September 2021 challenge: People Move
I faced my toughest challenge yet, running 20 miles one week after a major race, to support JCWI's People Move challenge.
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| People move on a bridge. |
Fundraising for JCWI in 2021
This is the 9th recap post of my 2021 monthly running challenges. These challenges are part of my fundraiser for the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants (JCWI).
Recapping the horrors of UK immigration each month
As part of my fundraising efforts, I am also raising awareness about what's happening in the world of UK immigration each month.
I want people to understand just how much awfulness happens in 28 to 31 days. My recaps will be over on my Medium site.
Why People Move
JCWI put together the People Move challenge for September to get others involved in completing some sort of fitness activity while raising money for the charity.
I chose to make my 20 mile marathon training run my entry for the People Move challenge. It would be my longest distance ever run, so running it in support of JCWI seemed like a meaningful way to mark the occasion.
I did the challenge with my friend Andy, and we decided to run from north Edinburgh, over the Forth Road Bridge, and back.
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| Crossing the River Almond in the first few miles of the run. |
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| Both sporting People Move bibs. |
Running 20 miles a week after a Great North Run
This run was difficult.
I wrote last month about my training runs that went up to 18 miles, and that I felt fine while running so slowly.
Running 20 miles slowly couldn't save me from how exhausted my legs were. I just ran Great North Run a week before, much faster than I had expected to run it.
Although my legs weren't in pain anymore by Thursday, they were not prepared for such a long run. Plus, I had kept up my training plan and had managed a 5, 4, and 3 mile run already that week. It was all just too much.
The difficulty in stopping and starting
We followed a route from north Edinburgh along the cycle/pedestrian path that takes you to the Forth Road Bridge.
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| Getting closer to the bridges. |
It started off slowly to begin with, but by mile 8, I could feel that the rest of the run was really going to be a struggle.
This was around the time that we stopped to call a coworker/friend. We ran through a housing development that I felt pretty sure my colleague had just moved into based on the tour he gave us on Teams.
I mean, we couldn't not call someone we knew in the area to say hello to us sweaty runners. He didn't end up being in, and it's when we restarted the run that my legs started to feel especially heavy.
I wasn't used to stopping and starting so frequently on a run, and I realized I can't run well if I do this. I need to be continuously running when doing long distances. Starting again hurts.
The importance of fueling
It was also not long after this stop that we had to pause for our first fuel stop. On my long runs in August, I had to force myself to fuel; I didn't feel like I needed it. I felt like I needed to fuel 9 miles in to a 20 mile run.
We had another fuel stop 12 miles in. I really could have used more later on, but I only brought an oat bar and an energy jelly (like a gel, but not).
This was a good lesson for my upcoming marathon. Race day might not feel as great as those August training days did. I need enough fuel to keep me going.
Where we paused for our first fuel stop was next to this very weird sign for a diet plan that had a picture of chips in it. We couldn't figure out why Slimming World wanted chips to advertise their service. Strange.
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| Why the chips, Slimming World? |
Crossing the bridge
Mile 10 started the main event: crossing the Forth Road Bridge. This is where I started incessantly started taking photos.
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| The start of the Forth Road Bridge. |
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| Forth Rail Bridge. |
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| Queensferry Crossing. |
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| Thanks to the strangers who offered to take a photo of us. |
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| Already a tired Lauren but will smile when crossing a bridge. |
We got to the end of the bridge, took a photo with the welcome to Fife sign, and then decided to walk the bridge back. Halfway through, we decided to start running again.
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| We made it to Fife! |
We lucked out with it not being a very windy day, so the crossing wasn't too blustery. But we didn't luck out with it starting to drizzle on the way back.
The muggy, hot run back into Edinburgh
After we crossed the Bridge back into South Queensferry, I decided it was time to change out of my sunglasses seeing as it had started raining.
Naturally, it stopped raining as soon as I took them off, and it got super muggy. I was already struggling on this run, and now it felt gross.
Getting closer into Edinburgh, the sun also started to shine. The extra bit of heat was the last thing I wanted.
Miles 14 to 19 were the worst. I literally could not propel my body any faster than the sluggish pace I was running at. Most of my miles were over 16 minutes in that stretch. My legs just would not move any faster.
It was also during this time that I had could no longer do any stops, no matter how short. If I stopped, I didn't think I'd be able to start again. I was that weirdo pacing back and forth at a traffic light waiting for the pedestrian signal to turn green.
My friend Duncan texted me later to say he passed me in his car while I was running this stretch and that I looked tired. So some extra proof there of what poor form I was in.
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| 16.5 miles in and feeling extremely exhausted. |
Singing the last mile
Once Strava told me I hit mile 19, I perked right up knowing the end was in sight. I picked up the pace, and used the power of song to get me through the final stretch.
Earlier on while crossing the bridge, I told Andy about the Weight Watchers song I wrote for a project in 9th grade biology. The performer that I am, I sang this song to him while running over the bridge.
In our last mile, Andy asked for a reprise, and it's absolutely crazy that I was not only capable of singing while running at this point, but that it actually made me run faster.
I then just kept singing any song, whether real or ones I made up on the spot. My made-up ones were about how our run had gone and how I was feeling about the run. So songs about being tired basically.
I can write one hell of a impromptu song. It's a gift.
Then the moment finally happened. Strava announced we hit 20 miles.
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| Don't let the smiles fool you. We were tired as hell. |
I don't know how I was capable of a jumping shorts photo afterwards, but it happened.
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| A jump to mark 20 miles completed. |
The post-run food hunt
We ended the run about a half mile away from the Waitrose in Comely Bank. First port of call was walking to that Waitrose for me to use their toilets and Andy to get a drink.
Andy also did some shopping there, which was a surreal experience witnessing someone get groceries after we just ran 20 miles. I took the opportunity to get an energy ball as I needed fuel asap.
We then had a walk through Stockbridge to find somewhere to eat. It was right before 4pm, so it was a weird time to try and find a cafe-like place that was open and still selling food.
We did find a place. They were selling a sandwich with 'whipped feta', which is the type of descriptor I'd only expect from a cafe in a rich part of town.
Anyway, an elitist vegetarian sandwich was good enough for this vegetarian elitist. I also got a peanut butter and chocolate chip cookie, which was really yummy.
I considered taking a photo for the blog, but post-20 mile Lauren really just needed to start eating right away. My apologies for the lack of visual content, dear readers.
Running reflections
People Move ended up being more of a challenge than I thought it would be. But I'm glad I had this experience to realize that not all long runs are great. I need to be prepared for this on marathon day.
Still, even though it was tough, no part of me felt like I was going going to stop. I knew I could keep going. It just really, really hurt.
That feeling summarizes my immigration experience. There being a goal to reach, but having to get through an incredibly painful process to get there.
At the end of the day, what gets me through a long run is knowing that running for a few hours will never feel as bad as my experience with the UK immigration system.
So on that note, please consider donating to my fundraiser for JCWI, who are working to make sure immigrants don't have such a terrible experience going through the UK system.
Marathons should hurt more than borders do.
October challenge
The moment I've been waiting for. I'm running my first marathon in October.
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