From There To Here

Ok I know it has been a while since I last updated my blog, but life sometimes just gets busy!

 

Have I been sitting around doing nothing? certainly not! 

The Color Run was great fun

No record breaking times, but that really wasn't what it was all about. 

Tomorrow it will be 4 months since I started my running journey.

After that first night out with Mark, only being able to run for just about 30 seconds with lungs screaming and legs like lead, I had no idea if I would survive this long. But we kept on going out each week and slowly I could run just that bit further before having to take a short walk break. 

Although I was making progress, by August I knew that If I ever wanted to really be a runner I needed to increase the amount of times I ran each week. So I started doing some extra sessions using the NHS podcasts, I haven't always been able to complete the three  runs required in the same week, but have taken my rest days and then fitted them in around my runs with Mark. By doing this I quickly saw the benefit of these extra sessions, I was able to keep running further each time Mark and I went out, not much faster, but he assured me that speed will come with time and not to worry about it, that just time on my feet and miles on my legs was all that I needed to do. 

And so to today where I had to face a really big challenge on my journey, a milestone moment that is week 5 repeat 3 of the couch to 5k plan, just another podcast, just another run for the week.......but this one has been looming up for a while now, making me nervous with the words "Run for 20 mins" no walking......Hey where did that come from last week we were only running for 8 minutes then walk, then run again........gulp can I really do this, have I put in enough effort? when I am out with Mark we don't time my running or walking just the overall time it takes us to do 5k I run till I can't run anymore......walk till I get my breath back.......run some more.

All through my morning at work I kept thinking, it's just a number, your going to be on a treadmill, you can stop and walk if you need to. You can always try again next week or the week after. No one is going to be upset with you, but you. All these thoughts just kept going round in my head................Then just one thought as I changed into my running gear and headed to the gym.............

STOP being a bloody princess, get in there and DO IT! 

So I Did  

5 mins brisk warm up walk and then I ran for 20 minutes without stopping, 5 mins cool down walk and do you know what? I haven't stopped smiling since................It wasn't fast.......It may not have been pretty for spectators but today I feel like a runner!!!

One last thought before I sign off for today

A Thank You 

To Mark 

for changing my life forever

for the second time

I Believe We Have A Winner

Before I get started on this weeks training (session 8) I have some really great news, well to be honest I have known for a couple of weeks but wanted to wait for the confirmation before announcing to the world.........drum roll please.....
I have won 2 places in the 5k Color Run at Brighton on the 14th September 2013.

This all came about because at the beginning of my training sessions, Mark said that it would be a good idea to enter for a race, this he said would keep me focused on my running.........well I did sign up for Park Run but that didn't really count in his book because I could go along any weekend so there was no real pressure. I was a bit scared to say the least at the idea of commiting to a dead line. Then one day back in July I was on the Womens Running UK website and saw a competition for 2 places in the Color Run. Yep you guessed I entered and won, and of course it will be Mark running with me. Now although this is a 5k run it isn't timed and the main idea is to have fun not try to beat your personal best, so all in all I think this is an excellent place for me to start (insert big grin)

With the Color Run now to focus on I was even more determined to do well this week with my training, I had also booked the week off of work fully intending to get all those niggling jobs done, you know all those things around the house that get pushed to the end of the "To Do list" because of work or late nights. I also fully intended to get some use out of my new gym membership. 

Well my timing couldn't have been more 'Off' the gym is CLOSED for 2 weeks for a complete refit, all new equipment is being installed Doh! not to be outdone, I went for a nice 4 mile steady paced walk with my sister on Tuesday,
Aqua Zumba on Wednesday and then running with Mark on Thurday night.

Training Session 8 (oops I seem to of run out of Dino pictures)
I wore my Brooks Puredrift, these are really an amazing pair of shoes and I promise I will get around to writing a full review one of these days.
We did our 5k through the woods and along the train track route, which really is pleasant, the evening was cooler and it had rained quite a lot during the day so the air was fresh and it felt easier to breathe, I am not sure if it was because of the exciting news (could also be read as panic) about the Color Run, the nice fresh air or the fact that I was feeling pretty stressed out over my dog being ill, but I just wanted to really push myself, I 'needed' to run. So run I did, then walked just long enough to catch my breath and then ran again as many times as I could, just random times not counting minutes or seconds just running till I couldn't run anymore, it felt wonderful. Before I even really noticed Mark was saying we had got to our half way point and we needed to turn around and head for home, so we chatted and ran and just for a few moments while we ran through the woods with the light of the day starting to fade, I felt free and at peace with the world, If this is how running can feel then I never want to give it up. As we approached our finishing point Mark was pushing me pretty hard to pick up the pace and bits like through the station car park that we would normally walk, he was egging me on to run. At the time I didn't know why he was in such a hurry, but all was soon revealed when he announced that we had finished our 5k and I had a new personal best time of......*another drum roll please*..........49 minutes and 41 seconds Yeeehaa!
Now I know this isn't exactly super speedy for some runners, but for me this is a major mile stone, I knew that I needed to get below 50 minutes for 5k so that I could enter at Park Run. Eight weeks ago I was doing 5k in 1 hour 11 mins.
Am I pleased............You bet your life, I am over the moon

Till the next time............