1 00:00:21,400 --> 00:00:25,720 Hello and welcome to another episode of Run Till You're Done. 2 00:00:26,240 --> 00:00:29,560 This week's guest. I am more than looking forward 3 00:00:29,560 --> 00:00:32,680 to interviewing because she's just so much fun. 4 00:00:32,840 --> 00:00:36,640 And if you follow her on Instagram, she is traffic Cone 5 00:00:36,640 --> 00:00:41,160 Lama and she just has an incredible story to tell. 6 00:00:41,160 --> 00:00:44,520 So welcome to the podcast Alice Town End. 7 00:00:45,400 --> 00:00:47,600 Thank you very much, it's lovely to be here. 8 00:00:49,000 --> 00:00:52,680 Welcome, Alice. We'll start by the the, the way 9 00:00:52,680 --> 00:00:56,160 that we always start. And can you tell us how you got 10 00:00:56,160 --> 00:01:00,160 into running? Yeah, so you can go right back 11 00:01:00,160 --> 00:01:03,040 to school was when I first started. 12 00:01:03,040 --> 00:01:06,760 So I did cross country in school and basically I was the only one 13 00:01:06,760 --> 00:01:09,880 stubborn enough to keep going. Once the teachers were out of 14 00:01:09,880 --> 00:01:12,600 sight, everybody else stopped and had a tab and walked very 15 00:01:12,600 --> 00:01:16,720 slowly and I carried on. I did county cross country when 16 00:01:16,720 --> 00:01:19,000 I was 16. I actually raced in the 17 00:01:19,280 --> 00:01:21,080 Nationals against Paula Radcliffe. 18 00:01:21,880 --> 00:01:25,360 She came second, I came last. So, you know, it was, it wasn't 19 00:01:25,360 --> 00:01:27,880 exactly a celebrity. You were still there. 20 00:01:28,360 --> 00:01:30,040 I was still there. There was lots of people that 21 00:01:30,040 --> 00:01:32,520 didn't finish because it was very muddy and as you run round 22 00:01:32,520 --> 00:01:35,120 you could see people's spikes had come off their their feet. 23 00:01:35,120 --> 00:01:41,200 So I finished with both shoes. I did 1500 as well. 24 00:01:41,200 --> 00:01:48,080 I won a 1500 metres race in the sort of district, but then it 25 00:01:48,080 --> 00:01:50,720 sort of, I never trained. I wasn't that interested in it 26 00:01:50,720 --> 00:01:52,320 particularly. I quite enjoyed it when I did 27 00:01:52,320 --> 00:01:57,520 it, but I wasn't that bothered. So that kind of all petered out. 28 00:01:58,480 --> 00:02:03,840 And my next kind of foray into running was in 2011 when I did 29 00:02:03,840 --> 00:02:07,400 the Race for Life 5K. And that was because my best 30 00:02:07,400 --> 00:02:10,680 friend Alan, who'd been diagnosed with breast cancer 31 00:02:10,680 --> 00:02:13,920 when she was 26, was just diagnosed with metastatic 32 00:02:13,920 --> 00:02:17,440 cancer. So that motivated me to kind of 33 00:02:17,440 --> 00:02:20,960 do some fundraising. And my sister actually, who is 34 00:02:21,120 --> 00:02:23,760 was definitely a runner and still is a runner, came over 35 00:02:23,760 --> 00:02:25,680 from New Zealand, where she lives, to run it with me. 36 00:02:26,120 --> 00:02:30,120 But I literally had to dust off my trainers because they were 37 00:02:30,120 --> 00:02:35,240 probably like retro antiques and did that in about 33 minutes. 38 00:02:35,920 --> 00:02:39,600 Had a great time. But then I didn't properly start 39 00:02:39,600 --> 00:02:44,120 running until almost exactly 7 years ago, August 2018. 40 00:02:45,400 --> 00:02:50,840 And I basically I needed to lose some weight and I had two kids 41 00:02:50,840 --> 00:02:54,440 that were running off and I couldn't keep up with them. 42 00:02:54,440 --> 00:02:57,200 And so I wanted to get fit to better keep up with my family. 43 00:02:57,440 --> 00:03:01,760 So I did the Couch to 5K. I was very much doing it as a 44 00:03:01,760 --> 00:03:04,040 means to an end. I didn't expect to enjoy it. 45 00:03:04,040 --> 00:03:07,360 I was just like, let's shed some timber and then forget about it. 46 00:03:08,080 --> 00:03:09,840 But actually I really, really enjoyed it. 47 00:03:09,840 --> 00:03:14,920 And yeah, it's kind of escalated a bit from there, really 48 00:03:14,920 --> 00:03:17,760 escalated in lockdown, I think, like a lot of people. 49 00:03:17,760 --> 00:03:20,120 But yeah, that's where it all started. 50 00:03:21,920 --> 00:03:25,000 So there's a lot there. When you got started in the 51 00:03:25,000 --> 00:03:27,880 early days, a couple of questions already come to me 52 00:03:27,960 --> 00:03:31,800 with the cross country. I used to hate it at school. 53 00:03:32,960 --> 00:03:34,880 I was the one always dodging it and. 54 00:03:34,920 --> 00:03:35,400 Trying. You were. 55 00:03:35,480 --> 00:03:37,440 You were. You were the one having a 56 00:03:37,440 --> 00:03:39,440 cigarette in the Bush while I ran past you because I was 57 00:03:39,440 --> 00:03:41,600 stubborn. Absolutely did. 58 00:03:41,960 --> 00:03:45,480 Did you enjoy it? I don't really know. 59 00:03:45,520 --> 00:03:47,640 So, so, I mean, I can't have enjoyed it that much because I 60 00:03:47,640 --> 00:03:51,040 didn't bother training and I didn't really, you know, I, I 61 00:03:51,040 --> 00:03:53,880 was competitive and as much as if I was doing it, I wanted to 62 00:03:53,880 --> 00:03:56,560 do well, but I didn't really care that much. 63 00:03:58,080 --> 00:04:00,560 I think I enjoyed it when I was doing it, but I guess I enjoyed 64 00:04:00,560 --> 00:04:03,400 the sense of achievement finishing it more than they 65 00:04:03,400 --> 00:04:07,440 actually doing. And then with regards to your 66 00:04:07,440 --> 00:04:12,120 first race, you stopped and started a couple of times. 67 00:04:12,120 --> 00:04:16,160 When was your first race when you would say that you restarted 68 00:04:16,160 --> 00:04:20,800 from the coach to 5K? Yeah, my first race was so the 69 00:04:20,800 --> 00:04:22,880 first race I entered was the Great North Rhine. 70 00:04:24,160 --> 00:04:25,720 And I'd, you know, I live in Newcastle. 71 00:04:25,720 --> 00:04:28,160 So it was one of those things I came to Newcastle to university 72 00:04:28,160 --> 00:04:32,120 when I into the oh God, when well, when I was 18 ages ago, 73 00:04:32,120 --> 00:04:36,280 1991. And I actually entered the Great 74 00:04:36,280 --> 00:04:38,760 North Rhine three times when I was a student but didn't do any 75 00:04:38,760 --> 00:04:41,480 training. So thought that would be stupid 76 00:04:41,480 --> 00:04:44,880 in DNS three times. But yeah, I wanted to do, I 77 00:04:44,880 --> 00:04:48,640 wanted to do the Great North Run and I got a charity place for 78 00:04:48,640 --> 00:04:52,760 the charity where I work to raise money for breast Cancer 79 00:04:52,760 --> 00:04:58,400 Support group. And so as part of my training 80 00:04:58,400 --> 00:05:00,440 for that, I entered the Great North 10K. 81 00:05:00,880 --> 00:05:04,280 And I did that with my husband, who has done a bit of running 82 00:05:04,280 --> 00:05:07,720 previously but wasn't particularly a runner either, 83 00:05:07,720 --> 00:05:10,600 but but was fit, did a lot of cycling, did a lot of walking. 84 00:05:11,560 --> 00:05:14,280 So yeah, I did that with him and I think I did it in about an 85 00:05:14,280 --> 00:05:17,680 hour, 15, and I was just over the moon to finish. 86 00:05:18,240 --> 00:05:21,280 And you finished that race in Gateshead Stadium or I don't 87 00:05:21,280 --> 00:05:22,760 know if you still do, but you did then. 88 00:05:23,080 --> 00:05:25,680 So you finished running around the athletics track and you sort 89 00:05:25,680 --> 00:05:27,840 of felt like a proper athlete. So that was quite fun. 90 00:05:31,080 --> 00:05:38,240 And while you're doing all these races, I guess for half 91 00:05:38,240 --> 00:05:41,400 marathons and stuff, you, you're maybe not fuelling as much. 92 00:05:41,400 --> 00:05:47,240 But nowadays you're getting into marathons, ultras, what, what 93 00:05:47,240 --> 00:05:48,760 kind of fuel do you have for them? 94 00:05:49,760 --> 00:05:51,920 So I mostly try and eat real food. 95 00:05:53,000 --> 00:05:56,000 I I love good food and I love the trail snacks. 96 00:05:56,040 --> 00:05:59,960 And in fact, I was out for a run this weekend with a few women 97 00:05:59,960 --> 00:06:03,160 that we've got together based on loving trail snacks. 98 00:06:03,880 --> 00:06:10,640 So bagels with Marmite and cheese, potatoes, Twiglets, 99 00:06:10,640 --> 00:06:14,520 watermelon. Those are mostly what I like. 100 00:06:14,520 --> 00:06:19,400 I think I like fat coke. If I have gels, I like the sis 101 00:06:19,440 --> 00:06:23,240 beta gels, the orange ones that are sort of some you can get 102 00:06:23,240 --> 00:06:25,680 them gels you can get like blocks of Jelly. 103 00:06:26,640 --> 00:06:31,240 I like the protein rebel ones and tailwind and active route 104 00:06:31,240 --> 00:06:34,880 I'll have as drinks but I try and eat as much real food as I 105 00:06:34,880 --> 00:06:39,040 can. You had me at Bagels, but then 106 00:06:39,040 --> 00:06:41,800 you said you put Marmite on it. Yeah, Marmite's great. 107 00:06:43,400 --> 00:06:45,880 Not a fan. I've never tried that. 108 00:06:45,920 --> 00:06:49,520 That's. Good, I love Marmite. 109 00:06:51,280 --> 00:06:53,800 She also mentioned Twiglets. Do you, have you tried them, 110 00:06:53,800 --> 00:06:54,880 Nikki? Oh. 111 00:06:55,040 --> 00:06:56,600 I love a Twiglet. Yeah, you. 112 00:06:56,600 --> 00:06:59,800 Probably like Marmite then. Yeah, basically. 