Remembrance Run 131 sadly over

 

The day started with stormy skies and seas at Instow. A walk with the dogs to see how my body felt about running with an injury. 

I decided to go and see how far I could do, if I managed a half again that would be good, but also in my head I was thinking of self-preservation because of my job.

After training two clients I set off gently, walk, jog, through the wind and rain out towards Appledore again. The woods were far more slippery today than previously but I know them well, as they are on my regular running route, it was fairly safe ground……

Photo courtesy of my friend Sarah on Monday. This was the result of fall number one. 

I suppose by now you realise that I wouldn’t number a fall, unless there was another?

Here is the sad news…..

Fall number two, was just as epic in proportion and happened this morning just outside of Appledore, beyond the ‘slip’ and I hit down hard on the rocks, slamming down on the other hip! 

I lay there for a moment in a puddle, no one was around to help, and after a short while I managed to get up and try to walk. 

I’m grateful that I already had paracetamol in my system from the other injury, and also shock had delayed any major pain. But now as I sit and type, I can honestly say that there will be no more running this week. 

This is an extremely tough decision to make, firstly because of my hurt pride, secondly because of my hurt derrière and most importantly because I was doing it to raise money for The Veterans Charity, I don’t want to let anyone down. 

But….. the fact is that, had I done this a few weeks earlier the path would have been less treacherous, I have run in conditions like this before on the coastpath, when training for the 103 miler, and whilst remembering this, I also remember falling over out there miles from anywhere and spraining my ankle! 

Sensible decision now is to postpone any further coastal runs until the path dries up a bit and the weather improves. It’s just too dangerous to be out there on my own now. 

I need to thank Sarah, who came to my rescue today after I had fallen, and drove to collect me from the Burrows and take me home. Not sure what I’d have done otherwise! Thank you Sarah. She also took these photos of my bum! (We have known each other for a very very long time!) 

I am so sorry to have let you all down, and I will let you know when I plan to continue and finish the 131, I’m guessing some time in the spring? I will let you know! 

Thanks to everyone who has supported me this week and all who have donated, I do still hope that we can get some more donations please? I can’t help being clumsy! 

Justgiving.com/remembrancerun131

Remembrance Run 131 Day 2

 

I think, after today, that I need to re-name this challenge because I have already failed at getting the distance in this week! 

I woke up, felt tired and sore after yesterday. My shoulder was slightly improved but I had some concerns over my hip. 

After speaking on Radio Devon I felt slightly more positive about the task in hand, but I was choosing a sensible route just in case anything went wrong. 

The problem is, if I had a sit down desk job it wouldn’t be so bad, but I need my body in one working piece for my work and so I have to listen to it! 

I set off from Bideford with every intention of running to Westward Ho! and back twice. 

I made it to Appledore and met a man walking his dog on the beach there who had heard me on the radio. He inspired me a little to keep going as strong as I could, but the pain in my right hip and back was getting worse. Shooting up my back and down my leg from the point of impact yesterday. 

I made it to Westward Ho! pain increasing, which was affecting my running, I was fed up, and unsure what to do next. 

I decided to continue back to Bideford and see how I felt, but the pain only got worse the further I went.

I did a sort of weird jog-walk thing and by the time I had got back to Appledore I felt like crying. Not just because of the pain, but because I knew that I wouldn’t be able to complete the full marathon and I would be letting everyone down, and myself. 

I had though, made that decision that for today, I would only be running a half marathon. Maybe I could make it up another time with another half, but not this week. 

I have made a sensible decision however, and many people have said I made the right choice and that my health and well-being is first and foremost, and they are right. But it doesn’t change the fact that I feel like a failure today. 

I have had to, on a few races had to bail out, and not felt bad, but this one did. 

As for tomorrow and the other 3 expected marathons, I’m going to have to play it by ear. It’s not worth ruining myself over, but I hate failure. 

I will let you know tomorrow what I decide but chances are, I’m going to try, even if I do another half, but I will update you then.

Thank you to everyone who has supported and donated so far, I will try and not let you down. 

Remembrance Run 131 DAY 1

 

The day started off well, though the rain was consistent, the wind was not so strong for the first half marathon. 

I was waved off by Danny Greeno from The Veterans Charity who I am running for, and also my friend Sarah. 

I headed off towards Bideford, across the swamp that was Northam Burrows, through the pretty Appledore, up some hills, through some woods and eventually out the other side heading along Bideford Quay. 

I ran over the long bridge and up the hill before turning round at 10.5km.

The return journey was just as good, although the rain and wind had picked up again by now, and I made it back to halfway, at Westward Ho! in about 2 hours and 10 minutes. 

The first part of the second half was okay, the wind had certainly picked up in ferocity and I was way more exposed in this section. The views however from the top of those cliffs make up for the effort involved in climbing them. 

I was now skidding and slipping all over the place, the wind blowing my poppy wreath, ripping out the lower cable tie that secured it to my hydration vest. 

This was where the fun really started. The paths got steeper, both up and down and running, I couldn’t find my footing, I was literally skating all over the path.

I lost it a few times, gliding into gorse, tripping over mud-hidden rocks, and then, at 27km, it happened, I went over with the biggest thud a person could make. 

Sliding down the massive hill landing on my right hand side, it felt like my shoulder popped out completely, before righting itself as I put weight on it to lift myself out the mud. 

My hip also took a bashing and sloping and sliding to right myself I made a very adult and sensible decision to turn back towards Westward Ho! I was 5km short on distance in that direction, but I didn’t want to risk further injury out there in the exposed cliff top. 

I walked and ran carrying the damaged poppy wreath in my hand, doing what I could and decided to head back out towards Appledore across the Burrows to make up the lost distance, I was in pain, but I had set out to do a marathon, so that’s what I was going to do. 

Very sore, and fed up at this point with the wind and rain I made my way back eventually to Westward Ho! Sarah welcomed me back and took a photo of my very muddy behind! 

Day one done, nursing my injuries now and have planned a slighter less demanding route for tomorrow so I can recover better. 

Don’t forget to donate by going to justgiving.com/remembrancerun131

Thank you