Feeling the pulse of the city and the heartbeats of runners, the London Marathon unfolded with stories that moved us beyond the miles. As I recount the event's emotional spectrum, I can't help but feel a part of it, even though my running shoes didn't hit the pavement this time around. We pay homage to the remarkable Kelvin Kipton, whose absence left a profound silence, and celebrate the EastEnders duo Jay and Honey, who blurred the lines between fiction and reality for a noble cause. The episode is a tribute to the wheelchair racers, elite contenders, and the countless charity runners who embody the marathon's enduring spirit.
Stepping into the well-worn sneakers of a friend, we navigate the meticulous preparation for the London Marathon, all for the fight against multiple sclerosis. Every stride of the journey, from carb-loading science to the infamous 'wall,' is laid bare, offering a peek into a runner's psyche. The marvels of technology draw us into the race, allowing us to cheer and agonize in real-time as we track each fluctuating pace and witness the tenacity of human resilience across those storied 26.2 miles.
Crossing the finish line is where agony meets ecstasy. I bare my soul over one of my slowest yet most cherished marathon completions, a testament to the sheer willpower that defines this pursuit. And as I reminisce about my recent parkrun success, the anticipation of returning to that starting line buzzes with promise. Stick around for this episode, where every heartbeat tells a tale of endurance, passion, and the relentless pursuit that connects us all as runners.
Thanks for listening. Keep on running.
Feeling the pulse of the city and the heartbeats of runners, the London Marathon unfolded with stories that moved us beyond the miles. As I recount the event's emotional spectrum, I can't help but feel a part of it, even though my running shoes didn't hit the pavement this time around. We pay homage to the remarkable Kelvin Kipton, whose absence left a profound silence, and celebrate the EastEnders duo Jay and Honey, who blurred the lines between fiction and reality for a noble cause. The episode is a tribute to the wheelchair racers, elite contenders, and the countless charity runners who embody the marathon's enduring spirit.
Stepping into the well-worn sneakers of a friend, we navigate the meticulous preparation for the London Marathon, all for the fight against multiple sclerosis. Every stride of the journey, from carb-loading science to the infamous 'wall,' is laid bare, offering a peek into a runner's psyche. The marvels of technology draw us into the race, allowing us to cheer and agonize in real-time as we track each fluctuating pace and witness the tenacity of human resilience across those storied 26.2 miles.
Crossing the finish line is where agony meets ecstasy. I bare my soul over one of my slowest yet most cherished marathon completions, a testament to the sheer willpower that defines this pursuit. And as I reminisce about my recent parkrun success, the anticipation of returning to that starting line buzzes with promise. Stick around for this episode, where every heartbeat tells a tale of endurance, passion, and the relentless pursuit that connects us all as runners.
Thanks for listening. Keep on running.
The race is on. The race is on. So let's get straight into this episode of 30 years of running marathons and this week the highlight for me has been the London Marathon. Though I wasn't running it because, unfortunately, I didn't get through. I applied through the ballot like 500,000 other people did, but only 50,000 get to run it. I say only 50,000, it's the largest marathon in the world, but you know, out of that 500,000, you've got a very small chance of getting in. Luckily, my friend did and his race went OK. I'll tell you more about that later.
Speaker 1:But this year's race will be remembered for various different things. Unfortunately, one of the main things it will be remembered for was the fact that defending champion Kelvin Kipton couldn't be defending his title this year. Unfortunately, he died in a car crash, and I mean he was only 24. He'd set the world record in Chicago only in October and his time of two hours 35. I mean he was looking to, you know, to break, be breaking two hours. I mean that that's how good he was. Say, it's only 24. He actually won the London marathon last year and he won it with a record time of two hours one minute 25 seconds. Um, and there was, you know, there was a a minute's applause in memory of him before the start of this race, um, and he had such a bright future in front of him. So it's such sad news to hear that he had died in this car crash. So unfortunately he couldn't defend his title, but obviously he'll be remembered and he could have gone on to great things. He probably could have broken that, that magical two hour mark.
