13 Facts for 13 Miles

I’m training for the Cardiff Half Marathon for Cancer Research UK — see www.justgiving.com/hectorshalf and please donate! I thought I’d break up the pain of training by coming up with 13 fun facts about my limited experience of running any sort of distance so far…

1. Finding 13 flat miles is fine in Cardiff. It is goddamn impossible in Cornwall unless you count a mile on an 18% gradient as approaching flat.
2. Finding 13 (safe) miles of tarmacked road in Cardiff again does not prove the most difficult challenge. In the environs of Hayle, you should define “tarmacked” as including the following: lane, footpath, grass field, sand, dune and mud.
3. Wellingtons are my preferred item of footwear as a result of 2).
4. A sharp stick can be useful when jogging to either (a) fend off curious livestock (b) to lean on during breaks and (c) as a crude aid to the more mountainous stretches.
5. All dogs are allergic to the dayglo orange of my high-viz running vest (see 2) again re. lack of pavements in this county)
6. Cornwall is the sort of place where you should check the tide before going for a run.
7. My knees hurt when I run downhill — this is perhaps not the best sign.
8. Stopping drinking to train means I wake up properly in the morning. This is something of a novelty and something I might try and stick to.
9. 13 miles is the same as 20.92 km, 68620 metres, 823 680 inches,  and 20 921 472 millimeters.
10. The Zutons is the best band I’ve found (so far) to run to.
11. My ears glow a ridiculous red after even moderate exercise — expect traffic light sized glow on October 18th!
12. My next run is to Camborne, if I don’t come back then this blog stands as a memorial.
13. Embarassingly, I still drove the 1/2 mile to Co-Op today.