Type of Race: Route description, self navigation
Course: First 25 miles, mostly flat and some minor hills. Last 15 miles, there were quite a few steep hills. Ground was muddy from the last couple of rainy days.
Route Description: Personally thought it was excellent.
Organisation and volunteers: Excellent
Food: When there was some, very good. Carrot cake was divine at CP2
Weather: Dry and perfect (10 degrees celcius and overcast)
Start Time: 07:00
Location: Henley Upon Thames

Dear Organisers,

Please can I pull my tyre, Red at your event.

Yours truly

Tyregirl
****************************
Dear Tyregirl

We don’t discriminate against people with dogs; so is the tyre obedient?

Regards

Organiser

Of course Red is now obedient. Since her redesign and marriage to Landy, she has settled down and been fine on muddy grounds

4th May 2012: Final Preparation
The plan was to have a cheesy pasta dinner and then sleep early, but preparation continued. First with touching Red up with some fresh paint and then was sucked towards “the cloud”.  The internet has replaced television to providing an unlimited amount of information, entertainment and socializing.  My route preparation to the venue, took a diversion to replying to emails, chatting to friends on facebook, and browsing websites in my search for solar ventilation/heating.  My early night was midnight and a conversation in my head told me 5 hours sleep would be fine…..that is, if I had slept.  The engine in my head was still churning out thoughts and it was about 2am when I resorted to a tension technique in order to relax the body.

5th May 2012: It's All About the Food
I wrestle with early mornings but I did manage to get myself out of bed by 05:15, eat the rest of last night’s pasta and a sausage for breakfast and was out the door by 06:00 as planned.  Arrived at the venue by 06:35, tried to check in. My name was not there! Thankfully I had my event number and found myself....of course ...listed under “Tyre”.  After all this was Red's event. I was simply the "dragger".

I was anxious to get going, however my reins were held back.  I had to chill out with the other walkers and do a mass start at 07:00.  So I fubbled, that is fussed around with my gear and bumbled around and tried to get the morning’s abultion out of the way.  Guess no such thing when one has had carbohydrate, fat and protein for dinner and breakfast.

07:00: Early morning chatter
Announcement: There is flooding on the banks of the Thames…
Mutterings: And there is still a hose pipe band!
Announcement: So there is a diversion at Goring. There will be a marshal to guide you.  You can see the new route on the map over there. So now if you are ready, tear off your “tear-off” strip off your event card into the “Start Time” box and have a great day!

My brain cells are rarely awake in the morning and there is a dull sense of awareness. Morning conversations are generally avoided.

Walker 1: You going to be pulling that tyre all the way?
TG: Yes
Walker 1: Does it have a name?
TG: It’s a “she” and her name is Red
Walker 1: But it looks orange.
TG: Her name is Red!
Walker 1: Why not Orange?
TG: You’re only looking at her superficially. What primary colours make orange?
Walker 1: Oh yeah, I get it.
TG: Anyway I have to do a short run as Red wants to get moving.

The walking mass were a couple of hundred metres ahead of me, so running really did not get me very far before I had slow down back to a walking pace to meet another inquisitive older walker.

Walker 2: Are you doing 40 miles with that?
TG: Yes I will be doing 40 miles with Red.
Walker 2: But she doesn’t look Red
TG: Yes I know. She likes the name Red
Walker 2: She is orange you know.
TG: Yes she doesn’t like being called orange.

I could not push forward as we were grouped together on a narrow street. I was trapped with this older gentleman.

Walker 2: You know it’s going to be all countryside on this route?
TG: Yes I know. I like small quiet marathons.
Walker 2: Well you’re not going to get any donations.
TG: Yes I’m not expecting any.
Walker 2: And there are lots of obstacles like roots and rocks and stiles….
TG: Yes I’m good with all of that. I’m a professional now. So how many marathons have you done?

Have found a question is always a good way of deflecting off negative conversations.

Walker 2: Oh I just did 50 miles last weekend, 40 this weekend, and will do another 50 next weekend…..you know you’re not going to get a lot of donations

Oh dear perhaps he has a little dementia? Or perhaps he was just adamant to make his opinion known.

TG: Wow that’s a lot of miles. What was last week’s marathon like?
Walker 2: It was a little wet and muddy. You know us walkers and runners won’t have any change on us because we want to be light.  See change makes us heavy.
TG: Notes will be fine….
Walker 2: I mean you are expecting change in your bucket, right?

My synaptic neurons were pulsating away to bewilderment. After a little more of the same conversation, the path widened enough for me to run ahead and find my own space.

Where's the Banquet?
By 09:00 Red and I were motoring well, reaching CP1 (6.6 miles). Scoffed a piece of cake, and was soon out onwards to the next check point. The plan was to eat a cereal bar every 30 minutes, and then eat something heavier at the “lunch time” check points.  The LDWA events are known for having plenty of food, especially at lunch time check points.

