My thoughts on last weekend

This is a very difficult post to write. You see in meerkat society everyone is pretty equal and we are all there to help each other. This is probably why I am such a sociable runner, chatting to people and turning to lend support to those who are struggling. Always smiling at people who notice me and really just loving being out amongst people and not having to be scared of birds of prey (who are dicks).

So yes last weekend.

Well Saturday started well enough. Chris, his friend from work Sharry and myself went up to the stunning Bluebell hill picnic site for a quick 3km run around the rolling hills. As ever I was padding way out in front for most of the run with my nice light barefoot running style. Our plan was for Chris and Sharry to test their new trail shoes before we went down to the river to take part in the Maidstone Parkrun.

Now this is my first issue with the weekend. I am a runner, I have entered events before and when we pay for me to enter there is no problem that I am a meerkat, on other events I run along side the normal runners and no one cares. The Parkrun is a free event you just have to register online to have a barcode. Which I did!

 

There you can see I have my Parkrun barcode!

 

The rest of the run was amazing, friendly and fun and I was really impressed to see so many youngsters out and running. When I finished though, why could I not have a time? Why is it because I am a meerkat I am victimised and discriminated against and can't get a finishers time. That means now on my Parkrun record I have never run a 5k yet! Which is annoying as I felt I ran a very good 5k time - surely getting close to the record for meerkat athletes!

 



 

Here I am recovering after the Parkrun, replenishing fluids and calming down!

 

The second run we did at the weekend was a 10k over Bromley (wherever that is) and it was a 3 lap of an athletic track followed by 4 laps of a parkland.

 

Brilliant nice and simple course, how can people not count to 3 though? Chris and I were heading around the second lap of 3 and some people were already running off to go off to the park.

 

NO WAY! I was insenced, I knew some people had passed us on the track but it wasn't half the bloody field. Cheating sods!

 

What were they getting out of it? Why were they bothering to be here if they weren't going to run the full course, how is that a marker to lay down or a reflection of their actual ability? Where is the Corinthian spirit of sport?

 

I suppose my anger relates to where I am from. In Africa and in the wilds you either survive or die. There is no short cut and not cheating. Either you can run or you can't. Now admittedly I was not there very long before I journeyed to England (I was not born in captivity you know) but it leaves an impact. Especially when I see people like me who are still there running for survival - sprinters though but still my point stands.

 

Anyway last weekend left a bad taste in the mouth when it came to running and competitions. After all isn't this a hobby, something to pass the time with?

 

I have run bits and bobs this week - way more than Chris who has been doing 'work' which looks just like 'not sleeping and getting stressed' and who is now 'ill' which I am sure is a lie.

 

Anyways we have some big events coming up but give me trails! I want to see mountains again Galdalf (go to 2:20).

 

Love

 

Nick the Meerkat

 



Hell Down South 2014

Hello there people.

That was tough. Very tough. So tough in fact I did not know at times if I would finish it!

Of course I mean the Hell Runner Hell Down South. This year I am informed by +Chris that the course was much much tougher than last year. Although everyone (Nick (the human) and +Geoff) that the course was longer, it wasn't it was just much tougher due too all the rain we have been having lately.

First however let us rewind a little bit. +Chris has been writing about how he has been rebuilding his running over the past few weeks. Which is funny because he looks like he is running in the same way to me, only shorter distances, and getting more worn out!

So on Friday night we wandered over to Nick (the humans) for some pre-race fajitas. They were lovely but could have done with a little more scorpion for my tastes.

Here I am waiting for fajitas worried about the lack of scorpion in them!

As you all know nutrition is important for pre-race preparation. So made sure I ate lots of fajitas, ice cream and drank a few beers before falling asleep whilst the others played GTA. I have no idea what GTA is about but it looks like a game where you punch people in the head and get shot by police. How this is fun I have no idea but the guys seemed to love it. Especially when they died in odd circumstances! Very strange. 

So race day arrives to the gentle sound of it throwing it down with rain - joy - and at 7 AM we all groggily began to get up and ready. A few cups of coffee (got to stay hydrated and alert) and some breakfast from services - I love flapjack - and we were on our way to Longmoor Army Testing place.

