The Bubble
- Sheila Rose
- Oct 3, 2017
- 5 min read
Got a very special package delivered yesterday containing a race vest I’ve been working towards since 2013 - although I didn't know it at the time, - I will hopefully get to show it off on the 4th November as I officially join the 100 Marathon Club. Its never really been a numbers game for me, I am a bit of an accidental marathon runner & the timescale it took me to get there was never really my driving force - I guess for me I wanted to join the club - because of the awesome people who had already achieved the 100 & beyond, when I first came across the 100 MC I simply had no idea - people actually ran a 100 marathons? HOW? Its kind of dangerous hanging with these people, bonkers the lot of them, they inspire, amaze & encourage you to think beyond what you imagined possible!
My own journey began for real in 2013 - I started running in 2011 initially but got a bad hip injury which with hindsight was a huge blessing, it made me reassess my running - leading with a lot of strength work & learning to run again and progression into the Luna Sandals. I finally felt ready to train for my first marathon (Milton Keynes Marathon) in January 2013, following a 16 week training plan (as proper runners do). I was terrified before the race, but absolutely it, I could not wait to sign up again, 2017 was my 5th year earning the Legends medal & also had the honour of being a MK Ambassador. An innocent enough trip to Caldecotte Lake to support my friend David Lewis, introduced me to Enigma Running & the infamous “Foxy” spinning bling :-) and of course the man himself Mr David Bayley, so one marathon 2013 turned into 4! Slippery slope had begun.
2013 4 Marathons, 12 Half Marathons, 1 10 Miler, 1 7 Miler & 1 10KM
2014 a definite continuation of the slippy slope with a introduction to trail running courtesy of The OX (White Star Running), I remember coming to a wall of grass 3 miles in thinking I was going to die, by the time we finished I was hooked on trail running! 2014 was the year of my 50th birthday and my first attempt at multi day marathons to celebrate - 2 double weekends followed with Enigma Running. Also my first ever Ultras, a 50km with SNV at the Tolkien Challenge & the Stort 30. Favorite race the Stour Valley Marathon.
2014 2 Ultra Marathons, 11 Marathons, 1 20 Miler, 14 Half Marathons & 1 10 Miler
2015 - I guess the possibility of reaching the 100 was becoming maybe more achievable in my mind, starting to see & get to know more members & indeed aspiring members, hearing their stories & sharing running miles. I still very much wanted to do the events that I enjoyed most with the focus on enjoyment not numbers. Russ & I entered the Green Man Ultra (46 miles) in March 2015, with limited experience of Ultra running - I can only describe it as a baptism of fire! One hell of a race (will be doing year 4 next year) and a great experience, totally in at the deep end, but we lived to tell the tale & when the pain subsided - absolutely loved it - Runners Goldfish Mentality ! A further 7 Ultras followed that year including what was then my furthest distance the SVP100, a tough 100km in rolling Suffolk we revisited this year, and it certainly has not gotten any easier ! I think 2015 was the year of the Ultra distance bug :-)
2015 8 Ultra Marathons, 17 Marathons, 10 Half Marathons & 1 20 Miler
2016 - & the “usual suspects” started to nag me about “the spreadsheet” & bore me to tears with stories of their spreadsheets (I’m not a number) John, Karl, Phil to name a few I think Karl is the King of the Spreadsheet!
Lots of fantastic races lined up for 2016, including my first Quad with the great team at GB Challenge in Barrow Suffolk - with the highlight being my first attempt at a 100 miler, the NDW100 - we did the NDW50 in May and it nearly killed us, but RGM (Runner Goldfish Mentality) took over - the NDW100 was my first ever DNF (Did not finish), however it was the most fantastic learning curve ever, and probably the experience which has enabled me to go on to complete 2 100 milers now! The first completed 100 miler was the Robin Hood with Hobo Running in Sept 2016 - nowhere near enough recovery from 80 miles of the NDW and an epic battle in the final 50 miles with a locked out hip, but a finish!
2016 7 Ultra Marathons, 22 Marathons, 1 20 Miler, 3 Half Marathons & 1 10 Miler
2017 - so I got around to doing “the spreadsheet” beginning of the year I was at about 71 marathon distance & over and joined the 100MC as an associate member! And I have been most excellent at updating the sodding spreadsheet ever since! Highlights of this year so far,The GB Challenge 10 in 10, I had been thinking about this for two years, I did triple days in 2015, and a Quad in 2016 - I was a bit awestruck by the runners doing the 10 days - and I’m easily lead it planted a seed. Luckily my best old girl Debbie is easily lead too - we signed up together & ran all 10 together, there was literally blood, sweat, tears & puke - but wow the best 10 days ever!
A return to the SVP100 in August in preparation for the RH100 in September, proved invaluable to me, a lesson in race management & looking out for myself. A great race tough, tight time limit and a definite “i’ll be back” from me. And to the longest race of 2017 - the Robin Hood 100, started with a lurgy & a crap nights sleep, finished with the fabulous David Lewis pacing (not the Chairman - the other one) 27th place, 6th Lady, 102+ on the watch official time 25.05 hours, happy days!
3 more marathons stand between me & the Blue/Yellow shirt - they will take the tally to 102 as I wanted my official to be 100 run in Luna Sandals (yes i wore shoes for 2 marathons) - It has been the most fantastic journey, with really special memories - I am an ex smoker who only started to run properly in 2013 FFS :-) ! For me this journey would be a bit meaningless without all the people I share a common interest with, the laughter, the tears, the good runs & the shit ones - the mud, the rain, the cows, the endless “luna” questions.
The journey is there to be taken, if you really want it - and if I can inspire just one person like “the usual suspects” inspired me, happy days xx
2017 4 x ultra, 24 marathons
Comments