Where was I? Ah yes, there had been hills, chaffing, PBs and a half marathon. What did the second half of 2014 have in store?
July: In 2013 I entered my first race, the Leeds 10k. To say that I let myself down is an understatement. Given the amount of training that I had done I was determined to break the 50 minute mark. I finished the Leeds 10k in a new PB of 49:52, over 17 minutes faster than last year. That is what a year of training can do. Total Distance 70.03km
August: With all but one of 2014s races out of the way I needed something to keep me focused and to keep me running until the Abbey Dash in November. 100 mile August should have been enough to keep me focused, however I only managed 23 miles before I injured my knee. I don't know what I did, but I couldn't even run for a bus let alone another 77 miles. The challenge was over, so was running for the foreseeable future. Total Distance 40.44km
September: I discovered in September just how good for me running had been. I had been focusing on times and distances, the fitness benefits had been secondary, a happy by product of achieving my goals. Due to my injured knee I was losing fitness and putting weight back on, but most significantly I was struggling mentally. I needed to do something to clear my head and that something was walking the Yorkshire 3 Peaks. It was tough with a gammy knee but I made it with a little help from my friends and some walking poles. Total Distance 43.46km
October: After two months off, numerous physio visits and an x-ray, I was finally given the all clear to start running again. I only had 4 weeks before the Abbey Dash but I couldn't risk further injury so I took it steady, starting right back at my first run in 2012, a circuit of Cross Flatts Park. October was also when I found out that I hadn't got a place in the London Marathon. I have never been so happy not to get something that I had wanted. Total Distance 21.31km
November: The Abbey Dash came around faster than I had anticipated. Before my injury I had wanted to get will under 50 minutes but after a couple of months off my feet I just wanted to get around the course. The week of the race a good friend had an awful accident. I raced to raise money for those who helped him and finished in 50:03, 7 minutes faster than last year and only just off my Leeds 10k time. The month ended with the Leeds Christmas 10k Challenge, a multi terrain race around Middleton woods and a smile on my face, I was running again. Total Distance 84.94km
December: With no races and nothing immediate to train for, December has been about enjoying running. I went on an organised group run and I had a few runs with some running buddies. This is significant for me as, apart from races, I have always run alone. I could get used to the communal side of group running. Total Distance 108.59
I'll be honest, 2014 has been a mixed bag, but over all it has been a good year. The only negatives have been the hugely disappointing Pudesy 10k and injuring my knee. The highlight was crossing the finish line for the Leeds Half Marathon, but the race of the year was the Harewood 10k. I will race Pudsey again and lay that demon to rest, but not in 2015, I have plans for 2015.
As for the injury, I'm still unsure what happened to my knee, or what caused it. The knee is still not 100% yet but the forced time off gave me an opportunity to reassess why I run. I know now that running is part of me no matter what the distance or the speed. I don't need to run to prove anything, but I do need to run. It gives me time to reflect, time to breath, and it's good for my health, both physical and mental.
This year was all about the half marathon but there is no room in my running schedule for it next year. 2014 was great, but I have big plans 2015. Thank you for all of the support and encouragement this year, and for reading my blog. I hope you'll come along for the ride next year: 2015 is going to be epic!
Wednesday, 31 December 2014
Tuesday, 30 December 2014
2014: Personal Bests and personal worsts - Part 1
It is traditional at this time of year to look back at what has happened over the last twelve months. BBC 6Music have their album of the year chart, there was the Sports Personality of the Year awards, and Charlie Brooker has pre-empted his 2014 Screen Wipe with this look at a cruel 2014. I have also been reminiscing.
