Run for the hills....

 

Thursday’s run with my eldest wasn’t as wet as the forecast. To be fair, I was looking forward to the first soaked one but it held off and we were all good. Not a quick one but at least we were out and she’s a little trooper and all good prep for her ½ Marathon in Oct (when it’s more than likely to be wet and cold). Anyway another 6 in the “distance bank” and the weight doesn’t really bother me too much although the bag has started to rub quite a bit so I’m going to look into modifying it with some extra padding.

 

Saturday’s long one along the costal path went without drama but turned into a Sunday one instead.

10 ½ done with the modified pack to help the rubbing situation. I’ve stuffed a small towel at the bottom and it seems to have lifted the seam away from where it was making contact. Not sure how long it’ll last but for now, all’s good.

 

Out again tonight for a short(ish) hill run with the hill running group recommended by a friend. Not sure how that’s gonna go but hey, it’s gotta be done. I suspect I’ll be the slowest. Not only because I HATE hills but then there’s the weight of course.

So why do this stuff?

Running with a friend last week we got into the discussion on road races. Park-run, 10k, ½ Marathons, Marathons & Ultras.

I’ve done all the above at some point or other but Ultra’s seem to be where I’m most comfortable.

Why is that?

It became apparent during the discussion that it’s not about the PB and I guess therefore the bottom line is that I hate to be judged.

Running a distance race that a LOT of people compete at these days are always going to be subject / compared to other entrants times and I guess that’s where, for me, it all falls down.

 

I’m not a speed runner and, apart from when I was really young doing Cross-Country events for school I never have been.

Rightly or Wrongly, there’s always going to be what other people think about how fast you can go rather than the distance thing.

 

When will it end?

 

30 years ago people who ran 10 miles were considered insane, and people running a Marathon were nothing more than Super-Human.

These days, it’s challenging to find anyone that hasn’t done a 10k, half or full Marathon.

 

Maybe staying slightly ahead of the majority by doing Ultra’s is why I do them, I really don’t know.

 

Thing is; running 50k, 100k or back to back marathons simply isn’t something your everyday person does and I quite like that. Being different ain’t all bad.

Sure, I’ll do smaller event and quite honestly, get more pleasure from running with someone who’s slow and setting their own personal challenges than gunning it for a PB.

Whilst I appreciate that some may see it as martyrdom, it’s honestly not. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, for me it all about completing rather than competing & if I can support someone else through a physically and mentally challenging time then hey, it’s a bonus.

 

I see a great deal of friends doing 100 mile cycle excursions and although I have a HUGE respect for them (because I can’t stand cycling) I remember the first time I ever heard a work college did this quite regularly 40 years ago and how stunned I was.

We’re definitely pushing our boundaries compared to 100 years ago and as a result the extraordinary is fast becoming the ordinary.

I’m not dissin’ people of their achievements, I’m simply saying, when will it end?

 

Will anything less than a Marathon become something unworthy of achievement discussion in 50 years’ and Ultras becoming more mainstream or will we stick with what we’re doing today? I dunno but I’d love to see how far we’re willing to push our limits.

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