Lightning Flash, Thunder Crash, Guess Who's Back Like a Nasty Rash?

[18ck]

 

So I've drifted off a bit lately and missed the last challenge completely. Hi ho, well, I've been training reasonably well anyway. I've been building up my mileage again to the 16 mile mark, although my speed is sorely lacking. So, when I was contacted by Nick Furinatum the other day, I realised what I needed was a bit of motivation in the form of a scout challenge, so here I am.

 

The Thor theme is in honour of the fact that on day -1 and day 0 of the challenge, I'll be part of a team - along with Mrs 18ck and the redoubtable @Flyer19 - in the Thunder Run. It's a daunting prospect because I reckon I'm due for 4 or 5 laps of 10k each, so I might end up doing a PB for most distance in a single day (50km), and of course I won't be sleeping much, because we need to go all night too.

 

Other challenges coming up are: a festival (the main challenge of which will be not coming back 10lb heavier), my third marathon - the Thames Meander - at the end of week 5, and the slow ramp-up to another project deadline, which will mean increased stress and more pressure on training time. Obviously, all effort is aimed at doing well in the marathon - ideally under four-and-ten - and navigating through the temptations of booze, snacks and lack of sleep on the difficult path to glory.

 

Goals: 

1. Speed of Lightning

One long run and two short, fast runs - with proper interval timings - per week up to the taper period - 4 Sta

2. Stretch my Wings

I've noticed myself getting a bit tight around the legs and hips lately so I'll be sure to do good stretches after every run and do some pilates once a week. Optionally, I might get a sports massage, but I'm a bit skint so that might not happen. 2 Dex

3. Swing the Hammer

Cross-training in the form of push-ups (i haven't read Steve's epistle yet but there's a push-up challenge isn't there? I'm on for that!), weights, rowing, handstands or some other proper exercise on every non-running, non-pilates day. 2 Str

4. Don't break Bifrost

No bread, no wine, no chocolate, no granola, and no big spoonfuls of almond butter or whatever else I tell myself is Ok to have because "it's paleo" or some such nonsense. The aim here is to shed some weight. There's no set target here, because I don't need the extra admin, but I will know if I've passed or not. 2 Con, 2 Cha

5. Outwit Loki

Sharpen my mind by learning Portuguese - one session per day, including festival days. Ooh, I'm going to regret those last three words. Maybe I should take them out because how achievable is that? I dunno. A challenge is a challenge. 3 Wis, or 2 if I do the rest but wuss out at the festival.

 

So there you have it!

 

[18ck]

BTW, speaking of push-up challenges, did you see Staci's video on Instagram recently?

https://instagram.com/p/5dey--xoO5/?taken-by=staciardison

It amused me.

[18ck]

Thor Blimey, Guv'nor!

[18ck]

Just had my timetable in email and I see my second run's at 11.45PM and the third at 4AM. Sounds like a laugh. And Mrs 18ck has just looked at the weather forecast and said "Oh my god!". I don't want to know. Badass mode: On!

[Strickland5]

Just had my timetable in email and I see my second run's at 11.45PM and the third at 4AM. Sounds like a laugh. And Mrs 18ck has just looked at the weather forecast and said "Oh my god!". I don't want to know. Badass mode: On!

reminds me of running my ragnar trail runs.

[Everstorm]

Good luck with the Thunder Run this weekend. That sounds like a real manmaker.

[Terinatum]

Nick Furinatum? I like it.

All this running around, it's great. I adore the fact that your whole family is made of champions!!

Good luck and keep us updated.

 

water, sleep and food!!

[18ck]

reminds me of running my ragnar trail runs.

Pleased to see the weather is really nice. Maybe I won't need all these spare shirts and socks after all.

[18ck]

Good luck with the Thunder Run this weekend. That sounds like a real manmaker.

Let's hope so! Man maker or man destroyed, perhaps.

[18ck]

Nick Furinatum? I like it.

All this running around, it's great. I adore the fact that your whole family is made of champions!!

Good luck and keep us updated.

water, sleep and food!!

