Howdy, Stranger!
Categories
Options
Lucozade Sport Super Six: Bryan the Snail
The materials in this website are in no way intended to replace the professional medical care, advice, diagnosis or treatment of a doctor, qualified personal trainer, therapist, dietitian or nutritionist Runners's World, Part of the Hearst UK well-being network © Copyright 2017
Comments
Eventually I turned the corner onto the sea front and wound my heart rate up to the high 180s - I was still thinking that I might get closer to my PB. Big mistake - there was further to go to the end than I thought there was.
I got to the signs for 800metres to go and I was really starting to struggle. At 400metres to go I was still pushing as hard as I could and still passing other runners. At 200metres to go I was sure that somebody had measured it wrong I couldn't keep this going.
I got under the finish line and collapsed onto the barrier at the side. One of the marshalls was a little concerned at the state I was in - I was able to assure them that I was more than a little concerned at the state I was in but would be able to move down the finishing chute under my own steam sometime in the next week or so.
I got my breath back and met Deb and the Runnerworld crew at the entrance to the VIP hospitality. Having been issued my pass I went into the tent to see the others and returned with a beer for Deb - she turned it down!!! (Somebody put it to good use though.) Deb then left to get back on the Metro - I felt a bit guilty leaving her to go off on her own but there were a couple of beers in the tent with my name on them and being the star that I was I had to give interviews and help dispose of the food that was on offer.
Eventually got bussed back to the hotel with a Police escort - it is a hard life being a VIP you know - and Deb and I said our goodbyes to the others and headed off back to obscurity.
No sub2, no PB, but a lot of great memories, met some great people and a performance that I am happy with. I shall now return to the Darker Side of RW but will try to build on what I achieved at GNR and keep the training going for future events.
Fantastic Bryan, great report. We will treasure our signed copy of RW forever!
ps have you had a donut yet?
No doughnuts have been consumed as yet Squish but will try to get back to doughnut and whisky training sometime soon - so many doughnuts, so many malts, so little time.
Hope your recovery is going well.
Fantastic report Bryan! Really great to meet up again and meet your "even hardier than you" wife Deb. All the best for the future to you both!
It feels a bit like the end of term this
BtS, HTA has HTFU'd.
Well done, mate, proud of ya!
Great Report Bryan, well done
Are you going to use this as a springboard to try and beat 2:00 sometime soon?
Hi Bryan,
Excellent race report, did'nt we have an amazing week-end. Surreal being a short time VIP, I for one could get use to it.
Congratulations to Deb, she must be your biggest inspration.
Shall be keeping an eye on your Ironman progress.
Best of wishes to both of you, take care, I'm sure we will meet up again somewhere on the race circuit.
Sue x
Hi Bryan,
Glad to hear you got home safely and well done on your performance on Sunday. You certainly pulled it out of the bag on the day didn't you,? But then I didn't really expect anything else!
You have been entertaining in your posts with your unique brand of self deprecating humour, ably supported by your loverly wife. However, I suspect that you have taken it all much more seriously than you would give yourself credit for and for that, you deserve the success you achieved. I do apologise however for not doing what you planned on Sunday.
Who knows - if I had, I might have beaten you but I think in the end, the running order was right and we all got what we really wanted lol!
I wish you well in your new job and new home and I don't suppose we've heard the last of the legend that is Bryan the Snail!
Take care of that back x
Congratulations Bryan. I have thoroughly enjoyed following your thread & I hope that it's not the last we hear of you 'over here' 'cos I for one ain't venturing into pirate territory! May you regale everyone with these tales over many a malt for years to come!
Hi Bryan
Fab report. I hope Debbo wasn't too upset about you being in your bubble. You can always say that you have been Liz Yelling trained. Well done on a fantastic GNR.
You are the first 'Iron Man' I have met and are a real credit to the Pirates. You live and breath the spirit that proves that with sheer guts and determination you can achieve so much. Your advice and encouragement has been invaluable and I greatly appreciate it.
I am entering the Lochaber and it would be fantastic if both you and Deb could make it.
Good luck in the new job and don't let them work you too hard.
Guy.
Hey! Well done!
Great run, and what a journey you have had, with all the team support!
So what next? An ironman?
Good luck for your future goals,
Liz
Very quick post as I am knee deep in Geek Stuff on a course in Slough (not a venue I can recommend).
Future plans are currently firming up but may include Jedburgh Half in 2 weeks, and Luton Mara in December. Only firm date is Ironman switzerland next summer.
Thanks for your help Liz and Martin.
I have very limited internet access for the next week so you won't hear much from me.
I will catch up with my fellow Super Sixers next week.
... and IM Mexico Bryan, you forgot Mexico!
<faints at excitement of Liz being on the thread>
but yes, it would be good if he did!
Give up doughnuts, whisky and fags!!!
Thank god I have a doting wife to make life still worth living.
I think I will keep this thread going for a short while in the hope that I can post cracking the sub 2.
Brief update.
Had another attempt at a sub 2 half marathon at Jedburgh on 19th Octoberbut had to drop out at 6 miles due to back problems. Looks like the next attempt will be Helsby 4 villages in the spring.
Back pronblems have limited the training a little but I have done a couple of runs and I have been back on my bike - intended to cycle over to my sister's and back in the same day but got thoroughly lost and my "just under 2 hour" trip over turned into a 4 hour tour of Staffordshire so I stayed the night and limped back today - definitely need to get more miles in on the bike, I was taking it far too easy on the upflats and overall speed was abysmal.
Hey there Bryan! Glad your still out doing a bit despite the back complaining! Bad luck on the recent attempt - wise decision to pull out though...
I'm planning to do the four villages but it's not in the spring - its on the 19th of January* If you still end up doing it be sure to left me know - have to meet up and go for a pint afterwards
* apologies if you know this already and because of you being a hardy Scotsman refer to Englands winter as the spring!! LOL!
19th January - FFS!!
I thought it would be a pleasant spring morning with the sun shining, the daffodils starting to bud and the birds twittering in the trees. Now you are telling me it will be cold! You don't really expect me to run in the cold, do you?
Seriously - my social secretary assures me she has done the entries and arranged our usual accomodation with friends, so will definitley be there. We usually stop for a post race recovery ale in the clubhouse so if you fancy hanging about waiting for me to finish I will join you for one (or two depending on who is driving
).
Fancy the pudding run in Walsall on 14th December Bryan? Half an hour max travelling from you and the faster you run, the bigger xmas pudding you get! lol!
10 miler through rural Cheslyn Hay and Great Wyrley. Melvyn and I are going to do it ....... (yes I said Melvyn!
)
I might be washing my hair that day.
Seriously - yes I fancy it but will be in Edinburgh that weekend for stepdaughters 21st birthday party, not that we are that old you realise, she is just very precocious. One of the best races I ever did was the Great Langdale Christmas Pudding run - a clear bright sunny morning, in glorious countryside with the snow just starting to fall as Deb and I finished - almost fairytale like. Hope you enjoy it.