Running

Hello. I’m doing some running now. Tried parkrun in late 2016 when looking for a time-crunched cycling alternative during my MA/full-time job combo. I was a sprinter in my youth, but had a bad injury at 16 and was told I should probably give up sport for good. A decade and a half of general mind, body, and substance abuse followed, as is often the way. I commuted by bicycle, but didn’t really get back into it until my 30s. Switched to gentle rambles on foot in my 40s…until the running bug.

I’ve occasionally browsed this thread for information and inspiration. There’s been plenty, thanks.

Today I ran my first half marathon. I did the inaugural Harpenden Half, the first ‘eco half marathon’. On the fluffy side of things this meant wooden medals and hessian numbers and biodegradable cups and whatnot. On the decidedly unfluffy side of things this meant a course that was predominantly muddy parkland, sloppy muddy field edges, thick ankle deep compacted meadows, churned up woodland tracks, and rock-embedded bridleway.

It was brutal. I bought some hybrid/trail shoes last week (Roclite 290s) and was grateful to have them on my butchered plates of meat this morning.

I made the decision to quit at km 7, then postponed that decision, bringing it back to table for further consideration at every km thereafter. Rocks got in my shoes and aggravated my blisters. It was complete fucking Bambi on ice for the final field edge navigation.

But I enjoyed it, despite getting up at 4:30am and running to St Pancras to catch the first train.

I managed a 1:29:24 and came 9th out of ~320 finishers, but I’m now regretting not using my sprint finish to get an age group podium. Time to hit the bottle hard. Once I’ve done a late-March half and the MK marathon in May, I’m going to start on the faster stuff for which I’m built.

Thanks for reading. And thanks for inspiring me with your own exploits.