Ghost Busting… and other running adventures.

Well it’s been quite the week!

After throwing down the gauntlet of threatening to run on Halloween as a Ghostbuster, the donations started flying in - so firstly, a big fat THANK YOU to everyone who was there egging me on!

But before we get to Halloween, there were more runs to be done…

Tuesday night was our usual efforts session, in the dark, out across the marsh and back which made for a nice change to the headlights of the usual stretch of tarmac that we tend to do our winter efforts sessions on.

Wednesday was the first “dark mode” of the monthly forest runs I’ve been holding as well… and this one was magical.

Picture the scene… a cold night, the crisp air kissing your face.

The smell of woodsmoke in the air.

The moon, popping out behind the clouds.

It’s dark - really dark in the forest, punctuated by the sound of an owl hooting somewhere in there.

And as you run along, breath showing in the air, your headlight keeps picking up pairs of eyes looking at you, before the stag that they belong to saunters off into the undergrowth.

It’s a wonderful place to be, and for me, brings everything I love about running into focus.

The outside.

The pleasure of nature.

The spectacle of the ordinary being extraordinary.

And being able to share the experience. Only our eyes saw what we saw, and only our legs took us on the route that they did.

I read somewhere that running, especially marathon running, was all about the collective struggle.

I wouldn’t say that Wednesday was a struggle, but I think human beings running in a pack share a delicious experience that perhaps we tend not to notice, but we miss it when it’s gone.

So.

Onto Halloween.

3 things I learned running as a ghostbuster.

Ahem.

Number 1. Small children don’t know what ghostbusters are. The bigger ones do, and they don’t mind shouting the song at you and asking who you’re going to call. Loudly.

Number 2. Two hoses (are they hoses?) for a vacuum cleaner attached to a small suitcase on one’s back and fashioned into a proton pack are heavy. REALLY heavy.

Number 3. I have a new found respect for anyone who runs in fancy dress. Why? Because of the heat. We were wearing ex-military Danish flight suits. Nice, sturdy, reliable fabric, yes. But there’s a reason why no one makes running kit out of this stuff. I was sweating out of my eyeballs after about 30 seconds, and you can say a lot about the weather last Friday night.. but it was not cold!

It was fun though. It was nice running past people and making them smile. People encouraged us to “enjoy!” and “ooh look - ghostbusters”, which was nice.

Colin made a video - you can see us here 👇

And so I suppose it’s a good time to say that my miles that I am selling to any business who wants a shout out on marathon day at the mile of their choice, I’m calling it “Running for Home”.

Any businesses reading this who want to sponsor “Running for Home”, it’s a minimum donation of £100, you pick your mile, and I’ll take you with me to the London Marathon and give you a shout out about you and your brilliant business at your mile.

If you want to grab one, get in touch with me!

Come Saturday it was time for a long slow run, so that was a ten and a half miler which to be honest, felt tough. There wasn’t much in my legs after ghostbusting, and then Sunday was my forest run as a Run Angel.

And as I sit here writing this, it dawns on me why I am feeling so tired!!

If you want to throw some money into my fundraising pot - perhaps for some new legs, you can do so here.

I’m out and about a lot this week so less miles perhaps… let’s see.