2018: A year in the West Country

                                        (My first race of 2018)

At the end of 2017 I left a job I quite liked and the people were nice too. I was quite fond of the place but I was sick of the daily commute. 13 miles a day on my bike through busy traffic, pollution and other angry, selfish city commuters. I needed a change! Let’s save some money and get away from it all Dean. I spent a lot of time thinking on those daily commutes. The cold weather was grinding me down. I even had a head on collision with another cyclist who wasn’t paying attention, despite a 300 lumen bike light shining towards him. I landed in the road winded, not being able to catch my breath with oncoming traffic, but managed to roll myself back onto the cycle path. I had twisted his handlebars with my ribs. I was later taken to hospital from work where they said I had cracked some ribs. This was the day after I had run the Bovington half marathon.

My last day of employment in 2017 was on the 29^th of December. I did one parkrun in Southampton on the 6^th of January, 2018. It was very painful with my lungs pushing against the broken ribs. I got around though and a week later my Dad drove me to Camborne in Cornwall with some belongings and my mountain bike, but mostly running shoes.

I had always waited to compete in the Cornish grand prix race series. I was now a second claim member for Newquay road runners with Lordshill still being my first.

My great and inspiring friend Chris Odgers had said I could stay with him in Camborne until I found somewhere to live. It was great. I was nervous and a bit panicky but I applied for everything and and anything job wise. He, like me is a skateboarder from when time began. I was hoping that we could skate a lot more. 

                               (Kennall Vale Nature reserve is a must visit)

In the meantime, I was out there exploring Cornwall via Bike and foot. There was only one week until my first grand prix race, the Stormforce 10 which coincidently is in Camborne.

I tried a slow 10 mile run on the mining trails that I discovered as the ribs had just recovered. But, a new problem had arisen… My leg wasn’t bending fully for some reason. It seemed to be tightening up. To cut a long story shorter, I had a complex cartilage tear in my right knee. Although it took me a very long time to find this out and much later on in the year, I finally worked out that the same bike accident where I broke my ribs was responsible for the tear in my knee. I didn’t even notice any pain until a month later. I was probably more focused on the pain of breathing, sneezing and laughing.

It took many doctor’s appointments, physio appointments and an MRI scan plus meeting with orthopaedic surgeons to find out what I now know. Which isn’t a lot to be honest!

Anyway, the Stormforce 10 didn’t happen for me but I didn’t stop trying to run a few miles or go for 5k walks. Sadly, I got a job in only 2 weeks of moving to Cornwall. It was working for a courier company lifting “Ugly parcels”. Anything from coffins to 60kg tramlines. Canoes to bikes or tractor tyres. The strain of all the heavy lifting seemed to be taking its toll on my knee. It was also very cold with a few days of snow.

                            (The Royals: Henry, Harry and George)

I had moved to a Farm in a place called Wheal Plenty, Little Sinns. It was pretty isolated living with an old lady, 3 cats and 3 alpacas. I was about 2 miles from Portreath and 3 miles from Porthtowan. Two lovely sandy beaches but very hilly as well. I was about 3 miles from Redruth as well and work was only a couple of miles away now too. Ideal! Although, I did get snowed in on the farm for a couple of days in March. Is was when the Falmouth half was supposed to happen. Luckily for an injured me, I got a refund as the race was cancelled. I tried to skate a bit with Chris and a few others but it was painful on the leg. I wasn’t keen on skating in this condition but I tried. Afterall, I’ve been filming since 2013 for my next skate film. It will get there! 

                                     (A very snowy day at work)

Problem with the farm and me not driving is that it was a 5 mile round trip walking or cycling for bread, milk or even a pint at the local?

I loved it though. I really felt connected with nature and the air felt so pure. Some days I would struggle to walk a couple of miles as the pain in my knee was so bad. I remember having a constant ache for about 3 weeks once. I would ice and be on painkillers but they did nothing. I couldn’t even sleep through the pain at night. Naproxen had no effect on me. Apparently there was swelling in the joint of the knee, although not visible. It certainly was inflamed.

                                      (My MRI report from Treliske)

Anyway, I was feeling a bit down and drinking quite a bit. Without my running I felt empty. I was feeling sorry for myself and thought I’d never run again. The doctors made it sound so, but the physios were more encouraging. I didn’t believe the physios though. I guess I was in a negative frame of mind at the time. I just cycled a lot and saw lots of places which was amazing but it’s just not running.

It wouldn’t be until my first physio meeting that I decided to venture out to Trelissick parkrun and try and get around the course. It was now spring and this was my first parkrun/race/event since leaving southampton. It was a 10 mile cycle to Trelissick from mine but it was so worth it. Most of it was flat on the coast to coast trail and then you turned off at 7 and a half miles and cycled up two of the biggest hills ever! Up into Carnon downs and then through Come-to-good.

It was 17^th of March and I got around on a very cold and muddy course. I was sliding all over the place on the big hill. It was great, I loved it. I was so excited despite finishing in a time of 28.07. It was a bit painful but I did it. Right then I knew that this was my favourite parkrun in Cornwall. All the locals were so friendly and I got to know quite a few Truro road runners despite running for Newquay. I also took photos and volunteered a couple of times too. Sadly I could barely walk for a few days after that run. It felt like was back to square one. So many times I had run, felt like I was improving and then not be able to walk without pain. Later I would come to realise that it was a random thing. Somedays it hurt, other days it didn’t. One thing I did learn was that the faster I ran, the less pain suffered in the knee. This was the complete opposite of what the doctors and physios told me to do, but it worked. 

                                  (Volunteering at Trelissick) 

In April, a new parkrun had started up in Heartlands, Redruth. It was only about 4 miles from where I lived. I managed to make it along to the second one on April 28^th, finishing in a time of 21.51. Despite putting on a bit of weight through the drinking, I was getting faster.