113 00:06:59,800 --> 00:07:03,680 Basically slathered in Marmite. Dipped the twiglet in the 114 00:07:03,680 --> 00:07:06,280 Marmite. Yeah, you don't need to. 115 00:07:06,280 --> 00:07:10,160 They're both disgusting. And I've got this great bit of 116 00:07:10,160 --> 00:07:13,480 kit then if you know a geeky hiker, which is a front pack 117 00:07:14,160 --> 00:07:15,720 that you can put on under race packs. 118 00:07:15,720 --> 00:07:18,680 And it's brilliant for when you've got having food when 119 00:07:18,680 --> 00:07:22,320 you're going because you've got like this zip top, all the 120 00:07:22,320 --> 00:07:24,040 snacks are just right there in front of you. 121 00:07:24,040 --> 00:07:25,200 So you can just pull it out and eat. 122 00:07:25,200 --> 00:07:28,960 It's brilliant. Well, Mike had jumped the gun 123 00:07:28,960 --> 00:07:32,280 there with the fuel into for the marathons and the ultra 124 00:07:32,280 --> 00:07:34,400 marathons. So we've done the Great North 125 00:07:34,400 --> 00:07:37,000 Run. How did you manage to progress 126 00:07:37,000 --> 00:07:39,760 from that to go into ultra distances? 127 00:07:40,920 --> 00:07:46,200 That was really during lockdown. So I was a member of a sort of 128 00:07:46,320 --> 00:07:50,040 Facebook group called the No Drama Lama Runners and, and 129 00:07:50,040 --> 00:07:52,680 that's where the Lama of the Traffic Cone Lama comes from. 130 00:07:53,200 --> 00:07:57,800 And no in I joined it a bit before lockdown, but during 131 00:07:57,800 --> 00:07:59,760 lockdown there were lots of people who were furloughed. 132 00:07:59,760 --> 00:08:02,640 I wasn't, I had to still go to work, but lots of people were 133 00:08:02,640 --> 00:08:05,120 furloughed and they, they did sort of monthly running 134 00:08:05,120 --> 00:08:08,360 challenges where everybody that wanted to take part would be 135 00:08:08,360 --> 00:08:13,160 randomised into teams. And then you'd as a team, you'd 136 00:08:13,160 --> 00:08:16,200 have a week and you'd have to go out and do as much as you could. 137 00:08:16,200 --> 00:08:20,600 And you'd get scored for distance, time on fee elevation. 138 00:08:20,600 --> 00:08:23,480 And there was something else I can't remember now, but nothing 139 00:08:23,480 --> 00:08:28,160 about speed or just about, you know, how far and, and how hard 140 00:08:28,160 --> 00:08:32,600 you could go and, and then you'd get points and you'd also be 141 00:08:32,600 --> 00:08:35,799 silly challenges along the way. And I love a silly challenge. 142 00:08:36,559 --> 00:08:39,679 So you'd score points with that and these would happen every 143 00:08:39,679 --> 00:08:41,360 month. So we all ended up getting 144 00:08:41,360 --> 00:08:43,640 really quite close and everybody's sort of goading you 145 00:08:43,640 --> 00:08:47,160 to do more and more. So I kind of ended up, I had 146 00:08:47,160 --> 00:08:50,320 actually entered York, York Marathon after I did my Great 147 00:08:50,320 --> 00:08:53,200 North Run, but that got cancelled because that was the 148 00:08:53,200 --> 00:08:59,080 2020 and I ended up running a marathon on my own in lockdown. 149 00:08:59,280 --> 00:09:01,640 It was when things started opening up a bit more. 150 00:09:01,640 --> 00:09:05,080 It was about June time and somebody else in the llamas had 151 00:09:05,120 --> 00:09:07,920 done that. So I just went, I could do that 152 00:09:08,000 --> 00:09:10,520 and you know, I'd been doing a lot of running but just went out 153 00:09:10,520 --> 00:09:16,520 the next day and did it. And then the first ultra was 154 00:09:16,640 --> 00:09:23,920 Ultra N, which is a 55K around Newcastle and they released the 155 00:09:23,920 --> 00:09:28,760 race, the entries six weeks out. So it was October 2020, I 156 00:09:28,760 --> 00:09:31,480 presume they, you know, I've been planning it in some time 157 00:09:31,480 --> 00:09:35,120 and it was cancelled and then they got permission to do it and 158 00:09:35,120 --> 00:09:38,080 you could do either 55K or 27 1/2. 159 00:09:38,080 --> 00:09:41,800 And I was like, but of course you have to go big or go or go 160 00:09:41,800 --> 00:09:45,160 home, really, don't you? So it was hawing it down with 161 00:09:45,200 --> 00:09:48,280 rain all day, got soaking wet. It was the wettest day of the 162 00:09:48,280 --> 00:09:49,720 year. But actually I had a really good 163 00:09:49,720 --> 00:09:55,160 time and. What's the What do you make? 164 00:09:56,800 --> 00:09:59,400 You're saying that you had a really good time? 165 00:09:59,640 --> 00:10:01,640 Was that because it was pouring rain? 166 00:10:01,920 --> 00:10:07,120 Were you prepared for it? I was, I was prepared for it and 167 00:10:07,120 --> 00:10:10,680 as much as I'd, so I'd run a marathon in the June and I'd 168 00:10:10,680 --> 00:10:13,600 still been, you know, getting quite high mileage and you know, 169 00:10:13,720 --> 00:10:16,320 I was, I wasn't following a particular training programme, 170 00:10:16,360 --> 00:10:18,720 but I was, you know, so just being a bit chaotic. 171 00:10:18,720 --> 00:10:20,840 But I ramped up the mileage in the six weeks. 172 00:10:22,440 --> 00:10:23,840 I didn't mind that it was raining. 173 00:10:23,840 --> 00:10:26,960 I had some good kit, and it was just one of those, well, I'm 174 00:10:26,960 --> 00:10:30,400 going to do it, aren't I? So here we go. 175 00:10:30,520 --> 00:10:35,600 And yeah, my family got two sons and my husband came and met me 176 00:10:35,600 --> 00:10:38,640 at various points. At one point they bought me some 177 00:10:38,640 --> 00:10:42,560 dry trainers and dry socks. And yeah, Strava doesn't think I 178 00:10:42,560 --> 00:10:46,560 did an ultra because I paused my garment and then I was fannying 179 00:10:46,560 --> 00:10:50,520 on with my socks and my and my trainers and it auto saved, 180 00:10:50,520 --> 00:10:52,360 didn't it? That wasn't very much fun. 181 00:10:54,440 --> 00:10:57,160 So I drew the map. I completed it by drawing it and 182 00:10:57,160 --> 00:10:58,280 went. This is what I did. 183 00:10:59,280 --> 00:11:04,040 Quite right. And I'm actually intrigued by 184 00:11:04,080 --> 00:11:08,480 your solo Madison with your first time, obviously we're all 185 00:11:08,480 --> 00:11:11,200 in like just coming out lockdown, there was that time of 186 00:11:11,200 --> 00:11:14,480 uncertainty. How did you manage that? 187 00:11:14,480 --> 00:11:17,200 Did you do one big loop? Like how? 188 00:11:17,480 --> 00:11:19,760 What were the logistics for that for you? 189 00:11:20,280 --> 00:11:21,840 I'm trying to think what, because I've done it, did a 190 00:11:21,840 --> 00:11:23,720 couple. So I think the first one I did 191 00:11:23,720 --> 00:11:26,200 it is it out and back. So I didn't have any choice but 192 00:11:26,920 --> 00:11:31,480 to keep going. So I started from my house and 193 00:11:31,960 --> 00:11:34,120 you know, I'd run, I'd run a lot of the trails. 194 00:11:34,160 --> 00:11:37,440 I mean, I lived on the edge of Newcastle, so I live on the edge 195 00:11:37,440 --> 00:11:42,520 of a city, but there are some trails relatively close by that 196 00:11:42,520 --> 00:11:45,120 now I can't go and run on because I ran so much during 197 00:11:45,120 --> 00:11:46,680 lockdown. I'm just sick of them. 198 00:11:47,040 --> 00:11:53,160 But I went out and ran a route. I think it wasn't quite out and 199 00:11:53,160 --> 00:11:54,360 back. I knew that I had a half 200 00:11:54,360 --> 00:11:56,800 marathon out and back route. And then I just sort of did a 201 00:11:56,800 --> 00:12:00,720 loop on the end of that. And yeah, just. 202 00:12:01,480 --> 00:12:04,320 And then with your fuelling for that, because a lot of people's 203 00:12:04,320 --> 00:12:07,000 bus Madisons, I mean Maine in particular was Edinburgh. 204 00:12:07,000 --> 00:12:10,480 So it's checkpoint, checkpoint, you have your water stations, 205 00:12:10,480 --> 00:12:12,880 your aid stations, crowds cheer and yawn. 206 00:12:13,360 --> 00:12:17,120 There's like so many aspects of that the, you know, the mental 207 00:12:17,120 --> 00:12:19,400 and as Mike mentioned, the fueling. 208 00:12:19,400 --> 00:12:24,360 So the questions I have from that is 1 mentally, how did you 209 00:12:24,360 --> 00:12:27,280 press on without those crowds and support? 210 00:12:27,360 --> 00:12:30,320 And then the other question is fueling. 211 00:12:30,320 --> 00:12:32,800 Did you just carry everything with you? 212 00:12:33,400 --> 00:12:35,440 Yeah, so, so I did carry everything with me. 213 00:12:35,440 --> 00:12:37,960 I just had a had a backpack and had had the snacks in there. 214 00:12:37,960 --> 00:12:39,920 And I think, I can't quite remember, but I think it was 215 00:12:39,920 --> 00:12:42,920 mostly gels then. So I'd certainly use gels for 216 00:12:42,920 --> 00:12:46,200 the Great North Run. And so I think that's what 217 00:12:46,200 --> 00:12:48,400 mostly I took with me. I can't remember. 218 00:12:48,400 --> 00:12:52,440 So I had water bottles. I can't remember whether I had 219 00:12:52,440 --> 00:12:55,320 Tailwind or anything like that in it then I can't remember at 220 00:12:55,320 --> 00:12:57,720 what point I started using that. It must have been. 221 00:12:57,800 --> 00:13:01,640 Well, yeah, I used that for the 55 K, the first, first Ultra. 