The thought of running through a cabbage patch perhaps
brings to mind something along the lines of the Nuts Challenge (as per my
recent experience: http://jhr190764.blogspot.co.uk/2014/09/small-steps-big-steps.html
) but thankfully the “Cabbage Patch 10” is a ten mile event on terrain as solid
as could be wished for and I don’t think I could have found a more suitable
event to mark the fifth and final part of my autumn challenge.
The most particular reason for this is that,
while not organised by the Bearcat Running Club, the CP10 is considered by the
Bearcats to be something of a “home run” and of such importance in our calendar
that it is one of only two or three events that bring the club’s normal Sunday
routine to a temporary halt. This meant
that not only was I able to enjoy meeting up with about 50 club mates at The Fox in advance
of the race but there was also a Bearcat celebration lunch to look forward to
afterwards, back at base… The Turk’s Head.
On the morning of the event I was also in the happy state
of mind of absolute optimism that my legs (particularly my right leg) would
carry me to the end. This was a far
better place to be mentally compared to the pre-race uncertainty I’d had the
previous two weeks. Even so, while two
months earlier I’d had fair reason to consider the prospect of challenging a
time of 1h18m, as I headed to the start, mindful of how my body had faired over
the four previous weeks and the fact that I had remained in no condition to do
training between events, I set myself the realistic target of 1h22m (based on
an average pace of 8m15s per mile).
As well as the pre and post race Bearcat meetings, a fair
number of Bearcats ran for much of the race in close formation…
As is evident in the look of growing discomfort apparent
from the photos, I did hit a bit of a sticky patch (no cabbages) in the latter stages…
Nevertheless, by the time of reaching the final straight of
about 30-50 metres, I felt in good enough shape to do a bit of posing, holding
my hand high, fingers spread to mark the completion of 5 events!
However, raw instinct instantly took over as I suddenly
became aware of being overtaken and, while I might only have been in 805th
place, there was no way I was giving up a further place without a fight!
I’m pretty sure that I met or at worst came within a
minute of my target but I’m uncertain about the accurate finish time. The official timing of the event only
provides a “gun time” (and due to being someway back in the field, it took
possibly more than a minute for me to reach the start line after the race
began) and my watch (along with a considerable number of other Garmin devices
at the event) didn’t start working until I’d passed the 1 mile mark.
My reaction to completing five distance events in five
weeks? Certainly the feeling that I had
good cause to celebrate! A lot of thankfulness
for: having the capacity to complete the events; having the time to take part in
the events and fit in the training; and having the support and encouragement of
friends and family, particularly Lesley.
Also, I’ll be honest and admit to feeling pretty proud of myself for
what in the context of “my own bubble” is a notable achievement. Balancing the pride in myself, I believe the
preparation for and completion of my autumn challenge has increased my
appreciation of truly mega endurance accomplishments. It leaves me with an open mouthed reaction (a
mixture of amazement, awe and bewilderment) in considering how my challenge
compares with, for example, those of: Rob Young, who has passed half way
towards completing 367 marathons in a year (having never run a marathon before
he started this venture in April 2014!) http://www.marathonmanuk.com/
; Steve Way whose marathon journey started at the age of 33 when he weighed
more than 16 stones and had a 20 a day smoking habit and has reached the point
where he represented England at the Commonwealth Games earlier this year at the
age of 40, finishing in 10th place!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/28418596 ; closer to home, my friend Nick Rowe who
earlier this year ran 80 miles within a 24 hour period (knowing how I feel
after I’ve completed 20 miles, Nick’s accomplishment completely blows my mind!);
and yet what about the 24 hour accomplishments of Fiona Ross (144 miles!!!) and
81 year old Geoff Oliver (99 miles!) - not just eye watering mileage but done
through repetitive lapping of a 400 metre track! http://ultrarunningworld.co.uk/scottish-women-pillage-self-transcendence-24-hour-race-2014/ and http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/real-life/scots-runner-fionna-ross-crowned-4457586
The memories that stick out for me?
-
Running in the Visit Richmond Half Marathon
at the Richmond Running Festival while my daughter Carmella was also at the
Festival, competing in her first running event, the Kew Gardens 10K.
-
Starting the Visit Richmond event like a cork
out of a champagne bottle (I sense this was the unleashing of a lot of
anticipation after the weeks of training and release of a certain amount of
frustration that followed from my London Marathon injury)
-
The pain through all but the first couple of
miles of the Windsor Half Marathon and the colourful expletive from a fellow
runner as yet another hill came into view at mile 10
-
The relief I felt in the early miles of the
River Thames Half Marathon to find that my right leg was working a lot better
than I had feared it would
-
Dealing with some “unfinished business” at
London as I ran (rather than hobbled) passed Buckingham Palace, Big Ben and the
Houses of Parliament during the Royal Parks Half Marathon
-
The pre and post run companionship of many
Bearcat runners and most memorably running the whole of the Royal Parks event
with Gareth and Phil
-
If not finishing in style, at least finishing
with a final gurn at the Cabbage Patch 10
So, having made my way through the “cabbage patch” what
is my next running challenge on the horizon?
As I drafted this post I reflected that it was fitting
that I was on route to Rome (a great place to spend my first weekend in a long
time that hasn’t involved a 10 mile plus run or Nuts Challenge!). This is because the next series of Run Reece Run will have an international
dimension to it and possibly a re-launch under the heading Allez Reece… Plus Vite! This
arises as I have been given an entry to run in the Paris Marathon on 12th
April 2015 and I look forward to kicking off a new training regime around
Christmas time.
And
finally… My
motivation for running and writing is fuelled by a number of key ingredients
and fundraising is very significant among these. I am very grateful to Shooting Star Chase for
giving me the opportunity to take part in the Royal Parks Half Marathon, which
for me was the pinnacle event of my autumn challenge. Most of all I am thankful to the generosity
of the contributors to my fundraising, many donating anonymously at the 200
Year Spectacular party I shared with Lesley and Joan (and many having also
generously supported my separate fundraising earlier in the year). There have been times when the motivation
coming from this support has made a defining difference – goodness knows I
needed something extra to get me to the finish at Windsor!
Having worked for children’s services organisations for
over half of my lifetime (increasingly significant now I’ve turned 50!) I am particularly
pleased to support Shooting Star Chase, a leading children’s hospice charity. I am in the fortunate position that my close
family have never needed the direct support of Shooting Star Chase or similar
organisations – my direct appreciation of the valuable work they do comes in
particular from time I spent some years ago doing voluntary work at a school
where a considerable number of the children had life expectation that in terms
of time was horribly short. I strongly
believe that what we do in our time is most often more important than the
amount of time we have, and this is why the following description of the work
of Shooting Star Chase resonates so much for me, “Whether lives are measured in days, weeks, months or
years, we are here to make every moment count.”
It means a lot to me to make a contribution that enables
more moments to count for the children and families supported by Shooting Star
Chase and I am immensely grateful for donations made through my fundraising
site https://www.justgiving.com/John-Reece/
To all who have reached an end to their own endurance
event of reading the autumn 2014 series of Run
Reece Run! I offer my thanks and best wishes and, with Paris in mind, felicitations…
John
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