Cattery (AKA nemesis hill) nailed! How do you run hills?

Date: Saturday, February 23, 2019

Distance: 6.08 miles/9.79 km

Listened to: Pink playlist

It’s finally done! After running consistently for just over a year, I have finally run up Cattery Hill without stopping or walking. For the non locals among you, this nemesis is a stretch of nearly a mile that goes past a cattery and up to a crossroads on a brow of a hill. It is a ‘joyful’ part of the Kingsbridge 10k and a hill I have only partially run before. It was one of my goals this year and I have finally done it.

This achievement – and believe me, I am taking it as one – comes at a good time. I have had a week off exercise having battled with a cold all week and when I don’t train, all the demons and self doubt creeps back in. Stupid things; things I cannot control, but they still nibble at my confidence…especially when I do not exercise, especially when I do not run.

I have been reading about running since Christmas as I was bought a few running books ranging from Jo Pavey’s autobiography This Mum Runs to Bella Mackie’s Jog On and latterly Run Like A Girl: How Strong Women Make Happy Lives by Mina Samuels. They all look at running in a different ways and how it generally brings them a sense of joy and achievement. Samuels, and some of the runners she interviewed, advocate visualising what you want to achievement. In her case, it’s marathons or triathalons, but it can be used for less lofty goals and I gave it a go on Cattery today…well, for about five shuffle-strides!

One of the first questions I always ask runners is: “How do you tackle hills?” hoping to unlock some magic means of easing up steeper gradients. Everyone’s answers are different. Some attack them at a faster pace, some run flat-footed, some run them on their toes, some hobble at near walking pace, some use all of these. One of my friends follows the heels of anyone who is in front of her or imagines she is being towed up the hill by a lead around her waist. I have tried the latter one; it’s quite effective. Feel free to let me know what your techniques are.

Last weekend, I went running with my friend Emma, who is doing the London Marathon this year for the first time to raise money for dementia charities. Her mum has early onset dementia. I think she is an incredible runner. She ran a supposed easy 6 miles with me the day after running 15 miles up all the hills from Kingsbridge to Salcombe and back followed by a four-mile coastal walk. Her technique for getting up a hill is to imagine her dear dad at the top of them. He suffered from diabetes and died several years ago. That shows strength. I am not ready to think about my Dad at the top of the hill. I know he will not be there when I get to the top. Emma though has dug deep, mentally and physically, and is nailing those hills on a regular basis. I am in awe of her.

Emma

I almost did not do today’s run. I still feel very under the weather and I wasn’t feeling very positive. When I started out, I just thought I would do a few miles. I certainly was not seriously thinking about Cattery. As I got to the bottom, I just put my head down. I was on my own. No-one to try to keep pace with. I tried not to think about the fact I was running. I thought about how chuffed I would be if I could do even just reach the cattery. Then I thought about how really chuffed I would be if I could make it to the top of the hill. I listened to my music to block out my ragged breathing, I fleetingly thought of my Dad…but then got too emotional so thought about anything and everything else! I did it.

I am super pleased with myself. I was very slow but I did not stop. I did pause a few times on the rest of the run though to take some photos. It was such a beautiful spring day.