When we arrived the rain was absolutely biblical and there were lots of signs about not touching anything you may explode. This did not fill me with any confidence. However I worked on some deep breathing and meditation exercises to calm my pre-race jitters. 

I must have fallen asleep because the next thing I knew the car was empty and I had been locked in! I started to shout for the guys and within a few minutes Chris reappeared apologizing and we headed off with Geoff to find Nick (the human). 

Something about Nick getting caught short and Geoff and Chris waiting for him to get back to the car and then needing to 'go' themselves. It was all very confusing and to be honest I wasn't really paying attention. I just wanted to get to the start, adjust my buff and run. 

The start was an experience in itself. This was the first truly 'big' event I have been too (over 1700 people). I have never seen so many people in one place before, especially on such a wet and cold day. There was also a strange aroma floating about which was neither nasty or unpleasant but strange. Chris later told me that was something called 'deep heat' apparently people use it to warm up muscles. I prefer lots of rubbing but maybe that is me, plus I like the feel of my fur... 

So the first wave of people (there were 3) set off and 20 minutes later we were stood on the start line. Once again there were lots of cries of "look a meerkat" etc to which I smiled and waved. There was a surge forward and I thought we had started, but it was just people getting up to the starting line and then...

A pause.

A longer pause I think for dramatic effect.

We were off. 

Chris and I had agreed to let Nick and Geoff race off and stick to our own pace for the race. This I believe was a very sensible and good thing to have done. 

The course started well enough, along a gravel road and under a bridge (I smiled to the camera people there - when the race photos come up I hope they look good). Then the course apparently changed from the one last year - the race director guy said that there was a 'twist' this year - we climbed a steep but short bank and were off road. Epic!

Then we were straight away wading through water and crossing fields, it was heaven, there were some small inclines but nothing too hardcore. I remember thinking that if the rest of the route was like this I would be OK.

It wasn't.

Very quickly the heathland environment gave way to mud and sand and very very wet sludge. Oh and hills, very steep uphills and downhills. Chris said it was similar to the Seven Sisters at Salisbury plain that they ran for the Gurkha Challenge. Only there were more, they weren't quite as steep - some felt it - and the conditions underfoot were very poor.

We were in some ways lucky though. The rain had stopped just as we were about to start the race and held off until we were back in the car after getting cleaned up and changed. 

However I pitied the people in the third wave, the ground was already pretty churned up for us and we were towards the front of the second wave. It must have bee terrible for people further back. 

There was also another issue. 

On an open course jogging, walking, scrambling we probably could have moved past quite a lot of people. The Hell Runner course was very narrow. Which meant queuing behind people quite a bit. This was fine for descents, a little bit of time to recover and catch your breath. Halfway up a steep and slippery incline it was less fun as you had to try to hold balance, not slip down the hill and then slowly move forward after being able to run up the first half of the hill. 

I do not have an issue with people needing to walk up the hills, God knows I had to at times, but maybe an alternate route or a wider course so people could get past more easily would have been nice. That said it was very freak conditions this year so maybe next year will be easier - Chris said the course was not this tough last year as it was less wet and slippy. 

Once we were out of all the uphill and down hill mudslides we ran through a lot more water and then up and around a woodland. This bit was excellent, the ground was soft and boggy and there were trees and water. It felt a little bit like being in a war film. Without the violence and risk of death. 

Epic stuff. 

We then ran up another fairly steep climb which lead to the top of the course. The view there was amazing. Looking out over the plains even in the misty not quite clear day was very impressive. 

We had also caught up with some people from wave 1 - who started 20 minutes ahead of us - which gave us a bit of a boost (sorry wave 1 people) it also brought lots of conversation about how people were doing, and why a meerkat was running.

No I don't mind people asking my name or why I am running with humans, not at all, however I do dislike the way they talk to Chris and not to me. Like I am some sort of pet! Very rude!