Back to Trelissick on May the 5^th for an impressive time of 22.00 minutes for me on a course with a tough vertical field in it. Although, I had made trelissick my home parkrun I was still keen on the tourism. I have done all the Cornish parkruns and none of them capture the love and sense of community of Trelissick. The people certainly make the parkrun. I love that fact that you barely get 200 people at these Cornish parkruns.

               (Me and Helen before the Eden Project parkrun, hanging)

Later in May, my friends Helen and Barry came down. It was a great opportunity for us to visit Eden project parkrun on the 12^th of May. It was hilly but a fast course because of the downhills. You also save yourself £25 entry fee as parkrunners get in for free!

Me and Helen had a little race and even after all the alcohol we had consumed, Helen was first lady home, which also means that I didn’t get chicked when I beat here with my athletic time of 21.00. Lordshill 1, Spitfires 0. Even so, I couldn’t walk probably for well over a week after that. Was it really worth all the pain and suffering for 21 minutes? Let’s see… 21 minutes running = 8 days of pain. It was maybe time to think about new hobbies right?

Well on the 26^th of May when I could walk again, I decided to do the hardest parkrun ever. Lanhydrock. I saw fellow Lordshiller there Peter Boustred as his wife Julia was running it. He was a great support and helped me to pick up the pace near the finish. Even now I’m still impressed with my sub 23. Finishing in a time of 22.57. Weird thing was that there was hardly any knee pain after that one. This is injury/damage was just fucking with me so much mentally. Can I run or not? 

                                  (Retiring another pair of Mizunos)

I can! On the 2^nd of june I ran my first sub 20 of the year at the only fast and flat parkrun in Cornwall. A 19.50 at Penrose depsite the 13 mile cycle each way. I even got to chat to Julia at the start as she and Peter were still on holiday in Cornwall. 

This was the confidence I needed as my friend Kev Willsher was down on the 16^th of June. I wasn’t even really doing training runs as they would just cause aching in the knee. I must have been averaging 10 miles a week inclusive of the parkruns.

Well, Kev is a big inspiration of mine and the friendliest guy ever with a great sense of humour and a great taste in music. After we’d been on the Spingo in Helston I still felt like I had to run hard at my favourite parkrun. Of course I took Kev to Trelissick. He was 2^nd in a time of 18.33! That is a crazy time of that course!!!! He wasn’t impressed with his 2^nd place though. Anyway, enough of kev I got a course PB which still stands at 21.05! Ok, maybe I wrote this the wrong way around. But next time I’m visiting Cornwall I will be back for that sub 21! 

        (I was really pleased when Falmouth Marine conservation messaged me to ask                                                                  permission to use this photo I took at Swanpool)

Not long after this on the 20^th of May, I did my first race of the year. A multi-terrain grand prix race (not to be confused with the road grand prix series) Meet your max. This was on a Wednesday evening. My first race in my Newquay road runners vest which I cycled about 35 miles to retrieve. I had been looking to moving to Newquay still but had trouble finding a job. The rooms were cheap enough though. In the end, I decided against the idea of moving there due to its isolation and difficulty with public transport. Even though I previously lived in Newquay in 2009 and loved it.

Meet your max and the MT series are a big like our CC6’s in Hampshire, except that you pay a race fee and it’s set up like a race with times and prizes. I think this is a much better idea as you get less people turning up and no overcrowding and you can actually pass people on the course! There were still 224 runners though. It was brutally hilly but also stunning. I went out pretty fast and suffered after 5k due to me only racing parkruns. However, I held on to get a 3^rd place V40 trophy and 2^nd place for my new running club. I was over the moon and walked back to Truro beaming with a giant smile. My time was 55.15. 

                          (Me with the Newquay crew at "Meet your Max")

A few days later I was back at Heartlands parkrun but I couldn’t get that sub 20 on such a bendy, intricate course. Too many twists and turns in that garden area. 20.36

In July I headed back to Southampton for a week. The first plan was Winchester parkrun. I met Paddy Connors and Kev Willsher who raced around while I dug deep for another sub 20 and failed. 20.28. I had beaten my previous course PB by a few seconds though, so that was some consolation.

The day before though, I did cycle 70 miles around the Isle of Wight with Patrick, Di and Mike. It was bloody hard on my hybrid bike with solid tyres (no inner tubes). It was bloody hard anyway. I had done it before but it probably took me a lot longer. Patrick’s athleticism had shocked me a bit. I was expecting us to be waiting for him. It was me that everyone waited for!

            (Around the Island on a very hot day with Patrick, Di and Mike)

I got to hang out with Patrick again when we managed to fit in a Fritham 8 mile loop with the LOGS (Lordshill Old Gits) These guys are my heroes and a great inspiration to me. I was so happy to see those who were around and got a nice local history lesson from Mike Letheren as we ran around. Always so fascinated by the LOGS stories and escapades. I’ll be back for the Fritham loop with the LOGS in February 2019. Looking forward to it.

At the End of July, I actually did my first Grand Prix road race. The Magnificent 7 or Mag 7. Another very hilly 7 miler. It wasn’t completely road but much faster underfoot despite the big climbs and descents. A time of 49,48 for me, which is still my 7 mile PB. I would love to do a flat 7 mile race if there ever was one. I would smash this time!

                   (Thanks to Michelle Baker for this pic at Tywardreath)

Now I had decided to quit my job. All the heavy lifting was affecting my body. I was on painkillers all the time and so was everyone else who worked there. The money was rubbish and so were the hours. Some weeks I would only work 20 hours and others I would work 45 etc..

My back was hurting, my knee was playing up from time to time and I had tennis elbow since February, which I still have but no-one near as painful as it was then. I was off with Sciatica and decided to quit just before August. I was pretty much living beyond my means anyway. My savings were severely reduced now and I had no job. I needed a plan.

I did another run at Heartlands parkrun and then ran in the Tywardreath trotters 7 with the sciatic pain. A pretty good time in Par of 51.35 on another hilly 7 mile one!

