Abbey Dash

The Abbey Dash was the very first road event I entered many moons ago. It takes place in the city centre and out towards Kirkstall and back again. Flat and even its a good course for getting good times however, this would not be my aim this time. This time the aim was to complete a full 10km running on the front foot, having covered quite a few km with this technique and recovering well and especially happy to be ache and pain free after it, I was looking forward to it. It was only a week ago having had my visit to A&E that this run was in serious doubt, if I didn't respond to the medication I was given then I would without a doubt have to abandon this run. The surprise that I was given 4 weeks worth of medication set me back a little I don't think I had realised just how serious things had become. When I did my first run I was very nervous about any side effects the medication may have as it really was a cocktail to take. I decided to take it fairly steady best not to push myself now otherwise it really would have written off the Abbey Dash. No pains on returning home meant it went well, I felt confident in extending the distance after my rest day. No side effects from the medication meant that I felt comfortable extending my distance.
On Saturday I decided that I would take part in the Abbey Dash, I had to leave it as late as possible to determine how my week had been. As I had been taking the medication the pain had reduced dramatically in my chest, the pains in my lower and upper abdomen was much better, not quite there but enough. I had avoided so many "trigger" foods which up to a week ago I had risked in small doses but now they had to go. The problem is two fold, for the foods that trigger the IBS they aid the calming of the excess acid that irritates my hernia and vice versa, to find the balance for both problems is something I have learned to live with for many years, but now it was a problem again. It also makes running a bit of a problem, as I am a classic under-eater about 600-700 calories a day, so to try and limit the food intake only leads to one thing even less calories.
Sunday morning and I am up and ready for the off small bowl of porridge but no liquid. Its a dry but dull morning perfect conditions for running. This year the start and finish are in different places in the city, we made our way to the start enclosure which was quiet. But this was quite a way from the bag drop and finish, we decided that the weaving in and out of the back streets of lower city Leeds was a pain for Mark so he would wait for me at the finish. After dropping my back pack I made my way back down to the start enclosure, by the time I got back down there it was quite a bit busier, the usual queues for the toilets were extending across the enclosure. The warm up was called and a lady from Virgin Active with her helpers began to warm the "Dashers" up. This became a real problem quickly for me, as I am not the tallest of the species I couldn't see the stage, let alone the warm up. As people craned their necks to try and follow the warm up, it became obvious that this was fruitless unless you are fortunate to be Emuesque, arms and legs protruding in every direction possible, the near knock out punches, kicks up the bums and trodden toes and heels it became a hokey kokey. Eventually we were guided to our paddocks these were in time sectors, as we waited to move down to the start it was at this point that I missed my music. Since taking on the new training plan I have not taken my music with me, it meant I gazed around looking at the same buildings, scenery and people. As people cheered at the movement of other sectors, ours remained still, it had now been 20mins since the warm up, luckily as there were so many people corralled into the section I was in I wasn't feeling the cold air. As we began to make our way to the start it became obvious that this would be a rolling start from quite a way back from the start. It always amazes me how and why people set off at such rate from a 60+ section, if you wanted to go faster go into the 50+ section !!. I pick a couple of people who I feel will help keep my pace so that I can concentrate on my feet. Due to the start of the Dash moving the course directors have needed to add in a little bit to take it back up to a 10km. So as we approach Cardigan Fields we turn into the complex to run around the top of it, its slightly uphill and this means that the pacers I had have now dropped behind me, new pacer required, it takes me a little while to find one but as we begin the slight downhill back onto Kirkstall Road I have found one. Then a problem that I had not anticipated, the heavy breathing, slamming of feet and general thump behind me has distracted me. I am willing him to pass me quickly so I can get back to what I need to think about. As we turn onto Kirkstall Road my pacer is still in front of me, its feeling comfortable I am still running as I should be, as I have no headphones I have no idea of pace or time, but it doesn't feel too bad. As we approach the uphill section towards the Abbey I try to think about my foot position ready to push uphill. The road surface is a little bit more stoney which I can feel quite badly under my toes, I try to see ahead of me to pick out a smoother surface but there really isn't a smoother bit. As the turnaround point is now in front of the Dashers its a squeeze to double back, the water station is on the left, for me I don't drink on a 10km unless it is exceptionally hot, so I keep to the right of the course to avoid the water drinkers, however, it amazes me how many suddenly think "oh water" and flash across your pathway. Avoiding the slippy cups which is easier than trying to dodge than bottles, we now head downhill back towards the city. I am at this point aware that I had some rubbing under my left toes, but as I am now on a slight uphill it's rubbing more but hopefully this will ease as I level off. I have now picked a new pacer for the run back into the city, still unaware of any time or pace it is impossible for me to guess if I am on my wanted time/pace I cannot decide if I should pick up my pace a little or maintain to feel comfortable. As I pass the 7km marker board I decide to try and pick up a little bit I pick another pacer a little way ahead of me, my aim is now to catch up and stay with them. Under the viaduct, across the traffic lights pass Radio Aire, sat on an electrical box are two children singing "Bohemian Rhapsody" this makes me and the lady I am running with smile and wonder when we will see them on "Britains Got Talent". Fire Station, I can see our car, a left bend we now climb again towards the overpass of the inner ring road, this is a killer at this point if you slow down too much you walk, if you try to push it hurts or you lose posture. Over the inner ring road, downhill to the Headrow, the finish line comes into view, don't go too early, as the road climbs slightly towards the finish the need and urge to push takes you, you cross the line and grab for your timer. Bottle of water in hand and my finisher t-shirt in the other I make my way for my bag, all the time checking my phone for my chip time. Warm clothes on, still checking my phone, I then try the task of locating my Hubby, still checking my phone, I know that he is waiting for me somewhere near the finish, buzz buzz buzz, arggghhhh my chip time, I now don't want to look.....1.09.25 mmmmm a little disappointed I would have been happy with 1.06. However, I have completed the whole 10km on the front foot, I have no pain at all in either achilles tendons, no pain at all in my knees, so that is worth the 3 minutes, the only tenderness is from a couple of blisters under my left row of toes. I feel so pain free that I am almost waiting for some real  pain to zap me. After locating my Hubby we make our way to the German Market for our now mandatory Pancakes and syrup, but today as I see people eating the most delicious looking hot dogs and I need one. After having our little snack we make our way back to the car feeling that I have achieved I would never have believed that at anytime of my running that front foot would ever be my position of choice but the benefits have out weighed any reason to go back to how it was.

So the next dates in the calendar are Great Yorkshire Stair Climb, which takes place inside Bridgewater Place in Leeds. The Santa Dash around Leeds city centre will be something that I will do for the first time with my youngest Son. That will conclude my event running for this year, but does not conclude my running for the year as weather permitting I will carry on putting in the miles.