Neolithic Marathon 2008

It’s about time I wrote about the Neolithic isn’t it?

Well, I came pretty close to messing it up for myself. After being good and resisting heavy gardening at home, guess what I did at my parents? Yep, a load of digging and a clump of bamboo trimmed with heavy cutters held at arms length and strange angles. Back killing me the day before. On the day I didn’t feel too bad, but there’s no doubt I was more tired than I should have been.

Anyway I got off to a good start. As per last year most of the field was gone in a flash, but I actually spent most of the first couple of miles with another bloke. After 2 miles I checked my time list and found I was well ahead of target and disciplined myself to slow down. Last year I learnt my lesson, ending up with jelly legs after the first row of hills and the first steep decent. This year I enjoyed the views and the song of skylarks. I let the guy pull ahead gradually, and last saw him as I went into the loo at Cannings Cross. Twice the distance before I lost everyone compared to last year!

Across Pewsey Vale I was still feeling strong, but the rain came in. Glad of it in the cowfields where the hoof marks were soft and not as treacherous as last year. But a good soaking and wet muddy feet began to chill me and slow me. I was feeling fairly miserable as I pulled up Redhorn Hill and onto Salisbury Plain. I made what I think is the half way point barely ahead of 7 hour pace, and knew I’d have to really push on to beat last year’s time. It didn’t help that for some reason there were now no distance markers. I had to keep pushing and pushing, feeling blind to whether I was really making up the time or slipping further behind again. Mile after mile, gradually drying out, then getting wet in another band of rain. The tank tracks were mostly packed solid, but towards the end they developed a surface layer of sticky mud and stones that balled up on my heels. Every few minutes I had to scrape it off, only to be walking funny again seemingly within seconds. Last year I had the company of walkers all the way, but it supose many had been scared away by the rain, and I was on my own much of the way. I was also pissing blood. No I’m not joking. Actually a pretty harmless condition called march hemoglobinuria (march as in soldiers on long forced marches). A little alarming though, and has got to prove how hard I was working!

At last I reached the landmark of the Bustard Inn, and could check my progress. 4 miles to go, slower than I’d have liked, but in sight of a target! By then I felt so tired I’m sure I wasn’t walking straight, but I knew I had to keep pushing, or I’d end up slower than the year before. So I trudged on. Every time I thought ‘I can’t do it’ I’d take a short run as punishment. Those runs were frequent. The last run down was an unbelievable relief. I held my mobile phone ready to stop the stopwatch… and it started ringing! Someone with impeccable timing ringing to see if I’d finished! Not once, but twice. And in my fuddled state though the phone had stopped ringing at the finish I still managed not to stop it. Grrrr The chip timers seemed to have left the building… would I get an official time? I was assured someone had noted my time, but it was a bit of a cock up!

I passed on another trip to view Stonehenge from inside the fence rather than outside, but still not close up. I did pay for a massage: incredibly painful, and only partly distracted by petting the masseur’s lovely rotweiler who socialised while I was on the table! Both my feet went into cramp after, lucky I had an expert there to help! We also picked up my free food, and bought hog roast: absolutely delicious pork, apple sauce and stuffing in a bun.

And so… my official time is 6:56:00. I have a feeling that is exact to the minute not the second, but it will do. Personal best by 5 minutes! I’d have liked to do better of course, since I am still unspeakably slow by most folks standards, but I’m telling myself I’d have been a lot faster without the gardening. The week after I was not as stiff as I’ve been after previous marathons, but so tired! A few days after I walked 5 miles round trip to pick up Lizzie’s pills, absolutely nothing to me normally, and actually had to stop to rest on the way back. Still I’ve now run up to 4 miles, and progressing! I’m hoping this year I won’t lose too much fitness in recovery, allowing me to build on it, rather than ending up practically back at the start again!

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