              ( I bought a new bike over the summer for my cycling adventures)

In August I had attended interviews but didn’t get the jobs. I messaged my friend Nick Marker in Plymouth to see if he had a spare room to rent in his massive house. I wasn’t expecting him to reply or even say Yes, but he did. I know Nick through years of skateboarding. He is such a nice easy-going and happy go lucky dude. 

In the meantime, my sciatica was a nightmare and I had trouble walking. It’s those hilly 7 milers and my weight combined I reckon! Anyway, Di and Mikey Mattingly had planned to come and see me. I was so excited but not sure I could run. I took them to my favourite parkrun of course at Trelissick. I tried to run around but quit after 1k. The pain was too much. Was just glad that Di and Mikey had a nice time. I wasn’t too put out by me not getting around. I knew this Sciatic pain wouldn’t last forever. I was still happy just to be running again after I never thought I would. What is sciatic pain when you’ve been suffering with a cartilage tear in your knee?

I also took Di to my favourite route in Cornwall. The coast to coast from Porthreath to Devoran. It was just behind the farm I lived on.

We started at a drizzly Portreath. Mike was driving to Devoran and I was lead bike for Di’s adventure. It’s 13ish wonderful miles and pretty flat too. So much to see and take in. You must do it if you ever visit Cornwall and stop off at Bon Appetite in Twelveheads where they do the best breakfast baps as well as healthy salads etc.. I have fellow skateboarder and coast to coast cyclist Lee Evans (not the comedian, but he’s pretty funny too!) to thank for this info. Cheers Lee.

Anyway, I had never got to run the coast to coast in one go but Di did and the sun came out. They are now doing a half marathon in 2019 on this route. We had a wonderful weekend and to be honest.. the best bit about living in the West country for a year has been my visitors. My friend Damon also met me in Plymouth for a fun, but very drunken night on the Barbican. 

                                      (The start of Teignmouth parkrun)

On the 14^th of August. I decided to move to Nick’s in Plymouth. My good friend and life saver Chris Odgers drove me down in his van as I said farewell to the beloved cats Burmese Bobby, Freddy the rabbit eater and Tinks. I was going to miss these cats so much. The alpacas were cute to look at from my bedroom window but not too cuddly in real life. I said I’d stay in touch with my landlady, which I haven’t and feel bad about it. I will email her tomorrow!

I repeated my arrival in Plymouth the same as Camborne. I had a job at a glue factory within a week or two of getting here. It was only an agency job and I had to get up at 4.30am to get the bus to Chaddlewood to start at 6am. I would often fall asleep on the bus home but was in need of the money. I got offered to serve drinks at Plymouth Argyle a few times but turned it down. I was still applying for other jobs and then I got an interview for a Marine electronics company in Derriford. I got the job and was soon to be a 9-5.30-er. My running and cycling adventures had now taken a back seat while I got in in the working world. Some people would often say that I was related to the Everly brothers, Don and Phil… Drinks everly. I got told that joke in a pub in Bovey Tracey just before I threw up all over my hotel room and did Parke parkrun the next day.

Despite all the alcohol intake I was still running as much as the back pain would allow. Aug 18 Plymvalley, Aug 25 Tamar Trails. On my birthday in September I phoned the hospital after a long time of pondering and cancelled my knee operation. I could do this. Even when not running I would still do all my knee strengthening exercises. I was very stubborn and focused I guess.

              (My mate and Landlord Nick with my Dad out for my birthday)

A surprising 20.21 at Torbay Velopark parkrun on September the 15^th.

I wasn’t going to race it as I had a 5 mile race the following day. The Coasters 5. Would it affect me much? Fuck yeah! A very slow 34.25 on a fast course. My legs were dead halfway round and within 200 yards of starting a gull did a big shit from a lamp post which splatted loudly on my knee. It sure wasn’t my day but the thrill of racing was back all the same.

October got much better for me. I did teignmouth parkrun which was hushed up for the first few weeks so that they could sort any teething problems out with the course. This time I did take it easy as I had the Plymouth 10k the next day. 22.10 on the very wet and windy seafront run.

The next day I was so nervous. This felt like my only proper race of 2018. It was a big event with road closures and big crowds through the city. It was a fast course but it certainly wasn’t flat but I couldn’t call it hilly either after those races in Cornwall. I still feel that this was my best race of the year. I was happy with a time of 41.19 even though I passed 10k on my watch in under 41 minutes. I knew I had run very well. I had obviously not taken the racing line and was weaving in and out of people. I was back! But then again, I never knew with the unpredictability of my knee. I was still only running 20 miles a week and often needed rest days to get the swelling and inflammation down.

                                             ( A very happy 10k finisher)

October the 10^th saw me show up at the Life centre for my first ever Armada 3k winter race series. They happen on the 2^nd Wednesday of the month at 7pm. You register, pay £2.50 and pick up a race number which you have to give back afterwards. I was expecting a fast time but with the West country, they don’t know what flat ground looks like. So it’s a downhill start from the Argyle stadium and then a right into Central park and another right up a big long hill. Anyway, I did 12.40

Exmouth parkrun on the 20^th of October saw we dig deep and get that elusive sub 20 again with a time of 19.48.

I tried again a week later at Longrun meadows in Taunton but failed with a time of 20.06. I was obviously no longer happy with the getting round in one piece and now had set new goals. How easily I had forgotten that I wasn’t even able to walk 2 miles in February!

I was getting carried away with the parkrun tourism but loving it. Going to new places at the weekend and running different courses gave me something to look forward. This was now my 45^th different location in the U.K. I would like to do my 50^th location at Bushy park. The start and home of the parkrun.

The day after Longmeadows I had the Tavy 7. The directions weren’t too clear to the start but the race didn’t start until 11am. So, I just jumped on the bus to Tavistock. Little did I know that I would be walking 4 miles through Dartmoor and then have to run a mile to the start barely amking it in time.

It was a great course but the headwind was so tough. Hills of course! I got a time of 49.57 and had a cold walk back to Tavistock afterwards. 

