Humdinger of a run!!!

I did it........

Really pleased to blog today. I did the Hestercombe Humdinger, a 9.5mile "challenging" hill road race through the Quantocks. The rain held off, it was cloudy, cool and a great day for running. Evidently it was a good day as the course record got smashed by the guy in second place and the winner.. you'd be well gutted to come second and still beat the record, no bonus prize money for him...

No prizes for me except an intense feeling of achievement, satisfaction and almost £400 maybe more in sponsorship and of course a snazzy finishers T shirt and photo...woohoo!!

I completed the course in 1:43:14 which is just under a steady 11 minute mile pace. It's not fast but I was never built for speed, my target was 2hrs which I thought was realistic at 12 minute pace taking into account walking up some of the hills but I smashed it. The winner did it in nearly half that at 52minute something but he didn't look like a man who started running just 7 weeks ago. Woohoo to me! Running with other people around me seemed better than I thought aswell, having only really run on my own so far. The feeling of overtaking is good, being overtaken just spurred me on to move my butt faster! Using the trees and telegraph poles up the hills to pace the sadly very necessary walking moments, pleased to say they didn't start until I was almost 4 miles in and that was up the first of the 2 mega hills... Maybe I could have walked less and run more but it didn't feel that way at the time.. Still do not understand how some people can run 6 minute or less miles, my legs just don't go that fast!! Feel pretty fantastic mentally right now and the body isn't too sore, even got a nice massage at the end of the race from a rather nice young man.. always a bonus! I think inevitably I will feel it tomorrow, but maybe not as bad as the day after the Grt North back in 1998, or I seriously hope not!

Gotta keep running now, picked up lots of fliers today for more local races but my social calendar clashes with nearly all of them.... think I may have found something to do in May however, a mere 17km with an assault course, mud, water tunnels and a few Royal Marines for company... what have I got to lose....

So, dinner, something nice but with plenty of anti-oxidants... red wine... don't mind if I do!

Z xxx

tomorrow is race day!!!

It's nearly here, the challenge I've somewhat incredibly volunteered myself for!
I've had an OK last week of training, some hill work over the hills I'll run tomorrow and some more normal runs nearer home, which 6 weeks ago felt hard and now feel quite lame, but life has been very busy so I haven't had the time to put too many miles in.
My rest day today was spent shopping!!! That, I would like to add was after a half hour marching band gig playing bass drum for the launch of Race For Life at Clarks village in Street. My trapezii feel a bit tight and I so hope they ease off over night. I'm nervous about tomorrow, but I know I will do it. I have nearly £400 of sponsorship in pledges and online donations so far which is amazing. I also realise that 9.5 miles of hill running is hard but nothing compared with dealing with chemotherapy, major surgery, pain and the psychological hell of dealing with cancer, hence I know I will do this!
I've trained quite well but tomorrow will be my longest run since the Great North in 1998! I swore after that I would never do anything like it again, I remember having to get a lift up one flight of stairs the next day in the hospital as my knees just wouldn't bend.. Monday cycling to work could be fun!! I debated over long or 3/4 tights but am going for longs to keep my calves warm and not risk injury. I've carbo loaded and am even drinking isotonic sports fuel... what have I become! I am longing for a large glass of juicy red wine tonight but shall savour one or even two tomorrow as a reward!

I'll blog back tomorrow hopefully!

so much to do so little time!!!

A very hectic week has come to end. I've got so much on at the mo, including the race next weekend. I've only run twice this week, Tuesday and tonight. I was away Wednesday / Thursday in London and on Monday my left ankle was recovering from another direct hockey ball hit... wow it is still purple.... Tuesday I went hill running up in the territory of next weekends race, it was hard but I felt glad that I'd tackled them head on!!! Tonight I had very little time so I did a quick burst round the block to enable me to get everything else done.

Off away for the weekend but taking my kit with me and hoping to get a run in both days...

My race number has arrived... which is stark reality of what I'm going to embark on. Sponsorship is coming through slowly and I've blagged about £50 at work this afternoon. Without being militant, unless I have £200 behind me, I'm not doing this race!!! I certainly know enough people for this to be easily achievable.

I'm still running..... and I've entered a race!

It's February the 5th and I'm still running.

I had 2 days off due to injury and my body felt better for it. Thursday I went out for a fast 2.4 miler after work, managed 4.1 in good time last night and today was the big one. I had set myself a target of 7 miles today and I did 7.2. There was definitely a little bit left in the tank and I felt good. 75 minutes without stopping, some gentle inclines and I feel really pleased with myself for keeping to a 10 and just a little bit pace for all that way! In 5 weeks I've gone from struggling with 2 miles to entering a race......... yep!!
I've decided to do it!

I plan to run a 9.5 mile race described as "challenging" over the Quantock hills near to where I live. I am very nervous but very excited about it. To help me up and down those less than gentle inclines I am asking my friends to sponsor me. Later in the year i am doing race for life a 5km race for Cancer Research UK... so what you say, well I am doing three of them in 8 days as part of an all girl marching band, I shall be playing my horn (and possibly banging a bass drum) for the duration of each of those 15km in total. We started this 2 years ago and this year the band want to raise £20,000 by doing 3 marches. This personal challenge will hopefully allow some of my nearest and dearest to contribute to our joint total whilst helping me personally with this massive challenge!

If you care to help Zed run..... you could always visit  MARCHFORLIFE2011 with a credit card handy??? 

I'll keep the blog updated for anyone still out there reading!? Hope all those janathoners out there are still running February ragged too...