Speaker 1:Anyway, the race carried on and, as I say, 50 000 people were running. It started off with the wheelchair race, um, and then from there you had the, the elite runners, and then the masses, uh, running it. Uh, so I think by the time my friend had started started, it was, I think it's more or less about quarter past 10. I mean, people are running all day. But the great thing about London Marathon is it's a great spectacle and luckily this year the weather was kind to us. I did hear that apparently it was a bit bit cold on the start, which isn't ideal for runners. Uh, you don't, you don't want it, you don't want it too cold when you're standing around the start, especially the, the latest starters, who are standing around before they even get to the start line. I remember when I did it years ago it took me about 20 minutes to get to the start line. So you don't want that, but you know it wasn't raining, there was a bit of sun out, so it wasn't. You know the conditions were okay actually and it meant a lot of spectators come out on the course. You know you always get good crowds and yeah, I mean it was. But the good thing, as I say, about the london marathon, is the amount it raises for charity. So many people are running for various different charities and it's a big charity fundraiser in the uk here and people, obviously people from all over the world um come to run the london marathon.
Speaker 1:It is a classic and probably, if not the best, one of the best marathons in the world. It's one, it's one of the six majors. Uh, you've got new york, there's boston, there's berlin, there's chicago and then there's tokyo and then you have london and if you run all six of these it's called the abbots world major. You get a special six star medal for running all six. I've only run one at the moment and certain marathons, like the Boston, you have to have certain qualifying times to get in. So it is one of the classic races and it draws runners from all over the world and obviously you know the, the elite runners like Kelvin Kipton who ran it, who had run a world record, chicago. So it draws all the big stars but also a lot of the charity runners from all over the world.
Speaker 1:And talking about charities, um, it was really an unusual event going on within the london marathon this year and this is where, like um, fiction crosses with real life, because in the soap opera EastEnders there are two characters, jay and Honey. And Jay in the soap opera EastEnders lost his wife to a brain tumour. So the scenario within the soap was that he was going to run the London Marathon along with Honey, a friend of his in the soap soap, and they were going to run the london marathon and how it panned out was in real life the actor and the actress who play these characters. They were actually going to run the london marathon, so they'd actually done all the training. They were going to run the london marathon.
Speaker 1:At certain points of the course they would be filmed as their characters and I was watching on telly, actually, and they were actually interviewed just before one of the sections where they had to get into character. So they said at the moment no, we're just so-and-so, we're just ourselves. But then we've got to get into character and this has never been done before, certainly not here in the uk. So they were. What they were going to do was they were going to film certain parts of them actually running on the course, and they were running it for real, and then they were going to edit it that day and then the next day it would be on our screens. And I say this was a first. So they were actually doing it for real, not just in the soap, and they were running, you know, for the brain tumor charity. I mean, how cool is that? I mean that's just um, you know, and I'll watch them on screen and they'll be interviewed actually running it. And then I actually watch them in eastenders and you think to yourselves well, they have actually run it. You know this isn't just acting, they have actually run it. So that quite remarkable. But that was quite unique this year.
Speaker 1:Another thing that also happened this year there was a world record. A world record set in the women's only race. So women's only races. It means women start on their own, so the women aren't starting within the the men's race. So it's a women's only race and women's only record was set. Uh, so that was another highlight of this year's uh, london marathon.
Speaker 1:But I mean there were so many highlights. I mean the highlights will be for the people alone, but there were so many stories. I mean, if you watch on on on telly, there's so many stories of runners running for charities and what amazes me is a lot of these runners they dress up in costumes. You've got a firefighter wearing all the heavy firefighting gear. You've got people dressed up as uh, dressed up as an in a phone, um, uh, you know camels, hippos, all sorts.
Speaker 1:And I know how hard it is to run a marathon line. All my years of running marathons I've never, ever run in a costume and for me that would be so hard because it you know it wasn't a bit, you know it wasn't that cold a day. You know it's a bit cold on the start, but once you get run, you know it was quite mild, the sun was. You know it's a bit cold on the start, but once you get run, you know it was quite mild, the sun was out. And they interviewed some of these runners who inside these costumes, and you know they were sweating profusely.