January: By the time the new year rolled around I was already a few weeks into training for the Leeds Half Marathon. I had managed to keep running during Christmas and had increased the distance of my weekly runs to 8k. I had also taken the decision to stop running along the canal. People had warned me about the hills of the Leeds Half so long flat runs were not going to do me any favours. Total distance 108.16km
February: February was cold, cold and wet. Leeds had been spared the storms that washed away railway lines in Devon and had flooded Somerset, but we still had our fair share of inclement weather. One particularly cold, wet and windy run, I found out first hand the pain and discomfort that comes from joggers-nipple. In fact, there was quite a bit of chafing in February as I tried out different kit for the Leeds Half, but I won't go into the details hear. Total Distance 141.64km
March: My training continued during March but this was the month that something changed. March was when I started to think of myself as a runner. It happened during one of my Sunday long slow runs. My new hilly route took my up Churwell Hill and back down Gelderd Road. I was on my way back home, with Leeds glinting in the morning light, and a smile crept across my face. I was running, on a Sunday morning, when most of Leeds was still asleep, and it felt good. Total Distance 176.8km
April: It had been five months since I had taken part in the 2013 Abbey Dash and I was still a month away from the Leeds Half but April saw my first race of 2014, the Harewood 10k. Having signed up on a whim I had no idea what to expect however I found out that the race was on and off road and could be very muddy. Muddy is an understatement but the race was fantastic. It was a clear day and Harewood House was a fantastic backdrop as we raced around the grounds. I finished in 54:10 due to a massive hill at the end. I then set my sights on May's Leeds Half Marathon. Total Distance 161.97km
May: After 25 weeks of training it was finally here, the Leeds Half Marathon. Although I had put the miles in I still wasn't sure that I would be able to get around the course in my target of 2 hours. I set off too far too fast and in the end I missed my goal by 8 minutes, finishing in a staggering 1:51:48. Over the moon doesn't do justice to how good I felt crossing the finish line. All of the training had been worth it and I could now relax, but not for long as I had unfinished business with the Leeds 10k to deal with in July. Total Distance 133.26km
June: During June I took a bit of time out from constant running. I still ran two to three times a week but having smashed the Leeds Half I didn't feel like I needed to prove anything or punish myself, how wrong I was. I signed up for the Pudsey 10k and knowing that I could cover the distance in around 50 minutes I set off, too fast again. Only this time I didn't manage to maintain the pace and I finished in a very disappointing 56:20. I have unfinished business with the Pudsey 10k but that can wait until 2016. Total Distance 82.28km
With half of the year gone I had covered 804.11km and, the disappointment of the Pudsey 10k aside, I had done it with my head held high. The Harewood 10k and Leeds Half had both given me new official PB's for their distances and I had a clutch of new training t-shirts to wear, which was a good job as I had lost a load of weight along the way. The rest of the year was stretching out in front of me. Six more months of doing the thing I had come to love the most, running. Or at least, that is what I thought!
January: By the time the new year rolled around I was already a few weeks into training for the Leeds Half Marathon. I had managed to keep running during Christmas and had increased the distance of my weekly runs to 8k. I had also taken the decision to stop running along the canal. People had warned me about the hills of the Leeds Half so long flat runs were not going to do me any favours. Total distance 108.16km
February: February was cold, cold and wet. Leeds had been spared the storms that washed away railway lines in Devon and had flooded Somerset, but we still had our fair share of inclement weather. One particularly cold, wet and windy run, I found out first hand the pain and discomfort that comes from joggers-nipple. In fact, there was quite a bit of chafing in February as I tried out different kit for the Leeds Half, but I won't go into the details hear. Total Distance 141.64km
March: My training continued during March but this was the month that something changed. March was when I started to think of myself as a runner. It happened during one of my Sunday long slow runs. My new hilly route took my up Churwell Hill and back down Gelderd Road. I was on my way back home, with Leeds glinting in the morning light, and a smile crept across my face. I was running, on a Sunday morning, when most of Leeds was still asleep, and it felt good. Total Distance 176.8km
April: It had been five months since I had taken part in the 2013 Abbey Dash and I was still a month away from the Leeds Half but April saw my first race of 2014, the Harewood 10k. Having signed up on a whim I had no idea what to expect however I found out that the race was on and off road and could be very muddy. Muddy is an understatement but the race was fantastic. It was a clear day and Harewood House was a fantastic backdrop as we raced around the grounds. I finished in 54:10 due to a massive hill at the end. I then set my sights on May's Leeds Half Marathon. Total Distance 161.97km
May: After 25 weeks of training it was finally here, the Leeds Half Marathon. Although I had put the miles in I still wasn't sure that I would be able to get around the course in my target of 2 hours. I set off too far too fast and in the end I missed my goal by 8 minutes, finishing in a staggering 1:51:48. Over the moon doesn't do justice to how good I felt crossing the finish line. All of the training had been worth it and I could now relax, but not for long as I had unfinished business with the Leeds 10k to deal with in July. Total Distance 133.26km
June: During June I took a bit of time out from constant running. I still ran two to three times a week but having smashed the Leeds Half I didn't feel like I needed to prove anything or punish myself, how wrong I was. I signed up for the Pudsey 10k and knowing that I could cover the distance in around 50 minutes I set off, too fast again. Only this time I didn't manage to maintain the pace and I finished in a very disappointing 56:20. I have unfinished business with the Pudsey 10k but that can wait until 2016. Total Distance 82.28km
With half of the year gone I had covered 804.11km and, the disappointment of the Pudsey 10k aside, I had done it with my head held high. The Harewood 10k and Leeds Half had both given me new official PB's for their distances and I had a clutch of new training t-shirts to wear, which was a good job as I had lost a load of weight along the way. The rest of the year was stretching out in front of me. Six more months of doing the thing I had come to love the most, running. Or at least, that is what I thought!
Friday, 12 December 2014
The Long and Lonesome Road
Since I took up running back in September 2012 I have done so on my own. It's not that I'm naturally a solitary person, preferring my own company to that of others. For me the beauty of running is being able to pull on my trainers and hit the road whenever I'm ready. The idea of running with others always feels like it is adding an unnecessary level of complexity to what is a very straightforward activity.
