Julie's Eccleshill Road Running

Way off the mark

2012-01-24T08:54:00.000-08:00

I'm currently doing some soul searching. I really can't remember having the feelings and emotions I experienced following Sunday's Brass Monkey half marathon. Setting goals I now realise can be a little precarious. Whilst I think on the whole aiming for goals can only be a good thing I now realise if things don't go to plan it can also have a detrimental effect. All part of learning I suppose. However, at around mile 11 on Sunday I never wanted to run again!

I had wrestled with my thoughts on running with Lyndon and by and large came to the conclusion that it could be my salvation in terms of getting me the time I had set my sights on, 1 hr 50 minutes. That wonderful thing 'hindsight' has popped up again and I wish I had some of it at the right time sometimes. With it, I might well have done one of two things, pulled out of the race or at least given myself a break and lowered my goal to take into account my health and the horrendous weather bestowed on us over the weekend.

Instead I took the decision to run with Lyndon and agreed if I couldn't keep up he should keep going. Hmm, 2 miles in and he pulled away, never looking back, gasping as I fought to catch my breath, I kept him in my sights up until about mile 5 and then I didn't see him again. I plodded on trying to fight against the wind, at times being blown off the path and into ditches, once even having another runner blown into me! The further into the race I got, the weaker I got, I hadn't anything at all in the tank. I told my self at mile ten I only had a parkrun to go. By mile 11 I was in pain across the bottom of my back and chest, I felt sick and I truly considered giving in. I have never, ever done that before. Coming back into the village of Bishopsthorpe, the cheery marshals kept telling runners that they had only a mile to go, what seemed like an age later I came upon the 12 mile marker. eventually I struggled back into York race course, the relief was immense. Not having once looked at my watch, I stopped it and glanced down, just as I expected I was way off the mark - way off my previous time for the same race even. How had I got it so wrong? I hadn't a clue, my head was fuzzy and I couldn't think straight. I joined the queue for drinks and was thrust a plastic bag, 'one size fits all' said the man. When I finally was able to comprehend what he had given me I realised it was a 'large' gilet displaying the race logo! Wonderful, the darn thing doesn't even fit so I don't even get a reward for my efforts. I do wish that race organisers would take into account that smaller people finish near the back of the field too!

A few hours later I was able to look back on the race, nobody likes making excuses and it's difficult to accept that there are going to be days when your race or run don't go according to plan, c'est la vie! I've now cut myself some slack but my pride is still a little dented and it might take me a while to think about chasing goals in the future!

All in order...

2012-01-21T05:54:00.000-08:00

I'm writing a short blog this morning in an attempt to get my thinking in order. I hope. It's been another busy week what with this session, that session and a new yoga class thrown in for good measure! I have to admit to feeling a little under the weather today, so my plan is to chill and destress. Starting this morning with a long hot bath and self pamper session. I won't go into details! 'Thank God' I hear you cry?

Well this brings me to here and now. Reflecting on the week. I have been searching for a while for some form of cross training and I'm really pleased I joined a yoga class on Thursday evening and I plan to keep going until I either, get the gist of it or figure it's really not for me. The good thing is, unlike my first Zumba class, I do want to go again. I also plan to go back to my Wii fit yoga for an extra session each week too, I'm sure the 'real thing' will aid me in this. Funny how some people's reaction to the Wii fit yoga is 'oh it'll be nothing like it' - it really is, I was surprised that apart from the teacher being 'virtual' (an advantage here is I can choose a female or a hunky male!) the poses are very much correct, the teaching of the class is what's not, having to choose each pose with the cursor, I can skip the poses I don't feel I'm very good at, therefore, never will be!

I'm hoping it was a one off but the morning after yoga - and coincidentally completing a health questionnaire before the class, stating that I suffer with migraine, as I have since my teens although attacks are few and far between these days, yes you guessed it, I suffered a migraine, quite mild but I'm still feeling the effects today. Anyhow the good news is that Fen (yoga teacher) has assured me that although the first yoga class often brings out a few things in clients it's often the breath (as we often don't breathe properly on a day to day basis) that causes it rather than the physical side of things, and it shouldn't last. Here's hoping.

So last night I received a text from club mate Mick asking if I would like to run with fellow club mate Lyndon tomorrow at the Brass Monkey. He said although I was looking for a PB, Lyndon wasn't going for a time (he's returning from injury), so decisions, decisions. Once more I sit on the fence, part of me thinks I should not put myself through the stress beforehand, I'm slightly worried for some reason, I'm of the mind that this may well affect my sleep tonight, and as I'm already feeling fatigued won't help my race. On the other hand I could be missing out on an opportunity to be paced round and at the end of the day if I find I can't keep up then Lyndon can go and do his own thing is that's what he wants, so long as we agree that beforehand then what's to lose? I think I might have talked myself into that one!

Now as I write the house doors are rattling and I can hear the wind howling down the chimney, let's hope that dies down before tomorrow. I think I need to go lie down now.........

Mine Hosts!

Not deep but crisp!

2012-01-16T21:30:00.000-08:00

The last few days being extremely cold and frosty makes you aware of how difficult it is to choose what gear to run in. One minute it's mild, next it's windy and driving rain, next slippery under foot! Yesterday was a slight shock when I got up fairly early to prepare to meet club members to travel over to Temple Newsam in Leeds for race number 3 in the 2011/12 Peco cross country league. Having celebrated my son's 30th birthday the previous evening with a scrumptious meal and a drink or three I'd had to prise my eyelids open to peer out of the curtains, everywhere was white, no snow, just severe frost. Brrrr I really could have climbed back into bed, 'I'll probably end up walking most of it or even worse I can see my lamb shank et al making an unscheduled reappearance' I thought as I shuffled into the bathroom! I knew though I couldn't let the team down with such a lame excuse, so I told myself I'm turning up to make up a team and if we had a team without me I could sit this one out and cheer them on. Alas, Gill, Shirley, Amanda and me made up the team of four we needed to score! I needn't have worried about having my excuses ready though, the ground was so frozen, at times slippy, rutted, tree roots, tractor tracks frozen so solid they were difficult to negotiate, all manner of obstacles in the way that I had a mountain of excuses for being even slower than normal, not least waiting for what seemed like an age in a queue to get over a stile.

The highlight of the day for me though was when we emerged from the woodland and got to the bottom of quite a steep incline and the lady marshal at the bottom was repeatedly shouting (in her German accent I think it was) 'up past the temple and go straight forward' - temple? I thought - are we heading back towards the house? Upon getting to the top of the short but steep incline, behold, there it was, 'The Little Temple' - a small stone built structure, I obviously couldn't hang around to read the tourist information board but I definitely intend to return some time soon to have a closer inspection of that and the surrounding area of Temple Newsam. One of the beauties of running is that you get to places you wouldn't normally get to near and far!

Another frosty evening awaited us for tonight's club (Enterprise) session, speedy and active though it was, the arrival of my number for the Brass Monkey Half Marathon today reminding me to take it slightly easier than I normally would, it failed to even warm an inch of my body! So with the half marathon in mind this weekend I'm planning to take the rest of the week easy too, rest tomorrow, club night Wednesday, my first yoga class on Thursday and club Friday, and a sports massage tomorrow should ensure I get to the start line confident of my target, a sub 1:50 half marathon, whoops, that's twice I've said it now......

Whistle while we run!

2012-01-11T10:08:00.000-08:00

Parkrun, Leeds, Hyde Park last Saturday heralded the first 2012 race in the Eccleshill Winter championship, incidentally, of which there are only five remaining, can't be too long until Summer then can it? A breezy, drizzling morning met us in the park, hundreds assembled to run the 5k time trial, 8 of us in the blue and white club colours. I bravely stripped down to my club tee shirt and began to shiver immediately and that was just at the sight of Mick Hogan in nothing more than his vest, all the other ladies and one gent had long sleeved tops under theirs - now why didn't I think of that? Lap three of three and I finally began to be able to feel my hands and arms again! Sipping freshly brewed coffee and nibbling my delicious chocolate brownie in the Opposite cafe afterwards made it all worthwhile. When the results came through my time wasn't what I had hoped but only seconds away from my 5k PB I couldn't really complain. I am, I think, still suffering the effects of the Christmas excesses and I didn't wear my new running shoes either as I was for warned that it was muddy! The excuses are piling up! I really did enjoy the change of scenery though and hope to go back some time soon.

A long run on Sunday with some of the girls from club was another welcome change. We met at Rawdon Meadows, Apperley Bridge and set off on the road to Bingley, once there we got onto the canal for the return journey. As we approached Dobson Lock at Apperley Bridge my spirits were lifted upon hearing a whistle from one of the cottages on the side of the canal, looking over to find out who it was it soon became apparent that it was in fact a parrot whose owner had sat him in the porch quite probably for some fresh air! We giggled! It soon became clear that our planned 10 mile at 10 am wasn't 10 miles but over 12! Brilliant confidence booster for the Brass Monkey half marathon which is looming. A week and a half away now, it feels good to have got the miles in the bank. Now to try not to over do it before race day.

After failing to get to club for the last two Wednesday's I really missed going out this morning but no doubt I will feel better when I get back from my run this evening! Funny how you can get used to a different routine so quickly. I won't make a habit of it though.

Chatting to Anne (of member of the month fame!) at parkrun the subject of yoga came up, I've had a stretch of doing it on my Wii fit and did quite well for a while but like most things you try to do solo, I gave up after a couple of months. Anne said the class she goes to at a local church might be what I need so I've agreed to give it a go when she comes back from her skiing holiday. A week tomorrow will be my first class. I'm quite looking forward to it and then maybe I'll be able to do an extra session each week on my Wii fit and most probably do it correctly. I always felt that without instruction I may not have been carrying out the poses correctly so hopefully I'll be able to make a comparison! Bring on the cross training!

On reflection.......

2012-01-03T05:32:00.000-08:00

HaPpy NeW YeAr!

Let's hope it is! On reflection 2011 has had it's ups and downs, not least with the economic climate, business has been very 'peaks' and 'troughs', even worrying at times. As for my running though it's been a steady 'up' for the most part. With PB's in every distance (except the marathon - I haven't run one!) and some distances several times over, I've had an excellent year running wise and coming into 2012 I can only hope it continues. I don't expect to continue on the up but as long as I can maintain an even keel then I'll be more than happy. Most runners know that the consequences of injury e.g. not being able to run, are not good for mind, body and soul. We runners need our 'fix' on a regular basis! So here's hoping and doing everything I can to make sure and I have Peter May to thank for assisting me with this! I'm not one for making resolutions but with all that in mind I have just a couple of running goals I would like to achieve in the coming year and they are to complete a sub 50 minute 10k and a sub 1:50 half marathon. There, I said it! I have purchased new running shoes with vouchers I received for Christmas - I know, I know, I'm like a kid with money burning holes in my pocket but they were much needed and tell me, who can resist red? Hopefully these beauties will help me in my quest!

Other running related gifts included membership of the Great North Run so for the first time ever I don't need to vie for a ballot place, I'm guaranteed one for the next three years! Wahey!

As I begin another year as a member of Eccleshill Road Runners I am a true champion of joining a club if you have any thoughts of improving your running, making friends, that feeling of 'belonging' is second to none. I've found that there's always someones friendship you can call on, be it for support with your running or a non-running related problem. Through the club I have made some true friends and long may it continue.

I'm unable to get to club tomorrow, the second Wednesday in succession, this time due to a family funeral so I'm once more planning an early morning run although the weather is doing it's level best to scupper that, I plan to carry on regardless! So far Lisa has agreed to join me so it won't be such a lonely run as last week. Having run the club 3 mile time trial for the first time last night (I am usually chief timer, thank you Alison) - I really felt the Christmas excesses - felt sick, got stitches and felt generally yuk when I had finished although I was quite pleased with my 27:15 time as it's not an easy route with numerous roads to cross, an uphill finish and the wind howling at us all the way round!

Wedding bells, Christmas Bells, picture frames and all!

2011-12-26T15:00:00.000-08:00

The last couple of weeks have been manic....in fact it's all a bit of a blur now it's all over. In amongst it all though the highlight has to be the wedding of fellow ERR member Sophie to James, simply beautiful! Alas after the celebrations though it was back to work. Just why people think we have picture frames under the counter in which to fit their football shirts, drum sticks and jeggings (yes I did say jeggings!) I really don't know. Now though, after two weeks of madness, including late nights, even managing to leave work and go to run club and then go back to work some nights, I can proudly say we didn't turn one customer away. Here's hoping those who received something in one of our frames this year were pleased with it. It's sure been a hard slog for the both of us. Arriving at our Gallery though on Christmas eve eve morning to find the door kicked in was unpleasant to say the least. Thankful that the hooligans hadn't managed to actually get inside, Martin managed to raise a smile as he popped his head out through the gaping hole as I took a photograph for nostalgic reasons, one to show the grandchildren in a few years.

One of the evenings I strived to get to club was the Christmas lights run - our route took us up to the very top of Idle and through Swaine House, stopping momentarily outside numerous houses to adore their decorations, it was apparent on some streets Mrs Smith was clearly trying to out do Mrs Jones. Arriving back at the clubhouse we proceeded to kick off the festive season with mince pies, amazing Nigella chocolate hazelnut cake and mulled wine.

I've managed to fill the gap of the first holiday from run club with a race. Today (Boxing Day) saw my first ever attempt at the Chevin Chase 7 mile, I've so far avoided entering the race in the knowledge that it would put a damper on Christmas day as I would be sure to avoid over indulgence. The last couple of years though I have regretted not taking part after no signs of over indulgence anyway! So I decided this year would be my first attempt. I was relieved when Lisa suggested that she, Gill and I should run together and treat it as a training run. We did just that. It was extremely windy up on that there Chevin, coupled with copious amounts of mud - we had a brilliant run. Rather hilly though it was, I'm now looking forward to next year's race already.

Due to yet another family party I'm unable to get to club on Wednesday so I'm now off to plot a route for a morning run - working towards the Brass Monkey next month I need to make sure I keep my mileage up.

Medal Envy!

2011-12-12T06:17:00.000-08:00

With our first snow run out of the way last Monday and our monthly time trial well and truly scuppered I fully expected the weather to deteriorate further as the week went along but despite being cold and occasionally frosty we weren't prevented from following our usual Calendar of events in the running stakes. Undercliffe Cricket Club have decided to shut down the changing block completely for the winter in light of last year's burst pipe issues and asked us to move into the cosy club house and provided us with a hot water boiler and cups and saucers, add to that the occasional cake and who wouldn't want to turn out on even the most wintry of evenings? It feels like we are being 'put up' in a hotel!

Friday though, was a different story. As we got out into the car park to warm up it began snowing, flakes as big as old pennies (if you're old enough to remember the size you'll know, if not, trust me, they were big!) I was quite giddy, the flakes swirling round in the wind made the car park look picture postcard beautiful! As we set off the fair weather runners amongst us bid a hasty retreat and those of us prepared to tolerate the inclement weather conditions pushed onwards. It didn't last too long and although bitterly cold it wasn't unpleasant to run. Cosiness was soon back with us as in no time at all we filed into the club house afterwards to brew up!

The weekend turned quite mild which inevitably brought us some rain. On Sunday I had volunteered to marshal at the Epilepsy Action Reindeer Stampede in Robert's Park at Saltaire. It began to rain soon after we had set off. Gradually got worse and really didn't let up for the whole of the race. Considering the year before the same race had had to be postponed until well into the New Year due to ice and snow the conditions were completely different, unpleasant though it was for us marshals, the youngsters in the race seemed undeterred for the most part and even some of the adults seemed to be able to enter into the spirit of it all despite the soggy conditions. A chap strapped by reins to his female partner formed Santa and his sleigh pulled by the one reindeer much ot our amusement, there were also people running round the course with inflatable reindeer of varying sizes!

Our ERR loan ranger was Dawn, a casualty of last year's postponement she had deferred her entry to this year as when the race was rescheduled it clashed with another race. No less than a dozen of her team mates were there in a voluntary capacity to cheer her on though. Dawn joined Tom and I ( Lisa and Steve had also joined us) at our marshalling post after the race to off load her reward for running, a mince pie which she didn't like! I noticed the medal around Dawn's neck and turned it over, oh how cute, a cartoon reindeer was peering back at me! At that point I so wished I had been running to earn a medal, suitable for hanging on the Christmas tree I thought! Next year for sure!

Post race coffee and cake at the Half Moon Cafe in Robert's Park made up for the miserable weather and off home I went to make preparations for putting my Christmas tree up, before that though I managed to convince my family to go back to Saltaire and visit Salts Mill to get into the Christmas spirit!

Tree now suitably installed it'll be a pleasure to return home each day after work to the cosy festiveness of my living room, the test is going to be getting myself out of the door and leaving it all behind!

Tally ho!

2011-11-30T00:41:00.000-08:00

Eccleshill at Ackworth

Being a year since the last cross country race had quite clearly enabled me to erase all but a few memories of the five races in last year's Peco Cross Country League! Elves bells is one blog post I recall frequently, a constant reminder of that is the lady who dressed as the elf and overtook me in the snow and ice on a steep hill as I gasped my way to the top! She is reminiscent of an 'ever present' at the London marathon, always seems to be at the same races as me. Now, I bear no grudges - just horrific hauntings of those darn bells in the distance, coming ever closer and closer as I struggled to the summit, and of course, the humility of being overtaken by an Elf!

I felt I did go some way to redeeming myself on Sunday at the first race in this year's XC league, crossing the line in front of said lady did make me feel marginally better. The memory though, lives on. A very sunny but cold and extremely windy morning greeted us for the start of the race at Ackworth. Wondering what the blazes possessed me to don only my club vest, I shivered and shook and we had well over an hour to wait before the off, thank heaven for my ERR hoodie! Walking part of the route it didn't appear to be nearly half as muddy as I had expected given the amount of rain which had fallen over the previous few days. Thankfully the time passed fairly quickly and we were soon set off on our way, the manner in which everyone surges forward into the countryside makes you feel like shouting 'tally ho!'. A few hills were exacerbated by the immense wind in our faces, making it difficult to catch your breath. Despite crossing the line fairly near the back of the field I felt a sense of achievement, maximum effort, team spirit, cheered by and for team mates made it all worthwhile. A coffee from the 'Frothy Coffee Man' before we set off home topped off a wonderful morning!

