South Shields 10 (S)Miles!

This morning I completed South Shields 10 Mile run. I’d been poorly earlier in the week and had decided I’d only be running today if was sure I was 100% well as I’m going on holiday on Tuesday and didn’t want to push too hard. I missed a planned training run on Thursday as although I was feeling much better I felt that additional rest was more of a priority.

I had a relatively early night and woke up feeling refreshed. I felt very different to last Sunday when the alarm went off and staying sober last night was a very wise decision. I had my usual pre-race breakfast of porridge with Nutella, before leaving the house, and a banana when I arrived in South Shields.

We arrived in South Shields in plenty time and joined the queue to pay for parking. Ten minutes before the race began I suddenly decided I needed the toilet. I joined the queue and kept my fingers (and legs!) crossed that I wouldn’t be doing a sprint start. Luckily the queue went down quickly and I was on the starting line with Tony in plenty of time.

Pre-run Selfie :)

Me and my boyfriend Tone

I was feeling good this morning and think the extra few days rest did me the world of good. I love running near the sea and South Shields is one of my favourite beaches in the North East so I was excited to be running there this morning. The first mile or so were much easier than expected and I was extremely grateful that the weather was perfect for running.

And we're off...

Thanks Patricia White for the photo

Tone and I chatted most of the way round, enjoying the experience and really taking in the beautiful scenery. The sky was often beautiful and dramatic on the backdrop of the gorgeous coastline and I felt truly alive breathing in the sea air.  Tone also kept me laughing telling me some funny jokes which also helped to take my mind of the fact that I was running.

It was a lovely route, with a part 2 lap course around Souter Lighthouse, enabling us to see other runners at different points of the laps. It is always lovely to wave and cheer on running friends and spotting people we know.

My feet got numb and after trying to run it off I decided to stop and readjust the laces on my trainers. This was a break well spent as I could instantly feel the difference once running again and it certainly made the rest of the run more enjoyable (and less uncomfortable).

At around 8 miles in my knees were beginning to niggle and I was looking for ways to distract my mind from my legs. I focused on lifting my feet and also began chanting under my breath (a chant I used last time round after reading it in a magazine.) I change the chant a little each time I run to keep me interested and to fit with what I am doing.. today’s was ‘I am fit. I am strong. I like, this South Shields Run’ – it’s amazing what difference this can make and I would definitely recommend it to help get you through the tough moments.

As we began to approach the finish we discussed whether we had a sprint finish left in our legs. We weren’t sure but I never know until I see the finish line and my competitive streak kicks in. As we approached Gypsies Green Stadium Tone began to pick up the pace, so I increased my pace too. As we were running down the hill and into the stadium I was concentrating on ensuring my feet were hitting the ground as I felt like I was gathering momentum and could end up on my bottom at any moment. I heard lots of people cheering us on as we picked up pace. Just as we reached the track someone said the dreaded words ‘just round the track to the finish’. We’d peaked too soon. We sprint finished before the finish. We slowed our pace but continued to run and although we were both struggling to breath and I didn’t know how my legs were still moving we ran the whole way round the track. We didn’t sprint finish but we crossed the finish line holding hands which was extremely special. I met Tone through running and he’s the reason I’m doing the Great North Run again. It was lovely to cross the finish line holding hands after we’d encouraged and supported each other the whole 10 miles round.

When I trained 2 years ago I did my 10 mile training run solo and I very clearly remember coming home and crying – with relief it was over and pride that I’d done it. Today I finished a 10 mile run with a smile on my face and love in my heart. I was so proud that we completed the 10 miles and feel like my legs have more in them too.

Post-run Selfie - complete with lovely new medals!

I do have sore legs (from my hips right down to my calves) and I know I need to stretch more. I can feel the real benefit when I stretch and foam roll and am really going to prioritise this over the next four weeks.

I loved this morning. It wasn’t pain free but the scenery and the company definitely made it achievable and I am so proud of us both for doing a good 10 mile run! I can honestly say after today’s run that I know I can complete the Great North Run again. I know deep down in the back of my mind I’ve known this since I signed up but I still had ongoing doubts every time I had a bad run or my legs hurt. I don’t expect running to be easy but lots of things require hard work and the sense of achievement is definitely worth it.

