Run to Paradise

So on Friday the car was in the garage and I was waiting in the queue to board a bus to work. The gent in front of me said to the drive "single to Paradise please"! It only cost him £2.40. So, on Friday sat in the pub waiting for the (hourly) bus home, about 3 miles from Paradise, I decided a trip there on foot to investigate was required.

Spent Sunday morning on the sofa watching the London Marathon with an eye on the internet site for live updates of friends at each 5K point. 3 people I was watching who have given me loads of support and advice this year went sub 3 hours so it was a great start to the day. By the time the grass was cut and other jobs were done it was 4pm and I'd missed lunch. So a bit of running with a full stomach practice was in order for all these ultras I'm supposed to be doing. I downed a slice of cold pizza and a bowl of cereal. and set out with a small backpack with energy drink in it.

It was all about being out there and enjoying it today, first run in 2 weeks since the marathon, intended a full week off, but have had a stinking cold that is still lingering. So now that marathon training is a background task - it's all about running on the trails, nice and steady, building that aerobic base. Luckily, since we moved to Stroud last year I know have this out the back door: 

 The Wysis Way - Offas dyke to the Thames Path? Don't give me ideas.

Having covered 99% of Offas Dyke Path last year, perhaps this is a good way to finish it off.







The mud has dried on the footpaths for now, making for much quicker running conditions than in the winter. There's still some swampy patches down in the valleys though.

 So with the first few miles done I arrived at Bulls Cross, and looking over the Painswick Valley, Paradise came into view.

The Road to Paradise is not flat!

 

  Would you Adam and Eve it?!

Golfers will be please to know there's an 18 hole course in Paradise.

Wikipedia tells a tale. A fools paradise? A little bit of good tourism marketing for the 1600's?

While Royalists were encamped in Painswick, tradition has it that King Charles went up to the Beacon and, seeing the beautiful valley to the east said "This must be Paradise". Since then that valley, and the hamlet on its western side to the north of Painswick have been called Paradise.

Blackpool 90's reunion

So it was a bright cold morning, -2 degrees when I set of from Family in Liverpool just before 7am. Arriving in Blackpool just before 8 grabbed race number, and sat down for a Coffee. Had a good chat with some multi marathoners from Litchfield (one of whom is on fetch and doing the Enigma Front so must work out who that is) and 2 gents from Yorkshire who were all in good spirits. Could have chatted away till the start, but had some shit to do. That done, I headed back to the car which due to early arrival was parked within view of the start. Stayed warm, but some chilled tunes on and stumbled upon an amazing earworm for the day from One Giant Leap with my old favourite Maxi Jazz (faithless) and the marmite that is Robbie Williams.....

I'm coming home to my family 
Where I can be strong 
Be who I planned to be 
Within me, my ancestry 
......
and this is who I happen to be 
and if I don't see that I'm strong then I won't be 

And there we had it, today’s mantra.” If I don’t see that I’m strong then I wont be” as well as a whole bunch of interesting people who would come to mind as I ran along. Downed the last of the Torq energy, popped a gel (may as well start early right?) 5 min jog, some brief flexing, sit, 5 min jog with a couple of strides and into start area.

So with 1,000 runners doing the half, and about 300 marathoners we gathered in a muddle, under one of the stands of Bloomfield Road. Today’s starter was the legend that is Ron Hill. I had 4 gels in a pair of “his” shorts. 

So a sub three would be nice but not at the expense of a 3:10 and a strong even paced run. Plan was simple, 6:52’s and give it some it from mile 20 if I could. Plan B was to rely of feel to stay aerobic and not stress if I lost a few seconds. Just cruise to halfway in 1:30 ish and make sure I had something in the tank (not the bank) come mile 20.

Split Summary 
==== 
1) - 1m - 6:53(6:53/m) - 163bpm avge - 170bpm max - 114cal 
2) - 1m - 6:52(6:52/m) - 169bpm avge - 174bpm max - 113cal 
3) - 1m - 6:51(6:52/m) - 169bpm avge - 174bpm max - 112cal 
4) - 1m - 6:52(6:52/m) - 166bpm avge - 171bpm max - 113cal 
5) - 1m - 6:57(6:57/m) - 167bpm avge - 172bpm max - 113cal 
6) - 1m - 6:54(6:54/m) - 167bpm avge - 172bpm max - 112cal 
7 seconds over 6:52 schedule

Please with that. Especially making sure I didn’t go off to fast. Initilly HR was a bit high and felt “light” heart – diagnosis – too much caffine. There were no nerves, this was goignto be fun, a release after 6 months training and a semi stressful time of late.

Blackpool prom at 10am on a Sunday is weird. Cackles from a ghost house, rock stalls, B&B’s the big one, people with cans of beer...oooh we’ve turned round and are heading North and that supposed headwind I had been running into is supposed to be behind me now so why is it a cross wind? Legs 10/10 HR settled nicely. Only concern was so few other feckers to run with and those there were hardly wanted to chat. Right the Maxi Jazz It’s me and thee today. 

7) - 1m - 6:52(6:52/m) - 164bpm avge - 173bpm max - 109cal 
8) - 1m - 6:54(6:54/m) - 168bpm avge - 174bpm max - 112cal 
9) - 1m - 6:56(6:56/m) - 167bpm avge - 172bpm max - 113cal 
10) - 1m - 6:51(6:51/m) - 168bpm avge - 173bpm max - 112cal 
11) - 1m - 6:49(6:49/m) - 168bpm avge - 176bpm max - 113cal 
12) - 1m - 6:54(6:54/m) - 167bpm avge - 173bpm max - 112cal 
13) - 1m - 6:52(6:52/m) - 168bpm avge - 174bpm max - 113cal 
4 seconds over

HM runners were coming back to me, quick pee in mile 7 and caught up with pace easily. Kept having to move one past people who were not holding their pace. This was going to be a long day mentally.