Speaker 1:It gets really hot and and the weight of carrying these costumes, wearing these costumes as you go around, it's tough. I know how tough it is just to run around and I think that's probably on my bucket list. I'll probably one day run a marathon in a costume. I will probably take the easy route and probably try and find the lightest costume to wear that I can get away with. You know we're still being called a fancy dress costume, but you know, fair play to these runners, I think that is far harder than what I'm doing doing, which is just running a marathon as it is, um, and they're, they're far longer out in the course, maybe five, six, maybe seven hours, and they're in this costume. So the the effort they have to put in is remarkable and fair play to them. I give them all the respect. When I see them being interviewed on the start line, I think you know they're already feeling really hot inside this costume. How are they ever going to get to the finish line? But obviously, you know the crowds get them through and they're running for charities. Uh, and that's what really spurred them on the amount of money that london marathon raises to runners running for charity. It's just I mean, it's just unbelievable. And it gets more and more each year. They try and get more and more runners in each year. So they got 50,000 in this year, which is the most I've ever run the London Marathon and the ballots opened again. So the ballots opened this week and I shall yet again apply. I shan't be expecting to get in.
Speaker 1:As I say, in all 30 years I've been running, I've only ever run it once and that was my first ever marathon. And if you look back to my first podcast episode you will hear all about that, how that went and that set me on this journey of running marathons over the last 30 years. And you know I was lucky enough that it was my first race I'd ever done. You know I never started with like a park run or a 10K. No, I just started at the top because I just wanted the challenge. As a youngster I wanted to and the marathon is the ultimate challenge and to get into London. I didn't appreciate. Obviously, back then there weren't the numbers who were applying as they are now, but there were still thousands going for it. But I didn't realize how lucky I was and I took it for granted and you know, I've applied since but I've never got back in. You know, fingers crossed, one day I will and I will cherish it. I will, um, you know, treat it as the willy wonka's golden ticket, because to me that's what it is.
Speaker 1:And, as I say, my friend managed to get in and he's running for a charity, uh, ms, because his wife suffers from ms and I I sponsored him. He was, he was um, uh, taking on um donations and he raised a remarkable £6,000. I mean, it's unbelievable. And he's a very fast runner and I've been watching his training records, seeing his training on Strava, and he's a very, very quick runner and he runs for a running club and his times are absolutely unbelievable. And he's often said to me you know, we'll go out for a run together because he, he doesn't live far from me. The trouble is, I've been injured a lot this year so it's been tough for me, um, to tie in with his runs and I certainly wouldn't be able to keep up with him. Now, a few, a few years ago I was running faster than him, but now he's overtaken me and he's very particular in how he plots all his training on spreadsheets and everything and that, and I remember it was like I don't know six, seven, eight months ago and he was already looking forward to london and plotting. You know his training and I'm thinking, well, this is just like ages away. But how time flies. And you know, suddenly he was on to his last long run and tapering.
Speaker 1:And what london marathon do is they provide a tracker. So you have a, you can download it on your phone and you can track anybody you want. You can track the, the, you know, put the runners numbers in or or their names, and I could even track the, the two actors that were, uh, playing jane honey on the soap, and I was tracking them as well because when they were being interviewed I was wondering what part on the course are they on? And you get the map and you can see on the map you can also track the split times of the runners. So I was, I was tracking my friend and he. He was doing really well.
Speaker 1:I mean the, the first. You know he was on schedule. You know the first few months. I mean the splits are a few miles. It's not not literally every mile, it's like something like three, six, ten, working in miles, like that, and he works in kilometers. But I think on the app you know it comes up on miles because obviously it's a London marathon, it's 26 miles, but I think you can also have it in Ks as well. But I had it in miles because I work in miles and you know he was doing like, I think, 820 pace, 830 pace for the first three miles and he was on track. He did the first 10K, which is over six miles. He did that on track and I think his first half was about one hour 53. So he was more or less on track for the time that he wanted, according to his Garmin.
