Father's Day and Trail Running

Today is Father's day and I just thought I'd tell you a bit about how I got into running and how my Dad fits into it!  Almost 26 years ago when I was but a lass, my Dad was a marathon runner of some standing - can't quite remember the time but he is my Dad so it was a 3.30 marathon he was capable of doing (or thereabouts) pretty damn good if I don't say so. I had just left school and was forging a career as an office junior (okay not a career but a decent wee job) and decided that I quite fancied having a go at this running lark. Dad got me a pair of Reebok Phase 3's (if I remember rightly) and gave me a training schedule for absolute beginners written by Seb Coe and his Dad. The plan basically called for the novice runner to run out for 5 mins and then back. Gradually you built up to 10 mins, 15 mins etc until you were running a decent amount of time. So before I knew where I was I had entered my first half marathon on 26 October 1986. I was but a lass.....

Over the years my Dad and I went to many races, our most favourite was the Glasgow Half Marathon. 

End of the half marathon in Glasgow.

I have never quite shared the success of my Dad however, where I haven't clocked up fantastic times I have kept running for 26 years and am very proud of myself still running and taking on new challenges at 42 years old. Dad doesn't race any more but still goes out for runs and whenever I have been out with him he still skips along and beats me! So for a lifelong hobby thanks Dad and happy fathers day :)

Anyway, onto today's adventures. A few months ago Alistair pointed out a new race which was taking place in Keswick. Now, he knows what I am like, the chance of any race in Keswick and my ears prick up and I get the application form in! The Karrimor Great Trail Challenge. 10k up Latrigg, my most favourite wee fell in the Lake District. 

After staying the night in Carlisle we headed down to Keswick for the start of the run. There was a marathon and a half marathon at the same time. And there was also an elite 10K run. We got there after the marathon had started and just as the elite 10K finished. We passed one of the front runners who was looking slightly despondent. She had been in the lead, just as she got to the finishing straight and then took the wrong side of the finishing straight (there were two sides, one for the finish and one for the loop that you had to run if you were doing a longer run distance). She had to turn back and ended up 3rd!!!! not a happy camper. :(

The half marathon went off and then it was my turn to line up at the start. I have never been at such a spectacular start line, with the magnificent Fells in the background. Alistair took my photograph before I started and for once I actually like it!!

We had a bit of a run around the field first, presumably to make up the distance, and then we took off along the railway.

I have spent many a holiday in Keswick and I was running on very familiar territory. It was great. After 2 miles we turned up onto the hill. Boy was it steep! Everybody started walking which suited me fine. I even managed to take a couple of photos on the way. Chatted to loads of people as we walked up the hill. It was a fabulous atmosphere.

Once we turned off this very steep wee hill it was time to go up onto the Fell properly. Again I have walked this route loads and loads of times and knew what was coming. However, I have never run up this side of the hill and somehow running was just not going to happen. Everybody was walking, thank goodness. 

As I was getting to the top of the hill I met a lovely Fetchie, autumnleaves, we had a great natter about our teenagers and running as Fetchies. Then we got to the best bit - the huge downhill!!!! It went on for 2 miles - fantastic. My toenails began to grumble a bit when we got to the really steep bit because they are still a bit bruised from my marathon 4 weeks ago. At that point I lost autumnleaves because she was skipping down the hill and I had to slow down to protect my wee sore toes. Once I got to the bottom of the hill it was a short run on the road, which was tough as I had gotten used to running in the mud by that point. Then we were there! The finish line was just a couple of hundred yards away. Into the field was theeeee biggest mud bath you have ever seen and the energy was instantly sapped out of my legs as I paddled my way through the mud trying not to fall over. But there was the finish line 

(My time was 1 hour 11 mins and 50secs (not the 48 mins on the clock!!! ha ha ha))

and waiting at the end was Brian Burnett, presenter of Scottish Passport and more recently the end of many of the running races I have been in! He shouted out "here comes one of the Fetch runners, go JaneyM" - what he doesn't know is he is making a habit of shouting on me, in Edinburgh he shouted "go JaneyM" at the end there also! I finished as per usual with my Fetchie wingwave and he just laughed saying "she is flying into the finish". 

Nice t-shirt and a lovely wee medal. 

Excellent day out, fabulous wee run - can't wait till next year - I'll be signing up for it the minute it comes on-line :)

don't worry, be happy :)