Sorry to be late posting my run report of Sunday's Monsal Trail 10k adventure.Yesterday was my grandsons third birthday, Tuesday was a catching up day, Monday we hired bikes and had fun cycing more of the Trail including all four tunnels before driving the almost four hours home.
I had been looking forward to our Derbyshire trip for ages, we had booked the same perfect cottage as last year and were heading up on the Wednesday as a family to spend a few days sightseeing before the big run.
Then on Monday night my daughter rang, my son in law had tested positive for Covid!
He isolated himself from them immediately, but would it be too late. We had spent time with him too. What to do?
I didn't sleep well that night, the next day we three took tests and were negative, so decided the four of us would travel up without my son in law who needed to rest, and he would be able to have the run of their house while they were away.
We all felt ok, and kept testing negative, I did not want to pass anything on to Floss or her husband...
Negative tests on the Sunday morning, meant I was going!
The weather forecast was atrocious, high winds, heavy rain. Storm Katherine!
I had a rushed wrong breakfast, homemade nutty granola with yoghurt and berries, and MrBBR drove me into Bakewell to pick up Floss and drop us at the start.
It was windy but dry, maybe we could have walked up the hill, I usually do a long warm up walk...not today
We said hello to Shake and Run, then met up with Sandie1961 and headed to the loo queue. Here we saw Cantstopmenow with her husband and we had a few minutes to chat while we waited in line.
I went to the loo for my last wee, but couldn't go after all.
Then we rushed back to clear the way for the HM start. Cheering Cantstopmenow off and clapping the runners as they headed out. The weather was good, still dry almost beginning to brighten as Floss and I began to run. Oops we had both forgotten to start our Strava, but then moments later started to jog. My breakfast was still sitting a little heavy in my stomach, I had not warmed up enough, but we ran steady for five or six minutes. It felt tough to me, I was puffed, but the walk breaks were enough to let me recover. Floss gliding along, me puffing alongside, and sometimes behind...
We chatted and laughed, we knew we would both struggle with this distance. We talked about how this almost didn't happen, so many obstacles to overcome.
The sun came out, I was overdressed. A thermal top, T and a running jacket, a buff and a non-breathable cap! The jacket was off, then the cap, the buff round my wrist, as we ran and walked. We stopped at the drinks station and Floss produced reusable eco-cups for us. No littering from us ☺️
At the half-way point we chatted to the marshall and took a photo, then began the return. Definately a downhill feel to this, no wonder I had found the outbound tough. Much of my 'training' had been on the flat or downhill! Run walk, walk, run we enjoyed the gorgeous scenery this course offers, and could not believe there was not one drop of rain. It was a bit blowy but not too bad.
We 'bumped into' my little family on the trail by the Hassop cafe, and I unloaded my cap and buff and we all shared a quick hello.💙
We managed to run the last bit to the line, no way could I smile as I ran though. Floss looked amazing as she finished!
Medals on and we hug and celebrate before walking back down the hill to the car park.
We did it, and already decided we will return next year, especially because lexi6 has said she would love to join us from New Zealand. If she can make that happen, surely we can all get there too!😊
Not my best 10k run, but my best 10k run.
🏃♀️🏃♀️🏃♀️🏃♀️🏃♀️🪻🪻🪻🪻🪻🪻xxx
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Bluebirdrunner
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Fantastic, sounds like a tough one but you managed it! It also sounds like amazing fun and a great opportunity to meet up with so many VRBs 👏👏👏 Almost tempted to think about entering next year so I have a longer term goal to help with my motivation 😱 love the shoes and the bling 💖 very well done, enjoy the rest of your break 🎉🥇💪
Thank you Beatlesforever, we enjoyed our break with our daughter and little grandson very much. The expected rain held off most of the week.
The event is a fairly small one, the course traffic free with lovely views. Plenty of time to work on upward inclines too !😉 be nice to see you there ...
What a lovely report BBR of a fabulous day and your "best 10k", so much more precious because it almost didn't happen! Congratulations on your running success, it is a great achievement, and I look forward to seeing you next year. Xxx
All of your pre-run support and meeting you made it more special.🧡
What a different race it would have been if the forecast had been correct! You did amazingly well running your first HM event, we cycled further up the trail on Monday...uphill for most of it! I am glad you enjoyed yourself .....you earned your medal!
Next year there will be more HMer's I feel, I won't be one of them though! ☺️
We were so fortunate with the weather. I was woken up in the night by the wind and rain hammering on the window. I was so pleased the sun came out for us. Regarding next year - you never know, feelings can change! Xxx
Didn't we have a time of it.... !!! All the lead up and then the setbacks and stumbles and the weather forecast on top of it all.
BUT, you did it... I did it... WE did it and we did it together and didn't we have fun! We could talk for England and win ... and laughter... so much laughter. It was such a friendly good natured race and you shouted encouragement to every single runner I think!
You have had really hard battle to get back to your running, with your knee and leg issues... it is amazing that you were able to run the distance, but you DID!
Talk about determination and strength...you wanted to be there and you were there and all the friends we met knew exactly how hard your journey had been. Cantstopmenow , Sandie1961 and Shake-and-run were all there to hug you !
I am so pleased to have been lucky enough to run the race with you... and I am proud, to call you, my friend...
HUGE well done you and even HUGER HUGs ! xxxx
PS
Just think if we do manage to train properly for next year,,, all those elite runners had just better watch out ! x
Meeting up to catch up after everything going on, has recharged my batteries. We are still running, and still winning! I was thrilled that you won your prize and certificate on Sunday, despite having to slow down for me. 😚
I shall remember your marmalade sandwich tip for next year too.
