collapse on the ground. To be honest, it was just, it was horrific, and it's luckily it wasn't a really hot day. I mean, if it, if it'd been held earlier on, it would have been really tough. I mean, it was nice, nice, warm evening, um, you know, for here in the UK, but it was certainly, you know, warm enough. I wouldn't wanted it. You know, I was sweating enough as it was getting around, that course. And then, of course, I picked the water up. You know, a volunteer gives you the water, the medal. And then I just clapped it aside out of the way and I looked at my watch and all I could see was these 55, and was that 55 minutes, was it? No, it wasn't 55 minutes, because it wasn't 55 minutes, 55 seconds. So it's an hour and 55 seconds. So I think within that hour bracket. I didn't beat the hour. So I wanted to get an hour and it was just within the hour bracket, um, so I was happy with that. I was like, okay, that that'll do me, it's still within that hour of time, I can still class it as an hour. I didn't go to an hour and one, it's just under. So I was happy with that.

Speaker 1: 16:33

And as I was sitting there recovering, um, this guy comes, sits down next to me and he's got the most unusual footwear. They look like flip-flops and they're literally they're sort of like tied between. He's got them. He's got these like they've got no grip on, on what whatsoever. And there's me worried about wearing trail shoes. But they're like, they're just like a sole and I say like a flip flop or or espadrille, something like that, and they're tied. He's got the rope tied around his toes at the front. And I get chatting to him and say, well, don't they? They chafe? And he said no, no, it's, it's fine. He said you, you get used to them. And I said, well, how do you stay on your feet? Because there's literally no grip on them? And he said no, no, they're okay.

Speaker 1: 17:23

And I I thought to myself because there's me telling him about you know whether I was going to wear trail shoes. And I'm wearing trail shoes because I've had an injury before, because I didn't wear treasures, and he's literally wearing nothing. I mean, the soles were so thin, um, and uh, yeah, it just looked. Look, I mean he might as well be running barefoot, and I know some runners can run barefoot, you can get these barefoot, uh, running shoes which are literally just like, you know, gloves for your feet, um.

Speaker 1: 17:54

But the interesting thing he did say to me was he said well, because he's run a few races in these, um, so obviously I guess he's got used to them, but to me I would. I would think they would chafe, you know, especially the rope around your toes would rub your toes and I'd be worried about there wouldn't be any grip. But it just goes to show, you know, you don't necessarily need all these fancy you know trainers with the latest technology built into them, and so a lot of barefoot runners do do quite well. And in fact you know there's been reports that actually if you run barefoot or have a more simplistic type of running shoe, you do get less injuries. So there you go. But what he said to me, it made me laugh because he said well, actually these always provide a good talking point. He said you know, I get talking to people, make new friends, and I'm thinking that's very true actually, because in fact it was me who initiated the conversation when I said to him how do you run in those? Because I mean, it's, it's it's very hard to describe in this podcast. But if you'd seen them like you think you'd have to be mad to run in those. Um, but as I say, and what he said to me was he's, you know, this wasn't his first race with them. He's got used to running in them. So, you know, fair play to him, but still quite remarkable, and these are the sort of characters you discover at these races. So, yeah, I was happy with them.

Speaker 1: 19:17

Now I don't know my official position, I haven't actually seen the results, I don't know if they published the results anywhere for it, but, as I say, say the medal was lovely and that will go in my Bexfield 5k medal, and then obviously, I've got the Burnham Beaches half in August and then I can put all three together. So it was a worthwhile race to do. It did take it out of me and I went home and stuffed my face with a nice pizza, but it took me a while to recover. That was on Saturday and I haven't been running again to today, and this is Thursday, and what happened today was actually very interesting. I had a really long and stressful day at work yesterday. So, even though I planned to run this morning because I haven't got to work today I was planning on having a good lie-in. I was thinking I need to get some good sleep because I haven't had much sleep lately and you know, sleep is very important for your body, to recharge both your body and your mind. So I'm thinking maybe that would do me more good.

Speaker 1: 20:23

And my next race is probably probably about three weeks away. It's another 10k. So beat the boat, which is a really unique race I mentioned on one of my previous episodes. I'm so looking forward to that because it's such a fun race. Um, it's running eating in winter. The pub is. It's the local rate, hq. Uh, you normally get a discount if you first pint in the goodie bag. They serve prosecco and beer at the drink station and you're racing against the boat. So I'll tell you more about that later. So I haven't got that. For the next approximately three weeks, that's what I planned on doing anyway. I don't know what it is, I guess because my body's used to waking early.

