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6th May:
SUCCESS!
Yesterday Wil and I ran the Sarsan Neolithic Marathon.
After nearly a week of miserable drizzle it was a most excellent morning
and we even arrived on time. The race started at the mystical
Ayebury Stone Circle and went across Salisbury Plain finishing at
Stonehenge.
We started off very optimistically, it was a
lovely sunny day we were running across gorgeous undulating plains, it
was a bit hilly but this made it more varied and we even spotted Penny,
Brid and Ruth driving past on the way to see us at the finish.
It wasn't until
Redhorn Hill just before the half way point that we had problems.
Whoever decided upon the route for this run was deeply evil as we had to
go for about 2 1/2 miles up a steep hill at this point. On
reaching the top we had a nice flat palin to run along for the next 5 or
6 miles. Unfortunately during this period
Wils
knees gave out and although he battled valiantlyy on at around the
19 mile mark he had to walk. I'd been staying with him for support
but decided at this point that I really wanted to run the whole way so
went alone.
Perhaps because we'd been going so slowly before
but at this point I was charged full of energy and decided I was going
to run at full plelt to the end. Things started to get a bit odd
around 21 miles, I felt massively high (self administered morphine
through endorphin release!) and felt like I was floating along the
track. I figured others would be in similar states but everyone
else looked a lot more grounded. Slightly concerned I was going to
faint I powered on and fuelled by
Kendal Mint Cake over
the last few painful miles as my body started to give up finished in 4
hours 35 minutes.
I'd felt really bad about leaving Wil and had
decided in my endorphined up euphoria that I'd go back after I'd
finished and rested and do the last mile with him. After stopping,
stretching and having some cake this seemed much less like a good idea
but just as I was about to commence my blistered hobble back along the
track along came Wil a mere half hour after me and running full plelt!
After swearing never to ever even consider running a marathon again he
explained that he was able to make the last section so quickly not
because he was keen to make good time but because the realisation dawned
that only the only way to stop the pain in knees was to finish and the
best way to do this quickly was to run fast then collapse.
If anyone is considering doing a marathon I would
definitely recommend this run, twas tranquil, friendly and beautiful.
The only downside being that it was bloody hilly! |