My favourite was the man who asked why I was running, to which Chris explained that I started as a fill in for Nick (the human) and now run the events (especially when other people - Dave, Chris V, Ben all of whom ran last year but not this - cant make it). This prompted the guy we were running with to ask if the mates were dead. 

Just like that, serious, no attempt to sugar coat it or be tactful. Its amazing how some people think. I put it down to the guy being tired from getting beaten by a meerkat!

Anyways we reached a very steep downhill, and unfortunately we had to go on all fours. There was an issue though and this raised its head a few times, and there is a chance someone may have a photo of this so I will come clean. There were the odd downhills that were too steep or had too big a gap between footfalls for someone of my stature. This meant Chris had to carry me. However he had to scramble using all 4 limbs in order to stop himself taking a tumble (as we said touch course) so he held me in his mouth using my buff. LIKE I WAS A PUP AND HE WAS MY MUM! 

How embarrassing. All I could do is smile and people and shrug. 

We wound more and more around the woodland and slid down some banks and scrambled up others and then we hit the BOG OF DOOM.

Now before we set off we were told by the race director to help each other through this as it was flooded and they had renamed it the SEA OF DOOM (always needs capitals). However as we were approaching it we head rumours that it was 7ft deep. We (Chris and I) did not believe this at all. 

It bloody was though. 

I am not a strong swimmer. Not really, I can paddle and I can splash through short, shallow water but to swim through a bog. With the smoke going off. Not for me. I managed to hold onto Chris' arm and hell waded along the shallows pulling me along. A little like St.Christoper I guess. 

Once again there were crowds and we got lots of cheers and cries of 'look a meerkat' we also got a mention from the DJ announcer, although truth be told I can't remember what he was saying as I was trying to avoid drowning. 

I need to point out though that there were life guards with flotation aids at regular points and people who could not make it through the bog (Nick and Geoff both swam it) were allowed to run around it. We almost did but I wanted to complete the whole course so we pressed on. 

Exiting the BOG OF DOOM meant more photos taken and chats with people, we had been running for a while in the same group who were really pleased that I had made it through the bog unscathed!

We were also now into the last 4 km of the 16 km. A few more hills, a crossing over a large lake/river thing. Yet more photographers and we hit sand. 

Beautiful, strength sapping, kind underfoot sand. 

I do enjoy running on sand (meerkat) but at the end of a long event it is very tiring. Still Chris got caught walking by a photographer here last year and he was in no mood to let up. In fact I think we actually powered across the sand quicker than we had run for the last few km's. It was probably because this part was relatively flat, could have been because it was close to the end, but was more likely because it was fairly open so we could move past people easier.

We then got back to the gravel road we started on and powered our way to the finish. Finishing in a time of 2 hours and 10 minutes. 

Chris was very pleased with the time as it knocked a whole 10 minutes off last years results and on a much tougher course (I don't think I mentioned this). 

I was very pleased as I survived in one piece! 

We then got foil blanket and bit of food and some water and headed to the car. I drove home wrapped in a towel.

Drying off in my towel.

When we finally got home I had a quick shower and then with my medal on settled into to watch some DVDs all wrapped up for the evening. 

Chilling like a villain.

Chris took a close up photo of the medal with is much nicer than the one he got last year!

Awesome medal.

And that was the Hell Runner Hell Down South. There is probably more that I have forgotten or just didn't recall as well as I might have. 

In short it was hilly, muddy, tough, wet and very enjoyable. 

Our GPS map can be seen here if you are so inclined.

Today I will be mostly putting my paws up and doing very little. Though I may have a hot chocolate first!

Oh and be sure to check out Chris' trail runners prayer! 

Until next time.

Lace up, lace up!

Nick 

Happy New Year!

Good morning, good evening and hello to you people.

I apologize for my lack of posting but I have had far to much to drink over the festive period and forgot my password. An embarrassing state of affairs I am sure you will agree.

In the last few weeks I have continued to run, less road more trail, and train and generally enjoy running about like a tiny child.

Not that I am a tiny child I am a fully grown Meerkat man, or something.

