Alice's Adventures in Running Land
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The Big Mileage Week

9/15/2019

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This has been the biggest week of training of this marathon cycle, and as I sit here writing with my legs still buzzing and head a little fuzzy in that post really long run haze, my body is telling me so. It has been another mixed week of running, some good runs, some average runs and a bit of a quad niggle thrown in the mix. This still remains one of the most testing marathon training blocks I have completed - the last few weeks in particular have challenged me at times - but in amongst the tough runs, are still those moments when running gives me joy, and that is worth keeping going for.

MONDAY: Body Pump class

TUESDAY: my quads were still tender today from last week's efforts at the track and running Newton's Fraction Half Marathon. I delayed intervals to allow some more recovery and completed a 5 mile tempo run instead. It was steady, the tempo miles just under 8 min/mile pace, and running emphasised that my quads were still rather sore!

WEDNESDAY: I tried intervals today, and whilst my legs were better, my quads were definitely still not perfect. My quads are my weakness - if I were to look back at this blog across all my entries and see how any times I have struggled with this muscle group I think I would be shocked! I therefore had to rein back the speed a little on the interval reps, as I quickly learnt that real maximal extension was not comfortable. I ran 8 miles with 15 x 400m reps, with a mixture of paces ranging from just over 7 min/mile to closer to 7.40 min/mile. I still managed some speed work at least. 

THURSDAY: with an easy 10 miles on the plan I was pleased to give my legs some gentle running. I kept the pace nice and comfortable, which meant instead it just felt like I was out running for an extra long time! In the evening we did some trail running techniques at Run Club. My trail experience is very limited compared to my road running, so I took things slowly and safely, but also really enjoyed running in new parts of Lincoln and learning. I was so engrossed in running I kept forgetting to actually turn my watch on - but think I logged around 3 further miles. 

FRIDAY: Rest Day
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SATURDAY: the start of a mixed weekend of running. Heading to Lincoln parkrun I had no expectations on my performance, in fact my hopes probably extended no further than being able to have my weekly chat with a few friends and leave with the happy warmth parkrun always gives me. I was therefore shocked by how well I ran, especially as my left quad was still not right when being asked to extend further than a steady running action. I could feel I was running strongly, I did not need to look at my watch, and I love runs like this which just feel so naturally good. I was also smiling and feeling happy as I ran; the comfort in my strength pleased me. I finished in 20:48 and in my best time for a number of weeks (see image).

SUNDAY: in contrast to yesterday where my run left me feeling slightly more confident in my body, today's long run was another in my recent series of challenging longer runs. I had 22 miles to log - a test in itself - and really just wanted it to feel as good as possible. Over the first 10 miles I was hopeful; miles were passing quickly, I was focused on running but not so much it consumed my thoughts, and I just seemed to be ticking along, not super speedily, but better than I have been. I held my own up until around 15 miles, but those final 7 miles I just lost it. My legs started to hurt and I could not take my mind away from the pain. I also could not escape thinking about how many miles I had left. I needed to distract myself, but I couldn't. It was a challenge to keep going, and every time I was forced to stop to cross a road etc. it took an almighty effort to make myself go again. Hitting 22 miles I was a little disheartened by my average pace - 8.45 min/mile - but moreover by the fact that it was another Sunday where I was left feeling knackered from a long run, but at the same time not great for it. ​
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Newton's Fraction Half Marathon 2019

9/13/2019

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Sunday 8th September saw a field of over 50,000 runners complete the Great North Run half marathon event in Tyneside, and whilst I was not one of them, I took my own place on the start line of a 13.1 mile road race. With a field size of just over 300, the Newton's Fraction Half Marathon in Grantham may not grab the headlines or attention of its Northern compatriot, but it did not mean it was any less of a good running event.

I took on the Great North Run in 2015, and whilst I loved the atmosphere and the passion there is for the race, I find I am now equally as happy supporting smaller, local events. Although Grantham is only a relatively short drive from my home in Lincoln, the Newton's Fraction Half Marathon was a race I had actually never completed before. It was only through a conversation with a fellow Run Club member that I actually signed up this year. I had a fast 13 miles on my marathon training plan for this particular week, and when they suggested this event to me, which they were also planning on running, I was tempted. I put off entering for a while, however after a number of weeks of solo long running and back to back 20 milers, I felt I wanted a break and some running company - so I entered. 

During race week I did not feel my best; with marathon training at its peak I was tired and trying to balance keeping the miles ticking along with also some recovery. I was not ever really going to be racing Newton's Fraction, but it was still not ideal. I also took part in a track session with my Run Club on the Thursday before the race, and my quads were still feeling the effect of some hard effort sprints. Needless to say, I was keeping my expectations for the race no further than just a nice variation for a Sunday long run.

I travelled to Grantham with my fellow Run Club member and enjoyed the relaxed feel in the build up to the event - the benefit of a small race field! It had been a cool morning to begin with, the change in season quite notable, but as the sun rose higher in the sky, and with the sightly later 10.30am start time, it gradually became quite a mild day. Probably my only wish for the event would be for it to start at 9/9.30am, as at that time, conditions would have been perfect. 

The course is a large figure of eight, and is described as undulating. I was also well warned by many about the two 'big hills' which seemed to have almost traumatised some runners who had taken part previously! I am not one to over analyse a course - you cannot change it, so just have to go with it! - so was strangely looking forward to seeing what these challenges would present. Another feature of the race is that it starts and finishes on a race track, which would at least ensure a nice flat finishing stretch!

Lining up on the track it felt almost a relief not be zooming off for 100m sprints as I was a few days previously, and instead as the start signal was given, I settled into a steady early pace. The first couple of miles followed local roads and had a few undulations. As a fairly steep climb appeared on the horizon one runner joked out loud 'that's not even one of the big hills... so basically we are all screwed!' It was apparent early on that my legs were not up to truly racing these hills; uphill I could cope with, but downhill my quads were sore and held me back. It was fine; I was not here to race, but to push myself on a fast 13.1 miles according to what my body could do on this course.

Just after 2 miles the route turned onto a canal path; I had actually been looking forward to running along here as assumed it would be a pleasant place to run with some nice scenery. It was; but my legs did not really like it! The path was uneven, at times a little gravelly, and I just did not seem to ever find a natural stride. It was not horrendous by any means, but I just found it a bit tough going. The surroundings were lovely though, and the narrow path meant for a colourful snake of runners following the river and ducking under bridges. 
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Approaching nearly 5 miles the course turned off the canal path and back onto roads, which my legs instantly enjoyed more. This turn was also met with a stunning view of Belvoir Castle looming high on a hill in the horizon - I wish I could have taken a photo! I kept on running though, enjoying regaining some rhythm. My running rhythm was however relatively short lived, as soon the first of the big hill challenges appeared. It was hard to doubt whether or not this was one of the infamous hills as a long steep ascent appeared in front of me. The length of the hill was so drawn out you could not see the top, so I just dug in and kept on climbing. A lot of people walked, I can understand why, but I felt strong and kept a steady pace to the eventual top. After this climb, a gradual downhill was the reward, however this is again when my quads held me back a little, and I did not feel I could make the most of the relative easier section. 

​Miles 7 to 10 were rural and undulating, and they also seemed to pass by really quickly. I remember recalling how much stronger I felt than when running Newark Half Marathon a few weeks previously. My endurance was most definitely with me even if my speed was not quite in my legs.

Just after 10 miles big hill number two appeared. Whereas big hill number one went from almost flat to instantly heading up vertically, this hill had a gradual ascent to begin with, followed by a sharp rise in gradient. A lot of people were already walking on the lower section, but again I was determined I would not let it beat me. It was hard, and I really had to draw on my determination not to walk during the final sections when it felt almost like I was climbing forever, but I made it to the top without stopping. 

With the last of the big hills out the way I felt like I was on a quest to the finish now. I felt strong and very much in control, so knew I could tick the miles off. As I got closer to the end goal I even seemed to find increasing increments of speed in my legs. My fastest mile was in fact my final mile, and as I hit the track again I really tried to power around the final few hundred metres. I crossed the line in 1:43:36; I had it in my head as I was running that I would be happy to run a sub 1:45 on this course, and I had met my goal. My quads hated me a little bit more, but I was pleased and happy to have another medal for my ever-growing collection!

Newton's Fraction Half Marathon was a well organised, testing but not too challenging event, set in a beautiful area, and with a friendly, supportive atmosphere. It might not have had the TV cameras, celebrities and fan fare of Great North Run, but it certainly was equally as impressive in its own right. ​
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The Rebuild Week

9/8/2019

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This week I knew things had to change; last week was a bit of a wake up call that I need to look both after and out for myself better during marathon training. I entered this training block with the focus of trying to keep a happy balance between 'normal' life and 'running' life, and to be honest it has probably meant that I have paid a little less attention to the entire marathon training package. Yes, I have been logging the miles and getting all my planned runs in; but I have put less focus on factors such as my diet and sleeping habits, which previously I have been better at. I did not want to feel like marathon training was taking over my life, but instead now I find myself in the position where my confidence has been knocked a little, and whilst I was already quite nervy abut travelling to Chicago on my own to run a marathon, I actually feel quite scared when thinking about it at times. I have a few weeks to go though thankfully, and I have started how I intend to go on this week, focusing on my diet and getting a much greater amount of rest each night (one night I slept solidly for ten hours!) Running wise I have also taken things a little steadier this week; I have logged less miles in comparison to the previous few weeks, which have been closer to 50 miles, and channelled my efforts into two main runs, with the rest being easier workouts.

MONDAY: Body Pump class

TUESDAY: an easy 6.75 mile loop (I did not even feel the need to round the miles up!) in which I slotted into around 8.30 min/mile pace and just stayed there throughout. 

WEDNESDAY: steadier miles again with my friend. I warned him pre-run that I may not be up to our usual speed and we found a conversational pace just under the 8 min/mile mark, which although is still fairly quick, is not what we are sometimes capable of together. The 6.5 mile run ended up an unavoidable long hill, which I have to admit finished my legs off a little, and told me I still needed to be careful. 

THURSDAY: it was our monthly Run Club track session tonight and I knew I wanted to run it. Instead of logging some additional miles in the morning, I ignored my plan and just allowed myself to try and put the energy I had into the track session. I was a bit nervous about how my legs would react to be honest, especially as we had a hard session planned; 20 x 100m repeats at maximum effort, with a minutes rest in between. The company and camaraderie of the group spurred me on though and whilst I will never be rivalling Usain Bolt's World Record, I was pretty pleased with my rep speed and how well I managed to maintain my pace. My first few sprints were around 17 seconds, I then dipped to 18 seconds for the main middle chunk (with one tired 19 second rep thrown in!) but finished the 20th rep in 17 seconds and as quick as my first. My legs were knackered at the end, but to be honest - everyone's were! So I did not feel too worried. 
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FRIDAY: Rest Day

SATURDAY: I had put my name down to volunteer at Lincoln parkrun today for two reasons; firstly, I was considering running a local half marathon on Sunday, and secondarily, I did not want another 'all out' session in my legs, and I struggle to hold back in a parkrun environment! My legs needed loosening after track though, as some DOMs were still present, so I jogged down to Boultham Park, volunteered as timekeeper, jogged to work after, the jogged home later, giving me an easy paced 4.5 mile total run commute. 