Speaker 1:I mean mean he did jokingly say his Garmin was looking at three hours 44 and that would be a PB for him and looking at the times he'd done I mean I've seen some of his his you know training times and his minute per mile was like in the seven something minute per mile which would easily do three hours 44. I know what it takes to do three hours 44. I know what it takes to do three hours 44 because I've done three hours 44. I've done um 3, 39, 3, 32 and obviously my pb but that was donkey's go was three hours 18, but I know roughly what you have to do to do three hours 44. I was really confident in him and he did post, saying this is what my garment expects of him, and I replied saying, well, look, look, you know, if I can do three hours 39, then you can easily do three hours 44, because his training was remarkable and, as I say, through the first half he was fine and I noticed on the second half and they show the graph on the tracker his times were coming down and down and I was thinking, oh no, what's happening? And obviously this does happen because in the second half you do tend to slow down, especially if you go off too quick in the first half, which I didn't think he had. I thought it was a consistent, normal pace.
Speaker 1:But you know, then you start hitting things like the wall and the wall could start from, maybe you know, as early as 14 miles and the wall is literally where it more or less feels like you've hit the wall. You just almost come to a standstill and, in technical terms, is where your body used up all its glycogen. So all your energy is used up and your body has to start literally burning fat to convert to energy, which takes a lot longer. This is why you carb a load, pile up on carbohydrates a few days before and the night before, just so you you've got as much, you know, got a full tank so your body can use up those carbohydrates for energy. So you're delaying the aspect of the wall happening, of when your body's use up was glistening. Then it has to start burning the fat. You're delaying that process because it takes so much longer for your body to convert fat into energy.
Speaker 1:So he could have hit the wall at any time and obviously I wasn't in touch with him so I didn't know why he was suddenly slowing down. And on the app it gives you a predicted, you know, finishing time, predicted when they're going to get to the next split, when they're going to. And it was dropping from 344, 350 and then he went to 354 and he only had a few miles left and I was thinking, oh, it's getting close. And he went to 359 and I remember it stayed on three hours 59, his projected finishing time. For a long, long time I was thinking, oh, this is getting too close, he's just gonna make it. And then I think the last split was like I think the last split was about, maybe about 25 miles and he was going. He was going over four now and this was looking good.
Speaker 1:I was feeling sorry for him. Of course, I didn't know the whole story. None of us know what happens in a race. Um, whatever time we do, you know and I've always said this in the day you know, if you run a marathon, no one really cares about the time. But to him he's going to care about the time because I know he's very competitive and I was thinking well, why, why hasn't he gone faster? And I felt really bad about making that flippant remark about if I can do 3 hours 32, you can easily do 3 hours 44. And he came through in 4 hours 10 and straight away I messaged him and said you know well done. I didn't even mention the time. I said you know well done. That was remarkable.
Speaker 1:Anyway, later on, obviously a lot later on, once he recovered, he did post saying and he was quite happy you know he had celebratory pictures posted later on on that but he did post that he was fine up to the halfway point, which concurs with what I was looking at but then his hamstrings went and he really struggled and he didn't want to stop and he had this feeling that you know he might end up stopping and not finishing. And he carried on and he looked at this objectively, from a positive point of view, which is a good sign he was. He said you know, I could have actually not finished, but I struggled on for a not too shabby four hours 10 minutes, and he's absolutely right four hours 10 minutes is a terrific time. Um, and now we know the full story, then we know why he hasn't got the three hours 44 minutes which you know, I know he can get, and on his next marathon, if he gets into London again, I know next year, he'll do it. He hasn't run a lot of marathons I think this is his second marathon but he's always run really well and certainly on the shorter distances, his training is brilliant. As I say, he's with a club, so he's running with a lot of good runners. You know runners that are better than him, him. So you know, I know he can do three hours 44.
Speaker 1:But that's the thing about the marathon. You know, all depends what happens on the day, how you feel. You know you can have a good day off and because it's such a long distance, you know various things come into it. He did mention, as I mentioned earlier myself, about the cold at the start. He thinks because he was standing around for so long, even though he was projected to do a faster time. He wasn't one of the ones starting at the start. He thinks because he was standing around for so long, even though he was projected to do a faster time. He wasn't one of the ones starting at the back, but he still have had to wait quite a long time. Then, you know, with the cold you start getting cramps in your legs and he thinks that probably contributed to it. It was also very windy, very blustery, so parts of the course I can imagine like going through a wind tunnel. So there's that to consider as well. There are many factors, a lot of factors you can't control, things like the weather, standing around at the start, you know your legs getting cold and all these factors you can't control. On race day, you also can't control how you feel you can prepare in the best way you can. But it might not just be your day, but he's still around for us 10. I would do anything to run for us 10 at the moment. I mean, I think that's a, that's a terrific time and he's really pleased with it, which you know. I'm glad he is, and also I can relate to his story because last year I did the manchester marathon. He's on about the same time as london marathon.