222 00:13:03,560 --> 00:13:06,080 So I can't remember if I took real food, but I I certainly 223 00:13:06,080 --> 00:13:09,360 didn't stop to buy stuff along the way and I didn't have, 224 00:13:09,360 --> 00:13:13,120 nobody came out and met me with stuff I can't remember. 225 00:13:13,120 --> 00:13:14,440 What was the other thing you asked? 226 00:13:14,560 --> 00:13:16,960 How did I motivate myself? Mental. 227 00:13:17,000 --> 00:13:22,600 Strategy and I had the llamas in my phone so you know, if I when 228 00:13:22,600 --> 00:13:25,000 I was struggling, I could message them and about 20 people 229 00:13:25,000 --> 00:13:28,080 jump straight on going. You go on, you're great. 230 00:13:28,480 --> 00:13:31,280 So that was quite cool. So yeah, they were like a little 231 00:13:31,280 --> 00:13:33,640 cheerleader on my phone. But looking back, I don't 232 00:13:33,640 --> 00:13:35,480 actually remember particularly struggling with it. 233 00:13:35,480 --> 00:13:37,080 And I was just like, well I'm going to do it. 234 00:13:37,080 --> 00:13:39,560 And you know, I didn't run the whole thing. 235 00:13:39,640 --> 00:13:42,640 I so most of my long runs I'll run, walk them. 236 00:13:42,640 --> 00:13:46,280 So I'll do 15 minute runs and five minute walks and then eat 237 00:13:46,280 --> 00:13:50,360 every other walk break. So it's sort of gives me a bit 238 00:13:50,360 --> 00:13:52,520 of a break, but also gives some structure to it. 239 00:13:52,520 --> 00:13:55,480 And all you have to think about is the next 15 minutes. 240 00:13:56,280 --> 00:13:59,000 And I just, I just remember getting home and being like, 241 00:13:59,240 --> 00:14:03,080 yes, there was a virtual marathon I'd signed up to, but I 242 00:14:03,080 --> 00:14:04,760 wasn't expecting to do it all in one go. 243 00:14:04,760 --> 00:14:06,480 So I gave myself that medal for that. 244 00:14:07,480 --> 00:14:12,640 Oh fantastic. And out out of all the races 245 00:14:12,640 --> 00:14:15,640 you've done, and there's probably plenty more that you 246 00:14:15,640 --> 00:14:18,680 haven't mentioned yet, what's your favorite one been? 247 00:14:20,520 --> 00:14:24,840 My favorite the the my favorite is probably the Great North Run. 248 00:14:24,920 --> 00:14:28,800 And it's not because I like the I mean, objectively, it's a crap 249 00:14:28,800 --> 00:14:30,920 race really. It's like it's Rd. it's got no 250 00:14:30,920 --> 00:14:32,600 views. It's everything I don't like 251 00:14:32,600 --> 00:14:34,720 about running. So I much prefer I like trails, 252 00:14:34,720 --> 00:14:38,000 I like views. I don't like millions and 253 00:14:38,000 --> 00:14:41,960 millions of people and all of it's all of that, but the 254 00:14:41,960 --> 00:14:46,080 atmosphere is absolutely superb. And you know, it's just really 255 00:14:46,080 --> 00:14:49,360 emotional reading everybody's back signs and high fiving the 256 00:14:49,360 --> 00:14:51,280 kids. And last year I nearly didn't 257 00:14:51,280 --> 00:14:53,040 bother. I nearly turned around and went 258 00:14:53,040 --> 00:14:55,120 home because it was really rubbish weather and I thought it 259 00:14:55,120 --> 00:14:56,920 won't have any of the atmosphere, it won't have any of 260 00:14:56,920 --> 00:14:59,240 the things I like. But it was amazing how many 261 00:14:59,240 --> 00:15:01,720 people still came out to support. 262 00:15:02,440 --> 00:15:07,800 And I just it, it's second to none for for that, but there's 263 00:15:07,800 --> 00:15:10,160 another couple as well. I can think there's been two 264 00:15:10,160 --> 00:15:13,160 races that I've done where I went into them with absolutely 265 00:15:13,160 --> 00:15:16,160 no expectations. So I was under trained nearly 266 00:15:16,160 --> 00:15:19,520 DNS. One was Bridges to Boundaries 267 00:15:19,520 --> 00:15:25,080 Ultra in March last year, 55K out along the Tyne River and 268 00:15:25,080 --> 00:15:28,800 then crossover and back again. And the other one was killed a 269 00:15:28,800 --> 00:15:30,280 marathon the second time I did it. 270 00:15:30,280 --> 00:15:32,760 And both times I was, I was on the verge of not bothering, but 271 00:15:32,760 --> 00:15:34,800 I thought, well, I'm going to do a long run anyway, so and I've 272 00:15:34,800 --> 00:15:36,600 paid for them so I might as well just go. 273 00:15:36,600 --> 00:15:38,360 And as long as it's fun I'll keep going. 274 00:15:38,360 --> 00:15:39,760 And when it's not fun, I'll stop. 275 00:15:40,240 --> 00:15:44,680 And actually both of them, I had a blast from start to finish. 276 00:15:44,680 --> 00:15:46,800 I think there's sort of something about having 277 00:15:46,800 --> 00:15:52,160 permission to stop and not worry about it and just be there for 278 00:15:52,160 --> 00:15:57,480 the crack that is really good. So yeah, those, those for the 279 00:15:57,480 --> 00:16:00,040 atmosphere and the fun. I think that's what I like, 280 00:16:00,040 --> 00:16:03,080 yeah. And the atmosphere that you get 281 00:16:03,080 --> 00:16:06,560 from Great North Run, would you be tempted to do something like 282 00:16:06,600 --> 00:16:09,280 London I I couldn't think of anything worse going down there, 283 00:16:09,280 --> 00:16:13,480 but that's what you get. Yeah, I mean, I'd like to, but 284 00:16:14,040 --> 00:16:15,760 I've entered the ballot a few times. 285 00:16:15,760 --> 00:16:17,920 I'll keep entering it till I'm dead or I can't walk. 286 00:16:17,920 --> 00:16:23,240 But yeah, who knows? I again, I'm not that bothered 287 00:16:23,240 --> 00:16:26,760 about road running. I did do Manchester Marathon as 288 00:16:26,760 --> 00:16:31,320 my first proper marathon on, you know, Rd. rather than Kielder, 289 00:16:31,320 --> 00:16:35,560 which I did, but, and that was good atmosphere. 290 00:16:35,560 --> 00:16:39,800 So, so I do like the atmosphere, but I would take trails and 291 00:16:40,120 --> 00:16:42,960 beauty and the sort of the different support you get from 292 00:16:42,960 --> 00:16:45,440 the ultra running and trail running community is, is 293 00:16:45,440 --> 00:16:48,120 completely different, isn't it, to the, the atmosphere. 294 00:16:48,120 --> 00:16:51,920 It's much more my thing so I'm doing a road marathon, I'm not 295 00:16:52,000 --> 00:16:57,440 racing it and looking for APB and you know, I'm having a laugh 296 00:16:57,440 --> 00:17:01,200 and walking bits if I feel like it and you know, chatting to 297 00:17:01,200 --> 00:17:04,119 people. And that's still what it's more 298 00:17:04,119 --> 00:17:06,480 about. So I'd like to do London if I 299 00:17:06,480 --> 00:17:12,079 get in, but we'll set. And another community as well, 300 00:17:12,079 --> 00:17:15,560 one that makes very fond of is the backyard one. 301 00:17:15,560 --> 00:17:17,960 Have you done? You've definitely done at least 302 00:17:17,960 --> 00:17:21,720 Russellbach, have you? Not 1, I think. 303 00:17:22,040 --> 00:17:24,040 I've done I've done Russellbach 3 times. 304 00:17:24,079 --> 00:17:29,720 I've got worse each time. The first time I did it, I did 305 00:17:29,720 --> 00:17:32,320 9. I was really pleased with 306 00:17:32,320 --> 00:17:35,040 myself. I think I what I kind of what 307 00:17:35,040 --> 00:17:38,440 thought 12 would be nice, but I was a bit under trained. 308 00:17:38,440 --> 00:17:41,880 I think at the time of year it is March, because I'm often the 309 00:17:41,880 --> 00:17:44,640 races I've tended to do for no particular reason that they just 310 00:17:44,640 --> 00:17:46,960 have tended to be ones for sort of later in the year. 311 00:17:46,960 --> 00:17:49,600 So I've tended to be quite early in in my training. 312 00:17:49,600 --> 00:17:53,200 So I was delighted when I managed 9 because that was, you 313 00:17:53,200 --> 00:17:57,040 know, I was a bit underfit and I had a really good laugh. 314 00:17:57,040 --> 00:18:00,400 That was the first the first rest of what backyard And then 315 00:18:00,400 --> 00:18:02,640 the next time I had a go, which I think was when you won it, 316 00:18:02,640 --> 00:18:04,080 Mike I did. I did 7. 317 00:18:04,080 --> 00:18:07,880 I actually did 8, but the 8th 1 was I'm not, I'm not getting 318 00:18:07,880 --> 00:18:09,400 back in time. I'm just going to, I'm just 319 00:18:09,400 --> 00:18:11,640 going to walk this. And I got back in about 15 320 00:18:11,640 --> 00:18:15,200 minutes late. And then this year I did it and 321 00:18:15,240 --> 00:18:17,040 I was, I'd been injured this year. 322 00:18:17,040 --> 00:18:18,960 At the beginning of the year I had an ankle injury. 323 00:18:19,440 --> 00:18:23,440 And I just, I decided I was going to go because I knew a lot 324 00:18:23,440 --> 00:18:27,040 of people who were going to be there and I would set myself a 325 00:18:27,040 --> 00:18:31,920 limit of four because I didn't want to break myself. 