SUNDAY: I had a fast 13 miles on my plan for this week, and usually I look for a race in which to do this, as I can never push myself enough just out running on my local Lincoln streets. This training block I had been unsure about whether to bother finding a race or not, however a fellow Run Club leader suggested the Newton's Fraction Half Marathon in Grantham, which he was also planning on running, and I was tempted. I put off entering for a while, however after a number of weeks of solo long running and back to back 20 milers, I felt I wanted a break and some running company - so I entered. I obviously did not anticipate the race falling on a week where I was trying to rebuild a bit, but I took part nevertheless and kept my expectations no further than just a nice variation for a Sunday long run. Full blog to follow - but on a tough undulating course, with a couple of real killer hill climbs thrown in, I was pleased that I felt in control and my legs seemed strong (it was in fact the downhills which I felt weaker on!) and I was pleased to finish in 1:43:36.

The motto of this week - I may be approaching my 10th marathon, but I am always still learning and am definitely by no means perfect.  ​
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The Good, The Bad and The Ugly Week

9/1/2019

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This week has had it all; the good, the bad and the ugly. My pretty awful runs have stemmed from general fatigue, tiredness and just having the feeling of nothing in my legs. This has been a big mileage week for me, with close to 50 miles logged. Thankfully, next week is a bit of an easier week (if there is such a thing in marathon training terms!) so I am hopeful it will be a bit restorative. Marathon training is hard work, and it feels tougher when your legs just do not want to play game at times; so I am trying to remain positive and not let the harder miles get me down. 

MONDAY: Body Pump class.

TUESDAY: I guess you could say the week did not get off to the greatest of starts running wise when I literally did not feel like I had the energy for my planned interval run. I switched it to later in the week (avoidance tactics!) and opted for a (in theory) slightly easier 5 mile tempo run. The middle 3 miles of this run were supposed to be at marathon pace, but after a fairly steady mile long warm up, I got carried away, logging quicker miles than I needed to. Not my wisest move!

WEDNESDAY: one of my better runs of the week, meeting my friend for one of our mid week 6am routes. We logged just under 7 miles at a good pace; all sub 8 min/mile splits. It was the strongest I had felt running with my friend for a while, and his pace did not seem to stretch me too much. I felt better - for now...

THURSDAY: the postponed intervals were on the agenda for this morning and it was literally a disaster. I was tired to begin with, having gone to bed much later than normal after being out at a mid week Lincoln City football match. Tiredness is one thing, but as soon as I tried to run one of my planned fast reps, my legs instantly drained from beneath me. I was truly wiped out, and whilst I did attempt another rep, I could tell there was literally no point in trying to find any pace in my legs - they were gone. I very nearly turned for home, but knew I would feel even worse if I gave up completely. Instead I switched to logging the rest of the miles at an easy pace, ignoring my Garmin beeping at me telling me I should be running intervals! I managed 7 miles, but was then slightly worried about the fact I had Run Club later that evening. At Run Club I seemed to find some energy, from where I am not quite sure! Perhaps it was being in the company of others which helped, and I ran well during a 5 mile tempo session. It was almost like the morning had not happened...

FRIDAY: a vague Rest Day... I say vague as I spent virtually all day at work assembling our new office. This entailed moving and carrying desks and office furniture, shifting equipment etc; it was a pretty hectic day. Obviously this was not really what I needed, and I was knackered when I got home. 
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SATURDAY: today was my work colleague's 50th parkrun and he invited me to come join him at his home event at Normanby Hall. It meant an early alarm again, but I wanted to support him; we love a good parkrun chat in our office and he is always interested in my running - so I wanted to recognise his own achievement. Going away from my home event in Lincoln was probably also good for me; I doubt I would have been able to meet some of my recent parkrun times and I would probably have felt disappointed in my legs! I have ran Normanby parkrun a few times before, but with some works going on in the park, this time we ran a slightly amended course. I found it a challenge, my body felt ok, but the course tested me a lot, with the gravel paths especially asking more from my tired legs. I really had to dig deep to find some speed. I was helped by trying to keep up with a fellow female runner, and eventually I finished in 21:44. I then cheered my colleague in and enjoyed a post run drink at the lovely cafe on site. I was happy - until I arrived home. Here everything suddenly hit me, I felt awful, like I was truly exhausted. My eyes were heavy, every movement felt a huge effort, and I literally just wanted to lay down and not move or even have to think. The feeling probably should have worried me more than it did at the time, I was too out of it to even contemplate it all really. I took the rest of the day steady, and then after a few hours just laying down later on, I did start to feel much better.  

SUNDAY: I may be a little mad at times, but there is still a few sensible bones in my body, and I therefore knew I had to take it easy on today's planned 20 miles. Thankfully it was much cooler than last week when I had ran the same distance, and this allowed me to remain in more control. I settled into a comfortable pace around the 8:40 min/mile mark and just tried to let the miles tick by. I was being consistent, but by my standards, a little unspectacular. It was what I needed to do though, and I was pleased to show some discipline. On the whole my legs felt like they could keep going, they were a bit weary at times, but I think that was when I let my mind wander into areas of doubt - which is something you have to learn to control, especially when running for such a long time on your own. I got my 20 miles logged; although it is another week when I am going to try not panic about my long runs being a lot slower than maybe I would like them to be. Post run my sister messaged to inform me that Eliud Kipchoge - the marathon running machine! - logs his long runs almost 4 minutes slower than his actual marathon pace... well if it works for him...!? 
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The Hangover Week

8/25/2019

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This week has felt a bit like a ‘hangover’ week – and unsurprisingly, not because of excessive drinking! I have just felt like I have constantly been playing catch up from a long and busy weekend last week, and whenever I seemed to be regaining some of my energy levels, a busy day at work or an early morning training run would send me backwards again. I recognised this; and my focus for this weekend has been to try and keep it very relaxed, aside from the obvious runs I had planned. Downtime is not the easiest thing for me – I like to be busy and productive! – but it’s a challenge I must accept during marathon training; it’s not just running the miles!

MONDAY: a tired Body Pump class in which I could already feel my general fatigue.

TUESDAY: it was tough to get out the door for early morning intervals today; I sat on the bottom on my stairs looking at my front door and procrastinated for as long as possible! Once I got out though I actually really enjoyed my run; even though I felt weary, I was well within my target paces for 6 x 1km reps across a 7 mile distance. I aimed for 7.20-7.30 min/mile and most were quicker than this.

WEDNESDAY: I met my friend for an early mid-week run; he had been away and had not run for two weeks, which I was secretly pleased about as it meant we settled to a nice steady pace, a bit more comfortable than we sometimes run together! We logged 6.5 miles on a new route, averaging just under 8 min/mile pace.

THURSDAY: today started again with me sitting at the bottom of my stairs not really wanting to go out the door. Easier miles were welcomed, but I had 10 miles on my plan, which felt a long way. I got out, and again I was fine once I was plodding away, and I did find quite a comfortable pace. Later at Run Club I led the session, which gave me an opportunity to run with a group of runners at a different pace to me and to encourage them. I welcomed the relative break for my own training, but also really enjoyed chatting to new people and supporting them through the session.

FRIDAY: Rest Day

SATURDAY: with how I had been feeling all week in mind, I had moderate expectations for Lincoln parkrun today. It was also warm, which was perfect for the summer theme the event had this week (see image of some of my Run Club who got into the fancy dress spirit, including running with a snorkel!), but also a bit of a shock after some cooler weather of late. I actually ran really well; my legs felt strong, the heat did not bother me too much, and I managed to run exactly the same time as last week, finishing in 20:55.
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SUNDAY: the first of the proper long ‘long runs’ of this training – a 20 miler. All week I had this run on my mind; long runs have been testing me this block and I knew this would be the biggest challenge yet. Add to this the continued heat, which was forecast to get up to 30 degrees, and I knew I needed to be both physically and mentally strong and try to push out any doubts. I went out as early as possible, after setting a 5 am alarm to eat breakfast, and was thankful of the early cloud cover. I knew as soon as the sun came up though it would be a different story. The first 10 miles were ok, although carrying my CamelBak full of water reduced my pace, as I am just not used to carrying the extra weight. I needed the water though, so there was no way around that. The final 10 miles got progressively tougher as the heat simultaneously increased. The final 5 miles were so hot, it was like someone had suddenly turned the heating on! I just had to focus on ticking those final few miles off, I was so near, but even two miles seemed like forever. I was pleased to make it home and to collapse on the bottom of my stairs (again!) I averaged 8:45 min/mile for the run, which I just had to take and try not to dwell on. I felt like I had the endurance to keep going, but there was no real pace in my legs to accompany it. I am also nowhere near hitting the paces I was on long runs during my Brighton Marathon training earlier in the year, and whilst deep down I know conditions are different and these are supposed to be long slow runs, it is sometimes hard not to compare and worry. I have to focus on the fact its 20 miles under my belt, whilst also continuing to focus on the recovery in between. ​
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The Half Way Point

8/18/2019

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Is it acceptable to go to bed at 8pm on a Sunday? I hope this blog will make some sense, as I sit writing I feel very tired and not as though I am thinking to my usual full capacity! Today has been a long day to end week 8 of marathon training – the half way point! It has been rewarding though, and I make these sometimes slightly crazy decisions to fit in my training because, ultimately, it is what I love.

MONDAY: Body Pump class

TUESDAY: seeing mile reps on my plan for today’s interval session did fill me with a little bit of fear. They are long efforts, and although I ‘only’ had four to log across a 7 mile distance, I knew it could be a test. Aided by a nice cool morning, I was pleased with how well I ran; I felt strong throughout and my interval splits showed very little variation. I think its ok to feel a bit daunted by a run at times, it means you respect it, and once you accomplish it, it feels even better!

WEDNESDAY: on a grey and very wet mid week evening the prospect of running probably doesn’t sound too appealing to most. I had agreed to meet my run buddy at 7pm for 7 miles (7 for 7!) and as I opened my front door to meet her, I gave a look that said – are we mad?! However, once we started running the rain was long forgotten, and easy miles passed effortlessly as our usual catch up conversation flowed. Running with company is just so much easier sometimes, and we logged an 8:17 min/mile average pace, which felt incredibly comfortable. We were rather wet when we stopped, but it was certainly worth it.

THURSDAY: not long after last night’s evening run, I laced up again for my morning miles. My legs were heavy and I was thankful to have another ‘easy’ run on my plan. I aimed for 10 miles, but it was a bit of a slow slog, and as I passed my house on 9.15 miles, and with a Run Club session later – I called it day for the time being. At Run Club later I thankfully had a bit more life in me, taking part in a short, sharp hill session, which rounded my miles up to 11.5 for the day.

FRIDAY: Rest Day
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SATURDAY: during marathon training I keep my speed expectations relatively low. I take part in interval sessions and alike during the week, but these are ultimately focused on the 26.2 mile distance, not a 5k. At parkrun I therefore take whatever my legs seem capable of, and at the moment, I am really pleased to find and feel some speed in there still. Today, I managed to log another sub 21 minute time at Lincoln parkrun and felt good for the duration. My final mile was actually nearly as quick as my first - which rarely happens for me! I also had a very strong finish left in my legs, which made me think I probably could have dug a little deeper a bit earlier on!