I have enjoyed my Santa outfit during the festive period but as the new year approaches I feel I now need something more suitable to wear for our next race - Hell Runner Hell Down South - sounds daunting doesn't it.

Anyways something I didn't realise until a few weeks ago when I went for a little trail run with Geoff and Chris is that I am a barefoot runner. I thought everyone ran like this.

It turns out that people don't run like this. Apparently you all cover your feet for protection. This is fine and I understand this but what I don't get is how it changes the way you run. When I run I mostly run on the front of my feet bouncing from step to step. When you all run it seems you stamp from heel to heel. Or thats how it looks to my untrained eye.

This became more apparent when running with Chris and Geoff and they were sliding about all over the place. I was placing one foot lightly and skipping between mud and they were sliding with the increased weight and force they were putting down. It meant Chris actually fell over and twisted his knee - he needs putting down and turning into glue.

When we went running on Christmas Eve Eve we went with Geoff, Chris and Dave. Dave runs very steadily like a man who is a veteran of many races. Light short steps allowing him to maintain a very consistent pace and still have enough in the tank to beast away from us all towards the end of the run. It is enjoyable to run with different people and see how they approach running.

It made me think, a lot of advertising and people who do run subscribe to this 'just run' mantra. But isn't running like any other sport? There is technique and training and practice. If you don't do something right then you will get hurt or go slow or not as far as you wanted. If you get it right then you will go faster, smoother and better.

Which means surely everyone who runs needs to think first about how they run. More than anything. After all when we are pups we run in a very different way to which most people run when they are adults. So why the change? If you spend the first 10-12 years of your life running about in one way why do you suddenly change that way of running when you get older?

Is that better? I run the same way I have always run - being that I don't wear shoes to change the angle of my foot or the position I am in.

Doesn't this mean that my muscles and tendons and other fleshy bits are now just moving and responding in a way in which they always have?

Doesn't that mean I won't get as injured as if I change the way I run due to some piece of equipment I am wearing?

Just some thoughts anyways.

Not that I know much, after all I am just a Meerkat that runs.

Love

Nick

Maidstone Turkey Run 2013

Hello dear readers! It is time again for another update to my running world.

So after last weekends fun with the Grim I decided to join in with Chris and his friends (Tom and Sharry) and run the Maidstone Harriers Turkey Run. Unlike last week I was really very chilled about this race with it being a shorter distance than the Grim.

Here I am on Saturday night relaxing ahead of the Turkey Run.

Now the Turkey Run is an annual 10k run starting at East Malling Research and running along country lanes, single track paths and through woodland areas. Having completed the longer Grim run the week before (and beaten Chris) I was fairly confident that the Turkey Run would not prove too difficult for me. 

However Sunday morning came and Chris sprung a giant surprise on me! He insisted that we run in fancy dress, we both wore Santa outfits although Chris looked more like a member of ZZ Top than Saint Nick!

I look awesome as Santa, Chris looks like a ZZ Top tribute act.

We arrived early for the race which gave us enough time to warm up, take on last minute fuel (food like bananas) and a bit of water. It also meant that we got chance to have a chat with competitors who had run in previous years. Tom was very good at chatting with people but I am not sure they understood what he was saying all the time! 

Here I am pre-race fueling up. 

Tom dressed as a reindeer, here we are all ready to set off.

We found out from the marshals (I assume that is a position not a name, or else it would get very confusing). That the course was the driest that it had been for years. Chris was naturally disappointed at this (there is something wrong with that boy) but Sharry and Tom were quite glad as it meant they would not have to wade through slick mud. Personally I was happy as hopefully it meant I would not have to de-tangle my fur again.

The course was amazing. A great mix of uphill, downhill and flat and enough off road sections to keep everyone from getting bored. There was a lot of running through woodland which was a little muddy and I had to be careful I didn't slip and fall! It was a very quick route as well and suited Tom and Sharry (who both ended up taking off away from Chris and I) as they are quicker runners.

This was Tom's first event and he was keen to finish in a good time so he followed the pacing of some people who were a bit quicker than Chris and I. This did him good stead and he came home in an excellent time of 52 minutes.

