Challenge number 2 *tick*

I am blogging this sitting on a sofa and desperately hoping I don't have to stand up or sit down any more tonight. Yesterday I Kilomathoned and today I am paying the price!! My quads had seized up this morning and it's made stairs, chairs and automobiles rather difficult. It's quite a problem when you wake up, need the loo and realise you are on the 3rd floor...

Anyway, back to the race. The Kilomathon is number 2 on my challenge list for the Dobster's Year of Crazy. It was the inaugural UK event and started on a very, very, VERY cold morning in the grounds of The University of Nottingham. In case you are not sure how cold it was, here's a picture of my mate Keith waiting for the bus to take us from the Park and Ride to the start. There were 5,500 runners signed up to do the race, with 4186 actually starting it. I think they were all in the queue for the toilets just ahead of me. The start line was awash with survival blankets, tattered tshirts and bin-liners donned by desperate runners trying to keep warm for the 45mins before the gun. But eventually we were off and starting the first Kilomathon! Or rather 9:38mins later, when we finally crossed the line, we had started.

The route took us out of Nottingham, through some nice countryside (especially the lovely Elvaston Castle), but unfortunately through more industrial estates and long, boring roads. At least the range of runners I was passing (and even more who were passing me) kept me amused with their tshirts, weird conversations (always fun when you half hear a sentence) and dodgy range of leggings.

By 10miles I started to really suffer. Jim (God bless him), had joined me around mile 4 and he was my constant companion for the rest of the race. He brought a friend in the shape of Bob, who decided to make a home on my right big toe and poke me every time I stepped on him. Nice. So there were a few walking breaks and energy-drinking stops to keep me going. But eventually, I saw the sign declaring we had entered Derby! I think my "Woo Hoo! Derby" startled the girl in front of me. I doubt anyone has ever been happy to enter Derby before.

The 24Km sign beckoned, and the lovely people of Derby who had come out to cheer us all on and tell us we were nearly there, made the last couple of miles a bit easier to take. The sight of the finish line, as I turned the last corner to a wave of cheering and clapping was extremely welcome. The slight downhill run-up to the finish line was even more welcome and probably the reason I now can't walk. Who can't resist a sprint finish past all the cheering crowds??

I finished just before the clock hit 3hours, with my run time confirmed as 2hours, 51mins 18secs. Not as fast as I had hoped, but at the end of the day, I beat the Sweeper Bus Of Shame, so I'm happy with that, and the lovely @Hughesy2103 was there with a Diet Coke and a comfy car to ferry us all back to Nottingham. What more could a Dobster possibly want from a race :o)

My various twittery friends: @WorTony, @nimblerunner, @becbostock, @neilrostance and BritMilFit and dive club buds, Sarah, Keith, Claire and Kev did their own cracking times. Well done everyone who took part.

Pictures are up on the website soon. I'll post a few if I don't look too bad ;o) and please remember why I'm putting myself through this agony!

At the top of the blog you'll find the proof I did it (no, not a picture of Jim), my number and Jim'll Fix It style medal. And I'll leave the final word to the Kilomathon organisers who gave us this nice little voucher in our goody bags and the perfect bit of advice which every single runner no doubt ignored completely...I know I did.

Here's mud in your eye.

Me and Jim become close

So I'm now in my 3rd week of the marathon training and Jim (my little blister) is growing at a rate similar to a Blue Whale calf. He's a persistent little soul, but isn't causing too much trouble, as he's tucked away on the side of my big toe. As a result I've starting to use him as a yardstick of whether I've run far enough. If he hasn't put on weight, then I probably will...

But back to the training. Weeks 1 and 2 were hard work. Going from a nice little bimble around the park when I felt like it, to a minimum 4 miles irrespective of the weather was a shock. My first real long run (8 miles) was extremely painful, both physically and mentally. But week 3 has so far been easier. I did a 40mins steady run today at a good pace (for me) and felt good. I had to actually stop myself from going further. It's a great feeling to get back from a run feeling great, when it would have left you exhausted and aching a few weeks ago.

This week I'm up to 10 miles on my long run and actually looking forward to it. But that may well change before I lace up those trainers, pad up Jim and work out exactly how far 10 miles is going to take me. I'll keep you posted.

Here's mud in your eye.

And so it begins...

So the ice and snow has melted and more importantly the temperature is warm enough for me to take a deep breath and not go a little grey and need propping up.

This exciting warmth has resulted in a distinct improvement in my cough and a renewed motivation to get out and pound those pavements in my lovely RNLI t-shirt. And that's exactly what I did. Tonight was the first training run after falling ill and it felt great. It did, however form a new little blister. I've called it Jim. He's a bit too small at the moment for a twitpic and a smiley face, but I think he's going to stick around and become big and strong, so expect to be introduced to Jim soon.

Looking forward to getting some miles under my belt and getting my routine back on track. I'll keep you posted on my progress on route to the big old marathon (eeek).

Here's mud in your eye.