Thank you for following my story - if you'd like to sponsor me and help me to raise valuable funds for the North East Trust for Aphasia you can do so here. Every penny is gratefully appreciated. To find out more about the work of NETA click here.

I am.

I am back in Leeds packing up my flat once and for all as I’ve officially moved back to the North East. This is a time of mixed emotions as I love Leeds but I’m glad to be home.

On Saturday, my boyfriend Tone and I did Temple Newsam Parkrun with 2 of my friends from my old job in Leeds. We then went for breakfast after and it was a lovely morning. I made a conscious decision before I left the flat on Saturday morning that I was going to enjoy the run. I don’t know when I will next get the opportunity to do a Parkrun in Leeds so I wanted to make the most of it. This conscious thinking begun on Friday when I ensured that I was drinking plenty water all day long. I usually only have a banana before a Parkrun but I didn’t have any in my flat on Saturday morning so I opted for a bowl of cereal instead. I usually feel hungry on my way around but on Saturday I didn’t so I think I need to start eating a better breakfast! Tone and I really enjoyed the Parkrun and I liked being back at Temple Newsam sharing in Tony’s first experience of this route.

Me, Tony, Maria and Laura before it began!

Tone and me

Cooling off with an ice lolly before breakfast number 2!

My running has been a bit inconsistent of late and I am determined to get more training in for the Great North Run (and indeed for South Shields 10 miles next month!) On Monday morning I text Tony to ask if he fancied doing York 10 miles in October and when he said yes I went ahead and booked 2 places – I’m not sure what’s happened to me but I am making the most of my renewed enthusiasm for running. We’ve also just booked a trip to Amsterdam and are planning to take our trainers as it’s only 3 weeks before the Great North Run!

I decided to go for a run yesterday morning. I wasn’t sure how far I would go but I knew I needed to get out and get some miles in my legs. My Facebook memories told me that 2 years ago yesterday I ran 8 miles in 1 hour 44 minutes. While I was out running yesterday I was actually quite enjoying it and decided I would try and match this (distance or time, whichever I got to first). At 1 hour 44 I was at 7.2 miles and wasn’t too far from home so decided this would be long enough. I did 7.6 miles altogether and I was incredibly proud of myself. I took time to enjoy my surroundings and really appreciate that I was running in Leeds. Sometimes, in fact, most of the time, I don’t enjoy running solo. But sometimes if I have the right mind set I get a lot from it. My aim yesterday was to enjoy it and I knew it was one run closer to the Great North Run.

Yesterday’s run is proof that running is as much in the mind as it is in the legs. Whenever I felt tired or had a niggling pain I tried to find something pretty to focus my attention on. This ranged from looking at the clouds, to spotting 2 magpies (2 for joy!), or seeing an aeroplane overhead. These are all such simple things that are around us each and every day but sometimes I appreciate them so much more when I’m running. I walked a few times, sometimes to stretch out my legs and sometimes to take a photo. It’s so easy for me to beat myself up about walking or going too slow but yesterday I chose to look for the good. It wasn’t bad that I was walking, it was good that I wasn’t still in bed. I had my trainers on and I was out in the fresh air. It’s so easy to be defined by the self-talk we do and that’s why I chose to try and make it as positive as possible. I’d be lying if I said it was an easy run or that I enjoyed every second, but I made the most of the experience and looked for as many positives as I could find.

I am going to focus on positive thoughts and being less critical of myself when I run in all my future runs. I’ve been putting too much pressure on myself again recently and that’s when I stop enjoying it. Running has had such a massive positive impact on my life, physically, emotionally and socially, and I don’t want to fall out of love with it completely.

I believe a lot in the thoughts we have influencing what we become. Recently I’ve told myself I didn’t like running and therefore as a consequence each run was getting tougher. I’ve been doing lots of stretches and trying to tell myself that I like running, and I am actually looking forward the GNR!

When I was running yesterday I thought a lot about my thoughts. One of my favourite quotes is from Henry Ford: If you think you can or you think you can’t you’re right. I totally agree with this. From now on I am focusing on what I can do and who I am. I am a runner. This means I run. It doesn’t matter how fast or how slow. I run. Lots of things make me who I am and running is only one part of the puzzle. But it’s a very important piece, not least because of the people it has brought into my life. I am a runner. I am going to enjoy my training. I am going to enjoy the Great North Run!