                                                      (Part of the Tavy 5k route)

Novemeber saw me returning to Southampton for the 2^nd time. This time me and Di decided to do Lee-on-the-solent parkrun with parkrun and mystery guest Ian Bower. Me and Mr.Competitive had a great race and gave it our all. It was pretty close but he did a real nice sprint finish. Without him though I wouldn’t have got my fastest 5k time of 2018 19.43. Cheers Ian! Good race.

A week later November arrives and I was back to Plymvalley for a course PB of 21.55. There’s a hill in there that you run twice and it zaps you a bit.

A few days later I returned to the 3k series to get a 3k PB of 12.20. Which still doesn’t sound fast. I am hoping to do a flat 3k in Exeter in January for a fast time.

Novemeber the 17^th I did the Tavy 5k. This race happens on a Saturday morning like parkrun but you pay £1 and get a nice track start and finish. Everyone is very friendly and you get to keep a permanent race number which you use everytime you come back on the 3^rd Saturday of the month. I just about snuck in a 19.59 for another sub 20.

I tried and failed to beat my course PB at Mount Edgcumbe parkrun which is now the third toughest course with a new one in the lake district taking second place. I got 23.14 and my best time is 22.43. It was very slippery at the top and on the descent though. So I need to go back in drier conditions.

                                  (Cycling to Burrator via the Plymvalley trail with Carl)

As we head into December. I talk my mate Carl Green into his first parkrun at Plymvalley. I am very hungover that day and Carl takes the mickey out of my “Barbican Belly”. I sure have put on some weight this year with all the injuries, food and drink intake. Anyway, Carl did a lot better than I had anticipated on a semi-tough course. Sub 25 for his first 5k run! I’ll have to watch this one.

I did a disappointing 3k series run for December and then ran Mount Edgcumbe again but with Di, Mikey and Carl. I took it easy in the torrential conditions and still fell over in my road shoes. Carl and Mikey forgot their barcodes! Mikey was in great form though and first Lordshiller home. You got to love a parkrun that involves a ferry crossing from Devon to Cornwall and there’s rarely more than 40 runners.

Decemeber 22^nd back to Plymvalley where I felt ready to race. I got a course PB of 21.14 taking 41 seconds off my previous time. It was painful though! Xmas day parkie a few days later back at Plymvalley and I decided to run around with carl and let him beat me for his xmas present. Another great performance from him though.

One last parkrun of the year at Tamar Trails where I met Di and Mikey again. Started slow but got another course PB with a time of 21.50 beating my previous time of 22.03. I still had to walk up that final hill 3 times. 

                             (Di finishing the Saltram trust 10: A free 10k put on by the                                                        National trust on the 3rd Sunday of every month)

I then decide to quit my miserable job in Derriford as I find the working environment too negative. There are a few really unhappy people there. Life is too short to be putting up with that. Move on. I did get on really well with Daryl and Chris and they asked how many jobs I’d had. I said about 100 and I meant it but when I wrote them all down I only remembered 35. My first job being at Tomy toys in Calmore on a whopping £2.45 an hour. Anyways, here we are.

I have had a rollercoaster ride in the West country for a year and not regretted any of it. I have seen so many places and met so many people. Although, I am now pretty much in the same place as last year, not geographically but situation wise. I have less money now though and no job. I am currently hunting for job number 36 in Plymouth. I am going to take a couple of weeks out to explore Devon a bit more which is something I feel I have neglected. I have also joined a health club for January with a nice swimming pool, gym etc.. I hope to quit the alcohol, eat healthy and lose some weight. Get rid of my Barbican belly.

If I fail to get a job by the mid February I will probably move back to Southampton, I would ideally love to move to Wales in the Spring but I don’t think I will be able to raise enough money to start paying rent immediately and plus finding a job but we’ll see what happens. 

                         (Hanging out with my awesome friend Anishka in Newquay)

I have no real plans and it can be scary but also exciting. I was terrified of moving to Camborne but I did it and glad I did. Who knows where I will be in 2019 and what I’ll be doing. I’m just not letting life get stale or monotonous. I am hoping to increase my weekly mileage up to 30 miles a week next year and think about running a half marathon. It all depends on my knee. If I run the half and the knee is really bad for weeks afterwards, I may consider the operation again. To be continued… Thanks for reading. If you got this far. Well done.x

This year I did:

25x  parkruns

4x  7 mile races

3x  3k races

2x  5k races

1x  5 miler

2x  10 races

The Tavy 5kool run

      

       Instead of doing the usual Saturday morning parkruns, I thought I would try another 5k event. The Tavy 5kool run is a 5k race that happens every third Saturday of the month at Tavistock college. It starts and finishes on the running track. It also only costs £1 if you’re an affiliated runner. Otherwise £2.

I got the bus from Plymouth to Tavistock and walked to the college. I had forgotten that I had previously run on this track when I did the Tavy 13 race a couple of years ago with Mike Mattingly and Larry Chen. 

I registered and they welcomed me and gave me a race number to keep.

This is now my unique number. So if I come back, I’ll just bring my number and pay my £1.

It was nice to jog a mile and a half on the track as a warm up greeting people. I wasn’t feeling all that race ready for some reason though. Maybe that tough 3K race on the Wednesday took it out of me. 

Anyway, we were told to make our way to the start just before 9.15. We were given a race briefing and were told that there were quite a few Launceston road runners doing their first ever 5k, so we gave then a big cheer and wished them luck.

I was at the front and ready to race. There were only 79 people so it was a nice small field but enough people to make it feel like a race. 

And we’re off! I was hemmed in on the inside lane straight away and couldn’t get past anyone. A big novice track mistake from me. But then I looked at my watch and noticed my pace of 5.55. I was going out too quick anyway. I managed to get on the outside halfway round and slowed my pace. We did a lap and then out of the gate where we ran around the perimeter of the college with a little climb where I was now catching up with these speedy kids that often go out at lightning pace but fade after a mile. We were running along Drake’s trail which is the national cycle route 23. One i've used to cycle from Tavistock to Plymouth on many occasion. 

