Streaking, social anxiety and podcasts...

I haven't blogged regularly for a while but hoping to try and get back into updating it more regularly over the coming months.

I recovered well and reasonably quickly after my Essex Way adventure and was soon back out running and getting the miles in. It helped being the summer holidays so I have also had plenty of time to rest and take care of myself which has made a massive difference.

Back in June I accidentally started a new run streak, I am currently on day 81 and loving it! I know people have different theories on whether streaking is good for you but I am feeling great, I am running a little faster and thoroughly enjoying my running again. I got to 624 days last time so a way to go to beat it!

I have struggled with anxiety over the past months, in particular my social anxiety and running is the one thing that keeps it manageable. I am waiting for a course of CBT to deal with it further but there have been times that without running I possibly wouldn't leave the house. Even the post parkrun coffee has been difficult some weeks, but sorting the finish tokens is a good distraction (or avoidance technique) and quite therapeutic! 

The main thing I want to talk about in this blog is podcasts, I have arrived pretty late to the podcast thing but now I am obsessed! I probably listen more to podcasts than watching TV at the moment. I have some favourites that I love listening to while I am running... 

The first which started off my podcast listening is Running is BS, Stuart and Amy talk about all the things we all love to hate about running, it makes me laugh and also I often find myself muttering about the things that are bullshit on my runs or agreeing out loud as I run and listen!

Behind the Medal podcast is another running/triathlon podcast hosted by Dean and Gary, again very funny and an honest look at what really happens during training, racing etc. I am a particular fan of ginger wisdom (you will have to listen!)

Off Menu with James Acaster and Ed Gamble is a food based podcast where they interview guests who put together their dream menu. Again very funny and great to listen to while running, although have to fight the urge to yell 'poppadoms or bread' when given water during a race!

Finally the one I have discovered during the last few weeks is My dad Wrote a Porno, Jamie, James and Alice present this and it is Jamie reading an erotic novel his dad has written, with added commentary from the others. The main issue with listening while I am running is that sometimes I am laughing so much I can't actually run! I need to work out a way to run, laugh and breathe at the same time.

All of these podcast make me laugh, I do often comment out loud and probably look like a complete nutter as I run round the Essex countryside. There have been times where I have been doubled over laughing and it does get you some odd looks! I am running trails more often as there are less people around and I can giggle without judgement!

Here are the links to the podcasts if you want to have a listen...

https://runningisbs.podbean.com/

https://www.behindthemedal.co.uk/

https://www.offmenupodcast.co.uk/

http://www.mydadwroteaporno.com/

My final news which I will write more about over the coming weeks is I am going to run an actual ultra race! A friend very kindly transferred his Saltmarsh Ultra (50 miles) to me. It has a generous cutoff of 17 hours so is a great low pressure ultra to get me back into racing. I haven't given up on my dream to complete 100 miles but going to race some shorter ultras for now and then who knows...

Happy running (and listening!) xxx

Running without goals...

My last blog was all about me not giving up on the triathlon dream before it began, hmmm well I have to confess to not going near the pool or bike since. I quite like swimming and would happily put in the effort to get better at it, my stumbling block is the cycling, I just don't enjoy it! Sorry cycling friends but I don't. I haven't made a final decision about the triathlon but I will over the next week or so. The thing is I want the exercise I do to be fun, to look forward to it as it's what I do when I'm not working!

This brings me onto the main point of this blog running without goals...

I have had the happiest week's running for a very long time, obviously it helps that I am a lot less stressed than I have been for a while and my mental health is improving so I feel more like me again, but it's not just that. I haven't raced since September last year when I did the Colne Engaine 5! This is mainly due to not having any money to enter races but it's great.

Running group friends at parkrun (photo by Mike Eldred)

It's half term this week so a week to do as I please and I have had some great runs, some with friends, some on my own, some with my dog,  loving running and supporting my friends at my running groups, today we ran far enough to warrant having coffee and cake at the end! I have started listening to music again on some of my runs. The best bit though has just been waking up and deciding as I put my trainers on where I'm going and how far, sometimes I don't even decide this till I get going.
Yesterday I had the whole day without much planned so I packed my race vest with some drink and a bag of jelly beans and just headed out the door, it was a beautiful morning and I ended up running 16 miles and loving every step.

Race vest and headphones ready for a long one!

I am still run streaking and am at day 412, with my streak now 2083 miles long, I have set myself a little goal of reaching 2500 miles at day 500! (So not running entirely without goals ha ha!)

