Tag: trail-running

Let me take you to the place
Where membership’s a smiling face
Brush shoulders with the stars
Where strangers take you by the hand
And welcome you to wonderland
From beneath their panamas

Running club life can be like that but it’s no longer for me. Sadly Sunday will be my last race as an Almost Athlete. I feel that I have no benefits from being an affiliated athlete to England Athletics or to any club and the measly £2 discount on race levy makes no difference to me as I won’t race enough in a year for any benefit. The support I don’t receive is the final nail in the coffin. I think maybe after Burnham on Sea Harriers throwing me under the bus has made me bitter about people. Also, I much prefer to run alone. I run when, where and what I want and I like that freedom and it suits my mental health and wellbeing. I am equally happy and unhappy in my own skin and that suits me fine. Here’s to unaffiliation.

This year’s Swansea Half Marathon is my third and I really like the run and course but it has always thrown up problems in the past. 2022 I booked accommodation, cheap I thought, but was at student digs and the room was totally unacceptable as it was filled with rubbish and no bedding. At the eleventh hour I managed to find an alternative. Last year was the year of train strikes and there was a bus replacement service between Bristol and Cardiff and our return journey all the trains were cancelled which meant we had to stay an extra night and I missed work on Monday. This time it has to be smooth because I can’t deal with it.

Train arrived, change at Cardiff and no problem. Hotel no problem. Recced the start no problem. Evening carb loading meal no problem. That was when the first problem occurred. I went to my son’s local pub when he lived in Swansea and watched Australia vs. England in the T20 World Cup. England batted poorly and after a wash out in their first match vs. Scotland suddenly need results to go their way to qualify for the ‘Super 8s’.

Sunday and race day. Why, oh why, do I put myself through this? I hate it. I hate the hanging around and the waiting to start. I hate all the people around me chatting. I hope that everything during the race will be fine. Since I had bowel cancer certain malfunctions can happen and I need to take medication to ensure these malfunctions don’t happen, if you know what I mean 💩.

I started cautiously. I felt quite light headed and dizzy so I just wanted to ease myself into the race and take it from there. The first 6 miles heads out towards the university and back for a loop in the city and back out towards The Mumbles. I found myself with the 1 hour 50 minutes group but after 8 miles I was sick and tired of the elbowing and nearly being tripped up so I kicked a little to get in front of them. Running etiquette isn’t what it was! Suddenly instead of running 8.18 mins per mile I was running 8.05 and getting quicker and along the seafront which is my favourite part of the race.

I was pulling away from 1 hour 50 mins group and others in front of me and tiring and I kicked more. Never leave it out on the run, always give it your best shot. A runner at Tewkesbury Running Club always said if I overtake in the second of the race you won’t see me until the finish. Negative splints I specialised in. Get into the race and go through the gears. I crossed the finish line in 1 hour 47 minutes and 34 seconds my best time for a half in over 4 years and not too shabby for a Vet 60 after cancer and I was quite pleased with my morning’s work.