​SUNDAY: I knew today was going to be a tiring one even before my alarm woke me at 5am. I was working at a community event for the vast majority of the day, and with 16 miles planned, an early alarm to ensure adequate fuelling and running time was therefore unavoidable. Solo long running has been tough of late; in the summer heat I seem to welcome distraction and the extra support, so I have had to really draw on my determination at times. Recently after my long runs I have felt both physically tired and also mentally drained from having to constantly drive myself, and I will admit, it does take some of the enjoyment away! Today I thus had one sole focus; to try and enjoy this run. I decided pace did not matter; I wanted 16 strong miles and I guess I wanted to boost my confidence a little when running longer. It was warm even early in the day, with a fairly gusty breeze, so my decision not to focus on pace felt even more justified. I kept steady throughout, feeling comfortable and never doubting I would get to 16 miles. I think I could have upped the pace towards the end, however I did not want to jeopardise things, and kept to my focus, My average pace was just over 8.30 min/mile – which is not what I want to be running marathon in, but I enjoyed it much more and I feel this run did me good.
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Half way to Chicago…  8 more weeks of work to go. ​
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Newark Half Marathon 2019

8/14/2019

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For the second time in a three-day period I found myself huddled on the start line of a race. Two days prior it had been a Friday night 10k in Sleaford, and now on a more familiar Sunday morning, I was lining up to take on Newark Half Marathon. Whilst Friday night’s race was more of an event I entered just for fun, I had entered Newark Half Marathon specifically as part of my current Chicago Marathon training. This was my third consecutive year at the event, and each year it has formed a part of an Autumn marathon training block. I find a half marathon offers a good marker to both my fitness and progress toward the larger 26.2 mile goal, and I also just really like the Newark Half event!

Newark is another race which is fairly local to my hometown in Lincoln, and it felt good to be joined by a few familiar faces as I stood in the start pen. By my side was my friend and run buddy; I was really pleased I had convinced her to sign up to the event too, and it simply made me happy to have her there and to share another race day experience together again. I also spotted a few friends from the Run Club I am part of and gave them some encouragement before the start gun was fired.

I set off confidently but also with some caution; whilst the August day was not too hot at the 9.30am start time, there was a very apparent strong wind, which I knew would play a factor. The Newark course is fairly rural, taking on small villages in a large loop before heading back to Newark itself, and this meant it would be quite exposed to the elements. I did have a vague finish time in mind; I knew I wanted to be under 1:45, but ideally I felt I could log another sub 1:40 time. Rather than become preoccupied by pace though, I instead focused on finding a running rhythm for the early stages, ticking off the first couple of miles almost automatically.

After passing two miles the course turned onto a long stretch of road which continued straight for a few miles. Meeting us here was the headwind, and I knew there would be no escaping it. It was not brutal, but it certainly made things feel harder. From my past runs at Newark, I knew there were some undulations along this stretch, however this year they seemed more notable, probably due to the double whammy of uphill as well as wind resistance! Again, I remained calm, focusing on looking forward to changing direction and just keeping a steady running pace.

The turn in the route was not actually as welcomed as I thought; the wind was lost, however now the sun had appeared through the clouds and without the cooling effect of the breeze, it suddenly felt rather warm! Some more undulations came along this part of the course, and I poured water over my body to keep me cool at each aid station – it felt a bit like I was now running a completely different race!

Halfway came, and as the route turned on to some smaller rural lanes, which would head back toward Newark and ultimately the finish, I felt a bit of a struggle. I think the extra exertion of those first miles into the wind had taken its toll a bit and thoughts flashed through my head. Why did I race that 10k on Friday night? Do I need to walk? Can I do this? I hope my friend is enjoying this more than I am right now!? It was a few minutes of doubt that sometimes you have to learn to override as a runner. It didn’t help that I missed a bottle of water at a drink’s stations (which I have to say to the organisers were really well placed; plenty across the course and with good sized bottles) and this threw me a little more. Thankfully, a fellow runner must have seen my disappointment as I missed grasping a drink and passed me some of his. It was a small act of kindness, but it boosted me and broke me from my thoughts.

I always try to break a half marathon down into sections, and I now focused on getting to 10 miles. I still didn’t obsess over my pace, and I actually enjoyed these few miles, which were fairy flat and straight and were without too much wind or sun. When I hit 10 miles I am not sure what came over me, I suddenly felt refreshed and found an extra power in my legs to push the pace a little. This final stretch to the finish also coincided with the heavens opening – another weather condition to contend with! – but the coolness also helped me drive to the finish. I now knew I was running strongly, picking off runners in the distance as I made my way back toward Newark.
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I knew what to expect from the finishing metres – grass. It’s a tough little test at the end of a half marathon, so I tried to make the most of every inch of tarmac before I hit the finish based at Sconce Park. Even though I was mentally prepared for the grass challenge, it didn’t make it easier; I gritted my teeth and dug into my legs, fighting against the terrain as I completed a small loop of the field before being funnel into the finishing straight. Due to the high winds, there was no finish archway, just a few timing mats on the floor, so I was a little disorientated as to which mat was actually the finish! I crossed some form of finish line though, and then quickly looked down at my watch. It read 1:38:52 – goal achieved, and I was really pleased I had accomplished it on a fairly challenging day for racing.

​Quickly gathering my medal I didn’t even have time to process how I felt as I made my way back onto the grass finish section of the course to cheer my friend in. She was not too far behind me, coming round the corner with her familiar strong stride and athletic running gait, and I cheered enthusiastically before dashing back to the finish line to give her a final boost. She met her race goal too, going well under sub 1:50, and as we queued for a goody bag I also bumped into Run Club members again who had each recorded amazing times and PBs – I was so pleased for them all.

The mixture of rain and pouring water over myself in the earlier sections of the race meant after the running endorphins had died down a little and I had finished congratulating my friends, I realised I was absolutely soaked to the skin! The facilities at Newark Half race village are great though, and my friend and I were able to go into the pavilion and change into some spare clothes before walking to the nearby café to enjoy a post race drink.

I had such a lovely morning, I had run well again, enjoyed time my with friends, seen others achieve great goals, and had another bit of bling for my medal board of course! With a very enjoyable Sleaford 10k on Friday night, a happy spell volunteering at my home parkrun in Lincoln on Saturday monring, and now a pretty perfect Sunday race day at Newark, I drove back home to Lincoln feeling a sense of real happiness – it might be tough at times, but I do love running and all it adds to my life. ​
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Sleaford 10k 2019

8/12/2019

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A few months backed I was encouraged to enter this race by a friend; I needed to be quick, I was told, as it sells out and there is also cake at the finish! A race which fills fast (and has cake!) is a good indication of a great event, especially in the local running scene. I signed up, although perhaps my only apprehension was the fact the race was held on a Friday night at 7pm - that was something I was really not used to!

Fast forward to race week and I will admit I had some doubts about whether to run; mid marathon training I also had Newark Half Marathon booked for the same weekend. Could I manage two races in three days? Was it sensible? I had to decide fairly early in the week as it would need me to adapt my training plan slightly. I wanted to run; the event intrigued me and also a Friday night spent running with friends sounded a lot better than doing my weekly food shop - which is as wild as I get these days! With that in mind I felt I would be sad if I missed out - I could always take it steady I told myself!

Driving over to Screddington, a village just outside Sleaford where the race was due to start, the rain lashed against my windscreen so much I could barely see the road. This was accompanied by a very strong wind which shook my little car at times. Was this really such a great idea?! Thankfully the gusty wind blew the rain storm through by the time I had parked up on a small village field, however the wind still prevailed. It was clear the wind was definitely going to play a factor when running, but to be honest I did not mind. My approach for the race was still to take it fairly steady, and if there was a battle with wind, this would basically help me by forcing me to slow down! 

As I walked across to collect my race number from the village hall I instantly bumped into a group of fellow Lincoln runners I knew. This is the best thing about local events in my opinion, the community feel you get that maybe is missing from the larger scale national races. Finding my number I then also found members from the Thursday night Run Club session I am part of, and we chatted away, passing time quickly leading up to the start. 

The start was a short walk from the village hall on a small village lane, quite quaint really. I was relaxed about the run, I just hoped I could keep sensible! As the 'go' signal was given and I crossed the start the course soon turned and proceeded to climb uphill, which was also into the very strong headwind. This was actually a good thing for me as it meant my start was steady; it effectively held me back. The wind would play a role throughout the race, especially into the final sections, however I was surprised by how little it did bother me. It was strong, but I felt equally strong enough to meet its demand.

I enjoyed the following miles, which had a few undulations but nothing too tough, and really felt I grew into the race. I did not look at my watch, I did not want to know my pace in case I felt scared I was pushing too much. I ran to feel and it felt good - so much better that at my last 10k in Woodhall Spa were I tried to stick to a hard pace and struggled in the conditions.
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The final 2 miles were pretty much all into the wind, it was so ferocious and at times I thought it was going to rip the paper number off my chest! I make it sound horrendous, but weirdly I just smiled and kept going. It was as I was making one of the final turns along this section that one of the many friendly marshals on course informed me I was second female. I had not really grasped this up until this point, however now, with probably just under a mile to go, I felt the need to push a little more, just in case there were fellow females trying to chase me down! I drove for the finish, still feeling in control though, and I held my place to cross the finish in 44:22 and as second female. 'You will get a prize!' one of the volunteers giving out medals told me - that was a nice surprise.

I went back onto the course and cheered some of my friends in, before then heading to hunt out the cake I had been promised. I will admit I was not expecting the banquet of cake I was met with - there was honestly so much choice, I think Mary Berry would have been in heaven! I had a slice of orange cake and a slice of pineapple upside down cake - both delicious! - as I waited for the prize giving. As my name was called out I went to collect a lovely and appropriately cake themed glass trophy, and I was equally touched that some of my friends stayed behind to watch too. 

I am really pleased I decided to run the Sleaford 10k; I ran well, but I also knew I had not trashed my body in the process, which was also important for the things I had ahead. Running, friends, cake and a little trophy - I think this Friday night beat traipsing the aisle of Tesco! ​
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The Double Race Week

8/11/2019

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Running can be a funny thing. I started the week feeling so tired and exhausted from it all, but I am ending the week, still feeling a little weary, but full of the joys running gives to my life. 

MONDAY: Body Pump class - it was an effort to get myself to this class. I was tired and had tight muscles from last week's running. I had to apologise to my friend after as I felt I spent the whole class moaning about how hard everything seemed! She understands marathon training though, and I am grateful she knew I just needed a sympathetic ear. 

TUESDAY: time to wake my body up with some intervals! It was a considerably cooler morning than of late, and this really benefited me. I ran 15 x 200m with 200m recoveries, which after a warm up mile, gave me just over 5 miles of distance. I really got into that much loved running 'zone' at some points during this run, logging a lot of the interval splits around the 6.30 min/mile marker. 

WEDNESDAY: another pre-work 10 miler; I felt slightly more accustomed running this distance to start the day compared to last week. Again I kept the pace easy, and whilst the temptation is there to pick up the speed a little and just 'get it done', I know the need for these easy mile is just as vital. 

THURSDAY: with a slightly different running weekend ahead, this morning I switched my plan around a bit to include a steady 3.5 miles, keeping just under 8 min/mile pace. This was followed by a pyramid session at Run Club later. I pushed myself tonight, I had not especially planned to, but I ran with a small group of others and found myself caught up in their dedication. Again I messed up split timing on my watch - I think I give up! - but we ran 2 sets of 1k/500m/200m/200m/500m/1k which at the end was nearly 5 miles of running. The motivation of others definitely helped me challenge myself - being a Run Leader is both very rewarding personally and through seeing the achievement of others. 

FRIDAY: usually Fridays are my rest day, but this week instead of pushing my trolley around Tesco on a Friday evening (wild I know!) I found myself running Sleaford 10k, a local race to me. Full blog to follow, but I was really pleased with how I ran - I had to be really, finishing second female and in 44:22. A trophy and a time is one thing (see image), but I felt really strong, despite the equally strong wind, and also enjoyed every step of the race, as well as the plentiful cake at the finish!

SATURDAY: Rest Day and volunteering at Lincoln parkrun (see image). 
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​​SUNDAY: to continue with my weekend of running, today I pinned on another race bib to run Newark Half Marathon! As much as I was pleased with my Friday night 10k, this was more of a marker for me in terms of my marathon training. Conditions were a bit challenging again as the wind prevailed, but I believed in my legs and remained strong to finish in 1:38:52. Full blog to follow (I have some writing to do!) but it was a lovely morning which I shared with my running buddy and other members from Run Club (see image).