Still had lots of head room, so used it a couple of times to bridge gaps quicker and nestle in a group to share the wind. When the HM guys peeled off to the stadium there was a 50 yard gap to the guy in Blue. And no one close behind.

14) - 1m - 6:49(6:49/m) - 169bpm avge - 173bpm max - 113cal 
15) - 1m - 6:53(6:54/m) - 167bpm avge - 171bpm max - 112cal 
16) - 1m - 6:56(6:56/m) - 166bpm avge - 171bpm max - 112cal 
17) - 1m - 6:55(6:55/m) - 167bpm avge - 171bpm max - 112cal 
5 seconds Over

Caught the Guy in blue, and shared the pacing and wind with him a bit, but then had to push on after a mile or so. If I don’t think that I’m strong....then I wont be. I was at about mile 16 that my invisible friend arrived. For some reason, if I looked to my right Anton Krupica was there, just out for a jog. He didn’t acknowledge me, just kept doing a steady pace. Nice I no had someone to run to the finish with (but only when I looked to the right).

Then the doldrums hit, a pair came past and I could have put my foot down, but stick to the plan, take a gel and hold steady to 20....let them go...the doldrums.....be prepared to shelve the 3 hour plan, but stay positive.

18) - 1m - 6:59(6:59/m) - 168bpm avge - 173bpm max - 113cal 
19) - 1m - 7:02(7:02/m) - 167bpm avge - 171bpm max - 112cal 
20) - 1m - 6:57(6:57/m) - 168bpm avge - 172bpm max - 113cal 
22 seconds Over

OK so 3hrs may not happen now, but we will see these three miles were a bad patch (but nothing like bad patches I have had before). 6 gels and plenty water. My stomach is happy and it’s time for the sublime 6.2 mile race with someone else's legs, and one fifth of my brain. Anton Slapped me. Maxi was just chilling on a positive vibe a Robbie Williams was just trying to keep the door closed on Kula Shaker playing 3:03 in the next studio. My dad and my Granddad were in my thoughts more than most. Right then legs can you do it? I throwing a 6:50 mile at you.

21) - 1m - 6:50(6:50/m) - 172bpm avge - 176bpm max - 112cal 

Right, well yeah you can do that head but us legs are going to have a word with heart and tell him to speed up a bit, oh and for being so cheeky have a load of this thing we call pain.

Fine Legs, the next 2 miles are a tad up hill, we’ve turned south again, and you can throw as much pain as you like cos to be honest brain is doing other things right now with 90’s pop stars and really isn’t paying attention.

22) - 1m - 6:57(6:57/m) - 173bpm avge - 176bpm max - 113cal 
23) - 1m - 7:11(7:11/m) - 171bpm avge - 175bpm max - 113cal 

That's fine, we know your type head. We’ll keep that pain for now, but try running fast while we fuck up all those stabalising smaller muscles and make you feel like it’s all in slow mo and your running like your a bit pissed.

24) - 1m - 7:06(7:06/m) - 169bpm avge - 172bpm max - 114cal 

Just then, Anton said he was off to the lakes to nip up Helvelyn the guys drinking cans mid race route and getting int he way were the final straw for him. Robbie went off to tattoo something on his forehead about Loving Lactic Instead and Kula Shaker started floating about on magic carpets “you can find your way home on the 3:03. LET SOMEBODY KNOW on the 3:03” shit I just said that out loud at a bloke.
25) - 1m - 7:02(7:02/m) - 171bpm avge - 175bpm max - 113cal 

“Oh no this is going to be a real disappointment” said dude in headphones. As he tried to get me to console him about our inevitable 3:02 – 3:03

No chance I’m going to smash Crispin Mill’s Guitar up his mystic ass. Maxi: flick the nitros.

26) - 1m - 6:50(6:50/m) - 177bpm avge - 180bpm max - 114cal 

The first half of the last full mile was done at 6:30 pace just because of the really disappointed dude.
The second half was done quick enough to pass the Portsmouth dude who's Sub 3 dream had tangled his legs, but slow enough to claw back some leg lactic space and look good at the end.

To 26 miles Schedule 02:58:32 Actual 2:59:56

27) - 0.28m - 1:55(6:49/m) - 175bpm avge - 179bpm max - 30cal 

A few twists, and into the stadium, ooh there's the line GO! Some cheering. Someone wants my timing chip. Water, sit down. Stand up. Can’t get into stand where Mrs t’ear Knee is supposed to be, get out through other stand where it all started try to jog to car. That isn't happening. Stretch. Sit.

Link (roll over me to see where I go)

 
29th  1623 John Tierney M Stroud & District AC 69.76 03:01:43 03:01:49

and finally put race number 1623 into this site for some comedy snaps

Link (roll over me to see where I go)

So yeah, I trained a bit and got a better time than 6 months ago. Its all good and I'm right pleased, but mainly in a yeah I put some work in and didn't under achieve so that's not bad kinda way. There is more to squeeze out of this body yet, I hardly got over 50 miles a week, didn't get close to being dedicated in diet, core, flexibility, strength etc. and followed a made up as I went along though on some sound principle training plan. 

So before I assemble an orchestra of self blowing trumpets and sound them off against the scientific analysis of my limbs lungs mind control and ego; here endeth the blog.

I ran 26.2 miles, it was alright, next time it'll be faster.