(I am also going to raise lots of much needed funds for the North Easy Trust for Aphasia. If you can help in any way please do so here. I am truly grateful for all the support!)

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.

 

Hanger to Happiness...

It’s been a long week and I finished work later than planned tonight so the last thing I wanted to do was get ready and go to Bootcamp. I was tired and hungry (and probably a little bit Hangry!) but I ate a banana and got my running clothes on before I could change my mind. I haven’t done any exercise all week and I have another busy week ahead. I made every excuse possible not to go for a run last night (and even got lost looking for the Polling Station!) so I knew I had to make the effort tonight.

It took every ounce of will power within me to get ready and go out the door. But I did just that. I knew it would make me feel better and I know that if I have any chance of crossing the finish line of the Great North Run then I need to keep training.

Within 5 minutes of starting Bootcamp I knew I’d made the right choice. I then spent the next 50 minutes wondering why I’d chosen to put myself through the pain, especially when the midges started to attack and the grass left a rash on both legs. But then I felt happy again during the last 5 minutes and proud of myself for making the effort.

Pretty Sping flowers

 

 

I’m generally a positive person and sometimes feel like I don’t want to blog about the negatives, but then I think I need to keep it balanced. It’s about ensuring that I look for the positives in the bad days and that’s what I did tonight. I knew that I would feel better after I went so I made myself go. Exercise is such a feel good factor and I for one never thought I’d be so addicted to it (even though I had to all but kick myself out the door tonight).

Life is rather busy at the moment, quite a lot busier than usual and the next couple of months show no signs of slowing down but I will try and fit as much training in as possible to ensure I can cover the distance!

 

I am looking forward to doing another (different) Parkrun in the morning with two of my friends from work.

A Soggy Sunday in Sunderland...

This morning when my alarm went off and I could hear rain lashing on the windows I was wondering why I thought it was a good idea to get up and do a 10K on a Sunday morning. I have this battle every time I have to get up early to go running. Ironically, I didn’t go running yesterday morning yet I was awake at 7am (how annoying!)

I got ready and had my usual 10K breakfast of porridge and Nutella before lacing up and heading out the door. Half way to Sunderland I realised that I had forgotten to pack bin bags and so thought positive sunny thoughts in the hope I wouldn’t need to wear one anyway! Upon arriving at Sunderland, we parked a few minute walk away and heading to the new start area at Keel Square. It was cold, wet and miserable and I didn’t feel enthusiastic about running at all.  We stood shelter in the baggage tent which was marginally warmer, and considerably drier. My sister Joanne then rang and told me she’d arrived and was near the start with Craig, so Tony and I went to meet them.

Craig, me and Tone

I decided I wanted my number pinned to my jacket instead of my top so I could fasten it and stay dry when running. Unfortunately the event clips wouldn’t go through my jacket so I decided to run with my jacket open instead. (This turned out to be a fortunate decision as the rain stopped not long after we started running and I quickly began to feel hot).

It was lovely to see some familiar faces and running friends I haven’t seen for a while and I slowly began to look forward to the run ahead. It was lovely to have my brother in law Craig back out running too as he’s one of the people that inspired to me to run.

Tone, me and Chris

Me and Colin in his Big Pink Dress

The route was different to last year and it felt strangely disorientating in parts. I don’t know Sunderland very well and I couldn’t have run last year’s route from memory but it still felt different at times. I was of course happy I got to see the sea and quite enjoyed the route overall. It was hilly in parts but I am proud to say I ran the whole way. I know I must be getting better at running as I rarely think about walking. I still complain quite a bit but I just run through it.

All the Marshall's were friendly and supportive and it was also lovely to see my friend Fiona marshalling too. It's always lovely to see a friendly face out running!

There were a number of water stations on route which were definitely needed at times. They were water pouches which I always find difficult to navigate. Firstly I didn’t realise it was already open so squirted half the water out before I got any and secondly once I figured this out managed to breathe in as I was drinking and running and inhaled the water as well drinking it! I was still grateful for the water and I navigated the second pouch much better than the first.

