Blazing Muddles

2nd August
Runs done 0 (V bad); food eaten: lots (all food v g. but not in such large quantities); alcohol drunk: surprisingly little (must try harder).

Training slightly limited by visit last week to relatives and friends in the North. Though it's a long time since I lived there, memories and old habits return quickly whenever I go back. Still, a diet consisting solely of fish, chips and chip butties will be good for carbohydrates of which we highly-trained athletes need plenty.

Decided today was the day for going for a run so set off round the park enjoying the sunshine. Waited at the bottom of some very tricky steps up a hill (locally known as the Bastid Steps) and turned to see a runner heading towards me. He ran past me, breathing easily and probably singing to himself as he went. Looked that sort of chap. I'd been there for about ten minutes by then so thought I'd give the steps a try as I had something to follow. Not sure if he'd win a prize in the Girls-at-the-Back-of-the-Pack's Nice Arse competition (Memo to self: must remember to make optician's appointment) but I could make out his blurred form for long enough to give me something to chase. Glory be! Sound the trumpets! I got up the steps. For the first time ever!
(Training note: must remember to include NA candidates in visualisation of tough running sessions).

3rd August
Trim Kim keeps posting reminders abot the Blaise Blazer on Facebook. She knows it is just the sort of thing I don't like (off-road, undulating, muddy in places) but she has told me that several other Bootcamp survivors "might" be doing it. I suspect that she has said this to all of them as well.
More posts from Trim Kim.
I admit defeat and the race is only two minutes walk away from home. Go to the park to enter the race and see Bootcampees Wendy and Sarah. They fell for Trim Kim's trick as well.

There are just over 100 runners. This is v. bad as it will mean that I am statistiacally unlikely to have anyone mear me at the finish. I set off with Wendy and Sarah and we have a pleasant hundred yards or so while they run and I try to hear what they are saying over the sound of my own gasping. They go on ahead with my blessing: multi-tasking in the form of running, breathing and listening is too much fo me. I am Not Last.
Yet.
For the next few miles another (much younger) woman and I take turns at filling this position, one of the most popular ones in the race. The marshalls love the last person as they know they can go home when they see him/her/me and the Sweeper. Sweeper this time is someone I know quite well so Amy (my opponent and I are now on first name terms) and I can chat with her as we run round the course.
Amy passes me as we come out of the woods and onto the field. No problem. I will catch her as I like running on grass and it's a bit downhill. I become light-headed and have to walk. I lose sight of Amy. Linda the Sweeper and I run on, down the path up some more steps (aka Son of Bastid Steps) and then round a bend to be faced with Daddy of Bastid Steps to the flat field on the top. I am certainly being well cheered by the select and supportive few who are still there to see me finish.
Not my best race ever but I was first FV60 and it was a course pb by 11 seconds.
Will have to do it again next year.

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