Speaker 1:If you can't get into london, uh, a lot of people go up north to manchester and do the manchester marathon, which is still, you know, about 20 000 people and it's a big race. Um, it's run through the city center. You go past three great landmarks like manchester united football club, old trafford ground um, it's a great way to get great, get a lot of support as well. It's a really fast course and right last few years and I ran it last year and I was fine. I think it was still about the 16th mark.
Speaker 1:I think it's my, my shoes. Um, I had these new running shoes and I thought I'd broken them in, but they always did seem a bit tight and I I started to my, my legs just started to cramp up and I think I remember going along this dual carriageway and I really the pain was tremendous and my legs were literally just seizing up. I was literally, you know, I needed something like WD-40 or some oil or something. Just to you know, they literally weren't going. I was breathing, fine, it was just and I was trying to push and, push and push and I was doing. You know, my mindset was you know, you've got to keep going. But for the first time ever I thought I was going to get a dnf.
Speaker 1:You know did not finish and all I could see, and I was going down this dual carriageway and runners would come back the other side and I still had to go down this way. I was almost coming to a standstill and then this lovely lady runner came up to me and she said do you want a paracetamol? I'm like, have you got any? And she's like, yeah, yeah, yeah. And she gave me a paracetamol, some water, and I took that and I just managed to to keep going.
Speaker 1:It kicked in and it was still a struggle and I was thinking just take, you know, step by step, every mile. And then I was fine and I I managed to struggle. I wasn't worried about the time now and I just, you know the crowds were cheering me on, but I I just wanted a hole to open up and drag me into it because I just, I just felt embarrassed because I was struggling so, so badly. But the great thing about runners and supporters, spectators, they're all you know. It's everybody's competitive for their own time, but they're not competitive against each other. I had runners when they saw me struggling, my head down will pat me back, going, come on, you can do it, you know. And even though I felt embarrassed, they were supporting me. When they saw me struggling, my head down will pat me back, going, come on, you can do it. You know. And I, even though I felt embarrassed, they were supporting me and and the crowds were supporting me and I think you get even more support when they can see you're struggling but you're trying your best. And yeah, I struggled through.
Speaker 1:And then I got to the last mile which, as I've always said before, the last mile is the longest. I'm sure that. I'm sure they measure it the longest. It always takes forever. And and this time it was even worse because I just literally my legs were now, even though I managed to struggle through the pain and I managed to get moving again, now they were seizing up and they did seize up dramatically.
Speaker 1:Suddenly I just came to a standstill and I was by a water station and, you know, the volunteers were great. They were saying are you okay, do you need anything. And that, um and I, I took some water and I remember pouring the water over my legs just trying to get them. I thought I thought cold water would just energize them. I was tipping over my head just to freshen up on that and I think the volunteers were like saying to me no, just don't, don't worry about it, just just pull out. You don't do your self-injury.
Speaker 1:But I'm such a stubborn so-and-so when it comes to do these races. You know, a mile, if I had to crawl to the line I would have done so. I managed to get some movement going, though it wasn't good and I might have caused more injury than it. Then, you know, trying to do this than if I hadn't, because my running style wasn't good, it wasn't even a running style, it was just like staggering my legs. You know. They just weren't working and I was. And this mile it just seemed to go on for eternity.