326 00:18:31,960 --> 00:18:34,880 And I did 4 and I stopped and it was about the right time. 327 00:18:34,880 --> 00:18:37,760 It started to niggle a little bit in the fourth yard. 328 00:18:37,800 --> 00:18:40,920 And yeah, it was the head decision because I had bigger 329 00:18:40,920 --> 00:18:43,400 things that I cared more about this year so. 330 00:18:44,840 --> 00:18:50,120 And if you if it was the right time of year and you 100% 331 00:18:50,120 --> 00:18:53,520 training plan for it, how much do you think you'd get? 332 00:18:55,200 --> 00:18:57,440 I don't. I don't think I'd manage 24 333 00:18:57,440 --> 00:19:01,760 because I don't think I'm fast enough and I I would be pleased 334 00:19:01,760 --> 00:19:04,960 with 12, but I think I've heard that it's not very good to set 335 00:19:04,960 --> 00:19:06,880 yourself a target because otherwise you reach that target 336 00:19:06,880 --> 00:19:09,080 and then you stop. So. 337 00:19:10,960 --> 00:19:12,720 A lot of people say that, but I disagree. 338 00:19:12,720 --> 00:19:17,000 With it, yeah. So why why do you disagree with 339 00:19:17,000 --> 00:19:17,840 that? Is that what? 340 00:19:18,160 --> 00:19:21,600 For me personally, I think you should set yourself a target, 341 00:19:22,120 --> 00:19:26,720 but it should be scary. It should scare you. 342 00:19:27,960 --> 00:19:32,560 Like you, you're saying 24 set yourself a target of 30, but it 343 00:19:32,560 --> 00:19:35,720 has to be achievable. You have to believe that you can 344 00:19:35,720 --> 00:19:38,800 do it and if you get to that, you'd be delayed. 345 00:19:39,440 --> 00:19:41,920 So you're. I've been delighted at 24, if 346 00:19:41,920 --> 00:19:43,920 I'm honest, yeah. Exactly. 347 00:19:44,040 --> 00:19:45,800 So set yourself the target of 30. 348 00:19:46,040 --> 00:19:48,200 Try and get to the 30. There you go. 349 00:19:48,600 --> 00:19:51,320 I, I I've set myself a target of 80. 350 00:19:51,960 --> 00:19:53,520 OK, there you go. That that scares. 351 00:19:53,520 --> 00:19:56,200 Me that, that number. You have to have somebody else 352 00:19:56,200 --> 00:19:58,960 who's equally insane, don't you? That's the thing, yeah. 353 00:19:59,160 --> 00:20:01,520 Exactly. I'm done doing the Rasta bot 354 00:20:01,520 --> 00:20:06,160 backyard in March, so we'll see. Yeah, hopefully. 355 00:20:06,160 --> 00:20:08,000 Hopefully I'll be a bit fitter then. 356 00:20:08,800 --> 00:20:11,520 So going back, going back for the report here, you would 357 00:20:11,520 --> 00:20:13,120 definitely recommend it then? Oh. 358 00:20:13,520 --> 00:20:17,440 I love it, you know, it's, it's good atmosphere. 359 00:20:17,440 --> 00:20:19,760 I really like that it let completely levels the playing 360 00:20:19,760 --> 00:20:21,800 fields on each yard. You don't have to be the best, 361 00:20:21,800 --> 00:20:24,800 the fastest, you just have to be the most stubborn on the day. 362 00:20:24,800 --> 00:20:28,280 And you know, obviously everything has to work out for 363 00:20:28,280 --> 00:20:29,800 you. You could go out and roll your 364 00:20:29,800 --> 00:20:32,520 ankle 100 metres from the from the start line and there's a lot 365 00:20:32,520 --> 00:20:34,640 of routes and it's, it's trail, it's uneven. 366 00:20:34,920 --> 00:20:36,520 So you know, any, anything can happen. 367 00:20:36,520 --> 00:20:40,800 And you know, I think going into big races, you know, anything, 368 00:20:41,000 --> 00:20:43,960 however well prepared you are, however good a training block 369 00:20:43,960 --> 00:20:47,400 you have, however well fueled you are, however your head is, 370 00:20:47,680 --> 00:20:52,640 something can go wrong. And you know, but but it, it 371 00:20:52,640 --> 00:20:55,080 levels the playing field in the way others don't. 372 00:20:55,120 --> 00:21:00,240 And you know, I think it's so much more about what's up here, 373 00:21:00,240 --> 00:21:03,600 isn't it? And I quite like I'm not a fast 374 00:21:03,600 --> 00:21:08,880 runner. And Russell Bock, they don't 375 00:21:08,880 --> 00:21:11,720 just do the backyard. They they have other events now, 376 00:21:11,880 --> 00:21:12,720 don't they? I see them. 377 00:21:13,920 --> 00:21:16,400 I really like their events so they've done the marathon 378 00:21:16,400 --> 00:21:19,200 weekend the last couple of years with marathon and a half 379 00:21:19,200 --> 00:21:23,480 marathon with really, really good long cut off. 380 00:21:23,480 --> 00:21:25,640 So they're really achievable to anybody. 381 00:21:25,640 --> 00:21:28,080 But equally if you're competitive and want to go fast 382 00:21:28,080 --> 00:21:32,280 you can can as well. This year they had an 8K for as 383 00:21:32,280 --> 00:21:33,960 well. And I think next year I've seen 384 00:21:33,960 --> 00:21:38,360 they've got an ultra, but I'm actually away next year for it. 385 00:21:38,360 --> 00:21:40,240 So I won't be, I won't be able to give that a crack. 386 00:21:42,000 --> 00:21:45,440 But they do lots of lap events sort of six hours in various 387 00:21:45,440 --> 00:21:49,720 places, mostly in the Midlands. Sherwood Pines, they do with 388 00:21:49,720 --> 00:21:51,240 that, which is where they do the backyard. 389 00:21:51,240 --> 00:21:53,440 They've got another backyard I think somewhere else this year 390 00:21:53,440 --> 00:21:56,480 as well. But, and I like this sort of 391 00:21:56,480 --> 00:22:00,520 sociable side of the lap defence and lots of people hate them, 392 00:22:00,520 --> 00:22:02,040 don't they, because I think they're boring. 393 00:22:02,040 --> 00:22:04,440 You're going round and round. But but the trails where they 394 00:22:04,440 --> 00:22:07,840 have them are really beautiful. So I don't get bored and I just 395 00:22:08,200 --> 00:22:10,920 embrace the fun and, and change my outfit every lap. 396 00:22:10,920 --> 00:22:14,000 And you know, it's like Eurovision, Eurovision of trail 397 00:22:14,000 --> 00:22:15,120 running. It's good. 398 00:22:15,880 --> 00:22:19,680 Just have a good laugh. Just to big up Russell Bock even 399 00:22:19,680 --> 00:22:24,600 more, and I think they do a lot of sort of female participation 400 00:22:24,600 --> 00:22:27,440 trying to encourage it. They do, definitely. 401 00:22:28,800 --> 00:22:30,920 And they do. They have, sorry. 402 00:22:31,520 --> 00:22:34,760 No, I probably miss out half this stuff because it doesn't 403 00:22:34,760 --> 00:22:38,320 apply to me, but there is a lot of encouragement for it, so you 404 00:22:38,320 --> 00:22:41,600 might know better than I do. Yeah, and they also, they have 405 00:22:41,600 --> 00:22:44,600 the Pay it Forward scheme where you can, you can donate race 406 00:22:44,600 --> 00:22:46,240 entries. So if people can't afford to 407 00:22:46,280 --> 00:22:50,320 enter, they can get one of the free entries. 408 00:22:50,320 --> 00:22:55,400 And they do, they put a lot of money and sort of contribution 409 00:22:55,400 --> 00:22:57,840 from each race entry towards removing plastic from the 410 00:22:57,840 --> 00:22:59,600 waterways. So, yeah. 411 00:22:59,600 --> 00:23:01,640 And they're just, they're really nice people, aren't they? 412 00:23:01,640 --> 00:23:05,640 As well, You know, I love that. I love that the aid station food 413 00:23:05,640 --> 00:23:07,720 is cake made by the race director's mum. 414 00:23:08,080 --> 00:23:12,000 That's pretty cool, isn't it? Well, Alice, you've sold it to 415 00:23:12,080 --> 00:23:14,080 me, so I'll. Forget to come back. 416 00:23:14,880 --> 00:23:18,760 Tail end of next year and if you're at one of the events, I 417 00:23:18,840 --> 00:23:21,280 definitely can't imagine myself getting bored get. 418 00:23:22,000 --> 00:23:25,960 Yourself to the backyard, Nikki. I think there's still a couple 419 00:23:25,960 --> 00:23:29,160 of places. I think I think Mike would be 420 00:23:29,160 --> 00:23:34,960 desperate for me to do 1. You talked about changing your 421 00:23:35,000 --> 00:23:38,960 outfits there every yard. Can you talk about that? 422 00:23:38,960 --> 00:23:40,760 What outfits do you like to wear? 423 00:23:40,800 --> 00:23:43,960 Wow. I like, I like, so mostly I'll 424 00:23:43,960 --> 00:23:46,600 just change my tops because it gets a bit silly if you're doing 425 00:23:46,600 --> 00:23:50,480 a full kit change. But I do like my Flancy kit. 426 00:23:51,120 --> 00:23:54,440 I'm an ambassador for Flancy and you know, I'm not one of these 427 00:23:54,440 --> 00:23:56,600 people that wants to be an ambassador for the sake of the 428 00:23:56,600 --> 00:23:58,600 badge. I just I really believe in their 429 00:23:58,600 --> 00:24:00,040 kits. So they're a really good small 430 00:24:00,040 --> 00:24:02,600 company. The kits brightly coloured and 431 00:24:02,600 --> 00:24:06,120 cheerful, which I love and it's really practical as well. 432 00:24:06,120 --> 00:24:09,480 So I've worn it, you know, the longest distance I've worn it 433 00:24:09,480 --> 00:24:11,920 for is 70 miles and I've got no chafing. 434 00:24:12,680 --> 00:24:17,160 It's got 3 pockets, 2 pockets on the legs, pockets on the zip 435 00:24:17,160 --> 00:24:19,520 pocket in the back. So yeah, it's brilliant. 436 00:24:19,600 --> 00:24:21,880 I really, really like it. And, but mostly I've just 437 00:24:21,880 --> 00:24:24,640 changed my tops, but I do wear fancy dress sometimes as well. 438 00:24:24,640 --> 00:24:29,760 So I've ran a 6K loop, not not in the backyard, but a 6K loop 439 00:24:29,800 --> 00:24:32,440 at one of their Sherwood Pines events dressed as a traffic 440 00:24:32,440 --> 00:24:35,920 cone, which is where the traffic cone bit of traffic cone llama 441 00:24:35,920 --> 00:24:40,160 comes from. I have yeah, silly hats I 442 00:24:40,160 --> 00:24:43,160 couldn't think about. I don't think I've worn any 443 00:24:43,160 --> 00:24:46,600 other stupid full outfits there, but I do like a bit of fancy 444 00:24:46,600 --> 00:24:50,080 dress sometimes. A tradition that I think it 445 00:24:50,080 --> 00:24:54,560 comes from Australia, you have to get to lap 22 backyard 446 00:24:54,560 --> 00:24:56,680 because 22 is when you wear your Tutu. 447 00:24:56,920 --> 00:24:59,800 Your tutus? So you also park run on the 22nd 448 00:24:59,800 --> 00:25:01,400 of the month. You have to wear tutus as well. 449 00:25:01,400 --> 00:25:06,000 So I need to get to lap 22, don't I at least? 