​My legs have clocked up 43 miles this week including two races and two good performances - but what I will look back on more fondly is the happy memories from both events in particular. I train hard, I log the miles, but my motto continues to be to keep happy. 
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The Week Of Hard Work

8/4/2019

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This week I have felt that marathon training notch turn up a little. I have had some tough runs and had to work hard to meet the requirements of my training plan. I have enjoyed pushing myself on the vast majority of my running, I like the feeling of working hard and challenging myself. However, I have to say Sunday's long run was bit too much and the combination of long miles and summer heat really pushed me to my limits.
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MONDAY: Body Pump class

TUESDAY: with an early start at work my morning run had to be completed even earlier than normal today. A 5am alarm woke me ready for my 7 mile tempo run, which I aimed to complete with the middle 5 miles around half marathon pace. I focused on trying to make this middle section log 7.30 min/mile splits, and I was not far off this marker throughout. 5 miles felt quite a long time to hold this pace though, especially so early in the day, and I was pretty knackered at the end (see top image)! 

WEDNESDAY: when I have a 10 miler to run pre-work that is when I know marathon training is starting to fully hit me. 10 miles seemed a long time to be out, even though I did keep the run at an a easy pace, averaging 8.33 min/mile.

THURSDAY: as part of Lincs S&C Run Club we hold a monthly track session and I was really looking forward to the challenge of it tonight. I used this as my interval run for the week and was pleased to see the session was due to be 10 x 400m reps with a minutes rest between. 'Pleased' may sound like strange reaction, but I knew it would challenge me and I liked that. The session was hard, jelly legs hit by half way and I spent a lot of the recovery period with my hands on my knees trying to gulp in air, but I really did give my absolute all to every single lap of that track. I messed up my watch - again! - so was a little gutted not to be able to look back at my splits for each interval. Next time I will get it right!

FRIDAY: Rest Day

SATURDAY: I managed to log another sub 21 minute time at Lincoln parkrun today - 20:53 -  but in keeping with the theme of the week, it really was hard work and I fought for every second. I could feel I was a little jaded from the track session still as I started to run, but I had a real level of determination inside me for some reason and just knew I wanted to battle through. I ran with gritted teeth, trying to smile when marshals and fellow runners cheered my name, and when I crossed into the finish funnel, I was simply really pleased that my efforts had paid off. 
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SUNDAY: training for a marathon during summer sounds quite idyllic in some ways, but today I really hated the seasonal heat. I got out fairly early and to be honest the first 7 miles of the 17 miles I had planned were fine; I was in a good running rhythm, had accomplished a couple of hilly challenges I had thrown in at the start, and felt quite content. Heading toward 10 miles and as my route began to become more rural and exposed, the sun started to bore into me though, making me hot and making each step feel heavier than it should be. I stopped in pockets of shade to sip water occasionally, but it only meant when returning to run the sun hit me harder. For the final 7 miles I had to draw on some mental grit to keep on ticking the miles off; my legs were not actually feeling too bad, but I was mentally tired from constantly having to encourage myself. I logged my 17 miles in an average pace of 8.24 min/mile (see bottom image), and as I collapsed onto the foot of my stairs at home, I was exhausted. To be honest I was also questioning why I do this to myself! The 'why?' is of course part of a much bigger picture, and these hard challenges are all part of the process along the way. ​
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The 'Sweaty Mess' Week

7/28/2019

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​You can always rely on the British Weather to play a part during marathon training, whether it is the threat of snow and ice during Spring blocks, or the fear of extreme Summer warmth. The latter has certainly played its part this week, with a heatwave sweeping the UK and temperatures hitting over 30 degrees Celsius – I do not think I remember such a heat in the UK in my lifetime?! I have therefore spent most of this week as a sweaty mess, and even when it cooled down at the weekend, the rain arrived and continued to soak me to my skin with a different kind of moisture – glamorous I know! Along with the heat, it has been a busy few days for me with a staff training week at work which also involved moving our offices and taking part in various team building activities. Simply put – I am a little knackered right now!

MONDAY: Body Pump class
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TUESDAY: today the heatwave began and I subsequently found intervals a little tougher going than normal, especially towards the end. I ran 6 miles with 12 x 400m reps and 200m recoveries. The first seven reps were relatively consistent, hovering around or just under the 7 min/mile marker; however, I felt the power fade from my legs for the final few and I really had to challenge myself to pick up the pace – the last rep felt like I was literally going nowhere!

WEDNESDAY: even as I met my friend for one of our 6am mid-week runs it was already nearly 20 degrees already – great! My friend seemed less affected by the heat than me, and he set the early pace as normal, which is always reasonably quick for me. I held this pace for a few of the 6.5 miles we ran, but as the final couple arrived, my legs were starting to struggle against the muggy, dense air. It was still a good paced run overall, but it just felt much harder, and I was drenched at the end.

THURSDAY: the hottest July day on record with temperatures hitting over 30 degrees – a great day for 5 different bouts of exercise then..! My first taste of exercise was my early morning run, an easy paced 7 miles, which I was surprised by how well I consistently paced given the heat. Next up was a team building day at work, which turned out to be a rock climbing session, followed by some team fitness relay races, and then by an immersive spinning class, all thankfully in the sanctuary of an air conditioned leisure centre. However, I still had Run Club to come. By 6.30pm in the evening it was scorching and I would not have even contemplated a run if it had not been club night. We planned a gentle out-and-back run, emphasising to people to take it easy. By now, my legs were pretty much exhausted, and combined with the heat, I found I only had one pace – a gentle plod. This was actually fine and I enjoyed being able to run with others and gain their support to keep me plodding along. We managed 4 miles – but it felt like 40! At the end of the day I was absolutely dead on my feet!
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FRIDAY: Rest Day
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SATURDAY: Friday had been the final instalment of our staff training week at work. This had involved taking part in an escape room, a meal out and a few drinks in town afterwards until around midnight – it was a lovely afternoon/evening, but not very good for picking up my dipping energy levels! I actually had a place for a local 10 mile race today, but decided against it – my body simply was not up to the challenge of doing it justice, and with a long run planned for tomorrow, I had to be sensible. I went to Lincoln parkrun instead, but kept my expectations moderate about what kind of time I may be capable of. I ran fairly well, and quite consistent in my splits, with no fade in the final mile, I was just not sharp enough to get another sub 21 minute time, logging 21:22. I was not disappointed at all – it was what I kind of expected!
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SUNDAY: after a busy week and the added exertion of running in heat, I still did not feel totally refreshed for my long run today. I had 16 miles planned and to be honest my splits show what kind of state I was in mentality throughout – just all over the place! I ran with my Camelbak filled with water and for the first few miles it really annoyed me, and it is all I could focus on. At around 4 miles I suddenly seemed to settle into things, only then to hit a massive slump were it just felt like I was trudging along, alone in the middle of nowhere and in a haze of drizzle. Essentially I was, but usually I can overcome the fact! Between 10 and 13 miles I had a renewed energy and suddenly found a really quick pace, however the final three miles were tough and every time I was forced to stop to cross a road etc. I just felt like I lost any sort of rhythm. So not my greatest run, and amid my massive variations in pace, I managed to log an average of 8.28 min/mile, which I was fine with considering my plan said today should be an ‘easy’ run and also considering how weary I felt. I was once again knackered when I arrived back at home though – this week has really taken its toll, so recovery is now the focus.  
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The Quarterly Review Week

7/21/2019

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Somehow this is Week 4 of my marathon training on the road to Chicago – time has very much flown by. I am now a quarter of the way through my sixteen-week plan and I am very happy with how things are – quite literally. My goal for this training was to work hard, but also continue to feel contentment and enjoy with my life outside of running; and I am pleased to say so far I am achieving this.

MONDAY: after a week away from any form of strength work last week, I knew tonight’s Body Pump class would be a bit tougher than usual – it literally only needs me to miss one week and I can feel it! Combine my brief absence with the instructor launching a new set of exercises, and I was prepared to be sore…

TUESDAY: the DOMs had already hit as I laced up for my early morning run and I was a bit unsure if my planned intervals would actually happen! I had 6 miles with 5 x 1000m reps and 200m recoveries set, and I just had to see if my legs wanted to play game! It was a hard session, and the last two intervals reps really pushed me. My splits were strong though, despite my soreness, with a couple of sub 7 min/mile reps and the others all hovering a few seconds above this marker.

WEDNESDAY: if I thought DOMs had hit me yesterday, today they had bulldozed into my body; I was incredibly sore and was therefore very pleased to have some easy miles on my plan. I also had to get up very early for these 7 miles ahead of a long day at work – in fact this week on the whole has seen me working a lot of hours over some long days. The key to both fitting in my training and looking after myself I find is managing this impact in other areas of my life – I got to bed as early as possible, I try drink plenty, I add extra protein into my diet to aid recovery etc. It sounds simple, and I am certainly not perfect, but it all helps.

THURSDAY: thankfully my soreness had minimised significantly today and I enjoyed an early morning 7 mile run following an easier (8 minute something) to harder (7 minute something) mile pattern. At RunClub later I logged a comfortable further 4 miles as Run Leader.

FRIDAY: Rest Day
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SATURDAY: I was delighted with another sub 21 minute time at Lincoln parkrun today (see image) – finishing in 20:51 – and also to be First Female into the funnel. What I really enjoyed about this week’s run was being challenged by a fellow female runner throughout; I was on her shoulder for the majority of the 3 lap course and she gave me the focus of keeping to her pace and rhythm. As we approached the final few hundred metres I gave my burst for the finish, and to be honest I am not sure where this injection of speed came from! A few metres back I was giving my all just to keep pace, and now I found myself powering to the finish funnel ahead of my fellow parkrunner. After finishing, I waited for her and we shook hands and acknowledged each other’s’ performance – if I have ran with someone like that in a parkrun or indeed a race, I always like to recognise them, as although at the time it is almost competing with each other, it is actually pushing each other to be our best.
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SUNDAY: a muggy, sweaty 14 miles logged for this week’s long run. To start, I ran 4 miles solo to meet my friend and initially I had throwbacks to the intense heat of last summer; the sun shone strongly and made these early steps feel like a lot of effort. Thankfully the clouds came to rescue us and to make the run slightly more bearable! Long runs with company are always much more enjoyable too, and I lost concept of distance once my friend joined me for the remaining 10 miles, and I also never looked at our pace. Reviewing my watch later I could see we ran really well, logging predominantly sub 8.20 min/mile splits, which as summer begins to seemingly grip the UK, I was really pleased with. I also try not to take pace too seriously on warm days, listening to your body and simply enjoying the run is far more important than some numbers on a screen. Numbers on a screen are definitely not just what running is about after all. 
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The 'All Things Go!' Week

7/15/2019

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This week has been very busy - all things go! - and this has included a lot of happy running and also happy memories. At this moment in time, I feel really fortunate to be able to write that and equally as thankful to be able to experience these emotions.

MONDAY: I spent a large chunk of this week in Liverpool as part of celebrations for my sister’s PhD graduation. This meant today I was able to enjoy a different start to the week, going on a hilly walk/climb up Moel Famau in nearby North Wales - some active recovery on my running rest day!

TUESDAY: usually when I see a progression run on my plan I react with a kind of ‘eye roll’, as mentally I can sometimes struggle with the pacing. I have improved my approach over the years, and today, running with my sister, I was determined to execute the 6 miles well. We not only ran well, but I also thoroughly enjoyed the run along Liverpool’s dockside (see image). Chatting to my sister meant I wasn’t constantly fixated by pace, and instead when our watches beeped in unison as a mile passed, we used this as a marker to pick up speed naturally. We nailed the progressive splits 8.48, 8.26, 8.17, 8.03, 7.49 and 7.28 min/mile respectively, and then spent the rest of the day celebrating my sister becoming Dr Carter.

