Trail Half Marathon: My first experience

Cheddar Gorge Challenge medal collection

Six weeks ago in my blog post 'Run light like...' I explained how my recent involvement in the Relish Running Races Cheddar Gorge Challenge had rekindled my passion for running and allowed me to discover the delights (and pains!) of trail running.

Well, I did it! 16th August marked my first trail half marathon and I picked up my last piece of metal to complete the Cheddar Gorge Challenge. Not only did I complete it but I came 10th overall!!! I am absolutely over the moon and ecstatic. I thoroughly enjoyed it and many thanks to Relish Running Races organisers for the fantastic job they did at all three races I attended.

Lindsay & I on the finish line

What can I tell you? It was bloody difficult! But then? That is what you want. That is what makes it interesting. I was doing ok but I got a great burst when I saw Hell's steps for the last time. I went bounding past four others as I was determined to give my all at this point in the race. As my friend Lindsay had told me in training, "Don't see them as hills. See them as mounds of opportunity!" By the end, as I approached the finish line, my legs were like jelly. I had definitely gone as hard and as far as I could. Great feeling.

Hills are mounds of opportunity

Everybody has their own demons. Everybody has their own challenges. This was mine and even if I missed the odd training session here or there, I know that in the end, I did the best I could during that trail half marathon. I had everything to be proud of and I was.

In the last 8 months I have given up smoking (-something I should have never started but I do - or did - enjoy it!). I have started running again at a respectable fitness level. I have achieved better than I could have imagined in the Cheddar Gorge Half Marathon and well... since I have got this far, after 2 years of saying it, I have finally committed to the Munich marathon on 11th October 2015. 

Champagne celebrations

Another great challenge, Munich is a city I hold close to my heart for a number of reasons and I felt a connection to this city long before I came to live here (for inexplicable reasons), so I have always wanted to earn THAT medal; that of the Munich Marathon. I ran the Phuket Marathon in 2011 and said, "I will never run another marathon again" but even then, I gave myself the exception that I would do another marathon if it was in a cooler climate such as that of Europe "just so I can compare my race time". So here I am.

Final weeks of training in progress. A fresh bottle of cava is awaiting in the fridge (thanks to a wonderful Cava Tasting evening I recently attended at Camino del Vino in Munich - worthy of another blog post!). And well, as always, watch this space..............!

One week in Lagos

I made it to Lagos, Nigeria. I've been here a week so far. Here are my first impressions of Lagos and some things I have found surprising.

View from room at Four Points Victoria Island

1) I had been told that I would get hassled a lot at the airport. To be honest, it was not so bad. When I was approached for a taxi or help with my bags, I politely said, "No thank you" and there was no further issue. This surprised me since I remember in Uganda, people would simply keep walking alongside me as though I might change my mind at any moment and suddenly want that taxi.

I had to wait for Alex, so I bought a bottle of water and placed myself in the nearest cafe.

2) It was super hot and sticky in the airport. There seemed to be no ventilation but hopefully I won't have to sit around too long in the future.

3) I arrived around 7pm on Sunday evening. This seems to be key since the journey from the airport to Victoria Island was really rather fast. I have been told that this is unique because the journey to/from the airport is renowned for being very slow, with lots of traffic.

4) Champagne is a big thing here. It is really quite easily accessible in the supermarkets and restaurants on Victoria Island. The reason? Wine is not great and is very expensive so when you are spending 100.-USD on a bottle of not-great wine, why not go the whole hog and order champagne? Erm... ok then!

5) Traffic is hectic and noisy. If Kampala (Uganda) traffic seemed crazy, this is a whole new level! I have no intentions of ever driving here. They drive on the right side (as in mainland Europe) but it is very aggressive driving with lots of hooting of the horns.

6) The streets are unsafe. Now honestly, I am not being fair there. I have not been for a walk on the street but only because I have been told not to! It is a strange thing. There are absolutely no expats walking around here.

7) You can get most things - there is even a branch of MAC (make-up) and Mango (fashion) here in Palms Mall. However, it does seem that fresh vegetables are difficult... hence there was an amazing supply of vitamins "with greens" in the pharmacy to make up the all-important five a day. This is the most difficult thing for me to come to terms with!!! I love my fresh vegetables.

8) I find the people very friendly but then I am living in an expat bubble that is life at Four Points Sheraton... Maybe I will feel different when I am really living here. I shall not be negative though - for now, I have found Nigerians perfectly friendly.

Restaurants/cafes i have tried because so far there seems little else to do here:

1) Art Cafe: Very nice and has an elevated open-air area where you can enjoy real Italian brewed coffee. They also do alcohol, cocktails, soft drinks, cakes and snacks. Nice ambiance.

Coffee at Art Cafe

2) Lagoon: Bar/restaurant down on the water across from Ikoyi. Nice setting because you can sit by the water and apparently they serve the most enormous cocktails if you dare to order one. I didn't! Enjoyed 2 beers, one mojito, one soda water, hummus pitta plate, 2 prawn skewers, 2 chicken tikka skewers, a salad and a mini pizza. The price was around 160.-USD.

View from Lagoon Bar/Restaurant

Lagoon Bar/Restaurant

3) Bungalow: I loved this place! Kind of relaxed pub atmosphere and the perfect place I see myself watching the football or formula one. Their TVs are on invertors so even if the power goes out, you don't miss the action. There menus are on tablets (think iPad or similar) which was rather cool! Ordered chicken avocado salad, burrito, nachos/guacamole, one beer and one soda water. Price was around 60.-USD.

4) Coral Blue Seafood Restaurant: Looks like a fast food joint when you arrive but actually the decor is quite nice. Very nautical. Climb the white stairs with rope banisters and turn left into the restaurant with panoramic windows. I had a mixed platter/combo of seafood with mussels, prawns and grilled fish. Salad was very fresh. Generally very impressed but for such a big restaurant, it was dead! Maybe we went too early on Sunday evening (around 6pm).

Inside Coral Blue Seafood Restaurant

Inside Coral Blue Seafood Restaurant

5) Cafe Nero: Small intimate coffee shop right next door to Bungalow. Found it on google and decided to give it a go. Enormous coffees (if you order the large) and well-priced. Their carrot cake was good and they seem to have free wifi. We called in randomly on a Saturday afternoon and there were a few people in. The sofas were comfortable. I liked it.

And that be that. One week in Lagos. My first impressions.