Wednesday 1 February 2012

This is madness!


As the man with the red bed sheet round his neck said:


"No retreat, no surrender. That is Janathon Law. And by Janathon law, we will jog, and log... and blog. A new age has begun: an age of freedom! And all will know thaT 300 miles gave their last breath to defend it!


Madness?


This... is... JANATHON!"


With just forty eight hours to go before the end of Janathon, Fletchea (he of an eight month uninterrupted runstreak), Beanoutrunning (my partner in many crimes, for many years) and myself reached a gentlemen's agreement  to all finish as close as we could to 300 miles, effectively placing joint-second, behind Auswomble's impressive win (and new "course" record), with Jenks not far behind in third.


I hadn't expected to be knocking on the door of three hundred miles this month. The newest family member was an unknown factor, as was the dreaded lurghy that joined me on almost a third of my runs. But with the constant encouragement of knowing that my mileage was being watched, and my blogs were being read, suddenly the big 300 seemed do-able.


I thought that crossing the finish line-abreast was a sterling idea, and a fitting way to finish a month, where all three of us had held second place at one time or another. I'd had a reasonable Sunday run with Beany, and we were sitting on 282 and 287 respectively. I'd have loved to smash the last day with some heavy mileage, but month-end meetings ramp up the workload, and going all-out for second place may have been a hollow victory. Beany, who'd already run the furthest had to sleep on the idea, having mulled over pushing on for a very attainable 310 to give himself a ten mile daily average, but he too had his reasons to laying up, and I'm glad it came together.


Tonight's run took some working out, using slices of various road loops to reach the magic 4.4 miles as close to home as possible. In the end, I made it in sight of my house, and the final total couldn't have been closer to 300, without a risk of finishing short.


Thanks once again to Cathy for throwing it all together, and keeping the hordes entertained by playing the "Organiser's Privilege" at every turn. All is forgiven.


Congratulations on everyone that managed to jog, log and blog every day. There are always dozens of reasons not to, and yet only one that gets us out the door.


Tomorrow, we rest.


Janathon Day 31. 4.40miles, 34:44mins, 7:53/mile avg pace, 315ft ascent, 623cals
Janathon Totals: 300.03miles, 34:38hrs, 40,812cals, 10lbs net body mass.


Thank you, and good night.



12 comments:

  1. Well done on the 300. And will the man with the red bedsheet please stop messing around with that satellite dish?

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    1. Thanks Terry, glad to be in the same company again this year, though i missed your last minute scrapping!

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  2. Really pleased you made it for another Janathon and doing amazing mileage, despite at the beginning saying 'na, I won't be pushing it...'.

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    1. Okay, so I pushed it a little bit on two fronts: at home (thanks again to the understandng OH), and exerting myself while ill. Definitely one of those "do as I say, not as I do" things. Worth it though :)

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  3. Great work Goose. It was an honour to finish alongside you in the Table of Doom. Thank goodness you were taking it easy this Janathon! On to the next adventure.

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    1. A pleasure to be in good company as always. Great work on your debut, serious stuff with Cherubean at at the age and stage she is. What's next? Biking?

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  4. Top effort once again Goose. An inspiration to all us mere mortals who can't comprehend running a distance comparable to a Leicester Sq to Lands End jaunt... and doing all in time to get home and look after a little one!

    The blogs have been inspired, informative and very entertaining. Thanks for sharing both runs and insight.

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    1. Hey Tom, my pleasure (I think). I'm glads the blogs read well enough to the rest of the world outside our Janathon cuccoon. I reckon this is definitely a challenge for you, and your #runart with Beany hasmade you teacher's pet 11 months in advance!

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  5. Really enjoyed reading your blog again this year - I can't beieve you managed that mileage as a new Dad! Great stuff, well done.

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    1. Cheers Flo - only with the very best help from a wonderful and supportive (if incredulous) Other Half.

      OH has decided not to do a Febathon, where she watches a DVD and drinks a bottle of wine everyday, and then writes about both. But she was sorely tempted.

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  6. Still playing blog catch up. Congratulations on another epic Janathon and thanks for the top tips too.

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    1. Thank you v much. If I've written just one thing that helps one person in their enjoyment of running, it'll have been worth it. Naturally, I'd rather help more than one, but that's just the excessive personality coming through.... :)

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