First mile in 6.22. Ok, this was disappointing. I was thinking about a season’s best. Maybe a 19.30 running at and average of 6.15’s? It sure wasn’t happening today. It was feeling very hard and my breathing was heavy. I just couldn’t settle down and get relaxed.

We ran through a subway and out into a park. Here we turned left and followed the canal. There were plenty of signs on the course with “K” markers and directions as well as very supportive and cheery marshals.

There was a sharp turn as we cut across the park and headed to the leisure centre and then back towards the subway with the River Tavy on our left. There were wet leaves about but they weren’t causing any issues as far as I could tell. 

Mile two, a very disappointing 6.41. There was no chance of me getting a sub 20 time with this pace but I noticed on the turn around point that I was in 11^th position.

Ok, if I couldn’t get a sub 20, I wanted a top ten finish at least. Not long after the turn around I passed two runners who had slowed. Just past the subway I had passed two more. That didn’t last long as one of them came back and blasted past me again. So I was 8^th currently. I had to hold this for three quarters of a mile. I was suffering a lot and dared not look back. Just keep pushing. It was nice to have that bit of downhill that we ran up on the way out. We ran alongside the college fence and the track was on the other side. Now was the tough bit, as the race director said it would be.. I still had to run a whole lap of the track to finish. I ran around and I was nowhere near the guy ahead of me. He had a vicious kick near the end. Even though I wasn’t going to catch him, it inspired me to push harder. I wasn’t sure how close the person behind me was but I thought I should get my top ten finish at least. 

Last mile in 6.30. I’d crossed the line and sat on the grass panting. I spoke to some other runners afterwards and then collected my stuff and went to the wetherspoons for a veggie breakfast wondering about my time and position. It was a great race and a fast, flat course. Not a great time for me but I loved the racing element of it. My Garmin said I’d did it in bang on 20 mins and 8^th place was just an estimate. 

Eating my breakfast in the spoons. I noticed a lot of the other runners had the same idea. It was here that I got talking to the race director.

He said if I gave him 5 mins he’d get me my results from the race. Such a lovely guy and said I could even come training with the club if I wanted to try it out too.

Sure enough 5 mins later I walk around the other side of the pub and he tells me. 9^th place with a time of 19.59. “You just snuck under” he said beaming “with my precision timing”. Well, I was happy enough with that. In a months time, I can go back and try and beat my 19.59. A wonderful event with lots of friendly people but nowhere near as busy as a parkrun. 

A return to running

                              Thanks to Michelle from NRR for the photo taken at the Mag 7


DECEMBER

     2017 was a wonderful running year for me and a lot of fast times were achieved with PB's over most distances. 1hr 28.14 for a half, 40.28 mins for a 10k, 31.34 for a 5 miler, 19.02 for a 5k and 5.29 for a mile. I was over the moon!
The last race of the year for me was the Bovington half marathon which I was just going to jog round and enjoy with Simon Ashdown. This I did and it was a great day on the Itchen Spitfires coach with my friends Paul, Paddy, Rosie and Helen.
The next day I cycled my customary 6.5 miles to work but on the way I had a head on collision with another cyclist. I was coming down a hill early on Monday morning in December. We were both on a cycle path. We both had lights too. There was a child about the 10-12 years old who was in front of the older cyclist. I braked a little but all seemed okay until the last minute.
The cyclist behind decided to try and overtake the kid despite me coming the other way. I didn't even expect it! It seemed like a ridiculous thing to do.
The next thing I know I am thrown into the road and badly winded with fast approaching traffic coming towards me. I had to roll over from the road and back on to the cycle path. I lie there in pain and trying to catch my breath. As soon as I can breathe again I get up and swear at the older cyclist. I think this scares the kid and he cycles off. The cyclist claims that he didn't see the kid on the bike. "But you must have seen me I said! I have a 300 lumen light and a hi vis!". He doesn't really know how to answer this and goes quiet. I feel bad and apologise and shake his hand and tell him to have a good day. His handle bars are bent from hitting my ribs so hard. I cycle the remaining 3 miles to work were they tell me i'm going to hospital as i'm so pale. My blood pressure had dropped from the shock. Doctor says I've cracked some ribs. I shrug it off and go back to work straight after the hospital the same day.
The next I can barely move though. I am given 6 weeks minimum for the ribs to heal. No running for me over xmas.


JANUARY

I did manage a painful and slow Southampton parkrun in January with Stuart Smith and baby M.
Things seemed to be improving. I also did a slow farewell run with Di Mattingly before moving to Cornwall. I was looking forward tom a new season in Cornwall running all the Cornish Grand prix races. I had joined Newquay road runners as a second claim runner which means I could compete.
My knee started to ache a bit but wasn't sure why. I did a beautiful run around the mining trails one day. It was a few days before my first race, the Stormforce 10 in Camborne. I got a little bit lost but it was a stunning route and I managed 11 miles. Around 8-9 miles my leg was starting to tighten up and my knee wasn't bending so well. I persevered anyway, like us runners do.
The next day, I could barely walk. I had trouble bending my knee. It would be sensible not to race, so I withdrew from Stormforce 10 and tried to rest the knee/leg.

 
FEBRUARY

It was getting colder and my knee was hurting more. I tried a 5k pushing through the knee pain from start to finish. Probably not a good idea but I was frustrated. It was time to enrol at a doctor's surgery and see a doctor. The doctor looked it over and suggested an x-ray at the hospital. He also prescribed some Naproxen which did absolutely nothing to ease the pain. Work was hard. I was lifting heavy objects all day and I had recently moved to a farm. It was only a 1.5 mile walk home from work but sometimes I was struggling with that as the pain was so intense in the knee joint. Most of my free time was now spent cycling. It just wasn't the same though. I was really missing the running and it seemed like everyone around me was out running!


