Another weekend, another long run!

photo courtesy of Bob Marshall

I love that I can write that sort of title again :)  At the start of this year I had a notion I would write a post every month or so, but I've not quite managed it - been a wee bit busy with this thing called training!  Yes, back out there on a regular basis doing the planned sessions, and in the main nailing them and feeling good - I am hugely grateful to so many people for their support over the past couple of years, some are more aware than others of the stuff I've been dealing with, but your support and encouragement has been really appreciated.

Yesterday was the John Muir Ultra Trail Race - 50km over varied terrain along the East Lothian coast from Port Seton to Foxlake just outside Dunbar. 
There was a 4 hour cutoff to get to the half way point at the RNLI shed at North Berwick and I worked hard from the start making it with half an hour to spare!  I was absolutely delighted, I felt that I was running hard but wasn't dead on my feet as I was aware I still had another 25km (ish) to go and needed to keep something in the tank... unfortunately I didn't leave as much as I'd like in the tank and between miles 20-22 (ish) I really struggled with the mud and cambered/slippy trail.  It's a shame as it was beautiful but I really struggled here.  My left hamstring did it's usual and started to seize up resulting in a pretty much non responsive left let which made running the really narrow paths difficult, at one point I was trying to run a narrow path alongside a field and was staggering like a drunk!  I was also petrified of putting my foot down a rabbit hole and twisting an ankle!  The terrain was testing, there was tarmac, trail, very narrow trail, soft sand, a grand wee run at North Berwick across the hard packed wet sand, farm roads, grass, woodland trail covered in needles/leaves, you name it they laid it on for us, even laid on fantastic weather!  The winds of the past few days disappeared - though they're back again today - and the sun came out :-)
We drove down to Foxlake straight after work on Friday, meeting up with Amanda and Tim and enjoying Donald & Elaine's hospitality for an hour before dinner.  A quiet evening listening to the rugby and an early bed.  6am alarm, breakfast, kit organised and registration - nice to see so many friendly faces!  8am prompt the buses left to take us to Port Seton, a visit to the conveniences, catching up with more friends, a thorough and amusing race brief from the RD, some group photos and then we were off!
I won't deny it was tough in places, it was, but I am pleased with the fact that I could keep shuffling on and motivate myself to keep moving forward, finishing 7h52mins after I'd started which is a bit slower than I'd like, but apart from the dead leg, I felt good, strong and compos mentis.  A chocolate milk, a quick shower and change of clothes, a ginger beer, wee drive down to Dunbar Harbour then a bottle of pink cava shared with Elaine while we giggled at the mixup over her and Donald's results!  John and I wandered across to the Volunteer Arms for a pint and some food and they joined us for a pint later, then we wandered stiffly back to our vans, just before the rain started!  It was heavy but we woke to blue skies and sunshine again today.  I have tired legs today but nothing is 'broken' big muscles are tired and a wee bit tender to touch but otherwise I feel great and so pleased to have got that run under my belt!  It's the longest and strongest I've run for almost 2 years and what it means in my head is too difficult to put into words, but if you've been out for a while with injuries/health stuff and sometimes question if you'll ever get back to it you'll understand.
TO top it off, the sun is still shining and the first laundry of the year is blowing outside in the sunshine (it's the little things...)

What it says :-)