Category Archives: Running

2015

Well  2015 was an amazing year for me I kept myself injury free and I finally ran not one but 3 half marathons

DSCF7741In total I ran just over 500 miles and biked over 4000 miles.

2016 is going to be an interesting year with Matthew joining the army , also I have plenty of events lined up including my first Audax ride.

If all goes to plan the first  3 months I have running events , then biking events through the summer , ending the year with more running events.

I have decided to give up my running club for the summer and go on the SWNC training rides as I really want to try and improve my average speed .

There will also be biking holidays with Geoff  in Tenerife and Mallorca then back to the Cotswolds with SWNC in October.

An exciting year ahead … I think 2016 is going to be all about the bike !!!!!

Ely NYE 10k

Ely NYE 10k is one of my favourite runs of the year and a fabulous way to end the year.

elyI have been luckily enough to do this run 3 times, although I was almost tempted by a new NYE 10k at Marham this year and probably will do the Marham one in 2016.

The reason I love this run so much is because I love to hear the Black piper playing his pipes as we run up the hill.

My running friends Gina and Linda joined me and we decided to run this together, no one was after a fast time just an enjoyable chatty run.IMG_1174

This year the weather was very mild, sunny with just a little wind, a perfect running day and by far the best weather in the 3 years I have done this run.

A lovely chatty 10k and the hill was hardly noticed, I would like to think this was because I am fitter but I think the chatting just took my mind off it !!!

I had a lucky number, 287, which is Geoff’s house number and it was nice to have him come along to support us and take photo’s.

Coffee was enjoyed after with even more chatting, what a great way to end the year.

Peterborough half marathon

My whole year had been focused on the Peterborough half marathon, it was a very important run for me, after having to pull out last year, due to  an achilles injury.

But this one was doomed too !!

Somehow and somewhere I picked up a heel injury,maybe it was while walking up Snowdon, which had involved some scrambling.

I was so worried that it may be Plantar fasciitis that I decided to go to the local sports injury clinic and see Ian Brown. Thankfully he was almost 95% certain that I had just aggravated a nerve in the side of my heel , this put my mind at rest but it still needed resting.

IMG_2828Then Geoff  decided not to come and support me as he wanted to go swimming in Dunwich with his friends,and although I encouraged him to go I was actually devastated as this run for some reason was really  important to me and I wanted him there.

So after 3 weeks of no running and with my head not really in the right place  I arranged a lift with 2 other ladies from my Ladybird running club and thought I can do this !!! 

And I did but………

I can honestly say it was one of the hardest things I have ever made myself do, I hurt everywhere apart from where I expected to hurt … my heel !!  and my heart rate was far higher than normal which meant i had to run/walk a few miles in the middle which I was not happy about.

I managed to finish in 2 hours 36 but did not enjoy one second of it and hated the route which just seemed to go through housing estate after housing estate and for the first time in many many years my legs ached so much I could hardly walk for a week 🙁

Now the question is ………will I do it again next year !!

Wissey Half marathon

Back to September 6th , this run was not one I had planned to do, Peterborough was always wissey 4going to be my first Half marathon but with some encouragement from my friends I decided to do Wissey and just treat it as a training run for Peterborough.

I also thought it would be nice to support my local running club, Ryston Runners who organise it.

Needless to say when race day arrived I was very nervous, but I knew many of the other runners and they were all full of encouragement , which soon put me at ease.

This was a beautiful rural route ran on a perfect sunny day, I put myself under no pressure just wanting to do the distance and I can honestly say I enjoyed every step !!

I carried my own drink and did not stop at any of the water stations and I think this works well for me, I also took a gel at around mile 8/9 which seemed to give me a burst of energy towards the end when I needed it.

Much to my amazement I finished in 2 hours 14 ,much quicker than the 2 hours 30 I had predicted and I still had a smile on my face 🙂

A great first half marathon .

Run Norwich 10k

It has been a busy 3 months or so and I have a lot to catch up with so let’s go back to August bank holiday weekend andIMG_4620 the Run Norwich 10k.

This was the first ever Run Norwich 10k event and I quickly signed up for it, then realised that they expected you to go and collect your race pack, which could have caused me and many other runners problems, but after a few e-mails I think they realised their mistake and agreed to post out my Race pack.

The weather was perfect on race day and I was looking forward to meeting up with my Norwich running friends GinaRun Norwich and Linda, as usual I had not looked at the route, so it was not until we were getting ready to start that I realised there must be a “Hill” as that is all everyone was talking about !! Gina said “it’s only a pimple don’t worry” so I didn’t !!!

