MONDAY: after Sunday's horror show of a run I approached my run with caution today, aiming to stick to 5 minute kilometres, and also being totally accepting if I felt I needed to run slower than this. However the run felt good, and I managed the 8k distance in 4.56min/km, which helped banish any negative thoughts from Sunday. Body Pump class afterwards.

TUESDAY: Body Attack class. Again the instructor mixed the tracks up this week, which I feared a little, as my body was very sore from Body Pump; especially my arms after adding extra weight onto the bar for the bicep track. The 'floor' based track in Attack was therefore very tough, involved severely gritting my teeth, and caused a lot of pain. Walking home after the class I actually felt a bit sick, which I guess shows just how much effort I put in!

WEDNESDAY: Despite fearing that my soreness may be heightened today with added Body Attack DOMS thrown into the mix, I actually felt a lot better today - thank god! I ran my planned 8k run with my friend, who sped me up a little, recording 4.48min/km. Body Pump after.

THURSDAY: today my plan suggested that the 9.5k distance incorporated hills, whether it meant 19 hills I am not quite sure - but thats what I did (see image)! The road I live on has a number of streets running off it which are all on inclines, so I zig zagged my way up and down these until I reached my goal distance. 19 relentless hills were tough on the legs, but I was pleased that my average pace was 5.12min/km - quicker than when I previously attempted the same hill session before the Liverpool Rock n Roll Half Marathon in June when I recorded a pace of 5.25min/km.

FRIDAY: an early morning 11k featuring 10 lots of sprints was probably not the best idea after yesterday evening's hills, and I certainly could feel the tiredness in my legs. My sprints were therefore more like fast bursts as opposed to Usain Bolt style exertions!

SATURDAY: I visited my sister in Liverpool this weekend and hence was able to complete my long run with her. She is also running the Great North Run, so I did not just drag her out for a 19k jog against her will! We ran out and back along the docks which normally I would have found demoralising, but being in a new city meant I could take in some of the views. There was a strong headwind on the way out which happily was gone on the way back - although oddly the wind was not behind us but just completely dropped. My calves caused me a bit of discomfort towards the end as the uneven surface led to them tightening, but overall the run felt good. We ran at the same pace as I completed the Liverpool Rock n Roll Half Marathon in during June, which pleased me, as I hope that on race day I can pull a faster time out the bag.


SUNDAY: Rest Day - which felt odd for a day notoriously associated with long runs!

Last week saw my friends and I visit Lincoln Park Run for the first time in a while. A warm day was brewing, so I was glad to be getting my run in fairly early, even though at 9am the heat was still noticeable. I was also pleased to be able to share another Park Run with my friends, as its always a  great way to begin the weekend. It was whilst standing with my friends waiting to start - and naturally discussing running - I came to the conclusion that out of the three of us I am the 'middle' runner. One of my friends is the speed queen, the other can run long distances at a pace I only wish I could emulate. I try to be both, but end up sitting somewhere in the middle...!

Probably with this revelation in mind, I started the Park Run fast, with the vague hope of trying to maintain some sort of touching distance of my speedy friend. I just about succeeded for the first lap of the course, and by the second lap the gap had increased but still did not seem too large; however by the third loop any chance of finishing near her had well and truly gone. Whilst running it felt like my pace had dropped a lot, and after my optimistic start, I was not hopeful of a good finish time at all. Usually I am able to muster a reasonable sprint finish, but today my legs seemed to only be able to conjure up a slight change of pace. I couldn't even catch the woman in front of me who was only about a metre or so away. I was therefore somewhat shocked to glance at my watch upon crossing the finish line and reading an unofficial time of 22.38. For the life of me I could not remember what my PB was, but I knew it was somewhere around this figure - it just didn't seem right that a run that did not feel that great could be in this region!

The much anticipated Park Run text/email confirmed later in the day that I had officially ran 22.39 - two seconds away from my PB of 22.37 - how I was cursing my lazy finish now!

Elsewhere in the Park Run field, my speedy friend knotched up a new 5k PB; whilst my mini Paula Radcliffe friend was not far behind me,  despite being in the middle of marathon training, whereas during my marathon training my 5k time slipped to an all time low of 26 minutes! My 'middle runner' position was therefore confirmed!