When I was stood waiting for my first race* to start I couldn't help but think that I could have completed the distance and been at home by the time we finally got under way. I was reluctant to join the local parkrun for similar reasons. I can see the park from my house, but I convinced myself that if I wanted to run 5k on a Saturday morning I could be drinking my second coffee of the day long before 9am, the allotted parkrun start time. I even had the wonderful "Saturday is a rest day" excuse to avoid running with other people while I was in training for the Leeds 1/2 marathon.
I have recently started getting into parkrun though. At first it felt just like a race day, waiting for the "3, 2, 1, GO!" and wondering if I could have already been eating a bacon buttie instead of still standing about in a park. Eventually, after a few weeks, I started chatting to some of the other runners, things changed and I started to get into the spirit of things. When I couldn't run due to injury I still went to volunteer at parkrun, believing that if I couldn't run myself, then the least I could do would be to help others by cheering them on and timing their efforts.
I've come to recognise the camaraderie that can exist between fellow runners. The community spirit at Cross Flatts parkrun is wonderful, with people of all abilities cheering each other on and, certainly between the other volunteers, comparing injuries like Quint, Hooper, and Chief Brodie did whilst hunting 'Jaws'. But still, whenever I take part at parkrun, the second I hear "GO" I zone out and enter my own insular running world.
The idea of running with somebody, whether as a training partner or just for a social run is still very foreign to me. That said, last week I had company on two of my runs and I really enjoyed it. The concept of running at conversational pace is something that I have struggled to get my head around, but running with Mark and Debs allowed me to do just that. The combination of running while putting the world to right without talking to myself could be an addition to my self-help armoury.
The question is, do I actually want to do more social running? Running clubs feel a bit too formal and regimented. Running groups are few and far between in South Leeds, and those that I could join tend to start while I'm still at work. This gap in running provision has been picked up on by Ben from Run England, who has approached me about ME becoming a run leader. Me, a solo runner.
I'll be honest, I am tempted.
Planning runs and routes is one of the many parts of running that I really enjoy. I certainly like encouraging others to run, although I try not to be too evangelical as I know full well that too much encouragement in any direction can have the opposite effect. That said some company could make even the worst run more enjoyable so why not run in a group?
It's time for me to put my thinking cap on, most probably during my next few runs. I suppose making the effort and going out for some organised runs would help me see what I would be letting myself in for if I signed up for the training. I also need to consider if becoming a run leader would impact on my enjoyment of running and, more importantly, whether it will impact on my training for next years races including my first marathon.
I have a lot of unanswered questions and that is where you come in. Do you run with others or are you a solo runner? If a new evening run group started in South Leeds would you be interested? I would love to hear your thoughts.
*2013 Leeds 10k.
When I was stood waiting for my first race* to start I couldn't help but think that I could have completed the distance and been at home by the time we finally got under way. I was reluctant to join the local parkrun for similar reasons. I can see the park from my house, but I convinced myself that if I wanted to run 5k on a Saturday morning I could be drinking my second coffee of the day long before 9am, the allotted parkrun start time. I even had the wonderful "Saturday is a rest day" excuse to avoid running with other people while I was in training for the Leeds 1/2 marathon.
I have recently started getting into parkrun though. At first it felt just like a race day, waiting for the "3, 2, 1, GO!" and wondering if I could have already been eating a bacon buttie instead of still standing about in a park. Eventually, after a few weeks, I started chatting to some of the other runners, things changed and I started to get into the spirit of things. When I couldn't run due to injury I still went to volunteer at parkrun, believing that if I couldn't run myself, then the least I could do would be to help others by cheering them on and timing their efforts.
I've come to recognise the camaraderie that can exist between fellow runners. The community spirit at Cross Flatts parkrun is wonderful, with people of all abilities cheering each other on and, certainly between the other volunteers, comparing injuries like Quint, Hooper, and Chief Brodie did whilst hunting 'Jaws'. But still, whenever I take part at parkrun, the second I hear "GO" I zone out and enter my own insular running world.
The idea of running with somebody, whether as a training partner or just for a social run is still very foreign to me. That said, last week I had company on two of my runs and I really enjoyed it. The concept of running at conversational pace is something that I have struggled to get my head around, but running with Mark and Debs allowed me to do just that. The combination of running while putting the world to right without talking to myself could be an addition to my self-help armoury.
 |
| Cross Flatts parkrun |
The question is, do I actually want to do more social running? Running clubs feel a bit too formal and regimented. Running groups are few and far between in South Leeds, and those that I could join tend to start while I'm still at work. This gap in running provision has been picked up on by Ben from Run England, who has approached me about ME becoming a run leader. Me, a solo runner.
I'll be honest, I am tempted.
Planning runs and routes is one of the many parts of running that I really enjoy. I certainly like encouraging others to run, although I try not to be too evangelical as I know full well that too much encouragement in any direction can have the opposite effect. That said some company could make even the worst run more enjoyable so why not run in a group?
