Tunnel run 2014

TUNNEL RUN 2014.

Hello everyone, so  I’ve just realised that I forgot to press post on the tunnel run report. Therefore here it is!!

Since the port sunlight run I had twisted/sprained / done something to m y leg so I had been unable to train fully. However as this was my dream race and one I had be working towards I decided to go for it anyway. Even if I did end up walking for periods of it!

It was a very hot and sunny day,  and with little sleep the night before due to the mother snoring, I set out, this was the first race I had done where the start and finish line were in different places so my mum left me at the start so she could then find me at the finish. But I think because of this the atmosphere was different at the start,  there also wasn’t a warm up, which in ‘real’ runs rather than fun runs there doesn’t seem to be, which I find quite interesting..

I managed to run almost to the end of the tunnel before I had to begin walking, with the steep emergency exit almost killing me. The heat was intense in the tunnel, which I wasn’t expecting, but I did manage to take a tunnel selfie, [maybe if I took less pictures I would have run faster… hmm]

 I got to the 5k marker in 34minutes. Just things went downhill from there and ended up with a running time of 1hour and 19mins, but you know, who cares at the end of the day. I had an amazing time and meet a couple of great people,  hopefully one day I will be at an hour but I’m happy being able to achieve what I can and in doing so, got something ticked off the bucket list.

I now plan to attempt to train properly for the next 10k, but in the meantime just enjoy myself.  After all, the only person I have to beat is myself.

Liverpool spring 10k

Spring 10k

When I first took up running, jut over 12 months ago, this is one of the races I was aiming for, although at that point it was inconceivable that I would manage to get that far as I was week 1 into the couch to 5k training programme, however today, I did it! yay!!

So I was having a bad week, having nearly passed out at 1k on Monday, [post night shift yukness] and a very slow 7k on weds I wasn’t feeling in the best shape for this one, however I realized during said 7k that I had a tight issue.. ie they kept falling down and I had to keep stopping to pull up.. resulting in shopping trip (and a mandatory wagamma’s) to buy smaller clothes! Which is great as slowly getting a bit more fit! Just want to be fit and healthy more than anything else.. everything else is bonus!

So today! I found out I was in the slow group at the back due to co lour coding, however half way around found myself running with a elite runner [pink number] who had a cold but kept same pace as me… so maybe the colored numbers not as significant a its all down to what you do on the day..

Overall it was a fantastic race, I had a good steady run and seemed to not have to walk as much as per previous runs, pace was between 6 – 7.3 min/k, which is very good for me, and over all did it in a personal best time of 1hour and 11mins J very very very happy Helen.  I briefly stopped to offer help to a lady who had collapsed before running on for a Marshall.. which may have taken a few mins but at the same time probably speed me up to the Marshall as well!  But this is a personal best time, taking a massive 5mins and 30 odd seconds off! Aiming for under 1:10 for the tunnel run, which is my next 10k.  

down points? there seemed to be some good distance between marshalles and perhaps they could have been spread out a bit more.. otherwise an exellent and well organised race, good medal, good t-shirt, brill atmosphere. thinking of making this one a yearly event! 

As always I’m aiming to raise vital funds for Child-flight,  so any sponsorship will be greatly received! And would add an extra very t how happy I am! Just follow the link on your right! Every penny helps! 

p.s. thanks to the lovely val for your support at 4k and the finish! 

Bradford10k 2014.

Bradford 10k.

Today way another 10k run! Felt very tired this morning and had little sleep last night,  so wasn’t in great condition for this run at all!  But you know, if you never try you will never succeed! So I will start with a little lesson learnt for today to stop my self-moaning about the effort to much! Lesson. Follow a training plan and train properly!  Which is the plan to do between now and the next 10k!  

as Always i'm fundraiser for child-flight! all donations very welcome so please follow the just giving link on the right, 

So today was Run by epilepsy action, and once again I did it in my Childflight yellow hat and Tshirt! Was billed as a flat course which in the majority it was but was still hilly in areas and also had a high wind which at points we ran into.  I had chosen this race because Bradford is where I grew up and thought it would be nice on home turf!  Enjoyed the race but I feel it now! Around 4k I bumped into a lady called becky and we had roughly the same pace so we ended up running/walking together the rest of the way.  was nice to have someone to talk to and someone to help keep pace with!

According to my nike plus app I ran my fasted 1k at 6.53mins and my fastest mile at 11.5mins, so all is good in that area, once again, got to around 5k ok and then pace began to slowly slip. I normally run to music but unfortunately my Ipod died this morning so was weird to run without it, also the road the majority was run down [out and back] doesn’t have much points of interest on it so felt as though I couldn’t distract myself with it much and gave in to pain to easily at times I think.  

I did this race in 1hour and 16mins and 10seconds [chip time]  which is a 40seconds improvement on my previous time two weeks ago! And continues to be something to work on [has downloaded the ActionAid training plan, will let you guys know how I get on!] this time means that I came in at 1429^th position… out of 1442… paula Radcliffe I aint but going out and trying is better than quitting right? Right?

Run facts:-

distance :- 10k

time:- 1hour, 16mins 10 seconds. 

surface:- road, windy. 

equipment:- compression-socks. No music

memento:- white XL t-shirt [they had run out of smaller sizes!]

rating. 5/10 

repeat/recommend? No, [think I need some more interest on the route and no medal!]

Tatton park 10k.

Tatton park 10k.

Today was my first ever 10k run! And in short this was a fantastic run and a fantastic little day out!  Those who have followed the blog will know I’ve been a bit behind on training. The furthest I had ran beforehand was 8k, in 1hour and 12 minutes.  However I invested in a foam roller, compression socks and hoped for the best. The Nike Plus App on my i-phone was estimating I would do a 10k in 1hours and 35mins, so went into the run  hoping to do anything better than that!

The chip timing of the race records that I completed the race in 1hours, 16mins and 32seconds…. Yay! Celebration all around!

So a-bit about the race, it was around the Tatton park estate, mainly ran on grass across fields and also through wood land with several fallen trees and branches across the path. Recent weather has been very wet and windy; therefore this resulted in rather a muddy and slippery surface. Also a lot of the race turned out to be uphill, only one steepest hill but most was steadily inclines and with what felt like little down bits.  In short, think this course would be a on par with a tough mudder / mud run! Was nearly calf high at one point!  

I managed to run the first 5k well, slower than I would have liked at 36mins but had a steady pace at 7 – 7.3mins/k, I waked for half a k post water station and began to struggle slowly after that, and did walk a bit run a bit,  my ankle also began to throb through this but worked though! Still throbs so hoping it calms down if rested the next few days.  I would talk about elevation and pace in this bit but my Nike app will not sync for some reason off my phone will update, when I can, if I can!

And a big shout out to my mother! Who is in training for a 5k run in april and has even joined a local running club to build up her fitness. She did the 2k walk today whilst I was doing the 10k, she even ot a little medal! [the same one us 10kers got]! She is also supporting Childflight in her fundraising so please support us both! Sharing sponsorship page! She is doing the 5k in her duck onsie!.

http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/myscrambledlegs

thankyou to everyone who has supported me and sponsored me so far! even a little will go a long way!

Run facts:-

distance :- 10k

time:- 1hour, 16mins 32 seconds. 

surface:- trail, muddy/hilly. 

equipment:- compressionsocks.

momento:- medal [with orange strap! yay.]

rating. 7/10 

repeat/recommend? yes.