Whilst I am comparing myself to my friends - let's be honest who doesn't compare themselves to someone - I hugely respect what they can achieve and are rewarded for following their efforts in training. As long as I reach what I feel is my best, I am happy. Plus at least by being the 'middle runner' it gives me the option to progress in one of two directions!

MONDAY: today I felt I really needed a run to give myself a bit of head space after a lot of important decision making over the weekend (I hate making decisions at the best of times!)  An 8k loop followed by Body Pump was just what I needed to finalise and confirm things in my mind.

TUESDAY: Body Attack class. With a new release of tracks impending the instructor mixed things up this week with a selection of older and newer workouts. The class was absolutely full of lunges, including these jumping air lunge type exercises (!), as well as featuring a really tough 'floor' track targeting the core, triceps and chest - an enjoyable challenge!

WEDNESDAY: the DOMS from Body Attack hit instantly today, just sitting up in bed I could feel my glutes were sore, my chest was sore and my core was very, very sore - it just shows what mixing up from your usual routine does to your body! By the time it came to my scheduled 12k run later in the day I was still tender, so I took it fairly steady, aiming to stick to 5 minute/kilometre pace. This I achieved fine, but in my Body Pump class afterwards I began to feel tired and the DOMS were making their presence known - I felt almost a fraud standing next to my friend who is in the midst of a full on marathon training programme!

THURSDAY: an 8k outdoor intervals session - week two of sticking to my no treadmill running rule! My plan suggested 6 x sprints should be incorporated into the run, however once I started I really enjoyed the fast paced sections, so ended up doing 30 seconds of sprints at every half a kilometre.

FRIDAY: Rest Day

SATURDAY: my friends and I ventured to Lincoln Park Run today, a run in which I came frustratingly close to my current 5k PB, recording at 22.39 finish time - just two seconds away! Any disappointment was soon lost however amongst the - clearly deserved - post Park Run cake my friends and I enjoyed!

SUNDAY: today's run can only be described as hideous. I ran with my friend and as soon as we started we knew it was going to be a tough run. The wind was strong and we had also misjudged just how hot it was due to be, heading out close to 10am was not a good idea. Despite this, the first 8km of the planned 16k run was ok (see happy photo next to my surname road sign!), we were on pace, with the wind even offering a bit of relief from the sun. But, as I reached the half way point, all energy seemed to drain instantly from my legs. It was suddenly an effort to lift them from the ground and my pace rapidly dropped. I had absolutely nothing in me, with another 8k still to go! Despite encouraging my friend to run ahead, she stayed with me, which I am really grateful of. Together we plodded the remainder of the route, which I can honestly say felt worse than the last section of the London Marathon this year! I was now running at my old marathon pace and it felt pedestrian! Any tiny stoppage, when we had to wait to cross roads, saw a pins and needles sensation begin to wash over my legs, which made restarting running again even harder. Needless to say this last 8k was a massive struggle, but I was determined I would not walk. And I didn't, but when my Garmin hit 16k I definitely stopped! Why was it such a bad run? I think it was a combination of factors; 1) overdoing things in the week; Body Attack clearly had a big impact on me, I added more intervals than suggested on my plan, and ran a Park Run 2) ignoring my plan; for today's run it said I should run 10k, not 16k, which must be suggested for a reason! 3) poor nutrition; as I touched on earlier, I have had a lot of things happening in my life outside of running (yes it exists!) the last couple of weeks, and when under stress or feeling upset, my eating generally goes to pot. Overall, I think I was therefore paying for a week of bad choices all round! I will put the run behind me, learn from it, and now happily head into week eight of training!

Lindsey Swift's open letter to a white van driver who heckled her whilst she was out running (see: http://www.runnersworld.com/runners-stories/new-runner-harassed-on-first-road-run-keeps-training) has received a lot of media attention over the past week, and rightly so. Lindsey speaks out against an act which is completely disrespectful in any circumstance, not just towards a runner; but anyone choosing to put effort and time into something positive should be encouraged, not abused.