MARCH

March had come along and there was yet more snow. Walking was painful and work was hard. I was really suffering. I had missed out on the Newquay 10k in February as well but at least I got a refund on the Falmouth half marathon due to the snow/adverse weather conditions. Was I ever going to run again? You can only stay positive for so long. I was starting get really down and was drinking more and my diet awful. My x-ray results were clear. I went back to see another doctor. This time he advised that I had a sports massage as it was probably just something that needed loosening up. He pretty much told me to man up and made me feel like I was wasting his time.
I booked and had a sports massage in Green Bottom. Chloe was a lovely young masseur and did a wonderful job but it did nothing for the leg/knee tightness. I still could bend my knee or put pressure on it. Around this time I had also sprained my ankle and was struggling to walk on it for a couple of weeks.
Again, the frustration was getting the better of me. I went out and ran a 5k as hard as I could and then a couple of slow miles back. I was running in a £25 knee support now but I don't think it was really doing anything to be honest. After the run the knee tightened up so badly that I didn't sleep and couldn't walk without a limp the next day. I was to take 3 days off work sick with it.


APRIL

Back to the doctors for more advice. I seemed to be getting nowhere fast! Yet another different doctor. He said that it was just "Wear and tear" and "Old age". I should get myself to a physio and that i'd be better off paying privately as the NHS take too long to sort them out. I took his advise and got myself to a physio. The old age comment seemed a bit stupid though as I am 43 and our hero Roger Bradley still runs marathons at 74 years old!
The physio was great. He said, ligament damage was unlikely and I could bend my knee in various directions without pain. It was more likely to be a meniscus tear in my knee. I was advised to go back to the doctor and ask for an MRI scan. At the end of April I did manage a parkrun at Heartlands though and the knee pain afterwards was manageable. I had also volunteered a couple of times at Trelissick parkrun.

                                                Helen and myself at Eden project parkrun

MAY

I was expecting some visitors in May. They were both runners too. Kevin Willsher was coming down at the start of May. Heartlands was a good test for my knee. My physio had told me to take it slowly at Trelissick parkrun with Kevin. Well, I raced it as hard as I could. Kevin was a big influence and inspiration to me. It was a great day and I iced the knee straight afterwards to aid any swelling. I was happy with my time on a hilly course and plus I had piled on the weight this year. 

Two weeks later, Helen Bonaer was to visit. We thought we'd mix it up and bit and do Eden Project parkrun. Again, I raced hard and did an okay time. The problem this time was I could barely walk for a week after my efforts. The aching was constant. I couldn't even sleep without being woken with the pain. All my positivity and hope just seemed to be getting beaten out of me. I was so down at this point. I was starting to think that my running days were over. At least I could cycle still right? I can still walk to places? I am lucky to have my legs and I have done a couple of parkruns. It was no good. I was really feeling sorry for myself now and drinking more and more. 

At the end of may though, I decided to try Lanhydrock parkrun. It really is the toughest parkrun in the uk! It was hot and hilly. I did okay though and my knee wasn't too bad afterwards. There seemed to be no reasoning to the pain in my knee. It just hurt when it wanted to. Although the trails do seem to be a bit more forgiving that the roads.

JUNE

I got a letter for my MRI scan. I had the MRI which was a whole new experience to me with lots of loud noises and trying to lay still inside a machine. I rang the doctors a few weeks later but the receptionist said the doctor hadn't had time to look at my results. I phoned back for my results a few days later only to be told that I needed to make an appointment to discuss my results. The Meniscus tear had been confirmed with some other stuff going on too. It was like one big party going on in my knee. I felt down about it as both doctors and physio told me that Cartilage doesn't hear. They will need to stitch it up or laser through it depending on the direction of the tear. Either way it meant surgery. My next step was to make an appointment with the orthopaedic surgeon. 

    In the meantime, I was running again. I'd cycled 14 miles to Penrose parkrun and managed to run a sub 20 on Cornwall's only fast and flat parkrun course. I was over the moon. Bit of aching afterwards but manageable. I also cycled to Cubert to pick up my new Newquay road runners vest. I had entered my first race of the year. I was going to run a hilly, cross country race called "Meet your Max". I did a 7 mile run a week before just to make sure I could do the distance. I also got a course PB at Trelissick and Heartlands. I was running again and I was running quite fast for me! I was happy. I had missed this so much. How could anyone live without running in their lives? 

I was very shocked at Meet your Max as I got a little trophy for 3rd V40 finisher. It was a small field of V40's but I was so happy. First race of the year and my first race for NRR. 

    One more race. A 5k charity run in Truro called "The Roc 5k". It wasn't as quick of a course as I was expecting although it was flat. It was a very hot evening but I just about managed a sub 20 and came 10th overall. What a wonderful month and such a trun around. There were still some bad days with my knee though. 

JULY

I headed back to Southampton for a week to visit friends and family. It was so good to see everyone that I was missing. It was quite a hard and lonely winter really and now I was surrounded by sunshine and wonderful people. Before I came back to Cornwall I manage another goodbye run with Di. It was one of the best runs even in my eyes. I hadn't run with another person since January and that was Di the last time I left. It had made me kind of tearful. I quite missed social runs with other runners, especially my good friends. 

I went to see the orthopaedic surgeon and he was pretty useless. He told me that the tear in my knee was very complex. Did I want the surgery or not? My decision. "Sometimes I lose the feeling in my leg" I said. "I don't know anything about that". Do you want the surgery?". I decided that there were big improvements in my knee and I would leave it and have another review in 10 weeks. 

I ran a 10 miler back in Cornwall and it felt ok until about 8 miles but I managed fine. There was an ache in the knee joint but it wasn't anything like the pain and suffering of the winter months. It was training for my first road race of the year. I was actually going to run a road race! Magnificent 7 was a hilly race in Saltash. It had 7 hills. I walked about 5 of them. I ran fast down them though. I came 51st and 2nd for Newquay road runners. Another shock. 

I am running well again and have another race this weekend. I still get knee pain and realise that my knee will never be or feel the same again but I am so happy to be running and running well again. My diet has started to improve as well and I am not drinking 20 pints of cider on a Saturday night anymore. Although, I still like a few.. 

I have entered a couple of other races too. 