Undeterred by the previous day's activities I went to Monday club night fully aware that the session was 'Enterprise Surprise'. I absolutely love these sessions so ignored my own advice that really I should do something less vigorous. The club provides this type of session on a monthly basis and it amazes me every time how the competitiveness surfaces in each and every one of us! It is so rewarding when the team you are in gains a victory. (We are shuffled about after each activity so everyone gets a chance to compete with and against each other.) Such fun! Next month's session cannot come around quick enough! No doubt it will be more than welcome as we try to work off the season's festivities!

Please note:
No elves were harmed in the writing of this blog!

I predict a PB!

2011-11-24T08:41:00.000-08:00

Am I becoming predictable I ask myself? Another PB on Sunday at the Abbey Dash didn't quite cut it in the same way as the others I've achieved recently. Did I set my sights a little high? I crossed the line in 51:52 after looking at my watch at the 9k mark it read 46 minutes... and for a few fleeting seconds I raised my hopes that I could dip under the 50 minute mark. Who was I kidding? For some unknown reason I had imagined that a kilometre was much shorter than it really was! I tried to do the maths in my head but had clearly worked very hard and my judgement was somewhat clouded! This no doubt contributed to how disheartened I felt when I learned I hadn't managed a sub 50 10k. Talk about being hard on yourself. I ran the race when just the day before I had doubted that I was well enough to run, never mind if I could bag a personal best! Thankfully I soon came to my senses and despite gaining only a few seconds on my previous 10k best I began to feel much better about it, 'maybe next year' I told myself! After the race we went to The Light to find a coffee house with my family and as we entered the shopping centre Christmas music was being played - it was all decorated ready for the festive season, for the rest of the day I repeated PB in my head to the Christmas tune!

Enterprise surprise - fitness improving at it's best! Monday club session was enough to lift anybody's mood. I don't suppose it is the most sensible thing to do following a race the day before but I really don't feel it did me any harm. Quite the opposite! I find it so uplifting and it always amazes me how it brings out the competitive streak in each and everyone of us! I went home feeling on top of the world and apart from the usual DOMS for a couple of days suffered no ill effects. I managed 6 mile run out on my own on Wednesday afternoon after circumstances beyond my control meant I couldn't get to club in the evening. Apart from a head wind all the out I found it to be a pleasant and stress busting run where I lost myself in my thoughts and in no time at all arrived at Nab Wood Cemetery to place flowers for my late grandson's 5th birthday. It wasn't the distance I was expecting so I wished I hadn't arranged a lift and run back home too. That's the beauty of running, it gives you the ability to offload your baggage and return lighter in mind, body and soul.

Due to the club's AGM there is no run tomorrow evening so I may find myself on a solo run for a second time this week if I can get myself up bright and early to get out before work. Time will tell. I may even try and take in some off road in preparation for the first race on the Peco cross country calendar this coming Sunday, no PB's there no doubt! Now where are those trail shoes........

Pudsey to the rescue!

2011-11-18T07:09:00.000-08:00

Inter club training at Leeds based club Hyde Park Harriers on Tuesday evening very nearly turned into a disaster for some of us. After meeting up with a few other club members to travel over to 'The Edge', the sports centre at Leeds University where Hyde Park Harriers meet to train we set off over to Leeds but very soon we were caught in traffic and naturally began to panic. As we did not know exactly where we were supposed to be going when we set off we knew we would be cutting it fine anyway. Finally arriving in the region of Hyde Park we managed to accost a young lady who gave us precise directions to said sports centre. Her directions were very accurate and in no time at all we found where we were supposed to be, 13 minutes late. Unfortunately upon enquiring at reception we were informed they had already set off! Quite a lot of effort had gone into actually getting from work, to home, to the meeting place and finally to Leeds, I felt quite deflated. Fortunately Dawn suggested the five of us should run anyway. So Myself, Dawn, Alison, Kathryn and Marc had a nice steady 3 mile jog, winding round the city centre where the Christmas lights were a sight to lift anybody's mood! I would have been clueless as to where I was going around there so thanks to Dawn and Alison for their navigation skills. When we got back to The Edge our club mates and the Hyde Park Harriers had arrived back from their various runs. Shame we missed out but hopefully some time soon we can get a return visit organised, this time we'll know exactly where we need to be!

Pudsey to the rescue?!!

So I've had a very up and down week, (and I don't mean hills), three visits to the dentist and a very near visit to the doctors, I'm trying to convince myself not to go to club this evening. I've told myself all week that I felt better after a run only to find after a night's sleep that I'm coughing and barking worse than ever. It's always difficult to ascertain whether a visit to the doc is in order or whether you'll come across as a bit of whimp when you sit in the chair opposite him trying to put your best 'poorly voice' on and convince him you really are ill! I always seem to feel better once I've made the appointment. So I've avoided it so far but figure I may well benefit from putting my feet up and spending the evening with Pudsey, watching lots of money being raised for 'Children in Need'. Since the dark nights are well and truly upon us it does seem very appealing. I also have a number for the Abbey Dash on Sunday and think maybe I will benefit from a rest. I've entertained thoughts that I should really 'go for it' and try and bag another PB since the route out to Kirkstall Abbey and back is virtually pancake flat. I could of course, sit back and accompany my Sister who is running the race to raise sponsorship for a premature baby incubator awww. I'd be fibbing though if I didn't admit that I've been thinking about this race for ages. Since the Jane Tomlinson 10k in York yielded me a PB of 52 something I've been thinking that the Abbey Dash just might be the race that I could dip under 50 minutes, or is that too much to ask? I don't know, I also don't know if I'm fit enough so maybe the easy option might be kinder to my health and my ego.

No pain, no gain!

2011-11-13T22:15:00.000-08:00

Training has gone well again this week. Despite not getting a recovery run in I was mighty pleased on Wednesday when, even though I had already done the 10 mile Guy Fawkes race the previous Sunday, a few of us managed to complete an 11 mile run and I was able to haul myself up Carr Lane at Shipley quite near the finish! The weather has done a u turn this week though and been a little kinder to us, no hail stones at least! No doubt next week will be different story again as we are hauled head long into Winter, Bbrrrr.

It's an age old saying 'no pain, no gain'and looking at the photo Ian Watson took of me as I was running to the finish on the final third of the race track at today's YVAA race at Spenborough my face said it all!

On Saturday afternoon out of the blue my voice disappeared! Some might say that is good thing but worryingly I also began coughing uncontrollably as I tried to clear my throat in a bid to emit even just one word from my voice box! All to no avail. I went to bed that evening wondering whether I would be able to breathe let alone run in the morning! Realising it was the last race in the series and I had completed them all so far, I tried to think positive and told myself at worst I could walk now and then if it meant getting round and affording myself the accolade of having run all 8 races. As it turned out I didn't have to voluntarily walk at all, a few enforced stops to clamber over fences and stiles sufficed!

Something I did realise during the race is the value of trail shoes. I've often thought maybe I didn't need to wear them and could have probably worn my road shoes during off road races. Today as I witnessed runners around me wearing road shoes and trying their damnest to stay on their feet as they slipped from underneath them in the copious amounts of gloop, I was truly grateful I had worn my Adidas Kanadias, they certainly ensured I stayed on my feet! They also served to instil a sense of security which in turn gives you the confidence to plough through it. I was not so grateful though when it came to running on the refurbished railway section which is now tarmacked and lined with sheep fashioned from old scrap metal and adorned with plastic 'carrier bag' bows around their necks! My calves screamed as each step resembled two pieces of concrete crashing into each other. I really must do some research and see if there aren't some trail shoes on the market which also offer cushioning. If and when I find some they will be firmly placed at the top of my Christmas list.

*Update
My reward for my efforts yesterday? Nearly 7 minutes taken off my time for the same race last year!

For Fawkes Sake!

2011-11-07T08:22:00.000-08:00

An unlikely name for a hill but along with the 'Birstwith Brute' and the 'Swinford Swine', 'For Fawkes Sake' was just that! Just where do we get the ability to block out such atrocities as how steep hills are in races we have previously taken part in? I can't think of any other reason why one would enter such a race where the naming of hills actually gives the game away other than that I've 'forgotten' just what it was like!

We awoke to frost covered cars yesterday morning but as we prepared to travel over to Ripley for the Guy Fawkes 10 mile race the sun was shining so we knew the frost would bid a hasty retreat quite soon. Chilly as it was it was most pleasant but that didn't stop my teeth chattering as we gathered at Morrisons, Five Lane Ends to travel over with fellow Eccleshill runners. I began to wonder whether I had made a mistake turning up in only a vest but there wasn't much that could be done now so off we set.

Arriving in the beautiful village of Ripley we made our way to the village hall to collect our numbers. We were greeted by impeccable organisation and joined the relevant queue marked alphabetically with the first letter of our surname. In no time at all we had our numbers and off we went to find a patch of sunshine in which to stand in a bid to keep warm. It was a little too early to consider warming up for the race. Thankfully it didn't seem too long before we were herded to the start line to begin our attack of the challenging course. A water station at Birstwith, mile 4, heralded the first hill - most runners around me were walking but I some how managed to summon the will power to keep plodding up the steep incline, it seemed never ending but I felt a great sense of relief when I got to the top and we turned left to continue along a much flatter section. Carr Lane eat your heart out!

Two more hills ensued but I really couldn't help smiling when I saw the sign at the bottom of the final hill, it read 'For Fawkes Sake'. The marshals all around the course were very encouraging, especially on the hills, their words of encouragement were a great boost.

When I finally got to the finish I felt a great sense of pride that I had completed it without having to walk at all and was rewarded with yet another personal best time. I had resigned myself to the fact that I would not better my previous 10 mile best since I had set it at the Eccup 10 which although not totally flat is no where near as challenging as Guy Fawkes so imagine my surprise when I did just that, finishing in 1:32:59!

In past years the goody bag has been second to none as the race is sponsored by Nestle and although it didn't live up to it's usual high standards it was way better than most others, containing a bounty of chocolate products, with a technical tee shirt and a bottle of water thrown in who could complain?

Tonight's club session is the monthly time trial at which I am resident timer so I won't get to run the 3 mile route as a recovery run so I'll just have to rest until Wednesday, sounds good to me - I may even indulge a little chocolate, I think I've earned it!

A funny old week, or two........

2011-10-30T21:17:00.000-07:00

The last couple of weeks have been the kind 'you're glad to see the back of', one way or another. It happens occasionally and I'm trying not to dwell on it.... Beginning the week following the Bridlington Half with the club Monday speed and hills session it was incredible how much the weather changed since the day before when I had been paddling in the sea. I set off to club hoping that Marc and I were the only ones who thought it was acceptable to turn up, we could perhaps then turn round and go back home. Wrong! Five others braved the hurricane wind and rain. Thankfully as quite a few members had taken part in the half marathon the day before it was decided there and then that the planned 'Enterprise Surprise' session wouldn't be a good idea for most people and we would see what people wanted to do instead, suggesting a 3 mile run would suffice! Phew how glad was I that we wouldn't be hanging around doing sprinting/speed work - given the weather conditions to be honest it would have been near impossible, just trying to keep moving forward was bad enough. The howling wind hurled the rain at us so hard it felt like hail. We managed the 3 mile run and arrived back at Pulse Gym soaked to the skin and freezing cold, despite that I felt a sense of achievement that I had battled through despite the awful conditions. Remembering previous moments of madness is always a great tool for getting me out of the door! Try it and see! A fair weather runner I am not!

Wednesday we had a group joining us from Morrisons HQ on Gain Lane, a stones throw away from Undercliffe Cricket Club. With our Winter training base being on their doorstep it was decided it was worth a try to approach them to suggest that to forge links might well be beneficial to both parties. Helen met with them and they had seemed enthusiastic, a staggering 50 of their employees had completed this year's Great North Run! A very friendly group turned up to join us for a run and indulge in tea and cakes afterwards. Despite us returning to base to find water gushing out of the door when we unlocked it they all seemed to have enjoyed their run with us. Thankfully it was a minor hiccup where the ballcock had detached itself and the cistern had overflowed and it's now drying out nicely, I did, however, expend more energy sweeping water out of the building than I had done running!

The week drew to a close with yet another of those incidents of setting off to a race and not getting there. The Woodland Challenge - although only at Brighouse proved elusive as we set off to support the runners. Confusion as to which direction we should travel along the M62 meant we were delayed and not. it seemed, going to get there in time. Finding out later that the start was delayed by half an hour just might spur my better half on to persevere with our journey if and when that happens again, so instead of cheering in the runners we ended up in Ikea cafe!

Thankfully this weeks training has seen better weather conditions - Autumnal runs have certainly been so much more pleasant but ironically I've ended up with a streaming cold and cough. I keep harping on to myself how fast time flies but by heck it was reiterated as we did hill repeats up Lister Lane trying to wade through the mountain of leaves which have once again fallen off the trees, makes you feel like a kid again, remembering how we used to fashion them into a pile with our feet sideways, then dive in them! Just a shame my week culminated in a visit to the dentist - having put off the inevitable the week before I finally had a tooth removed and have been left with a deep sense of loss almost like mourning and I've been feeling sorry for myself which so far has halted my running for a few days. In my defence it did say on the after care sheet that I hadn't to do any strenuous exercise for a few hours afterwards. Today I thought about running to Saltaire where Marc was playing football so I would be able to get a lift back.

Accidentally on purpose PB

2011-10-17T08:21:00.000-07:00

Oh I do like to be beside the seaside.....Me and my medal!

Suited and booted.....the new way to run, or so it seems. Running back to the club house with Liz on Friday evening we were confronted by a young man running full tilt, in a suit! I giggled and commented to Liz that it may be the new way to run! Of course, I didn't actually think he was out for a run but he showed no signs of slowing down as we carried on up the road so maybe it is a new fad, who knows! I'd been trying to convince Liz that the upcoming half marathon she had agreed to 'because there was a number going spare' would all work out fine providing she got the idea into her head, since that is half the battle, and it reminded me of the times I have done exactly the same. It is rather daunting when you find yourself on the start line of race you hadn't planned to do, it feels a little like an accident! By and large though it's always turned out fine for me in the so I was confident I had spoken from experience and Liz would be fine.

Thankfully I was still looking forward to said half marathon, thoughts of travelling to the seaside always seem to over shadow the fact that I have, at some point, got to undertake a race, the real reason I am there! 35 of us met to board the coach and there was certainly an air of excitement, despite the fact that we had had a very late night phone call to inform us that in fact the coach we were travelling on had suffered a breakdown and we would now have to travel on two separate coaches. After a stop half way we arrived in Bridlington - way ahead of time allowing us to visit the leisure centre and get ourselves a locker and then watch the junior run ahead of our own race. After a substantial warm up there we were on the start line. The gun sounded and we were off! My plan? Well I had one, for a change, all thanks to my picking up a pace band at the Great North Run. I knew if I could get under the 5k and 10k targets we had set in Newcastle I could better my time of 2:10. It's always a gamble whether you go off too fast and burn out. At mile 2 I looked at my watch, 17 minutes, a little too fast I thought and slowed slightly, mile three 25.51, well under the 35 minute target for 2:10, I felt ok so kept going. I didn't look at my watch again until I was alongside the 6 mile marker, 51 minutes, by now I was quite excited and feeling quite good. I didn't have any other targets and so decided to go on how I felt. Although quite sunny, it was very breezy which proved to be perfect. A while after the 9 mile marker I started to feel sick and my legs felt as though I had nothing in them, I made a split decision to listen to my breathing, sipped at my water and managed to keep going without getting in a panic. I never saw the 11 mile marker but presume by the time I hit it I was feeling much better. Running past the entrance to 'Sewerby Hall & Gardens' I knew we wouldn't be too much longer before we entered said grounds which ultimately lead to the cliff tops and down to the sea front. I wasn't disappointed - before I knew it we were running past pens of rare breed sheep, llamas etc and headlong at their visitors! Running along the cliff tops was quite tough, the breeze had turned into a wind and was doing it's utmost to hold us back, it was literally a fight to keep moving forward. Down the steep slope to the seafront, it was a site for sore eyes, although quite a distance to the finish, the front was lined with people, I glanced at my watch 1:55, my heart missed a beat and jumped for joy, I was nearly at the line, under two hours, I was ecstatic! I was so thankful that it had all gone to plan even if it was accidentally on purpose! The official times aren't yet out but my watch read 1:56 so I'm hoping I wasn't too far out, either way I've smashed my 2:02 half marathon PB adding yet another distance PB to this year's race portfolio!

A shower, a trip to the local Weatherspoons, followed by a paddle in the sea and an ice cream cone to top off a really fab day!

Flying by....literally!

2011-10-10T10:35:00.000-07:00

It seems as the years progress the months, weeks, days, hours and seconds follow suit. A week passes at the blink of an eye. Just days away from my next half marathon and I must admit I'm feeling good! I'm really in a good place mentally and feeling that I can give it a 'good go' (overuse of the word good, I know). Though still not 100% fit in the leg department I (and Pete May) don't feel there's anything detrimental to worry about so I'm happy to carry on with my monthly massage, icing and compression regime which really does seem to be keeping things in check. I've now got into such a routine that it's part of my everyday life, for the foreseeable future anyway. It works for me and whilst it continues to do so I'll stick with it. The alternatives don't appeal anyway!

Eager to keep putting the miles in the bank I was going to run with Helen and Janice on Sunday. Tales of their exploits in and around Baildon Moors the previous week left me feeling that perhaps I should think twice as they were planning to run the same route of about 13 miles again. A little apprehensive I told myself it would be ok and if all else failed I would rack up and see how I got on. Praise the Lord, fellow club member, Alison texted me on Saturday evening to enquire if I knew if anyone was running on Sunday morning. Explaining the options we decided on getting a lift to Keighley with the footballers (as they were going to Silsden for a game) and having a steady run back to Apperley Bridge via the canal.