Well it was a great run and I enjoyed the route with the pimple !! it was very well organised and well supported, anyone put off doing it as it was the first event certainly missed out on a great run.

Our day was not over though as we then went out for lunch with Gina and her lovely family where the fun and laughter continued.

BTW the date for this run in 2016 is August the 7th

Mike Groves 10 mile road race

The Coltishall Mike Groves 10 mile road race is my highlight of 2015 so far !!

A distance I thought I would never achieve after my 3rd achilles injury.

IMG_8814 (1)I was very nervous and very excited about this event, it was a small race field something I am not used too, most of my races have entries into the 1000’s this one was just into the 100’s

Meeting up with Gina and Linda calmed my nerves a little as it was so lovely to see them and have a good chat before the start.

The weather was perfect for running although the thunder storms from the night before had flooded some of the roads, which would mean wet feet and some plonker had stolen the water for the water stations, but luckily I had my own drink to carry.

I started off a little too quick but soon settled into a nice pace, with so many faster runners than me  I was away from the main crowd of runners making It feel just like another training run.IMG_8737

The marshalls at all the junctions and turns were really encouraging and very friendly, soon I totally relaxed and just enjoyed the route, which was an out and back one, close to the start we went down a hill so I knew at around mile 9 there would be an uphill stretch.

I loved this run for many reasons and finished in 1 hr 40, 5 mins faster than I had expected so was very pleased with myself 🙂

Great coffee and cake supplied by the Coltishall Ladies was enjoyed after the run, before Gina Geoff and I went for lunch at the Bike themed Olive Branch Cafe.

GEAR 10k

IMG_8341I love bank holidays especially now I fill them with fun events with friends.This May day weekend was no exception.

My friend Gina came over to stay for a few days and the fun started with the GEAR 10k 

This year was the 10th Anniversary and the 4th year I would be running it, along with many other Lynnsport Ladybirds and Ryston Runners in fact it was a total sell out with over 1500 runners. Even the predicted bad weather could not stop the excitement building!

By the time we had walked into town the predicted wet weather had arrived, I have never seen so many umbrellas at a running event, the atmosphere was amazing though and not even the pouring rain was going to spoil the day.11188230_920641781312019_4608564301251447602_n

Finally it was time to gather in the starting pens, so off with the jackets and away with the umbrellas amongst much talk about how mad we all must be! then horror as 10.45 came and went with no starting gun, the roads were now becoming quite flooded and we were all eager to be on our way then 10 mins later looking like drowned rats we were off…..

IMG_8440A nice flat course meant many of my friends, including Gina  were hoping for P/B times, as usual I just wanted to get round in under an hour and even though I achieved this with a time of 58.08 I was alittle disappointed  as I felt I could have done better. My big mistake was running in my glasses because after 10 mins in the pouring rain I could hardly see a thing and had to carry my glasses the whole way round 🙁

Even in such bad weather conditions Gina and many of the Ladybirds got the P/B times they wanted and none of this would have been possible without the fantastic marshals who braved the weather too and of course Geoff who was there to cheer us on and take photo’s 🙂

Needless to say the sun came out at the end and we were rewarded well for braving the weather with a totally fab medal and another fun day spent with friends 🙂

Trowse 10k Road race

I entered this run because I wanted something fun to do over the Easter break. My friends Gina and Jayne also entered it so I knew it would be a fab day out

1-IMG_8285Then I panicked because it had a HILL in it and I usually avoid these when running but I was determined so I started doing some training runs at Sandringham where there is a hill.

It was an early start for us on race day because we had to travel from Cambridge to Norwich for a 9am start. I was feeling nervous about the hill everyone was talking about but my nerves soon turned to excitement once we met up with Gina, Jayne and all their lovely friendly running friends.

Much to my amazement I really enjoyed this run ,the route was scenic and varied, starting along Whitlingham broads then the long drawn out hill not once but twice and a lovely down hill stretch too.

My finishing time was 58.58,as usual I was very pleased with myself especially because of the hill which I found a challenge but secretly enjoyed.The goodie bag was excellent and included a cream egg and a fabulous medal.

The day was not over for us though as Gina Jayne Geoff and I then went out for a lovely lunch with lots of chat and laughter, a great recipe for the Best Easter ever 🙂

When I arrived home still full of enthusiasm and excitement I signed up for the Mike Groves 10 miler in June!!!

which I am sure will be another fab day 🙂