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'!

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! 

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!

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.  ​

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.

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.

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. ​

Without following a specific training plan, I can sometimes lose track a little of what my ‘running week’ has looked like. This week has been a good example of that, and sitting here reflecting on the past seven days I have realised I have achieved quite a lot, especially during a period when I was in the mindset that it was ok to take things a little easier! I feel like I am truly 'getting back on track.'

MONDAY: a double dose of cross training with the start of the next block of the Strength and Conditioning for Runners and a Body Pump class.

TUESDAY: I had debated trying a few intervals this morning, but to be honest, I woke up and did not feel sharp or particularly motivated enough to test myself in this way! I opted for a 5 mile tempo run instead, with the middle 3 miles all sub 8 min/mile pace. This felt enough of a challenge and I also actually quite enjoy tempo running!

WEDNESDAY: I re-joined my Wednesday morning run buddy for the first time since Brighton Marathon for a 6am run today. To ease myself back into things we obviously opted to run 6.2 miles of ‘rolling hills’…! This week we were also joined by two of my friends other running buddies and it felt good to have a group of us out on the streets. They are all training for a Skyrace in Italy – which sounds brutally beautiful – so hill training is essential for them, whilst for me it was a good test to see where my body was at. The verdict – not too bad! I completed all of the hills, but did have to stop to shake out the lactic acid at the top of a couple!

THURSDAY: after the hills of yesterday, my body needed a few easy miles. I completed a comfortable 4 mile loop in the morning, before logging a few miles as Run Leader at Run Club in the evening.

FRIDAY: Rest Day

SATURDAY: the start of a double weekend of running in Scunthorpe, with a trip to Normanby parkrun. The course is my work colleague’s local event and I like to join for a run when I can – it is probably my favourite place for some parkrun tourism. This time I was joined by my sister and her boyfriend who were visiting for North Lincs Half Marathon on Sunday. Set at the beautiful Normanby Hall Country Park, we were greeted by blossom, sunshine, peacocks and a few people in Star Wars fancy dress - Normanby parkrun were fully embracing the fact it was ‘May the 4th’ and it added to the friendly feel. Despite a race tomorrow, I decided to give my all across the 5k, as I enjoy running there so much. From the start I went off fast and within the first few yards I knew I was in First Female position. From then on, I knew my challenge was to try hold onto this position – parkrun is not a race – but it gave me a focus. I find the Normanby course goes by so quickly, passing the grand hall a number of times and weaving through woodland, and before I knew it the final sections were approaching. I held strong, my colleague shouting encouragement as we past each other on the course, finishing in 21:25. Naturally, this earned me the title of ‘Princess Leia’ from the wonderful friendly Run Director.
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SUNDAY: back to Scunthorpe today for North Lincs Half Marathon. I was not really sure what today would bring – I knew I would not be challenging a PB and I also knew I wanted to enjoy the run and not give myself 13 miles of utter pain! I think I succeeded in the latter pretty well, running a consistent and strong race to finish in 1:41:02. Full blog to follow -  but on the Brighton Marathon comeback and after a pretty full week of running, it is a race I both enjoyed and am proud of. ​