450 00:25:07,200 --> 00:25:10,560 See, when Mike said lap 22 in Australia, I thought he was 451 00:25:10,560 --> 00:25:17,560 going to say kangaroo. What's the what's the yes, the 452 00:25:17,680 --> 00:25:20,560 fact that you've worn the analysis like fancy dress. 453 00:25:20,640 --> 00:25:24,200 What's the crazy? Probably a giant breast. 454 00:25:26,640 --> 00:25:30,600 You weren't expecting that. I'm doing, I'm doing fundraising 455 00:25:30,600 --> 00:25:34,640 for Copperfield this year, which is a breast cancer charity sort 456 00:25:34,640 --> 00:25:37,480 of their real thing is about highlighting breast awareness in 457 00:25:37,480 --> 00:25:40,760 young women or young people because it's not just women that 458 00:25:40,760 --> 00:25:44,520 get affected. And I've got so so I'm doing the 459 00:25:44,520 --> 00:25:46,000 Great North Run for them this year. 460 00:25:46,600 --> 00:25:49,440 I actually have a membership for the Great North Run, which means 461 00:25:49,440 --> 00:25:50,880 I have guaranteed entry every year. 462 00:25:50,880 --> 00:25:55,280 But I was an idiot who forgot to enter, so I had to find, find a 463 00:25:55,280 --> 00:25:58,320 charity entry and and I thought no one's going to sponsor me to 464 00:25:58,320 --> 00:26:01,400 just run the half marathon. Are they after other silly 465 00:26:01,400 --> 00:26:04,160 things I've done? So I thought, I know I'll have 466 00:26:04,160 --> 00:26:07,240 to wear something daft. So yeah, I'm, I'm where I'm 467 00:26:07,240 --> 00:26:09,440 doing the Great North Rhode Island dressed as a dressed as a 468 00:26:09,440 --> 00:26:11,960 tit. I've done a park run with it on 469 00:26:11,960 --> 00:26:14,440 it. It's it'll need some adjustment 470 00:26:14,440 --> 00:26:17,960 to avoid chafing. I was going to do it. 471 00:26:17,960 --> 00:26:21,000 I, I entered 100 mile this year. I was going to do it for my 472 00:26:21,000 --> 00:26:24,760 final mile of the 100 mile because I hit my fundraising 473 00:26:24,760 --> 00:26:28,600 target, but that didn't. That didn't quite pan out as 474 00:26:28,600 --> 00:26:31,800 planned, but Great North. Well, when you say you need the 475 00:26:31,800 --> 00:26:33,560 adjustments, I think you need a sports bra. 476 00:26:34,520 --> 00:26:37,160 You definitely need a sports bra, but yeah, don't not to hold 477 00:26:37,160 --> 00:26:41,400 that. But yeah, the the straps that 478 00:26:41,400 --> 00:26:44,200 you tie it, you have over it was quite Chafee. 479 00:26:45,680 --> 00:26:48,520 Yeah, I think hold, hold it still. 480 00:26:51,400 --> 00:26:58,520 Enough of the bad dad jokes. Next question was what is your 481 00:26:58,520 --> 00:27:02,360 biggest running achievement? So that was the wall. 482 00:27:03,320 --> 00:27:07,520 It's a rat race event. It's 70 miles from Carlisle to 483 00:27:07,520 --> 00:27:11,040 Newcastle and living in Newcastle, I was quite taken by 484 00:27:11,040 --> 00:27:13,960 the idea of finishing on the Quayside in Newcastle in the 485 00:27:13,960 --> 00:27:17,760 city that I love. And the first time I attempted 486 00:27:17,760 --> 00:27:22,880 it was it's June, July time in 2021. 487 00:27:23,320 --> 00:27:28,160 And yeah, so that would have been my second or third ultra at 488 00:27:28,160 --> 00:27:31,000 that point. And I'd trained really hard, I 489 00:27:31,000 --> 00:27:35,360 was really fit. I sorted out my fuelling, so I 490 00:27:35,360 --> 00:27:40,080 thought and got myself in a really strong headspace and I 491 00:27:40,080 --> 00:27:41,720 did. The section to the first 492 00:27:41,720 --> 00:27:44,960 checkpoint went like a dream. And then I went to try and eat 493 00:27:44,960 --> 00:27:48,560 some food at the first checkpoint and went, oh, don't 494 00:27:48,560 --> 00:27:51,440 fancy that, never mind, I've got loads of snacks. 495 00:27:52,880 --> 00:27:56,400 And then a little bit further down the road and I started to 496 00:27:56,400 --> 00:27:58,680 feel really, really sick. And I'm quite intolerant to 497 00:27:58,680 --> 00:28:00,280 feeling sick. I really, really hate it. 498 00:28:00,280 --> 00:28:02,880 And my husband was sort of stopped, you know, coming and 499 00:28:02,880 --> 00:28:05,840 seeing me at various points. And we went and sat in a Cafe 500 00:28:05,840 --> 00:28:09,240 for about an hour and had some fat Coke and got myself so I 501 00:28:09,240 --> 00:28:14,160 could actually at least drink and then got the ships 502 00:28:14,160 --> 00:28:17,600 basically. And, and it was way too early a 503 00:28:17,600 --> 00:28:21,840 lot, you know, I had run ultra distance just, but it was too 504 00:28:21,840 --> 00:28:24,360 early to think I can carry on like that. 505 00:28:24,360 --> 00:28:27,440 And I think maybe if I'd had been a bit more experienced, I 506 00:28:27,440 --> 00:28:30,440 might have carried on a bit. But you know, it was one of 507 00:28:30,440 --> 00:28:34,400 those I thought I was risking making myself properly ill. 508 00:28:34,400 --> 00:28:37,320 So I was absolutely gutted. When I look back I think it was 509 00:28:37,320 --> 00:28:41,160 I'd been really daft with my fueling because I think I 510 00:28:41,160 --> 00:28:44,480 mentioned I do 15 minute runs, 5 minute walks and eat every other 511 00:28:44,480 --> 00:28:46,320 5 minutes. And for some reason on the start 512 00:28:46,320 --> 00:28:49,000 line I thought, oh it's a really long way, maybe I should eat 513 00:28:49,000 --> 00:28:52,400 every, every walk break. So I think what I've done is 514 00:28:52,400 --> 00:28:57,040 just eaten too much and you can't metabolise it when you're 515 00:28:57,040 --> 00:28:59,440 running. So if you can't metabolise it, 516 00:28:59,440 --> 00:29:02,200 it's going to come out somehow. It did. 517 00:29:02,840 --> 00:29:05,800 So yeah, DNF that. But I definitely felt like I had 518 00:29:05,800 --> 00:29:08,880 unfinished business and within a couple of days I'd entered for 519 00:29:08,880 --> 00:29:12,080 the following year. And so I did it in 2022 and 520 00:29:12,080 --> 00:29:14,000 finished, and I did it with two good friends then. 521 00:29:14,360 --> 00:29:18,480 And crossing that finish line, having DNF the year before was 522 00:29:18,640 --> 00:29:25,160 really sweet. You said that that was one of 523 00:29:25,160 --> 00:29:27,480 your first phrase. How many ultras have you done? 524 00:29:29,280 --> 00:29:31,280 That's the longest one I've done. 525 00:29:31,280 --> 00:29:34,840 Well, I ran an ultra in the backyard once. 526 00:29:34,880 --> 00:29:40,720 I've done a few 5050 K ish races, so not masses. 527 00:29:41,600 --> 00:29:45,480 I'd entered the rat race 100 mile castle to castle this year. 528 00:29:45,480 --> 00:29:49,080 That was, you know, the first one that has really lit my fire 529 00:29:49,080 --> 00:29:54,480 for excitement since the wall. But yeah, got to 30 to 4 miles 530 00:29:54,480 --> 00:29:58,400 and decided I'd had enough. So I don't know whether that's 531 00:29:58,440 --> 00:30:03,560 unfinished business or not. And for those that don't follow 532 00:30:03,560 --> 00:30:07,760 Alice on Instagram, you wrote what I found was an absolutely 533 00:30:07,760 --> 00:30:10,520 brilliant post and just putting a spin on it. 534 00:30:10,520 --> 00:30:13,480 And a lot of people say, oh, yeah, it's brilliant. 535 00:30:13,480 --> 00:30:17,240 You know, you get to choose to suffer, and you chose not to 536 00:30:17,240 --> 00:30:19,760 suffer. And that really struck A chord 537 00:30:19,760 --> 00:30:23,000 with me. Just could you elaborate on 538 00:30:23,000 --> 00:30:25,520 that, on what made you write that? 539 00:30:26,280 --> 00:30:28,040 Yeah, so, so it's one of those things. 540 00:30:28,040 --> 00:30:32,000 So I obviously, I think like I said earlier, I'd I'd obviously 541 00:30:32,000 --> 00:30:34,000 thought, well, there's no guarantees I'm going to get to 542 00:30:34,000 --> 00:30:36,120 the finish, but I think I'm in a pretty good place. 543 00:30:36,120 --> 00:30:38,840 So I haven't hadn't had a perfect run run up. 544 00:30:38,880 --> 00:30:42,800 You know, I was, I was injured earlier this year and then two 545 00:30:42,800 --> 00:30:46,880 weeks before I was ill, I had like a viral thing and I and I 546 00:30:46,880 --> 00:30:50,440 was in bed for a week basically. But you never have a perfect run 547 00:30:50,440 --> 00:30:53,800 up to these things, do you? So you just have to do the best 548 00:30:53,800 --> 00:30:56,680 with the hand you're dealt. So I think I thought, well, I 549 00:30:56,680 --> 00:30:59,880 might not manage if I'm get injured or I might not manage if 550 00:30:59,960 --> 00:31:02,880 if I'm not well. But barring those, I'm getting 551 00:31:02,880 --> 00:31:06,960 to that blooming finish line. And on the day, it was horrific 552 00:31:06,960 --> 00:31:10,240 that it was really wet. It was absolutely peeing it down 553 00:31:10,240 --> 00:31:12,280 with rain. I'd reckoned most of the route. 