10 days and counting...

In 10 days I will completing the Great North Run. Back in April when Tone persuaded me to run it, I thought I had ages to train. I can’t believe how quickly the last few months have passed and that GNR is this month!

We packed our trainers for Amsterdam, keen to do some training runs while there. Staying in a hotel with an all-inclusive bar meant that we procrastinated running until the last morning. I didn’t drink any alcohol all day on the Saturday as I wanted to feel fresh to run on the Sunday. We set our alarm early and ate a banana before we left. We could see from the window that it was raining but we didn’t let this put us off. We knew we were heading to Vondelpark as we’d looked it up before we flew out to Amsterdam. It was about half a mile from our hotel and we walked there, as a warm up before running in the park. As we walked the rain was getting heavier and I began to feel cold. Once in the park we began to run and by this time the rain was torrential. It was bouncing back up from the puddles and had made my glasses so wet I could barely see anything. We followed the path round the park, trying to stay a little sheltered under some of the trees.

I think the park was pretty and picturesque but it was difficult to concentrate on anything other than putting one foot in front of the other. It was still warm out for all it was raining and after running a mile or so I began to feel quite hot and my glasses were steaming up as well being covered in water. We tried to stay upbeat and chatted as we ran. We navigated our way round in a circle of the park which was approximately 3 miles. Our original plan was to do two laps but we decided a hot shower and breakfast was calling. We took some photos at the park gates after our run and proceeded to walk back to the hotel. The rain had almost stopped at this point and I felt mildly tempted by another lap… but the dry patch didn’t last long and we were soon walking back to the hotel being thoroughly drenched. I like running in the rain when it’s light and refreshing but this wasn’t light rain! An hour later after we’d both been showered and were sitting eating breakfast we had that post-run glow that made us wish we’d set our alarm earlier in the week so we could have ran in Amsterdam more than once. The rest of the week had been hot and sunny so in some ways I’m glad it rained on the day we chose to run.

After we ran

I went to running club and did a 5k the day after we got back and it felt good. I over indulged while I was away and needed to get back to running as soon as possible. I knew I needed to get out and do a longer run later in the week too, to get some bigger miles in. I wasn’t free the same time as Tony so I had to plan my own run. I thought I’d do about 7 miles on Friday morning. I saw my friend was looking for some company on her 18 mile marathon training run so I contacted her and I arranged to do some of her route with her as she passed through Ashington. I’d ran almost 2 miles when I met Karen and we ran about 4 miles together. This took me further from home than I’d originally planned but despite the heat, I was feeling relatively good, and had a lot of motivation. I left Karen at about 6 miles into my run and turned around to head home. I’d finished my bottle of water and ate my jelly sweets; I decided to call into a garage for a new bottle of water on my way home but I only had £1 and this wasn’t enough. I wasn’t brave enough to ask if they’d let me off with the pennies so I just kept running, safe in the knowledge that every step was a step closer to home.

When I was almost home I had done just over 9 miles and was very tired, achy and hot. I knew I would be annoyed with myself later in the day if I didn’t make it to double figures so I ran past home to make my run a little longer. I made it to 10.05miles. I was so proud of myself as I really hadn’t intended to go that far and I did a fair part of it on my own. I really enjoyed Karen’s company and I think I ran slightly faster than my usual long run pace during the 4 miles I ran with her. This makes me even more sure that I can complete the half marathon distance next weekend. When I got home I had a cold bath which made my legs feel much better. It was almost enjoyable as I had been so hot outside! Almost. Not quite. But it certainly made my legs feel very refreshed when I got out!

Running with Karen

Tonight is my last long run before the big day. Today I am resting in the house, drinking plenty water and eating healthy. When Tone finishes work we are going to head out for a long run and I am quite looking forward to it. I didn’t think I would ever get to a point in running where a long run doesn’t fill me dread, but hard work and determination has got me there. And having lovely company definitely helps! I haven't ran since my long run last week as I've been away to Liverpool for a hen weekend followed immediately my a trip to Leeds to catch up with friends while I am still off for the summer.