Picking Alison up for the journey a phone call informed us that the football match was cancelled but luckily Martin said he didn't mind running us through to Keighley anyway. Dropping us at a convenient place where we could get onto the canal we set off, no navigational skills required - a straight route all the way back, it was drizzling but it wasn't long before we had to remove our rain jackets and tie them around our waists due to the humid heat. A little way into the run, whilst chatting, a fly swooped to the back of my throat, I spluttered, took a swig from my water bottle and it seemed it had completed it's journey downwards! Seconds later I coughed again, the blighter was trying to escape! *cough*, *cough, cough* and so it continued. Eventually I had to give in and stop running, unable to breathe and coughing uncontrollably, the offending insect appeared in my hand, it's mission accomplished, although it was dead. Now there's a first, it's usually 'what goes up, must come down' not 'what goes down, must come up!!' A flighty heron flew up from the canal bank, a sight to behold, I love the tranquility a run on the canal brings, the ducks and swans gliding by, although I have heard others describe it as 'boring', I don't agree.

Monday evening and our weekly speed and hills session, short interval, was very well attended. A short warm up then jog down King's Road, dynamic stretching and jog a little further down to Canal Road to start and run 12 1/2 minutes out, turn round and run 12 1/2 minutes back. The idea being that the faster runners get furthest but we all arrive back at the start point at around the same time. I was elated to find that I was only 11 seconds outside the total time it should have taken me to run out and back! Everyone worked really hard despite rain blowing in our faces on the outward journey, by and large all arriving back within a few seconds of each other.

Days away from the Bridlington half marathon and I'm looking forward to completing this week's training to take me to the start line.

(Unsuccessful) Ballots.......

2011-10-03T07:10:00.000-07:00

The person who posted this comment some time ago will know who they are......

Next year together! 2012 is your year for another 26.2 London miles, I feel x

As I read it today it made me realise that the chances of this happening are slim.....

I have lost most of my faith in the ballots of these popular races, 6 years of entering the ballot for the Great North Run have been fruitless each time as have my (now) two entries into the London Marathon. Thousands and thousands of people will now be recipients of a 'commiserations' magazine informing them they were unsuccessful in this year's Virgin London Marathon ballot. All is not lost as this year (unlike last year) I am eligible to enter the club draw for one of the two places up for grabs! My first thoughts are of trepidation with regard to running 26.2 miles again. I know in my heart of hearts if I had got a place in the ballot and indeed if I am lucky enough to have my name drawn out in the club ballot in November then I would certainly have another 'crack at the whip'! A few more weeks to wait and we shall know the outcome.

How though, do you prevent yourself from entering time and time again. I know that whether or not I do get the opportunity to run London again in 2012 I will find it very difficult not to enter the ballot for the 2013 race 'just to see if I get a place'. It could very well turn into a vicious circle, as I said this year, 'if I am privileged enough to get a place in the ballot, I would have to run it'. Where will it all end. The only difference between London and the Great North Run is that for the most part, I will continue to seek out a charity place for the world's biggest half marathon, whereas charity places for London are not even a consideration, the demands placed on runners by charities are way out of my grasp. I would not even consider taking on the task of raising that amount of sponsorship year in year out. Which is a shame as they are all worthy causes but the demands placed on the people I plague year in year out are already enormous, though very much appreciated, our final sponsorship total for Scope now stands at £590.10 - and the offline portion of the money is now winging it's way to them as we speak! Until next year when I will most probably be seeking out another good cause to raise money for it's a big 'thank you' from me and a big 'thank you' from him.

A tale of three halfs

2011-09-29T22:15:00.000-07:00

I suffered no ills following the Great North Run other than slightly tight hamstrings, just where is Peter May when you need him? Sunning himself in Egypt. "I'll be thinking of you", he said, "as I'm sat by the pool", during our conversation about the half marathon as he gave my legs a remedial massage in preparation for said race. I'm a firm believer in keeping going after long runs or races wherever possible, and nearly always find I can loosen up the legs with a steady recovery jog which is why I decided to keep pace and carry on regardless!

Last week concluded with the Horsforth 10k. Arriving down at Apperley Bridge on a very wet Sunday morning I was quite looking forward to taking part, the last time I did this race was in 2008, I'm not entirely sure why I didn't take part in the 2009 race, I clearly didn't take part in 2010 due to injury. Hoping to knock a few minutes off my previous time of 58 minutes 39 seconds for this race, I knew, however, that it isn't a pb race. Thankfully the rain stopped to give us perfect running conditions. Trailing some of the other Eccleshill runners all the way round, I caught up to Brian a couple of times but he managed to pull away on the last stretch of the canal, I felt though that I had had a really good race once I finished. I forgot to stop my watch as I crossed the line and when I finally remembered it read 55 minutes 49 seconds, I knew it obviously wasn't correct but I also knew I had completed it in a better time than previous. The results came out late on Monday afternoon, scrolling down the list I came to Brian, knowing I was a little way behind him, I scrolled, and scrolled, and scrolled, finally coming across my name with a time of 1:04:31 - how long? How could this be? I was confused, I knew I hadn't been so far behind Brian. I then realised they had given me the number 240, my number was in fact 244. I immediately emailed the organisers to raise my concerns. I received a prompt reply apologising for the Hick-up!! (Hiccup!). As yet the result has not been amended but I am certain they have mixed me up with the lady who was given my number and a time of 53:31 so I'm taking that to be my time and hoping they eventually change the results sheet.

This brings me to last Monday's Enterprise Surprise - our monthly session aimed at improving cardiovascular fitness. I find these sessions extremely enjoyable, we usually conduct it in a team manner, i.e. we split into teams and take each other on at sprinting activities. A completely false impression is created in that you have no idea just how hard you are working. That is until the next day, and the day after that, and even the day after that. Delayed onset muscle soreness wasn't in it this week.

Deciding to take on the middle option of this Wednesday's club runs, eight and a half miles, I told myself I would take it steady and once I got going my DOMS just might subside. Who was I kidding? My quads were screaming most of the way round, a factor for my determination to power up Gaisby Lane ( a steep hill in Shipley)- I think had I have stopped I would have had trouble getting going again! Usually reserved for the men folk, my lats (just above the ribs at the back!) were also complaining, anybody would think I had been weight lifting, but no just powering with my arms! It just goes to show how different sessions, though still running, work different muscles. A reason I do my utmost to take part in any alternative sessions on offer even though I know I am almost certain to suffer painful DOMS for a few days after. No pain, no gain? I sure hope so! A few days and a bottle of Peter May's Runners Rub later and I'm pleased to report the DOMS have more or less subsided.

I became aware some time ago that there were three half marathons in a six week period, starting with the Great North Run, then the Bradford half marathon and finally Bridlington half marathon. I had ideas that I would take part in all three but after a scare a few weeks before GNR when the familiar pain in my right leg returned culminating in my not running at all in the week leading up to it, I have decided against Bradford and instead am going to assist in club promotion at the race, I have been busily ordering some business cards to distribute and am looking forward to blowing the club's trumpet to those unsuspecting people who approach the table and cheering in our runners of course. I am though, looking forward to our club's Bridlington trip on 16th October with the half marathon thrown in! Two out of three's not bad.....

Gannin to the GNR!

2011-09-19T22:24:00.000-07:00

To pick up where I left off this time last week..... I did indeed make it to club tonight for the King's Road hill reps, I didn't however, complete the session as hill reps but more of a hill recovery jog. I was just in the mood to get my trainers on and get out again following our somewhat hectic but extremely enjoyable weekend.

We started our journey at about 2:50 on Friday afternoon, setting off up the A1(M) it was very busy and a long stretch of it was reduced to 50 mph speed limit due to road works. It didn't seem too long before we spotted the Angel of the North. It was though rather late and fairly dark when we arrived at Sandy Bay caravan park in the pouring rain. Next morning as we prepared to set off to Newcastle Quayside for the junior Great North Run, the sun was shining and although quite breezy and showery now and then it was a much better day. Marc, Taylor and Dylan thoroughly enjoyed their junior races and posted fantastic finishing times for their 4k races. It was thrilling watching the likes of Mo Farah, Jenny Meadows, Hannah England and Helen Clitheroe compete in the City Games, England & N I were thrashed 7 - 3 by the USA but it was still brilliant to watch! After all the excitement of the day we visited the Great North Run Fitness Show and Pasta Party for some much welcomed carb loading! My best Great North time so far was 2:14 so for a laugh I picked up two 2 hour 10 minute Pace bands from the Powerade stand! Upon returning back to the caravan we were treated to even more of a carb boost by our resident chef Neil who made us a fantastic pasta bolognese!

Early (ish) to bed we rose early to travel to Morpeth to catch our transfer coach to the start of the race. We seemed to arrive in Newcastle in no time at all and it was very early as we walked through St James' Park to the initial field (full of cow pats) where the first portaloos are situated, tentatively crossing it to make our way down to the closed roads and our starting pens. After walking up and down for quite a while we settled on a barrier at the side of the road and I put on my poncho which I had brought in case of rain in the hope that it would shield me from the wind as I was now quite chilly. A few minutes later I felt a searing pain in my left arm, lifting the poncho and slipping my hand inside my fleece to rub the area it began to dawn on me that I had been stung. Upon removing the top layers I saw that I had been stung twice, probably by a wasp. Seeking first aid, I was told by a steward that he didn't have a map and didn't know where the first aid was, furthermore the radio they had wasn't working! Charming, good job I wasn't allergic. Eventually we were instructed to walk further down to the next crossing point and we would be met by someone who would show us where the first aid was. On arrival I was told they had nothing for stings except an ice pack to reduce the swelling. It did just that but also made me shiver uncontrollably. Martin was worried that I was becoming ill due to the stings but I assured him I wasn't anything more than cold. When we eventually got into our pens I soon warmed up dancing around to the music being played for the official warm up routine.

The start gun sounded and we began to move slowly forward, 20 minutes later we crossed the start line. The sun was shining and I felt good. It became quite warm and at around the 3 mile mark it clouded over and soon began to rain. Very welcome rain it was too. The rest of the race remained over cast with frequent outbursts of rain, heavy at times. It was though much better conditions than running in the blazing sun as we have done for the most part of every race since 2006. I absolutely had a ball, the miles fell away. Martin and I had made a pact to keep going if we could come what may. Despite him suffering stomach cramps and being quite fatigued and having to keep a slower pace at times we did just that and managed to run every single bit without stopping at all.

As we ran in along the sea front I glanced at the pace band for only the third time, at 3 miles we had been on target and also at 6 miles but I hadn't looked at it again until now and lo and behold my watch said 2 hrs and 8 minutes, I exclaimed to Martin that if we kept going we would quite likely make the 2 hrs 10, he wasn't at all moved by this and just declared that he couldn't go any faster!

Crossing the line I stopped my watch and and observed that we had completed it in 2 hrs 10 minutes! A little while later when the official results came through by text we found we had done it in a time of 2:10:18, fantastic. Here's to next year!

Big thanks to my family and club mates waiting at the end to cheer us in, it's just the best feeling in the world to get to the end and see familiar faces.

Making, Baking, Icing and timing............

2011-09-12T21:16:00.000-07:00

My running has taken a back seat the last few weeks. Not that I haven't done any, it's just felt like I've had to squeeze it in between shopping, weddings and birthdays. Including doing the flowers for my Niece's wedding which was quite stressful, not knowing whether the florist wholesaler would have the correct colour and quantity of flowers I needed, whether a 5 am set off was early enough - flowers are sold by auction by the growers and then travel overnight in refrigerated wagons, florists then shop for what they need, getting there as early as they can to pick the best from what's available. Needless to say my cream and black bouquets turned out perfect and the bride seemed very pleased. Next up, my husband Martin's 50th and a cake to make and catering to do. As the party had a music theme in the form of 45 rpm singles being played all evening it seemed fitting to base the cake around the same theme. Anyway the alternative for a running theme would have been a treadmill (since that's what he trains on), perish the thought! Marc very willingly baked a fruit cake for his Dad a few weeks ago and then agreed to bake some cup cakes, in black and white cases which I then iced in the opposite colours, the black ones white and the white ones black, and fashioned a 7" single for the top of the cake and piped musical notes around the sides! Appropriately themed rice paper 'singles' and musical notes fixed on top of each cupcake completed the look! Lovely! Just very time consuming! The party went off smoothly and even my first ever attempt at barbecuing and the odd shower failed to dampen the mood!

After a very late night/early morning - Sunday proved to be a challenge from the minute I opened my eyes. Very tired, I set off for Robert's Park in Saltaire, the venue for a Vets race at which I had agreed to marshal. Eccleshill had agreed to co-host the race as a learning exercise of how to put on a race. On arrival everyone was milling around and I chipped in to help move some barriers into place. Following this we were all designated our roles, timing at the finish for me : 0
I have to say I was mortified at the very thought of being involved in such an important job but hey ho it had to be done, thrown in at the deep end comes to mind! I was partnered with Liz from club, all became clear as mud when we found out it was a relay race with runners a, b, c and d in some cases. Our job was to stand a little way past the official timers, John and John, and manually record the finishers team, number and sex as a back up just in case anything went wrong. As the race progressed my confidence grew and I really enjoyed it. As we all know a runner's finishing time is very important to them and I think we did a brilliant job - each time one of the John's checked with Liz how many finishers we had had across the line it matched so I'm guessing all were present and correct when the results were processed.

So, very light training this week and the Great North is upon us, our caravan is booked, the transfers to the start of the race are booked, our vests are printed with our names, so roll on Friday when we will be setting off up to the North East to take part in my favourite race ever! Excited isn't in it! More so since we have far exceeded our fundraising target for SCOPE. There is however room for more at http://www.justgiving.com/Juliemartin-Steele1

Marc will complete his final Junior Great North Run on Saturday and will then be eligible to run the half marathon next year. So it's fingers crossed for a great weekend, see you on the other side! (That's Monday for the King's Road Hill reps!)

The vests are ready to go!

Time flies when you're having fun!

2011-08-29T19:32:00.000-07:00

I decided to take a week off from running after suspecting that I was heading for injury. The familiar pain in my right leg returned after Friday run club a couple of weeks ago. I was also due to go and house and horse sit at my sister's house in Otley the following week and all too aware of how I love to run in the Washburn Valley I concluded a rest was a good idea. Following the week's rest I didn't feel there was much, if any, improvement so I decided not to run for a further week and stuck to dog walking twice each day, thank goodness I wasn't expected to walk the horses! How time flies when you're having fun, the week passed really quickly and before I knew it we were packing to return home.

Easing myself back in to my running last Monday I abstained from the planned fartleks at club and just jogged each lap of Peel Park with Annie and Kath. All seemed well. The next test was a Vet's race hosted by Bingley Harriers. Having completed all the races in the series so far I really didn't hesitate in my decision to take part. It turned out to be quite a tough race with a stupendous uphill start but an all round excellent race. The leg held up too. I was now quietly confident then that I would be fine to take part in the Hyde Park Harriers inaugural race - a one miler in Hyde Park in Leeds on Wednesday night.

It's some years since I've done a one mile race, the last one organised by members on the Fetcheveryone website now a distant memory. How I underestimated that one. A race is a race no matter what the distance but a mile race, now that's a different kettle of fish. You have to give it your all from the start and it's not as short as you imagine it to be! However, I completed mine in 7:58, (gasping) which I was quite disappointed with after having had a dry run at club a couple of weeks ago I had done a mile in 7:40. I should really have been pleased with my time having done the race the night before. Nothing's ever straight forward and we runners are never satisfied for very long. I must say though, HPH are to be congratulated on their brilliant race organisation, fab goody bag and topped off with the prize presentations at the pub what more could one want! I took along a birthday cake for ERR's Mick who had turned out to run on his birthday, yummy! Here's hoping they organise it again next year and I'll be making sure I arrive with 'fresh' legs!

Our social Friday run night added up to 5 1/2 miles. Numbers were down at club, no doubt due to the impending Bank Holiday. However that did not stop those of us who did turn up having a lovely run to start the weekend.

I've had a few other issues other than leg pain - athlete's foot being one of them. I know it's very common amongst us runners and I've been plagued by it from time to time. Always on the same foot. I've always used the cream available to buy over the counter and although a long drawn out process it has eventually remedied my problem. However, tired of applying cream two or three times a day I decided to seek out a product I've seen advertised on TV, Lamisil once. Quite expensive at £9, as the name implies it says on the packet, you only apply it once, to both feet regardless of whether they are both affected or not. I am pleased to report that in little over a week all symptoms have disappeared. I will now monitor if and when it recurs, hopefully it won't, at least for an acceptable length of time. So I highly recommend it, for now at least.

The perfect end to last week was Marc and a few other family members' GCSE results. Proud of all of them and after managing a 10 1/2 mile run on Sunday with Dawn and Gill, I'm now focussing on maintaining the mileage as the Great North Run draws nearer. We have now managed to raise a fantastic 89% of our fundraising target for SCOPE and if you can find it in yourself to help us realise our target we will be eternally grateful. Visit our Justgiving page to donate: http://www.justgiving.com/Juliemartin-Steele1

A Smashing PB!

2011-08-04T21:28:00.000-07:00

I couldn't believe my eyes when I crossed the finishing line of the Jane Tomlinson 10k, York and checked my watch. I always question what I read on my watch despite never finding that it differs from the official time by more than a few seconds. 52:37 didn't seem possible, so once again I did question the time, more so because I immediately realised that I had smashed my 10k PB (54:04) by almost 2 minutes. So patience is indeed a virtue and good things certainly do come to those who wait! Official time 52:42 Chamone!

Having taken part for the first time, the JT 10k in York comes highly recommended from me, I will almost certainly be back next year, running past the Minster with the bells chiming has to be the highlight of anyone's Sunday morning, very special. Having just finished reading the third of Jane's books, 'How Good Is That, the story of a reluctant heroine' finished by her husband Mike as she passed away before it was finished, she was certainly at the forefront of my mind as I ran around the course. It is amazing to see not only her family supporting the events but the thousands of runners of all abilities turning out to support them too.