WEDNESDAY: after a very long but memorable day yesterday at my sister's Graduation, in which I managed to wear high heels for endless hours, drank a fair few glasses of free prosecco, and enjoyed a lovely family meal – I did not feel my sharpest this morning! Alone I would have struggled running, but my sister joined me again for a steady 6 mile loop though Liverpool, and we helped take each other’s mind of our aching limbs and sore feet!

THURSDAY: back in Lincoln, today turned into a 10 mile double run day. In the morning I ventured out alone for a 5 mile interval run, featuring 3 x 1 mile reps and 400m recoveries. I kept my expectations fairly low after a busy week already, but was very pleased by how my body responded. It was humid and very sweaty, but my legs held strong with intervals splits of 7.01, 6.53 and 7.02 min/mile. Later in the day at Run Club and I logged a further 5 miles as we took the group through a more sustained running session. My legs were a little tired at this point, but I was really pleased to be able to run alongside a fellow member who has recently come back from representing Team GB at Triathlon Championships for her age group – I loved hearing about her experience and as the mid-run conversation flowed, my weary legs were long forgotten.

FRIDAY: Rest Day

SATURDAY: due to an event in Boultham Park there was no Lincoln parkrun today. I wanted to use the opportunity for some local parkrun tourism, but I was also aware I probably needed to log my long run, as on Sunday I was volunteering at a community event and would be needed from very early until late evening. Getting up on Sunday at the crack of dawn to log 13 miles did not seem a sensible choice, so I found a way to combine both a 13 mile long run and a parkrun into my Saturday running. I ventured to Clumber Park with my friend and her husband, firstly to take on the parkrun course (see image). I have completed this parkrun a couple of times before on New Year’s Day and it is always an enjoyable event. Today was very pleasant again, with a lovely atmosphere and the usual beautiful trail-based course. I ran with a natural strength in my stride, even with the slightly more challenging terrain Clumber Park presents, finishing in 21:01 and with a new course PB. My friend also ran a course PB – so we definitely did not hold back!
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After scanning in our times, we then regathered ourselves and headed out for 10 further miles around Clumber Park to complete my long run. At first, my legs were not that at ease, and a few miles in, I think we were both finding the going a bit tough and probably regretting our speedy parkrun times! However, we focused ourselves, dug into our determination stores and bounced of each other’s growing energy to complete the second half of the run feeling much better. We managed our 10 miles in a steady 8.30 min/mile, which definitely exceeded our expectations after pushing ourselves for those first 3.1 miles! I have never tried a parkrun/long run combination before and I am not sure I could have achieved it without my friend’s support and the belief running together can give you in your own ability. 13.1 miles in the bag and a lovely morning to go with them.

​SUNDAY: Rest Day – if a rest day can be called volunteering at a community music event at my local park for over 12 hours! I do not count my steps, but one fellow volunteer logged nearly 7 miles of just walking! This was my seventh year supporting the event and I am one of the founding members, and despite the long day, it is definitely worth all the effort to see the now thousands of people enjoying their day with friends and family. So, thank you to any Lincoln locals who support Our Big Gig in the Arboretum – I did get approached by a couple of people asking if I was ‘that runner they see on my drive to work?’ – no escaping!

This has been the third week of my marathon training on my journey towards my next race. So far, I am very content with how things are going and how I am feeling. A handful of people know where my next race will be, and I as mentioned last week, it has not been a secret as such, I have just not felt like telling everyone about my goal until I felt happily on the path towards it. I feel I am in that place now. So, on October 13th – all being well! – I will be taking my place on the start line at Chicago Marathon. Chicago represents a chance for me to take on one of the proposed world’s greatest marathon events, and also will be my version of a holiday for the year. Travelling internationally is not something I take on lightly, and it has only really been in recent years I have begun exploring the world through my marathon running. I am going alone on this trip – which scares me a little! – and not to have friends or family cheering on the side line, to give me that post run hug, or to look after me at the end when my legs are not working properly, has been a bit of a hard thing to accept in my head. However, I hope to be able to continue to share my progress toward the race and on the day with you all – so I know I will not really be alone. So its 'all things go' on the journey to Chicago! 
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The Week Marathon Training Really Began

7/7/2019

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I wrote on Twitter this week that I felt like ‘the marathon training fire was igniting inside me once again…’ and I think that phrase is a pretty good way to summarise this week.

MONDAY: following Round Sheffield Run on Sunday my hips were a bit ‘twangy’ today, but I cannot really complain after the hilly test of the event! It was the last Strength and Conditioning for Runners session of the block tonight, and I followed this with Body Pump.

TUESDAY: although I have been running a few interval sessions since my last block of marathon training, I approached this run with a bit more focus. I wanted to run hard during the efforts but keep the recovery periods purposely slow to really benefit the interval periods. I feel this worked and during the run, which was 4.5 miles with 12 x 200m reps and 200m recoveries, I managed 10 of the reps at a pleasing sub 7 min/mile pace.

WEDNESDAY: this morning I managed to meet up with my friend for our first run together for a good few Wednesdays due to various injuries and life barriers! We completed a familiar 6.5 mile loop out into the countryside logging some quick splits in the process - his pace always amazes me! We averaged 7.44 min/mile overall, it would have been quicker, but I flagged a little at the end! I did enjoy the mid-week company and challenge again though.

THURSDAY: due to work commitments I had to miss Run Club this evening but was still able to log my own morning run. I really enjoyed this run, relishing the warmth of the day already and just letting my legs tick over. I did not really look at my watch, but an average of 8.07 min/mile felt pleasingly comfortable across the 5 miles.

FRIDAY: Rest Day

SATURDAY: this week’s Lincoln parkrun left me feeling both delighted and surprised. I have not been running particularly quick recently, by my own standards of course, and whilst I have accepted this without too much bother, I had been wondering if I would ever log a sub 21 minute time again! This week it just all fell into place though... As I completed my three laps of Boultham Park my legs felt strong and my breathing under control, and as I approached the third lap I could feel I had not dropped my pace. ​
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What also helped me was the support I received from marshals around the course, as well as fellow runners as I passed them; it is amazing what a little ‘go on Alice’ or ‘looking strong Alice’ can do to keep you focused and confident. I love being part of our Lincoln parkrun community, and I tried to acknowledge as many people as possible. I did not look at my watch until I was stood catching my breath in the finish funnel, and I was astonished to see a time of 20:46 displayed. I felt I had been running well, but not that well! I was very happy (see image).

​SUNDAY: to finish off a good week of running, this morning I met my run buddy for a Sunday long run. After the success of our Round Sheffield Run pairing on Sunday, I was very much looking forward to sharing some training miles again. I promised steady miles, but as we strode along together and the conversation flowed, two things happened; one I forgot all about pace, and two I forgot all about how many miles we were running. I just got lost in the run and before I knew it we were heading toward the end of our planned route. Today I felt that kind of joy from running I want to keep throughout my training; we had ran well but also had just been chatting casually and happily like friends. 12 miles under my belt at a steady pace of 8.16 min/mile, it was a good end to a good week of training.

This week has left me feeling excited for more training, and I almost feel at the point where I am ready to reveal the 26.2 mile race location. It is not so much of a secret, but I have just not felt ready for whatever reason, maybe until I felt ready to fully accept the training ahead. It is only week two, however this week has felt like good progress all around.
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Round Sheffield Run 2019

7/3/2019

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​2019 was my fourth year taking part in Round Sheffield Run and I have to say, it was probably my favourite so far. I will come onto the concept and the unique aspects which make the Round Sheffield Run event itself such an enjoyable running experience, but first I want to try summarise why the event was so special this year…

Round Sheffield Run allows you to participate as a pair, running as a team with a chosen run buddy. Each year my friend has been at my side to conquer the hills and trails this event throws at us, and each year we have grown more confident striding our way up rocky footpaths and skipping down pathways whilst navigating tree roots; improving on our time as a consequence. This year however my sole goal for Round Sheffield Run was simply to be able to run with my friend at my side once again. For me, there is something so wonderful about being able to take part in something I love and embrace a shared passion with a friend, who herself, is equally as special to me. It had been too long since we had last run together, and whether we took twice as long as last year or shaved a few seconds off our time, I really did not care. I knew as soon as we took our initial strides from the start line I would be happy, and I knew when we finished side by side I would still be smiling. I love the photos taken of us at throughout the event (see images) as they show the pure joy on my face. Happy running memories.

Now you know why this year’s Round Sheffield Run was personally special to me, and next you need to know why the race itself is such a standout in my racing calendar. In previous years I have reviewed the race stage by stage (2016, 2017 and 2018) however this year I felt like doing something a little different… If you scroll through the Round Sheffield Run website you will see it makes some pretty bold claims about the event. I have to say I 100% agree with them all and feel they set the tone for the event and also for my 2019 review very well:

The Round Sheffield Run is the original multi-stage trail running enduro.
I have seen nothing like Round Sheffield Run; we originally entered because of the fact it sounded a little different, and it certainly is. It is refreshing to be able to take part in a running event without the conventional race pressure, and instead just seeing it as a running challenge. I always take control of the running ‘dibber’ which is used to start and end each stage of running – it is my Garmin for the day – and I take pride in striding toward each checkpoint and getting us safely logged in and out.
 
The event is formed of 11 individually timed stages each with their own challenge and character to make up 20km of racing over the 24.5km route.
Each stage most definitely has its own feel and specific sections which make each one memorable. I say this, although every year my friend and I seem to somehow forget about certain aspects – usually involving how hilly a stage is! Our favourite stage this year was stage 3, a glorious descent through woodland. Here it felt like we were flying through the trees, and the freedom and fun which filled our body's was simply refreshing. Stage 2 remained one the biggest tests, named King of the Mountain it consists of one long drawn out ascent, which finishes sharply on a rocky climb to the top. We supported each other to this peak, and then enjoyed my favourite recovery stage; a walk along a small road which I always joke must look like the world’s worst running race to passers-by – everyone walking! This year we also showed our talents on the road during stage 10. This stage includes a section of road running – still uphill of course - and toward the end of the race it can hurt the legs. Our joint approach was to take it nice and steady and finish feeling strong, and with this tactic, we consistently conquered that climb, running into the woodland at the top and keeping moving. The steps that appear later in the stage still turned my legs to jelly – but I was proud of the strength in us both.  

​A superb running journey linking some of the top trails and parkland Sheffield has to offer. It would be a tough task to find anywhere in the UK that showcases these kind of trails and scenery within its city limits.
The Round Sheffield Run route makes me envious I do not live in Sheffield. My friend and I spoke as we ran about how amazing it must be to have this kind of terrain on your doorstep, alongside the conventional city running offer. It is simply stunning and a real hidden gem. My friend and I also reflected on how uplifting it was to be running in such an pure and natural environment; it didn’t feel like I was effectively in a race at times, but instead a morning out exploring with a friend.
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​Between stages competitors have the opportunity to rest, relax, and regroup with friends (new and old) and refocus before the next stage begins The novel concept creates a supportive and friendly social vibe.  
The social nature of Round Sheffield Run is another great positive of the event, and not just for the paired running aspect. We always make new friends on our way round, chatting to and joking with fellow runners. This year in particular I learnt the (unofficial) definition of what ‘kretinous behaviour’ is (don’t ask!) and was educated in who Frank Sidebottom was – I mean what other running event can you say that happens in?!
 