554 00:31:12,280 --> 00:31:15,120 So I kind of knew what I was up against and I knew what to 555 00:31:15,120 --> 00:31:20,320 expect. And what threw me, what really 556 00:31:20,320 --> 00:31:23,600 threw me was that I had an emotional low very early on. 557 00:31:23,600 --> 00:31:25,240 So I was expecting that to happen. 558 00:31:25,280 --> 00:31:28,440 And I was expecting probably it to happen just before halfway 559 00:31:28,440 --> 00:31:29,960 because that's the toughest section. 560 00:31:30,200 --> 00:31:32,000 But it happened coming out of Berwick, which was the second 561 00:31:32,080 --> 00:31:34,120 pit stop. And this is at 23 miles. 562 00:31:34,520 --> 00:31:36,920 And I really struggled to know how I was going to pull myself 563 00:31:36,920 --> 00:31:41,360 out of that because, you know, I've got a very, very long way 564 00:31:41,360 --> 00:31:44,720 to go. And I spent about 5 miles sort 565 00:31:44,720 --> 00:31:46,440 of crying. And that's not like me. 566 00:31:46,440 --> 00:31:49,440 So I get grumpy sometimes, but I've never got quite so upset. 567 00:31:49,440 --> 00:31:53,320 But I did pull myself through that and I also had more dodgy 568 00:31:53,320 --> 00:31:56,200 guts and I couldn't stomach the thought of eating. 569 00:31:57,160 --> 00:31:59,960 But then I did manage to eat. But I just got to the point 570 00:31:59,960 --> 00:32:04,360 where I was like, I'm 33 miles in, this is just rubbish. 571 00:32:04,440 --> 00:32:06,960 I'm not having a good time. The weather's awful. 572 00:32:07,240 --> 00:32:10,880 It's going to be awful pretty much for the rest of the race. 573 00:32:11,600 --> 00:32:13,120 I've got the toughest bit coming up. 574 00:32:13,440 --> 00:32:16,800 Not even, you know, you know, a third of the way there. 575 00:32:16,800 --> 00:32:20,640 I've got to basically run the wall again on top of how I feel. 576 00:32:21,040 --> 00:32:27,560 And I just don't want to do it. And you know, I, I get very 577 00:32:27,560 --> 00:32:30,240 motivated by the choosing to suffer as a privilege. 578 00:32:30,240 --> 00:32:32,520 And Lucy Gossage says that a lot. 579 00:32:33,480 --> 00:32:36,960 And I do buy into that. And I do buy into being 580 00:32:36,960 --> 00:32:41,280 motivated by my friend who had breast cancer and died and my 581 00:32:41,280 --> 00:32:45,560 patients who have breast cancer and thinking, you know, they 582 00:32:45,560 --> 00:32:47,560 don't choose to. They don't choose their 583 00:32:47,560 --> 00:32:49,400 challenge. I've paid for this and I've 584 00:32:49,400 --> 00:32:51,280 chosen it. So the least I can do is woman 585 00:32:51,280 --> 00:32:55,000 up and give it my best shot. But you know, as I was thinking 586 00:32:55,000 --> 00:32:57,480 this and trying to motivate myself to keep going, I just 587 00:32:57,480 --> 00:33:00,480 thought, but you know what? You don't have to be a martyr. 588 00:33:00,880 --> 00:33:03,520 I can choose not to. And aren't I really bloody 589 00:33:03,520 --> 00:33:05,480 lucky? And those people who don't 590 00:33:05,480 --> 00:33:08,160 choose their suffering, probably, if they could choose, 591 00:33:08,680 --> 00:33:11,080 well, they definitely choose not not to have that suffering. 592 00:33:11,080 --> 00:33:15,040 But I can't imagine they would think any less of me if I went. 593 00:33:15,240 --> 00:33:17,360 I'm not enjoying myself. I want to stop. 594 00:33:18,000 --> 00:33:21,320 And it, it's of all the reasons I thought I might stop, I didn't 595 00:33:21,320 --> 00:33:22,960 think for a second it would be that. 596 00:33:23,080 --> 00:33:25,280 But actually, isn't that the best reason? 597 00:33:25,400 --> 00:33:29,360 You know, I just don't like it. And I don't know, I wasn't 598 00:33:29,360 --> 00:33:32,600 expecting it all to be fun. And, you know, I was expecting 599 00:33:32,600 --> 00:33:34,080 to go to some really dark places. 600 00:33:34,080 --> 00:33:36,520 Now it, it was really going to stretch me. 601 00:33:36,520 --> 00:33:38,560 And I've never ran all the way through the night. 602 00:33:38,560 --> 00:33:40,560 The longest I've run is to about 3:00 in the morning. 603 00:33:40,560 --> 00:33:44,200 And I was worried about that. And I was worried about how long 604 00:33:44,200 --> 00:33:46,600 it would take and how I would keep going. 605 00:33:46,600 --> 00:33:48,680 But I didn't think I would just decide to stop. 606 00:33:49,560 --> 00:33:53,320 And I'd had long chats with my husband and my sons about 607 00:33:53,600 --> 00:33:56,520 keeping me going. I chatted to a bit when he was a 608 00:33:56,520 --> 00:34:00,600 friend of mine about what she uses to keep going when she's up 609 00:34:00,600 --> 00:34:03,800 against it, and she'd given me some really helpful hints, not 610 00:34:03,800 --> 00:34:05,560 just for me but for them helping me. 611 00:34:06,120 --> 00:34:09,400 And they blessed them. They did everything I'd asked of 612 00:34:09,400 --> 00:34:12,159 them. And my youngest son ran the last 613 00:34:12,159 --> 00:34:13,719 mile with me. Or I say ran. 614 00:34:13,719 --> 00:34:18,120 I was walking by that point and he was saying, but, you know, he 615 00:34:18,120 --> 00:34:20,920 was saying everything that I'd wanted him to about come on, you 616 00:34:20,920 --> 00:34:23,920 know, don't be a wuss. And you know, you want to do 100 617 00:34:23,920 --> 00:34:27,080 mile a, you're 33 miles in. You're 34 miles in. 618 00:34:27,080 --> 00:34:30,719 Just keep going and, you know, think about the achievement, 619 00:34:30,719 --> 00:34:32,600 think about crossing the line. I can't remember everything you 620 00:34:32,600 --> 00:34:34,920 said to me because I was just like Adam, you're saying 621 00:34:34,960 --> 00:34:37,520 everything I wanted you to say. Well done. 622 00:34:38,360 --> 00:34:42,480 I don't want to. And it was just it, it was so 623 00:34:42,480 --> 00:34:44,080 clear. And then looking back at it, I 624 00:34:44,080 --> 00:34:46,520 can't. It feels a bit surreal because 625 00:34:47,280 --> 00:34:51,000 it isn't really me to do that. But at the same time, it was an 626 00:34:51,000 --> 00:34:53,199 absolute no brainer and I don't regret it. 627 00:34:53,199 --> 00:34:58,320 It was the right decision. But yeah, it's so I don't know 628 00:34:58,320 --> 00:34:59,880 if that's unfinished business or not. 629 00:34:59,880 --> 00:35:03,240 Because I think if I was going to go again, I have to decide I 630 00:35:03,240 --> 00:35:04,800 want it. Because if you don't want it, 631 00:35:04,800 --> 00:35:06,600 you're never going to manage. Are you really? 632 00:35:07,560 --> 00:35:12,880 And on one hand I do, but, well, I do. 633 00:35:13,080 --> 00:35:17,200 But do I want it enough? Yeah, I think if you, if you're 634 00:35:17,200 --> 00:35:20,160 not sure that you want it, you've kind of already prepared 635 00:35:20,160 --> 00:35:23,440 yourself to stop. Yeah, 100% so. 636 00:35:23,480 --> 00:35:27,080 So I have to decide I want it and really believe it and really 637 00:35:27,080 --> 00:35:29,160 want it, or there's no point in going again. 638 00:35:30,400 --> 00:35:31,920 So watch this space. I don't know. 639 00:35:33,040 --> 00:35:35,360 Well, I know the next event they've got, they're going. 640 00:35:35,360 --> 00:35:38,920 Is it from the? Is it not from Edinburgh to? 641 00:35:40,040 --> 00:35:43,080 Yeah, Edinburgh to Glamis. Yeah, that's. 642 00:35:43,280 --> 00:35:44,160 Right. Yeah. 643 00:35:44,160 --> 00:35:47,000 So I couldn't do the Bamburgh to Edinburgh next year because 644 00:35:47,000 --> 00:35:49,920 we're away. But so I obviously haven't ruled 645 00:35:49,920 --> 00:35:53,160 it out because I did go well, I could do Edinburgh to Glamis and 646 00:35:53,160 --> 00:35:57,160 then Rasselbach are actually doing a well they do a 24 hour 647 00:35:57,160 --> 00:36:00,160 track event every year and they just said they might do a 48 648 00:36:00,160 --> 00:36:03,440 hour 1. And I thought, on the one hand, 649 00:36:03,440 --> 00:36:06,440 running around a track for 100 miles sounds pretty unappealing, 650 00:36:06,440 --> 00:36:09,840 but if you're surrounded by really good people and all you 651 00:36:09,840 --> 00:36:12,960 have to do is go out and just run another 400 meters, maybe 652 00:36:12,960 --> 00:36:15,640 that's the way. Don't know. 653 00:36:15,640 --> 00:36:19,320 Or or do it myself with either the house as a base and 10 mile 654 00:36:19,320 --> 00:36:21,880 loops or I don't know. I don't know. 655 00:36:21,920 --> 00:36:24,160 I have thought about ways I might do it so I obviously 656 00:36:24,160 --> 00:36:29,760 haven't completely ruled it out, but I need to silt my head and 657 00:36:29,760 --> 00:36:33,320 decide if that's what I want. If you're thinking about doing a 658 00:36:33,320 --> 00:36:38,720 track race and you're worried about the time there's could be 659 00:36:38,720 --> 00:36:43,040 in events they do a 25 hours because they do it on the day 660 00:36:43,080 --> 00:36:45,160 where the clocks change so you get the extra. 