It's time for me to put my thinking cap on, most probably during my next few runs. I suppose making the effort and going out for some organised runs would help me see what I would be letting myself in for if I signed up for the training. I also need to consider if becoming a run leader would impact on my enjoyment of running and, more importantly, whether it will impact on my training for next years races including my first marathon.
I have a lot of unanswered questions and that is where you come in. Do you run with others or are you a solo runner? If a new evening run group started in South Leeds would you be interested? I would love to hear your thoughts.
*2013 Leeds 10k.
Tuesday, 2 December 2014
Leeds Christmas 10k Challenge
A couple of days ago I read a very interesting blog post by a complete stranger about what it is to consider yourself a runner. It all came about for her after somebody had questioned her runner's status because they were faster than she was. Due to the fact that she was aiming for a sub30 5k at parkrun she was not a 'proper runner'. This was despite the fact that she has completed a marathon and triathlons.
Her exchange* with this running Nazi has been going around my head ever since. I've always shied away from labels, but I do consider myself to be a runner, albeit not a great one. I've even had a running related injury, so I must be one. It seems to me that the only difference between me and somebody like Jo Pavey, other than age, gender, overall ability, and a nomination for Sports Personality of the Year, is that she is a professional athlete and I'm not. But mentally, for me at least, it boils down to the fact that professional athletes think in seasons and I think in years.
The Abbey Dash was meant to be my end of year run, the culmination of a year pounding the pavements of Leeds. However, having only just got back on my feet I fancied a little more race action before setting my sights on 2015. Handily, I was given a flyer for the Leeds Christmas 10k Challenge at parkrun. At the time I wasn't sure if I fancied it but having survived the Dash I signed up.
So on Sunday morning I took up my place at the start line inside John Charles Stadium. It was possibly the most perfect Winter's morning, clear blue skies and a chill in the air that was negated by the sun on our backs as we waited for the starter to get us under way. I shared the 'proper runner' story with a couple of my parkrun friends and we all decided that we would happily give Mr sub17 a reason to run if we ever met him.
The race itself was a multi-terrain affair. Starting on a running track then heading off-road for three laps through Middleton Woods on bridleways and roads. Given the recent weather I decided on trail shoes and I'm glad I did. The initial ascent up Scrooge Hill (their name not mine) was more or less a scramble up a 45˚ muddy slope, if you didn't take the stairs that is. The next section was the uphill bridleway. This was littered with wet leaves covering muddy puddles through which road shoes would have provided no grip.
A steep left hand turn lead to a final steep climb before a gentle tarmacked decent back though the woods, to start the whole thing again. Only without Scrooge Hill. By the time I was going up the bridleway for the third and final time I was more or less spent. I walked past the drinks station and enjoyed a leisurely cup of water without spilling a drop, a first for me in race conditions. I finished the race with running buddy Debs by my side. She encouraged me and kept me company over the final 3k and I enjoyed a running revelation.
I may not be a professional athlete, I may not pass as a 'proper runner' in some people's eyes, but that doesn't matter. Although I struggled at times over the course (I'm still not as fit as I was before my injury), I really enjoyed myself. Over the last couple of years I have pushed to always beat my last time, to go further, to chase records, but not any more. Injury has showed me that no matter how much I protest I enjoy running. If I need to take my foot off the gas to make sure I can enjoy the next run too, then so be it.
I know that I have entered the York Marathon next year so I will be pushing myself to new running territories, but I will be doing so in a way that hopefully will keep me running in the years after I have finished.
For the record, Debs and I both completed the Leeds 10k Christmas Challenge in 54:01, 3 minutes faster than I thought I would finish after 7k. It was a long way from a PB but I finished with a smile on my face and that makes me a proper runner. I also have the t-shirts to prove it.
*You can read the whole thing here
Her exchange* with this running Nazi has been going around my head ever since. I've always shied away from labels, but I do consider myself to be a runner, albeit not a great one. I've even had a running related injury, so I must be one. It seems to me that the only difference between me and somebody like Jo Pavey, other than age, gender, overall ability, and a nomination for Sports Personality of the Year, is that she is a professional athlete and I'm not. But mentally, for me at least, it boils down to the fact that professional athletes think in seasons and I think in years.
The Abbey Dash was meant to be my end of year run, the culmination of a year pounding the pavements of Leeds. However, having only just got back on my feet I fancied a little more race action before setting my sights on 2015. Handily, I was given a flyer for the Leeds Christmas 10k Challenge at parkrun. At the time I wasn't sure if I fancied it but having survived the Dash I signed up.
So on Sunday morning I took up my place at the start line inside John Charles Stadium. It was possibly the most perfect Winter's morning, clear blue skies and a chill in the air that was negated by the sun on our backs as we waited for the starter to get us under way. I shared the 'proper runner' story with a couple of my parkrun friends and we all decided that we would happily give Mr sub17 a reason to run if we ever met him.