The support round the course is also something special.
​This year this point can be solely reserved to the woman and child sat by the checkpoint at the start of Stage 6. The pair had a coolbox full of ice pops and were sat methodically cutting the tops off each coloured pole and handing them out to us thirsty runners. Everyone was so grateful for these, and it was a small act of kindness which I am sure will be fondly remembered by so many.
 
The unique format breaks the route down into stages. Each stage being raced, and competitors receiving both results for each stage as well as a combined overall result. Plenty of opportunity for friendly competition!
As mentioned before, this year was not about beating any time for me, in fact it never really has been about time at Round Sheffield Run, but progression in our overall result has just naturally happened. Our result print out this year showed we were slightly slower than last year – finishing in 1:43:50. This time still shows a huge improvement from some of our earlier runs and also saw us ranked as 15th overall female pair - but seriously, who really cares! 
 
To top it all off a festival atmosphere at the end with draft ales, tasty food, and great DJ to ensures that everyone can celebrate in style.
The event village really does have a wonderful relaxed feel. Deckchairs and hay bales cover the grass area and are surrounded by stalls, which create a little pocket of post run perfection. We managed to get ourselves sat in a set of deckchairs, and probably the biggest revelation is I sat here sipping a post run beer which I actually liked the taste of! I hate beer normally, but I wanted something to celebrate this wonderful day as we sat in the sun with medals adorned around our necks.
 
Simply put - I love Round Sheffield Run.
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The Journey Begins...

6/30/2019

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The words to this blog have been whirring around in my head all week, and one of the reasons why I maintain this log of my running is sometimes just to help me get those thoughts written down. In the end I have finished with a part personal reflection/part log of my week of training.

The start of this week marked the beginning of my next cycle of marathon training – sixteen weeks until I take on another 26.2 miles, which will hopefully be my 10th marathon event. I will be very honest; at the onset of the week I sat contemplating another training block and I was not really sure how I felt about it. The past few weeks since completing the Brighton Marathon I have surprised myself. Despite a little wobble the week after the race, I have coped fine without a structured training plan in place, whereas in the past I have been lost, and this has often led to me feeling quite down.  

The truth is, I have not needed marathon training to make me feel happy. This is massive progress for me and perhaps why I was not feeling that desperate longing to begin another training cycle, as I have been in the past. A few things have helped, and one of these in particular has been embracing the other non-running aspects of my life and finding a healthy way to balance still being a running mad individual with being able to celebrate friends’ birthdays, go to a concert, eat that massive ice cream sundae with my sister etc.
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It is not just the past few weeks however where the change in me can be seen. Those who have been following my running adventures for a while now will probably not be surprised to read that last year was tough for me personally, and there were times I really was not in a good place mentally. I was pretty much relying on running to keep me going. I am pleased to say I feel a long way from that person right now - I still love my running! - but it feels somewhat like I am also free to feel and be truly me.

Unsurprisingly, I therefore have hopes for this block of training as well as goals for the marathon itself. My hope is to try keep a happy medium between enjoying my training and enjoying my life outside running. I believe it is possible – in fact, I know it is – I just need to learn to let it be possible. My goal for the race itself remains the same as with Brighton Marathon earlier this year – I will be PB hunting and aiming to edge closer to the 3.30 marker. This is a goal that still scares me, but one I will keep trying to strive towards, and my efforts at Brighton have not done anything to dampen my belief it might be possible one day. The journey begins…

MONDAY: a muggy double strength session with Strength and Conditioning followed by Body Pump.

TUESDAY: the lingering muggy air was eased slightly this morning with the welcoming feel of some light rain – much preferred for my first interval session in a few weeks. I ran 5 miles with 4 x 800m reps; I pushed hard and was happy to set benchmark rep splits of all under 7.20 min/mile. 

​WEDNESDAY: I found myself in the small, somewhat tucked away place of Yarnfield today for a conference with work. I had stayed here before, so had a rough running route in mind, but was still pleased I only had 4 miles on my plan to try map out. The run became a tempo session as my slight nervousness at running on unknown rural roads and then into a bit of an industrial estate meant I pushed the pace!

THURSDAY: a double run day with an easy 4 miles in the morning followed by 3 hilly miles at Run Club in the evening. I was Run Leader for this session and had set quite a tough hill challenge involving repeated figure of eight loops. I enjoyed seeing others draw on their determination to test themselves and realise what they could achieve and also got a good few hill reps in myself.

FRIDAY: Rest Day

SATURDAY: with possibly my favourite running event ahead on Sunday – Round Sheffield Run – I opted to volunteer at Lincoln parkrun today in the glorious sunshine. The sun tempted me out for an easy 3 miles of my own at lunchtime, and in the 25 degree heat I was pleased it was just a few miles!

SUNDAY: Round Sheffield Run – this is such a unique event I don’t think I can ever do it justice in writing (although I will try in a full blog soon!) A multi staged trail challenge, equating to nearly 12 miles of distance and featuring lot of hills along the way; it is not my regular thing, but maybe this is why I love it so much. The best part is being able to compete in the event as a pair and this was the 4th year I had ran with my friend at my side. This year’s event was possibly my favourite in terms of the simple fact we just had a great time running together and wonderful day out in all. Sat next to my friend in a deckchair whilst sipping a post run beer at the race village, it felt like I was setting a benchmark I needed for the weeks ahead – run hard, challenge myself and see what I can achieve, but take opportunities to relax, enjoy life and embrace those within it too. 
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The Final Freedom Week

6/23/2019

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This week has felt a bit like a final week of relative freedom, with more focused training for my next big running goal starting on Monday. With this in mind, I have simply enjoyed running what I have wanted and according to how I have been feeling - it has been nice!

MONDAY: Strength and Conditioning for Runners followed by Body Pump.

TUESDAY: a steady 5 miles with a hilly test thrown in at the start just to add a bit of variation and challenge!

WEDNESDAY: despite the weather significantly improving from last week’s rainfall, the river path I like to run on during Summer was still flooded, so this morning’s 4 miles consisted of a few laps up and down the section that was passable on the pathway. I did not mind this repetition, and it meant I could try a couple of faster miles, with the run resembling more of a short tempo run by the end.  

THURSDAY: my morning run was another instance of where I made up the challenge as I went along, starting steadily, throwing a couple of faster miles in, and then finishing with some steep hills. I ran 4 miles in total and then later on a further 3.36 (to be precise!) miles at Run Club. One of my fellow Run Leaders had planned an orienteering challenge for us working in small teams. It was great fun and my competitive side definitely came out a little bit!

FRIDAY: Rest Day
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SATURDAY: this week’s parkrun was hard work (see image), with the small positive being that even though it felt a lot tougher than last week, I ran exactly the same time. The main issues this week was my breathing. It was just not right from the start, and I actually felt like I needed to stop at one point just to catch my breath and try clam down. If I am being honest my breathing has not been perfect since I lost my voice a few weeks ago. The same thing happened to me last year the first time I lost my voice, and after suffering a bit, I was given an inhaler to use for a few weeks. This helped me, and I feel I now need to investigate using one again, especially with the weather getting warmer.
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SUNDAY: on a pleasant summer’s morning I really enjoyed a steady 10 mile loop taking in some paths I had not ran on for a few weeks. I actually found my inhaler from last year before the run and took it before leaving the house. It definitely helped me, and this confirmed in my head that I need to get myself sorted again, especially with my next cycle of training on the very imminent horizon… 
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The Week Of 'Summer' Running

6/16/2019

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It is mid June; and yet I have spent most of this week running in squelching trainers, attempting to avoid the streams and lakes forming on pavements, and finishing my runs looking like I have literally just stepped out the shower – it has been very wet. On the positive, my hamstring injury is vastly improving and I am pleased my sensible approach to running is paying dividends.

MONDAY: a double strength session of Strength and Conditioning for Runners followed by Body Pump. I had to adapt a couple of exercises to account for my leg, but generally it felt much better.

TUESDAY: I woke today and I could instantly hear it was absolutely chucking it down. I tentatively got into my running gear and then proceeded to sit and stare out the window debating if I was really going to run in the downpour. I did; but I reasoned to do a brief 4 mile loop, as my vague logic was I might not get as wet..! Unsurprisingly, I was instantly drenched upon stepping outside, however my leg felt improved again when running. I kept the pace steady but did throw a couple of hills in at the end just for a tester!

WEDNESDAY: today’s planned run had to be dramatically re-routed as the path I was running along was flooded to the point where I think I would have had to swim through it in order to keep following it. Summer running madness. I managed an off the cuff 5 mile route though and picked up the pace slightly for the first time in a while.

THURSDAY: I logged a total of 8 miles today, split across two runs, both completed in yet more rain. The first was my own run in the morning and an easy 4 miles, then later 4 further miles as Run Leader at Run Club. I ran the majority of these evening miles with a fellow Run Club member, encouraging her to reach a new distance milestone. It is really fulfilling being able to support others achieve in running, but moreover, making them realise their own potential.

FRIDAY: Rest Day
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SATURDAY: with my leg feeling virtually back to normal, I decided to try and run Lincoln parkrun hard today. It was dry – hallelujah! – and it would be a good test. I ran the full 3.1 miles completely pain free, which was the best result of the morning, as timewise it was nothing to write home about for me. However, this was the first time I had tried any form of ‘speedy’ miles in a couple of weeks so I had to be realistic and not expect miracles.

SUNDAY: in a change to my normal routine, Sunday’s long run was logged early evening after arriving back in Lincoln following a Saturday night spent realising a lifelong dream and seeing the Spice Girls perform live at Wembley Stadium (they were incredible and worth the 23 year wait!) I was tired; we had not got back to the hotel until roughly 2am and I had been on my feet for probably in excess of 12 hours throughout Saturday afternoon and evening – all completely worth it, but not conducive to running! I had earmarked June as a bit of a ‘no pressure’ month for me a long time ago with social things all seemingly falling in this period of the year, so I was not too stressed. I did however want to try and do a longer run as my leg injury had also meant I had not logged more then 6 miles for a couple of weeks now. I managed a confidence boosting 10.5 miles, just at a steady pace and enjoying some warmth and dryness! Maybe some real summer running is on the cards for next week… let’s hope so!
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The Week Of Low Miles But Happy Smiles

6/9/2019

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This week will not go down as one of my greatest running wise - there has not really been much running to talk about! Obviously, this has not been through choice, and instead my lack of miles have been enforced after picking up an injury niggle. What I have been impressed with however is my ability to cope with this minor setback; I do not feel down about my reduced running or the need to keep things steady for a few more days. Fear of making things worse has actually led me to being rather sensible! This is progress for me.

MONDAY: after Woodhall Spa 10k on Sunday my legs felt sore and I had some sharper pain toward the top of my left leg. To be honest I think I knew I had torn something, you get to learn you own body at times. I went to my Strength and Conditioning for Runners class and Body Pump, however, on the small stretch of running I was required to do, I could feel that sharp pain into my leg which made my running very difficult. Alarm bells were now ringing - this was definitely more than just DOMs. I already had an appointment booked to see my Sports Therapist on Wednesday anyway, so I knew I needed to try and make it to that without doing any further damage.

TUESDAY: with the above in mind, I rested today and hoped to give my leg some healing time.

WEDNESDAY: my appointment with my Sports Therapist was not until the afternoon today, however I woke with what I thought was no leg pain. I had already cancelled meeting my Wednesday running friend, but reckoned I could maybe manage a few easy miles. I was wrong; as I started to run with each step that sharp pain returned. I made it to 0.60 of a mile before I gave up and limped back home. The consultation with my Therapist later told me I had in fact caused a slight tear at the top of my hamstring close to the attachment. Some rather painful cupping treatment was used on the area and I was informed to rest until Saturday. 