Sharry also ran a very strong event and came home in 54 minutes finishing 12th in her category. We were all very proud of her and hopefully the four of us can run more 10k events like this again.

As for Chris and I, well Chris settled into to his regular pace and plodded along finishing in 56 minutes (his aim was to break 1 hour). We couldn't help wondering how much longer it might have taken if the route had been as wet as people claimed it had been on previous years. Although I think I would still stick with Chris as I can keep with his pace even though his legs are about 5ft longer than mine!

Once again I managed to beat Chris, this time by a little more than a second as I had more for a sprint finish than he did (he was not impressed at this!). Although we both agreed that our next event should be a longer run (I think we are doing the Hell Runner Hell down South with Geoff and people Nick) with a little more dirt and water.

Here we are happy and proud showing off our medals.

There were a few gripes about the event though. Even though I am not an experienced runner I think it would have been handy to have had some distance markers. Chris had to work out how far we had run using the timer on his watch and estimate how far we had run. There was also a few narrow sections of run which made it difficult to move past someone running slower in front of us. This was especially true on the first major hill section, which really took a bit of the wind out of our sails as we we still feeling very strong at this point. Although it did feel like there was loads of room for people who were stronger in the latter stages of the run to ease past us and make us feel like we were going backwards towards the end (unhappy faces). 

My final grip was with my costume. While I looked dashing as Santa it was bloody hot! Felt apparently does not breathe when you run in it, I know Chris found his hat and beard very warm to run in and they were very sweaty at the end. 

I was baking by the time we reached the finish and managed to get a cup of water or two (no water stations, odd)!

Anyways afterwards we all went for a much needed pub lunch (pie and mash for the win) followed by an ice cream (thanks Tom).

I love a Magnum.

All things considered in though two weeks I have completed two events, I think I am hooked. I preferred the longer run and I felt the atmosphere at the trail event was a bit more relaxed and less about times and more about completing the event, which I prefered. However the people on Sunday were all very friendly - with some amazing fancy dress costumes - so I would definitely do this event again (next year folks can we have a meerkat category pelase). Although I have to say I think I am a longer distance meerkat (the pace suits me better - short legs and steps you see). 

On Saturday morning Geoff, Chris and I are off out for a long morning trail run - I am sure I will let you all know how I get on. Until then keep doing what you do, or something.

Peace and Love.

Nick.

Grim Run Aldershot 01/12/13

Well hello there human people and welcome to my blog! My name is Nick and I am a Meerkat.

You may well be wondering what right a humble Meerkat has to writing a blog, well I shall explain. Last week my life was very carefree and easy. I live with Chris and Maria (who does not like me) and spent my time in their spare room reading and surfing the internet.

Chris (my friend) enjoys doing crazy off-road trail runs with his other friends. Often this involves him leaving to drive somewhere very early on a Sunday morning and returning muddy and tired on a Sunday afternoon. That and another medal being hung around a 3 chimney'd Bunsen burner in the room where I live. However one of Chris' other friends (who shall remain nameless Nick Simmons) dropped out and could not make the Grim Challenge run for last Sunday!

Now just to be very clear, I am not a runner! At least not a distance runner. The most running I do is if I have had too much to drink and need to run to the bathroom, or if the postman is about to put one of those little red 'sorry you weren't in' notes though the door. Seriously who delivers parcels to people WHO HAVE JOBS in the middle of the day WHEN THEY ARE AT THEIR JOBS and expects them to be in? Royal Mail sort it out!

Anyways, no one else could go on the Grim and Chris promised to run with me throughout the 8 mile course and so I agreed to run. I was however asked to wear a ridiculous outfit to make me look like some Meerkat from the telly. I do not watch telly so I agreed. Though I felt silly dressing up!

I must admit I was very nervous and could not eat much at breakfast on the day of the race, however I managed to get my race number on without help!

Here is me failing to eat much before the day. I have my race number on all ready though, be prepared and all that!