The race itself was a multi-terrain affair. Starting on a running track then heading off-road for three laps through Middleton Woods on bridleways and roads. Given the recent weather I decided on trail shoes and I'm glad I did. The initial ascent up Scrooge Hill (their name not mine) was more or less a scramble up a 45˚ muddy slope, if you didn't take the stairs that is. The next section was the uphill bridleway. This was littered with wet leaves covering muddy puddles through which road shoes would have provided no grip.
A steep left hand turn lead to a final steep climb before a gentle tarmacked decent back though the woods, to start the whole thing again. Only without Scrooge Hill. By the time I was going up the bridleway for the third and final time I was more or less spent. I walked past the drinks station and enjoyed a leisurely cup of water without spilling a drop, a first for me in race conditions. I finished the race with running buddy Debs by my side. She encouraged me and kept me company over the final 3k and I enjoyed a running revelation.
I may not be a professional athlete, I may not pass as a 'proper runner' in some people's eyes, but that doesn't matter. Although I struggled at times over the course (I'm still not as fit as I was before my injury), I really enjoyed myself. Over the last couple of years I have pushed to always beat my last time, to go further, to chase records, but not any more. Injury has showed me that no matter how much I protest I enjoy running. If I need to take my foot off the gas to make sure I can enjoy the next run too, then so be it.
For the record, Debs and I both completed the Leeds 10k Christmas Challenge in 54:01, 3 minutes faster than I thought I would finish after 7k. It was a long way from a PB but I finished with a smile on my face and that makes me a proper runner. I also have the t-shirts to prove it.
*You can read the whole thing here
Monday, 17 November 2014
Abbey Dash 2014
The Abbey Dash has been in my mind since before I ever considered myself a runner. Living in Leeds you cannot help but know about annual road closures. However, back in 2012, a few months after I decided to take up running, I decided to test myself on the same day as the Dash. I set off along the canal from Leeds City Centre to Kirkstall an hour or so before the race started and amazed myself when I got back to town 10k later in 59:46. Under an hour for my first ever 10k, the furthest I had ever run, I was hooked. The canal run was to become a weekly ritual and my times gradually fell.
Fast forward a year to 17th November 2013. I was finally lining up for my first official Abbey Dash. Having had a really poor Leeds 10k earlier in the year I was determined to run sub 60 again. I ended up towards the back of one of the slow runner pens feeling very much like cattle, and a good five minutes after the gun went off, got under way. I achieved my goal and stopped the clock at 57:18.
But the 2013 Abbey Dash wasn't the end, it was the beginning. I pushed on from there and started training for the Leeds Half Marathon. I ran all winter, in all weather to improve my fitness and stamina so that I could take on the 13.1 miles. This years Dash was set to be the culmination of a year of races. But after injuring my knee I had been in two minds about pulling out.
As I mentioned before, I had started running again and my knee was holding up, but my stamina had almost vanished. I'd managed sub 50 for the Leeds 10k and wanted to do the same again. I was close to deferring my place for the Abbey Dash to avoid a bad time, but then I got some shocking news. A good friend, Lyndon, had an accident while mountaineering and ended up having to be airlifted to hospital after a 3 hour search by Mountain Rescue teams.
I felt dreadful, it's very difficult when you know that there is nothing you can do to help somebody when all you want to do is help. The only positive thing I could think of doing was to thank the Keswick Mountain Rescue Team for finding Lyndon. So I set up a Just Giving page to raise money for them, pinned my bib number to my current favourite running shirt, and got as ready for the Dash as I could.
By the time race day came around, Lyndon's family and friends had raised almost £1,000.00 for Kewsick Mountain Rescue. There was no chance that I was pulling out now. With family in tow we made the short journey into Leeds and the site of the old International Pool, where the runners were packed into their stating pens like sardines. I actually like this method of filtering as it greatly reduces the chance of being held up by slow runners in the early stages of the race.
I studiously avoided the group warm-up as I simply can not stand the perma-grinned instructors. Luckily, and not for the first time at the start of a race, I bumped into another good friend Diane. We chewed the fat about our lack of race prep and studied our watches making sure that we were readdy for the off. The gates of the pen eventually opened and we jogged out onto Wellington Street.
I was already running buy the time we crossed the start line. I'm told that I looked really focused at the start of the race. It's not surprising really, there are so many people the chance of tripping up is very high. Against all of the advice I have given and received I set off far too fast. This is not unusual for me but it is very frustrating when you go through the first kilometre marker a minute faster than you have anticipated.
I tried to take stock and steady my pace and I was still a minute up at the 5k marker. I was starting to flag though. I had decided at the start of the race that I would avoid the water station but looking back a sip or two of water may have been a good idea. However, while most of the people around me were kicking through a sea discarded plastic cups in the hope of getting a full one themselves, I stayed on the clear inside of the road and kept going.