It's great to have some running goals back in my life and a purpose that seems pointless to many. Will it last? Who cares! Run while you can. Maybe i'll try a half marathon in September.

Meet your Max

  We're 6 months into the year and I was pretty nervous about my first race of the year.  I was going to be running a tough multi-terrain course for 6.5 miles. My knee seems to be improving and there is much less pain during recovery. I can even walk most days! Should I be racing with such a list of injuries? See photo below for my MRI results. Next stop orthopaedic surgeon.. The main fear was that I was going to be running for a new club where I hadn't really met anyone or knew anyone. This isn't strictly true though as I met Jane when I collected my awesome vest the other day and have had email contact with a few others.

      I love the fact that this race is on a Wednesday evening and I was able to get a bus into Truro from where I live near Mount Ambrose. I arrived in Truro with plenty of time to spare and then another mile walk to the Rugby club and a big hill called St. Clement hill. I got there and picked up my race number. I stood around for a bit until Jane recognised me and called me over to a small group of other Penguins. NRR's nickname due to the Black and White kit I guess! Everyone was very welcoming and it didn't take long until I was chatting away while more and more club members arrived. It was getting pretty busy despite there being less than 250 runners in the results.

       I did my mile warm up and then we walked to the start line. On the start line it began to rain while the run director spoke about the perilous course. Was this a good idea? I'm more of a road runner than a trail runner I think. My ankles aren't too strong either!
No chip time in this race, just good old fashioned gun timing, so I made my way near to the front. And off we went running through a field and towards a narrow looking gate. It soon opened up though when we hit a road and started to run downhill. This is where I got carried away and started to pass lots of people with my long legs. I was running at 6 minute mile pace and I had only been racing parkruns since April. I tried to reason with it and say to myself that it's good to blast the road section and it was downhill afterall. Mile one in 6.12.

      We soon hit the trails and the course became quite technical. There were many tree stumps and roots to manoeuvre around. It was nice and undulating through the woods and under the trees. We could have been anywhere. I was so disorientated by direction due to all the weaving in and out of trees and concentrating on my footfalls. We rounded Pencalenick school and were soon beside the Tresillian river. Even though we were racing I had time to admire the beauty of the course with the River on the left and a lake or pond on the right? I thought that I should come back here sometime for a walk with my camera. It think it was actually St.Clement.

    I had hit the 5k mark and sure enough, I was starting to feel it. I passed three of my club runners earlier on, on that downhill section and they were to overtake me now with lovely words of encouragement as they passed me. I had definitely gone out to fast as my splits show. It was quite narrow on a lot of the course and hard to pass others. I would offer to let people pass me.
I saw the girl in front of me trip on a tree root, she went flying but cleverly managed to stay on her feet and continue running. I had also kicked a tree root and my big toe was throbbing. I was wondering how many runners got injured on this race with the dangers of nature. We descended some steps that were quite spread out as well. 

   We came out of the woods and I was glad to see the water station halfway round as it was quite humid now and the rain had stopped just after we got running. Verity shouted encouragement as I ran past. I have got to know quite a few Truro Road runners due to doing Trelissick parkrun quite a bit. Lots more lovely people.
   Now, my story is a bit all over the place as I can't quite remember where stuff was on the route or even where I was. We had a tough drop which was a bit muddy so I just slipped down the bank and into the water. We then had to run through a muddy but shallow river, climbing over one tree trunk and ducking under the next. My feet were nice and wet but I knew this about the course and brought spare trainers with me.

    I actually knew where I was at one point when we came onto a road and into Malpas. At this point I was greeted by the Devil... or a lady dressed as the devil at least. Little did I know that this was a sign that the true suffering was about to begin. We turned right and then there were these steps. I started walking up them and most others did too. I think maybe 2 people passed me. This steps were hard work and I could feel the lactic acid forming in my calves. Even when the steps were done the course still seemed to climb. I was really struggling now but didn't want to lose the guy in front of me in case I got lost. Not that I should have because the course was so well signed and the marshals on course were great.

    I came into a field and was able to pick up some pace again. A marshal said something as I ran past but didn't quite hear it. Sounded like "Watch out... Wheel...?" I kept on running through the long grass looking for a wheel and trying to decipher the marshals message. Then it came to me. Watch out, it's real uneven. The grass was long and it was hard to see what was underneath. It wasn't too bad though but the field afterwards was quite rutted with 4x4 wheel implants.
  After my third mile all my miles that followed were around the 9.30 minute mile pace. I was almost dead and running on empty... apart from the fact that I needed the toilet really badly. This made me press on quite hard. Not sure that I would even make it! On the last mile I looked around for somewhere to stop despite having no toilet roll. My stomach was cramping and it was getting quite intense in there!

     Not long and I could hear people cheering. I turned left into a field and could see the finish. The race was described as "a long 10k nearer to 7 miles" by the race director at the start. I was expecting 6.7 miles but ended up just over 6.5. This made me happy. Someone shouted my name and some of the lovely penguins cheered me in as I did my best to race to the finish. See the pics of how bad I look! Not sure who took them but thank you.
I finished in a time of 55.15 and was 52nd overall. I was also shocked to pick up the above plaque for 3rd V40 male. Not bad for my first race back and my first race for NRR with all my injuries. To say I was over the moon was an understatement. Oh yeah and there was a total of 747ft of elevation. Probably the toughest 10k I've done but a great experience.
 

    Looking so destroyed in the above photo but the good news is that I made it to the toilet in time and got a nice medal and a cup. "What no pasties?" Everyone was saying..lol. I had a couple of Doombars while I waited for my plaque in true athletic style.

