Snow Falling on Cedars*

I lined up on the startline of the Ashby 20 alongside Potters Trotters running buddies Bobbie and Liz with a great deal of trepidation. This was to be my longest run ever (I'd managed 18 miles last week) and much further than I'd ever raced before, with half marathon being my previous limit. I was pretty sure I could complete the distance, even if walking was required, but I wasn't sure whether I would enjoy the experience. And, more importantly, whether I might feel motivated to do more. For many people, Ashby 20 is a stepping stone to the Virgin London Marathon, or other spring marathons and there were 1,000 people taking part. I don't have a VLM place but I've been roughly following Liz and Bobbie's training schedule and this was the next step. I'd been receiving lots of encouragement to make the most of my training and good health and take on a marathon. Could I do it? Am I brave (or foolish) enough to sign up for a marathon myself?

The Course Map

But first, the race. The course looks like a stretched out tennis racquet, with two loops round the racquet head and the start and finish along the handle. What I'd not realised was that a small section at the start / finish was running on grass. Given recent rain, the grass was muddy and getting muddier by the minute, as runners and spectators made their way to the startline. It wasn't an issue at the start but I knew this would make the finish just that bit more interesting and make a mess of my lovely clean running shoes.

My plan for the race was even pacing at approximately 9:30 per mile (or 5:55 per kilometre) and a target time of 3:10:00. The difficulty with my strategy was going to be pacing the hills - the course is definitely undulating as the elevation chart shows and I wasn't really sure how much the hills would slow me down, especially on the second lap. According to my Garmin, there was about 600metres of climb in the race.

I started off reasonably well and was right on pace for the first couple of miles. I ran for a little while with a lady from Long Eaton running club and we kept pace together reasonably well. 

It was at about 5 miles in that the fun really began. The mathematician in me likes to break up the race distance into fractions... 2 miles means I'm a tenth of the way there, 4 miles is a fifth of the race done etc. So as I reached quarter distance, the weather began to change and the weather forecast that suggested cool but dry wasn't proving particularly accurate. It felt colder and the clouds got that little bit darker. Then the first few spots of rain. And then as we climbed higher and were out into the more exposed parts of the course, I began to notice little white specks landing on my leggings. And it was sleet more than snow, which just made me feel wetter and colder. I like snow. I don't like sleet.

For most of the next ten miles, the sleet and rain continued, sometimes heavier than other times, but persistent. I was regretting my wardrobe choices and felt very cold. I was beginning to wish that the water stations - enthusiastically operated by members of the local running club and their families - were handing out hot chocolate instead of water, which actually felt too cold to drink at one point. But I kept going - encouraged on by supportive marshals and a few familiar faces on the route. Jelly babies provided instant sugar at regular intervals and I used energy gels a couple of times as well. It  can't have been all bad - there is actually of photo of me smiling whilst running... check out this link: http://www.flickr.com/photos/nozzawales/8566240428/

Keeping warm was part of the challenge as I started the second loop and then reached half way in around 1:33, just ahead of my target. Second time around, I really focused on conserving energy on the downhills to be ready for the next uphill. The strategy seemed to work well - I overtook several runners as the race progressed, especially when running up hill, and not too many people came past me. At about 16 miles, I started to feel tiredness in my legs. I noticed more and more runners walking up the hills and it was difficult not to join them. But I kept going. Fortunately, the sleet had stopped so that was a huge relief.

The impact of the muddy finish

At 17 miles, I knew there was just the equivalent of a parkrun and I'd be finished. There was a particularly cheerful marshal at this point too, reminding everyone that the hard work was done and we were nearly home. That spurred me on again. As we completed the second loop, the course veered back towards the centre of Ashby and there were less than two miles to go. There was a sting in the tail of course, with a very sneaky hill at the start of the final mile. And then we back down towards the finish - and the mud. The last four hundred metres were across a field and the mud had really churned up by the time I'd arrived. If I'd had the energy for a sprint finish, it was almost impossible to get any grip. So I slipped and slid my way to the final 20 metres or so, which was on a tarmac path, and then put all my effort into a sprint for the line and a wave to the spectators, as my name was called out over the PA system. I was done... physically exhausted but mentally exhilarated. I'd achieved something I never thought I could do... and was inside my target time too with a chip time of 3:07:15, finishing in 717th place and 78th in my age category.



Post-race relaxation!

My first priority at the end of the race was to get warm... fortunately, finishers receive a very snuggly hoody so that was easily accomplished. I opted for a cup of tea from the burger van too; something to warm my hands on. I missed Bobbie's finish but we were both there to cheer on Liz, whose reaction at the finish was simply inspiring. She sprinted for the line and proclaimed the race experience as "awesome". Her enthusiasm was infectious, helping us to forget about our aches and tiredness. Treats from Costa Coffee then time to head home, wash off the mud and relax. Mission accomplished.

And so what next. My next milestone should come on the first Saturday in April, when I'm hoping to complete my 50th parkrun. After that, there's the next race in the North Staffs Road Runners - the Newcastle 10k. And on April 28th 2013, I'm going to run the Greater Manchester Marathon. The deed is done, I signed up today, despite the tiredness I'm feeling after yesterday's exertions. Carpe Diem. Come and cheer me on in Manchester if you can - spectator information on the website. I'm going to be running in support of Cancer Research, in memory of my Dad.

Happy Running

LizT

*To be perfectly honest, I'm not sure if there are actually cedar trees in the woods around Ashby de la Zouch. But as the sleet and snow was falling today, this was the movie title that came into my head, and thus prompted the title for this post on the Ashby 20. I suppose the other option would have been "Singing in the Rain" but since ipods were banned from the race, there wasn't actually that much singing going on. But there was definitely snow, and it was falling on me, if not on cedars!