So, what now? Goal achieved. I'm now entertaining thoughts of whether I can bring my times down any further, only time (and effort) will tell. I can't attribute it to anything specific - I wish I could, but of course weight loss has to be a contributing factor, now having lost 19 and half pounds I do know that it has had a positive effect, I actually feel better when I am running. I suppose staying power too, I don't often miss a club night and in addition I have been racing a lot too. You can only hope you reap the rewards one day and realistically if I don't improve my PB's any further I know that I have been there and done that, even got the tee shirt!

The excitement is heightening as September draws ever closer, I have entered Marc in his final Bupa Junior Great North Run, he'll be stepping up to the big one next year, our Scope vests have arrived and our fund raising target has reached 74% 'Thank you' to our sponsors so far - can you can help us get a little nearer by visiting our Justgiving page and here's a link http://www.justgiving.com/Juliemartin-Steele1?

Seconds out........

2011-07-29T08:49:00.000-07:00

Eccleshill at the Golden Acre park Relay hosted by Abbey Runners on 27th July 2011

Well what can I say, still chasing that elusive 10k PB I travelled over to the picturesque town of Harrogate with Mick and Dawn to take part in the latest club championship race. Having never taken part in this race before I hadn't a clue what to expect and have to admit for some reason I assumed it would be fairly flat. Wrong! In actual fact it was quite undulating. The two lap course wound around the leafy suburbs coming downhill back to the start point in the town centre on each lap. The marshals and supporters were brilliant in what was truly a very well organised race. Parking, toilets and race HQ were all located conveniently very near the start/finish. Sadly upon receiving my official finishing time I was 46 seconds outside my 10k PB. Although my 54:50 time was much faster than I have done for a 10k in quite a long time. So next target is the Jane Tomlinson, York 10k on Sunday 31st July. Everything's crossed!

Meanwhile, over at Golden Acre Park the following Wednesday, the second of our relays in as many weeks proved to be another good turn out for the club. Although we didn't have as many teams as the Washburn relay we did still have 5 teams entered. Once again the team spirit was second to none as we all cheered our own and other club's runners in. I have to say the highlight of the night was definitely Mark Scott's finish. He came careering down the gravel path which took us right around a field to the finish, with a young lady from Wetherby Runners tailing him, we were all shouting at him to keep going and he ran as though his life depended on it, holding her off right to the finish, crossing the line still behind him she collapsed in a heap! Mark triumphantly strolled over to us with a big smile on his face! It was brilliant to witness. The official times are not yet out but who's looking, we didn't take part for the finishing positions : )

My thoughts are now dominated by preparations for the Great North Run, the highlight of my year when I get to spend the weekend away with my family and take part in Britain's biggest mass participation half marathon, in fact THE most iconic half-marathon on the planet. Fundraising is going well and we are over half way to our target amount for the fabulous charity SCOPE. So if you have sponsored us already, 'Thank You' and if you haven't you might just want to pop to our Justgiving page and support our efforts. Here's a link: http://www.justgiving.com/Juliemartin-Steele1

Here we relay again!

2011-07-22T05:04:00.000-07:00

Following the success of the Washburn Valley Relay and ERR entering no fewer than 10 teams of 3 into the race we are now plugging away at the upcoming Golden Acre Park Relay. One member even stated that he had caught the 'relay bug'. I advised him to 'pass it on!!' Hopefully we may have as good a turn out for the club. The photo above illustrates just how good it looks to see so many runners from one club out in force! It was absolutely an immense feeling of pride to see so many blue and white vests at an event. I hope many others felt the same. That is one of the great things about being part of a club. The team spirit was fantastic. The heavy rain which ensued towards the back end of the race failed to dampen our spirits as the first to the last runners were cheered in and many of the competitors from other clubs too.

We didn't finish on the leader board but that didn't matter to any of us, we weren't there to win, merely to take part and we did just that!

We are still trying to finalise plans for our new Monday night training venue following the sad closure of Fitness First Gyms. Hopefully this will all be in place for the 1st August. Exciting times really, one door closes and another opens. Hopefully our new venue will open up new opportunites for all involved. Watch this space!

Training continues to go well. Club are continuing to offer a wide variety of training opportunities to our members and with the added races and relays thrown in there's something for everyone. I'm particularly looking forward to the next Enhanced Training session on 8th August. Meanwhile I have just placed the latest order with Spellsports our kit supplier and it's great to see the increase in members wearing the new matching kit on training nights and at races. If you haven't yet checked out the full range log onto the website and click on the 'online shop' logo.

Races, Birthdays, Anniversaries and more!

2011-07-11T21:10:00.000-07:00

The Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness persisted and if anything, was worse come Wednesday's Helen Windsor 10k race. Unsure how I would fare I stood on the start line trying to hear what the starter was saying, impossible and all I heard was 'Go!'. Off we set like the charge of the Light Brigade down the road. A sharp left sent us up the first incline and I settled into my pace, my legs didn't feel too bad. However, by mile 4 they began to scream! Nothing in them at all, I tried to distract my mind from focusing on them. Counting. 1,2,3,4, 2,2,3,4, 3,2,3,4 4,2,3,4 etc It really does work! The scenery helped too. What a lovely part of Yorkshire in which to run. The organisers had announced that there was a change to this year's route to avoid some road crossings and a hill at mile four. Taking nearly 5 minutes off last year's time I'm not entirely sure how much of it is due to the route changes but also due to my recent weight loss.

I would like to think that at least some of it was down to weight loss having now lost a total of 17lbs on the Weight Watchers programme I also gained my latest PB at yesterday's Eccup 10 mile race. Elated wasn't in it! A cold and chilly day met us at Adel yesterday morning for the race. It was soon all change though as the clouds cleared and the sun came out. Baking hot was putting it mildly! It made each incline seem like a mountain! I plodded on though to finish in 1 hour 33 minutes - our Eccleshill Team all did really well and posted some great times. Abbey Runners (the organisers) always excel in trying to provide something a little bit different as a memento, past years have yielded a mug, a rucksack and yesterday's race was no exception as we were rewarded with an etched glass 'trophy' bearing an engraved plate with the race details on - all that was missing was my name!!

Following the race we had planned to go out for lunch not least to celebrate mine and Sophie's Birthday's this week - and loverly it was too, we (Me, Lisa, Gill & Ian) ended up going to the Fox and Hounds at Bramhope just a short distance away. Sophie would have remembered it well as she had to make an unscheduled stop there last year during one of our marathon training runs! Sadly she announced on Saturday that she wasn't going to be able to join us for the race or lunch due to planned Birthday celebrations by her partner James, she wouldn't, she said be able to commit as she didn't know what he had planned. Sadness turned to joy though later in the day as she phoned me to say that James' secret was a hotel, a meal and a proposal! "Fantastic news", I screamed down the telephone when she rang! I'm sure the club will join me in wishing the two of them every happiness for the future! That's a date I'll remember as today is mine and my husband's 30th (Pearl) Wedding Anniversary, they have a little catching up to do!

Next on the agenda is the Washburn Valley Relay, the reccie last Friday gave some members the chance to find out what's in store for them at the end of the week! We have ten teams of three runners entered, should be a sight to behold getting so many of our Members together for such an event filled with fun and camaraderie. Look out for the team photo!

Feeling hot!

2011-07-04T22:23:00.000-07:00

My theory about Honley on was indeed correct! The YVAA race number 5 course was extremely hilly and extremely hot to boot! Arriving in the pleasant surroundings of Honley, the home of the race organisers, Holmfirth Harriers, the sun was beating down and it was obviously set to get hotter as our Sunday morning progressed.

After two laps of the cricket field we were off up into the woods, and up and up we climbed. The hills were wicked! I'm sure a lot of the runners had the same train of thought as I did, 'what goes up, must come down'. The further we climbed the more varied the route became. Stiles, fields, gates, cows, alpacas, yes alpacas! I spotted them in a field but didn't actually realise until I scaled yet another stile that we were going to end up in the same field as them! Fortunately they just stood and gazed at us, probably wondering what the heck we were doing invading their space. From that point on the descent began. I wasn't wrong, what went up, certainly did come down! Scaling the final stile (hole in a wall!), the cricket pitch was a welcome site. Once round and we were finished..... What a relief. Today, at least, I had managed to stay on my feet, just.....

Following the tough race yesterday I didn't feel too achy this morning. Just as well as I have been looking forward to the first of our three Adult Endurance courses run by Airedale Athletics, of which the club is playing host. Racking up at Pulse Gym/Hanson School I admit to being just a little apprehensive. I had my reservations after having heard Sophie mention the England Athletics coach Ilona and how she was not shy of shouting and making her charges 'do'. Starting out with circuits we stayed at each activity for 30 seconds before moving on and then jog around for 2 minutes before then going on to do 1 minute on each. Ilona did indeed, assert her authority and guide us through the correct manner in which to undertake each activity. Following the circuits we went outside to do some drills and then progressed to sprints.

All in all a very tough 2 hours session but extremely enjoyable. I am now very much looking forward to the next session on 8th August.

I am now frantically trying to stave off DOMS in the hope that I can put in some kind of effort at the Helen Windsor 10k on Wednesday. The theory is that if I carry out some stretching and gentle walking the aches and pains might well be lessened.

New beginnings, New shoes and pitfalls....

2011-06-30T06:33:00.000-07:00

This week has been another very busy one.
Sadly our partnership with Fitness First Gym has come to an end. We can't seem to get a correct story but the bottom line is it closes today, Thursday 30th June. So we had our last meet there on Monday and after several years of meeting there it will seem odd that we aren't going there any more. I took along a box of chocolates and a 'Thank You' card for the staff just to express out gratitude. So the process of finding a new venue to meet for our Monday sessions has begun. We have had a few suggestions which we are looking into so hopefully it won't be too long before we find somewhere. Meanwhile we will be meeting at Pulse Gym, Hanson School next Monday for the first of three Enhanced Training sessions being provided by the Airedale Athletics Partnership which will offer some top class training from England Athletics top coaches. I am really looking forward to that.

It's a fair while since I stopped during a race, I did just that recently, not for very long though! Tuesday saw the fourth race in the YVAA series at Meanwood. A lovely trail route if a little repetitive, hilly and treacherous under foot. So much so that a good few of us took a tumble, me included. Momentarily sprawled out full length on the floor, I think I actually got up quicker than I went down! After checking that a chap who I had just over taken and then went down immediately behind me was ok, red faced, cut and bruised I carried on regardless! Incidentally we over took each other another twice but he managed a sprint to the finish line! My time of 42:36 was a pleasant surprise as it felt like I had been out on the course much longer!

Wednesday's run followed a day of shopping in York where I purchased an early birthday present of a new pair of running shoes. I'm not going to mention how long but suffice to say 'long overdue'. I was glad to learn that the 10 mile route was actually only 7 miles, my bruised and battered knee wouldn't have stood up to much more, I don't think. Certainly the prospect of a rest day today is very welcome as the post fall aches and pains seem even more accentuated as the day goes on. The new shoes were a pleasure to run in and quite a jazzy colour, I love them! There's nothing like a new pair of running shoes to put a bit of spring in your step!

My weekly visit to Weight watchers since reaching my 'goal' weight last week and I learned I had lost another 1/2lb taking me to a total of a stone lost, I was presented with an actual 'stone' to mark the occasion! So I am now carrying a stone lighter around than I was 8 weeks ago and I must admit it feels great! Some of it may be psychological but it did actually feel much easier getting up the likes of Harrogate Road, up to Calverley and then up Woodhall Lane last night, let's hope it continues!

Meanwhile this Sunday sees the next of the YVAA races at Honley, for me, anywhere near the town Huddersfield spells 'hills' so we'll see if my theory is correct!

Come Rain or Shine.....

2011-06-27T06:51:00.000-07:00

The beautiful Washburn Valley

Well what can I say? The Jane Tomlinson Leeds 10k was (nearly) a total washout! My prayers were not answered and I got up (late) on the Sunday morning to pouring down rain! I knew I had to collect my number at the event due to my (late) entry and so it was we hurriedly made our way to Leeds. Got to the bottom of my road and the van's fuel light came on, cue unscheduled fuel stop, just to make me even later. Finally arriving in Leeds, the slip road to the multi storey car park was closed as were most other slip roads off the main ring road, after frantically driving round for about 15 minutes I asked my husband just to drop me off and I set off running in the direction of a few runners I could see up ahead, not a clue where I was or where I was going!

Anyway all worked out fine, I managed to find Millennium Square, got my number and got directions to the Red start area. Before I knew it we were off, soaked but off! Although I do love a busy race this it seemed was over busy. The streets were narrow, I zig zagged from one side of the road to other, up and down the kerbs, however I did feel I had made a good effort as I neared the finish, the welcome site of fellow club member Linda sent me gliding to the right, right again and....another incline, I had imagined as I race down the Headrow that I was continuing to the finish line, mistaken, I ploughed on up before turning left and finally the finish line came into view. Lesson learned, 'don't count your chickens!' So I didn't manage my sought after 10k PB but well and truly justified the reason why I hadn't. Last year's race had been so much more relaxed as I had pledged to stay with my sister, compared to this year's race I really did feel the brunt of the crowded course. Ah well, onwards and upwards there's plenty more 10k's to be conquered.

In stark contrast, some of our members were travelling over to the Washburn Valley (the following) Sunday. Holidays were preventing some of them carrying out the Otley AC reccie of the three legs of the Washburn Valley relay we are entering teams in, somehow I was 'talked into' doing the reccie along with them. Not though, a reccie of one leg, but all three!

Getting out of bed early the sun was cracking the flags. Mick and Dawn arrived to pick me up and off we set. There were 7 of us in total. Arriving at Otley we set off on leg one, it was very warm. Next, leg two, it was warmer still. Leg three it was getting on for 11 am, it was stifling. The guys set off and Dawn and I followed. We arrived at the bridge at the bottom of a gravel path and stopped for a drink. I think in the heat both of us wanted to turn back, it was however, an incline back to the car park, probably just over a mile to run back, we both agreed we may as well carry on and finish what we had started. It just seemed to get hotter and hotter. We were plagued by flies. What a difference from the same time last week. You wouldn't imagine you were in the same country, never mind postal district! Amazing.

All the times I have run around Fewston & Swinsty reservoirs I have never noticed the lovely Fewston church, those of you who have run around there will know that there's a point where you need to come off the banks of the reservoir out onto the road and then back down again. The church is just as you get to the car park to go out onto the road. Stunning, can't understand why I've never noticed it before.

It felt really good to finish and I hurried to the ice cream van to buy myself an ice lolly, an orange lolly never tasted so good! So hopefully, one leg at the Otley AC reccie will seem like a walk in the park. Oh and the race the week after? A little more effort may be required, let's hope it's not so hot!

Fewston Church

Flying time and racing by....

2011-06-18T21:52:00.000-07:00

The eve of the Jane Tomlinson Leeds 10k and it seems only yesterday that I ran it with (my sister) Sue, her first ever 10k and also (my son) Marc's first year of stepping up to do the 10k instead of the family fun run for which he had become 'too old'. How time flies!

I am able to look back with a feeling that it's not such a bad thing that the last year has passed me by. My patience and determination to stick to regimes devised by my previous physio and current masseur have meant that I'm now back to a relatively good level of fitness and have taken pride over the last few months in gaining PB's in some of the races I've done, most notably at 5k and 10 mile distances. So I'm looking forward to tomorrows race and although I know I should without doubt better my time from last year, I also know that if I can put the effort in and not be hampered too much by the crowds that I have a real chance of a 10k Pb on that course. We'll see....

Training for the Great North Run is going well and I'm really looking forward to our yearly trip to the North East. Just need to get the fundraising for Scope moving so if you can find it within you to part with some of your hard earned cash visit http://www.justgiving.com/Juliemartin-Steele1

Club race wise, we are now in full swing with the Yorkshire Vets races, three of this year's series have already been run at Horsforth, West Vale and Pudsey. Like the cross country races earlier in the year, there is a certain camaraderie attached to the vets races, they are always well attended by all the clubs and most of them cheer in the runners at the finish, the atmosphere is electric! Of course there's the post race presentations and food too! Most of all though, they are usually very challenging courses, great for your fitness and afterwards you get a real sense of achievement, a feeling you have really put in some effort and of course been part of the team. We at club, will be rallying round for the next race as lots of people are on holiday so it's going to be doubly difficult to get those teams out.

Next on the agenda though for my weekend is indeed the 2011 Jane Tomlinson Leeds 10k in the morning, followed by a meeting with Capt' Hogan to sort out the teams for this year's Washburn Valley Relay followed by the monthly ERR Committee meeting tomorrow evening.

Then the start of a whole new week which I'm sure promises to be eventful!

Now before I retire I may just pray for good weather to be bestowed on tomorrow's race : )

Taking stock........

2011-05-27T04:11:00.001-07:00

It's necessary to take stock from time to time. In all areas of life. This week I have been forced to take stock, all round. It's got to the point where I seriously do not know if I'm coming or going, big style. I'm always like that anyway, trying to stretch myself here, there and everywhere, that's my nature, I've never, ever, been any different. Something in my life changes, for whatever, reason, something takes over that spot. I deal with it. For the most part. Then for some unknown reason, (well that's not entirely true, but let's not go there,)I am forced to take stock, look at how ridiculous my weeks have become, which is difficult because they all blur into one. Trying to balance, work, home, running, tending my allotment and everything else which weaves in between all that, and it's just not working. Several times last week I found myself down at Stanley Street allotments watering my vegetables at going on for 10 O'clock, yes in the dark!

These Summer months, lighter, longer nights may be favourable but we always want more don't we? Not satisfied that it doesn't really draw in until 9:40 I have to stretch it out even longer.