Speaker 1:And, of course, as you get near to the finish line, the crowd torments and they were cheering me on and runners were passing me by, but they weren't sprinting me by, you know, like in an arrogant way, they were looking back at me and they were cheering me on and I crossed that line and I don't know how I did it and the pain. I mean I've never felt so much pain in my legs and just to stagger down the line because obviously, you know the officials at the end they just want to keep moving because other runners coming by and they were saying, you know, if you stop, it's dangerous for you to suddenly stop. But, and they were saying, you know, if you stop, it's dangerous for you to suddenly stop, but just to get through. Now it was the medal that kept me going, the thought of seeing that lovely medal and the Manchester medal is always good and, like my friend, I was disappointed. But then, you know, once I look back on that, I guess an hour or so later, I was thinking wow, thinking wow. You know it's one of my slowest ever times, but at the same time it's probably one of my best ever marathons.
Speaker 1:And I did that, similar to my friend's time. I think it was four hours six and, considering I did the last 10 miles, absolute agony. It's the most pain I've ever had in a marathon and it just brought home to me how tough the marathon is and how much you have to respect, even after all these years running marathons and, as I mentioned in previous episodes, I always respect every race and you don't know anybody's story. The time you run the marathon never tells your full story. Each of us have got their own story and when you finish, no one else knows what you've been through. They know it's 26 miles, but they don't know what you've been through and the fact that you know I was in so much pain and I really thought I wasn't gonna finish and I, you know I had 10 miles to go and I couldn't even think about the finish. I thought I'm going to have to stop at any time. You know I.
Speaker 1:You see the real character of a runner when the going gets that tough. You know, because the marathon is tough enough as it is. But you know, when things are going smoothly like years ago when I ran the abedin marathon and got my pb I thought I could have run even quicker. Things were going so great. But when the wheels come off, that's when you show your true grit. So for me, it's been one of my best marathons and my friend will look back and I think that's one of his best marathons because he kept going. So I know how he feels and to do that.
Speaker 1:A lot of people would love that time anyway and to come through the pain we did. I mean that shows true grit. And I said to him I said you know you're a true champion because you came through that and you could so easily have given up, but you didn't. And seeing the pictures of him smiling with his medal, he is so happy and so he should be. And I know he will break three hours 44, it's just a matter of time. And that day wasn't his day. But it was his day in another way, because he came through probably what maybe will be his toughest ever marathon and he came through it. So if he can come through as tough as ever a marathon like that, then certainly any other marathon he does. It won't be easy, but he'll look back at that marathon, that london marathon when he almost pulled out, and it will pull him through. On some of his other marathons that get tough he'll think, no, I can do this, because I'll think back to London 24 when I almost didn't finish. And that's what you remember. You remember the tough times. So when you get into more tough times in a marathon you think, well, look, I've done it before, I'll do it again.
Speaker 1:And, as I've said on a lot of these episodes, it's all about. It's all about mindset, it's all about you know, there's this saying, apparently, that you've always got more, there's always more in you. There's always about 40 percent more in you, but it's just, it's just your mindset. You've got to have your mind control your body. You've got to control your mind, not let your mind control you. And his mindset was absolutely brilliant for him to keep going like that, and fair play to him. You know that that time of four hours ten absolutely brilliant. So I'm so happy for him.
Speaker 1:So that's been my biggest highlight of the london marathon this year. But you know, even if I'm not running it, I always watch it on on television. It starts from about half eight in the morning, goes right through to to lunchtime and it's always a great event to watch. And a kenyan won it this year in the men's race, which is great tribute to kelvin kipton. Um, the defending champion, who couldn't defend it, unfortunately died in that car crash and he'll be remembered always. So it's great that a fella kenyan should actually win it this year. So, yeah, a remarkable event, as always.
Speaker 1:I shall be entering the ballot, uh, this week to enter next year's event. Fingers crossed, probably some of my friends will get in. Um hilton probably will get in again, and good luck to him. If I don't get in, it's not the end of the world, as I say, but if I do get in, wow, I shall cherish it. No matter what time I do, I shall cherish the fact that I've just got in to the London Marathon. So that was my highlight this week.
Speaker 1:Another highlight for me this week personally was I ran my fastest park run. So a park run is held every Saturday morning at nine o'clock and I go to my local park run in Black Park and I've not done a lot of training so far this year. But if you listen to previous episodes, I have just run a half marathon, the Reading Half Marathon, which is a big half marathon, the Reading half marathon, which is a big half marathon. I did okay on that. I did just outside two hours when I was aiming for two hours five or at least to get on to two hours 15. So that was good. So I was pleased with that and my training runs have been going good.
