People may have noticed that we haven’t heard from Anna for a week or two and may think she has been taking things easy…. hahahaha!
First she tells us about the…
…Founders’ Challenge Marathon which I ran on 18th October. It was beautiful but hilly and slow (about five and a half hours I think). Then I had a weekend with no marathons nor ultras as we went to St Ives for some camping by the sea.
For the weekend of World Vegan day I managed to get a couple of long runs in:
I was up before 6 on Saturday morning to head out to the Blackwater Marathon. This was a charming LDWA event near Colchester. I ran with a friend, who I’ve been lucky to do a few marathons with now: excellent company. I say ‘ran’ but we both had plans for the following day so we took it really gently. The route was flat but exceptionally muddy in parts (crossing fields where it seems that your shoes are replaced by bricks by the time you get to the other side). There were many bridges and stiles, cute llamas, petrified trees, a pretty sea wall and I got stung by an electric fence (ouch! – apparently I jumped backwards and glowed like the Ready Brek kid. Maybe that’s a slight exaggeration…) We didn’t get lost, which was good as the “marathon” was actually 28 miles long.

Then it was a lift up to Norwich. I stayed in a nice little B&B, just a short walk from the start of the Marriott’s Way Ultra. This was a 39 mile trail run on an out-and-back course along an old rail track. That meant it was pleasantly flat and there was some protection from the heavy rain and howling gales that hit the country on Sunday. I ran with more Fetchies from the start and one was kind enough to stay with me (at the back of the small field) for the whole route. It was a lovely run, completed in 6 hours 48 minutes and didn’t cost a penny to enter so more than a bargain. Definitely one to do next year.

I felt most refreshed for the start of the new half term on Monday. Quite a bounce in my step.

So that’s the solution for extra energy people – get up before 6am on Saturday and put in 67 miles over the weekend! SHimples!