I managed to keep going until 7k when my lungs and legs reminded me that I wasn't as fit as I had been back in July. I had a brief walk to catch my breath and gave myself a bit of a pep talk, only 3k to go, you can do it. A kind runner shouted encouragement from the pack. His exact words "Come on, just keep plodding!" were enough to get me back off the pavement and onto Kirkstall Road.
My pace had dropped as had my head. The tarmac wasn't flowing under my feet anywhere near as fast as I wanted. Another brief walk was enough for me to sort myself out. I reminded myself that my target was not to run my best ever race and get another PB for the year. All I wanted was to better last years time and, more importantly, I wanted to finish the race with my head held high to thank everyone who had helped me thank that mountain rescue team.
I made it up and over the dreaded slip road at the end of Kirkstall Road and found one last push, one final scrap of energy to get me across the finish line. I don't know how but I stopped the clock at 50:03, only 11seconds slower than this year's Leeds 10k time, but more importantly, 7:15 faster than last years Abbey Dash. A course PB that will keep me smiling for a long time. I collected my finisher's t-shirt, found my family, and picked up my phone to tell the world what I had achieved. It was then that I noticed that we had gone over £1,000.00 on the Just Giving page.
What really rounded the day off though wasn't my time, it was not the brilliant race organisation by Age UK, it wasn't even the fantastic fund-raising efforts. A little later in the day, while I was toasting my run with a bier and wurst in the German Christmas Market, I saw a tweet from Lyndon. He was hooked up to machines that go ping and had NG tubes in, but it was him, in one piece, communicating with the world.
I doubt I will ever run a more emotional race, but the 2014 Abbey dash is one I will remember for a long time. Next time it will be sub 45 and I hope that I won't be fundraising for any more fallen friends. In the mean time I'm going to take some advice on board and keep plodding, at least until I get my fitness levels back.
Fast forward a year to 17th November 2013. I was finally lining up for my first official Abbey Dash. Having had a really poor Leeds 10k earlier in the year I was determined to run sub 60 again. I ended up towards the back of one of the slow runner pens feeling very much like cattle, and a good five minutes after the gun went off, got under way. I achieved my goal and stopped the clock at 57:18.
But the 2013 Abbey Dash wasn't the end, it was the beginning. I pushed on from there and started training for the Leeds Half Marathon. I ran all winter, in all weather to improve my fitness and stamina so that I could take on the 13.1 miles. This years Dash was set to be the culmination of a year of races. But after injuring my knee I had been in two minds about pulling out.
As I mentioned before, I had started running again and my knee was holding up, but my stamina had almost vanished. I'd managed sub 50 for the Leeds 10k and wanted to do the same again. I was close to deferring my place for the Abbey Dash to avoid a bad time, but then I got some shocking news. A good friend, Lyndon, had an accident while mountaineering and ended up having to be airlifted to hospital after a 3 hour search by Mountain Rescue teams.
I felt dreadful, it's very difficult when you know that there is nothing you can do to help somebody when all you want to do is help. The only positive thing I could think of doing was to thank the Keswick Mountain Rescue Team for finding Lyndon. So I set up a Just Giving page to raise money for them, pinned my bib number to my current favourite running shirt, and got as ready for the Dash as I could.
By the time race day came around, Lyndon's family and friends had raised almost £1,000.00 for Kewsick Mountain Rescue. There was no chance that I was pulling out now. With family in tow we made the short journey into Leeds and the site of the old International Pool, where the runners were packed into their stating pens like sardines. I actually like this method of filtering as it greatly reduces the chance of being held up by slow runners in the early stages of the race.
I studiously avoided the group warm-up as I simply can not stand the perma-grinned instructors. Luckily, and not for the first time at the start of a race, I bumped into another good friend Diane. We chewed the fat about our lack of race prep and studied our watches making sure that we were readdy for the off. The gates of the pen eventually opened and we jogged out onto Wellington Street.
I was already running buy the time we crossed the start line. I'm told that I looked really focused at the start of the race. It's not surprising really, there are so many people the chance of tripping up is very high. Against all of the advice I have given and received I set off far too fast. This is not unusual for me but it is very frustrating when you go through the first kilometre marker a minute faster than you have anticipated.
I tried to take stock and steady my pace and I was still a minute up at the 5k marker. I was starting to flag though. I had decided at the start of the race that I would avoid the water station but looking back a sip or two of water may have been a good idea. However, while most of the people around me were kicking through a sea discarded plastic cups in the hope of getting a full one themselves, I stayed on the clear inside of the road and kept going.
I managed to keep going until 7k when my lungs and legs reminded me that I wasn't as fit as I had been back in July. I had a brief walk to catch my breath and gave myself a bit of a pep talk, only 3k to go, you can do it. A kind runner shouted encouragement from the pack. His exact words "Come on, just keep plodding!" were enough to get me back off the pavement and onto Kirkstall Road.
