Horndon 10k

Yet again, it's been far too long since I posted last but I needed to do an update.

On Sunday, I ran my 1st 10k race at Horndon On The Hill.

The weather forecast wasn't great and I woke up around 7 to torrential rain. I wasn't too worried as the alternate weather forecast was bright sunshine and I hate the heat! I'd psyched myself to running in the rain yet by the time we arrived it had brightened up a lot and it stayed dry.

We (Keith, Olivia and my Mum came with me) arrived about 10 so had plenty of time to have a wander round the village and join the long queue for the toilets! As the start time got closer, I got more and more nervous. I knew I could run the distance easily enough, I just didn't want to be last or look really stupid.

Just before 11, Megan, who I had been talking to on an online running group found me and I tagged along with her and friends to the start line. Just having people to chat to helped distract me from being too worried as I was close to tears at one point, as ridiculous as that sounds.

11am - Go!

I started off a bit quicker than I anticipated as got a bit caught up in the excitement I think and as it was pretty busy I was very conscious of trying to keep out of the way of the fast people. Overall, after all that worrying, I actually mostly enjoyed myself! The hill was pretty tough going (closest to a hill where I live is a railway bridge so not something I've practised yet tho have routes planned now it's closer to the Great North Run) but I made it without stopping and walking, even, bizarrely, passing a couple of people!

The atmosphere of the race was really good - there was a great crowd cheering us on along most of the route, not just in the village but on the side roads, people were sat outside their houses and children had little banners and were putting their hands out to high 5 people! It really did help, especially on the second lap of a looped section that I struggled a bit on.

The bit I found toughest was a farm track section, it had got pretty warm and I just couldn't get into a good rhythm. It was difficult as the surface was pretty uneven and trying to keep my footing, not fall in the potholes/puddles/mud or get in anyone's way was a bit of a struggle.

I had deliberately not been looking at the time/distance I had gone as I didn't want to get too stressed, I wanted to enjoy it but I had to ask the marshall at the end of the track if I was nearly at the end, I was very relieved when he said it was only about a mile to go.

I could see the finish line, up another, luckily smaller, hill. A marker on the road saying 100 metes to go. I was half thinking I could speed up a bit, half annoyed with the bad spelling! My legs were suddenly really heavy and I felt like I was barely moving but according to my Nike + I did get quite a lot quicker.

I didn't set a serious target as being my first race I just wanted to try and enjoy it as it had the added bonus of whatever I got would be a PB ;) I did, however, want to finish under 70 minutes. I worked out I usually did 5k in about 32 minutes, so doubled it for the 10k then added a bit on as I was scared of the hill/track/weather/everything ....

Totally amazed that my official time was 60:48 :-)

Video!

My C25K journey -

There seem to be quite a lot of people starting the C25K at the moment so I thought I'd post all my updates in one place. I wish I had enough time to have written it all up properly, instead, random Facebook updates are all I have really - later on, Nike+ information too.

It's easy (now!) for me to say that this is achievable and that next week wont be as bad as you think, that you will be able to do it but at the time I remember thinking I would *never* make it to the end.

Week 1 Day 1 - 28th December 2011
Week 1 Day 2 - 7th January 2012
Week 2 Day 1 - 9th January 2012   - "More survivable than enjoyable"
Week 2 Day 1- 10th January 2012 - "Wondering if anyone as unfit as me     (very) has ever made it to the end of c25k? not even optimistic about next week"
Week 2 Day 2 - 11th January 2012
Week 2 Day 3 - 13th January 2012
Week 3 Day 1 - "Very glad when it said 'walk now'!"

Helen would just like to point out that if Liz really was as 'rubbish' at everything as she claims to be, the kids would be in care, the cat would be dead, Keith would never come home, and she would be lying on the floor face down being eaten by badgers. That is all ;) xx  15/1/2012

Week 3 Day 2 - 17th January 2012

Week 3 Day 3 - 19th January 2012 - "Bit slower and sore but I made it!"

Week 4 Day 1 - 22nd January 2012 - "Stupidly happy to be able to run for 5 minutes!"

Week 4 Day 2 - 24th January 2012

Week 4 Day 3 - 27th January 2012 - "Halfway! (if I make it any further!)" - was struggling a bit with a sore knee/foot

Week 5 Day 1 - 29th January 2012 - In a lot of pain with knee when I got home

Took few days off

Bought beautiful new trainers :-)

Week 5 Day 2 - 2nd February 2012 - Minus 2 outside!!

Week 5 Day 3 - 4th February 2012

8th February 2012 - Too much snow and ice to run outside so went to the gym. 5 minute warm up, 25 minute run then 5 minute cool down = 4.8k!  Very, very surprised and happy.

At this point, I abandoned the C25K programme as I could pretty much run for the required time/distance.

Since then I've been running roughly 3 times a week, very rarely only twice if I've been really busy studying, building up to going 4 times more often.  These are the distances I can do now, 4 months on from starting the C25K, not being able to make the corner of the (very short) road.

12th February 2012 - 4.19k

14th February 2012 - 4.7k

15th February 2012 - 4.7k

19th February 2012 - 5.1k - I did it!!!  -  8 1/2 weeks since beginning.