I feel more mentally prepared for the Great North Run this time round, though I am certainly not complacent about the distance I will be covering. I’ve worked hard and I am looking forward to creating some wonderful memories along the route J

I signed up for the Great North Run to raise awareness of and funds for the North East Trust for Aphasia. NETA supports people with acquired communication difficulties following a stroke or other brain injury. It’s a fantastic charity based right here in the north east and every penny raised makes a huge difference. If you would like to show your support then please do so on my fundraising page here. Thanks so much for all your support, every word of encouragement has really made a difference. I know some of my friends and family are still in disbelief that I am running it again after my ‘never EVER again’ comments 2 years ago. Until this year I was still convinced that I wouldn’t but look at me now... 10 days to go!

Let the countdown begin!

I am writing this post from the comfort of the sofa, wrapped up in a blanket, feeling rather under the weather (but feeling better following an afternoon nap). It’s been an extremely busy few months and now I’ve finally handed in the keys to my flat in Leeds and truly began to unwind, my adrenaline has plummeted and I am feeling it. This is not something new to me but it is at a rather inconvenient time; I am going on holiday with my boyfriend next week and it’s just over 4 weeks until the Great North Run.

I feel the urge to blog today because my NETA t-shirt arrived this morning. It reminded me of one of the reasons why I am running the Great North Run; to raise money for a very worthy cause. Every step I run is a step closer to covering the half marathon on 11^th September. The t-shirt is a lovely blue tech top and I can’t wait to try it out for one of my training runs in the coming weeks.

Posing in my new t-shirt

I’ve done a bit of running over the last week or so and I’m starting to feel well prepared for the Great North Run. I’m also really looking forward to it because I am sharing the experience with my boyfriend. We did a long run on Sunday (9 miles) and although largely difficult, we enjoyed getting out in the fresh air and covering the miles together. We (foolishly) thought it would be a good idea to have a few drinks on Saturday evening to celebrate successfully moving all my stuff back from Leeds over the previous few days. On Sunday morning when the alarm went off, I realised it was not a good idea at all. Why didn’t we celebrate with a nice ice cold glass of water, or some ice-cream, rather than prosecco?! That said, we still had a 9 mile run to do, so although we set off later than planned we still covered the distance. I could really feel in my legs that I had not had enough water in the previous 24 hours and it was a hot day. We tried to remain upbeat and chatted our way round; pointing out pretty scenery or counting lampposts. I was glad I wasn’t running alone as it was a tough route and I was so pleased when we made it the end. I feel better about the GNR knowing that we covered 9 miles on Sunday (in less than ideal conditions).

Tone and me on our long run

Last week my niece Toni came to stay and I told her I wanted to run the next morning. I asked her if she wanted to join me as she is training for the Junior North Run on 10^th September. I was excited by her enthusiasm to run with me (and she didn’t argue when I told her we’d need to get up quite early too!). My Parkrun 50 t-shirt arrived the night before and I was keen to run wearing it! After breakfast, my dad took some photos of us, then we were ready to go. We were aiming for 4K (the distance Toni will be running) and left my parent’s house and headed to the lake at QEII Park. Toni did brilliantly and was keen to do some faster bursts of running in between steady pace and run walking. We didn’t quite do 4K as when we were back home we’d only reached 3.6k and she didn’t want to run round the block to make it up (she’s obviously not as obsessed about rounding up running numbers as I am!) I left Toni in the house with a glass of water (and my dad) and repeated the route again myself (coming home a slightly different way which made it 4k). I enjoyed the second lap and ran more (but not all) of it though I preferred the first lap with Toni. I love that she enjoys running and that we got to share a training run together. I am really looking forward to going to cheer her (and my cousins children) at the Junior GNR. They are all raising funds for Diabetes UK as one of my cousin’s daughters was diagnosed with Diabetes when she was 6 years old. If you’d like to support in their fundraising you can do so here.