Anyways after breakfast we got all strapped in and comfortable for the drive from Maidstone to Aldershot. We seemed to leave far to early but apparently this it to avoid something called 'traffic' and to allow us to stop off at 'sevices'. These things are all bizarre to me.

Here I am ready to go with Geoff in the car! Notice how tense and worried I look.

As apparently is traditional we stopped off for a cheeky coffee on the way. I really like coffee but didn't want to get out the car (nerves) so I stayed with the car as my legs felt like jelly. The guys did bring me a coffee though which helped to start to settle me down. 8 miles was seeming a long way at this point and I was seriously scared as to what I had let myself in for. However the joking in the car and the coffee started to help me calm down and relax a bit.

Here I am enjoying my coffee and feeling a little more relaxed.

At the service station the guys met the BIGGEST FIBBER IN THE WORLD. A man who claimed the Grim was BORING, EASY and NOT HARD AT ALL. He apparently went on to say how disappointed he was with the course and that it was very fast and flat. 

This man was talking RUBBISH, the Grim was none of those things. This upset me a lot because when I arrived I was expecting a fairly easy jaunt around the fields and a splash through some small puddles. 

Look at the race photos below for proof of how difficult it was.

 

 

 

Notice how tough the course is but how much fun I am having. Chris is loving it as well but I think he was trying to pretend to be having more fun in order to keep me going!

The course had steep uphills and downhills, lots and lots of mud, at least a swimming pools worth of water and lots of varied ground (trail/sand/mud). In fact there was so much to focus on with the running the distance seemed to go really quickly. In fact this is the part that surprised me the most. I was expecting the run to feel like almost all of my life condensed into one long moment of pain. The opposite seemed to be true, yes there were parts that hurt and at the time there were moments where I was wondering what a slightly portly, unfit and ill prepared Meerkat was doing running with humans in an event like this. Those thoughts though were very few and far between and actually I spent most of my time smiling at the crowds and laughing with Chris as we plodded our way around the course. If you don't believe me, look again at the photos and look how happy I am!

The best things about the Grim for me can be broken down like this:

1. I had no idea what I was getting myself in for, the feeling of not knowing really added a sense of adventure to the race. That made the day a great break from the norm.
2. Everyone was really friendly. especially the crowds who were cheering for me to continue (I think they knew I needed the support to keep going). Thank you crowds!
3. The course was so different and interesting, one moment you are running up a steep hill and the next you are waist deep in water, it kept you on your toes.
4. The course was really challenging (unlike what the GIANT FIBBER SAID) which meant that when I finished I had a massive sense of achievement. I have since been out for a couple of smaller trail runs while everyone is at work and am keen to enter another event to see if I still enjoy it and can improve on my time.

Speaking of times I completed the 8 mile course in 1 hour and 13 minutes, which apparently is pretty good (I won the Meerkat category btw) oh and I BEAT CHRIS BY A WHOLE SECOND.

Which of course I have not rubbed into him at all in this week. 

"I will have a cuppa please LOSER",

"Chris you dropped your LOSER card!"

"I am sorry Chris you will have to speak up I can't hear you from all the way back there, behind me, LOSER!"

It is important to be very gracious in the victories that you have over people!

One thing I did not enjoy is having to shower in all my clothes as they were so wet and muddy that I could not put them straight in the washing machine! I also need to invest in some proper running gear and clothing for post race keeping warm. the problem with fur is that when it gets really wet it also gets really cold. 

Look at my ridiculous fancy dress costume! Look at all the mud coming off me, yuk!

I did love getting my first ever race completion t-shirt! I have worn it so much this week, can't wait to begin a collection. Here I am kicking back and relaxing in my shirt.

I was so tired later on Sunday eve.

That is all I have to say really, I would like to run more races and hopefully raise a bit of charity money maybe. 

At the minute though I think it should be recommended to anyone to grab some trainers and go for a little pad about, one foot in front of another! You never know you may love it as well.

To Geoff and Chris I say thank you for taking me and would like to leave with a song to remind you guys of the fun we had!

Until we meet again!

Nick (the Meerkat)