Saturn Running 23.2.24
This is the 2nd event in a row that I haven’t had to write a marathon run report cataloguing my errors. This isn’t due to me having finally made a comprehensive kit list but due to another DNF!
As I write of my failings, Mary is smashing out some of her best ever marathon times. Today’s might even be a lifetime PB over the 26.2 miles and that was with a half lap walk to digest our porridge and a slow lap worrying about me! So at least I can console myself on my coaching abilities if not my running achievements as Mary extends her lead on the journey to 100!
The Staines route is generally a flat, hard surface along the Thames, 2.2miles out to a turnaround marker, then 2.2miles back! There is a shorter loop if you wish to do 5km (or 10) 3 laps gets you a half, 6 laps for a marathon, 7 for an ultra, or 7 and a bit for 50km (there is a turn marker for that as well!). Saturn Events are great for all runners as they have something for everyone, a 5km to 50km+. You just need to be finished by 4pm so you have seven hours (more if you start early) to walk or run as far as you can or want to go.
At the end of each lap, proper toilets and a well stocked aid station as well as a medal and a few goodies at the end – what isn’t there to love?! Even better, the prices are good (even cheaper at some special midweek events if you don’t mind what medal you get) and they have a virtual loyalty card where you buy 10 races and get one free!
My woes started during parkrun. We travelled down for a 600 / 700 celebration with four of the people that have a tourism streak greater than mine! Oaklands College was a mudfest, part of the course being named the swamp and had it’s own sign – and it wasn’t even the worst patch of mud! It wasn’t the fast flat parkrun Mary expected from Kevin’s comments on Thursday Training (I did try and tell her that I thought he was referring to Oaklands in Birmingham as this parkrun was fairly new and I am sure.he hadn’t gone there yet! But having gone hard at my session, she wasn’t entirely focused at that point!) Despite the gloopy sticky mud at Oaklands College and couple of tricky slopes Mary and I stayed upright (Beth didn’t!). Mary even managed to get under 30mins, 5th lady home and first in her age category – she really is flying not running! However, at the end my knee was bleeding and it hurt! I had been bitten a couple of times! I wasn’t the only one!
I have no idea what insect bit me in February, but it was nasty! By the morning of the race, I had a puffy swollen knee that throbbed despite using a lot of bite cream. Today’s run was going to be tough.
After our planned warm-up walk we set off on our now familiar walk/run strategy, albeit a little slower. Despite the chilly conditions I started to sweat. Mary suggested I stop at the end of the first lap but I wanted to go on! She stayed with me out of concern but just before the turnaround point, I told Mary to go on alone as I was slowing her up. I said I would be sensible, and either believing me or she was desperate to go a little quicker at a far more comfortable pace for her, she was off (possibly because I told her I would increase my pace if she didn’t go, which I duly did to convince her to leave me).
Trailing in her wake, I trudged on, realising that I wouldn’t be running a marathon today. I briefly considered a half but as I approached the aid station I realised that a pharmacist would now be open and I could get advice on my bites as Mary logged lap after lap!
The Garmin Live track had gone a little awry and had Mary cutting through a few gardens and houses, a warehouse and pumping station but not swimming in the Thames, so I had to guess when she would return so I could see her complete her 67th marathon.
So I didn’t have to wait in the cold for too long. I worked out a probable time but headed back early just in case my predicted best possible time was correct! I was glad I did as she was just powering for the finish before I had my camera ready! My handicap predicting finish times are not wasted.
Hopefully, my race woes will have passed and my next event will be for a marathon but they say bad things happen in threes so it doesn’t bode well!