Toni and me :)

Even though I wasn’t feeling well yesterday I still went to running club last night. I decided not to go to the efforts session but enjoyed a nice 5K with Tone and the rest of the club at the first session. I felt better having run and the weather was perfect, slightly cool and drizzling. It was 100% better than the run on Sunday and I am glad I went out. Tone and me have a run planned tomorrow night and South Shields 10 miles on Sunday. I am going to wait and see how I am feeling over the next couple of days as I don’t want to push myself too hard.

I’m looking forward to going to Amsterdam next week and Tone has already been researching possible running routes. We are excited to be packing our trainers and training in another country! As it is getting closer, I am now really looking forward to the Great North Run (and will hopefully fit in another few longer runs before the big day!) If you’d like to help me support NETA I’d really appreciate it. Every penny counts (here’s the link to my page).

No more excuses...

My training feels slow at the moment and I am beginning to wonder why I thought training for a half marathon again was a good idea…

Last week saw my return to the North East and the start of my new job. It still feels a bit surreal that I am actually back living and working in the North East and I wasted no time in joining Ashington Hirst Running Club last Tuesday. I decided to go to the effort session as I was feeling guilty that I’d not done much running in my final weeks in Leeds. I really enjoyed the session (400m relays) but I think I found it difficult and struggled with the gentle run back at the end of the session due to overdoing it in the efforts themselves. Everyone was so friendly and I am excited to have a joined a club! Looking forward to future sessions!

On Saturday I ran my 49^th parkrun at South Shields. It’s been a while since I ran here and decided it would be nice to do it again before I hit the big 5-0! (number of Parkruns completed…not my age!!) I love running near the sea, there’s something about breathing in the sea air that makes me feel truly alive.

South Shields

I love the route at South Shields but it’s not the easiest, with a hill near the beginning and undulating the rest of the way round. There was also a head wind on the final stretch which added an extra element of difficulty. The sun was shining and I had good company so I was determined to keep going until the end. My calves have begun to feel tight again and I could feel them getting heavier as the run progressed. When the finish line was almost in sight, my brother in law came and joined us for the final bit which was just the final push I needed to get across the finish line. After the run, Craig, Tone and I went for a cup of tea and I enjoyed taking in the view of the sea from the window. I missed the coast so much when I was in Leeds and I appreciate it so much more now I’m home J As we finished our cuppa we saw Tony the Fridge outside the window and I shouted well done as we were leaving. He had just completed day 29 of his 100 Great North Runs in 100 day – what an inspiration!!

Tone, me, Craig before we ran

Sunday saw the arrival of the Great North 10K once again and having not ran much recently I wasn’t as prepared as I should have been. The music at the start of the route made me feel excited and I was determined to enjoy the day with great company. As the run progressed my legs felt heavy and tight and my feet began to tingle – it’s been a while since I experienced this and I think I need to re-lace my new trainers. We stopped a few times on route so I could stretch my calves and make my legs a little more comfortable. It was pretty warm on Sunday too… I always find running in the heat extremely uncomfortable and my struggle on Sunday was no different. Tone really tried to keep me motivated throughout and I couldn’t have kept going without him. At points I was close to tears, with the tightness in my calves and the heat. I loved running into the stadium, partly as I knew how close the finish line was, but also because the music and cheering really increased my motivation! Tone and I often have a bit of ‘finish line competition’ which is often my favourite part of our runs but I knew my legs couldn’t carry me any faster than they were already so we kept a steady (possibly ever-so-slightly-faster) pace.

Tone and me at GN10K

Receiving my medal and (tech!) t-shirt made the run worthwhile and I was glad I had done it. I’m also glad because it reminded me that I need to start training properly again and remember to do all the other parts of my training in between running that have just completely slipped due to how busy I have been over recent weeks and months. I have no one to blame other than myself but I know I need to stop making excuses and just get on with it. I’ve been resting, stretching, foam rolling and using ice over the last few days and I missed running club last night in an effort to get my niggles sorted.