Speaker 1: 20:57

I woke up four this morning and the trouble is, once I wake up, I just can't get back to sleep again. You know there's there's. As much as I try, my body won't let me get back to sleep or my mind won't let me get back to sleep. And then I was thinking, oh, I could do with a run, just any run. I had such a stressful day yesterday and for me running is all about de-stressing. And I wasn't thinking about a specific training run or you know, a specific distance or what about the time. I just wanted to get outdoors. So I'm thinking, as I'm up now, add the black coffee, get some water down me, do my stretching and get out there before it gets too busy. And it wasn't.

Speaker 1: 21:36

It wasn't too warm this morning, it's pretty mild, not spectacularly hot or anything like that. It was just it wasn't cold, but it's probably perfect running, running weather actually Maybe a bit chilly when you first went out, but I'll warm up leave. Maybe a bit chilly when you first went out, but I'll do warm up. So I just had this, this plan, and well, if I can just do a mile or two or go back to my old house, which is one and a half miles away and you know, rest up there and then come back, you know three miles, that'll be good. So I wasn't putting any pressure on myself whatsoever.

Speaker 1: 22:07

Anyway, once I got out there, actually I was feeling quite good. I did did the first mile quite quick and the first couple of miles were uphill. The second mile, I'm coming across a lovely field with horses in and the sun was just coming up and it's beautiful. I guess I was out there by half five in the morning. Yeah, I think it's actually, to be precise, 21 minutes past five this morning.

Speaker 1: 22:30

I went out and, as I say, second mile, across theorsesfield, sun was just coming up. Then you hit a hill, it's all uphill and then my target. As I have different routes I can do, but a glutton for punishment I thought I would take the hardest route. So instead of going left, I carried all the way on up towards Jarrah's Cross Hill, which've mentioned it before in previous episodes. It's a third of a mile. It's just a really, really steep hill and you can run on the side of the road, sort of like a trail route in the trees and that, and it's 4.4 miles to get there or to get up there once, and then I just see how many I can do.

Speaker 1: 23:08

The first time you go up, when when I get there is always the most difficult, and then again to a bit of a rhythm and it's nice coming down, but then you've got to go back up again to really push going up and say it just gets steeper and steeper and it almost brings you to a stand still. That's how steep it is. And because I don't do any interval work or sprint work, which I should do, hill work can help improve your speed, obviously strengthens your legs and it helps improve your speed because obviously, when, once you get down on the flats, then, um, you're going to go much quicker because you're used to, uh, running up hills, which is a lot harder. This is a bit like altitude training. Once you're at high altitude and you're training, then you come down low altitude. You see the benefits. So obviously you can't go on times, you can't go on having a fast time.

Speaker 1: 23:53

But I wasn't worried about the time. Um, I hadn't been to charters cross hill for, I don't think, for months. Um, I'm not sure if I've been this year at all, because I've been on and off with injuries, you know, shin splints and gout, and just just not, you know, had the distances to to even get to the hill or even think about doing it. And sometimes I've gone, I've turned left, not gone to the hill, taking an easy route, not necessarily an easy route, that's still hills, but not specific hill training. So I went up once and it was okay and I knew if I went up twice I better do 10. Uh, that going up twice and coming back would be 10 miles. So 10 miles is a nice round figure. I always think if you can do 10 miles on a run, that always sounds impressive. It looks good on strive, it's a nice round figure. So that's what I was thinking.

Speaker 1: 24:43

And of course then I did the two and then I'm thinking just one more, so I'll do the three. And then I'm looking at my watch working out. You know, once I've gone past the two, well that's it, I can relax and I've done the 10 miles. But then I go up again, 11, 12 miles. Then I'm thinking, oh, just let's do a half marathon, something, get to.

Speaker 1: 25:02

And of course then when I get to the 30 because I think that's about I get to five, a sense of it and then I get to seven and I think that's just about make 13.1 I've got an option to cut it short. So I could cut it short and on the way home go back to all my old place, which would add 0.6 of a mile. But when I'm really tired. I don't particularly want to do that, I'd rather just get it over and done with here. So that was my plan. And so when I got to 13.1 I thought let's just make it to 14. So I did to eight.

Speaker 1: 25:34

But then when I I did to eight, I think the ninth lap would be like the ninth, going up would be 14 miles, because once I've gone up nine, I want to make it around, figure, don't I? So I say just one more. So then I got to the 10th and now I'm thinking oh, now I'm close to 15 miles, but to get into the 15 miles I'm to get this top of the hill to run down the traffic lights, turn around and come back, and that should approximately make it to 15 miles. Coming back, I've got different markers on the way back, so I know roughly how long I've got to go and I get to the recreation ground. Now I've got, uh, two should be 2.2 miles and I think it was just under that. So I just run into the gates of the recreation park, come back. Just just add on slightly. And of course it varies, because the time I went back across the horses field, went back to my old place, should be 1.7 miles. Um, I think that was something like um, 1.8. Um, all these you know different variations want to get back to the crematorium where my late nan lives. Um, that should be half a mile away from home. Um, and actually I think I was, I think I think I was inside that, so I was just. So actually I probably need that added the extra bit on, but I'll probably be slightly longer than there.