Speaker 1:In fact, on my garment it says I'm peaking now, which I can understand because I've been feeling so good now, which I can understand because I've been feeling so good it's like a lot of time you struggle and then suddenly, just everything so feels so good. It's like the old 80 20 rule, like you know. It's like 20 of the time or should I say 80 you do the training and then suddenly, 20% of the time, things suddenly go right and yeah, it did it just suddenly, just suddenly clicked and suddenly I'm feeling really good and it's that you know all that, that hard training, and that suddenly it's just. It feels like, you know, like an overnight sensation, but obviously it isn't. It's all the work you put in beforehand and even though I haven't done an immense amount of training I haven't tried to be consistent and I think, coming off the back of the red and half marathon, which I ran fast and expected, then coming to do this uh, park run, which is 5k, so just over three miles, I was feeling quite good and I thought, well, I've got these trail shoes now which I use for the becksfield trail run, so I thought, okay, I'll wear those. I mean it wasn't particularly wet conditions, even though we have had a lot of rain recently and it is run around trail run, ran around the beautiful black park, but I thought I'll wear them anyway. So I'm wearing these trail shoes, feeling really confident.
Speaker 1:First mile, really fast, just over eight minutes, and then. And then the first mile is a bit bit bit uphill at the start. So I was happy with that second mile. Normally I'm all right, in fact, only a few seconds down on the second mile and it's always the third mile which really I really struggle with. Normally I get over nine minutes per mile and I have to stay in the eight minutes per mile if I ever want to get a good time. And yeah, it's just always the last mile, especially it's the full 4k. So I think, yeah, you've got about 1k left. So, from the 4k market, starts going uphill. You've got some downhill sections as well. I mean, generally it's a fast course, but yeah, you start going uphill on the 4k and then you start coming down again and around the corner and I struggled as always, people, people passing me and I was thinking to myself, well, it's not as hard as it has been, so I'm doing okay.
Speaker 1:And once I got to the top of the hill I really let myself go, go down the slope and I'll go down the slope, come around the corner, go to come around the corner on the final section, and all I remember was just head over hills, just falling down, I don't know why. There wasn't any water, there wasn't any slippery surface or anything. I just went head up, head over hills and all I could hear was this from all the other runners and and, as I say, runners are generous people they, straight away, several runners stopped and said are you okay? But I just had this natural mentality of it was like as soon as I hit the ground I rolled over and just literally I just sprung back up, which I think has surprised a lot of the runners who are asking if I was okay, because I remember as soon as they saw me sprinting off, they were sprinting off as well, trying to get by me. That's how competitive I was and I was running down towards the line. And then I could see this, this lady and she just passed me just in front of me and I just, I was just so competitive, I just wanted to get just in front of her. So I ran through the line instead of the to to the line, as always say just run through the line, and I ran through like, just nipped her just just at the line, just managed to get just past her and I didn't realize she was in fact one of the runners, asked if I was okay and she, she said to me, and she was the runner, I just I just passed and at the end, and she, she'd actually asked if I was okay she said to me, she said, well, that cost you a couple of seconds. I said I know, and I said I'm actually running my trail shoes which ironically, I've got trail shoes and I never fell.
Speaker 1:At the Beaconsfield trail run, which you listened to my previous episodes years ago, I'd run it without trail shoes and I'd injured myself, felt fallen, injured myself. And I ran it this year with the trail shoes and it was really wet, conditioned, really bad, nothing. And then on this dry surface of the part run, which I know the course really well, I go and fall over, don't know. So, um, but, but I felt fine. I looked at my watch and it was actually a quicker time. So my fastest time this year was 26 minutes 45 seconds and this was 26 minutes 18, I think it was 8, 21 minute pace. So I'd actually done it. So I was quite happy and I even managed a little stroll back at the Boston Fitness line, went for my usual coffee and I was really really happy. I saw the usual mixture of of friendly faces who were there having their coffee and I felt really good and I walked back to the car. Nothing.
