Shell Bay Sandy Slither: setting the goals on shifting sands
6.1 miles of sand, trail, steps and sea. Mostly sand and mostly wet. This was my first attempt at this race, and quite possibly my last.
Having been off of running with shin splints it seemed quite a good idea to do a race on a soft surface, however I don't have as much leg strength as I would like, so found the heavy sand and the tough climb to the cliff top really hard work.
At the start it looked as though the weather would hold so, having discussed clothing options (and boys, obviously) on the longish warm up with Amie, I decided to pin my number on my bra top rather than my Fife vest.
The race set off from Lower Largo at a smart pace before bunching at the gateway onto the first beach. The sun was still out and strong on our backs, the wind in our faces. I tried to keep up with Amie but she was running too well and my new focus became getting some distance between myself and Rhona (another Fife AC runner). This was tough work on the sand, especially as the guys I was running with kept knocking me off the firmer sand. I'm pretty sure it wasn't on purpose, they were just using the same elbow power on me as on the guys and I was about 50 lbs lighter... Before long the men had pulled away and I was running alone into the wind. I made up some ground over the short trail section before losing it again on the next beech. By the time we reached the climb to the cliff top my blood sugar was running low and my legs were heavy with lactic acid.
Rhona overtook me on the way up and I overtook her on the way down - thanks in part to my fabulous inov8s which allowed me to run down the wet grass without falling. On the final beach Rhona was running behind me thus sheltering from the wind, trusting in my relatively fast finish I steadied up to force the issue and she passed me. We were level 600m out when we got to the pipe. I made it over easily enough but when I hit the unexpectedly deep sea water on the other side the sudden stop sent me head over heels and under the icy water. I was completely submerged. I came up gasping, spluttering seawater and shivering. My body then refused to move. It was like one of those dreams where you are trying to run from something and you try and try but your body feels like it's encased in concrete.
Having been off of running with shin splints it seemed quite a good idea to do a race on a soft surface, however I don't have as much leg strength as I would like, so found the heavy sand and the tough climb to the cliff top really hard work.
At the start it looked as though the weather would hold so, having discussed clothing options (and boys, obviously) on the longish warm up with Amie, I decided to pin my number on my bra top rather than my Fife vest.
The race set off from Lower Largo at a smart pace before bunching at the gateway onto the first beach. The sun was still out and strong on our backs, the wind in our faces. I tried to keep up with Amie but she was running too well and my new focus became getting some distance between myself and Rhona (another Fife AC runner). This was tough work on the sand, especially as the guys I was running with kept knocking me off the firmer sand. I'm pretty sure it wasn't on purpose, they were just using the same elbow power on me as on the guys and I was about 50 lbs lighter... Before long the men had pulled away and I was running alone into the wind. I made up some ground over the short trail section before losing it again on the next beech. By the time we reached the climb to the cliff top my blood sugar was running low and my legs were heavy with lactic acid.
Rhona overtook me on the way up and I overtook her on the way down - thanks in part to my fabulous inov8s which allowed me to run down the wet grass without falling. On the final beach Rhona was running behind me thus sheltering from the wind, trusting in my relatively fast finish I steadied up to force the issue and she passed me. We were level 600m out when we got to the pipe. I made it over easily enough but when I hit the unexpectedly deep sea water on the other side the sudden stop sent me head over heels and under the icy water. I was completely submerged. I came up gasping, spluttering seawater and shivering. My body then refused to move. It was like one of those dreams where you are trying to run from something and you try and try but your body feels like it's encased in concrete.
There was about 600m of soft sand between me and the finish line when the rain began to crash down. I had salt water in my eyes, ears and lungs and a body that was using the waterlogged ears as an excuse not to listen. I felt more like stopping than I ever have in a marathon but I staggered to the end.
Rhona tried to shake hands but as she took mine I winced and pulled away discovering in that moment the cut to my palm. Rhona had blood streaking down the back of her thigh. I had cut my knee and turned 1 sock red. Looking around I saw most people were bleeding, having fallen on the cliff top descent or the seaweed covered rocks.
Amie and I went for a warm down (more a warm up at this point) before heading to Ron's car for dry clothes. I was cross with myself for slowing up on the final beach, an act which, because of the fall, cost me second place. Ron told me to learn from it and move on. Mum said exactly the same thing when we spoke on Skype at the weekend.
It seems strange to be dissatisfied with third place, especially when the two runners ahead are good runners. This time last year I wouldn't even have dreamt of getting placed. Now I've come third three times in a row: at the Chariots 5K, the Hill of Tarvit and the Sandy Slither.
I am forever moving the goal posts.
On the way back we talked with Ron about next year's London Marathon. Once more the goal posts disappeared over the horizon... Just how close can I get to a sub-three hour marathon?
More to the point, having just fallen in the north sea and struggled to complete a 6 mile beach race, I had set my goals once more on shifting sands...
It is probably too late now for the Tour de Fife (sorry, I've caught le tour bug again (go Cavendish!)) but between then and now I'm upping my protein intake with Promax and increasing the strength training in a desperate bid to gain some strength for the hills... I haven't shifted the goals for that one - I just want to do better than I have before ;)
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