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Midsummer Munro Half-Marathon
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Chels -
My Garmin for 2006 says
Total Ascent - 2188' (nothing recorded for mile 2-3)
Total Descent - 1876' (nothing recorded for mile 2-3)
Total Distance - 12.2ml
which goes to show that a Garmin is just a device for obsessing over, cleverly constructed so that it appears to be connected to the real world but never producing any credible information. Like those two other idiots' lanterns - the stopwatch and the bathroom scales.
It was the Garmin of Nosher "Show me a hill and I'll get my friends to run up it" Miles that produced the figure of 4,000' ascent, published immediately by The Good Doctor in his email and blatantly contradicting the course profile on his own Munro website, which documents 3,000' of ascent.
Here, Rob - my iPod says it's Eight Miles High and we can do 3/5 Of A Mile In 10 Seconds! Let's rename the race Summer In The JetStream!!
I knew this would be my kind of race and I really enjoyed it, After some lusty singing on the start line, (Happy Birthday) and the a rousing version of the National Anthem we were off.
The first half hour consisted of up, down, stepping stones, up, along about 100 yards and down, followed by, purely for variety, an up.
Well I knew this was coming and had reckoned it to be the hardest first three miles, and I wasn't wrong, going past the three mile board just into the woods, my legs felt blown and was struggling.
Slowing down into the woods, quite a few people went by me, confirming that I'd probably gone off too quick... turning into the long run down to Juniper Bottom I felt much happier, five miles had gone by and although I knew my 2:10 dreams were a work of self delusion I felt a little stronger.
Puffing up the 180 steps to the ridge some loony shot past me going the other way, I was an hour into my race ..... it was quite a few minutes before the next one person ran past, but fair play lads, you were really moving.
A welcome drink at the turnaround, and by the time I reached the snowman, I was a little chilly, wet, my legs had started to pinch at the top of my hamstrings but otherwise I was ok.
As I puffed back up towards the woods, the cheering crowd of my parents, brother, wife and two kids really gave me a lift and I knew I would finish.
I entertained the idea of really pushing the boat out to get a 2:30 finish, but in reality I had nothing left to give, going up from the stepping stones for the last ascent is a real test of character as much as fitness.
The finish was fantastic, I felt really pleased with my 2:38 for my first half marathon, and there was TEA & MEDALS just like they promised .....
See you at Beachy !
If the internet at my office starts working again (it was on the blink tonight), the results should be up by noon on Monday. The race video and photos will take a little longer - but will hopefully be worth waiting for.
Well done to everyone who completed the race (I don' t think anyone dropped out, which is impressive in iteself). There were very many very good performances out there, and not just at the front end, either.
A HUGE THANKS to all the marshals. It is not possible to put on a race like this without lots of help.
Thanks also for the kind comments and positive votes: they are much appreciated.
J3ff, I do the same thing with recovery, and drank a 'For Goodness Shake' right after I finished the Munro. But I'm still jolly sore and think that with this race, a few very gentle days and/or days off will probably be necessary.
Jerry, sorry I missed you at the end of race; hubby wanted to get me home quickly to tend to my wounds! But if you were wearing your Union bandana, then I think that you shouted some encouragement to me at a key point in the race - so thanks! I can't help thinking that Doyen of the Downs is going to seem easy after this! Bad conclusion, probably!
TCP
Surrey Badger is worth a look - Round Norbury park - I think it is back end of september
I am also running Gibbet's hill 10K (which is wednesday night) in Haslemere and is a lovely hill trail run
then the alice holt 10k (entry via Farnham running club) which again is a lovely woodland trail run.
Neither of them are the same challenge level of the MM , but nice races all the same.
There's the Surrey Slog in July, a half marathon on footpaths all over Holmbury Hill, I'd have called it tough before Saturday, but now the word tough takes on a whole new meaning!
I'm still buzzing about how much fun it was.
My quads seem to have disintegrated though ...
Me!! - but only if I qualify for Boston in September and then dedicate myself to hill training.
The results are up on the Trionium pages!
I can't begin to imagine doing the Picnic!
I think if I do the Munro next year I'll get some decent hill training in and prepare a bit for it, rather than seeing Little T offer her number at the last minute and think "that sounds like a bit of fun".
Am definitely up for the Knacker Cracker!
Sorry to bother you all but if anyone can access the results could they email me them (excel if possible)andrewcdwfc1@yahoo.co.uk
My work computer won't update the trionium page even when I refresh it.
