Dad-daughter 10K challenge 2024-2025…Post VII 26.02.25 79 Days until Bristol 10K, 11th May, 2025
Progress of sorts.
Since the last update, I decided to follow my sporting hero’s strategy and abscond to a faraway Training Camp to put in some serious prep.
Ali’s training camp in Deer Lake had some features absent from my lowly cottage in Cornwall: Ali had numerous personal trainers, an entourage of friends and well-wishers plus media attention…whereas my version is splendid for isolation. Good for writers.
The weather forecast for today at Deer Lake is, perhaps surprisingly, very similar to many of my days in deepest Cornwall: overcast, 9oC but with a westerly breeze, feels like 3oC. Ali (just like me…ahem!) wasn’t put off by wintry conditions.
Ali’s training camp in Deer Lake had some features absent from my lowly cottage in Cornwall
Cornwall weather: Day one and two bathed in glorious sunshine. Days three to seven were bitterly cold, submerged in freezing fog, and high winds. Suffice to say more attention was paid to dialling up the heating towards the end of the week and writing than running.
When the weather permitted, I ran my first 10K since taking on this challenge and found a fantastic running track in Par, near St Austell to slog round 12.5 laps ie 5K.
Are times relevant?
There is a certain joy attached to running. Honestly.
Level One is simply finishing! Keeping going to the finish line whatever the time, brings an intoxicating sense of achievement however grim the ordeal may have been.
Level Two is achieving a good time in the conditions – weather, terrain, route, other runners. It doesn’t have to be a PB. But a PB is Level 2.5.
Level Three joy is, for me, a rare feeling. It’s when you ‘feel’ you are ‘running’ not plodding. More akin to flying. It’s more than jogging or straining to work hard at each stride. You feel light and strong as if you could carry on at speed all day. I rarely – very rarely – experience Level 3. And didn’t on either occasion in Cornwall!
Pentewan Trail 10K time: 61:00 i.e. 6.08 min/km
Par Track 5K time: 28:35 i.e. 5:40 min/km
For the past week or so, Dad and daughter have had some interruptions. For me it was partly the inhospitable weather in Cornwall, then distractions back home and, for Rachel, an inopportune encounter with a virus. So we’re both on yet another recovery road.
A couple of days ago I puffed round local roads for not quite a 5K and yesterday did a run-walk 10K across the Severn Bridge on a chilly but gloriously sunny morning…and stopped everysooften to take some photos.
Reflections.
Personally, Level 1 joy was in abundance managing not to stop on the 10K Pentewan trail. The final 2K were tough, legs felt like stilts. But it’s a start. Hopefully, I’ll do one 10K per week from this point on.
For some, pounding out laps on a running track is about as exciting as sorting out a sock drawer, but I hadn’t run on a track since…erm…1975… fifty years ago! I paid a mere £5.00 online and had the beautiful red track all to myself. Temp 5oC, felt like -2oC, and a 21km/hr easterly may have put off more sensible athletes.
Looking ahead
77 days to go to the Bristol 10K. My hopes are (i) to enjoy the day, the crowds, and complete the course, get home, sink into a hot bath, and enjoy a cool beer to celebrate (ii) to beat my age ie sub-67 mins. (iii) but my true ambition is to run sub-60. I’m hoping Rachel might be there at the finish line to cheer her ‘ol man across the line!
Before that, lies 10 weeks of training after this weekend. It’s a no bread, no alcohol diet for me. This is getting serious. I may have to practice my frown, get in touch with my American side, and say ugly things like ‘You’ve got this’ or ‘You’re the man’, or ‘You can do this’ and put my fist over my heart & growl into the mirror?
Hmm…maybe not. No, definitely not.
I’ll let Ali have the last word:
“Don't count the days; make the days count.”