Frances Humphries has been on some very long walks (and a few runs as well!)…
MAY 14 – Took part in the Heritage Coast Run/Walk up in Thorpeness, I ran/walked the 14 mile course with my sister but have no idea of our time (it was not fast as we were treating it as a day out rather than a challenge).
Later that month the Great Baddow 10-mile road race, which I managed to get round in 1 hour 21mins, and the North Essex Circular Walk – a 23 mile walk which I finished with my husband in 5hrs 45mins
JUNE 8 – The St. Albans Half Marathon – I got round in 2hrs 11 mins (about), it was a really bad day for me – at about five miles I decided to pop into a portaloo, then when I cam out I had to run like hell to try and catch up with my sister – needles to say I did not find her plus I completely blew up at about 8 miles and had to run/walk to reach the finish. Low and behold, my sister trotted in about 10 minutes behind me! The moral is, Run Your Own Race, and don’t worry about anyone else!
JUNE 14 & 15 – Went down to Somerset with him indoors – we entered the English International Walking Festival and completed 86k over the two days, it is not a timed event, more a ‘the next check-point is a pub’ sort of thing – It was good fun.
JUNE 29 – Completed three Loops (11. 8 and 7miles), of the Hertfordshire Hobble – an LDWA event, with all the loops starting from Buntingford Scout Hut. A very hot day was had by all – our time was 7hr 5mins in spite of various ‘tea-breaks’.
So, what does the future hold? Well, the 13th July will see us going off down to the Kent Weald for another LDWA event – the 26miler called ‘a Walk with the Smugglers’.
JULY 18 – I have entered the Brandon Forest Challenge with my sister (this is mostly for a laugh – it is two five-mile laps for teams of two. One of you runs and the other cycles, changing over as often as you like – neither of us have been of bicycle this year so it will be a challenge).
AUGUST 10 – We are going down to Salisbury to do a 20k Trail Run called the 5-4-3-2-1
AUGUST 16 – This sees us down in Wales for the Rhayader Mounain Trail event, I will be walking the 30mile route with my husband.
SEPTEMBER 5 – 18 – A well deserved rest. For our holiday this year we are going to pack up our Rucksacks and wander off to Scotland to hopefully complete the Long Distance Trail known as the Southern Upland Way.
SEPTEMBER 28 – The Saab Salomon Turbo-x at Poppyhill in Surrey is on the Agenda (if I am up to it!)
OCTOBER 19 – I have entered the Abingdon Marathon (This time I know I entered under the Vegan Runners UK banner), but am not sure whether I will be able to go the distance as I am not really going to have time for specific Marathon training – it will an ‘on the day decision’.
Look forward to seeing you and many other VRUK runners at Abingdon, Frances – I’m sure you’ll be able to manage the distance, as from the sound of it you could walk it within the (rather vague) cutoff !