Well done Bluebirdrunner - and what a lovely run report! Sometimes the best runs are not the fastest, or the easiest but are something far greater and much more important - be that running with friends/ family or that one run we didn’t think we’d make…but we did! So glad you had such a great time! 🙂👏👏🏅
What a wonderful report BBr and it's amazing all the obstacles you overcame to get there and run it again with OF and so special to meet up and support other running friends too. I can see I'm going to need to do some more hill training to try and keep up with you though xxx
Thank you Lexi, 😅 don't you worry about keeping up, we will be so busy chatting we may forget to run at all!
Slow and steady works, and there is a tailwalker to make sure we won't be last. We will beat some of the HM'ers back anyway.☺️ Or is that the distance you had in mind🫣 you will have good company for that too...🦸♀️
Not so much a hill as just a steady incline lexi6 , if I can do it after all my prom plodding, you certainly can. A lovely gentle decline on the way back though
What a great post BBR. I really felt for you when you said your son in law had Covid and was so worried you wouldn’t make it. We would all have been gutted! As it was, it was wonderful to see you again, even if it was only a few minutes in the loo queue 😂😂 Well done on a fab run. See you next year 😁
It was a nasty shock when we heard he had covid Sandie, he hadn't felt well, then his taste buds went, so they tested. Our tests had gone out of date, so we got some new ones and held our breath.
We decided to still travel up, and had a lovely few days out, still testing negative.
All the stress kept my mind away from the actual running, and it wasn't until we got to the starting point that I remembered what I was there for😆
Pleased to have completed without injury or any pressure.
Note: must try harder next year. ☺️
Thank you! and it was great to see you running so well after your recent setback.
What a gorgeous run report! It was a bit will she/won’t she make it though waiting for the test results 🤞 but I’m so glad you were ok and clearly had a fabulous run with Floss 🥰
Well done and revel in all those lovely memories you made that day xxx
I’m soooooo relieved it worked out for you after all the roadblocks BBR. What a star you are. I hope your son-in-law is making a swift recovery from Covid and I’m so happy you didn’t succumb too. 🙏
It feels like quite a small event, they run the 10k and the HM on the Saturday as well as the Sunday. Its quite easy to 'find' each other...and everyone is so friendly and supportive.
The weather behaving made the day more special too, it wouldn't dare upset OF😊
So lovely to read the final post from the Monsal Trail Bluebirdrunner . I’d heard you might not be able to make it and was so pleased that you did. So great that most of your supporting family could be there too and escape the virus.
You and Oldfloss make great running companions and to share this run after all the obstacles you have both met is wonderful.
We are now thinking about joining you again next year.
🍏🤗🫶🏃♀️🏃♀️You two are amazing, inspiring and the loveliest of role models! The scenery sounded gorgeous and definitely a worthwhile place to run. Well done!! 🎶⭐️🙌
That sounds wonderful.. I feel very envious of the location of your trip.. in 2020 we had booked a week in Ashford in the Water, planning to walk the Monsal Trail. Of course it had to be cancelled thanks to the first lockdown. We’ve never rebooked to go back - so many obstacles have arisen in the meantime. But you made it through many obstacles.. maybe one day we will!
I hope you do get to walk along and maybe even run a little of the Monsal Trail one day, PeggySusi, Ashford in the Water is where we stayed. Pretty and close to Bakewell, but nice and quiet it suited us very well with two cars to park.
Thank you very much, I can't believe it was a week ago already, no sign of any niggles either so I'm happy about that...
Love this post BBR. So glad you made it, but the extra complication of covid must have made it ever so tough in the lead up to the startline. Well done for completing it again, despite all the obstacles 😊
So pleased to have seen your post. Many congratulations 👏🎉🏃♀️🏃♀️🎉👏🏁🥇🥇Not my best 10k run, but my best 10k run!!😂Our running journeys lead us to all sorts of things, don't they? So very pleased that you and Floss made it both to the start line and the finish line. I am intrigued by you wrong breakfast and wonder what your right breakfast would have been and also how or what did Floss carry her eco cups. Happy injury free running to you 😊🏃♀️
I think the granola breakfast may have been a difficult one to digest, porridge or Floss's marmalade sandwich would have been a better choice.☺️ we live and learn, I was concentrating on getting to the start line, not really thinking about the run!
The cups are soft and collapsable so fitted into a pocket easily. She gave me mine to keep too.💜
Still injury free, thank you. How are you getting on?
I see my computer doesn't have the same emojis as yours, so after your last sentence. 'How are you getting on?' I had three question marks in little rectangles.
Wouldn't it be good to say I'm getting on just fine? I expect that you recollect that in August 2020 I fell from a 3 foot wall while pruning. My physios have told me that I will never have a normal knee. Without writing an essay my knee continues to give me the will it let me run, won't it let me run question. My first ever half marathon on May 18th is definitely a will I, won't I scenario, but I shall keep trying. Currently keeping my heart rate between 118 and 128, so a slower pace than my previous usual in the hope to reduce the impact through my knee and nurse myself to the start line.
My emojis were three hyacinths over61, I really hope you can pull off that HM on the 18th, that is not a distance I ever fancy running!Happy (good knee) running to you too.
Oh yes! I really need happy good knee running! Thank you! Do you ever look at your average heart rate for your runs and are you still a fan of engaging your glutes!?
I do not, I actually don't use a Garmin even, just my phone to record my runs.
Engaging the glutes, yes I try to keep some form while running, and thinking about my core and using those glute muscles to take the strain from my legs happens more naturally now. All the yoga I do helps with this I think...
I hadn't realised that using glute muscles takes strain from the legs. A definite plus there, always more to learn. Thank you. I have to consciously remember to engage my glutes rather than it naturally happening. One mini learning step at a time 😊
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