In anticipation...many thanks
Andrew
Andrew - should have them now
This was a truly great race. Though perhaps a little foolish of me, this was my first half marathon and I don't think I could have wished for a better first time. I guess the advantage of doing a run like this as your first event is that my PB should be pretty easy to beat come my next race
Anyway, just wanted to pop by and say a quick thank you to the organisers / marshals and other runners for making what could have been a demoralising nightmare into a great day out.
Cheers,
Dave
Hi Jeff,
Congratulations on almost catching me
I must admit i didnt realise just how close together we were, i think i was too intent on the finishing line to realise where anyone else was!
I'm trying not to think too far beyond my first marathon in october
Having said that though it would be a real shame not to run this course again, so i'll go out on a limb and say i'll definately be back next year, although I may have to spend some time in the gym building bigger quads for all those steps!
DB - which marathon are you running in October - there are a few from here who are running at Beachy Head.
We were all within a minute of each other at the finish - (I finished 115th)
Gargamel - I'm running Loch Ness. A few friends I am running with have done it before and recommended it.
A few of my friends were thinking of doing Beachy Head as well but i think 2 marathons in a month might be too much for me at this stage
I was going to go for the Florence one (November), but Beachy Head appeals to me more and more due to terrain and scenery!?! As a jogger obviously!
Ran the Munro 7 mins faster than last year! I thought I had been faster actually, but still happy! Next year will be be even faster!
As for entering the Picnic, can you imagine running down that (final for the Munro race) hill and then back up to do it all again!?!?!?!?!?!?!?
Re: comments about Garmin stats - My 305 had a "fair" signal and the Google Earth download shows several spots where the out and back are slightly different but not stupidly off course. I've got credible splits for all the miles.
SportTracks gives me 13.36 miles and 3044 feet of climb, Motionbased says 13.28 and 3222 feet. My conclusion is that it's definitely over 3000ft and absolutely not short. Splits below are from Motionbased and include the amount of ascent and descent per mile as well as my increasingly pathetic splits. DistPaceAscentDescent110:44342370212:54441194311:05362190407:55143186507:2472303610:49270125711:22247204809:1717312912:23411121008:571582001109:50932211214:012385491316:0942817413.2802:070178
I can't believe what a high I'm still on. Non of the other races I've done have left me feeling so smug and grinning so much. I guess the small field helps as you know you are one of an elite few. Other serious runners are really interested in the run and seem somewhat ashmed that they either haven't heard of it or haven't done it.
As for other runs, I've done the Surrey Slog and really enjoyed that. I can't do it this year as I'm at a wedding. Bum. The Badger looks good. I'll sign up for that one. I'll look at the others. Thanks.
BRM wrote
"t was the Garmin of Nosher "Show me a hill and I'll get my friends to run up it" Miles that produced the figure of 4,000' ascent, published immediately by The Good Doctor in his email and blatantly contradicting the course profile on his own Munro website, which documents 3,000' of ascent. "
Firstly, I would like to state for the record that I have never, ever forced BRM to run up any hills by casting spurious claims about his manliness, its all lies I tell you, all lies.
I have to admit that I was rather confused about the readings we had on a run through a few weeks ago, hence my email to the good doctor, him of the patriotic shorts, and we are still not sure regarding the actual total ascent as there seems to be a few discrepancies between people with garmins, I can only go with what mine read and it gave me the figures I quoted. All I can say is that it didn't lose its signal throughout the whole run & had a 20ft discrepancy between total ascent & descent over the distance which isn't bad.
I don't know the actual answer but telling all of my friends that it was harder than stated works for me
Nosher" BRM is going to understand the meaning of pain & sufferance next time I take him out" Miles
Whoops - Sorry Nick, didn't mean to rattle your chain
Don't make me run in the Marge Simpson outfit again - Back home no one noticed I was wearing it.
Congratulations on improving your time, and a Big Shout Out to the Windsor Great Park Beasting Society (Hon.President - N.Miles, COR, MDF, LOL).
I sent this to Dr Rob the morning after the raceand he suggested I post it here....
'When I fell over just before 11 miles and spent a few moments looking up at the sky I am sure I heard some nearby sheep bleating the tune to 'Land of Hope and Glory'. It is quite possible I imagined it though.
Andrew'
Did anyone else have any 'out of this world' experiences whilst enduring the Munro?