So my first casualty? Parkrun.... I have had to make the difficult decision to step back, at least for a while. Largely due to the transport issues I've been documenting recently, and there's still no sign of a solution. As well as the prospect of adding over six miles to the 5k parkrun by walking there and back, three club nights and mid week races, I started to feel the pinch. I've had a couple of near misses injury wise in the last couple of weeks, hamstring and quad strains, so I fear I am treading on rocky ground and may well be heading for trouble. I may make further changes still, but for now I'm going to see how it goes. I am still on the trail of an alternative activity to even out the load and have been looking into Zumba classes ....... here we go again......

Meanwhile I'm extremely pleased to report that I did obtain that elusive PB at the final race in the John Carr series - not by very much but none the less a PB of which I'm very proud as the 5k time to beat was set in 2009!

There's life in the old dog yet!

Faster than the speed of light!

2011-05-17T06:06:00.000-07:00

Well not quite! Last night we dropped the 'hills' from our 'speed and hills' session and turned it into a speed session!

Some time ago sessions were provided by the club behind local supermarket, Morrisons at Five Lane Ends. These sessions were coached activities comprising, hurdles, relays etc. Very enjoyable sessions they were too. Trying to keep what is provided on training nights fresh and varied is a difficult task which we, the Committee, all have a hand in from time to time. Mick suggested a while ago that we might benefit from a speed based variation such as a track session or similar, aimed at improving fitness. After failing to secure a night where we could use the nearest track to our club on one of our training nights, Horsfall near Shelf, he suggested that we might be able to use the industrial area round the back of Morrisons, some weeks later he had cleared the way for us to use it.

We (Mick & I) met up an hour before our monthly steering Committee meeting on Sunday tea time to throw some ideas around and see if we could remember anything from our previous sessions. We came up with a few ideas and agreed that we should keep the session quite short but with maximum effort. I'm pleased to report that by and large it went really well. The weather wasn't kind to us, it was very blustery and drizzling the whole time we were training. Those Members that expressed their views, approved of our team relays and overall speed work saying that it was really good as it encouraged you to work hard without realising it. The camaraderie involved in such sessions is second to none, if you didn't know everyone's names beforehand you did afterwards! It really did turn into a bonding exercise. I hope that the enthusiasm will spread throughout the club and encourage those who may be perhaps a little apprehensive at trying such sessions to give it a go next time.

Wednesday sees the final race in the John Carr 5k series and I'm pleased to report that I was a couple of pounds lighter when I alighted the scales last Saturday so hopefully by now I might just have shed a couple more......is that elusive PB on the cards? Watch this space!!

Every second counts....

2011-05-12T04:14:00.000-07:00

Last night saw the second in the series of the John Carr 5k races. I must admit to being a little apprehensive as we set out to drive to Esholt. After Monday’s club night of a pyramid/hill session my left hamstring felt very tight, luckily for me I already had a massage with Peter May booked for Tuesday tea time. I had been looking forward to it anyway as I’ve had a few issues with the (previously injured) right ankle area too. Not so much recurrence of my old injury as pain that seemed to be radiating from my heel, plantar fasciitis? Plantar fasciitis is a painful inflammatory process of the plantar fascia. Those not familiar with this condition are advised to read up on how to prevent it at all costs; apparently it is excruciatingly painful, often described as feeling like nails sticking into the heel.

The good news is that Peter gave my legs a good going over and declared that he in no way associated my foot pain with plantar, maybe ligament trouble and he managed to loosen off my hamstring. However, the following morning the hamstring was still causing pain; it did feel more of an ache than a pulled muscle but how does one know? On the start line at the John Carr I was wondering whether I would be troubled by it or get round in one piece. Thankfully it was the latter and I even managed to knock one whole second off last week’s time. Still chasing that elusive 5k PB, missing it again by a second. Will next week be the week? Can I knock off those pesky seconds? I shall certainly be giving it a good try!

Thanks to Sophie – or Speedysoph as she’s affectionately known in club I’ve taken the plunge to try and shift some of the excess weight I’m carrying around too, largely since Marathon training ceased and also no doubt a large portion of it went on when I was injured. There's a tendency to up your intake and then fail to adjust it once the level of activity decreases. It certainly has been a bit of a rollercoaster these past few months. What with starting out on the Wii yoga and then distance training with the marathoners, I've dropped it all like a ton of bricks since London. Not a conscious decision, I have to say, more of a diversion, in that my attentions have been focused elsewhere but that's another story for another day! So weightwatchers are once again having the benefit of my company for the next few months or so anyway. Who knows, maybe a few pounds lighter next week, hopefully, will be the key, after all every second counts.........Especially if it leads to a PB!

Ups and downs

2011-05-04T08:58:00.000-07:00

John Carr Race 1

Where to start?.....

It's been a little while since I've blogged. Various reasons are to be attributed to this. Work, lack of transport, injuries, decorating, Bank Holidays, lack of internet access, I won't go on.

I've certainly had an 'ups and downs' couple of weeks in all aspects of life but mainly running or not as the case may be. I'm sure most runners will tell you that at some point or other during the time they have been running they've 'lost their mojo'. I certainly have at the moment, more for racing than social running but both have suffered of late. I've been striving to keep up with life whilst one family car is off the road leaving us with only the 2 seater smart car, try getting a very tall son and a boisterous Dave to parkrun in that! No fun I can tell you and in addition there's the other half needing to get to work on a Saturday morning. So last week I decided to walk to Lister Park, do my usual duty of sweeping at parkrun then walk back home again, Marc was having none of it and Dave loved it. Trouble is I could hardly walk for two days afterwards, walking had a strange effect on me from the hips down, I thought I walked quite a lot, dog walking and all that, I fear I don't do as much as I thought and I really must try do more of it from now on. I know that different muscles are exercised when walking as opposed to running but my word I really did suffer, I felt like a 90 year old and believe you me I was walking like one!

I'm pleased to report I'm walking around much more normally now. Onwards and upwards, I took part in (my only planned races) the first in the John Carr 5k series tonight. Although I didn't achieve a distance PB, missing it by just 2 seconds, I did achieve a course PB so now I'm hoping this gives me a zest for racing again and assists me in entering some more. Bring on next week. I've still got a quiet few days in terms of running ahead of me due to family commitments etc but hopefully I'll get back into my stride next week, with a little help from my friends!

What a weekend!

2011-04-18T17:04:00.000-07:00

Having looked forward to a weekend away for so many months, the excitement was building very nicely when all of a sudden my train of thought was turned upside down. 'I'm not going to be running London as I'm injured would you like my place (you've done all the training after all!)' was the text message which appeared on my phone from Nikos. My heart missed a beat and then began to race, thoughts that I could run this year after all were looming around my head, reliving a dream I had a few months ago that I had been offered a place, exclaiming to Alison and Dawn on a training run 'Friday night's dream, told Saturday morning comes true', not that I believed it for one minute but I can oft recall my Mum saying the self same thing many, many times! I addressed the possibility with my husband Martin, the expression on his face, however, gave me my answer immediately. He then went on to explain why he did not want me to run. Giving me the reasons why he felt like this didn't make me feel any better. I reasoned with it all in my head, perhaps if he had given me the choice then I might not have wanted to run. As it was now I began to think the weekend was ruined. I would be unable to forgive him for not letting me take the chance to run so we wouldn't enjoy the trip to London anyway. Hours later I seemed to come to my senses and realise how we had looked forward to the weekend away without the stress of the marathon, we would be able to travel around, see the sights and generally enjoy ourselves and then watch the race on Sunday. His negative reaction to the news that I may well run after all was of course, well and truly justified.

So now I could sit back and enjoy giving my support to the runners!

Boarding the coach on Friday morning everyone was buzzing, milling around, discussing this, that and the other. The journey down to London didn't seem to take too long and before we knew it there was the familiar sight of the Expo. Once inside the sights, sounds, queues to register and pick up numbers and timing chips were all too familiar and it seemed only yesterday that I was in those queues myself.

Photos taken, shopping done, well wishers wall written on, we boarded the bus to continue our journey to the hotel. Again, all too familiar, we checked in and were all allocated our room numbers. Down for evening meal at 8 - the start of a great weekend was signalled.

Helen, Janice & I met early Saturday morning to go for a run in place of our planned London parkrun, we had been assured it would take us over an hour to reach our nearest one and also make it difficult to make the return journey back to the hotel in time for breakfast and so we agreed to a jog around Canary Wharfe. How lovely it was too. We found ourselves eventually in the beautiful surroundings of The King Edward Memorial Park, nearly a parkrun then, just not quite!

Saturday was our 'free' day. Martin and I decided that after our run we would hop on a Thames Clipper boat and head to London's Soho district. Martin had years ago helped his former boss to move the contents of his Lexington Street art gallery and picture framers up to Bradford and he said he would like to take a trip down memory lane. We also agreed we would like to look around Carnaby Street. Hours later after much to-ing and fro-ing we had fulfilled our expectations and much, much more, taking in many of the famous tourist areas, Regent Street, Oxford Street, Piccadilly, Chinatown, Pandora, The National Gallery, Hamleys, St James Park, etc etc, we wearily made our way back to the Thames Clipper to return to the hotel to prepare to surprise Janice with a pre-arranged get together. I put in a request to the hotel manager to seat our whole group together for dinner so that we could surprise Janice for her 50th Birthday with balloons, cards, pressies and a cake!

After a full and eventful Saturday we all retired to bed at a reasonable hour and I woke early next morning with thoughts of how the runners would all be feeling. I hastily got dressed and went down to the dining room to find Dawn, Sophie and Gill sitting eating breakfast, they all seemed fairly relaxed and after breakfast off they went back to their rooms to make their final preparations. I came back down just before 7:30 to wave them off to the start. The hotel was a hive of activity with runners making their final preparations and leaving the hotel. I went back to our room to continue watching the marathon coverage on the TV before going outside to find our spot opposite the hotel, mile 18 of the route, behind the barriers! I can honestly say it was a very emotional, energy sapping few hours as we anxiously waited to catch a glimpse of our ERR runners and the many other familiar faces including friends, other club runners, celebrities etc. I never realised how difficult it is to spot someone amongst the crowds of runners. You are fully aware when you're running just how many people are around you but it's impossible to imagine how difficult it it for your friends and family to pick you out of the masses!

Thankfully we managed to spot all of our runner and sadly we missed a whole lot of others. Oh well maybe next year!

All that remains is to say how immensely proud it felt to be part of that epic journey for the runners from our club and a few others. I am immensely proud of their achievements and am truly thankful to have now been able to experience the London Marathon from both sides of the fence!

I'm now excitedly awaiting the opening of the ballot for the 2012 (Olympic year) marathon on 26th April!

Time for tea!

2011-04-10T21:40:00.000-07:00

It feels like only yesterday that I finished the bulk of my training and was looking forward to the Virgin London Marathon in only a short weeks time. This year I feel exactly the same except I'm in a totally different position in that I still feel the excitement and trepidation but it's on behalf of someone else, or four someone else's in the plural form!

This morning 10 of us met at Rawdon Meadows for the last significant run, 45 minutes out and 45 minutes back along the canal towards Rodley in the brilliant sunshine for the four 'marathoners' Sophie, Gill, Dawn and Karen just a week away from achieving the goal they set themselves during the latter part of last year. Karen now feels like 'one of us' since she's been training with Dawn and Sophie and I hope she will continue to hook up with us when this is all over. Following an excellent run, if a little faster than I had anticipated, a large group of us then strolled a little further along the canal to Toby's Tea Rooms to put an end to what I know has been a long few months of training for them all, leaving them with the bare minimum left to do in the week ahead. I also hope that for all of them it will have all been worthwhile, I'm sure it will and I'm really pleased that I'm going to be there on the day to share in their jubilation and to see out their journey to the end. It's impossible to imagine exactly how they'll feel when they cross that finish line but I have a very good idea!

The tea and cakes at Toby's were exquisite!

Wot no Dave?

2011-04-04T16:30:00.000-07:00

After some indecision I managed to haul myself to club on Friday evening. The boys went off at their usual fast pace, Helen and Gill were just ahead, I had a lovely, if slow and steady, 6 mile run with Pam. I felt much better for it afterwards so was really pleased I made the decision to go.

I also received a very kind offer of a lift to parkrun from my sister-in-law Tricia! I didn't however, fancy the prospect of taking Dave in her car since he would have had to sit in the car itself rather than being able to be tucked away in the boot! Apart from the risk that it would rain and he would end up being all muddy and wet I am also acutely aware that he is very unpredictable and may well have taken a dislike to travelling in a saloon car, no telling what might have happened.

The number of people who shouted 'where's Dave?' as they ran past was incredible! One of the two young ladies I was running with made a valid point, 'would people ask where I was if I were missing?' We joked at the prospect of Dave running round as back marker alone and people quizzing him as to where I was!!

This week it was a joy to see an elite athlete from Ethiopia (I must admit I did wonder if he was Kenyan when I first spotted him!) on the start line with all the other parkrunners. Just another fine example of the versatility of parkrun - a joy to behold running around the park effortlessly and most probably unaware of the admiration surrounding his presence! It's a mystery to me how he knew about the run, had he stumbled upon it by mistake? He hadn't registered in advance and thought he needed a number to run! Unfortunately, although he won the race in a fantastic time of just over 16 minutes, over 2 minutes ahead of his nearest rival, he went down on the results as 'unknown' which is the best you get if you don't register in advance and print off your barcode! Incidentally, and much to my surprise, I even spotted my dentist running this week!
So, having gone against all that might have been on Friday and Saturday I felt better prepared for my intended race on Mothering Sunday. I was just a little apprehensive as I stood under starters orders for the first of this year's Yorkshire Veterans Athletic Association races at Horsforth Hall Park, why I have no idea and as Helen pointed out we run much further on a regular basis in training but a race, for some reason, causes those little flutters just before you set off! The sun shone and though a little breezy the conditions were perfect for a run, with the added bonus of being part of our Eccleshill team, I just love the team spirit! I had a really good race, the course was rather tough, a two lap course with it's fair share of downhills as well as up but one of those where you really are satisfied you gave your all. The results never seem to reflect that though but hopefully my continued effort on club nights will rectify that situation over the coming months, with a bit of luck! I'm not expecting great things but live in hope that I can get back to where I was this time last year and I remain optimistic about that goal. To move nearer to that we have another 'Speed & Hills Session' at club tonight!

Team ERR at Horsforth

Cigarettes & Alcohol!

2011-04-01T06:41:00.000-07:00

I feel like a bear with a sore head.
Having been a migraine sufferer in my late teens well into adulthood I have noticed that since beginning running nearly five years ago there has been a marked decrease in attacks, this may or may not be exercise related but I would like to think it has played a part. It's widely known that a whole range of things are cited as 'triggers', smoking, cheese, caffeine, chocolate, alcohol and the list goes on. I, however, have never been able to pinpoint a cause, other than on occasions, lack of sleep and stress. I have read several articles relating to running and migraines, some suggest that stress can indeed be a trigger and running (or any physical exercise) quite often reduces stress, also high cholesterol and again running (or any physical exercise) can help eliminate the condition. So even though a few weeks ago I was diligently informed by some of the younger members of my family that running makes your skin sag and makes you look older I absolutely intend to continue. Me vain? Not in the least? It's amazing what you can find in the cosmetic bag!

Migraine did, however, get the better of me on Wednesday. I wanted to leave work early and go home to bed but that would have meant two buses from Queensbury so I stuck it out and retired to bed as soon as I did get home. Still entertaining thoughts that I may go to club and do the 10 mile run if I felt better when I woke up. I didn't.
Which brings me to this evening. Should I run or shouldn't I? The recommendations are that as long as you're not retching (oh the thought!) and feel it's possible then there's no reason not to. I don't have too much experience of running with or after migraine so I'm undecided. Fellow sufferers will sympathise when I say I still get the pulsing pain when I bend down or cough today, two days later, so not sure if I will be able to run but maybe I will go along and try. I ran a couple of months ago at parkrun the morning after a migraine and felt that it was beneficial but I figure this one was a much worse attack.

My parkrun tomorrow is in doubt as our car is off the road needing major repairs for the MOT - so if I don't run tonight it may well mean that as I haven't run since last Monday the first in this year's YVAA races will be my first run in a week. Not a very good prospect to expect to be able to have a good race with no preparation at all.

As this Sunday is Mothering Sunday perhaps I should put my feet up for the rest of the week and start afresh on Monday?............ Hmmmmm that thought doesn't actually appeal to me.........

British Summertime begins

2011-03-27T20:33:00.000-07:00

I remember a few weeks ago telling Dawn that I would be totally unavailable to run on Sunday the 27th of March. My brother-in-law had planned a surprise 50th Birthday party for my sister, could I make her a cake, could I go into the venue early and decorate the party room and set out the food ready for him leading her unsuspectingly into a room full of baying relatives and friends, Of course! No time (or no state!) to run!

A week or so later I had moved the goal posts, 'I could probably run in the afternoon of the 27th' (If it meant Dawn didn't have to run alone).

Another week passed, 'I don't drink to excess anyway and I am usually up early after a night out so I'll text you when I'm up and we'll set a time to run in the morning'.

A kindly text from Dawn on Saturday evening reminded me that the clocks go forward and not to forget but have a good time at the party! Oh yes British Summertime begins!

The party went to plan and my poor sister was suitably shocked at discovering she was in fact attending her own party and not the 'going away party for the Sicilian exchange students' she was expecting! Her face was a picture! So, a good time had by all I rolled up home at 1:10 just in time to put the clocks forward to 2:10 a.m.

As I had expected I was wide awake at 8 am (7 am) and so I went downstairs and text Dawn to say I would be ready for off in 2 hours. We met at Rawdon Meadows, Apperley Bridge and Dawn outlined the route, in fact I had emailed her an extract from my training log last year where Lisa had mapped a run out to Horsforth, Adel, Bramhope and back via Yeadon Airport but the directions were a little sketchy but it sounded like much the same route. It was a fine morning - it was lovely to see Helen, Don, Janice & Karon who were also meeting to run. Off we set along the canal, the three Musketeers, Me, Dawn and Alison.

