Thursday 30 August 2012

Worm hurdling to a PB!

With three weeks to the Great North Run, the excitement is building.  Aside of the fact that it is a family affair, a long (long) weekend is in store too as we have decided that instead of travelling up Friday and coming home on the Monday after the race as we usually do we are going to stay until Wednesday!

By way of training I've really just stuck to club training with the odd longer run at the weekend for good measure.  I'm not out to set any personal bests but instead just enjoy the race and soak up the atmosphere. I'm well and truly ready for it and Marc said the same last weekend after we completed a long run together (well not strictly true as he was way ahead of me!) I don't suppose hubby and I will see anything of our two sons who will be off like whippets at the gun.  Takes me back to 2006, our first Great North, when our two eldest sons decided after their Grandma was diagnosed terminally ill with the 'Big C' they would join us in the run (she lost her fight before we actually did the run) and raising sponsorship for Cancer Research and Martin House Hospice. I was a physical wreck for the most part, I don't even know why, but I was convinced because they both ran off with gusto, that we were going to come across them laid in the gutter, or that every siren we heard 'just might' be going to aid them.  I suppose it's a mum thing.  I'm sure this year will be similar.  I won't rest until I get to the finish and see them safe and sound, no mention of the fact that we parents are probably considered more at risk than they are!

The Askern 10 held last Monday gave me a chance to see where I am at in terms of fitness levels.  I went with the intention of giving it my best shot but really not expecting anything grand as my last to attempts at this race have really been no where near any of the other 10 mile races I have done.  I soon discovered I am worse than I thought at remembering where I have run.  I clearly had a conversation with some first time Askern runners on a club night last week and telling them it was one of the more urban 10 milers.  I really only could remember the built up areas, houses, shops etc.  In actual fact there is a large part of the race where there are fields on both sides, no off road sections but very rural! Me and my brain! Following said race anyway, I am now going to approach the Olympic Committee, my suggestion? Worm hurdling! I have never seen so many worms! Just what had brought them all to the surface of the tarmac I have no idea. Was it the stampede of runners? The recent rain maybe? I don't know but there were plenty of them. Good job I do watch where I'm putting my feet! Still getting used to the Garmin, I switched it on at the very last minute, again, by the time it had gained a GPS signal we were well and truly over the start line, a box I couldn't dicipher appeared on the screen and once I finished fumbling with it I realised there was already time and mileage on it.  It transpired I hadn't cleared it from my previous run after losing signal and the remaining mileage was now being added to my race! Crossing the finish line I didn't have a clue what time I had finished so when the results came out and I had run a 10 mile personal best by over four minutes I was elated! Maybe the worms had a hand in that!

The week ahead will hopefully be another steady week biding my time in preparation for the impending half marathon and hoping we can reach our fundraising target once again - with four of us on the team I'm hoping that won't be too difficult and we can once again do our charity, SCOPE, proud.
http://www.justgiving.com/TeamSteele2012

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