 

 

I think I’ll do a gentle run tomorrow as they are feeling much better now. I am looking forward to my 50^th Parkrun on Saturday at Druridge Bay Parkrun (it would be lovely to see you there!). I still can’t believe I’ve made it to 50 as I used to say I didn’t have time to Parkrun at all…funny how priorities change and what you can achieve when I stop making excuses and just get on and do it…

Now that I’ve had a few days to recover I am feeling more positive about the Great North Run again though I still think I underestimated how much time I need to find for training (even though I’ve done it before). But I’m determined that there’s going to be no more excuses…

If you would like to help me on my fundraising journey you can sponsor me here. Any support is greatly appreciated and will mean a lot to the members of the North East Trust for Aphasia.

Right here...right now

A couple of weeks ago I went for a run after work and as painful as it was I actually quite enjoyed it. It still takes me by surprise when I enjoy running on my own. I needed the thinking time and what better way that to think than while training. I had no technology and I enjoyed listening to my body and really taking in my surroundings. Part way through my run I realised that it may be the last run in Leeds while I am a resident here as I am soon to move home to the North East for a new job. This made me think about how much I sometimes forget to live in the moment (and I’m sure I am not the only one guilty of this). I’ve spent most of my time in Leeds looking forward to the time I can say I am moving home but now I am, I realise just how much I have grown to love Leeds and the people here.

I moved to Leeds just after the Great North Run 2014 when running and me had a difficult relationship and at a time I was adamant I’d never do another. I joined a bootcamp, kept running and slowly began to develop a more positive relationship with running again. This year I found a perfect running buddy (at home) and my relationship with running has taken a much more positive turn and I can actually say I am looking forward to doing the Great North Run 2016 (following my return from Leeds!)

I know I need to really up my game and get training properly, instead of just talking about it. I am really looking forward to being back in the North East and being able to train properly and also join Ashington Hirst Running Club (which I plan to do as soon as possible!)

I’m already thinking of running beyond the Great North Run and look forward to returning to Leeds to see some friends from work for the Abbey Dash in November. I have enjoyed Park running in Leeds with my friends and have some lovely memories of my time here. I feel so lucky to have two places that I can love so much. That run a couple of weeks ago was good for my soul and really reminded me to make the most of today and live for the moment…after all forever is made up of lots moments just like this one so it makes sense to make as many of them as happy as possible :)

 

Where there's a will there's a way!

I’ve done quite a lot of running since I last wrote here. I’ve possibly not ran as much as I should have done but at least I’ve got out there a few times and that’s what counts.

Last Saturday I did a different Parkrun in Leeds. I met my friends at Woodhouse Moor ready for my 45^th Parkrun. I’m enjoying experiencing different Parkrun’s in Leeds and I think this one was the busiest I’ve been to. It was a 3 lap course which initially put me off as I thought it would be psychologically more difficult but it wasn’t as bad as I thought and I actually quite enjoyed it.

Me, Judith, Maria and Kim

I’ve had an extremely busy week with something planned each night after work so I didn’t know when I would fit in a run. I’m determined not to make excuses as I want to ensure I train well for the Great North Run. On Tuesday night I set my alarm early and was determined I would get up early  to run. I knew it wouldn’t be far or fast, but it would be better than nothing! When my alarm went off on Wednesday morning I really wanted to go back to sleep but before I could process what I was doing, I ate my banana got dressed and went out. I didn’t know how far I was going to go but I knew I’d need to be back to get ready for work. A few minutes after I started to run I was glad that I’d got up to experience a part of the day I don’t normally see. I ran about 10 minutes away from my house before turning round and running back. I was glad I went out, it was grey and drizzly outside but by the time I got home I felt sunny and happy on the inside. I’m not sure I will be motivated enough to make it a regular early morning thing but I’m glad that I did it this week.

Pretty Cherry Blossom on my early morning run

I’ve been home this weekend and yesterday morning did Druridge Bay Parkrun (my 46^th Parkrun!) It was a bright and sunny morning and I enjoyed the route, I saw a few people I knew and enjoyed catching up with them before the run. It was quite a warm morning but Tony and I still had enough in our legs for a sprint finish!

