Monday 13 June 2011

Badaguish


The main reason I went on the Harriers away weekend to Badaguish was to avoid sulking at home on tri day.  Oh and I was promised it would be good fun!!!!  So with that in mind Gordy and I loaded Samson up with as much camping gear as we could fit in and headed north in glorious sunshine.  Yeah, remember that one day of summer?  In fact it was so lovely someone forgot to pack his jacket and jumper!!!


On arrival we (Phil M and Gordy) put up the tent, then everyone congregated at the wigwams for drinks and BBQ.  Those of us in tents looked longingly inside the wigwams.  Then when it got too dark to be outside we moved into the lodge which was total luxury. 


The first night I got 2 hours sleep.  Gordy seemed to sleep ok but then he is a seasoned camper.  So I turned up rather tired for the 5 mile trail run on the Saturday morning.  Frankly it was so BAD (mentally not physically) that when we got back I nearly packed the tent up and came home.  Only a coffee intervention from ladies club captain Ali stopped me.  But the black gloomy feeling that had settled on me stayed with me the rest of the weekend and well into the following week.


On the Sunday morning (after another 2 hours sleep) there was a Hare and Tortoise relay (that's me in the pink, photo by Helen)  Obviously I was a tortoise but that didn't help with my feeling that my crapness as a runner was being reinforced.  3 undulating miles later at the back of the field and I was raring to get packed up and go home.

I've deliberately waited a week before blogging about the weekend and the following week.  Maybe I had unrealistic expectations about the weekend.  The company was fantastic, I ran both planned runs and Gordy had a ball but I expected to come home full of enthusiasm about running. Instead I felt like giving up altogether especially after then struggling on a run with Clark.  Maybe I was on a downer about not being able to take part in the tri.  Maybe it was simple sleep deprivation.  As I get older I value a good night's sleep in a comfy bed.

But every experience is a learning experience.  I will never ever sleep in a tent again!! I need to stop comparing myself to more experienced runners.  I accept that I'm not particularly competitive.  The challenge for me is always just to keep doing it because I can.  And I need to develop a thicker skin!!

The challenge for the summer is to build up my fitness to survive a boot camp in August (still not sure how I got talked into that!) and the Glasgow half marathon in September.  I'm ready to step it up a gear.

1 comment:

  1. Ali, you need to remember how far you have come with your running / sport. Personally I was really impressed with your running on the Sunday. OK you were passed, but that's not the point - you ran the 3 miles. I'm pretty sure that by participating you are an inspiration to Gordy, because, it's easy to be out front and keep going - not so easy from behind! Definitely don't compare yourself - you just keep plugging away and I'm sure this time next year you'll be faster still. Oh and if there is a lodge option next weekend away - definitely book into that quick smart!

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