It wasn't long before we heard a voice from one of the barges - there stood Lisa, a fairly new member at club. I jokingly shouted 'that's the life!' after a brief conversation we went on our merry way. It was one of those days where it felt good to be running and everyone (or almost everyone) you encounter is very pleasant, people stood aside for us to pass 'keep going' they would shout as we thanked them for letting us pass. Even the cyclists were pleasant. Horsforth was the first place we passed through and as we travelled along the road towards Lawnswood I began to remember running the same route with Lisa and Sophie but in the snow, what a difference to today's weather! Going through Adel a large crowd of scooter riders we had earlier seen taking a pit stop in a pub car park all came riding past, vying for the front spot they were all overtaking one another, what a site to behold all those scooters in one big group. Next we came into Bramhope, passing Liz and Chris Jones' house I wondered whether they would be at home, unlikely as they too are doing London Marathon they are probably out training, I thought.

A little further along the road we came to a sign saying 'Fox & Hounds' ahh that was the pub which Sophie had to make an unscheduled stop at last year. Dawn announced we weren't going up that way but carrying straight on. Arriving near the top of Pool Bank with about a quarter still to go we set about making our way towards Leeds Bradford Airport. The hill wasn't nearly as bad as it had looked but I must admit I was feeling quite tired and my 'dancing' feet were aching. The traffic was immense and with just a narrow part of the road to run on, facing the cars head on it got a little bit hairy for me, my heart was pounding and I couldn't even bear to look at Dawn in front of me running head long at the traffic, I dropped back behind Alison and put my head down, I was so relieved when the pavement appeared once more and we could get off the road. Phew!

As we neared Yeadon, Murgatroyds etc I visualised our arrival at Apperley Bridge. Approaching the turn off to take us down the hill to the car park Dawn announced we weren't going that way but down to Guiseley first! I turned to Alison and chuckled, she's trying to kill me off! Lo and behold half way down the hill she began talking about carrying on along the canal for a couple more miles. Alison said she couldn't manage any more her hips were hurting and I was at the stage where I really wanted to get finished and I also needed to get back out to Otley and pick up my car which I had left there the evening before. I had to admit I couldn't manage any more so Superwoman got me my bag out of her car and off she trot towards the direction of the canal. I really must ask her what she's on, I'll have some!

So another week has ebbed away leaving just three weeks until London and their taper in sight! I can clearly remember getting to that stage last year, the feeling that all the hard work is done and it really is just a case of keeping your head when all around you lose theirs and getting to that start line. OOOh the excitement and that's just me!
Footnote: I've been dreaming again, this time I dreamt that I got a number for VLM from a complete stranger who pulled out - she told me her name but I can't remember it! I really must stop this late night eating!

All the twos

2011-03-21T11:47:00.000-07:00

I have warnings to shout from the rooftops this morning on several counts!

Firstly this blog was written last night and lost last night after I pressed the control key by mistake so be warned ctrl + d = delete! So here I am on Monday morning starting from the beginning......

However, it's not such a bad thing since I am now in a position to report about how I feel having acted like a boy (well they are often accused of acting like girls!) and after raving about my ice bath last week, I was unable to face it this week! Having run 4 miles before a race, run the Epilepsy Action Bradford 10k and then run to Bingley town centre and back - 22 (albeit fragmented) miles I got back home and literally felt wiped out, extremely cold, very hungry and fatigued, I got into the bathroom and visualised a hot, bubbly bath, considered an ice bath, no points for guessing which one won! Consoling myself with the fact that this lovely hot bath may well serve as proof that ice baths really do work (but praying that it's on the contrary) I laid there soaking up the lovely hot water.

The verdict: I have to say contrary to last week when I felt tip top on Monday morning after 19 miles on Sunday it was truly a very different story this morning. I had broken sleep, kept waking up with pains in my lower legs, and this morning I positively know how many miles I did yesterday - or at least my legs and lower back do.

I never indulged further than 20 miles in training before I did London last year so this was a (training) first for me (and Dawn) - which brings me to my second revelation, carb gels really did help in keeping me fuelled. You do have doubts as to whether forcing the terrible gloop down really does help or whether for the most part it's psychological. I think due to the fact that the mileage was going to be broken up I didn't pay much attention to whether or not I needed fuel. Didn't buy any gels and during a fleeting last minute thought I grabbed a Boost bar at the till at Morrisons on Saturday teatime after reading the word 'energy' on the wrapper, got home packed a couple of small boxes of raisins and a bottle of juice into my bag and gave it no more thought. The focus for Sunday really was on the race even though I had made the decision to run a few miles beforehand and stay with Dawn throughout the 10k so fuelling regrettably took a back seat. I have to say on the way back to the car to ready ourselves to run to Bingley I felt quite light headed, got to the car and sipped some juice and had a bite of my Boost bar, I could have eaten it all but thought better of it. I ate a small box of raisins and began to feel much better and off we set.

It turned out to be much more of a traffic fest than I had anticipated. Being an average kind of Sunday, fine and dry even though the sun wasn't out, the Sunday drivers certainly were! I was glad to see the sight of the Bradford and Bingley building towering over all the rest as we approached a slight incline to the town centre. Once there, we paused for a moment for Dawn to take fuel on board and set off back the way we came. I found myself drifting off into my own little world, focusing on every step. Getting back into Bradford along Canal Road seemed to take an age, again I think due to the lack of energy I found the last few miles really tough. Dawn on the other hand, expressed dismay at the fact we hadn't quite hit 22 miles as we approached the point where we had left our cars, she proceeded to turn around and run back out along Canal Road. I sat on the wall in disbelief, just where does she get the energy? Oh of course carb gels!

This week I hope to take a step back as I have family celebrations to attend to, a cake to make amongst other things so the mileage may drop slightly but I'll be back!

4 weeks to London and I'm nearly as excited as the runners are - just a tiny bit envious now that I am going to be on the other side of the barrier this year..... Hmmm how things change!

Ice, Ice Baby!

2011-03-14T09:22:00.000-07:00

Our planned 15 mile run yesterday turned into a 17 mile run at the blink of an eye! Torrential rain through the night on Saturday would mean puddles galore on the canal. Puddle dodging is not something to partake in at the end of a 15 mile run!

So, Mick rather helpfully suggested to Dawn to cut off Baildon Bottom and follow the road round behind the canal side apartments and return along Leeds Road from Shipley. This obviously didn't register in my mind as I would have recalled doing a similar route last year which was 17 miles, the last few being torture. However I happily went along with the plan and it wasn't until we came under the railway bridge at Dockfield Road I realised we were actually joining the bottom of Leeds Road. I tried desperately not to think about the long haul ahead but my effort was in vain. Thankfully it wasn't too long before we reached Thackley and the road levelled out. Starting to feel much better if a little achy we arrived back at Apperley Bridge in no time at all. focusing on my aching limbs, thoughts of a cooling remedy lurked in my head. Ice bath? I thought. I remembered some weeks ago I had read (BBC newsreader) Sophie Raworth's blog (she is training for London), she documented how she considered an ice bath a la Paula Radcliffe, she however, chickened out, I didn't intend to. At the time of reading Sophie's blog I filled several ice cube bags and placed them in the freezer, as I hadn't plucked up the courage to use them until now, I forthrightly filled the bath with cold water and tossed in the bags of ice cubes. It seemed like a good idea at the time! I placed my watch on the toilet cistern so that I could monitor the time I spent in there, just how long was one supposed to immerse ones self in the icy depths? Ah well I would play it by ear....

First one foot, then the other, finally I managed to sit down, focus on my breathing and devour the rest of an energy bar I had started during our run. Goosebumps a plenty, I managed 7 minutes before the pain in my toes got the better of me - wondering if I had spent enough time in there for it to be of benefit - I pulled out the plug, turned on the hot tap followed by the cold until I had a luke warm mix to get washed in, hopefully not undoing the good that the cold water had done.

Result! Today my legs feel tip top! The 17 miles just a distant memory! Looking forward to tonight's speed and hills session at club.

I hope that I can now become a champion of the benefits of ice baths - time will tell, if I have the courage to partake further after next week's long run......

I won, I won!

2011-03-11T22:16:00.000-08:00

I know what it feels like now to win a race.

For the most part of a week now my sleep patterns have been very erratic. No not because I won a race and can't sleep for thinking about it. In fact I wish I knew why. I have a few theories of course, thoughts of a long run, thoughts of a long race, eating too late, pain following a sports massage, certainly not because I won a race and the excitement lingered long afterwards!

Of course, you may have guessed, I was dreaming! The elation, however, was very real. It may have only been a 5k but I crossed that finish line in first place. Proud as a peacock I strutted over to my waiting family to be hugged and celebrated like a champion! I won't dwell on what might have been because it simply won't be. I accept that. That doesn't mean I don't have goals though. Everyone needs goals otherwise what's the point of it all. My goal for the foreseeable future is that by the middle of the year I'm back to where I was at the same point last year. Enjoying my running and racing and achieving the odd PB. I am still treading carefully and building up my fitness in the hope that I can build up my confidence to once more believe that I can beat previous times in a races. I am fully aware that half of the battle is convincing myself what I'm capable of in my head, once that battle is won then everything else will, hopefully fall into place.

I reported back to Peter May on Thursday following our Wednesday club run. He is so passionate about keeping his clients running that he asks for feedback when you run following a massage. I often forget but not this week. I explained to him that I had toyed with the idea of not running after my massage but decided to give it a go, after which I felt as though a steam roller had run over my legs. Thursday morning however, was a different story and they felt much better. He assured me that I should be feeling back to normal by Sunday. Good job then since Dawn has a 15 miler planned. I'm just waiting to see what coach Mick has mapped out for us.

Due to a disastrous day today and not leaving work until 8:40 pm, least said soonest mended, I ended up not going to club, so parkrun with Dave in the morning should set me in good stead for the long haul on Sunday.

2011-03-06T22:41:00.000-08:00

What a lovely sunny spring day it was today for the Trimpell 20 mile race! Arriving in Lancaster in good time to collect my number, having travelled with Mick, Dawn and Alison, we strolled up to the registration area where we met up with fellow Eccleshill Road Runners, Sophie and Gill and also our recent Pudsey Pacers training partner Karen. Although slightly chilly, the sun was shining which always gives a boost to ones attitude towards the run that lays ahead.

We set off as a foursome, Gill, Dawn, Alison and I. Sophie was accompanied by Karen. Run mainly on cycle tracks, this race is one where for a large part of the time the faster runners are passing you in the opposite direction. I was shocked today though to see the front runner when we had completed only two and a half miles! I'm sure I got further round the course last year before I saw any runners coming back! I actually love seeing the runners on their way back, it keeps you on the look out for people you recognise. Just before 10 miles, Dawn and Gill had got a little in front, I hung back with Alison, she kept reiterating that she was struggling. Dawn turned around to see where we were and I motioned for her to carry on with Gill. She did. Alison said she would rather I caught up to the two in front and she would drop back with Liz Jones from Hyde Park Harriers. It's not easy when you are put in the position of choosing to stay or go but it causes you to question whether staying is the best option for both parties. After several attempts to make sure it was what Alison wanted I agreed to go on ahead, even though the pace wasn't much faster we still seemed to make great progress and the miles began to drop one by one. By 15 miles I knew I needed to take more energy on board. However, I couldn't face the thought, I began to feel sick. I also had packed an energy bar into my bum bag but I couldn't face that either. At 18 miles I began to feel much better, even though I was weary and my legs felt like they didn't belong to me! Gill stopped dead and began to walk, we tried to carry on and encouraged her to get going again but she was having none of it, I started to edge back and forth towards her all the time shouting encouragement, finally she managed to get going again, this happened again when we only had just over a mile left to go. Once more I managed to encourage her to get going again. We came upon Mick & Sophie who had finished, Sophie shouted encouragement and told us we only had ONE lap of the track to do to finish not two as we had anticipated. This gave me a real boost and I kept talking to Gill to keep her going. Finally we crossed the line - done. A small boy rushed up to hand me a medal. Fantastic. We had done it. Utter team work! Alison wasn't far behind although she had dropped behind Liz too, she too was elated to have finished.

Sadly the picture below of Salt Ayre Leisure Centre swimming pool was the only glimpse we runners got of it! Apparently the race director had used last year's information for this year's race and we weren't allowed to use the pool, just the showers..... We close in 45 minutes was her next words - presumably to prevent us from offering to pay for the use of the pool...... Kill joys!

So hopefully with plenty of confidence instilled into our marathoners they will continue their training plan and have a brilliant marathon run in London!

The wonders of the Wii

2011-03-02T13:56:00.000-08:00

I'm really pleased that I have, so far, managed to keep up regular training on my Wii fit plus. Starting out with yoga on the nights I don't run has been great! I've started to really enjoy it and really do think it is contributing to keeping me on an upward journey back to full fitness. I do keep letting the fact that I am not getting any younger creep into my thoughts but then I try think about our veteran member Arthur who despite having a current knee injury which he is waiting to have surgery on, is still keeping very active by doing Bradford parkrun each week and also walking countless miles with Queensbury Walking Group. He also still attends club when it's a session he thinks he can cope with. Then there's fellow Eccleshill member Gill, in her 50's about to embark on he first marathon in London in a few short weeks. So you see age really is no barrier unless you let it become so.

I must admit I had to 'pass' on the hill session this week though. Following our indoor coached session last Friday I suffered greatly with Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness. The long run on Sunday, no doubt was also a contributing factor to my aches and pains. So a 3 mile recovery run it was.

I've now begun to explore the other features on my Wii fit in the hope of keeping my interest from waining. I've now discovered muscle training which is much more aerobic than yoga and also balance training. I ask myself, Why oh why didn't I explore it's features sooner, I've only had the thing 18 months!

Tonight's club run is another 10 miler. This distance seems surprisingly tame these days! Trimpell 20 on Sunday will end another week of quite high marathon (that I'm not doing!) training. Oddly I'm looking forward to it even though I know what's in store.

On Friday the lovely Lisa who left us in September to reside in sunny Spain for a while is coming to visit and run with us. Drinks in the UCC bar afterwards are enough to tempt anyone to run a few miles!

Compos mentis

2011-02-28T02:54:00.000-08:00

I questioned my sanity a number of times yesterday, but I guess least said about that the better.

Given that I declined all suggestions that I should do another marathon in 2011 I did wonder why I was crossing the landing into the bathroom at 6.15 on a Sunday morning in preparation for an 18 mile run to Huddersfield. I then remembered the reason. All my own doing of course! Following last weeks 15+ miler with the 'marathoners' I found myself uttering words to the effect that we could probably run to Huddersfield next week in time to cheer in the runners of the Huddersfield 10k whilst increasing the training mileage for the marathon which I am not doing. I am then, of sound mind, and indeed responsible for my own actions! Make sense? No? I didn't think so either.

Anyway here I was bleary eyed and trying to focus on what I needed to pack into a bag to be left in Mick's car since he was going to be the one bringing us back. Would it rain, would I need to change my clothes, a towel, spare shoes, snacks for after the run? This felt like I was preparing to run a marathon, gels, pain killers, mobile phone??? Questions, questions, I had to take a step back and think straight. I wasn't going to be alone in this long journey since we had yet another addition to last weeks party, Alison was joining Dawn, Karen and myself on this one. Finally I managed to pack everything up, get my breakfast and get dressed.

Mick arrived promptly at 7.55 and off we went to Pudsey to meet Karen. Retracing our steps back to Eccleshill we began our journey. 9 miles in, the half way point, I again declared how, similar to last week, I felt much better running in the morning than I did on the longer club runs on Wednesday evenings. Was it the daylight or was it that having not worked all day one feels less tired? Not sure but probably a combination of the two.

After a brief toilet stop at Tesco in Huddersfield we continued on our journey, 6 miles to go. Little did we know a punishing incline lay just around the corner. We all tackled it with our own determination. Once at the top we had a steady decline down into the centre of Huddersfield. This is where it went slightly wrong. We continued on through the city centre. No sign of 'Lockwood' the place where the rugby club was situated. Apparently this was where the race started and finished from. I must admit that put a downward slant on my mood. After feeling really upbeat about reaching Huddersfield and a sense we had 'done it' my mood slowly began to take a nose dive. We asked several people for directions and each time confidently set off again only to reach the end of another road and not know which way to turn. Eventually we came across fellow ERR runner, Lindsey who had finished the race and directed us to our intended destination.

Sadly the race was well and truly over so we didn't get chance to cheer anyone in at the finish but nonetheless we had completed more than our intended 18 miles, nearly 19 and a half which can only serve to instill some confidence into the marathoners of their ability to achieve their goal which must be now firmly in their sights.

After our long run I have managed to end weeks of uncertainty in my mind and make a decision to run Trimpell 20 next weekend instead of the final Peco cross country at Otley. It has been a difficult decision as I really do enjoy the cross country races but feel that I have more to gain by going to Trimpell from a personal point of view and from a 'friends' point of view. The group will be increased even further as Mick, Sophie and Gill join our gang! I do love team spirit! Anyway who can resist the offer of a free swim after a 20 mile run? Salt Ayre Leisure Centre here I come......

Salt Ayre Leisure Centre swimming pool, Trimpell

S'now go...

2011-02-20T22:58:00.000-08:00

Although forecast, I was surprised at the amount of snow we woke up to on Saturday morning. Would parkrun be going ahead? Should I selfishly take the 4 x 4 and leave my unsuspecting husband to travel to Queensbury in the go kart (smart car!)? I picked up my mobile when I got downstairs and saw I had a message from Arthur saying he wasn't going as it was thick snow where he lived,Queensbury! So I text him back saying I was unsure whether to go or not. I logged onto the parkrun Facebook group, nothing, signed into my email to obtain the volunteer rota and race director's mobile to try and find out if the run was cancelled. Then realised it was not Rick, who has stood in throughout Linda's absence, who was race directing this week, scuppered, I knew I had to make a decision. It began snowing furiously outside again, the roads were already covered, I knew that I would have to let Martin take the 4 x 4 in order to get him to work and back in Queensbury. Decision made.....

An hour or so later Dave was still whining - he knew he should be running round the lovely Lister Park by now, so I donned my wellies and winter attire, got him on his lead and off we set for a lovely stroll through the local woods. Not parkrun but the next best thing! I did have a few regrets when I later found out 35 runners had braved the inclement weather and I felt as though we had wussed out, slightly!

