Joggling Blog - SuperUser Account
This was an opportunity to enjoy some rare hills (living in pancake flat Lincolnshire), following a pleasant circumnavigational route around Chesterfield. At 33 miles this was a nice challenge, but it was more about getting out and enjoying the scenery rather than going for a good time. It was raining at the start so the Tiger hat took a well deserved break and I went with the waterproof jacket. Eventually the sun came out and the jacket was off again. The views were was lovely, running up through the woods and then emerging at the top of a big hill to look down at Chesterfield below.
Joggling Blog - SuperUser Account
Just a week to recovery after the Peterborough Marathon, and a month after the cakeathon it was a quick trip down to Northampton for the chocathon. Another event hosted by SVN (Saxons, Vikings, and Normans), this was a 6 hour event with plenty of chocolate in the goody bags for all the finishers. This was a lapped event, each lap was just over 5 miles so it was 5 and a bit laps for the marathon distance.
Joggling Blog - SuperUser Account
This was the first running of the Peterborough Marathon. It was a big out and back around Peterborough with a loop or two around the big lake. The organisers had plenty of marshals out on the course and I got to stop for a quick photo about 3 miles from the end.
Joggling Blog - SuperUser Account
This was an event run by
SVN (Saxons, Vikings, and Normans) who are normally based too far South for me to take part in unless I factor in an overnight stay. This year they have added some events in Yorkshire and Northampton, and especially with a name like a cakeathon it was too good an opportunity to turn down.
It was a 6 hour lapped event, each lap being an out and back of just over 6.5 miles so it was 4 laps for the marathon distance. At the end of each lap you could go and sample some of the cakes on offer - there were even trophies for the best cakes, and I made some Tiger cupcakes for the event. There was also a seriously big medal at the finish - with lots of cakes shown on it.
Joggling Blog - SuperUser Account
I much prefer single loop marathons over lapped events. This was a nice run around and through Cambridge. They even gave me 3 medals at the finish - one for each juggling ball.
Joggling Blog - SuperUser Account
I wanted to start earlier this year to try and fit in a few more races. The race consisted of multiple loops around the water centre at Holme Pierrepont near Nottingham. Each lap was about 3 miles, so there were 8 and a bit for the marathon distance. I felt quite good so managed to get to 10 laps and about 30 miles.
Joggling Blog - SuperUser Account
I thought it would be good to sneak another marathon in before the end of the year, and it was good to go back to Barrow where I did the 1st marathon of 2018.Thankfully this time it was a lot less water logged, and there were a few festive drink at some of the water stations around the course. This was an out and back course and it felt quite a toughie, so I had to put my foot down over the last few miles to get under 5 hours.
Joggling Blog - SuperUser Account
This was the 3rd time I had done the Lincoln to Sleaford Spires and Steeples Challenge, but 10 years since the last one. I'm sure it was a lot sunnier then as this time it was a muddy disaster. The organisers put on special coaches so you can leave your car at the finish (Sleaford) and then it would be waiting at the start. It was raining heavily at the start and didn't stop during the whole event, which meant the fields soon turned into boggy quagmires.
Unfortunately I fell over and twisted my ankle after 5 miles, so the rest of the race was a real struggle. Once I'd recovered and deducted that nothing was broken it was just a mad hobbling joggle for the next 21 miles to the finish. Of course, having the car at the finish was a mighty big incentive to keep going and not retire, but I would probably avoid this one in the future unless it was glorious sunshine.
My ankle was like a balloon the day after so I had an enforced 3 week running break, but it was a good 3-4 months until it was all back to normal.
Joggling Blog - SuperUser Account
A nice trip to the seaside at Hornsea for an out and back marathon from Hornsea to Hull and back. It was a very warm day so a sub 2 hour half unfortunately didn't materialise into a sub 4 hour marathon. An ice cream at the finish was obligatory :-).