Thanks

*dashes out door*

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[bgvanbur]

Awesomeness!  Have fun with the relay!  But your challenge title is missing something

[Terinatum]

He was hoping a little invisible, assassin magic would rub off on him and it would go unnoticed! HA!!

[18ck]

4AM and about to start run #4. Hiya Scouts!

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[Everstorm]

So...how did it go? Inquiring minds wish to know.

[18ck]

Awesomeness! Have fun with the relay! But your challenge title is missing something

He was hoping a little invisible, assassin magic would rub off on him and it would go unnoticed! HA!!

Mm, it seemed like if I have the words "guess who" then a name would be a but surplus to requirements unless maybe I included in brackets: SPOILER ALERT!

[Princess Pineapple]

How did it go?

[Princess Pineapple]

Double post but I will add that I didn't realise you were a west Londoner. I used to live in Acton. Horrible place!

[18ck]

Double post but I will add that I didn't realise you were a west Londoner. I used to live in Acton. Horrible place!

Mm, I know what you mean. I used to work in the town hall. It's a bit grotty. I've written most if a race report which I'll post in a few minutes if I can stay awake that long. I'm cream-crackered!

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[fearlesscreek]

HI THERE!!!!!    

 

im so glad to see you here again. i really missed you during last challenge. looking forward to much giggling and ass kicking!!!!! 

 

* happy dance... clapping.. shouting.... high fiveing....*

[18ck]

HI THERE!!!!! [emoji14]eaceful:

im so glad to see you here again. i really missed you during last challenge. looking forward to much giggling and ass kicking!!!!!

* happy dance... clapping.. shouting.... high fiveing....*

Thanks! And in glad to see you're around too.

Urgh, well, I didn't manage to stay awake long enough to finish that race report, did I?

Work today. So not in the mood...

[18ck]

So...how did it go? Inquiring minds wish to know.

Wish no more, enquiring minds, for here is my Thunder Run Race Report

Intro

Thunder Run is a 24 hour relay race, run in 10k laps, and each team is supposed to have a member in the field at all times from midday on Saturday to midday on Sunday. Some teams were smaller than others of course, and there were even a few nutters doing the full thing solo, and running the whole day. I was there with a group of Mrs 18ck's online friends who go by the name of LFDT. I had LFDT printed on my vest, prompting a couple of people to ask me what it meant. One conversation went like this:

Me. Puff. Pant. Puff. Pant

Old lady (jogging up from behind): "What do your initials mean? LFDT?"

Me. Puff. Pant "It..." Pant. "It's not my idea. It... " Pant. Gasp. "It means 'Let's Fucking Do This'"

Old Lady: "Ah, bless you!" (jogs ahead to next person) "'Whose Lap Is It Anyway!' That's a good slogan"

The Racing

Anyway, I'm getting ahead of myself. Rewind. We arrived late, and basically as soon as I got there I had to change into my trusty cargo shorts, fill the pockets with unnecessary paraphernalia, pin my my race number on and set off to pick up the team armband from the person running the first lap. I had no idea who she was so had to be shown. Got it, go. I took off like a slightly overweight hare, powering up hills, enjoying the sunshine and trying not to fall over in the mud from last night's rain. My success rate on that last one was a respectable 99%

Anyway, I cracked on and ran the first lap in about 65 or 70 minutes (I think I was the only person there who didn't have a garmin) which was a pretty good time (by my standards) in spite of the hills and the tricky terrain, so I was pretty happy with that.

Between laps, the atmosphere at the campsite was friendly but focused. It felt a lot like a music festival, except that nobody was smoking dope, they were eating small portions of carby snacks. Instead of drunkenly singing terrible old oasis songs, they were getting sports massages, and instead of complaining about how bad Kanye was, they were running, running, running.

Three hours later, it was time to go again. My legs were a bit tight but I managed to smash it again, and felt well chuffed. I had a massage afterwards and my legs felt like legs again instead of drainpipes.