Decisions though, still had to be made about Sunday's run, my offer to run with Dawn et al to try and increase her marathon training mileage was still worrying me as she was adamant in completing 16+ miles. Could I increase to that? Would it set me back in my quest to get back to full fitness? I really couldn't muster the confidence to agree to a 16 mile run. Self doubt had reared it's ugly ahead yet again. It seemed as though it would be easier to give into it even though there was just a little ray of self confidence.

So I text Dawn to ask if she had mapped the route from Calverley to Saltaire, Guiseley, Rawdon, Horsforth and back to Calverley she had earlier outlined so that I could maybe get a lift to a point further out and join them for the latter part of their run, the top of Hollings Hill maybe? She duly emailed the exact route and upon studying it I realised I would only complete just over six miles if I met them there! Frustrated, I 'bit the bullet' and agreed to meet them at Greengates which would reduce the route by just under a mile for me. Acceptable I thought. So I made my way to Greengates early next morning and right on Cue Dawn and Karen (from Pudsey Pacers) appeared, I crossed the road to join them and we set off on our merry way towards Shipley, thoughts of the dreaded Hollings Hill lingered...

It was a real boost to be able to reassure Dawn through my experience of trying to get to grips with fuelling for the marathon from last year when Lisa, Sophie and I had taken similar routes, figuring out our fuel intake and my being able to advise Dawn in the hope of things working out well for her which it later seemed they had. I remembered getting to the same point last year, the road up to Rawdon and fuelling there in the hope of not running out of steam half way up, it worked! Dawn followed suit.

In what seemed like no time at all we were approaching Horsforth roundabout, a downhill and then a slight uphill back to Calverley was all that remained, both Dawn and I were visibly tired, Karen seemed as though she had miles left in her. One of the most uplifting parts for me though had been earlier, finding myself at the top of Hollings Hill, the half way point for me, and just another small confidence boost!
Then when we arrived at our finish point and hearing Dawn declare she had just completed her highest mileage to date (over 16 miles)! Brilliant. That's team work. For me, 15.29 miles - done.

Did I really hear myself saying we could run to Huddersfield next Sunday and get a lift back? Oh dear the route has already landed in my inbox! http://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/28548986

In the pink....

2011-02-17T07:08:00.000-08:00

I was rather pink after my 10 mile club run last night but again this morning I'm feeling tip top so it's all good. I'm now trying to resist the charms of Dawn who's trying to persuade me to accompany her and a few friends on a 16 miler on Sunday - tried to convince her it is too much of a hike in her marathon training mileage but don't think I managed it! We'll see....

I am going to be in the pink from now on at races! I've supported a very worthy cause, 'Breakthrough Breast Cancer' and got myself a very limited edition Frogtrade Pink Hoodie, I love it!!!

The hills are alive...

2011-02-15T08:38:00.000-08:00

Not though, with the Sound of Music!

I am a true champion of speed and hill work as an aid to improving one's fitness. I quite often quote my own experience to members of our club. I harp back to when (my then young son) Marc and I joined Eccleshill Road Runners, attending regularly once a week on Friday's, still in fact billed as our 'social run night'. I can't remember what it definitely was that influenced us to attend Monday's in addition to Friday's but I think it might have been either a time trial or a circuit session we used to hold at the back of Morrison's Enterprise Five, 'Enterprise Surprise'! After that we regularly attended two nights per week. I can still see from my past training logs the improvement in my running both training and racing. Although I don't profess to be Speedy Gonzales, I do know that those Monday speed and hills sessions really did help me to improve my running as a whole.

So having had a huge dip in my fitness in recent months due to injury I now feel that I can begin to work on it. Beginning last night I'm now on a mission to start and make improvements to the way I train. Meeting as usual in Fitness First reception we had yet another new comer trying out the club. Chatting about our club's training regimes Helen and I explained exactly what kinds of activities we do on Monday's. Rather worried our new lady asked if it was a competition. I explained that each one of us was competing against ourselves. 'You get out what you put in' is a familiar turn of phrase we use when describing our sessions. Lister Lane hill reps was the order of the (Valentines) day. After a fantastic warm up with Helen in the form a gentle jog around Fitness First followed by dynamic stretching, we then jogged along to the hill in question. We were supposed to aim for 4 to 6 reps of the hill which included a lovely downhill recovery before each effort. I set off on the first one with gusto, down the hill with a sharp turn to tackle the beast at the bottom. As I overtook some other club mates I heard 'show off' muttered. I smiled to myself and carried on, after all this was supposed to be about 'effort' was it not? Nearing the top I ran out of steam and was reduced to a power walk. I continued on and was soon able to regain my stride.

I was very satisfied with my effort at the end of the session as I had managed to complete 4 full reps and then finished off with two half reps with Marc. Following those I had a fast paced jog back to base with Lindsey, Nikos, Annie and Marc. I went home feeling that I had fulfilled my aim. For some time now I have not been making any attempt to put any effort into the Monday sessions, opting instead to exercise restraint for fear of aggravating my injury.

Today I have been considering the possibility of entering the Trimpell 20 in a bid to support fellow club members who have entered this race as a training run for the London marathon. Tomorrow I have a 10 mile club run to look forward to.

Now where are those choccies I got from my Valentine? I think I've earned one or two!

Reject

2011-02-11T03:45:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I was smiling, today I am not!

Just how do you obtain a place in the Great North Run Ballot? For the 6th year in succession I have a received a rejection email. Once, just once I would like to open the email and read 'YOUR ENTRY FOR THE BUPA GREAT NORTH RUN HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL'

Reject:
Noun: A person or thing dismissed as failing to meet standards or satisfy tastes.
Verb: Dismiss as inadequate, inappropriate, or not to one's taste.

One can begin to get a complex.........

The morning after the night before.

2011-02-10T02:14:00.000-08:00

This is the morning after the night before. No I don't have a blinder of a hangover! I went to club last night with thoughts of joining the group doing the shorter run, partly because I could still feel sore spots from my massage with Peter on Tuesday and partly with thoughts that I didn't want to 'push it'. However, with holidays and injuries amongst club members and a Leeds University Lecture by Alistair and Johnny Brownlee - runners were thin on the ground.

Tony had turned up despite not feeling very well, then decided he would return home as he was feeling worse. This left Janice and I to 'man the fort'. Janice has been unwell recently so decided she would do the short run, so I decided I would accompany John and Alison on the longer run. Oh how the mind is changed in a very short space of time!

Anyway, we had a lovely run, I was starting to feel aches and pains on the upward climb to Five Lane Ends, Highfield Road is more of an incline than you might expect! Arriving back at club having covered a total of 9.5 miles my legs felt like lumps of lead, I began to visualise how I would feel in the morning, sore I guessed!

Upon rising this morning I felt tip top! I'm sure there's some secret ingredients in that there 'Runner's Rub'! I could of course attribute it to my Wii Yoga too!

The downward facing dog!

Dernière deux fois!

2011-02-07T15:17:00.000-08:00

Twice during my short weekend I have hesitated before writing my blog, firstly on Saturday after parkrun and I abstained in favour of waiting until after Sunday's race - the Dewsbury 10k and combining the two. After said race I hesitated again and wished I had gone with the first attempt and then I could have omitted Sunday altogether!
Why? Well, certainly not because I had a bad race, nor because I didn't get a PB, how to put it into words might have been the reason.

I really do seem to be experiencing all manor of enlightening events recently. I have been tail runner, sweeper whatever term fits best, at Bradford parkrun for quite some time now, a role which I thoroughly enjoy and that is partly due to the enjoyment I know Dave takes from it. It is also due to the sense of being part of the support network that is 'parkrun' and we are, each and everyone of us who turn up week in week out, part of it, whether as a volunteer or a runner, without all of us there would be no parkrun, that's special. This week though, in stark contrast to last week, I found myself chatting to a very small boy and his Dad, he can't have been much more than 6 or 7 and he chatted away in between a little running and walking about Dave and why one of his ears was down and one was up and various other things. After lap two he decided he didn't want to do any more so his dad asked a lady if he could stay with her and off he ran, well I didn't have a hope of staying anywhere near him, so I merrily set off on the third lap with Dave. It was very odd running into the finish area with no accomplice, but hey the job was done I knew there were no other runners behind me and so I still signalled the end of the run. I hadn't previously given any thought to what would happen in the event that the person I was behind decided not to finish and there being no visible person in front to catch up but of course I well and truly would be last!

Sunday's race was a real test of ones fitness or lack of it! Most runners will quite likely have set off with thoughts of a PB lurking in their minds on the pancake flat, out and back town centre course. The outcome for a lot of people could, though, have been very different even if they were in rude health, no injuries etc. Personally I felt at times like I had a bungee rope attached to the back of me! The half way turnaround point seemed to take an age to reach. One saving grace was the sight of the front (very fast and fit!) runners on their way back. It really was a sight to behold seeing the sheer determination on their faces as they fought against their competitors and the wind! It's also great to be able to cheer on fellow club runners and friends in both directions. Those who have run an out-and-back race will know what I mean when I say I got a renewed energy as I ran round the cones to start my homeward journey. It was still difficult to fight against the wind, possible due to the lay out of the buildings, the wind seemed to be coming at us from all directions. At 8k I rested on my laurels, 'not far to go now' I heard myself say, with that I heard a familiar voice, looked to the side of me and there was fellow ERRers Gill and Dawn. I have known for some time that both my club mates have improved markedly since taking part in various training courses and undertaking marathon training. They both sailed past me - a light bulb flicked on - I'm now in last place (ERR ladies!). As any self respecting runner would do, I clicked up a gear and caught back up with them. Battle commenced! It was very much cat and mouse. Right up to the finish as they both fought to leave me behind. Alas, the times came out at Gill 58:14, Dawn 58:18 and me 58:19. Last was where I stayed.............. I can still hear it playing in my ears.....

If at first you don't succeed....

2011-02-03T14:03:00.000-08:00

Just when I thought things in the training stakes couldn't get much better after feeling 'on top of the world' on Sunday I found myself uttering the 'yes' word yet again!

Once weekly on a Monday we incorporate a speed and hills session into our training. This can take many forms, an interval session, a fartlek session, hill repeats, a pyramid session to name but a few.
Last Monday I managed to keep a lid on things by toning down our planned pyramid session, intended to be completed with gusto to improve ones fitness. Gently jogging around the course provided me with a recovery run from Sunday's muddy encounter at the Peco cross country. Whilst most other club members were tearing round as if their lives depended upon it, Dawn and I must have looked like we didn't have a rush in us! Dawn who is following a marathon training plan was supposed to complete a 45 minute 'easy' run and although slightly longer, she managed to do just that!

So to Wednesday's club run, 10.5 miles including the infamous Carr Lane said the Calendar on the club website. To date I had not managed to negotiate said hill without stopping. Each time I have attempted it this thought had been at the forefront of my mind. I have discussed this fact with various persons who have managed to achieve such a feat. The reason, I concluded was partly mental. Tell yourself you can't do something and you are most certainly set to fail before you've even begun, people experience this in all aspects of life not just running, we can't be positive thinkers all of the time, if only! Since we had a fair few miles to cover before we actually had to run up the 1 in 6 gradient we discussed tactics to get us up it, including running in front of a car in order to avoid our fate and positive thinking!

As we ran we tried to offer positive encouragement to each other and to my amazement on reaching the bottom I felt quite confident that I could get up there in one. Previous attempts have seen me get to the second bus stop (there are four in all). As I approached the second bus stop I began visualising getting to the top, punching the air and writing my blog! To those who have run up the 'hill from hell' several times before I probably sound like I am making a 'mountain out of a mole hill' but believe you me this hill is like a mountain to me. A goal previously unobtainable.

As I neared the third bus stop I could see Dawn in front of me and John in front of Dawn - I kept my momentum, the fourth bus stop came into view, I was now at the steepest point, again I was visualising the moment I reached the top. Before I knew it I was there! A fifth bus stop is situated quite a way on from reaching the top, I kept going and upon drawing level with it I punched the air - 'Yes'! I had done it, turning around Alison was just coming to the top, we all shouted encouragement to keep her going, all four of us had conquered it, and to me at least, it felt like Everest.

If at first you don't succeed, try,try,try again..............

Red faced but happy.........

2011-01-31T08:07:00.000-08:00

Training is still going very well. I highly recommend having a plan and sticking to it. My three nights of training with club, additional run/walk at Bradford parkrun on Saturdays, topped off with the odd race on Sundays seems to be keeping me on an even keel. Of course the all important cross training must be having a positive effect too. Nothing strenuous needed here, the Wii yoga seems to be providing the balance I have needed for some time. Nicely rounded off with my regular massage (Peter May's Runners Rub) and ice and compression!

I was very nearly tempted to sign up for the next round of Airedale Athletics training courses but managed to 'turn a blind eye' to the application form when it arrived in my email inbox in favour of not over doing things now that I seem to have regained control over my Achilles tendon, I could quite literally have thrown in the towel and hung up my trainers not that many months ago. I did think at times that I wasn't going to regain the ability to get back to full training. Patience, I am pleased to say seems to have paid off. Fingers crossed!

Ever had that feeling during a race that you're going 'hell for leather' but it turns out you weren't really? That was me yesterday at the penultimate cross country race of this year's Peco League. Although there were times when I slowed to snails pace due to accumulating half a stone of clay like mud on each shoe, I really felt I had given it my all. I can still feel the excitement I felt as I approached the water jump and a few ladies were hesitating about getting over, a marshal perched at each side trying to catch those who faltered, I made a split decision to negotiate it from the opposite end, leapt with all my might, I then realised I was at the wider end of the ditch which was probably the reason for the congestion at the narrower end, SPLASH, one foot went into the water and down on all fours I went, the marshal was dithering as if he didn't know whether to grab me or not, I made the decision for him and bid a hasty retreat up the banking and carried on. My red face didn't last for long as I encountered the next batch of slippery mud and my attention was once more focused on staying on my feet.
When I crossed the finish line I was handed number 91, number 91 I thought? Handing it to Mick to enter on our sheet he said 'shall we use it the other way up?', 16 was what I felt I deserved for effort, so I'll forget what's on the score sheet, I'll take 16 in my fantasy league, if only for ending up on all fours at the water jump!

Outward bound at the Peco XC

Yes!

2011-01-23T22:30:00.000-08:00

A belated Eccleshill Road Runners Christmas meal didn't seem like the best preparation for my first half marathon in quite some time. Consoling myself with the fact that it was at an Italian restaurant and I would be able to carb load on pasta and also that it was a fairly early start and a few of us were running the next day meaning we shouldn't have too much trouble being tucked up in bed at a reasonable hour, we went along and had a lovely evening and managed to be back home and bid a hasty retreat up the stairs by 11 pm.
I woke early this morning before the alarm went off at six having slept surprisingly well. I took great pleasure in going to meet fellow Err'ers at Morrisons Enterprise Five to travel across to York for the Brass Monkey Half Marathon.

Arriving in York in good time to collect our numbers and timing chips thanks to Ian and Gill we avoided the onslaught we then went on to witness, chaos wasn't even close to describing the scene as throngs of runners queued to get theirs, we then had time to hang around and chat with our own and other club runners until we eventually decided to go and warm up and head to the start line. The butterflies began, they were, fortunately, short lived. I hadn't spoken to anyone about a race plan but had decided I was really going to take it easy, although a PB course, I put all such thoughts out of my head. I really did have serious doubts as to whether I could get around the 13.1 mile course in one piece. Determination aside, the factors which are beyond my control lurked around in my thoughts, as did Peter May's advice the previous week, "if you are going to do it, be prepared to struggle" he'd said when I whined that I really wanted to do it. We set off and it became almost immediately clear that the conditions were perfect for running. The rain that had threatened us with a soggy run earlier had subsided, it was overcast and a little breezy.

I held back and decided to run with Dawn if she was happy for me to do so. A couple of times she urged me to push on but I was feeling totally comfortable and really wanted to stay that way. I've run with Dawn before and there really isn't much between our paces, she's really improved over the last twelve months and more so since she's been training for the London Marathon, as have quite a few club members, PB's were sure to be plentiful following today's race. I can still remember the feeling when I took 11 minutes off my Great North time at this race last year, I was ecstatic and I hope that's the case for some of our runners today. Alas, I can only hope that I can set my sights on a new half marathon PB this time next year.

The race progressed really well, I said to Dawn at the 3 mile mark I wished it was a 10k then we would be half way, then upon reaching the 7 mile mark that conversation seemed only moments ago. In no time at all we were at the 10 mile marker and I felt compelled to point out we only had 5k to go - a parkrun in fact! Dawn wasn't impressed at this point but I managed to keep her going with idle chat. I only hope I hadn't got on her nerves! I'll find out later....

Meanwhile I can honestly say that today I ran one of the best 13.1 miles of my life, I still hold my first Great North Run very dear! The smile on my face and the cry of 'Yes' as I crossed that finishing line today was genuinely portraying the happiness I felt at getting round the course I had earlier had serious doubts about conquering. It is also great to be part of a club where fellow members are waiting at the finish to cheer you all in and I must make a special mention to the brilliant marshals of this race too, they really did put in a big effort to spur us runners on and they are to be commended.

Onwards and upwards, today also made me realise that the last couple of cross country races were not a 'walk in the park' with either adverse weather and/or mud and hills to contend with I had no reason to doubt my ability except that I really do need to concentrate on getting my fitness back to where I was some 9 months ago and shed the few pounds I've managed to acquire over the past few months of reduced activity.