THURSDAY and FRIDAY: Rest Days

SATURDAY: after virtually no running all week I was keen to run at Lincoln parkrun today. It was also the celebration of the end of the first 6-week block at my Run Club, so I wanted to support some of the fellow members. I was cautious in my approach to running; I literally had no idea how things would feel and was fully prepared to have to run very slowly or even stop if I needed to. As I gathered on the start line I found my friend, it was her birthday in the week and I wanted to give her a belated birthday squeeze before we set off. This did mean however as the 'go' signal was given I was probably a bit further forward in the masses then maybe I had planned. I went with it and slotted in behind my friend. Chasing my friend around the park was very good for me, it kept me at a steady pace which I was working hard to maintain, but I was not pushing myself to the maximum and straining my leg. There was something so familiar about running with my friend too; it felt natural and not like I was forcing myself to slow down. My leg was not perfect, I will not pretend it was; it twinged a bit and was a bit tight, but I could run and I was very happy! I finish in 22:27, a second behind my friend. As we finished, I thanked her for helping me with my run and gave her a proper post run/birthday hug. 
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SUNDAY: following parkrun, Saturday had been filled with my friend’s planned birthday celebrations, which meant I had enjoyed an afternoon drinking and eating possibly the most perfect cake, followed by an evening out dancing and drinking even more. I had a wonderful time; my friend is very special to me personally and in a running capacity, and I felt very happy in myself to be able to celebrate with her and also to see her looking happy too. I was so content I can honestly say that running the next day never crossed my mind- which it always does normally if I have something out of the ordinary planned on an evening. Unsurprisingly, I therefore woke today not feeling my best…! I knew I did not want to push a long run anyway as my leg was still healing, and the fear of doing something stupid overrode my urge to do a 'long run' on a Sunday. My car was left at the party location, so I opted instead to run and pick it up. I weaved a steady near 6 mile route to collect it and my leg felt improved again - the rest of my body maybe less so! 
 
Next week I will continue to be cautious and hopefully I will be ready to begin training for my next goal in a couple of weeks time…
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Woodhall Spa 10k 2019

6/3/2019

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Last year I took part in the Woodhall Spa 10k for the first time – a very popular local race in my Lincoln area, which always sells out quickly. On a hot day and struggling with possible laryngitis, I was very pleased to be able to run a new PB at the time of 43:57, and to go sub 44 mins at a 10k. Fast forward a year and I have secured a place again, it is another very warm, muggy day and I have just about recovered from another bout of what I can assume was once again laryngitis. I really wanted to have my voice back for Woodhall after being practically a mute last year, the popularity of the 10k means I know a lot of runners taking part and it is a great social occasion. Being able to talk therefore helps! What also helps when you are about to race a 10k distance is to have a pair of fresh, fully functioning legs, and unfortunately, I couldn’t really say I had that…

Stood on the start line the noise among the crowds of runners was the first thing that hit me. Woodhall Spa 10k is a big event for local running clubs, and you can sense the fact people know each other as conversations fill the air, instead of perhaps the silent nerves of larger, less intimate events. The air itself was warm, dense and muggy, and even a relatively strong breeze seemed to have no cooling effect. I knew I was going to find the heat hard; unlike last year when I had already ran a good number of events in warm weather by this point in the year, the British summer has been less freak, and I definitely did not feel accustomed to warm weather running yet.

I also knew physically I was going to have to endure extra pain this year at Woodhall. My legs were not great; sore and tight from some track running in the week, with my quads especially at a pain level which was still rather high. My race strategy was therefore pretty non-existent; I rarely race 10ks and I am not very accustomed to how I should best approach them anyway. Given the weather and the state of my body, I did however anticipate the next 6.2 miles would be pretty hard work.

As the starting pistol fired, I raced off, setting what I knew would be a quick first mile. It ticked over on my watch as 6.45ish min/mile pace; too fast, but I knew I would settle. I did for the second mile, but my body was becoming very warm, my face almost felt like it was burning and keeping in the heat rather than sweating. I was therefore very grateful to grab a cup of water from the aid station and pour it over my head. I began to slow during the third mile, the water had helped me cope with the heat a little better, but now my legs were struggling, and I could feel I was not able to use them to their full capacity.
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Mile 4 was the worst for me – it nearly turned my race into a disaster. The Woodhall course is pretty exposed, set along straight rural roads which form a large loop, and this meant there was no escape from the wind. It blew strongly into my face on this section and I just felt awful. I seemed to be plodding along now, my pace very slow in comparison to my starting speed, and I just wanted to get to the finish.

The final two miles were simply a process of ‘keeping going’; I was hot and my legs hurt, and if I am honest, I was just not really enjoying myself. Time didn’t matter to me now at all; there was no way I could get quicker, I just wanted to get it done. I did manage to salvage some speed to improve from my mile 4 dip, and it was then simply me telling my mind not to give up, and hoping my legs could hang in there.

As I crossed the finish line I was hurting but also happy this meant I could stop running! My time was 45:11, which is not great for me, but not horrendous either. I know I am not at my quickest speed at the moment, so a sub 44-minute time was probably too much to ask. Sub 45 minutes would have been preferable, but I do not think I was in a good enough shape on the start line to achieve this, and I probably should have eased into the race better knowing this.
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The best part of my day actually came once I had crossed the finish line. My knackered state meant I hovered around the finish area for a while and chatted to lots of people. I must have stayed for over an hour and actually manged to get quite sunburnt! I needed to do that though, as sharing my hellish experience with others helped me compute it a little, and I was also able to realise I was not alone in my struggles and being quite far off an expected finish time. I know I can run a quicker 10k in more pleasant conditions and with a fresher body – things cannot always all fall into place at every race and I do pride myself in my determination not to give up!
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The Week I Asked A Bit Too Much...

6/2/2019

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​Hindsight is a great thing - and looking back on this week I have realised I probably asked a little bit too much from my body. Ignoring running; work-wise it has been a busy but rewarding week, and the long days have left me feeling a little tired at times. From a health perspective, I have also been slowly recovering from my loss of voice, with a progressive return to vocal capacity occurring as the week simultaneously went on. It feels good to be able to communicate again, but the strain of trying to speak, and the niggling chesty cough which accompanied it, has also tired me a little. Now onto running; I started the week with all good intention of taking things easy, but ended doing almost the complete opposite! The benefit of hindsight is however, that I can try learn from my mistakes going forward.

MONDAY: feeling tired after an active weekend away with work and with virtually no voice, I knew that even with the Bank Holiday temptation of having a free day to effectively run, I had to be sensible. I reasoned with myself, and completed an easy 2 mile run to the gym for Body Pump, and then another 2 miles home afterwards.

TUESDAY: still not feeling my best, some more easy miles were on the cards, and I logged a 10k at 8.26 min/mile average pace.

WEDNESDAY: after a couple of days of easy running I still felt like I needed to take things steady, so agreed on an 'easier' run with my Wednesday morning running partner (note: his easy is definitely my steady!) My breathing seemed a bit laboured this morning, especially with the slightly quicker pace, and the final hill at the end finished me off a little. Despite this, I was pleased to average 7.49 min/mile and to log nearly 7 miles.

THURSDAY: today I simply forgot my aim of trying to be good to myself and my body. The draw of taking part in a Track running session with Run Club, with the chance to join in as opposed to being Run Leader, was simply too much. A Track surface is something I have never trained on and the prospect of pushing my limits running in circles strangely appealed to me. It was a hard but fun session featuring a pyramid of running 800m down to 100m, then 100m back up to 800m again, with recovery periods in between. Unaccustomed to track running I just let my watch keep going rather than perhaps recording each set distance as a different lap, so I have no real idea what my times were like. However, I do know I worked very hard, and as soon as I stopped I could feel the soreness and fatigue in my legs, especially my quads.

FRIDAY: Rest Day
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SATURDAY: despite a day off exercise yesterday, my quads were still very sore today and at a level where simply touching the muscle caused me to flinch a little. It was a beautiful sunny day though and there was no way I was missing Lincoln parkrun, so I convinced myself that maybe a run would help get some blood flowing and ease away the pain. As soon as I started running the tightness in my legs was apparent, but as the muscle warmed, they did loosen and I was able to set a very speedy first mile split. My legs soon tightened back up though and there was no way I could hold the pace, and I finished eventually in 21:21. My poor little legs were not happy with me afterwards, feeling extra sore and achy, and they still had a 10k race to run tomorrow...

SUNDAY: I really wanted to have my voice back for Woodhall Spa 10k after being practically a mute at the event last year, and thankfully I achieved this aim. However, what also would have been handy was not to be stood on the start line of a 10k with a pair of sore legs and quads which hurt to even move let alone run. Add to this a warm, muggy day, with an equally warm, gusty wind, and I think I knew the next 6.2 miles were not going to be a walk in the park. It certainly was not - in fact I found the 10k extremely hard work, but somehow managed to struggle home in 45:11. Full blog to follow, but simply put I was not in racing condition and paid the price a little for some unwise decisions mid-week, and probably in my approach towards the race. We live and learn! ​
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The Week of The Non Break

5/26/2019

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This is a tired blog post written at the end of a long but good weekend away with work, taking a group of teenagers to an outdoor activity centre. It has been an active weekend doing kayaking, paddle boarding, high ropes, caving etc. (see image) - but no running! I never intended to try shoehorn running into my time away, it would have been a massive struggle, and without training for anything specific at the moment, it felt like a stressor I did not need. I have also been feeling a little ‘under the weather’ this week, which has culminated in me losing my voice again (the same thing happened to me last year, at almost the exact same time of the year!), so I also told myself it would be good to give myself a relative break. I have still somehow managed to log nearly 25 miles just on weekday running though... that’s my version of a break!

MONDAY: a double dose of strength work to start the week, with Strength and Conditioning for Runners class followed by Body Pump.

TUESDAY: my motivation for running intervals still remains and I mixed it up a little to try some 300m repetitions over a 5 mile distance. I ran 10 x 300m intervals, with 200m recoveries, and whilst I took a little bit of warming up, especially with some emerging DOMS from strength training, I was pleased to hit sub 7 min/mile paces for the majority of the latter reps. 

WEDNESDAY: instead of hills this week my Wednesday running partner suggested an easier run, which I was quite happy to oblige to! A flatter route was plotted with the idea to take things 'easier’; although his idea of an 'easy' pace is still quite quick for me! We averaged 7.38 min/mile across the 6.5 mile distance, however at the start I was a little worried I was not going to be able to hold the pace. Whilst we have been running together for a few weeks now, I had been in marathon training fitness for the majority of our previous quicker runs. I tried to push out doubts and remain confident though, and this helped me believe I could manage the run even it is was not what I would quite call 'easy'!
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THURSDAY: I woke feeling ill today, a feeling which seemed to strike me from nowhere. My throat was sore and my head heavy. I still laced up my trainers though, hoping a few easy (I mean actually easy!) miles may make me feel a little better. The fresh air and endorphin hit did help, and later at Run Club I was able to lead a hill session with the group, during which I joined in for a few reps, giving me a daily total of around 7.5/8 miles.

FRIDAY: with a weekend away ahead of me I wanted to get a run of some form in today. To be honest, my run was probably 5 absolute junk miles - e.g. of no real benefit. I didn’t feel great anyway, bunged up and lethargic, and it was therefore bit of a slog with my splits ranging all over the place. Mentally it did still set me up for the weekend though, even if physically it probably had no benefit or impact.