21st February 2012 - 5.4k

28th February 2012 - 5.6k (3.48m) (switched to miles as easier to work out distances in relation to what I needed to do for the half marathon)

15th March 2012 - 6k (3.78m)

25th March 2012 - 8.2k (5.09m)

1st April 2012 - 8.6k (5.37m)

8th April 2012 - 10.6k (6.63m)

16th April 2012 -10.75k (6.68m)

So that's where I am now, I've been running for 18 weeks - my next target is 7 miles on Sunday!

I'm better at running than blogging .... 6.6 miles!

I started this with all good intentions but I just haven't found the time to keep up with writing as well as running, studying, children, housework and the million other things I always end up doing.

Finally, I've turned a corner this past few weeks. I believe I can do this. I really do think that I can complete this Great North Run and not injure or humiliate myself too much.

This morning I ran for an hour and 15 mins and completed 6.6 miles. Half a half marathon.

I am enjoying the running so much more now I am not spending so much time worrying about it and I find it hard to take days off. I love the time on my own, the fact that I can have time without having to do anything, talk to anyone or even think about anything.

My plan and my trainers!

After reading lots of different training plans I have settled on this one :

http://www.bupa.co.uk/running/training/training-programmes/beginner-half-marathon/
- only doing each week twice. It seemed the easiest I could find to follow and stick to.


The trainers I was originally running in were not cushioned/supportive enough when I started gong slightly longer distances so now I have these beauties -

http://www.prodirectrunning.com/Products/Nike-Running-Shoes-Nike-Womens-Air-Pegasus28-Shoes-GreyAnthraciteSolar-Red-36713.aspx - they are so much better, the only problem now is I can't decide what colour to get next time!

It's been a while .....

But luckily I haven't been as slack with my training as I have with updating my blog! (not sure why I thought I'd have time to do this really ...)

Anyway - what a difference 5 weeks makes.

Last time I blogged I was worried about if I could do the 3/4/5 minute runs .. this last week I have done 3 x 30 minute runs and 1x 35 - my furthest being yesterday's 3.37 miles.

I am absolutely amazed and so proud of myself. To think that only a couple of months ago I could barely run for 90 seconds and now I can go over half an hour is pretty unbelievable.

I am aching today as I have been out Sunday, yesterday and am supposed to go tonight but I am amazed my feet are holding up so well (I have osteoarthritis in my big toe joints which has lead to bunion type weirdness - nice!). I'm less impressed I've put on weight this week but I think I may have to concentrate on one thing at a time, maybe.

A long way to go and I'm still not convinced I will make it but I've got further than I thought possible and I'm having (mostly!) lots of fun.

Week 4 - Day 2

Was still hard, I'm really struggling with the running for 3 minutes. As the app I'm using says that next week is run for 3, 4 then 5 minutes (with a walk break in between), I think I will repeating this week at least once. May manage 5k by September at this rate!

Where I'm at -

Am working my way through a plan called "Run 5k" using their iPhone application.

Week 1 - 5 minute warm up, jog 45 seconds, walk 90 seconds, jog 45 seconds, walk 60 seconds - for half an hour.

Found this OK actually, a bit of an effort, but was surprised to not be overly tired.

Week 2 - 5 minute warm up, jog 90 seconds, walk 90 seconds, jog 90 seconds, walk 2 minutes x 3.

The jump from 45 to 90 seconds seemed massive. Well, it would, being twice as far, I guess.

What has surprised me the most, other than the fact that I can actually run a little way, is how much better I feel for it. Even on nights like Friday night when I was out at 9:30pm in the frost as I had been busy up until then - I was glad I made the effort.

Today - first day of Week 3:

5 minute warm up, jog 2 minutes, walk 2 minutes, jog 3 minutes, walk 2 minutes x 2.

3 minutes felt like an eternity. I was at the point of thinking that if I got to the next corner and hadn't heard the lovely 'walk now' message I was going to have to give up and walk. Luckily, I didn't need to and the next 3 minute wasn't *quite* as much of a struggle but the target of being able to run for 30 minutes by the end of the 8 weeks seems far too optimistic at the moment.

Fancy A Challenge?

9:30 Saturday morning, I was a little bit hungover and a lot tired, sat in McDonalds eating pancakes and sausage!

I got a text from my friend Helen which said, simply "Fancy a challenge?". My immediate thought was "of course", fully expecting it to be a shopping based challenge. If any of you remember my quest for a panda jumper for a friend's girlfriend ... it was for Helen. If it wasn't shopping then it'd still be something fun. Ideas for revenge on mental exes maybe.

No.

Not what I was expecting! I wasn't really sure how fit Helen was but I did know that I am not. I've lost just over a stone recently, I go the gym a bit but the closest I ever get to exercise is half hour or so at 7 kmh on the running machine. I can't jog, let alone run.

First thought was a fairly definite no, I can't do that, no way. A bit more thinking and I remembered that I have walked a half marathon before, I'm lighter and fitter now so I know I can complete it. I just don't really want to be last, if I'm going to try I need to try and do it as well as I can.

We're going to give it a go!