My pace had dropped as had my head. The tarmac wasn't flowing under my feet anywhere near as fast as I wanted. Another brief walk was enough for me to sort myself out. I reminded myself that my target was not to run my best ever race and get another PB for the year. All I wanted was to better last years time and, more importantly, I wanted to finish the race with my head held high to thank everyone who had helped me thank that mountain rescue team.
 |
| Showboating at the finish. |
I made it up and over the dreaded slip road at the end of Kirkstall Road and found one last push, one final scrap of energy to get me across the finish line. I don't know how but I stopped the clock at 50:03, only 11seconds slower than this year's Leeds 10k time, but more importantly, 7:15 faster than last years Abbey Dash. A course PB that will keep me smiling for a long time. I collected my finisher's t-shirt, found my family, and picked up my phone to tell the world what I had achieved. It was then that I noticed that we had gone over £1,000.00 on the Just Giving page.
What really rounded the day off though wasn't my time, it was not the brilliant race organisation by Age UK, it wasn't even the fantastic fund-raising efforts. A little later in the day, while I was toasting my run with a bier and wurst in the German Christmas Market, I saw a tweet from Lyndon. He was hooked up to machines that go ping and had NG tubes in, but it was him, in one piece, communicating with the world.
I doubt I will ever run a more emotional race, but the 2014 Abbey dash is one I will remember for a long time. Next time it will be sub 45 and I hope that I won't be fundraising for any more fallen friends. In the mean time I'm going to take some advice on board and keep plodding, at least until I get my fitness levels back.
Saturday, 8 November 2014
Bring on the Dash!
I was going to write this update about a week ago, two weeks into my latest training plan and two weeks before the Abbey Dash, but for one reason or another I have managed to put it off. It's not that I've missed any of my scheduled runs. Neither have I been so ridiculously slow and unfit after injury that I didn't want to share my progress. The main reason for putting off this post was that I was waiting to receive my race pack for the Dash.
Normally, in my brief experience, race packs get sent out a month to two weeks before a race. In fact in this instance, the good people at Age UK, who organise the Abbey Dash, told me via twitter that packs were being sent out two weeks before the race. With that information I decided to wait until I had my bib number before writing a progress report.
I waited, followed my self imposed training plan, and waited some more. Finally, today, nine days before thousands take to the streets of Leeds, my number turned up. It is real. Three months after I injured my knee I will be taking part in one of the top ten 10k races in the UK. Honestly, I was beginning to think that something had gone wrong and that I no longer had a place.
You see, even though I entered the race back in April, for me it only starts to feel real when the pack turns up. The instructions for the day: Times, locations of bag drops, where the toilets are, inspirational pep-talks from professional athletes, the route map, and most importantly your number. All of these things heighten the anticipation and give the butterflies in my stomach a bit more vigour in their wings.
I'm relying on these pre race nerves to get me around the course. I have managed to stick to my schedule but that has only got me back to running 6k. In an ideal world I would have managed a couple of 10ks by now, but in that world I wouldn't have injured my knee. My original goal of a sub 45 minute 10k has taken a back seat and I'm now just aiming at beating last years time of 57:18.
After the last few months, a course Personal Best will do me just fine, even if I miss out on a distance PB by some margin. Bring on the Dash!
Since writing this post I ran parkrun in Cross Flatts Park. Throughout my injury time I have been attending parkrun as a volunteer, but now I'm back on my feet I've taken advantage of our hilly 5k course as part of my rehabilitation. Before the clock started at 9am on Saturday morning I decided that I was going to run the course twice, finish the 5k, get my barcode scanned and set off to do it again, just to see if I could complete 10k.
My actual parkrun time was 24:33, the first time sub 25 minutes since doing my knee in, mostly thanks to Debs who I'm sure I wasn't racing against! The second 5k took a much more leisurely 27:09. Combined times of 51:42 for 10k (all be it with a couple of minutes breather in the middle) gives me so much hope for a decent Dash. Even if I run the slow 27:09 pace for the full course on Sunday I will come in 3 minutes under last years time. If I wasn't looking forward to race day before parkrun, I sure am now!
Normally, in my brief experience, race packs get sent out a month to two weeks before a race. In fact in this instance, the good people at Age UK, who organise the Abbey Dash, told me via twitter that packs were being sent out two weeks before the race. With that information I decided to wait until I had my bib number before writing a progress report.
I waited, followed my self imposed training plan, and waited some more. Finally, today, nine days before thousands take to the streets of Leeds, my number turned up. It is real. Three months after I injured my knee I will be taking part in one of the top ten 10k races in the UK. Honestly, I was beginning to think that something had gone wrong and that I no longer had a place.
You see, even though I entered the race back in April, for me it only starts to feel real when the pack turns up. The instructions for the day: Times, locations of bag drops, where the toilets are, inspirational pep-talks from professional athletes, the route map, and most importantly your number. All of these things heighten the anticipation and give the butterflies in my stomach a bit more vigour in their wings.