I absolutely hate it when people shout abuse at me when I am out running. Usually it is men in vans or young lads in cars trying to impress their friends, and the majority of the time it will be some direct or indirect reference to what I am wearing, which they can't seem to see is perfectly acceptable running attire. The worst example was when a man shouted I was a 'slut' from his van window, I presume simply for the fact I was wearing running shorts. It was not so much the comment that angered me, but the fact it was in front of many other pedestrians and young children, which made me feel embarrassed. I have also frequently been heckled just walking home from the gym, clearly wearing exercise clothing and carrying a bottle of water, which apparently is still not enough justification to some drivers. 

Thankfully I do not take comments like this to heart - why should I feel like I can't wear running shorts? - but it does really anger me, and like Lindsey I fear how comments such as this could really discourage other runners. 

On the flip side, I have had some lovely and amusing things said to me whilst I have been out running. Receiving my first 'Run Forest Run' shout from a random car driver really made me smile. Whilst on one particularly long marathon training run I remember an old woman, who could barely walk herself, stopping and asking if she could borrow a bit of my energy, which really gave me the impetus to carry on for however many miles loomed in front of me. These are examples of enouragement though, not abuse. 

What I hope is that the publicity Lindsey's letter has received will help runner's who do receive abuse to be able to ignore it. I would also love it if her letter made people think twice before shouting something, and act more respectfully.

MONDAY: started the week with a run that literally didn't feel good nor bad, and instead just felt like I was running along my usual 8k loop in autopilot. I was pleased my autopilot setting was on sub five minute kilometre pace, and it was also kind of refreshing to have no mental debate going on in my head about how the run was feeling. Body Pump class after.
TUESDAY: Body Attack class. I also had my sports massage today, which gave my legs a good once over; especially my shins which proved to be very tight and the massage left some considerable bruising to emphasise this.

WEDNESDAY: a 9.5k run before Body Pump. My legs were a bit tender from yesterday's sports massage and the subsequent bruising, but I again kept to a sub 5 minute pace for each kilometre.

THURSDAY: after the pain treadmill intervals caused my shins last week, I headed outside for my interval session. My plan informed me I should run 16 x 1 minute fast intervals over a 8k distance - and this was tough! The intervals came round really quickly as I ran two within each kilometre, and by the last sprint it was an effort to keep my legs going. I did not struggle running intervals outside as much as I feared, however it was a little frustrating having to be fixated by my Garmin.

FRIDAY: on a hideously wet evening I splashed my way around an 11k route. To be honest I lost focus on my pace and instead just focussed on getting home as the rain persistently battered me! I still managed sub 5min/km pace and the strangest feeling was finishing the run and not being hot and sweaty - just soaked (see image!)

When I was younger and living in rural Suffolk, I used to stand at the front window of my house and watch the local running races take place. The procession of runners would head out past my window, run a loop around the countryside, and then run back past my house again to the finish. I loved watching, and always wished I could take part. Running the Bassingham Bash 5mile Road Race on Saturday last week reminded me of these races, and I felt like it was my chance to actually experience running in one after so many years of watching.

Choosing to take part in the Bassingham Bash was not hard, firstly my friend suggested it (does anyone ever turn down a running opportunity!?), secondly Bassingham is only a few minutes away from my hometown of Lincoln, thirdly the appeal of racing a 5 mile distance for the first time was a massive draw - guaranteed PB!, and lastly, and most importantly, there was cake at the finish for all runners!

Heading to a race for a 2.30pm start did feel a little odd, and by this time of day the heat had really hit a peak, so it was evident we were in for a hot race. Standing at the start line with my friend I strangely did not feel too nervous. I think this was helped by the fact that we had arrived in good time for the event, had been able to take everything in, and sit and chat for a bit - which seems to always help relax me. I did not have any time pressure on me either, having never raced the distance before, so just wanted to go out there and see what I could do.

