Skip to main content

running in ice blocks


you have to back to 1901 to find a december that was as cold as the one we ran in Holland today! duncan and i raunthrough snow for almost 5 hours and slipped and slidded our way to the Hook of Holland.

It was a mamouth experience! it started in such great pain as our legs started working after the 30miles of yesterday. Profanities spilled from my mouth as I tried to come to terms with running on a dodgy knee. i whinced with pain every time it bent - which isn't great when you have 20 miles to go. Duncan was dealing with his own private hell and we got through singing various hits from Simon and Garfunkel.

the snow started to fall and the wind blew. Icicles formed on our hats and scarves. but it was going to take more than a blizzard to stop us! I got passed by a cyclist who wanted to know where i was running. I told him. 10mins later he returned pushing 35euros in my pocket. Amazing!

Duncan had to go faster than my shuffling pace and I lost sight of him after about two hours. From there it was just about taking every half hour. i didn't think the end would come but the euphoria when i finally saw the ferry was incredible.

the day was finished with an all you can eat chinese and the most amazing armed military policeman who was a sports masseur! he spent half an hour giving duncan and i a massage in the ferry terminal. I didn't even realise that Angels carried guns!

Comments

Emily said…
You are both amazing! Keep up the good work. Love Ruth xxx
9:57 AM
Unknown said…
Dude, what an amazing story. Brilliant. Too bad the camera's were only before the run and not afterwards. Otherwise you would have been @ Sportnews. Tanx for the show.
11:40 AM
Johnny said…
Brilliant effort! I am in awe!

J
12:08 PM
LifeIsSweetBaby said…
I also am just in awe of you guys! Bless you for what you did! This cause has become my passion too...I just wish I could something more. Bless you!!
12:16 PM
Unknown said…
I love that the cyclist came back and gave you a donation. Amazing and moving. Take care. Sleep long and see you soon.
2:00 PM
Unknown said…
Guys,

This sounds like a proper epic day. WOW. Brilliant story. Hope u recover quick.
Keep on rockin', singing and running.

The dutchies, Eelke&Coen
2:10 PM
Matt said…
Keep running guys the cause is worth it
1:11 AM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Life in the slow lane: exploring mid life

The other day, someone said to me: “I couldn’t do what you’re doing. I need to be busy. I need to be doing things.” Fair enough. Each to their own. But busyness feels like a trap that I want to use this year to wriggle free from. I’m going to give life in the slow lane a whirl.  There’s a concept in running called periodisation. You train hard for a block of weeks, then ease back, allowing your body to recover and adapt. The fitness gains don’t come just from the training itself, but from giving your body time to absorb the work. Nature understands this. Fields lie fallow. Heathland is burned to create the conditions for new growth. Seasons turn. Things die back, endings happen, and space opens up for something new. So that’s the idea for my year out: to make some space, see the world from different vantage points and replenish my stores of energy and enthusiasm.  I’m feeling excited. Here’s a sketch for the year ahead  Chapter one: The running monk First up, a mo...
Post a Comment
Read more

God loves a Tryer ; the Frankfurt Marathon

I wanted to write a blog about dreams coming true -   how I conquered the sub-three-hour marathon.  But as I sit here, barely two hours after crossing the line, that isn’t a story I can tell. I ran Frankfurt in 3:04.35 officially (3.03 without the loo break!).  I’ve probably run more than a dozen marathons in my life, and my expectations tend to outstrip either my ability or my execution. The gap between what I hoped for and what I achieve can be a difficult place to sit. Today was no different. I wanted sub-three. I didn’t get it. My two great friends, Phil and Jon both achieved their goals. Phil ran 2:59:58 (incredible). Jon ran like a pro for 3:03. They set out their goals and nailed it.  Does coming up short reveal some fundamental weakness? Does failure tell us something deterministic about ourselves, some immutable truth about our character?  We want the things we achieve to tell us that we’re good enough. But the marathon is a dangerous peg on whic...
Post a Comment
Read more