Mid Sussex Marathon Weekend

COVID CHANGED the landscape of running with all the major events unfortunantly closed to try and contain the dreaded virus.   Races that were normally run in large numbers suddenly became virtual events to give runners that incentive (like we need it!) to train and aim for something.   We are at last beginning to see some restrictions being lifted with a slight return to what will be the new normal.

Keeping the training going through the pandemic I decided to enter the Mid Sussex Half Marathon (MSMW).   It's not the first time the thought has gone through my mind but normally it falls on days that I am working and I cannot do it.   But it's virtual and the beauty of a virtual is that I can choose the dates that I run it, as well as the locations.   The important part, for me, is that I remain the spirit of the event.

What is the Mid Sussex Half Marathon weekend?

Before COVID restrictions it was a three day event.    Being organised by People for Places who have three sites in Sussex, Haywards Heath, Burgess Hill and East Grinstead there is a run at each location ...

1. Friday, East Grinstead 10 miles.

2. Saturday, Haywards Heath 10 miles. 

3. Sunday, Burgess Hill 10 km.

Over the three days you run the distance required for a marathon and earn three medals that come with each run.   The medals interlock to become one, which is a coveted prize.

The training has continued through the pandemic and recently came to a head with the Haywards Heath Harriers Spring Series Virtual Runs.   First was a tough 10km followed by an even tougher 10 miler.   The spring series ended with a very tough half marathon on the South Downs starting at Ditchling Beacon.   I managed to injure myself twice on the half marathon and only just made it to the finish line.

Having spent the last week not running and waiting for the injuries to heal I was back into training in preparation for the MSMW.   The question is where am I going to run the three events and what is it going to look like?

The Haywards Heath 10 mile disaster

STARTING OFF in my home town with the first 10 mile run.   I planned out the route and on my first rest day from work set off, determined to complete it.

This is a route that is very familiar to me and I have noticed, what I believed to be, an empty house part way round.   But today as I ran past it I noticed a light on in the the upstairs bedroom and it triggered an alarm bell!

The post was piling up on the inside of the front door, the curtains were pulled shut and they had those horrible brown stains from damp all over them.   It also appeared the premises had a rat issue.   I knocked on the front door, but got no response so decided to try the neighbour.   They confirmed someone does live there, who is a man who suffers from mental health issues and is in and out of the property all the time.

They let me into their garden to "look over the fence" and it was clear the man who lived there was a "hoarder".   Loads of books, furnitive, plates and cutlery all over the back garden.   They had not see or heard the man in over a week.   At this stage I was concerned about his welfare and called the Police to try and arrange a welfare call.

Luckily, I put my Garmin on "pause" whilst I was "making enquiries".   So 30 to 40 minuties later I restarted the run.   I hit Cuckfield and was coming up to the roundabout at the end of the village when I saw a lorry coming towards me.   It had a number of long canvas  straps hanging off it and the load didn't look steady.   I flagged the driver down and gave him a hand secure his lorry.   He was commiting a number of road traffic offences.

Towards the end of the run somehting went in my right foot and my toes started to hurt.   Somehow, it appears I have bruised them, possibly from "digging in" on the hills.   I may even have dislocated one somehow, but not sure.

So the plan to do the second 10 miles the following day didn't occur as I was having enough problems walking on it, letting alone running.   But I did feel good that I had managed to achieve two positive things on the run.   I really must either learn to mind my own business or get a life!

Police did check on the male who was located safe and well.   At least he is now on the "radar" with GP and Social Services being made aware.

 The Haywards Heath 10 kilometre

TIME WAS really running short to complete the MSMW.   But the right foot was feeling better, so I decided the time was right to try another run and see how it held up.   Taking into consideration the amount of pain I was in, the amount of time it's taken to feel better and the two races outstanding, I had a decision to make!

I decided to remain in Haywards Heath and go for the 10km.   I completed a 10km run a short while ago in a Run 4 Wales challenge, so decided to use the same route.   The main aim was to get the distance, without causing any further injury and not worry about the time.

Starting at the Princess Royal Hospital I ran up Haywards Heath High Street, and then past both Victoria Park and Muster Green.   Once I was at Miller and Carter I stared the Haywards Heath Harriers Virtual 5km route.   This took me into Cuckfield to the Church at the bottom of Chandlers Mead and return to Miller and Carter where a took a left turn and followed the road round past the Railway Station, Waitrose and then towards Lindfield.

The only upset was a phone call from a social services financial advisor who wanted to talk about my Dad, who has recently had to move into a home.   You have to answer these calls otherwise they think you are being awkward and the process can get a lot more difficult.   But they were happy I was on a run and they agreed to call me back five minutes later (I was at 9km and only had 1km to go).

Two run's down and only one 10 miler to go.   This is looking positive again, but I would have preferred to have kept in the spirit of the event and completed the three run's over three days.

The Redhill, Reigate and Earlswood 10 mile

WITH TWO of the three runs completed I needed to find time, strength and mental commitment to getting the last 10 mile run completed.    I was due in Redhill to do some work on my Dad's house and decided to go down there early and get out on the road.

I was still struggling with my foot, but felt so close to achieving the challenge that I didn't want to stop now.   I love these runs around my home town, they always being back memories and Surrey can be very beautiful.   Starting in Garlands Road I headed down towards the main Brighton Road and then round to the Railway station.

Circled around Redhill and down from the Water Company to Raffles Bridge, past Shaws Corner and then down into the old Market Town of Reigate.   Turning into the Priory I did a loop of the park and lake taking me out onto Cockshot Hill, heading for Meadvale.   Passing Meadvale I did a loop of Earlswood Lakes (top and lower lakes), there is a burger place there and thankfully they refilled my water bottle as the day was a lot hotter than I expected.

Once past the lakes I headed for Salfords and back towards Redhill.   I did a quick turn at the East Surrey Hospital and took the footpath towards the Royal Earlswood Mental Hospital.   I used to go down this route regularly as a school friend lived at Whitebushes.   Then it used to be fields, but now it's housing estates, but the footpath is still there linking it all and it was great to run it.

As I came back through Earlswood I realised that I wasn't going to get the 10 miles.   So, I created another loop going past St. John's Church, on to Pendleton Road, along Sandpit Road that runs between Redhill's bottom and middle commons.   Then down Mill Street past the Garabaldi community public house and down the Brighton Road heading back to Garlands Road.

The heat and the injury didn't help things.   But I concentrated on the distance and not the time in order to get to the finish line.   Determination won the day.