The third lap was near midnight, so I was wrapped up and wearing a head torch*. It was absolutely wonderful from beginning to end. Everything was quiet and I couldn't see much apart from the things in my torch beam, the other runners coming and going and the glow sticks lining some sections of the route. The various smells seemed stronger though, and I was really aware of things like the texture underfoot; hard, uneven roots, sticky mud, rough grass, or cushiony pine needles. I was starting to feel fatigued though, and I had to walk some of the uphill, so the time was about 10 minutes longer as a result, but who cares?

Mrs 18ck took the next lap.

Then came a couple of hours' sleep.(hint: don't wear your wet, sweaty, running clothes to sleep in a tent, even if you feel warm at first). I got up at four. It was awful. I mean, absolutely hideous, like some egregious violation of the Geneva Convention, having to get up at that time. I felt like a zombie, and my time was nearly two hours. Despite the pain, it wasn't all doom and gloom, though. The sun was just coming up, so there was enough light to see by after ten minutes or so, and the sky was all pink, wispy clouds. Pretty.

Mrs 18ck was up next though, and she had stayed awake with Flyer, who had a difficult night, too. As a result, she wasn't able to make her lap, so I decided to just do a double, so as not to leave a gap in the team's record. I had a quick pit stop to refill my bottle, dump some torches and layers, and shed some by-products of metabolic processes, after which I felt much, much better. I Scouted up, pulled up my man pants, screwed my courage to the sticking place, and managed to run the vast majority of the course, albeit not very fast, and even dug deep to run the last 2k - my 49th and 50th of the race - without stopping and with a burst of steam at the end. So that's a PB for distance and an enduring feeling of badassitude. Rewards: another massage, some hot chocolate and tartiflette.

Some of the other runners did even more: one of my team mates did 6 runs, all with an impressively consistent time, another LFDT member was throwing down forty-odd minute 10k, one after the other, and some of the other LFDT teams notched up seven laps per member. I'm in awe!

Lap races

The main difference between a lap/relay race and other kinds of running races seems to be that, in normal races, everyone sorts early on,with the speedy ones at the front and the slower peeps, and people dressed as minions bringing up the rear. As a result, you find yourself surrounded by people of roughly your own ability, and you can challenge them on equal terms. In a lap race, it's different because you're constantly being overtaken by buff young club runners who are a lap or two ahead of you. At one point, *two* twentysomethings passed me at the same time, on opposite sides, going like the clappers, their ponytails swishing in time. That's so cruel! There wasn't a sense of inequality though. Everyone was polite, respected each other's personal achievements, and many offered encouragement as they passed.

The other difference might seem like a benefit, but I'm not so sure. If you run a marathon, that's 26.2 miles of running at once. It's hard, but you can prepare in advance and once it's done, it's done. In a relay race, four laps is roughly the same distance but you get a few hours between each. The trouble is, while you have a chance to rest, your legs have a chance to stiffen up, especially at night. You want to eat a lot, but you daren't because you don't want a ton of food in your stomach when your next lap comes up. You have to squeeze some sleep in but it won't be enough to feel rested. In other words, there's an endurance challenge just getting through the day, never mind the running.

Zzzz

On the way home, I had another endurance challenge in trying to stay awake and alert at the wheel after all that. I had to slap myself in the face a few times to keep myself awake long enough to make it to a coffee place. I heard other families got stuck in traffic jams on the M1**, with drivers in a similar state of knackeredness, which must have been an ordeal. We made it though.

Most important of all, I have a few more of these to add to my supply.

This running lark is great! I'll never be short of safety pins again!

*=you probably call it a flashlight. I didn't have a fire on my head.

**=a big road

[Princess Pineapple]

Well done! It sounds like you did some great work! I hope you aren't suffering at work now.

I had to laugh at your "translations". My youngest just stared at me like I was mad.

[Terinatum]

Love the safety pin collection!

Congrats to you and your LFDT team!

[Strickland5]

That serious reminds me of my Ragnar Trail Relays. 

 

Glad you made it 99% of the way w/o falling ... most impressive

[fearlesscreek]

dude, you scare me! awesome achievement!