End of year review

This year has been rather mixed for me. I ran a 10k PB and managed my longest run, which currently stands at 13k.

Managed to get injured a few times and yet again, got a DNF (did not finish) due to this.

For the first time ever, I amanged to run over 200 miles for the year. Current total is 226.03 miles

Plans for next year:
 - 8 Cornwall Grand Prix series races
- first half marathon
- 500 miles (I will get there!)

Aside from the numerous injuries (again) it has been fairly good year for me, running wise.

The last month: An update

I haven't updated my blog for just over a month and thought I would update on how my running is going:

- My coach entered me for a 10 mile race in mid January. This means I must get my arse into gear and run further. Or at least run / walk it.
- I did my last race of the year - Falmouth Mob Match. Not a PB for me, (10 minutes outside of it) but at least I did it.
- I have passed 200 miles for the year.
- Furthest run is now a smidge over 13k. Another 3k to go and then I've done enough for the 10 miler in January.

I am now seriously looking into a half marathon for next year. There's so many I'd love to do. Not sure I really want to do them all in the same year. AT least not yet anyway.

Plymouth 10k

I wasn't too sure about doing this one. Due to injuries, I had to go back to the beginning and walk run. After doing some thinking, I decided that I might as well do it. It was a free entry.

The plan was just to get around in one piece. I managed that. I was about 6 minutes off my PB and 1 minute off the time I set in 2011.

Getting there...slowly

I still doing a walk run programme. But I am slowly gaining my fitness back and really hope to be ready for the Plymouth 10k on November 3rd.

Almost able to run 5k now.

Getting somewhere, I think

Still having trouble with finding shoes that don't hurt when I run. It was suggested that I see a physio. I was given a number and went out on Thursday for a deep tissue massage. That was so painful!

Am waiting to see how beneficial this has been.

New shoes time

I have a few more miles left in my current shoes. Because it's the Plymouth 10k in, um, 8 weeks time, this is something I want to get sorted now. I don't want a repeat of last time where I'd realised my shoes were going during a run and I ended up with a really sore hip.

So, anyway, off I went to get some new shoes. I'd explained that I'd lost a toenail and was probably close to losing another, with my current shoes.

I'd tried on a few pairs of shoes and came home with a pair of Brooks Adrenaline GT13. (previous pair were Brooks Adrenaline GT 12) I went out for a run and it wasn't that nice. My knees were aching and they didn't feel right.

I gave them another go yesterday and had the same problem. After having enough, I took them back and now have a pair of Asics 1000.

I tried them this morning and the pain is even worse.

Treggy 7

The preparation for this race was awful. I seem to have lost my mojo and had only run just over 8 miles for the month of August.

I had 3 goals - PB over 7 miles, to finish and not to fall over. I completed all 3 targets without too much trouble. Despite wanting to vomit at some point.

Not a race I'd do in a hurry. But it was good. And I beat my club mate, which is always a bonus.

Tywardreath Trotter

Yesterday, saw me run the Tywardreath Trotter. This is a 7 mile multi terrain race based near St Austell.

I took my coach's advice of  starting off slowly and spent most of the race without seeing any runners at all.

We had to run near a river and run back the same way when we were coming back. Ran through that area with no problem, running back and fell over. I didn't want another DNF (did not finish) and didn't feel it was serious enough to pull out and thought it was just mud I had on my hands and knee.

Caught up with club mate; but got pipped near the end and just beaten by him.

Time (according to my watch) was 1:33:54. Not amazing; but it is the furthest distance I've run, ever.

I now have delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) and a small bruise and cut on my knee where I fell over yesterday.

Next race is hopefully the Indian Queens Fun Run.

The British 10k

Warning - the following post is a rant.
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The organisation was awful. It took them until the 7th to tell us that some of us won;t be getting our race packs until late. Mine arrived on the Saturday before the race.

This meant I had to go and get a new number and pins.

The weather was awful - it was too hot to race. We were made to wait around for half an hour with no-one telling us what was going on or when we were going to start.

There were no toilet facilities and we weren't given any water before the race.

We received a medal; but no goody bag. We had to walk about a mile back to get our bag and medal. It was then another good mile before I could find a tube station.

Awful, awful race. I want to know what exactly my £50 went on.

Wouldn't recommend this one. Think I'll do the London 10,000 in May instead. Only £26, better organisation, a goody bag, toilets on route and we all knew roughly when we were going to start racing.

The weather

Urgh. What an awful week for training weather-wise. It's too hot, unless I want to get up at 5am, which at the moment, is so tempting.

No idea how I'm going to do my first half marathon in September if the weather carries on like this.

2 races, one finish

This week saw me take part in the Bude Lifeboat Run and the Sticker 5 mile Run. Usually, I may only run once or twice a month; but was talked into doing both by my coach.

Wednesday saw me do the Bude Lifeboat Run. Very difficult due to having a minor foot injury, which turned out to be a problem with my toenail being too long. Managed to do the run in just over 1:17. Not bad considering it was largely off road.

Yesterday, saw me do the Sticker 5 mile Run. I started off well, I thought. Apart from having some issues with my shoe being too tight. A marshal shouted "you only have 1 and a quarter miles to go". My response was to trip over. That was the end of my race.

On a slightly more positive note, Monday (club night) I was given a form for a Plymouth half marathon. Plymouth half marathon usually run towards the start of the year, is so expensive. (around £40) - this was only £11 and is held at the end of September. That's excellent for me - I want a half marathon (my first) for around September / October time.

Next race is likely to be the British 10k in London.

