Gutted!

So some of you  have been wondering where I had disappeared to for a while. Well I have  still be running but work [I’m an intensive care Nurse] and various other commitments had got in the way of me doing races in July, my last ‘run’ of the 14 in 14 was the race for live at Aintree, which was race 9.

How-ever. As things stand I can no longer run!

 

 [this run was just under 1 year ago, where this all started]

This time two weeks ago I would have said I was perfectly healthy, I had just done a 5k run in 29mins, my fastest yet and looking forward to the next races I had coming up, [was going to be Liverpool women’s 10k] however I had pulled my back a little in work with a large patient and thought I would take the week of rest and see how I felt.  

That Wednesday night I was doubled over in pain and taken to the local hospital, initially thinking appendix or something similar.   That Thursday post op, I was told I had a solid mass in my Abdo and they don’t know what it is.  And since then I’ve been living a horrendous nightmare.

I was transferred to the women’s hospital who placed me on the oncology ward without other explanation, and had a Ultra sound scan there which confirmed a solid mass, however due to being post op was sent home and plan to rescan in 3 weeks and await various other test results to determine what it is.  However due to my age and level of fitness it is rare to be the Big C, but all I can think of is they properly said that to Jade Goody as well.  But now it’s simply a waiting game.

Unfortunately it’s pressing against my right hip and can currently not walk very far, i cant bend over and I can’t lift anything, however I am now on a lot of analgesia and seem to be slowly improving.

   

 I’m hoping it’s going to be a quick fix and then I can return to the 14 in 14 challenge, as I really really really want this as an achieve and be able to raise vitalfunds for the amazing Childflight!   But at the minute, I can of feel like I’ve let everyone down, hopefully the amount I have raised will make a little difference.  

For the time being though I have to take it easy so endorsing in my other hobby on the other blog, of the wonderful crochet, which is quite nice,  but I’m missing the running already, so next time you go out, even if it’s for an ultra or a gentle plod, enjoy every seconds of it, as who knows when that run, might be your last! 

virtual Running

Welcome to the launch of my crochet virtual running event! 

Background:-  I started running last year as part of my 24^th birthday bucket list, and for 2014 have taken up a scrambled legs challenged by doing 14 runs in 2014. I also am a keen crochet-er and often make items to sell for charity, therefore I thought I would combine the two and make crocheted running medal s and run a monthly virtual race, all to raise vital funds for the amazing child-flight.  

So how can you take part? The races are open to all, its £5 to enter [via PayPal] and you can do 1k, 5k, 10k or a half marathon! It’s purely up to you, but send me proof of your run, [in form of an app screen or official chip time] and your time and I’ll send you a medal out. Tops prize to the fastest runner in each group as well as spot prizes available.  [Free postage based in the UK. international runners please get in touch before buying as will be charged postage costs]

The April race will Run from now till 30th April 2014! so make sure you get your run in before then! 

there is 4 teams in child-flight, [red, blue green and orange] so pick which team you would like to join and this will be your ribbon color to wear  and display with pride .  Each medal is 100% unique as has been hand crocheted by myself and not to a set pattern but free style! Purple medals are Available for people who would like to sign up for the 10k distance.

There will be a prize for the fastest 5k's in each color team each month  but all distances completed will receive a medal.  All money raised [- running costs] will go towards child flight and will be added to my fundraising page at the end of each month.   So go out and get running [or skipping / jogging, just enjoy yourself's] then either email me or post me a picture via twitter (@ScrambledlegHB) or via facebook page at ( https://www.facebook.com/myscrambledlegs ) to register your time and be in chance of receiving a prize!


Good luck and happy running!

team colour

orange £5.00 GBP red £5.00 GBP blue £5.00 GBP green £5.00 GBP Purple £5.00 GBP

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. 

Childflight

Hello everyone, I’ve had a slight poorly little week over here but now I’m back and off training again.

As most of you may know, [and if you don’t I’m about to tell you, ] I’m a children’s nurse who works on a local intensive care unit, i.e. I look after some very sick children and try and help make them better again.  However there are sad and hard times but I also get to see some amazing things and the most powerful thing in the world, a child smile again! And this is why I got involved with the chosen charity. 

Child fight provides once in a life time holiday’s for children with life limiting or life threatening conditions. [In other words these children are all poorly or disabled in some way.] Every other year they run a structured trip to Florida, visiting all the major theme parks and providing a little magic to these children’s lives, what make them special is that they also take the whole close family.  Making a perfect family holiday making amazing memories for everyone. Something which may not be possible for them to achieve without the support of this charity. Whilst there, the holiday is organised for them from the minute we arrive at the airport to the second we get back to the uk, no one has to worry about anything and there is medical support by the doctors and nurses who all volunteer and are constantly on call.   And the most important bit of the holiday? Well to see the children smile knowing everything they’ve been though, after all nothing matters in Florida!

Childflight also provides Santa flights every year for children to experience there first time flight and meet Santa as well as proving medical flights for children where treatment cannot be found in the uk.

So why run? Well I started doing a sponsored run in 2013 to raise funds and the running bug kicked in big style. So thought I would keep it up and get fit at the same time. So far since May 2013 when I started it’s been hard work but slowly managing to pick up pace etc. Looking at ways that are a bit novel to go with my running but we will see. 

So far I have raised around £600 pounds for child flight from august to Dec in 2013, and I am already at 10% of my target for this challenge. Every penny means the world to both me and this charity but especially the children so if you can, please donate or support in any way you can. 

Thankyou

helen xx

p.s... just something to make you smile as well!

1st ever run 2013

My first ever run was the Liverpool big fun run [5k], on august 17^th last year, ran it in 34 mins and raised over 400 pounds for child-flight.  

This was an amazing experience from the warm up all the way to the end being cheered on by everyone, to be honest though I did spend half it walking and needed to develop setting my pace rather than the walk/run method. However whist walking around met some fantastic people and shared stories n why we were all running. 

 

this was also the first medal i have ever won in my life so felt very good and i'm very proud of my first little achievement. if this run is on again i'm going to try and do it this year as well! 

top facts:- 

run number:- 2518

time:-34 mins

goody bag:- water, snackbar, iron suppliment 

medal:- YAY as above picture. 

lenght:- 5k.

Scrabled Legs

Scrambled Legs.

the challenge has been set :- 14 races for 2014.

 In 2013 I went on a fantastic trip to Florida as part of the support team of Child-flight. 

This wonderful cause provides once in a life time holidays for disabled and life threatened children to Florida. as part of this group holiday they have a full support team of doctors and nurses behind them to make the trip possible! the charity also provides Santa flights to provide under privileged children Their first plane ride to meet Santa as well as medical flights for children.

After seeing and being part of this I am now on a major fundraising drive! Last year I also caught the running bug, started as a little way to lose weight [even though I now just eat more to compensate:-)] and turned into a minor addiction. Completing 3 5k runs around Liverpool including one with a broken toe. Therefore I decided to combine the two things together and decided to set myself a challenge, for 2014. This challenge is to do 14 runs [which will work out at around 100k] to raise 1K for Child-flight.  

link to my virgin giving page for anyone who wishes to support me / please press the button on the right of your screen.

This blog is going to follow this journey and hopefully support me along the way. First booked run is march 2nd at Tatton park 10k. This will be my first 10k.