Oh I'm Back!

I'm a runner again - or have I ever actually admitted to being one before?
Well I feel like one now - I had a great race at the Long Tour of Bradwell, Runfurther's new short race. It started 100m down the road from me - bonus - I could sleep longer - well untill I had to get there early to put all the Runfurther flags up, meet all the usual faces and some new ones, chat, get nervous, nip home for the last minute nervous pee as there was a queue and get to the start line in the baking hot sun (at last!). Lots of people were thinking it was gonna be too hot - I was thinking I'm gonna love this heat - feels great to be warm in a British summer! We started, everyone flew off and I, as usual plodded, Karen stylie up the first hill, chatting and trying to get my legs to remember what a long race was all about - I've done soooo many short fell races this summer I'd forgotton that feeling of a whole day of pushing myself - it felt great - my newly learned skills of actually running up some inclines kicked in - better not push it - this was the beginning of a 31 miler with heaps of climb - but I pushed it anyway - I had homemade flapjack in my rucsac - I could push it! I flew down the first downhill "Cavedale" into Castleton, passing runners I don't usually pass and thinking that they'll catch me on the tarmac out the other side of town, but only a few did - so I powered up the next hill to Hollins Cross, chatting with a guy called Willy who'd done the West Highland Way last weekend - god - he should be hurting! Then the next downhill into Edale had me catching the couple form Cambridge again, well they don't get that may steep rocky downs around there - of course they caught me again in the fields through Edale. Ringing Roger was a toughy again but had a little boost when a mate Peter from the village ran down the hill cheering us on (telling me the rest are only just ahead! when infact they were probably already at the half way point!). The downhill from the Druid Stones was great, steep, brackeny, muddy, slippery and I overtook people again - this is a good feeling. Next was straight back up to Lose Hill, running with Willy again. Hope was next, some biscuits and a long drink and then up round Win Hill and a swarm of flying ants - yuk - don't smile they get in your teeth! Then down to the dam and I'd made the cut off point just over half way in 3 hours 45. A long roady section up passed Bamford Edge to Stanage, but loads of motor bikers distract me and I go straight passed CP12 right to the top of Stannage - boo - gotta go all the way back down again - what a waist of all my hard effort overtaking - Clare Kenny goes passed me - oh well usually she's hours ahead of me at this point in most races - so i plod on - Stannage Edge was longer than usual - someone had added in a few extra rocks and a slight incline - sure this wasn't right!!! Willy kept me on the right track at a lack of concentration moment and on I sped - decided I needed to get home now - the flapjack was too sweet and tasted not good so needed home!!! I ran as fast as I could - loving this new feeling of being able to push myself harder - must be the shorter races I've been doing! I ran through a mini Blackpool Pleasure Beach on the Longshaw estate, kids in the river - how jealous was I, picnics - how jealous was I, BBQ's - oh how jealous was I, people lying down relaxing - well I was running and I could eat mountains later! Down to Grindleford, a long slog along the river to Hathersage, a long drink at Adrians feed station - he asked me questions and I grunted the answers - I needed to finish now and I still had 9km to go - push it karen - lets get under 8 hours - I pushed it and pushed it and ran uphills and then powered down the last steep one to Bradwell, I was gonna make it and I caught some folks up ahead, that didn't impress them, they spead up and we had a race on for the finish - two of them got me but I beat the one in - 7 hours and 24 mins - and a collapse on the line, a cuppa tea from my mum and then I got told I was fourth girl - Brilliant - what had I done - I'd beaten loads of people who are usually hours ahead of me - i can run - and I loved it - big adrenalin buzz - hence the ramblimng on this blog - the adrenalin will die down at some point!!!
My runfurther score is the best I've ever had - i was less than two hours behind the leaders and got my first score over 700 - I hope this fitness stays with me - I quite like it! I'm back!