Lanhydrock parkie

     The thought of doing Lanhydrock parkrun definitely wasn't at the top of my list. I had done the Bodmin half marathon a few years back and I can tell you now that it is hilly, very hilly. But this is parkrun right and it's only 5k? I was heading to Plymouth anyway so I thought I may as well jump on the train from Redruth and alight at Bodmin. This would be my 155th parkrun, my 40th different location and the last of all the Cornish parkruns for me to complete.
It's important to remember your barcode for parkrun or else you won't get a recorded time but also in Cornwall and Devon, quite a few of the parkruns are run on National trust sites. I have also done a few in Wales. I usually remember my barcode but sometimes I forget my National trust Loyalty drinks card! Let's face it, we only really go to parkrun for the coffee and gossip afterwards ;) Anyway, I made a conscious effort to take my card this time around.

   I get off the train at Bodmin and realise that I don't even need Google maps as Lanhydrock is sign-posted from the station. It's a lovely 1 and 3/4 mile walk too. The sun was out and the birds were singing and the only other sound I could hear was that from a babbling river on route. I got to a gate and an entrance of Lanhydrock but wasn't really sure where to go from here. I looked at Google maps but still no idea. Luckily all parkruns have a website and I followed the postcode to the car park at the top. I had a big hill to walk up where I saw an arrow sign. One of the ones they use in parkrun in fact. There were cows everywhere though. Surely we weren't going to be running here? I walked to the big house which I remember from the half marathon and take a right up another hill. I could see the "Finish" sign to my right and further up the "start" sign to my left with a few people gathered around. It was still early though. About 8.30.

 
  I talk to a few friendly marshals who tell me... A: This is not a PB course and B: This is the toughest parkrun course in the U.K. Now, I have heard the latter stated by a few proud parkrun directors before including Trelissick which has nothing on Mount Edgcumbe or Parke parkrun. So, I was going to take these words with a pinch of salt. I put my bag and hoodie into the back of a jeep thing where they tell me the bags get taken to the finish for us to collect. I decide on a warm up and do a couple of Kilometres which entails lots of effort and heavy breathing. "That's just the way it is sometimes I tell myself".
I was feeling like I might get a top Ten finish here as no-one the previous week could even manage a sub 20. Not that I was at that level of fitness and it was only the previous night that I had had an MRI scan on my knee. The knee wasn't feeling too bad but I never knew until a day or two later what sort of pain I would be in, if any.

    Anyway, I kind of missed half of the first timers briefing and the course sounded quite complex so I would do what I always did.. follow the person in front and then the person in front of them etc..

3.2.1. We were off. It was a fast start and there was no congestion whatsoever with such a wide path and just over 200 runners/joggers and walkers. I guess the fast start was due to it being down hill. There appeared to be a lot of people in front of me too and I wasn't passing many. Think I remember glancing at my watch and seeing a sub 6 pace at one point. I was soon to slow though. We passed the big house and then there was a brief climb on a gravel path that I also remembered from the half marathon. After this climb though it was back downhill at full speed. It was all uneven gravel paths. every footfall was exciting yet dangerous. You had to think and place well every time you landed. It didn't help that my eyes were watering. I wiped them dry as I ran twisting on the gravel paths with the woodland all around us. It sure was a very hot day. The sun was shining but here we were protected by the trees, but not the heat.

     It's very hard to try and remember a course when you are racing. it wasn't like I was taking in all the beauty of the course but I was aware of it. I was also struggling to breathe despite the majority of the first mile having so much descent. I was close to twisting my ankle just before the end of the first mile as well but I survived.
Coming to a junction I had trouble slowing and turning right. I nearly ran straight on as it didn't seem to obvious to me. The marshal managed to steer me to the right after I had asked. I guess I should have been paying attention to the runner who was in front really! It flattened out but before long, we were running downhill again. So much downhill. Doesn't seem like a tough course right? Maybe a little technical underfoot though.

   6.44 for my first mile and 7.20 for my second mile. I was slowing and really feeling it in the heat after the first mile. And I knew it was going to get worse! In fact, I have just checked my strava stats and it's pretty much downhill for 1.5 miles and the rest just climbs with a nice bit of a downhill sprint finish. My heartrate felt pretty high on the last mile and I was struggling to keep it down. My breathing was really laboured too. I decided to walk for a bit. A couple of people passed me as we headed on the road back up towards the big house.

   I started running again though and soon caught them up. We turned right and crossed a field and then another ascent began where I walked again. Ok, it was a tough parkrun. That pinch of salt was now truly sore in my open wounds. I kept on going regardless. A bit more running and a bit more walking. Not many people were passing me though. Maybe one or two? It did flatten out again eventually and then there was a crowd of people supporting and cheering including Lordshill's speedy Pete B who I had spoken to at the start. He was supporting and his wife was running. He shouted words of encouragement that pushed me that little bit harder and all I can remember shouting back was "brutal mate". It was a nice speedy downhill sprint through another field and I felt fast at that point even though I had run/walked my last mile in just over Nine minutes.

    A finish time of just under 23 minutes and 18th place. It's a lovely course and the marshals were fantastic. I chatted to few after the run as well while I waited for the jeep thing to turn up with my bag. The jeep thing never showed though. I walked towards the café hoping it was there but no sign. It turned up in the end but I was getting a bit concerned at one point. I was in no rush to be anywhere. I was in such nice surroundings and the sun was shining. The weather forecast was set for thunderstorms, they never came, thankfully. After tracking my bag down, I then went for Coffee and got my loyalty card stamped. I had sadly forgotten about Pete and his Wife and never saw them again.

   I felt satisfied with my run as I drank my Latte in the café. I also decided to retire my trusty Mizunos that day too.
It is a very hard course. Tougher than Mount Edgcumbe with its 3k climb at the start? Tougher than Parke with the hill that you can barely walk up near the start? I couldn't say but they are all lovely places to visit and great experiences to be part of. What's next? All the Devon parkruns? I think I need to head back to Penrose for a faster time as I had cycled about 500 miles to get there the last time I did it.

The good thing is that I have had very little knee pain after this parkrun and had little knee pain after Trelissick parkrun but after Eden project parkrun in between, I had bad knee pain for 7 days where I struggled to sleep every night. The trails seem to be better for me because of less impact I guess.
Either way, it's good to be running parkruns again even if that is my limit at the moment :D