I did it!

I still can't quite believe it but, against quite a few odds (general lack of fitness, a natural tendency towards laziness, the fact that I've actually always hated running - to name but a few), I completed the Great Midlands Fun Run yesterday.

Not only did I complete it but I *ran the whole way*.

Amazingly, I didn't collapse in a heap halfway through (which I was half-expecting to do and had already decided to blame on heat exhaustion).

Even more amazingly, I didn't start crying or whining or expressing exercise-related-distress vocally in any way at any point (I did 'exclaim' loudly when a bloke who I'm assuming had pulled a muscle hopped across the road right in front of me... but I don't think that counts).

I'm not saying it was easy because it really *really* wasn't (the intense aches and pains in my legs today are proof enough of that) but it certainly wasn't the kind of oxygen-depriving nightmare I might have envisaged had you told me this time last year that I would be taking part in an 8.5 mile race.

It didn't start that well though. Mark and I had sensibly decided to place ourselves reasonably close to the back, due to the fact that my average running speed is only slightly faster than walking. Naively (as it turns out) we assumed that other people would be organising themselves in this way as well so as to keep the road as clear as possible for the more serious runner types who wanted to go faster. However, within a few minutes of crossing the start line, I realised that this wasn't the case and I expended rather a lot of energy early on trying to side-step and weave and otherwise manoeuvre my way around groups of people who were already walking, all the while trying to make sure that I didn't inadvertantly lose Mark whilst doing so.

Thankfully, the further we got away from the start line, the more people spread out. I always seemed to have walkers ahead of me (unavoidable, I guess, when you run as slowly as I do) but at least the rest of the run was decidedly less claustrophobic than that first kilometre.

I had been worrying about how I would cope past the 10K mark (as this was the furthest distance I had ever run before this race) and was quailing slightly in the face of 'Cardiac Hill' (which seems to have achieved legendary status as a 'really bad hill'). Happily, though, both of these fears were unfounded. True, my legs were starting to hurt a bit after 10K but I didn't feel unendurably tired and as for the infamous 'Cardiac Hill'... well, that, if anything, was a bit of a disappointment. When we got to the top, I turned to Mark and said 'Was that it??'. Seriously, these people should try around here or, if they're really extreme, Mid Wales if they want *proper* hills!

Here are some things I learned from this run:

- It's a good idea to dress up as a banana if you want people to cheer you on (however it's not all positive: some people may make really bad puns/jokes as you run by and some small children may delight in spraying you with water pistols and then running away shrieking 'I got the banana! I got the banana!')

- If said person dressed as a banana keeps overtaking you and then being overtaken by you again in a continuous cycle of groundhog-day-esque overtaking, it can get quite annoying!

- Running and trying to drink water from a plastic cup simultaneously can only lead to disaster

- There are *loads* of rabbits in Sutton Coldfield (sorry: I know that's not running related but seriously, there were *loads*)

The most important thing I've learned, though, is that I am actually capable of doing something that I find difficult, of sticking at it and achieving the goals that I set for myself. And I've also learned that just because I was always rubbish at PE at school, that doesn't mean that I can't enjoy sport and exercise as an adult. No one cares that I'm slow (apart from me...sometimes) and I'm not in competition with anyone else.

I actually got quite emotional when, after six months of training and effort and pushing myself, I finally crossed the finish line.

However, this was promptly knocked out of me by a 'helpful' race volunteer who proceeded to spray me with a fire hose!

Thanks to everyone who sponsored me, everyone who said encouraging things about the race and everyone who stopped by to read this blog - you are all extremely fab and lovely :-).

Roll on the next challenge!!

Stats for this run:

Distance: 13.68K
Time: 1 hour 52 minutes and 42 seconds
Average K pace: 8 minutes 14 seconds (fastest ever - random!)

***It's still not too late to sponsor me if you would like to! You can find my sponsorship page here***

Less than a week to go!

There are now only six days to go before The Big One (as I've taken to calling it). Eek!!

Yesterday, I took myself on a mini-run (roughly 3.5K - I didn't have the magic watch, though, so can't be sure) just to keep everything (hopefully) ticking along nicely.

I still ended up getting a stitch (stitches seem to be the story of my running life!) but, as it started a few yards away from my front door, I wasn't overly concerned. I did have a moment of feeling a bit panicked about how knackered I was after only 3K (only??) because, well, I'm going to have to run more than four times this distance on Sunday (!!). Then again, 3K generally is my moment of feeling that way no matter what distance I'm running so I probably shouldn't read too much into it. I always end up getting over it eventually and 'settling into' the run. Plus, I will have Mark with me next weekend and I'm sure he'll have no qualms about giving me a push if I start whining that I'm tired!

I don't really have stats for this run, as both the distance and time are approximations. I think I've got to the stage now that it doesn't really matter in any case!

By the way, if you haven't sponsored me and would like to, there is still time. You can find my sponsorship page here and any contributions would be hugely appreciated :-).

This *could* be my last blog post before the race...

You are what you eat

So I really must learn to stop eating dauphinois potatoes the night before a long run...

(Not that I *turn into* a creamy-potato-mush person or anything - I just get horrid indigestion).

The plan had been to attempt a 12K run, which would take me quite a distance away from home. However, about 2K in, I started experiencing that all too familiar sensation that feels like someone is slowly and carefully emptying a small mug of acid inside my stomach at sporadic intervals. Ouch.

As a result, the plan had to be revised a little and I ended up staying close to home, running through parks and housing estates and past allotments.

Despite the acidy-ouchiness, I still managed to run 10K and, by some insane miracle, I actually completed this distance in a considerably faster time than the previous weekend.