I'm sure at some stage I will return to racing as there are lots out there I still want to do, and completing 100 miles is still firmly at the top of the worm food list. For now I am going to continue to run 'just for fun' and see what happens. Surprisingly I have found some speed recently (fast for me I hasten to add!) whether that's because I am feeling better or because I have no races to train for or a mixture of both who knows.

Enjoying a 'just for fun' long run

Hope you are all having as much fun with your running as I am, and if you have booked yourself into races enjoy the training and the events themselves.

Happy running xx

St Peters Way

First and foremost I have to say I had a brilliant day, weather was perfect and it was awesome...

Hmmm but I wasn't as quick as I wanted or should have been. I have been thinking about this a lot today during my drive to Worcester and back! The conclusion I have come to is I am like the child at school who is great in class, answers every question, work all completed to a high standard but put an exam paper in front of them and they go to pieces. That's me on race day! I do the training, it goes well and then race day comes around and the nerves and doubts begin and I am convinced it affects performance. My goal is to overcome this, I don't know how yet but I will do it...

       At the start

Anyway back to St Peters Way, 45 miles from Chipping Ongar to Bradwell-on-sea, I knew it was going to be muddy and I was prepared. I wasn't prepared to be running on day 1 of my period (sorry to any guys reading but I have to mention this!) it wasn't due, I wasn't expecting it and I wasn't impressed!! Popping behind a tree for a wee is one thing having to sort out other bits isn't so much fun, a more secluded spot is needed! As it turned out it didn't really give me any extra problems on race day but was an extra stress I didn't need! 

Registration, kit check and race brief done and we were off, it took me two whole legs to settle into the race and get my head into navigation mode, made some silly errors (how I suddenly didn't know my left from right I don't know!) I slipped in the mud about five miles in and had a horrible moment where I thought I had seriously hurt my left hamstring and ankle, but a stretch and a gentle run forwards and nothing felt too bad. My hamstring did twinge and niggle throughout the day and slowed my running down but I could still move forwards so just kept going at the best speed I could. 

After very brief stops at checkpoints one and two I decided to have a minute longer at three to regroup make sure I'd eaten enough and made the decision to see if a couple of paracetamol would get me moving a bit quicker. 

After leaving checkpoint three I did some maths and knew what speed I needed to stick at if I was going to better last years time it was going to be close. Even though I can't say my left leg was properly injured the earlier slip had obviously pulled things and power walking was proving less painful and quicker than the shuffly run I could manage. So a power walk to the finish it was going to be, I was  always walking at four and a half miles an hour or quicker during the last two legs and even managed to overtake someone still running! I had enough food and drink to see me to the end so chose not to stop at checkpoint four. I shouted them my race number and said I'm not stopping, Vicky a friend who was at that CP said she needed a photo, so I paused very, very briefly and got on my way.

     Very brief pose at CP4! 

I haven't mentioned the mud much, but there was lots and lots and lots, who knew there were so many different types of mud! I was running in shorts and was caked in it when I got to the end, I'm not sure what was in the mud but when I washed it off (it took two baths!) I was left with a burning, red rash all over my lower legs! 

      Post race foot!! 

Anyway back to the last leg, I was determined to finish before needing my headtorch but as it was getting colder I got it out at the same time as putting on an extra layer, this I managed without stopping, Lindley's advice of no matter what just keep moving was in my head and I was not going to slow down or stop for anything! I did a little (early) victory dance as the chapel came in to view and I knew I was nearly finished. I had about 30 minutes to get to the finish in the same time as last year. So I tried running 100 steps then walking 100 it seemed to work and the counting kept my head occupied! I was so pleased to see Maxine and Brian as I crossed the line, along with Richard, Rob and Len who had come to see myself and Lorraine finish, well done Lorraine on second female finisher, awesome running. My final time was 10:06 seven minutes quicker than last year. It is a great feeling to have friends at the finish line so thank you all for coming out to support and for driving me home, possibly not an offer I will get again after repeating last years post race vomiting! 

     Finished!

I'm not hugely disappointed, I had a fantastic day but am frustrated that I don't perform as well as I know I could and should on race day. This is something I will conquer and hopefully some day out on the trails the final piece of the puzzle will fall into place and I will achieve my full potential. Until then I will keep running, keep training and most importantly keep enjoying it!! I still get excited when I get my new training plan each month, I love long Sunday morning runs, and I love going to races. I guess when it stops being fun that's the time for a rethink...

Thank you to Lindley, Maxine and all the volunteers at Challenge Running for all the support and an awesome event.

     Lorraine (2nd place female) myself and Lindley 

Happy running all xx 

End of year ramblings...