I'm relying on these pre race nerves to get me around the course. I have managed to stick to my schedule but that has only got me back to running 6k. In an ideal world I would have managed a couple of 10ks by now, but in that world I wouldn't have injured my knee. My original goal of a sub 45 minute 10k has taken a back seat and I'm now just aiming at beating last years time of 57:18.
After the last few months, a course Personal Best will do me just fine, even if I miss out on a distance PB by some margin. Bring on the Dash!
*** UPDATE ***
Since writing this post I ran parkrun in Cross Flatts Park. Throughout my injury time I have been attending parkrun as a volunteer, but now I'm back on my feet I've taken advantage of our hilly 5k course as part of my rehabilitation. Before the clock started at 9am on Saturday morning I decided that I was going to run the course twice, finish the 5k, get my barcode scanned and set off to do it again, just to see if I could complete 10k.
My actual parkrun time was 24:33, the first time sub 25 minutes since doing my knee in, mostly thanks to Debs who I'm sure I wasn't racing against! The second 5k took a much more leisurely 27:09. Combined times of 51:42 for 10k (all be it with a couple of minutes breather in the middle) gives me so much hope for a decent Dash. Even if I run the slow 27:09 pace for the full course on Sunday I will come in 3 minutes under last years time. If I wasn't looking forward to race day before parkrun, I sure am now!
Monday, 20 October 2014
Couch to 10k...again!
It's been a while. My last run*, just me and my running kit, was 2 months ago. Yesterday, complete with a hangover that was much milder than it deserved to be, I set out into the cold morning air and I ran. Not only was I still a little drunk, but I was also scared. My injured knee had only ever been painful when under stress so I had no real way of knowing if I was fit to run or not, I also didn't want to do myself any more damage. At least this time I was wearing a new pair of trainers, trainers suited to my pronating feet.
I decided to start small and went back to my first ever recorded run route. One lap of Cross Flatts Park. 1.22 miles, just short of 2k, with a couple of climes and a flight of stairs who anybody who has taken part in Cross Flatts parkrun will be only too aware of. I took a deep breath and set off, slowly.
It took me just shy of 12 minutes to get round, well off my pre-injury pace, but I got round in one piece. My knee hadn't flared up, I wasn't out of breath, I hadn't broken much of a sweat, and I wanted to run more. I stopped myself from setting off for a second lap and went home to care for my hangover with crumpets.
This morning at work I opened up my running schedule, a document which I hadn't looked at since 16th August. My first task was to delete all of the runs that I had planned in August and September. weeks of 0 miles shone back at me off my monitor, then I scrolled down. In 4 weeks time it's the Abbey Dash!
I have 4 weeks to get back from not running at all to completing one of the UKs most iconic 10k races. I was never going to set the world a light but with only 4 weeks to train I'm not sure if my legs will have it in them to cross the finish line in front of Leeds Town Hall.
I've rewritten my running schedule following my physio's advice. I'm sticking to short runs every other day to start with, to help remind my legs what they are capable of. Unfortunately this means my first 10k after injury will be on race day, but, as long as I'm sensible, I will running a race which looked out of reach a couple of weeks ago.
I'd love to hear what you think of the above plan. Too much too soon, about right, fine as long as it's slow, not far enough? All advice taken with a pinch of salt, probably on a huge pile of carbs before the Dash!
*not including a brilliant Art Run organised by Veggie Runners.
I decided to start small and went back to my first ever recorded run route. One lap of Cross Flatts Park. 1.22 miles, just short of 2k, with a couple of climes and a flight of stairs who anybody who has taken part in Cross Flatts parkrun will be only too aware of. I took a deep breath and set off, slowly.
It took me just shy of 12 minutes to get round, well off my pre-injury pace, but I got round in one piece. My knee hadn't flared up, I wasn't out of breath, I hadn't broken much of a sweat, and I wanted to run more. I stopped myself from setting off for a second lap and went home to care for my hangover with crumpets.
This morning at work I opened up my running schedule, a document which I hadn't looked at since 16th August. My first task was to delete all of the runs that I had planned in August and September. weeks of 0 miles shone back at me off my monitor, then I scrolled down. In 4 weeks time it's the Abbey Dash!
I have 4 weeks to get back from not running at all to completing one of the UKs most iconic 10k races. I was never going to set the world a light but with only 4 weeks to train I'm not sure if my legs will have it in them to cross the finish line in front of Leeds Town Hall.
 |
| Running schedule for the next 4 weeks. |
I've rewritten my running schedule following my physio's advice. I'm sticking to short runs every other day to start with, to help remind my legs what they are capable of. Unfortunately this means my first 10k after injury will be on race day, but, as long as I'm sensible, I will running a race which looked out of reach a couple of weeks ago.
I'd love to hear what you think of the above plan. Too much too soon, about right, fine as long as it's slow, not far enough? All advice taken with a pinch of salt, probably on a huge pile of carbs before the Dash!
*not including a brilliant Art Run organised by Veggie Runners.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)