I hope I feel better in myself and that my voice returns next week, especially as I have a local 10k race - Woodall Spa - on Sunday. Last year I ran this race with suspected laryngitis and it would be nice for history not to repeat itself! 
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The Blurry Week

5/20/2019

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This past week has been a bit of a blur to be honest - life is busy, which I like, but I still think it is important for me to find the time to reflect on my running. This is a relative 'down' period for me in terms of training, I have half an eye on a local 10k in a few weeks time, but I am also mindful that with Autumn goals to chase, I need to keep myself from overdoing things. 

MONDAY: a double strength session of Strength and Conditioning for Runners and Body Pump - it has been a while since I have managed both, so I knew I would probably feel the effects from it. 

TUESDAY: the soreness in my body was already developing as I woke this morning, and it is at times like this I am pleased to get a run in early before the real DOMs hit! I opted for the same intervals as I ran last week, 5 miles with 6 x 600m repetitions, as I had enjoyed it before. My legs took a bit of time to loosen up, but I finished quickly with some sub 7 min/mile reps. 

WEDNESDAY: my Wednesday morning running partner couldn’t make it this week, but I surprised myself by finding some motivation to attempt some solo hills without him. I could not quite face the entire 'rolling hills' route we usually do, but I mapped out a 5 mile circuit which still had five good hilly tests in. I am definitely feeling stronger from this type of running, it does take enduring some tough runs, but I think it pays offs. 

THURSDAY: an easy 6 miles just to ensure I am not constantly asking a lot from my legs, averaging around 8.20 min/mile. I logged maybe a mile or so at Run Club later on as Run Leader – probably not even that!  

FRIDAY: a vague Rest Day, although I did take a group of young people to a Trampoline park with work and ended up completing a two-hour jumping session!
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SATURDAY: today I felt my strongest at parkrun for a while and incidentally it was also my quickest time for a good few weeks, logging at 21:01. I started well and found myself running behind a fellow female runner who seemed my pace. I hung onto her for the full three laps and the motivation to keep with her really helped me. I actually managed to out sprint her in the final few metres to stop the clock first, which I did feel almost a little guilty about after she had unknowingly helped me all the way round! I made sure to thank her and shake hands though in the finish funnel, as that’s the kind of running spirit I like to be regarded for having.  

SUNDAY: after a full on week I struggled a little today on a longer run. It was not horrendous, but I just felt a little tired. It was warmer than I anticipated too and I do not feel I am quite adjusted to running in that kind of weather yet. For the first time in while I also found myself wishing I had someone to talk to on the run, especially as I was just taking things quite steady. I ran an out and back route to the top of a hill - I can’t seem to get way from hills at the moment! - and back down again, which gave me 11.5 miles in distance. I was testing the hill for a future Run Club session, so the purpose to the run did help me keep a bit more focused.
 
I have some more busy weeks ahead as May finishes and throughout June – a mix of running and social commitments. I am looking forward to the mix, and it has rather helpfully all fallen quite well, as my shift in focus for Autumn races will begin at the end of June. I therefore hope I will feel more free and able to enjoy my time in the weeks ahead, before I can reveal and start to work towards my next goal.  ​
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The Week Things Were Just Great

5/12/2019

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This week has been great - simply put. I am really enjoying my running despite the fact I have no real schedule or plan to follow, which can sometimes leave me feeling a little lost and logging seemingly 'pointless' miles. I have challenged myself, but under no pressure, and I have also been sharing some miles and my passion for running with others - which always makes me happy. 

MONDAY: a Bank Holiday rest day following Sunday's North Lincs Half Marathon - although I did manage a ten mile walk - so some active recovery!

TUESDAY: I woke up today and really fancied giving some intervals a try - strange I know! My next race is a local 10k, so I found a few suggested sessions from a training plan and decided to opt for one with 6 x 600m reps and 200m recoveries, which with a warm up, gave 5 miles in distance. It felt good to feel some speed in my legs and also some consistency too, with all my reps hovering around the 7 min/mile marker. 

WEDNESDAY: my Wednesday morning running seems to be turning into a weekly hill session at the moment, which I am enjoying and which is something I most definitely would not be motivated to do without some company. My usual run buddy's friend joined us again and suggested we try some hill repeats, which for some reason I agreed was a good idea! This involved running uphill at maximum effort, walking the downhill as recovery, and then jogging to the next hill. It was hard work, but good.

THURSDAY: yesterday's hills had left me with some soreness and with Run Club in the evening I logged an easy 10k as my morning run. Later at Run Club my role as Run Leader saw a few more miles added to this daily tally, however I did not turn my watch on, so I am not entirely sure by how much! The session is not about my miles though and it was really satisfying to be able to support others through some interval work. 

FRIDAY: a few more miles in the form of a brisk 3.5 mile run, which I logged since I was not running at parkrun on Saturday.
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SATURDAY: today was my 25th volunteer milestone at Lincoln parkrun. Hitting this marker was one of my goals for the year, and I am really proud to have achieved it and also for doing my bit to give back to the parkrun community, which itself has given me so much. I love volunteering, and just because I will now get to wear the purple '25' t-shirt, it does not mean I will stop adding my name to the volunteer roster every once in a while. 

SUNDAY: as well as being convinced to run hill repeats on Wednesday morning, I was also convinced to join my run buddy and his friends for a Sunday ten miler on some trails. I say convinced, I was invited to join them and I never turn down a running invite, especially when this one sounded a little different. The fun started at 6am when I was picked up - slightly mad I know - and we drove to a village called Tealby. The ten mile route we followed looped out from the village and into the countryside, before finishing back at the village. Along the way there was a number of challenges from running through long thick grass, across uneven fields and rocky pathways, climbing over styles and gates, ducking through electric fences, dodging muddy puddles, running from cows, scampering down sharp declines, and conquering a number of hills. As my lungs busted their way to the top of one particular ascent, I was informed we were stood at the top of the highest point in Lincolnshire - although I think my legs may have also told me that! The rest of the group are more familiar with running trails, but I held my own and was complimented on my strength as a runner, which felt good coming from some clear running talent. I finished the run muddy and tired, but filled with that unique post run positive feeling. A good end to a great week.
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North Lincs Half Marthon 2019

5/8/2019

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When I first started running, I thought races were only for one thing – racing. Surely you only entered a race if you were chasing down a new Personal Best – else what was the point? As I have become more experienced as a runner, my thought process has shifted from this. It has taken some time, and I still find myself sometimes almost justifying why a certain race was not a new PB, however, I now know that a race can be whatever challenge you want it to be and serve whatever purpose specific to you.

The North Lincs Half Marathon was never intended to be a PB race for me, and my reason for entering initially was to simply give me some focus during my post marathon comedown period following the Brighton Marathon in April. As race day neared it however become more apparent to me that the North Lincs Half was in fact something I needed to do to restore a bit of faith in my body. Brighton Marathon had hit me hard, and physically I wanted a confidence booster to show me that my body was getting back on track, and I also just wanted to enjoy a ‘race’ occasion without any pressure. 

Last year I had completed the North Lincs Half in scorching conditions during a period when an early heatwave had hit the UK – it was tough. Despite being quite a gruelling test, I had really enjoyed the course and the friendly, local atmosphere, so it had not put me off from signing up again. This year I also had my sister and her boyfriend with me, who were visiting for the Bank Holiday weekend, and I hoped they would find the race equally as enjoyable.

Arriving at the event village, based at Quibell Park Stadium in Scunthorpe, it was very evident conditions would not be anywhere near as harsh as last year – thankfully! The start line itself was a short walk onto a neighbouring road, and runners were escorted in a procession led by a man playing a bag pipe – do not ask me why! It made for an interesting sight, and I did have to laugh at what local residents must have thought to being woken early on a Sunday morning to some traditional Scottish music and a stampede of lyrca!

As we walked to the start I think it is safe to say that performance expectations were not overly high amongst the three of us – my non racing goals were clear, whilst my sister and her boyfriend had not ran a half marathon since last year and had been focusing more on 10k distances in training. All three of us were realistic in our minds about how we wanted to approach the 13.1 miles ahead of us – we just had to remain equally as realistic once we stepped over that start line.

Taking that step over the start, the first 3.5 miles of the course are set on a long straight road, which is wide enough to allow the field to thin very quickly. It is a perfect start to a race and allows you to get into a stride and feel comfortable. I found myself a little way back from the 1:40 pacer and knew instantly I did not want to be catching up this marker, or indeed over taking the pacer. I probably had the energy in these early stages to do so, but I was not confident my legs had the strength back just yet to maintain this into the latter stages of the race. Sensibly I stuck with my current running rhythm - my aim was to try and keep to strong and consistent pacing throughout.

The next 3 miles were set on another virtually straight section of road, which cut through some open countryside. It hit me here how very different conditions were to last year, when this exposed area had felt extremely intense. The weather this year was pretty perfect for running; cool but not cold and with only the slightest hint of breeze in the air, which had no real impact on running. Passing half way on this stretch I was still in a comfortable running rhythm and enjoying the relatively relaxed surroundings. I use the word ‘relaxed; as the setting is quite tranquil; the continued wide roads limit having to make decisions about where to place your feet or how to overtake etc. and the supporters which pop up sporadically along the course are not too ‘in your face’ but instead friendly and encouraging.
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Miles 7 to 9 ticked along nicely and I was only awoken from my running zone by the sound of a spectator calling ‘Go Princess Leia’ enthusiastically after me. This obviously requires some form of explanation as I was most definitely not dressed as the character from Star Wars – I have never even seen a Star Wars film! On the Saturday before North Lincs Half I had run at Normanby Hall parkrun in Scunthorpe, and on ‘May the 4th’ the volunteer team had fully embraced the Star Wars themed occasion. Finishing as first female, the Run Director had named me ‘Princess Leia’ and said she would look out for me during the race. It was really lovely to be recognised and to feel some of that parkrun community spirit, however I am sure the name puzzled a few runners around me!

Hitting mile 10 that classic thought of ‘only a parkrun to go’ passed through my mind and it did give my legs a boost. I managed to keep my stride, especially as I remembered how much I had struggled on this latter part of the course last year. The strength in my limbs pleased me, and I called upon their power furthermore to tackle the singular hill test that arrives around Mile 12. It is only a short, sharp climb, but at this point in a half marathon it has the potential to finish off the legs. My legs held strong to the test and I was then able to focus on the finishing miles.

I picked up the pace for the final mile, driving towards Quibell Park Stadium and the track based finish. It felt like a long mile but I remained focused, excited by the thought of getting that track surface underneath my feet. Once I hit the track I was away, sprinting with as much power as my legs could manage. I was probably a little over excited as my surge in pace was more akin to the final 100m of a race rather than the 200 or so metres I actually had to cover! The sound of a fellow runner breathing down my neck kept me going through and I was determined to pip whoever they were to the finish – a little bit of competition can help at times! 
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My finish time was 1:41:02 – a very good result for me to be close to the 1:40 region when my body has not been feeling in peak condition. However, what pleased me the most was the strength and consistency I ran with – I didn’t fade, I didn’t have any miles where I hated running and wanted to stop and I just really enjoyed the whole 13.1 miles. I felt happy and with renewed confidence as I met my sister and her boyfriend, both of whom had also enjoyed a strong run and exceeded expectations in term of their own finish times.

At the end of North Lincs Half we had three happy runners – or should I make that four! One of my biggest supporters in running (if he didn’t know it before, he does now!) was also taking on North Lincs Half and I has been scanning the finishers as they came around the final bend of the track so I could spot him and cheer him over the line. We caught up at the end, and I was pleased to hear it had been another confidence boosting performance for him and that he had also achieved his own intended pre-race goal.

Four happy runners, self belief restored, personal targets met, expectations exceeded, shared race experiences, an enjoyable morning and a nice piece of running bling at the end – races are most definitely not always just about those PBs. ​
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