 So another year draws to a close, shopping is done and we're waiting for Santa...

What better time to stop for a while and look back at what has been an awesome year of running or as I was thinking earlier nearly 13 years of running! If anyone had told me then, when I first laced up my trainers to lose a few pounds that running would end up entirely dominating my life I wouldn't have believed them. I really was just going to lose some weight and tick the London Marathon off my to do list!! 

13 years later I live and breathe running, obsessed, addicted or a healthy way to spend my time you decide but I wouldn't have it any other way. This year has been awesome, having Lindley as my coach has improved my running no end, I'm more confident about what I can achieve and although I had two DNFs this year and still have lots to learn I know it was 100% the right decision for me. Having that schedule on the fridge and knowing exactly what I have to do each week works for me and I love it. I no longer just run routes I know as my navigation skills have improved I'm happy to get out and explore. 

I still have The Flitch Way Marathon on New Year's Eve to take part in and then I will be completely focused on training even harder to ensure I finish Challenge Running's Grand Slam next year. Finishing the two races I didn't finish this year is constantly on my mind. Physically I believe I'm fit enough, toughening up mentally and being stubborn enough to get through the tough bits I'm working on! Another race I am fascinated by is The Hill, 48hours, 160 miles and 55 laps of a hill in Derbyshire in December. It is a insanely tough but I can't get rid of the little voice that keeps telling me I could potentially be the first female finisher, so when I finish the Chiltern Way Ultra next year I will seriously consider entering!! 

As always it's the people I have met along the way this year that really makes me happy to be part of the running community. Race directors, volunteers, other runners all support each other in a way that I'm not sure happens in other sports. 

My newest venture has been to join the core team of Great Notley's parkrun, Saturday I shadowed Richard as run director and although out of my comfort zone had a thoroughly enjoyable morning and am looking forward to going solo on 3rd January. It was a surreal morning as it was a fancy dress run for Christmas, so I shivered on the bench in my 118 costume as I delivered the run brief, to some Mexicans, Santas, Penguins, a two person parcel and even the Christmas dinner! I love parkrun and am really happy to be part of the team and looking forward to all that 2015 brings.

So 2014 has been a pretty good year and it can't end without me saying thank you to all those that have supported me this year... Lindley and Maxine, all the volunteers and runners at Challenge Running events, Richard, Łen and everyone at parkrun who have welcomed me as part of the team, the Commando Runners, the Nutters and everyone else I've met along the way this year. Also my non running friends and family who have supported and sponsored me.

Abbi, James and Ben my children, who listen to and encourage my crazy running plans I love you all x

Have a fantastic Christmas and New Year and happy running xx 

A crazy running year...

Well I can honestly say 2013 has been a great running year! Have loved it, lots of challenges, new friends and I think I am now an ultra runner, a very slow one but being out there running crazy distances is what I love to do!!

It's really hard to choose a favourite race as there are so many amazing memories from all of them, well apart from Run to the Beat but that one can be blanked from memory, no more mass participation, you must all be clones wearing the same t-shirt events for me!! 

The Wall was amazing and was really happy with my time of 18:38, a great event even if more was on road than I was expecting, but loved it, loved the support and the craziness of running into Newcastle at 2am with a couple of drunk blokes asking why I was running at that time and the look of disbelief when I said I'd run from Carlisle, another drunk lady who gave me £10 for my charity while I was checking in at my hotel. 

Endure 24 (or enjoy 24) as we renamed it was another highlight, a crazy weekend with great friends, and The 100 Mile run a four day run through the Cotswolds, probably my slowest, plaugued with niggles, but loved every minute, the camping, the sun, the rain, the last day when Bath never seemed to get any closer, the discovery of how many different ways you could undo a gate, unforgettable times.

A new PB at Halstead marathon, my favourite marathon, still not quite sub 4:30 but getting very close, next year, and Stort 30 was another great run with great friends.

This blog could go on and on and on as so many amazing running memories, but I can't finish without talking about all the amazing running friends I have met along the way, this year saw the formation, after Colchester half, of The Commando Runners (not named because we are highly trained, lean, mean fighting machines!!) an amazing group of people who support, encourage and have fun running and doing other stuff. You can always be sure that whatever local race you turn up at there will be a friendly face running, supporting, encouraging and Parkrun has become a real Saturday morning social occasion to start the weekend off well.

So looking to next year, 'Challenge 2014' has already been planned and plotted, Challenge Running Ltd, 4 events ranging from 30 to 125 miles, all entered, training underway, raising money for Moorfields Eye Hospital. Looks like 2014 will be another crazy, ultra running year...