11:30: CP2 (16.1 miles). Red and I were a mile ahead of ourselves, as had expected to roughly complete 3 miles an hour. There was some cake and chocolate bars. It was a bit early for lunch, though was sure the next check point would have a banquet of food as can normally be expected at an LDWA event.

The route description appeared easy to follow. This was a dangerous thought, for when fatigue crept in, concentration can go. Soon our route diversion began and I don’t think the group of us really listened to the instructions from the marshals.

Marshal: Turn right at the green bridge

I was distracted by a Welsh runner donating 50 pence, and then a passerby throwing £2 into the bucket. I had forgotten what was said and foolishly assumed that the four others ahead of me would get it right. They turned left and so did I. The route description no longer made sense, until another passerby corrected us. (phew).

Pfaffing cost @ 10 minutes.

13:00: CP3 (20.2 miles). There was one chocolate bar left and crumbs. Where was the banquet of sandwiches, cake, pastries....? My expectations had been demolished. The marshal was very apologetic. I would have to go onto my emergency ration of three scones. My mind wanted something more substantial though my body would have to accept it didn’t need anything more. After all I was not really staving. I’d already eaten 5 breakfast cereal bars, 3 pieces of cake and two chocolate bars.

My mind and body were wrestling, and the hills were now biting hard into the quads. I spaced out briefly.

I allowed my mind to be distracted with food illusions and found myself wandering back and forth in a woodland, trying to make sense of the route description. I was now lost. I asked a family where we were. They had no clue and I began to feel a sense of hopelessness. I’d have to call the organizers but they too would probably not know where I was, if I could not say where I was! I wandered around further and found a “godsend” sign post pointing me towards Stoke Row, the next checkpoint. I had been going in the opposite direction. Admittedly I was a little fed up, but really just needed another feed.

Pfaffing cost @ 1 hour

16:00: CP4 (25.8 miles). 3 hours to complete 5.7 miles meant I had spent my excess time. If we got lost one more time, it would be game over. The check points had a time limit and the next one closed at 17:15. We had 5 miles to complete however my head was a little distracted to complete the mathematics. Here there was a banquet of food! So thinking I had time, I slammed dunked some jam and cheese sarnies, followed by more cake and replenished my emergency supplies.

It was 16:15 when I departed, watched by the marshals peering out the village hall windows, shaking their heads as Red pulled away. My head was now in a better place, so my body felt better as we ran into the distance.

About mile 27, I did not see the stile and carried on up a hill. Again the route description was not making sense. I began to think about a DNF. It was so easy to do. I’d already DNFed once this year. No big deal to fail on another, or would that just be failure after failure.

Fortunately in the woodlands, there was a house and a resident for me to enquire and thus had to retrace my steps back down the hill to find a stile and Michael!

Pfaffing cost @ 15 minutes

Michael had started at about 07:20 and was surviving on 2 hours sleep. He was steadily moving along but in no hurry. He looked tired but his head was stubborn. He became my energizing buddy. I knew there was no way we would make the next check point by the set time limit, however he was still hopeful that they would allow him to continue. He was tired though still positive so I tried to shut out my negative thoughts. At the pace we were going it would be approximately 21:00 when we would complete. That is one hour after the event closed. However Michael remained enthused in positiveness. Loved the attitude and so decided to pick up our pace! In order to make faster ground, I carried Red except on hills. We ran down hills and despite Michael’s initial cautiousness he was soon speeding down them hills with us! We were flying on endorphins.

17:55: CP5 (31.2 miles).  By this point we had caught up with a couple.

Marshal: Sorry guys but you are 40 minutes late at this checkpoint so am going to have to retire you. We can give you a ride back to Henley.
Michael: Well I would like to continue, if you all (the couple and me) want to continue
Marshal: This will be at your own risk. So if you fall over and break a leg.....we are not responsible
Michael: If we stick as a group, we’ll be fine

The couple were not going to continue. Everyone looked at me to confirm my intentions. It would be so easy to return with the couple, but no way was I going to let Michael and Red down! It was just under 9 miles to go even if there would be nothing for us at the end. No food, no welcoming committee, just a dark hall and the mere satisfaction of completing the event. This was now personal.

TG: Well we just need to food to keep us going.
Marshal: So happy to hear that. We have got loads! Here take what you need but remember you are on your own.

Armed with marmite and cheese sarnies in our pockets, ALLONS-Y, we went steaming ahead. 1 mile completed in 10 minutes. Michael and I looked at each other, perhaps the route description was a little generous, or we were really moving much faster than when we had first met. We were utilizing each other’s energy and fast walked together as if we were old friends, and ran down hills as if we were kids. It was great to have a buddy to check the route description.

18:45: CP6 (34.9 miles).  The check point marshals were just completing their pack up when we arrived. They were beaming because they could off load more food unto us and we were beaming back from hill racing adrenalin. We were packed us off with more food and a tin of rice pudding and fruit cocktail for Michael.