London 10,000

So, Monday saw me take part in the London 10,000. I have never run a race with this amount of people before.

First mistake was not hydrating enough over the weekend and drinking stupid amounts on Monday morning. I decided that going toilet before the race (and before the queues) would be sensible. Did that and needed the toilet again at the 3km mark.

The next 7km came around so quick! Had to stop part way through to stretch a few times.

My second mistake was deciding to start towards the back of the pen and having to run slowly and walk behind some really slow people.

We ran past a load of London landmarks, many of which I didn't recognise at all!

I now have a PB by a grand total of 2 seconds - 1:13:26. Pleasantly surprised - fastest time in training was nearer the 1:17 mark.

All in all, it was a brilliant day out. The crowds were fantastic and it was nice to be sprayed with water a few times along the route.

Planning on doing this one next year and have been talked into doing the British 10k in July. Will think about that.

Next plan is half marathon training. Looking at one for around September / October time.

Final week before 10k

So, it's the final week before my 10k. Not wanting to risk injury and feeling as though I'm ready for Monday's 10k, I decided to take it easy this week.

My plan was to do a 5k on the Thursday and spend the rest of the week relaxing and trying not to panic about Monday's race.

The last few weeks of training

No post last week; as my running was poor and didn't want to turn this into a moan.

This week has been really good running wise. My plan saw me run 11k (approx. 7 miles) on Thursday. A few weeks ago, I ran 5 miles in just over 1:05. On Thursday, I ran 5 miles in 1:01:24

I can't believe how quick this training has gone. This time next week, I'll be in London waiting to go to sleep and then traveling down to Hyde Park Corner on Monday to run.

What a wonderful last 2 months running really has been.

Next plan is a half marathon. Looking at either Ealing or Cardiff at the moment. Both are about 5 months away; so plenty of training time.

10k training week 6

Week 6 saw me a run with club. Due to someone doing the Plymouth Half Marathon (PHM) the day before, we took it slow.

Yesterday, (Saturday) saw me do a 10k. It was a very slow 10k; but I got out there and I ran. I am hoping that my 10k time at London is much better. Well, given that Plymouth has a lot of hills and the London course is flat, that should be no problem.

10k training week 5 / Plymouth Half Marathon Volunteering

This week saw me do a really awful run, which I couldn't even manage a mile. The second run was much better and I reached my target of 5 miles. That was a good run considering I'd gone out the night before, went to bed at 1.30am and was awake from 7.30am. Although, I'm not sure that was the best preparation for a 5 mile run!

Today saw me marshal the Plymouth half Marathon. (PHM) It was so cold there. It was good though - it was nice to see so many runners and it was nice that so many runners said hello and thank you.

10k training week 4

So, week 4 saw me doing a 4 mile run, which I managed with no problem. The second run was meant to be a 5k run, which I had to cut short. Really didn't enjoy that run and struggled a lot with it.

10k training week 3

As usual, Monday was club night. There was me expecting a gentle 3-4 mile jog. It turned out to be hill sprints. Those are evil!

Ran again yesterday and was meant to do 6.4k / 4 miles and only managed 2.8k before my legs were hurting. Will try a 4 mile run again tomorrow morning.

10k training week 2

This hasn't gone as well as it should have done.

First run was 5k, which I had no problems doing at all. Second and third runs of 3 & 5k were much harder. Probably not helped by going away on Tuesday, coming back Wednesday and running on Thursday morning.

On a slightly happier note, I looked at my stats from last week. This week, I ran an extra 1.8k in 2 minutes less. I am getting there slowly.

10k training: week one review

So, the first week of training is over. I have discovered that running without eating beforehand doesn't work and just makes my legs feel heavy and I go slower than usual.

The first week was 2 x 2 mile runs and a 15 minute run. None were that easy. (the 15 minute run was done without eating)

Tomorrow, week 2 starts with a 3 mile run. I am hoping this run is easier than yesterday's attempt at a 2 mile run. Deciding to chuck a few hills in there (I have no idea why I did this) was not a good idea.

10k training

The last time I ran a 10k was in November at Plymouth. I am now training for the London 10,000 and am desperate to get my time down. Hoping to get the time down to at least 1:10.

10k training has started. The plan is to do it by time and not distance. Although, looking at yesterday's stats, it's tempting to switch to distance.

New running club

I finally decided that I needed to join a new running club; as I had a few problems with my previous running club.

So, off I went and saw the coach pull up and I asked where we go. (I knew it was in the hospital somewhere)

After I got there, he introduced me and showed me around. He said that we usually do 4-5k each Monday. This was ok for me.

So off we went. We walked some of it and it before I knew it, we were nearly back to club. I then asked if I could go home; as I live nearby and there was no point me running back to club and then running / walking back home.

Unlike my first time at Sweatshop Running Community, (SRC) they haven't scared me off. We had a gentle jog / walk. It was lovely.

Getting there, slowly

Not having had anything to say, has meant this is my first post of the year.

So, I took a break in December for a few weeks due to lack of motivation and struggling to get out and to run. There was no point dragging myself out there because I felt as though I had to run.

Anyway, I've not done as much running as I was hoping. I had my first race on Wednesday and now have a PB for that race - 3k in 21:58. It would have been quicker if some idiot hadn't decided to block me from running at the end.

I have a race entered for May - the London 10,000. Let's hope I can run it this time. My current target is to be able to run this one. My training sessions (not club) will see me working towards this. 3 and a half months to go. I really want to get around in under 1:10. My current PB was set in Plymouth in November - 1:13:28.