Speaker 1: 26:58

So when I got back home it was, I think it was like 15 miles, 03, 15.03. So I hit the 15 mile mark and when I got back, I mean I was sweating like anything, even though it wasn't that particularly hot this morning and my special running shirt that's supposed to be good in the heat seemed to work really well. But yeah, I was sweating like anything and it probably didn't help that I had a couple of drinks last night. So that was just, I guess, because I had a bad day at work, so that probably didn't help either. But all in all, I mean my pace was pretty good. I think it was 10, 10.20 for the pace which, considering a lot of it, is uphill. You know, I'm really pleased. Sorry, 10.35. My pace was I did two hours 39 minutes, 15.03. And the elevation we're looking at 1325 feet and I used up 1810 calories. So the time I got back I was well.

Speaker 1: 28:01

I wasn't hungry immediately, because I never am after these strenuous events. I think I drank a lot of milk because, I've mentioned before, milk is a really good at replenishing your fluids. I mean, obviously it contains lots of protein as well and there's been some studies as well that, um, it could almost be as good as having a sports drink, um, and obviously it's a lot cheaper. But I just happen to have a lot of milk in the fridge, so I just drank a lot of milk and it's so refreshing as well to have a nice cold milk after a run. And then a couple of um eggs, scrambled eggs on a peanut butter bagel and that went down. A treat followed by a banana, and I felt good. Actually I did. You know, I've done shorter runs where I felt more out of breath, and that's my longest run this year. So I'm really pleased.

Speaker 1: 28:47

From what started off to maybe I'll just do a couple of three miles, or in fact, from what started off, I wasn't even going to run this morning, I was going to have a line instead. I mean, as I'm recording this now in the afternoon, I am really really feeling it. I feel a bit drained. I went for a walk earlier on and did a bit of food shopping. I do feel really drained at the moment, but drained in a nice way, because I know that I've achieved something really good to do 15 miles, I'd say my longest run of the year. It stands me in good stead because I've got nothing longer than a 10k the next few weeks.

Speaker 1: 29:32

Next half thing will be in August. I've got nothing longer than a 10k the next few weeks. Next half thing will be on August. I've got a marathon later on and, as I say, I don't look at the times of that because at the times it's more about the hill work. But you know, 10.35, that's not a bad time for this particular route. I'm quite happy with that.

Speaker 1: 29:49

So, yeah, I'm starting to feel it now, feeling a bit tired and my legs are aching a bit, but, more importantly, it's as long as I stay injury free, I don't mind having achy legs, tired legs, and and tomorrow morning will be a real sort of um indicator of how I'm feeling and whether I'm going to get injured or not, because normally it's the day afterwards. Um, and you also these things like DOMS, late onset muscle soreness, you know a few days later, but it will be tomorrow. Normally what happens is you know you can feel fine now and then tomorrow morning I could wake up and you know you could have an injury. So obviously I'm not not counting my chickens yet. Hopefully tomorrow morning touch wood I'll wake up and, okay, I'll be a bit tired, but I'm not working till later in the day so I can have a lie in and hopefully I'll be feeling okay. I expect to be a bit tired but hopefully my legs will be fine. And that's Friday and then Saturday.

Speaker 1: 30:45

Even though I'm working very late on the Friday, I'm thinking I would like to do a park run again because I'm off on Saturday and Sunday. So even though I'm working very late on a friday, if I got the energy I'd love to do a park run. I didn't do the park run last saturday because I wanted to keep my my energy for the clifton 10k and I'm glad I did because it was so tough. Having said that, I saw a few runners from my local park run. They probably did the park run in the morning as well, but, um, I just didn't have the energy, to be honest, and maybe I took the easy option, which is unlike me normally, but I'm glad I did because it certainly took it out of me. So, yeah, I'd like to, as long as it's not raining, because I hate running in the rain. Um, I think it's going to rain just after the park run finishes, maybe about 10 o'clock. But if it stays clear for the park run, uh, I'd love to go there and see the, the regulars there, and I'll be coming up, I think, for my 60th part. I think it's gonna be my 59th part run if I do it this saturday, and sometimes I'm working saturday so I can't do anyway. So, uh, I say I really want to do it.

