The Day I ran my First Semi-Marathon

Yesterday was cold and grey when I set off on my daily walk/run and my intention was to go up to Cheserex across to Tranchepied and then back down towards Nyon. I had no intention of running a semi-marathon.

The reason for which I ran so far is that I saw dog walkers and their dogs were not leashed. Years ago I was agressed by three dogs, one of them every time we crosssed paths, so now, if I’m alone, and I see a dog, I cross where the field boundary is, and then I continue my walk, run or bike ride.

Dog Walkers and My Running Detours to Avoid Them

It’s not that I had a bad phobia of dogs, but that in one situation I was standing, unable to move, as a woman just watched me. She didn’t leash the dog, she didn’t do anything to help me. Eventually the dog charged me and I began to run. I then had the common sense to stop running and froze. After this incident my phobia of dogs, when walking alone was radical.

I never, ever, ever want to be so close to being mauled again. That’s why I backtrack as soon as I see dogs in the distance and find another route.

It’s relevant to how I ran my first semi-marathon. If the dog walkers hadn’t been on the path between Cheserex and Tranche-Pied I would not have taken a detour, and if I had not seen a crowd walking around Tranche-Pied, then I would have headed down, and my run would have been short.

It’s thanks to those dogs I saw that I took a détour. It’s thanks to those people that I didn’t head home. It’s thanks to these people that I decided to try running to Divonne, and then I ran towards Céligny, and from Céligny towards Eysins. Without the dogs I’d have had a long run, but not this long.

A Cycling Route

I know of the connections between La Rippe and Divonne through cycling with two or three groups. It is by cycling with them that I discovered these alternative, lower traffic paths. They’re good to know about because you can run, and cycle, without roads and cars for quite a distance.

A Slight surprise

When I ran from La Rippe to Divonne I was surprised to come out where I did. I came out right by the voie verte. From there I could have easily run to Crassier, and then back home, rather than run along the Lac de Divonne before crossing the border and towards Bogis Bossey and Céligny.

Through the Fields or through the Villages

I considered whether to run down to Céligny and then along the roads to Crans and then back up but chose not to run that route because of dog walkers. Dog walkers are just as likely on the route I did run but I could usually see them from a distance so I could easily avoid them.

In the end the route was perfect to achieve a 21km loop, with minimal walking to get home, at the end of the run.

Two Changes

When I run this distance again I will make sure to have fuel with me, in the form of either energy gels or the haribo style fruit things. I did this 21km run without water and without any fuel. The reason for this is that I had no intention of beating my distance record. It was a fluke occurence. I’m proud of this achievement but I will take a day or two to rest and recover. I don’t want to end up injured.

And Finally

If I had run just 6km I would have reached the 100km mark, so far this year. By overshooting like I did I achieved two notable things. Furthest distance, and most running in a week.

I suspect that running in Spain, on those steep gradients, really helped me to get better at running in switzerland.

At this time I do not plan to attempt a marathon. I plan to do a few shorter runs. I don’t want to overdo it.