Speaker 1:And the next day I was fine, on the Sunday had a day off and then on Monday I went for a run. I did a really quick uh, three miles and I think I was I think I was just about the same time as actually for the. For the three miles I went back to my usual spot, to the house where I used to live, which is about one and a half miles up there, one and a half miles back, and I was running at the same pace and my grandma was saying peaking, everything going fine. And then now in the last couple of days I've been having pains in my knees, in fact both knees, but basically on my right knee and there's a bit of a scratch and it must have been where I'd taken the big tumble and I guess it was the adrenaline flowing during the race. I didn't feel it and even next day, but I ran fine on the Monday and now we're on Wednesday and I've got this pain in my knee and it's the knee where I've had a torn meniscus before and the Baker's cyst. So I am a little bit, little bit concerned. I've been doing the usual things I've been resting, putting ice on it, trying to bring inflammation down. It doesn't look swollen, it just just a little bit painful. Not really painful, just a little bit painful. So I'm not running today. We'll see how it goes.
Speaker 1:My garmin still says I'm peaking. So I hope I don't lose the momentum that I have gained because my vo2 max, I mean that's gone up into the excellent category. I was 42, is now 44 and the vo2 max measures basically it's a good indication of your fitness, how, how well, um, basically how well your breathing is, how much oxygen you're taking. So it's a good indication of your fitness and I say that's gone up from 42 to 44 in the last few weeks and it's racing excellent at the moment. And I say my garment says I'm peaking so I can afford a few rest days and that I've got no races coming up planned as yet. Um, I think my next race we're in april now. I think my next race is in in june and that's going to be. I've got a, a couple of uh, 10ks I think red and 10k beat the boat, 10k um. So you know it won't hurt to have a few days rest.
Speaker 1:But obviously I do love my running, um, whether I'm actually competing in races or not. For me it's just, you know, great stress relief, great for my mental health. So I'm hoping, um, that this pain goes off and I can start running again. Obviously I don't want to rush it too soon. I say there's no pressure, I've got no races coming up immediately. I don't want to make sure I give it a good rest. I'm taking painkillers, icing it, doing everything I can, strapping it up and I'm hoping it's nothing too serious. They'll put me out for too long, but it's just. You know I have to laugh.
Speaker 1:You know I do the Banksford Trail run when it it all those wet conditions with the trail she's on nothing. And then I do my local park run where the conditions are dry and I know the course really well and I still tumble like that. I joke with the lady next to me as well. I just must not have been looking where I'm going. But you know, you take, you tend not to dare when you know the course well and I obviously look out for any big puddles or slippery sections. But it was nothing like that. It was the last corner. I knew it well and I guess I was just so focused on just getting to the line. You come around the corner and everybody starts their sprint and I'm like and I always like overtaking a few people in the last section. Uh, I still did that and I still did the fastest time, even though I fell over.
Speaker 1:But I'm just hoping that that fast time, um, I'm not paying for it by having an injury, but you know, touch wood, fingers crossed, I'll be fine and hopefully, what are we today on? Today? We're on wednesday, maybe a few days rest, fingers crossed, I can get back on that horse and do the park run on saturday again, because I do love my park runs. I don't need to do any great long distances at the moment.
Speaker 1:So a 3k sorry, 5k, 5k three mile run like a park run is great for building up your speed, great for building up speed for things like 10ks or half marathons or marathons, and it's great social atmosphere as well, because you get to meet other runners and it is like a race environment.
Speaker 1:It's not technically a race, but you're running with others, and that's so good, because when you're running on your own, you forget what it's like to run without other runners who are passing you. You're passing other runners, just the pacing, and that helps you with when you're running races as well. So, from not really wanting to run park runs years ago, I'm now a great fan of park runs. Um, so, yeah, I'm hoping, a few days off now fingers crossed, touchwood I might even get back this weekend to run a park run, but I'll let you know if I do anyway. So, um, yeah, fingers crossed, wish me well, hope it's not an injury, hope that I uh, get back running soon and you never know, I might be running this week's park run, so we'll see how it goes, but I'll let you know anyway. On the next episode of 30 years of running marathons, thank you.