Now, I'm confused. Does this mean that I *should* give myself indigestion???

Anyway, stats for this run:

Distance: 10.27K
Time: 1 hour 26 minutes 27 seconds
Average K pace: 8 minutes 25 seconds

p.s. My next big run is probably going to be the Big Day itself - wish me luck!!!!

The original aspiration

When I first decided to take part in a sponsored run for charity, my original plan was to run the Walsall 10K.

10K, I thought then, was far enough. Plenty far enough. Any further than that was just being silly...

In the end, however, I abandoned that plan. The Walsall 10K is, I learned,  run for the most part by 'serious' runners and people who have joined running clubs: in short, the sort of running people who are the exact opposite of me.

I wanted to challenge myself and set myself a goal that would push me but, at the same time, I didn't want to put myself into a situation that would leave me feeling humiliated. And finishing way behind everyone else in a race would, in all probability, leave me feeling humiliated.

So Mark, in his infinite wisdom, suggested entering the Great Midlands Fun Run. True, this is actually further than the 10K race but the 'fun run' aspect takes the pressure off a little. There are likely to be people who are dressed up, people who want to walk a lot of the way and the chances of me finishing absolutely last are (I hope!) relatively slim.

So the plan may have changed... but that didn't make me feel any less proud yesterday when I finally ran a full 10K. It still feels like a landmark, a milestone: proof to myself that I can achieve something, even if at first it's a challenge that seems insurmountable.

This time last year, I would have told you that there was no way I could ever run 10K. To be honest, I would have been sceptical that I could even run 5K.

And now, in 20 days time, I'm going to be running over 13K.

Mad...

Stats for this run:

Distance: 10.27K
Time: 1 hour 33 minutes and 1 second
Average K pace: 9 minutes and 3 seconds

Woohoo!

I am officially back on track!

Ran 8.55 K this morning and actually felt like I was running the whole time (as opposed to jogging/shuffling).

And no flies flew into my mouth. Yay!

Next time - 10K!!!

Stats for this run:

Distance: 8.55K
Time: 1 hour 16 minutes and 45 seconds
Average K pace: 8 minutes 59 seconds

There was a (young) lady who swallowed a fly

If you're wondering why she swallowed that fly...

...it's because that fly decided to fly into her mouth while she was running today.

Mark (as I spat it out on horror): You'll have to get used to that. That happens a lot while you're running. Just swallow 'em down: it's all protein.

Me: Bleurghhh!!!

Happy as I am that Spring (or, hey, we could even call it Summer at the moment) has arrived, it brings with it certain conditions that are making running training a bit more difficult. The first, as I discovered this morning to my cost, is the sudden appearance of buzzing hoards of flies who seem to want to set up residence in my mouth. The second is the heat. Running in hot, bright sunlight is not fun for solar-phobes like me. I like shade! Shade!!

Still, with much encouragement from Mark, I managed to drag myself out in it this morning. It wasn't easy. My health still isn't really 100% and there were a few moments where I felt like I couldn't go on. Luckily for me, I had Mark there to chivvy me along and offer words of advice and encouragement where necessary.

I felt quite down on myself during the run and a little despairing that I will ever be able to make the 8.5 miles of the Great Midlands Fun Run without stopping (especially as there are now only a few weeks to go). However, despite all this negativity and hopelessness, I actually managed to run just over 7K and in a pretty good time as well.

I think I may need to step up my training a bit over the next few weeks if I want to fulfil my goal of running the whole 8.5 miles without stopping to walk. Happily, though, that goal doesn't seem quite as unattainable as it did earlier today. I think I just need to try and build up some momentum.

Anyway, stats for this run:

Distance: 7.25K
Time: 1 hour 3 minutes and 24 seconds
Average K pace: 8 minutes 44 seconds

One step at a time

Things seemed to have stalled a little these past few weeks.

I think this is because I'd sort of lost my confidence after my last training run. So much so in fact, that it has taken me until today - 20 whole days - to attempt another one.

I haven't been being *completely* lazy in all that time and have done a bit of cross-training to try and 'keep my hand in' (for want of a better phrase) but I have felt quite guilty that I have effectively been neglecting my training. Especially since so many lovely, kind people have gone to the trouble and expense of sponsoring me.

There has been the odd opportunity to go out and run but I have kept finding reasons - it's raining, I think I'm coming down with a cold, it'll be getting dark soon (to name but a few) - to talk myself out of going.

Today, however, I figured that enough was enough. My lovely boys had gone off to watch the football, leaving me a few hours alone and providing me with an excellent opportunity to take myself off for a 'getting-myself-back-into-the-swing-of-things' training run.

If I'm honest, I wasn't feeling hugely enthusiastic or confident and I set off with a bit of an anxious feeling in the pit of my stomach. I think I was worried a) that I would feel ill again and be forced to stop *again* and b) that I would feel stupid/embarrassed running on my own without Mark  and that the whole experience would just be an exercise in public humiliation*.

In the end, it wasn't bad at all. I don't know how far I went, as I didn't take Mark's magic stop-watch with me, but I would guess it was around the 3K mark. I was back home within half an hour and, apart from my face going bright red and my head feeling like it was full of fast-flowing lava, I don't seem to have suffered any ill effects.

True, this sort of distance is hardly making the same sort of headway as my 5-miler a few weeks back but that wasn't really the point. I did this run as a way of getting over my anxiety and lack of confidence and proving to myself that I could carry on even when things get tough.

Happily, I think it might have worked :-).

*Yes, I can be pretty melodramatic about these things sometimes!