Races within races, injury and success

Running total to date = 46 miles 

I was going to write all about how my first flush of enthusiasm is being tempered by the realisation of how hard this is going to be. But after a week of opposing emotions, as it draws to a close, I'm feeling completely fantastic!  

Saturday dawned and a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach was gradually replaced by small butterflies as I prepared to run my next fell race. Ovenden Moor is a race organised by another amazing man - Allan Greenwood. My first encounter with this race was many years ago, standing on ice packed tracks to support Simon, my husband, who had been cajoled into running it with an old friend of ours, Ant Meyer. I can remember Simon's excited and verbose chatter after he'd finished it very pleased with himself and full of enthusiasm for the next one and even .. maybe .. possibly .. joining a club! That didn't happen for years and is a story for another day. 

Back to the present Ovenden race. I had already confirmed that Caren was running it. This is significant for me as, whilst we don't know one another well, our paths have crossed over the years and of recent months she has given me great encouragement - mostly through facebook! We're very evenly matched in our running but she has far greater experience and fills me with confidence that if she says I can do it (and she's also running it) then all will be well. I was proved right with this theory on the Auld Lang Syne on New Years Eve. Without Caren's motivating support I probably wouldn't have finished that one. 

Ovenden Moor race is 8miles and a bit, 1200ft, over peat bogs and valleys above Ogden reservoir.  It sets off with a steady hill, which I managed to keep a slow jog going on, to reach a flatish but seriously boggy moor. The route then follows every bog it can find in a loop that takes in a number of steep descents and climbs until your back running down the starting hill to the finish. I really loved it. 

I got an absolute sense of the many races happening within the race. Running at the back every one of us had our own reasons to be there - beating a personal best, trying not to come last, finishing the route, just running to enjoy the freedom and experience, racing against the landscape, pitching self against the conditions (the wind was bitter and strong). The comradery in the small group of us at the back of the field was just brilliant. I was flagging, my legs slowing and a hand at the side of me held out a jellybaby. As I started to slow to a walk on a flat conduit a hand on the small of my back and "c'mon love dig in" in my ear. Comically falling over flat on face in a peat bog but knowing I just needed to get up and carry on - it wasn't quite as spectacular as the somersault a Bingley Harriers gentleman displayed. Of course he stood up and carried on! I knew none of these fantastic people but without their altruistic attitude to their fellow runners I'm not sure I would have finished. 

Approaching the finish at Ovenden

Finish I did! "185 LIV FARRER KEIGHLEY & CRAVEN 1-46-24" (I have no idea why it's so hard to spell "Farrar" right!) I am so enormously pleased with this - it all felt right! 

With thanks to a friend, Ash, who spotted this article in the Telegraph (I have no idea why he was reading that particular newspaper - perhaps he could explain?) http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/dietandfitness/8998810/The-runners-who-are-a-breed-apart.html which offers a far more articulate article on Fell Running, featuring this Ovenden race. 

Sunday saw me trotting round Blue's moors above our house, riding on my euphoria and post race feel good endorphins. But then deep despair and frustration as I gave up on a run on Monday. Shin splint type pain replaced with searing knee pain whilst out on my usual run. This isn't good. I've been going less than two weeks and I can't put my left foot on the floor 'cos it hurts too much. So Monday was a serious reality check moment. I really need to temper my enthusiasm with reality about what's sensible. It's all well and good aiming for 20 miles a week but I've sub-consciously started to aim over that so I can 'bank' a few miles for rest days later or allowing myself to be injured. All well and good except I should perhaps have rested my leg for longer. Am I setting myself up for more injuries or will my body start to heal itself as it learns a new physicality? I have a lot to learn this year!

So Tuesday's day trip to London gave me no option but to rest (parents evening for daughter (brilliant) required a return home rather than stay over) so Wednesday arrived and I was back down to London for an overnight stay with an evening to run. Running in a City is such a totally different experience to the fells. The landscape is obviously different but the flatness does make for a far faster pace. Strangely, there is a type of beauty in the landscape and built environment that as you run through can be quite striking in its own way. I'm mostly passed by ipod runners who seem to make no connection to anything in the environment around them, including acknowledging the fellow humans but then this is London. They're all faster than me but as they pound past I don't really care. This week I found myself clocking up 8miles, steadily round 3 beautiful (if it was light and I could see) parks. 

London landscapes

Quite oddly I stopped for a brief chat with my local MP, Kris Hopkins (lives up the road in Stanbury, does a bit of fell running), who I bumped into on Millbank - bit odd.  A few miles later a phone call from husband to report a poorly son and give a work update. So, given all that chatting, I thought 1hr25mins was ok for 8 miles. But then I compare that to Saturday at Ovenden, same distance but massively more challenging terrain - I know which one I'm happier with. 

Caren modelling the latest in night running

Back home late on Thursday meant another rest day but Friday saw my first evening / night 'social' run with Caren. I'm quite used to running alone. It's been a really learning experience and a challenge for me to learn to run on my own, be with my own company and motivate myself with no one else around. I've reached a place where I really value this time on my own. But, being quite a sociable being, I would like to run more with others - not just in races. So before Christmas a hasty exchange on facebook left Caren and I 'committed' to running on a Friday evening. It would seem that there aren't that many folk who think running in the pitch black over the moors is fun. Fortunately Caren does and we had a great, steady, frosty with beautiful clear starry skies, run round the moors tonight. I look forward to many more of these - night running will perhaps be the topic of a future blog but to wet your appetite have a look at this - The Bedlamites  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AE-8qdHwrtw&feature=g-upl&context=G290debeAUAAAAAAAAAA 

I started this entry with my mileage to date and I'll finish with a gentle reminder that your support in sponsorship for Asthma UK or Sue Ryder's Manorlands Hospice would be brilliant and very motivating! https://www.justgiving.com/teams/1000miles