661 00:36:45,160 --> 00:36:48,800 Hour. That's quite cool. 662 00:36:49,000 --> 00:36:52,840 There's them that do the nutty tunnel and bridge ones as well. 663 00:36:53,200 --> 00:36:56,080 Them ones are, yes. I'm not doing that. 664 00:36:58,240 --> 00:37:01,560 I'm proud to say that I've got the I'm the person with the most 665 00:37:01,560 --> 00:37:04,480 amount of his medals. Excellent. 666 00:37:06,160 --> 00:37:08,840 That's the same track race as well, Mike, that you're not 667 00:37:08,840 --> 00:37:11,800 allowed music, you're not allowed support, you're not 668 00:37:11,800 --> 00:37:14,920 allowed friends, you're not allowed anything joyful. 669 00:37:15,040 --> 00:37:16,760 You're not allowed to have fun. Do you think you're allowed to 670 00:37:16,800 --> 00:37:19,160 run a just as a trafficker? Probably not. 671 00:37:19,200 --> 00:37:20,680 No, because that would be too fun. 672 00:37:23,480 --> 00:37:25,040 You're allowed to. Talk. 673 00:37:25,480 --> 00:37:27,960 It's actually Victoria. Victoria, the happy runner. 674 00:37:27,960 --> 00:37:32,800 She was saying she she falls over asleep, falls over and she 675 00:37:32,800 --> 00:37:35,800 finds herself like in in this gutter in the tunnel. 676 00:37:35,800 --> 00:37:40,480 I'm like, no, that's not for me. Yeah, I've ran quite a few races 677 00:37:40,480 --> 00:37:45,680 with Vic. So the next question on our 678 00:37:45,680 --> 00:37:51,440 question is why do you run? Because I can. 679 00:37:52,440 --> 00:37:56,120 So let's go back to the thing about what motivates me. 680 00:37:56,120 --> 00:37:58,800 I guess it's, you know, I'm fit enough. 681 00:37:58,880 --> 00:38:02,960 I've got a really supportive, caring family that indulges me 682 00:38:02,960 --> 00:38:05,600 in, in all the silly challenges I want to do. 683 00:38:06,120 --> 00:38:09,040 And you know, you never, your health isn't a given, is it? 684 00:38:09,040 --> 00:38:14,200 And you know, I'm 52 and I've got friends who I've got cancer. 685 00:38:14,720 --> 00:38:17,440 I've got, you know, know people who've had other significant 686 00:38:17,440 --> 00:38:20,000 health issues. And you never know when the 687 00:38:20,000 --> 00:38:22,280 run's going to be your last. And, and I really, really enjoy 688 00:38:22,280 --> 00:38:24,800 it. It makes me happy, you know? 689 00:38:24,840 --> 00:38:29,840 So I just think, yeah, because I can, really. 690 00:38:32,160 --> 00:38:37,760 So you run because you can, but while you're out there running, 691 00:38:37,760 --> 00:38:43,280 while you're out there doing a the a really long event, what do 692 00:38:43,280 --> 00:38:48,080 you think about? So it depends on whether it's 693 00:38:48,240 --> 00:38:49,640 getting tough or not. So I think when it's getting 694 00:38:49,640 --> 00:38:53,880 tough, I think about my friend Eleanor who died from breast 695 00:38:53,880 --> 00:38:57,040 cancer. And I think how, you know, she 696 00:38:57,040 --> 00:38:59,240 faced her death with dignity and courage. 697 00:38:59,280 --> 00:39:01,880 And if she could face that challenge that she hadn't 698 00:39:01,880 --> 00:39:06,040 chosen, I can woman up and face it until I decide I don't like 699 00:39:06,040 --> 00:39:09,280 it, obviously, you know, So I think about her. 700 00:39:09,320 --> 00:39:13,320 I think about my patients for the same reason that, that you, 701 00:39:13,320 --> 00:39:18,440 you watch what they go through and you know how lucky and 702 00:39:18,440 --> 00:39:22,000 privileged I am to be able to be out there and to have the 703 00:39:22,000 --> 00:39:25,080 fitness and, and the money to be able to pay for going to all 704 00:39:25,080 --> 00:39:29,840 these nutty events and the support and, and that's what 705 00:39:29,840 --> 00:39:31,800 motivates me and, and for the big long runs. 706 00:39:31,800 --> 00:39:34,000 And when I'm fundraising, I'll do memory miles. 707 00:39:34,000 --> 00:39:39,400 So, so I get people to sponsor a mile for somebody they love and 708 00:39:39,400 --> 00:39:42,320 they don't have to give fundraising, but most people do. 709 00:39:42,880 --> 00:39:48,120 So for the 100, I had somebody for every single mile and we 710 00:39:48,120 --> 00:39:51,400 genuinely talked about each person smile. 711 00:39:51,400 --> 00:39:53,120 So it breaks it down really nicely. 712 00:39:53,160 --> 00:39:55,920 It's right. This smile is for so and so. 713 00:39:55,920 --> 00:39:58,640 This is for my granny. This is for, you know, my 714 00:39:58,640 --> 00:40:01,440 friend, This is for someone's dad. 715 00:40:02,800 --> 00:40:05,760 We talk about the person and why we're running for them. 716 00:40:06,840 --> 00:40:09,000 Yeah. So, so it's often a lot of that 717 00:40:09,000 --> 00:40:12,800 and thinking, you know, I'm here because I've chosen to be. 718 00:40:14,040 --> 00:40:16,840 I've chosen this challenge and I can choose not to do it if I 719 00:40:16,840 --> 00:40:19,080 want to, but I'm choosing to stay. 720 00:40:19,480 --> 00:40:24,840 And that was, you know, good. I did the lap earlier this year 721 00:40:24,880 --> 00:40:28,360 and that got quite tough and I was like, no, I'm choosing to 722 00:40:28,360 --> 00:40:31,240 stay here. I'm not going to get a taxi back 723 00:40:31,240 --> 00:40:36,240 to the finish. Sometimes it was through gritted 724 00:40:36,240 --> 00:40:38,480 tea. Yeah. 725 00:40:40,160 --> 00:40:43,560 With the memory Miles does that, I can imagine that getting quite 726 00:40:43,560 --> 00:40:45,720 emotional does it? Yeah, it does. 727 00:40:46,120 --> 00:40:48,920 It does. And I can be like when I was on 728 00:40:48,920 --> 00:40:51,480 a bit of a downer and I was like, and then I looked and 729 00:40:51,720 --> 00:40:55,040 went, oh, this is my friend's aunt who's just died. 730 00:40:55,920 --> 00:41:00,000 So pull yourself together. This is for, you know, the real 731 00:41:00,000 --> 00:41:04,840 chokers where there was two young men who'd ended their own 732 00:41:04,840 --> 00:41:09,880 lives, one when he was 18, so it was like he's forever 18. 733 00:41:09,880 --> 00:41:15,840 And another one when he was 17. So those were put yourself 734 00:41:15,840 --> 00:41:17,160 together. Yeah. 735 00:41:17,440 --> 00:41:21,160 You can keep going. So yeah, it's it does help. 736 00:41:22,280 --> 00:41:23,960 I can imagine that being a motivator. 737 00:41:25,200 --> 00:41:30,920 Being a memory mile, how do you remember which mile is which? 738 00:41:31,520 --> 00:41:33,720 For each person, I hadn't written down on a bit of paper, 739 00:41:33,720 --> 00:41:40,960 bits of paper and but if the phone dies and I had like any 740 00:41:40,960 --> 00:41:44,000 zip lock bag so it didn't get ruined in the rain. 741 00:41:44,320 --> 00:41:48,040 So I had, you know, load on one bit and when you'd finished that 742 00:41:48,040 --> 00:41:51,800 page, I put that into my backpack and then the next one 743 00:41:51,800 --> 00:41:54,560 would. So that would just be in my 744 00:41:55,040 --> 00:41:58,920 geeky hiker buffet pouch would have the memory miles list as 745 00:41:58,920 --> 00:42:04,640 well. So you seem to do an awful lot 746 00:42:04,640 --> 00:42:07,960 for fundraising. Have you got any projects coming 747 00:42:07,960 --> 00:42:12,840 up this year or voluntary events, anything that you've got 748 00:42:12,840 --> 00:42:15,160 coming up aside from your Great North Run that you've already 749 00:42:15,160 --> 00:42:16,040 mentioned? Yeah, so. 750 00:42:16,840 --> 00:42:20,120 So it's the, I mean the Great North, I did some fundraising 751 00:42:20,120 --> 00:42:23,120 that for Copperfield, but that was a kind of tag 100 on to that 752 00:42:23,120 --> 00:42:25,080 as well. So I was doing memory miles for 753 00:42:25,080 --> 00:42:28,360 people for that as part of that Great North Run fundraising. 754 00:42:28,800 --> 00:42:34,760 I've done similar for in the year I did the wall, I'd spent a 755 00:42:34,760 --> 00:42:39,520 year, did a year of fundraising for mountain rescue, but I 756 00:42:39,520 --> 00:42:42,520 haven't got other fundraising projects this year. 757 00:42:42,520 --> 00:42:46,400 I've got I guess another thing I'm working towards is I like, I 758 00:42:46,400 --> 00:42:50,000 like my park run. I don't know why because I don't 759 00:42:50,000 --> 00:42:52,120 like fighting and I don't particularly like getting up in 760 00:42:52,120 --> 00:42:57,600 the morning, but I like the challenge and I'm closing in on 761 00:42:57,600 --> 00:43:01,760 my 100th different venue. So that will be my 100th venue 762 00:43:01,760 --> 00:43:03,680 will be on the 8th of November at Bushey. 763 00:43:04,080 --> 00:43:08,480 So I'm doing that. But yeah, I've got, I've got a 764 00:43:08,480 --> 00:43:14,640 few races booked in but no sort of particular stand out project 765 00:43:14,640 --> 00:43:17,040 as such. I guess the biggest 1 coming up 766 00:43:17,040 --> 00:43:23,000 is Escape from Meriden in November and I think I'm looking 767 00:43:23,000 --> 00:43:26,000 forward to that because that all challenge my head and it will. 768 00:43:26,000 --> 00:43:27,800 It's the running through the night thing and I'm doing it 769 00:43:27,800 --> 00:43:29,720 with a couple of friends so that should be good. 770 00:43:32,040 --> 00:43:37,280 And do you have any races in the near or even distant future that 771 00:43:37,280 --> 00:43:39,160 you would have on your bucket list? 772 00:43:41,400 --> 00:43:45,240 So I've kind of granted a bit of a halt at what my bucket list is 773 00:43:45,240 --> 00:43:48,680 because I sort of had a little thought in the back of my head 774 00:43:48,680 --> 00:43:50,920 at some point of maybe doing the summer spine. 