 

Sprint Finish! (Thanks to Druridge Bay Parkrun for the photo)

My niece Toni completed the Gregg's Children's Cancer run this morning (3 miles) and she really enjoyed it . I think it's lovely she has the running bug too and she was so proud of her medal! :-)

Toni with her medal looking proud

I’d already planned to go for a longer run this morning but then also decided to go for cocktails last night as it’s my birthday tomorrow. I didn’t have too many cocktails and it wasn’t a late night so I knew I’d be ok to run this morning. As I’m doing the Great North Run with Tony we plan to do as many training runs as possible together. We didn’t know how far we’d do this morning (mainly in case I was hungover!) but we decided to just see how our legs felt. I knew I wanted to see the beach (as always when I’m home) so after running around the lake at the QE2 we headed to Newbiggin. It was a beautiful morning, albeit slightly too hot to run. We covered 8 miles in total which is more than I was expecting. We walked some of it partly due to the heat and partly due to my knee/leg hurting. Although I didn’t feel hungover this morning I probably hadn’t had enough water yesterday.

I never tire of this view

 This afternoon I also went for a walk around the lake with Rachael which was lovely. I'm surprised my legs feel ok...hopefully they'll still feel ok tomorrow!

Rach and me on our walk

I’m finally beginning to feel that the Great North Run is achievable. I know I’ve done it before but it still felt out of reach until recently. I surprised myself covering 8 miles this morning and it made me realise that running is as much a psychological battle as it is physical.

 

Never say Never!!

I think I may be slightly crazy but I am once again training for the Great North Run. Any one that has had any running related conversation with me in the last 18 months might be rather surprised at this. No one is more surprised than me.  You may recall how much I disliked the Great North Run  the first time I did it and I pretty much said never again. But for a number of reasons I’ve changed my mind and I am in training once again. If you'd like to read about my previous journey going from an absolute non-runner to someone who completed a half marathon you can read about it here.

I’ve had some good runs recently mainly because I’ve been running with other people. I rediscovered my addiction (and love?!) of running at Blyth 10k last week. I think I spent so much time talking to Tony (my new running buddy) and breathing in the sea air that I actually temporarily forgot that I was running. It was a really enjoyable morning out and for the first time ever I can honestly say I enjoyed taking part in a race and running. I always enjoy the feeling after and the sense of achievement but generally I do not enjoy running. I enjoy the people I have met and the fitness I have gained. My sister, brother-in-law, nephew and niece came along to support and it was lovely to see them cheering me on! My best friend Rachael also made a brilliant 10K race comeback and it was lovely to share the experience with her.

Rach, me and Tony

Now it appears I can run (and enjoy) 10k relatively easily, I’ve decided to give myself a new challenge and train for the GNR again. Last time round I really struggled with anything over 7 miles so I know it’s not going to be easy but I am a determined person and I know I can do it. I am fitter than this time 2 years ago before my first (and only) Great North Run and I am surrounded by lots of supportive people in my life so I know I will get to the finish line once again. Hopefully this time it will be more enjoyable.

I am running for the North East Trust for Aphasia again as they were looking for people to join their Great North Run team and I’d love to support them raise funds as it’s such a fantastic charity. They support people with Aphasia (communication difficulties following a stroke or other brain injury) and I have seen first-hand the brilliant work they do. If you would like to sponsor you can find my page here.

On Saturday morning I was going to do a Parkrun in Leeds but I have somehow managed to leave all of my running socks at my parents’ house in Northumberland. I felt a bit guilty all day that I hadn’t run as I’ve been struggling to fit much exercise in to my routine in the last month. On Sunday I went and bought some new running socks and went out for a little 2 mile run. I just found out about my Great North Run place today and as I am newly enthused about running again I went for another little run after work tonight. In the rain. I ended up doing 4 miles in total and got home rather drenched. But I didn't melt. I was so close to not going as I had a headache when I got in from work but instead of using that as an excuse I decided I would go out for 10 minutes and see how I felt. I kept going beyond 10 minutes and I am so glad I did as I felt much better when I got back in. My legs were aching from about mile 3 but I made it home and survived.

View on tonight's run

Here’s to a successful 5 months training! I guess I should ‘Never say Never!’ Wish me luck!