I started the race very fast - too fast - and I knew it. I ran the first two kilometres in 4.27 min splits, and when seeing this on my watch the first thought that crossed my mind was 'I am going to severely pay for this later!' I managed to ignore this thought though, and just told myself to run as hard as I could for as long as I could, hoping this would be a reasonable strategy! The heat was intense at times, with only the odd cloud or tree offered a bit of shelter. I was therefore extremely happy to find a water station on course, where some wonderful local scouts were on duty. A young ukulele player was also positioned nearby, which brought a smile to my face. As I continued to run my kilometre splits did all get progressively slower, although I didn't suffer as much as I initially feared, instead quite enjoying the challenege of forcing my legs to keep up the pace. The payback really came when I  hit the very end. The last few hundred metres were a real battle and felt like forever, and on crossing the finish line I was truly shattered! Receiving my Bassingham Bash finishers mug - a unique race 'medal' - alongside my slice of caramel flapjack was a very welcomed distraction from the tiredness that swept rapidly through my body. I was so spent I even missed what would have been a golden opportunity to take a photo of my friend finishing as she crossed the line shortly after me. I would never normally miss something like that!

My unofficial finish time on my watch was 37.32, which has since been improved to an official result of 37.30 - something I am very happy with as I definitely could not have given any more!

After finishing the race my friend and I sought some shade and watched the rest of the runners come in. We were able to spot a few faces we recognised from Twitter and the online UK Run Chat community, and I was also really happy to see so many runners stay and clap every last runner in. The Bassingham Bash did have a very supportive feel about it. I really respect the race organisers, Witham Runners, for hosting it and for doing a fantastic job, a feeling I think was felt by all those taking part. For someone who participates in races, being a runner who is able to step back and actually deliver an event for other runners is really admirable. I additionally have huge levels of awe for some of the finish times which were recorded, listening to the prizes being awarded to the winning runners it was almost unimaginable to think of running that fast. I was also a little bit jealous of some of the prizes which were given out - I could really do with a blender!

All in all, the Bassingham Bash was a wonderful local event. A great distance to test all runners, a lovely course, very well organised, and has those added quirky elements which help to make it both unique and memorable - I will be back in 2016!

MONDAY: today I went out with the intention of running slower than I have been, I wanted to attempt to make this more of a recovery type run. I aimed for 5 minute kilometres - which I know is still fairly fast! - and was pleased I stuck to this. To be honest it was not that hard as my legs felt heavy still, so in a strange way this actually helped! Body Pump after.

TUESDAY: after feeling a bit crap all day after waking up with a cold and the associated joys this brings, I did fear how my Body Attack class would fair. I was picturing burpee tuck jumps with my head banging and persistent sniffling. Oddly, and rather pleasingly, I actually felt so much better in the class than I had done all day!

WEDNESDAY: my legs were not amazing today but definitely felt a lot fresher than on my last couple of runs. I ran 9.5k and was more bothered by how laboured my breathing felt thanks to my cold, but did average 4.48 minute kilometres. Body Pump after.

THURSDAY: I struggled for energy today and felt a little wiped out from my cold. I was tempted to rest, but I really wanted Friday to be my rest day since I was racing the Bassingham Bash 5 mile road race on Saturday. I dragged myself to the gym (I phrase I rarely have to say!) and managed 8k of interval running on the treadmill. I mixed the intervals between my target half marathon pace, faster running, walking, and all out sprinting. For some bizarre reason I then headed to the bike for hill intervals and then did some leg strength work. I felt suitably knackered afterwards.

FRIDAY: Rest Day - my shins were sore today which I attribute solely to the fast running I had completed on the treadmill, a conclusion which means I will now run any intervals outside even if it is a struggle!

SATURDAY: today I entered the Bassingham Bash 5 mile road race with my friend. The race is held in a small village just outside of Lincoln where I live.  It was a gorgeous day, a lovely distance to try racing, and I was very happy with my time of 37.32 - full blog to follow!

SUNDAY: almost a repeat of last Sunday's ten miler when my legs felt tired within a few minutes of the run starting - great! I had to run early as I had plans for the rest of the day, and I certainly did not enjoy my alarm waking me at 5.45am. I think the Bassingham Bash had also taken a bit more than I expected out my legs. I made it round though, and when I put it into perspective my time was not too horrendous, but a fair bit slower than normal and did not feel as enjoyable! 