775 00:43:51,560 --> 00:43:56,840 But that's well and truly thrown in the bin now because I think 776 00:43:56,840 --> 00:44:01,560 if I can't want to do 100 miles, I don't want the suffer fest 777 00:44:01,560 --> 00:44:06,280 that is 268. But that was as a sort of maybe 778 00:44:06,360 --> 00:44:10,320 would, could I do that? So that's that's shelved and I 779 00:44:10,320 --> 00:44:14,760 guess it's whether another 100 is on my bucket list. 780 00:44:14,760 --> 00:44:19,360 But yeah, not sure the other things I've got. 781 00:44:19,760 --> 00:44:25,800 Well, Great North Run, I've said I've got 2 valleys doing that 782 00:44:25,800 --> 00:44:28,560 with a group of women that I met earlier this year through 783 00:44:28,560 --> 00:44:30,320 Instagram. We went for a trail running 784 00:44:30,320 --> 00:44:33,880 weekend and we're meeting up again to do that. 785 00:44:33,880 --> 00:44:37,920 So more about the social and the chat than anything else. 786 00:44:38,200 --> 00:44:40,360 And I've got a Marathon Erie. I entered the ballot for that 787 00:44:40,360 --> 00:44:42,760 and probably forgot about it until I got the e-mail saying I 788 00:44:42,760 --> 00:44:45,040 was successful. But but I think that would be a 789 00:44:45,040 --> 00:44:46,960 good crack as well. You know, challenge over 790 00:44:46,960 --> 00:44:48,800 difficult terrain is the sort of other thing. 791 00:44:49,560 --> 00:44:52,160 Interested in pushing and seeing how I can get on. 792 00:44:53,680 --> 00:44:56,680 And you're obviously doing a backyard with Nikki as well. 793 00:44:58,040 --> 00:45:01,080 Yeah, backyard in March. You know what that would be 794 00:45:01,080 --> 00:45:03,440 definitely on that. That's not even a bucket list 795 00:45:03,440 --> 00:45:06,720 that's happening. Get yourself in, there's not 796 00:45:06,720 --> 00:45:09,160 many places left so get yourself booked. 797 00:45:09,840 --> 00:45:12,080 Shane and our crew and attend Alice. 798 00:45:12,080 --> 00:45:14,320 I don't think they'll know what hit them if the two of us. 799 00:45:17,480 --> 00:45:20,400 Well before Mike moves on to the next question, we're talking 800 00:45:20,400 --> 00:45:23,800 about bucket list races. I want to highlight the Highland 801 00:45:23,800 --> 00:45:26,600 Fling and Devil of the Highlands north of the border. 802 00:45:26,600 --> 00:45:30,200 They are spectacular events coming up you've. 803 00:45:30,200 --> 00:45:32,720 Told me a lot about them. They sound they do sound good. 804 00:45:33,000 --> 00:45:36,720 Oh the the devil. It's really, really challenging. 805 00:45:36,760 --> 00:45:41,640 But what scenery? Even when it's raining it's I 806 00:45:41,640 --> 00:45:44,400 just Mike and I, as you know, are big fans of the West 807 00:45:44,400 --> 00:45:47,960 Highland way anyway, but to come up and do them, it's just 808 00:45:47,960 --> 00:45:51,000 something else. The the volunteers, the race 809 00:45:51,000 --> 00:45:54,480 organisers, it's just there's such great events, so. 810 00:45:54,480 --> 00:45:55,960 And that, that's what makes it, isn't it? 811 00:45:55,960 --> 00:45:58,440 It's the people that are there. It's, you know, and that that, 812 00:45:58,720 --> 00:46:02,080 yeah, it's what changes a race from being average to being 813 00:46:03,000 --> 00:46:06,800 right up there and amazing. Yeah, that's that's spectacular. 814 00:46:06,800 --> 00:46:12,880 So get them on your list. And the, the next question is 815 00:46:12,880 --> 00:46:15,320 always our most difficult question to ask. 816 00:46:15,680 --> 00:46:20,160 But I, I think you, well, you, you may have already mentioned 817 00:46:20,320 --> 00:46:23,120 the the answer, but you might have something totally 818 00:46:23,120 --> 00:46:26,760 different. Question is, who would you like 819 00:46:26,760 --> 00:46:31,440 to run with the most, whether alive, not fictional or not? 820 00:46:32,080 --> 00:46:34,280 So I've got a couple of couple of people. 821 00:46:34,280 --> 00:46:39,280 So so I'm really inspired by women that go and really push 822 00:46:39,280 --> 00:46:41,320 the boundaries and particularly when they manage to beat the 823 00:46:41,320 --> 00:46:43,560 men. Not that I have anything against 824 00:46:43,560 --> 00:46:45,680 men, but it's just really inspiring. 825 00:46:46,520 --> 00:46:51,080 And so I guess there's a couple of Anna's that take that book. 826 00:46:51,080 --> 00:46:55,320 So Anna Troop, who obviously won the spine outright this year, 827 00:46:55,320 --> 00:46:59,240 this summer and has just won the women's race of race across 828 00:46:59,440 --> 00:47:03,280 Scotland. So, and also she's similar age 829 00:47:03,280 --> 00:47:04,360 to me. She's actually a little bit 830 00:47:04,360 --> 00:47:10,320 older than me and is smashing it Despite that and has, I think 831 00:47:10,320 --> 00:47:12,120 come back from quite significant injury. 832 00:47:12,120 --> 00:47:14,400 So I think she'd be a really inspiring person, although I, I 833 00:47:14,400 --> 00:47:15,560 doubt I'd better keep up with her. 834 00:47:17,240 --> 00:47:20,720 And the other Anna is Anna Rutherford that won the castle 835 00:47:20,720 --> 00:47:24,080 to castle that IDNFD on. She finished it in something 836 00:47:24,080 --> 00:47:27,120 like 17 hours. And Despite that, she sort of 837 00:47:27,120 --> 00:47:29,960 stopped and checked some bloke who'd passed out on a golf 838 00:47:29,960 --> 00:47:33,920 course wasn't dead and, and she actually got home and was in bed 839 00:47:33,920 --> 00:47:37,800 pretty much two hours, you know, 2 hours before the next person 840 00:47:37,800 --> 00:47:39,640 finished. So it's so again, I wouldn't 841 00:47:39,640 --> 00:47:41,680 keep up with her, but she'd be quite inspiring. 842 00:47:42,960 --> 00:47:45,800 But I guess I'd also, I'd like if we're, if we're in 843 00:47:45,800 --> 00:47:48,200 fantasyland and we can pick someone who's dead, I'd like to 844 00:47:48,200 --> 00:47:50,960 run with my mate Eleanor. But she would roll her eyes. 845 00:47:50,960 --> 00:47:53,040 She wasn't a runner. She couldn't run because she had 846 00:47:53,240 --> 00:47:55,760 fear injuries from when we were students together. 847 00:47:56,040 --> 00:47:58,560 And she'd be like, what are you doing all this for? 848 00:47:58,560 --> 00:48:02,280 Have you lost your mind? But in Fantasyland, she'd she'd 849 00:48:02,520 --> 00:48:04,880 come for a nice trail run with me and we'd have a good laugh. 850 00:48:07,600 --> 00:48:11,880 Oh, they're great answers, and I bet you the two, no matter how 851 00:48:11,920 --> 00:48:14,400 fast they are, I bet you 2 Anna's probably would run with 852 00:48:14,400 --> 00:48:17,520 you because you're grateful. The problem well, and Anna 853 00:48:17,520 --> 00:48:20,280 Rutherford is in the same fate in a Facebook group and is very 854 00:48:20,280 --> 00:48:22,880 normal and was asking, you know, before it all started was that 855 00:48:22,880 --> 00:48:25,040 sort of asking questions about what are you going to do for 856 00:48:25,040 --> 00:48:28,240 fuelling and how, you know, asking all about kit and then 857 00:48:28,240 --> 00:48:31,600 like pulls this out. It's like not worthy. 858 00:48:34,960 --> 00:48:37,920 But I think the trail community and the ultra community, but you 859 00:48:37,920 --> 00:48:40,440 know what we call the front runners that most of them are 860 00:48:40,440 --> 00:48:44,080 like that. They're so gracious to give that 861 00:48:44,080 --> 00:48:46,600 advice. It's it's a bit of a pinch me 862 00:48:46,600 --> 00:48:50,920 moment when people like that are, I mean, look at Mike. 863 00:48:51,640 --> 00:48:58,040 Yeah. So unless Mike has any other 864 00:48:58,040 --> 00:49:01,440 questions, the last question that we have on our set is 865 00:49:02,120 --> 00:49:05,160 what's next for you running wise aside from you've mentioned 866 00:49:05,160 --> 00:49:09,880 Bushy Park run? Yeah, I mean, I think Bushy Park 867 00:49:09,880 --> 00:49:15,040 run, Great North Run, pondering, you know, sorting my head out, I 868 00:49:15,040 --> 00:49:18,520 think is is the main thing. And, you know, trying to work 869 00:49:18,520 --> 00:49:21,120 out what was going on in my head as that made me stop. 870 00:49:21,120 --> 00:49:24,520 And I mean, the weather didn't help, but I need to work that 871 00:49:24,520 --> 00:49:28,800 out, I think because until I work that out, it's difficult to 872 00:49:28,800 --> 00:49:30,480 know what big things I would take on. 873 00:49:30,480 --> 00:49:32,680 At the moment. I don't necessarily want to book 874 00:49:32,680 --> 00:49:36,160 anything above the things I've already talked about because I I 875 00:49:36,160 --> 00:49:40,640 want to work out whether I've still got 100 in my heart. 876 00:49:44,120 --> 00:49:50,080 Well, I think that brings us to a close tonight and it just 877 00:49:50,080 --> 00:49:54,400 comes from me to say thank you, Nikki for being Nikki and thank 878 00:49:54,400 --> 00:49:57,560 you, Alice for joining us. My pleasure, Thank you very much 879 00:49:57,560 --> 00:49:59,400 for having me. Thanks for coming on.