Speaker 1: 31:45

Last week, you know, did the double, but I was just, I think I, uh, uh, I, I slept for a lot that day because my and sometimes you, you know you've got to listen to your body, because you're, I mean, having my Garmin watch. You know it tells me, you know, how many days rest I should have, how many hours rest. You know you need extra rest, more recovery, because you've had poor sleep, et cetera. But you know, technology can only tell you so much. Sometimes it's just best to listen to your body and recharging and resting is as important as the exercise, because when you're resting and recharging that's when a lot of the benefits from your training come. And I know it's counterintuitive, but you have to realize that. And it sounds like easy option, you know, not doing the run but sometimes it's the hardest option, especially for someone like me who loves his running and really wanted to do it. But sometimes I have to rein myself in, like maybe today I shouldn't have done the uh, the 15 miles just four days after the cliff in 10k and not done that for I'd do.

Speaker 1: 32:41

The hill works like that and I wasn't even going to do it. But once I was out there and I guess because I had such a stressful day yesterday I just felt so good running today. It was a real de-stressor for me as well. Some people would find it hard work. For me it was just a natural, a way to relax. I know it sounds a funny way to relax, but for me that's, that's how I relax. Just, you know pain and punishment on that hill. You know we have a love-hate relationship. I love to hate it, but I know in the long term it actually does me good for my speed work, for my endurance and I like to see it, you know and for a confidence booster as well, for the challenge.

Speaker 1: 33:20

And my next challenge will be, you know, after a late night working on Friday will be to get up and do that run on the Saturday morning, the park run, which is 5K, so only 5K, but you know it will be tough. I think my garment's saying I should have an extra day's rest so I might be going back a little bit early. But, as I say, if I'm injury free, if I'm feeling okay, then you know, and if I've got the energy to get up, then I will do it on saturday, as long as it's not raining, I will make the effort because I know I can relax for the rest of saturday and I'm not working on sunday either. So there's no excuses really. And you know I'm not necessarily looking for a fast time just to go there.

Speaker 1: 33:58

For the social aspect, meet my fellow runners. You know runners who I know will have competed in the clifton 10k. You know regulars I see there. Go there, have a nice run. You know a nice chat with the runners, afterwards coffee, and it's just a nice start to the weekend, as I say. You know, some Saturdays I'm actually working so I can't actually do it. So when I can do it, I think I should. So I really need to make the effort, no matter how tired I am. I make no excuses, so the next time I speak to you I can say I did do the park run. So that's how it is at the moment and I just wanted to update you because I said I'd let you know how the Clifton 10K went.

Speaker 1: 34:38

As I say, I was going to record this a little bit earlier on, a few days earlier, but straight after the race, and that it really hit me how much that race took out of me. But I'm proud that I did it proud of the time, and it was a a really nice event to run. I would certainly run it again. Obviously I've got a year to recover. I know people there run it, you know, maybe five, ten times. I think it's been going for over 30 years.

Speaker 1: 35:10

As they used to be held in the wintertime, I never fancied doing it after, after Christmas um, not the best time when you've. You've suffered from overindulgence over Christmas, but many people do do it. But I like the fact that it's now an evening race, especially, you know, in the summer. You know you get a nice day, which isn't always guaranteed in the UK here, but when you get a nice day it's lovely to run. So I think I probably will run it again. I mean, I say it's fairly local to me. Beautiful, beautiful place, um, and I can't believe I haven't visited it before because you know you can I can't afford to stay in the hotel, obviously, but beautiful place, just to to walk around, and most people would walk those set of steps and that would be a challenge in itself. I can't believe the fact that we had to run up them and do them twice, as well as all the other miles on the route, six miles. So yeah, it was a fun but very tough, challenging course. But it's another one for my records.

Speaker 1: 36:10

Another race ticked off, a different race, and that's the beautiful thing about running. You know, you get to see all these different places just through the aspect of running and meet new people, have new memories, see new surroundings. It just opens a whole new world up to you and that's what I love about running. That's why I'm so enthusiastic about running. It just opens me to so many different worlds. You, and that's what I love about running. That's why I'm so enthusiastic about running. It just opens to me to so many different worlds and that's why I love it.

Speaker 1: 36:40

So, yeah, it's been a a good week so far. I'm so happy with my 15 mile run today. I mean that's a real feather in the cap for me, as I say, longest run this year after after all the trouble I've had injuries on and off on training, it's been a really good run. So obviously at the moment I'm on such a run as high. I just you know, I can't believe it.

Speaker 1: 37:01

So I'm in such a good mood now, completely distressed from work, really happy at the moment, okay, tired but happy, but really really happy. And I'm looking forward to the park run to see all the faces that I saw um at the clifton 10k and meet up with them on saturday. So I'm going to leave it there and on the next episode I'll tell you what happened when I went to the park run and I'll let you know about future races coming up and I'll see you then on the next episode of 30 years of running marathons. And I'll see you then on the next episode of 30 years of running marathons and I'll see you later, thank you.