2 days to go...

2 more days of school, 2 more days of sorrow! 2 more days at work and then the big run starts.....

I'm simultaneously excited and scared about this run. We've not prepared longer than a 2 day run - what do normal ultramarathoners do? Just keep running, I expect.

My favourite method of mental prep has been looking through all the photos and the blogs and remembering every good bit, every funny bit, every silly bit, every bit where Lee needs a jelly baby and Dave makes a stupid joke and Dan falls over. I'm so excited about seeing the whole path again. Some bits of the Greensand Way near Godalming, we've not seen in MONTHS. They'll be like old friends.

My major worry is the fact that it's going to hurt. It's going to hurt. Fortunately I've been given some sage advice by my physio (that's just...ice it). And the boys are going to be running mummified in KT Tape! I think the fact that when we're on day 3 - uncharted territory in terms of length of running, we'll be on the home stretch. Day 4 I imagine will be a massive blur, but it'll end in Haslemere and so will we.

Fundraising update:
The fundraising has been going amazingly so far. Thank you to everyone who's been so generous and helped to spread the word too. I'm going to try not to cry thinking about it. We smashed through the £2000 mark and are now at £2339.77. Thanks to the Guildford Hash House Harriers for giving us their spare change last night - you raised £96.50. Thank you thank you thank you.


Last night at the Guildford Hash House Harriers AGM, Lee and I were fortunate enough to be welcomed into the GH3 Mismanagement as Social Media secs - aka "Twit Twats". So in conjunction with the work that Ponce has done on the GH3 Facebook we'll be setting up a GH3 Twitter and blog for the hash notes to continue on.

Thank you to everyone who's been reading our silly notes and looking at our funny pictures and donating to our cause at www.charitygiving.co.uk/greensandway2012.
Please keep supporting us if you can - tell your friends, text or tweet radio stations, shout it out your windows!


And don't forget we are having a post-run party - to which you are all invited.
It's on the 9th June at the Royal Oak, Guildford (GU1 3RR)
The theme is "Red Carpet Runners" - Posh Frocks & High-Tops, Compression Wear & Cummerbunds, Trainers & Tuxes
The Charley Farley Sunday Four (www.cfs4.com) will be playing some of their unique skiffle pop as part of the celebration and to get you in the party mood.
And there will be a raffle with some staggeringly huge prizes too!

You can RSVP here https://www.facebook.com/events/459022650790130/ or just turn up! We'd love to see you there.

PS if you know anyone who can help with raffle prizes, please do let us know - we'd love to offer even more prizes!

On on,

Scrum Muffin/Claire

Loads of Hash in Lees Garden

It was hashing time again on Monday night. This was to be a special hash for Scrum Muffin (Claire) and  Little Pecker (me) as we were setting the hash. We chose the White Horse at Hascombe as the 'On Inn' so that Guildford Hash House Harriers got to experience a little that the Greensand Way has to offer.

Little Pecker was the 'Live Hare' at the White Horse on the Greensand Way

We scouted out the route the night before and decided that we would spice things up a bit by having me set the hash Live (remember In The Bum did it in a previous blog?) . This meant I would set off only about 15 minutes ahead of the hashers and lay the trail as I ran.

Scrum Muffin was 'check in chicken' at the white horse on the Greensand Way

Scrum Muffin was to be Check in Chicken which meant she stayed near the back and made sure the stupid/lazy/knitting club/elderly hashers made it back alive. This is not a job for the feint  hearted, you need good CPR and first aid skills as well as severe patience.

Some runners from Amsterdam Joined us on the Hash at the White Horse at Hascombe on the Greensand Way

It was great to see some new faces (visitors) as usual. There were even two chaps from Amsterdam who were in for quite a shock when they were to meet some 'uphill' terrain they had never experienced before.

Little Pecker lays the flour trail in Busbridge Woods

So off I went at 7.15 pm. running as fast as I could I went straight up the Hurtwood on the Greensand Way before diverting across it towards Little Burgate Farm. Laying little flour marks and 'checking' circles as I went. Music in my headphones blaring I was determined they wouldnt catch me!

Flour trail near Little Burgate Farm

15 minutes later and the main hash was off charging (and moaning) up The Hurtwood too! By this time I was well past Little Burgate Farm and working my way towards Busbridge Woods and a surprise for the Hash at the Halfway mark.

Hasher at sunset at Little Burgate Farm near the Greensand Way

As Scrum Muffin kept things calm at the rear of the pack the guys at the front found themselves climbing a very steep path I call the treasure path and bursting out in to someones garden! 

Guildford Hash House Harriers at a beer stop in Hascombe at Little Peckers House.

The Garden was mine and they found me relaxing there with a little beer in hand welcoming everyone to the halfway mark and a beer stop. Always a welcome surprise on any hilly run.

Useful signpost near Hascombe near the Greensand Way 

It was nice for me to leave my garden with the group and continue on back towards the White Horse. We ran them out through a part of Hascombe Grange and back down towards Hascombe. Eventually we popped out back by the pond at Hascombe where the Hashers rejoined the Greensand Way for the final sprint back to the car park.

hashing flour marks at the pond in hascombe on the Greensand Way

We marked the end of the run with the usual 'On Inn' and signed it off LP for Little Pecker and SM for Scrum Muffin.