When there were 3.2 miles remaining there was a sign in memory of Cpt David Seath, the 31 year old soldier who sadly died during the London Marathon last week. We ran the rest of the route in his memory and it really made me appreciate how lucky I am to be able to get out and run. Life is so short and we should remember to make the most of every minute.

I struggled with the final couple of miles as my hip began to hurt and my calves felt heavy. Some kind spectators were giving out jelly babies and it was a welcome sugar hit as we were approaching the end. Although I found it difficult, I did quite enjoy it overall, particularly as I had someone to talk to which always helps.

Joanne was waiting near the finish and cheered us on. We didn’t think we had a sprint finish left in us but the closer we got to the end I decided maybe I did after all so I ran with everything I had. Tony did too and we did another synchronised sprint finish! Just after we crossed the finish line I saw Craig and Chris cheering us on. We then joined the queue to get our t-shirt, medal and goody bag and went to find Joanne.

I was really pleased with our time of 1 hour 16 which is faster than we ran Blyth 10k a few weeks ago. I am particularly proud of this time as it was hillier than the Blyth route.

When heading back to the car I began to feel really cold and decided I needed to use the foil blanket we’d been given which made me a lot warmer! We also got a cup of tea on the way back to the car which helped warm me up even further.

 

This afternoon Joanne, Craig and the children came for tea and I shared a bottle of Prosecco with my mam and Joanne to celebrate. I spent the whole afternoon sporting my t-shirt and medal (which has a rather exciting moving propeller feature!)

Feeling proud!

I’ve had a lovely day with some wonderful people and I look forward to continuing to build up my miles towards the Great North Run. I am running for a fantastic cause – the North East Trust for Aphasia – supporting people with communication difficulties following a stroke or other brain injury. If you would like to show your support you can find the link to my fundraising page here.

Thanks so much for reading!

The best things in life are free!

When my plans changed this evening and I had an unexpected free night, how better to spend it than going for a little run after work. The sun was shining and I felt motivated so I was keen to lace up and get out when I got in from work.

I went to Bootcamp last night for the first time in quite a while and boy did I feel I feel it this morning! We were boxing so I could really feel in my arms (and I still can!). I am really glad I went as I have caught the exercise bug again and was motivated to go running tonight.

I realised that I left my Garmin at my parent’s house when I went home for the weekend so I knew I’d have to run without technology. Once upon a time this would have made me stay inside but I decided that I would rather just go out and run because I can.

I ran to the running track near Temple Newsam and planned to run round it twice before heading back. During the second lap I noticed a really pretty spectrum in the sky that looked like a tiny rainbow. Rainbows are one of my favourite things so I had to stop to take a photo. It was so beautiful but the camera didn’t capture it’s full beauty. The blue sky and pretty colours gave me a bit of an energy boost and kept me going for a third (!) lap of the running track. I then headed back and really enjoyed taking in my surroundings…the birds were singing and there were lots of people out and about enjoying the spring weather. It was lovely to see that some of the trees are getting their leaves again. I love the changing seasons and felt like I got to experience part of this tonight by being out in the fresh air. My legs and hips began to ache a little bit so I decided to walk on my way back. I enjoyed the walk too and the pain eased and I ran the rest of the way back.

 

 

It was definitely the most enjoyable solo run I’ve done in a very long time. I find running on my own difficult but I think I enjoyed the freedom of being outdoors in nice weather with no technology. (I had my phone in my pocket in case of an emergency but I didn’t have it logging my run). I’m definitely going to do more runs without my Garmin as it reminds me to take in my surroundings and actually experience the run. I am doing a Parkrun in Leeds on Saturday with some of my friends from work and I am actually looking forward to running without my Garmin (I’d always use it if I have a choice but I’m a little bit pleased I accidentally left it behind when I came back to Leeds).

Two years ago today, during my training for my first Half Marathon, I ran 10k for the first time ever. I never thought that I’d still be running two years later, or indeed training for another half marathon. I know it’s not going to be easy but I am actually looking forward to the challenge again!  And if I wasn't training for the Great North Run again, I doubt I would have gone out tonight...and look at what I would have missed. The best things in life really are free!