Catching up

It's been a long time since I blogged and perhaps it is well overdue that I catch up with what has been going on. This little darling has been taking up my year so far.......

So I have been on a running downward curve for the last 5 months. Believe me, it is totally worth it and both Susie and I are loving it. So instead of blasting for podiums and doing crazy miles I did some putting back a few weeks ago. After doing my fastest parkrun PB since my 19 min 5k in 2008, I was only focused on the short stuff. A lot of junk miles.....nipping out for silly distances like 4, 5 and 6 miles where I can has now developed into trying to run home.....a decent 12 mile run.

Then I was lucky to be given the opportunity to mark the last third of the NDW50 in late May. I took my good running buddy Phill Beecroft who is tuning into a tidy runner over ultra distance himself. Unfortunately for me, every time we go training together, he beasts me into a jelly-legged turd but luckily for me, every training run in the world doesn't count for podiums and race day strength, which is why he still hasn't beat me in any race yet! He will no doubt beast me again after my lack of training but we will still have a beer and a laugh I'm sure!

Anyway marking the course was a real laugh until we realised that what would be a normally quick run, with the addition of stop-start, mark, go back, check if it can be seen.........13 miles of course marking became 18 miles and about 5 hours.......so we found a pub and had a pint of local ale. Super.

Feeling fresh, the next day Susie, Audrey and I went to the 38 mile CP and met James Elson, race director and also new dad. It was then a chance to finally meet Bryan (@ultraDHC) and plenty of other equally lovely runners and to wish through the runners. Typically Ewan Dunlop's nemesis Johnny Melbourne came in 3rd place through the CP and on form, motored to 2nd for the 50 miler. This chap beat Ewan and I to the top spot on the Norman Conquest 50 so I knew he was hot......so I was well pleased to see he sneaked the 5 min deficit on the chap in front in the last 12 miles!

All in all, a good day although the last time I managed a run over 15 miles. Daddy duties are definitely taking over at the moment and falling out of form is much quicker than getting back on form. I actually have no plans for the summer other than some pencilled-in dates of maybe-races but this is all about ticking over for another few months until I can pick up again in the autumn. I've been averaging 12 marathons and ultras a year over the last 4 years and not running these distances does feel a bit weird. All I know is that next big race is more of a mid pack bimble than a back-of-the-front-of-the-pack-and-occasional-lucky-break-to-get-a-podium race. I can't wait to get back into it, especially hearing stories from the likes of Immune's 100, Ewan's #podiumpals exploits, Jenni's sub 8 first ever 50, Beecroft's northern fell runs and Bryan and Paul's GUCR races. I'm getting itchy feet just thinking about these future events but until now, much of the running is with my running pram.......