Flour trails marking the hash on the Greensand Way 

The hashers all said they really enjoyed a very scenic run so we were very pleased.  We even found out from the bar man at the White Horse that he used to hash in Russia in Moscow through Gorky Park!


There are so many beautiful trails in this area we are bound to bring the hashers back here again soon. In the meantime it felt fitting that we were there  less than two weeks before our main run in a place where we had trained, done an Easter Runday and led 2 hashes. 


There is a small chance some of the flour may still mark the way when we do our actual run on the Jubilee weekend.




On On !


Little Pecker 

Hash, Dogging , Trig Planking, Swinging, Beer, Cake and Strumming a Little One in the Pub

Monday was Hashing with the Guildford Hash House Harriers. The hash met up in a pub car park in Westhumble. Popeye was the hare so we knew we were in for a treat. The last hash he led involved us being in a row boat across the Guildford Canal in santa hats so we were expecting some surprises.

typical running kit on a hash

When you get to the car park and you notice the hare has been setting a trail that required a lifevest, grapling hook , karabiners and a divers knife you outwardly smile and inwardly panic.

Popeye explained that the original plan was to end the hash with a 300m rope run down a very steep part of the hill and across the river......but.....when he laid the trail the river was so deep and strong from all the rain he had got his arm caught and been dragged under and very nearly drowned.

Popeye made it VERY CLEAR that the advanced route he had laid was OFF LIMITS because it was suicide. And in hashing speak suicide means suicide and then some.

Claire back on the North Downs Way at Box Hill

It was great to be back on the North Downs Way after our Sunday Runday the day before. We were further east this time and having found the previous run about 'flat and samey' this was about to be the opposite.

Claire running up Box Hill on the North Downs Way

We crossed a bridge and began a flour trail leading up Box Hill......and I mean up. We climbed and climbed and climbed and climbed and climbed and climbed and climbed (and when I was not in sight of anyone I slowed to a walk and got my breath back) and climbed and climbed and climbed and climbed and climbed and climbed and climbed and climbed.



Google Phenomenom Lee Trig Point Planking on Box Hill

The climb was well worth it. The view was another great one, but better than that we saw a Trig Point . I was dancing around with glee in front of a bemused family eating a mcdonalds on a bench. They slurped milkshake as the guy with half of Field and Trek on his back started to 'hump' the trig point and shout 'am I straight?' 'do I look plankly enough?'

Claire Trig Point Planking on Box Hill on the North Downs Way

I got a well deserved rest taking a picture of Claire planking as well. Hasher 'Ponce' was unimpressed with our antics and made a note in his naughty book which got us a down down later that night. my explanation that 'we were one of the highest ranking google hits for 'trig point planking' pictures fell on bewildered ears.

'Sminging' - smiling with your swing

As we ran through 'liquor box' *fnar* on the top of Box Hill we also found a swing so we had a go at a bit of swinging and I played 'Nigel' to Claires 'Tyra' .

Hash Dog on Box Hill

Ive hashed before with a few dogs and always found them quite annoying. They charge about, are buggered when we reach a stile and usually lost ffor ages.  On this hash though we met a new hash dog who was ace. He even seemed to understand the shout 'On On' and go bombing off along the trail. We reckoned he has been trained to sniff out flour.

Guildford Hash House Harriers running across Box Hill on the North Downs Way

At the peak overlooking Westhumble we paused for a well deserved Beer Stop. Popeye was standing infront of the 'advanced' route that we couldnt take anymore. I took a quick peek and it looked terrifying. It reminded me of some abseiling I did in South Africa once. Glad we didnt do it.

Popeye guards the 'advanced route' on the beer stop.

We then enjoyed a gentle descent without anyone dying or drowning towards the pub we parked in called the Stepping Stones.

Hash On Inn sign planking by lee

I got some On Inn planking done (and a sneaky power nap) and claire did some 'Smubwaying'



Claire does a Smubway

It was hasher 'Glob' s birthday recently so we got cake in the car park as well as the usual Beer. He had also got a ukulele for his birthday and had asked Claire to set the intonation ( make sure all the notes play perfectly in pitch on each fret) by gently filing the nut and using a tuner. Once in tune and playing well the pub was treated to a Johnny Cash number by Claire.

Claire plays a bit of ukulele in the pub

I reckoned this was the most scenic Hash we've ever done. Claire pointed out it was the first hash Ive ever done that was daylight all the way through. It was great to mash ukuleles with hashers again, we are doing our 'hashjam' run in 3 weeks time. It was also great that the North Downs Way got a chance to showcase a hill that was a worthy opponent for Leith or Holmbury Hill.

This week is going to be a great varied week for training. Later this week Claire and I get to run along some of the Cornwall Coastal Path, taking in the Cliffs and Sea Views (and keeping an eye out for Basking Sharks).

 I must remember to pack my lifevest, grapling hook, karabiners and divers knife......

In the meantime please take the time to visit our webpage if you havent donated already
www.charitygiving.co.uk/greensandway2012