20:23: End (40 miles).  There were still walkers who had only arrived about 10-15 minutes before us. The organization had only begun packing up. We had made it and we were elated.

Red’s official time: 13 hours 23 minutes.

Thank you to the fantastic organisation and to the folks who donated. Your funds will be going to EarthWatch. AND, Michael it was a real luxury having you as a buddy! :-)

Next event 26th May

The one that appealed to me was Pose running. It had scientific studies and facts about what was happening biomechanically in different "poses". It became obvious why certain injuries were happening. At the end of 2009, I went to an excellent "pose clinic" with Dr Mark Hainsworth (GP and a level 4 coach) and discovered I could run injury free with or without a tyre. I also started running in sandals to free my feet. My physio was waiting for me to injured.

Injuries in 2010 - NONE! No pain, no niggles after 10 marathons

In 2011, Dr Romanov came into town. Another fantastically awesome person to meet.

Injuries in 2011 - NONE! Again no pain, no niggles after 11 marathons.

Injuries in 2012 - as indicated - one. This has been sorted out with advice from Jon Port to do eccentric stretches. I have worked hard and my ankle that suffered an achilles injury is now more stable than the other ankle (oh dear better put more work in on the other). It has taken about a month for the achilles to feel completely fine. My current challenge is to be able to do the pistol version of the one legged squat .

1st April is when this fool starts her tyre dragging marathon again :-)

Red and Landy have been playing with each other's treads since the day they met.

So it was at Bedford Athletic Stadium, on a wet windy day, suitable for something rubbery that was impervious to rain, Landy and Red became officially devoted to each other.

For the day Landy had a major make over and looked rather fetching ;-) for the Fetch Wedding Mile. Red pushed him forward as TG passed them and thus was given a lap of honour around the track for his sweet fair tyre Red. Red screeched with delight and has asked for photos of Landy to be put up on the site first. Photos of Red will be up at the end of the week :-) ....when I can get them to stop playing with each other's treads!

Felix (from Kilimanjaro trip) once asked me "Does Peace come before Love or does Love come before Peace?"

My mind has pondered over this thought. Is it possible to say we love this world without peace? If we loved this world, we would fight to protect this world. In order for us to protect this world we must find peace with this world. That is we should be in harmony with this world. Yet corporates tell us to spend on trivialities, spend on toys/goods that won't last, spend because that is what makes the world go round and that is what will get us out of recession. Firstly what are we supposed to spend when inflation and wage freezes have meant we have less money? Secondly change that word to "consume" and I cannot find peace with those thoughts. Our economics and greedy corporates need to change to become more sustainable so that each one of us can find peace with the way we live our lives and look to protect our natural world or we will continue to destroy our heritage for us now and for our future generations.

We all need to pull together for peace!

Bisaniiwewin would remind me of this continually throughout this trip for I was nervous about this event. My preparations were haphazardly put together, but some how everything came together in the penultimate days leading up to the event.

Just days before, Dave (Arrowhead organiser) found me a buddy, Eszter, a biker and a great athlete who finished in the top 10 and smashed the women's record by 2 hours. She sorted out my accomodation and ride up to International Falls.

_Nicole, another amazing woman who is a friend of a friend, lent me her gear. I cannot complain, but when I saw the 5ft fiberglass sled she had lent me, I thought "oh dear". It was beautiful beast, weighing about 8-10 kg that needed two hands to carry it. In comparison, I could lift other racers' plastic sleds with my little finger. My second thought, was no big deal, I've pulled 60 kgs before.

With that thought, my mind went into expedition mode and began to load my sled for survival instead of opting for drop bags at check points. Wrong mode! Eszter helped me to adjust my head. So I left the snow shoes and a small bag of gear for a drop off at the finish, but still forgot to take out the over boots and a spare bag of thermal clothes that I would never use. I still had all of my food. All of which would be dead weight, and contributed to a total sled weight of about 30 kgs alone.

Most sleds in the race had a total weight of about 12-15 kgs.

Again, I thought "no problem", this would be great practise for an expedition. My head was challenging my body and my body was rising up to the challenge. My mother asked me to leave the tyre behind, but how could I leave Bisanii behind! Tim, another bike racer, who picked me up and dropped me off at the start point, commented at how heavy my sled weighed. However, at 6 am on race day I was committed.

The night before the race was an unrestful night as being a girl, my menstrual cycle was happening. Yes that "girly" thing that makes us crabby and snappy to those around us! This meant my body temperature was on the rise and thus the room felt hot and sweaty. It is typical for me to have insomnia the night before when that "that girly thing" is about to happen, although I managed to snatch an hour or two of sleep! It is typical for me to have an upset stomach and diarrhea when "that girly thing" is happening. Thus I had several moments in the toilet before the race started and unfortunately I had to be in the toilet when the race started! It is also typical for me to feel extremely tired when "that darn girly thing" is happening. This is a mind game, and the only way to defeat the mind was to keep everything positive.