Earlier this year I completed the London Marathon, in the process not only achieving one of my lifetime goals, but also raising £2000 for the young people's charity 'vInspired' in the process. vInspired are the nation's leading youth volunteering charity and provide young people with opportunities to gain new experiences and skills by taking action on causes they care about. Social action and volunteering is something I care a lot about, and when not running (!), volunteer my time in my local community. vInspired personally supported me to develop my own voluntary project - Abbey Lion Cubs FC - which has now been running for two years and provides free football for young children every Saturday morning. Although this does limit my Park Run opportunities (!) it is extremely rewarding and I am continually proud of the achievements of the young people involved and the project itself. Following my London Marathon journey vInspired recently asked me to write a blog post for their website entitled '5 Reasons Running is Good for the Soul' and this is what I came up with:

1.  Freedom  
By simply lacing up your running shoes, stepping out the door and starting to run, the world is your oyster. You can roam through the countryside, visit new parks, or just nosey down streets in your neighborhood! Creating running routes has allowed me to explore many areas of my hometown, as well as new places in the UK by taking part in various running events. Running gives you the freedom to really observe what is around you and take in your surroundings.

2.  Respect
Running is an activity that gains you a lot of respect from others. People admire your commitment and dedication, although sometimes they may think you are a little crazy for pulling on your trainers at 6am in the morning! I often find that through running I have inspired others to give it a try, or at least be more active, which is a really positive feeling.  

3.  Me Time
Running gives you time to think and a chance to enter you own world of thoughts for a while. Running can help you switch off and just focus solely on putting one foot in front of the other, and is also a great way to relax. I love going for a run in the evening after work as I find it is the only way I can really unwind and refocus.

4.  Running Friends
Running is a great way to make new friends and also strengthen your bond with existing friends. Through running you share the same loves, the same issues, the same ambitions, and are able to act as a support network to each other when the going gets tough. Running has given me a collection of wonderful memories of the friends I run with and the times we have shared together.

5.  Challenge
Running is a challenge which can be tailored to each individual. You can choose to push yourself as much or as little as you feel, set your own goals and experience the delight of completing them. Hitting a target after weeks of hard work gives you an immense sense of pride, a feeling which I truly felt when crossing the finish line of the London Marathon this year.

You can read the full blog post here and also find out more about vInspired:
https://vinspired.com/blog/5-reasons-running-is-good-for-the-soul 

MONDAY: brightened up a grey, miserable and damp 'summers' day with a fast 8km. My average kilometre split was 4.46 minutes so needless to say I was happy to be well under the 5 minute mark! Body Pump class afterwards.

TUESDAY: Body Attack class

WEDNESDAY: evening commitments meant I was up early for the 7am Body Pump class at my gym. I ran to the gym, grateful that the unseasonably fresh morning air helped to wake me up! I also ran back from the gym, but with a post-body pump heavy feeling in my legs I was glad this was only a short distance. After work I managed to squeeze in my planned 8k run, again recording a fast average pace - slightly faster than Monday - of 4.44min kilometres.

THURSDAY: after two reasonably fast runs this week I chose to head to the local common for my 9.5k run. I hoped the terrain would force me to run slower - and it did a little, although probably not as much as I thought it would. I finished the run at the gym for stretching and some leg strengthening exercises.

FRIDAY: Rest Day

SATURDAY: despite not feeling amazing, and my glutes feeling sore still from Thursdays gym work, I was shocked to nearly hit my 10k PB time on a 10k training run, managing 47.51 minutes.

SUNDAY: within a few kilometres of starting my long run I could tell my legs were tired. They did not feel fresh at all. Reflecting back this was probably due to a week of fast paced runs and no real easy session, especially running a relatively fast 10k run only the day before. I ran with my friend though which helped me keep the pace consistent despite feeling like I wanted to slow down. Towards the end of the 16km my legs felt extremely lethargic, and I did succumb a little. Although it did not feel amazing my average pace was only just over 5 minute kilometres with an overall time of 1hour 20mins - so I was happy. We also managed to add another animal selfie to our collection, scouting out a willing goat who posed duly for the camera (see image)!