Blue Monday

2011-01-17T22:45:00.000-08:00

I've had a great week in the training stakes. Having trained Monday, Wednesday and Friday with club, been sweeper at Bradford parkrun with Dave and topping it all off with a tough cross country on Sunday. I'm not dwelling on the cross country as I was just pleased to get round the muddy, hilly, 3 lap course given my lack of training due to recent illness and not so recent injury. I had vowed I was going to title this blog 'hills bells' in keeping with my Christmas one where the elf out ran me, as she did this time but it didn't feel nearly as painful since she wasn't in her previous get up! I should also mention the fantastic support from fellow club and non club runners throughout the race. It's uplifting when someone comes up behind you and says ' keep going Julie, you're looking strong' even though you know damn well you're not!
My spirits were not even dampened upon turning up at parkrun to find that the race was included in the Eccleshill Road Runners club championships, just how I had managed to overlook that escapes me but hey ho 42 minutes plus for a 5k was never going to get me any points was it? So following such a good week, why then did I feel down in the dumps all day today? I didn't have an explanation, until that is, my regular Fetcheveryone newsletter dropped into my email inbox! Today was 'Blue Monday'. That explains everything then, or does it? Many people subscribe to the psychological theory that today -- January 17th -- is the most depressing day of the year. If we chose to believe such claims, apparently a theory dreamt up by academics then surely we would have lots of blue Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays.... You catch my drift.
Apparently you can boost your mood by helping others, it's also suggested that receiving an unexpected compliment; listening to the sea; sitting in the sunshine (hmmm); listening to music; eating your favourite food; hearing laughter; winning money; going for a walk on the beach; and having a snowball fight can all have a positive effect on our well being! What would you recommend? A duvet day? A touch of New Order? Or is it simply a matter of ignoring dubious formulae and getting on with things? Well for me, there's simply nothing better than a run with friends to lift my mood and I can honestly say it works every time! It really is no wonder then that we runners become down hearted, depressed, frustrated or whatever other emotion springs to mind, when we cannot for one reason or another run.
On a brighter note, I'm on track with my cross training goals having kept up regular yoga sessions on my Wii fit, I've yet to find further discipline in swimming or be it something else, but am confident in attaining this. Another sports massage with Peter May tomorrow will hopefully iron out any issues since before Christmas and stand me in good stead for the Brass Monkey this coming Sunday.

Resolute

2011-01-07T06:59:00.000-08:00

I am what you might call a creature of habit. I get into a habit and pound away, day in, day, out, week in, week out, month in, month out, year in, year out. That, I fear is what I've been doing for the past three and a half years at least. Running is by far the only 'hobby' I've taken up and stuck with for any length of time, until now that is. I think I've actually managed to convince myself that I won't be able to get back to where I was a few months ago in terms of being able to run and not suffer ill effects or being able to race and get back to being able to better my times. That is, of course, apart from 28 years ago when I first ever took up running, well jogging actually, myself, my sister-in-law Tricia and (my husband's, cousin's wife!) Edwina all purchased black and white track suits and began 'jogging'. We signed up for the Calverley fun run, 4 miles I think. If my memory serves me correctly it nearly finished me off! We also signed up for the Otley half marathon, I'm afraid I backed out and another sister-in-law took part in my place, I still have a guilt feeling every time I think about it to this day. I'm sure there's some photos somewhere of us in those black and white tracksuits but I think I'd prefer it if they stayed stored away!

So how do I get out of this hole I have dug for myself? I keep making promises to myself and for one reason or another they go out of the window. Illness and of course, adverse weather have both played a part, so I suppose I shouldn't dwell on it too much and take it one day at a time. I actually feel a little scared to get back to it now, the feeling is a little like when you were off school or work for a few days and then when you go back you feel like it's your first day all over again. Except in my situation I have reached a point where, without realising, my leg has been pain free, I'm not sure for how long but definitely pain free, so I'm mildly excited and I really don't feel like compromising that. I do realise I am going to have to do it at some point but plan to bide my time for now, be resolute and not rush things in the hope that I don't end up back to square one yet again (I'm also really tired of hearing myself say that yet again!).
(Incidentally looking out of the window it's once more snowing profusely so there's probably no going back on my decision to wait a little longer to run anyway!)

I'm still waiting confirmation of several cross training ideas which have been suggested by friends but continue to explore different options but one thing is for certain one of my New Year's Resolutions is most certainly to incorporate more variety into my training.

So I can now add the Pennine 10k, this coming Sunday to my list of uncompleted, planned races....... I think..........

Time Trials and Talking Marathons

2011-01-03T14:30:00.000-08:00

It was lovely to meet up with the club members who turned up for tonight's monthly time trial. Feels like an age since I was at club, Christmas just turns everything upside down!

Still unable to shake of my chesty cough I just about managed to take the warm up session and was very out of breath, it was fortunate then that I was only going to do the timing anyway because I wouldn't have been able to run. I'm going to try get an appointment at the Doctor's tomorrow and get checked out, having put paid to my Christmas and (nearly my ) New Year I figure this has dragged on a little too long now and needs to scarper!

It was my intention to try and have a short run this Wednesday even though the advice is 'neck and above - it's ok to run', 'below the neck - don't run', I've somehow managed to convince myself that if I had maybe done a little running it might actually have helped my chest - I don't know if that's true but I've now had a better offer of an invite to go and listen to Tom Williams of Marathon Talk fame which promises to:

"Get your training off to a flying start with a free Marathon Evening hosted by Tom Williams of Marathon Talk, in conjunction with the University of Leeds and local run club Hyde Park Harriers."

Yes I know, I know, I'm not doing a marathon this year, I do however, think that there is a lot of valuable information to be gleaned from attending such an evening in regard to amongst other things, injury prevention and management and nutrition and anyway my experience of listening to Tom Williams on the couple of occasions I have been fortunate enough to meet him, is that he is absolutely mesmerising and I could listen to him talking for eternity. He is one of those people who just has the ability to capture your attention and keep it, I suppose it helps that I am interested in what he has to say!

Christmas Lights.....oh what a plight!

2010-12-30T21:53:00.000-08:00

This blog comes a little late and it really does seem as though it's months since I last ran. Continuing the downward spiral in my training, the snow and ice threatened to put a stop to our annual Christmas lights and indeed last club run before the festive season commenced. I managed to persuade a few hardy souls that if we were to set off and find ourselves unable to run we could run/walk to Idle and miss out the planned visit around Wrose and Swaine House to keep it short. Those not wanting to run at all could stay behind and put the kettle on! Before we set off people began offering donations for me to put in the collection box for Marie Curie cancer care which sits in the porch of the very well lit house who's owner has sadly lost his father to the cruel disease.

So a hardy 5 of us set off, I donned my holly 'bell' earrings, and actually it was not bad at all under foot. Myself, Shirley and Laura all expressed how liberating it felt to be out, we really enjoyed it. The lights, as in previous years, were spectacular and the fundraising efforts made it all the more awe inspiring. It really is a sight to behold. Nikos took some photos before we set off back to enjoy a hot drink and a mince pie with our club mates.

Bye all and a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

So that was it, work, work, work was all that was left until Christmas. I was rather excited that my family had agreed we would all do the Christmas Day parkrun. We arrived in Lister Park bright and early after opening our presents, I tried to complete a warm up round the park with Dave, by heck it was freezing. We went down to the bandstand meet up area to hear a chap saying it was -13. Believe you me it felt it too! Martin insisted that he would 'sweep' with Dave and I was to run it for a change. Off we went to the start. By this time my fingers and toes were freezing. Gill, Laura and I stuck together, it was absolutely lovely, the sun was shining making the snow glisten. I couldn't believe how many people had turned up to take part! First lap completed, my fingers started to warm up and I felt the familiar pain associated with the thaw! We started up the teeny tiny hill for the second time, as we did so I began to feel dizzy, I then felt like I was seriously going to pass out, I stopped and beckoned Gill and Laura to tell them I wasn't feeling very well and to keep going, they stayed with me until we reached the top and round the corner met Ian and Marc, they then both agreed to carry on. I began to feel slightly better but not enough to get going again.

I was puzzled as to the cause of my malady but could only think it was something to do with the pain in my hands. All became clear as the day went on and I began to realise I had chest problems, was it flu, a cold? I had no idea but what I did know was that there was no way I was going to be able to do the Chevin Chase I had planned on Boxing Day. I text Gill and warned her I probably wouldn't be going.

Over the next few days I went from bad to worse as the illness got a grip, I definitely had picked up some bug or other.
My running is still on the back burner as I struggle to breathe without coughing let alone run and wait for the symptoms to subside.....

and wait.....

.....and wait

Elves Bells!

2010-12-20T05:17:00.000-08:00

I was looking forward to the second of this years cross country races at Middleton Park (Rothwell Harriers playing host). The return of the white stuff had me wondering whether parkrun on Saturday and indeed the race on Sunday would be cancelled.... I texted Linda and asked if she would let me know if parkrun was cancelled and planned that if it wasn't I would go be sweeper before going to work. By Friday late evening it started snowing profusely, no parkrun in the morning I thought. I got up bright and early and texted Linda again, surely it would be called off, nothing..... So I erred on the side of caution and went to work as planned. I later found out she had decided to go ahead with it and 11 hardy runners turned up or should that be mad?

There was hope for the cross country then, being off road should prove better under foot, surely? Mick texted me late on Saturday evening to say it was definitely going ahead. We met up on Sunday morning at Morrisons and Sophie and myself travelled with Shirley. We got to Middleton Park well over an hour early, went and got ourselves registered and decided to go down to the sports centre to use their loos. As we entered the building the smell of coffee drifted out, Sophie suggested we sit in the cafe and have a drink rather than go stand in the freezing, snow covered field, no contest! A while later we went back to the car to shed our winter attire, had a really good warm up and proceeded to the start. No more ladies? Slightly disappointed, we found we only had four chaps too so neither a men's or a ladies team..... None the less it was a lovely crisp morning for a run. The person trying to give instructions for the race was hardly audible, except I then heard 3, 2, 1, go! Off we set, charging like wild horses! Not very far into the race I started to struggle, felt sick, gasping, legs like lead, was it the coffee, I had no idea but considered turning back, not something I relish the thought of so soldiered on, things didn't really get much better but I heard jingling bells behind me.... Santa? Reindeer? I turned to look as careering towards me was a rather large elf! Bells a plenty jingling away, I had to smile and plodded onwards. The ground was pretty solid and it proved tough trying not to go over on the ankles. It seemed endless as I approached two young boys, one shouted, 'is this your first lap or second' - first I gasped wishing it was my second, how much further did we have to go? Through a field we lurched and were directed round a right hand bend which proved to be a furious downhill, I just went for it, overtaking about 10 people, the elf included. Each uphill proved to be an energy sapper, it wasn't long before some of those I had conquered took back their reign!

I began to settle into a rhythm until I came to another rather large hill, it was just impossible to keep going, I came upon Mrs Elf again, she was cursing the fact that a marshal had told her a while ago that she only had about a mile and half to go, she hated it when they did that she said. With a wry smile I overtook her once more, got to the top and tried hopelessly to put one foot in front of the other - a wide open field stretched before me, complete with frozen mole hills, 'jingle, jingle, jingle' - I heard once more, to my dismay there was the green and red clad figure ambling past me again, I did my utmost to keep pace as she widened the gap between us - just around the corner I read 'Finish' phew that was a relief. I was convinced I was the last runner in but although I dared not count there were a few more after me, I'll have a peek at the results but hey I've been beaten by worse things than an elf, ...I think! I even felt too sick to claim my mince pie! Oh well this time next week I will most probably have had my fill of mince pies as I try to get myself up the hills of Otley in the Chevin Chase on Boxing Day!

Merry Christmas one and all....Keep on Running.......

New Shoes and Stockings!

2010-12-15T21:39:00.000-08:00

Following an indoor coached session at Pulse Gym on Friday we've had a near normal week back at club this week so far and fingers crossed that will continue. I am still in awe of how fast the ice managed to beat a quick retreat in just a few short hours. I went to work on Friday morning slipping and sliding all over the place and came home to completely clear paths. I work in Queensbury and for anyone who doesn't know it's another world at the highest point in Bradford so no reflection of what it's like on the other side of town where I live! I have managed both club sessions quite well including our Monday speed and hills session and then an undulating 6 mile run tonight. Club numbers were very low but it is very near to the festive season now.

However, the training so far has given me an opportunity to test drive the new shoes I finally was able to go and purchase last Friday. I didn't get to 'Up and Running' as I had fully intended (a) due to the weather and then ultimately (b) due to lack of time. I ended up slipping out of work to go shopping and could only justify going to Sportsshoes, Bradford, not Leeds.
Here is the result:

Mizuno Lady Wave

As discussed with Peter I have decided to go back to the make of shoe I had quite some time ago. The assistant in the shop was not convinced that I needed new shoes at all and was very reluctant to encourage me to buy them. She talked to me at length, had me running on the treadmill and up and down the aisles of the shop in both Nike and Mizuno shoes. She also asked a senior sales person to talk to me too. He was very informative, as are all the professionals I have discussed my plight with. He did stress though that 'not everyone sings from the same hymn sheet'! Which I guess is why I feel quite frustrated that one person says one thing while another says something totally the opposite in their advice, I think this is why I feel that I have lost my mojo a little and am just trying to get by but my heart really isn't in it at all.

One thing the senior chap at Sportshoes said was that compression would help, and so in accordance with Peter's advice to ditch my beloved Thorlos socks and get thinner ones I have coupled this with compression too so I'm now running round like someone in those very unflattering hospital tights! Lucky I need long running tights at this time of year!

Black and White

My New Year's resolution? I'm thinking about it but one thing is for certain, I definitely need one......

soul searching

2010-12-01T20:30:00.000-08:00

It's been a funny old week.

I visited Peter just over a week ago. Following my giving him my account of the Abbey Dash he requested that I take my running shoes and socks to my next visit. I went for my 4.30 appointment with quite a spring in my step since I had enjoyed the previous Sunday's race so much and managed a great session at club the next day.

Examining my Nikes really closely, twisting and turning them, Peter declared that he had once purchased a pair of Nike shoes, run 3 miles and put them in the bin! Astonished I declared that these particular Pegasus model were the third pair of said make of shoes I had had due to owning the Nike sportband, I had wanted the shoes that allowed me to place the sensor for the sportband under the sole in a purpose made 'well'. He urged me to look back to the time when I had not had Nike shoes and to think what make I had previously purchased and when my injury problems began. I began to cast my mind back to the first pair I had bought, then the second and finally these I wear today. If my memory serves me correctly the first time I ever suffered any kind of injury was when I moved from Mizuno to Nike. Peter said that any kind of numbness as I had suffered in the latter part of the Abbey Dash was not good, each time I saw him my ankles were swollen, he counteracts it with massage and then the next time I see him it's back again. This he concluded was down to my shoes and circulation, ditch the socks and get thinner ones and get some new shoes, Mizuno if possible, flexible ones and make sure they are not tight, don't lace them too tight and have a week off running all together with a view to be wearing new shoes the next time I do run. I have done much soul searching over the past week - just how much more I can take I don't know, being put on the bench again has really dented my enthusiasm and I fear this could become the norm as I fail to summon up not a drop of disappointment that I don't have to run.

I'm now well over a week since I have run, not may I say due to my own decisions but more due to the weather and partying, my brother's 60th Birthday and a farewell get together for fellow runner and dear friend Lisa as she moves to Spain to start a new life. At least 7 inches of snow has fallen in my garden meaning I haven't been able to get to the running shop to purchase the new shoes. So at the mercy of the weather I live in hope that some time soon I will indeed be able to make that all important visit and put an end to my soul searching, if, that is, there is an end to it.

PB or not PB?

2010-11-22T21:02:00.000-08:00

I had a fantastic race on Sunday courtesy of the Abbey Dash. A notorious PB course pancake flat and an 'out and back' course, I had made a decision to chase my current 10k PB, something I haven't done for months. After queueing for what seemed like an age to leave our belongings at the baggage tent, Sophie and I then joined what seemed like a never ending queue for the toilet. So baggage free we managed about a four minute warm up before fighting through the crowds to get somewhere near to our predicted finishing time start area. Sophie boldly fought through the throng of runners until we were as near as damn it to where we needed to be. Phew! It wasn't exactly the perfect start to a race but within minutes we began to move forward and in what seemed like no time at all we were over the start line.

My hands were cold and at one point I felt searing pain as they started to warm up, nonetheless I felt confident and powered on and what seemed like only moments later Kirkstall Abbey came into view and at the same time I heard my name shouted from the other side of the road, it was Jill, a runner I first met through fetcheveryone and have seen her at countless races since we first met at a 'fetch mile' a couple of years ago. The boost you get from spotting someone you know is immeasurable and since I knew I would be coming back past the same point on the way back in it was double bubble!

I was well on my way back in when I looked at my watch, 37 minutes, I wasn't too sure how far I had left to go but felt as though I was doing really well. I was still passing people - which doesn't often happen but the sheer volume of people taking part in this race means you are always surrounded by other runners (unless you're winning of course!). Still pain free I began to realise that my ankle was numb - was it going to turn into pain? It never did and I crossed the finish line feeling in great shape. I didn't however, beat my PB - it turned out I had looked at the wrong race in my portfolio and my PB was actually much better than I had thought, I was trying to beat 56:13 when in actual fact it was 54:03 so finishing in 56:12 I was a fair bit out but not disappointed, how could I be that was the best run I'd had in months. So the Abbey Dash is firmly top of the list for next year - and that PB is etched in my mind!

Tonight's club session was a new route for our structured session. Harrogate Road Hill reps saw all our members putting in maximum effort, everyone seemed to enjoy the session so no doubt this will now become a regular feature for our Monday nights as we constantly strive to make participation varied and interesting for our runners.

Another visit to Peter tomorrow should set me up for the rest of the week!

He's back!

2010-11-18T08:06:00.001-08:00

After an emotional and sudden retirement last week, Haile has announced he's back! So the running legend has said that once his knee is better he will begin training again and get his focus back for the London 2012 marathon. I can't say I will be focusing on a marathon but I do feel that I am almost back. Peter has suggested I have two massages per week until I am at the stage where I can just go for 'maintenance' massages every six or so weeks. I tread tentatively still as I am only too aware that I have felt that I was on the road to recovery several times before and then found myself back to square one. After our club run last night though I did feel I had put a great deal more effort into the run than I have been able to put into anything I have done over the past few months - with the exception of the off road races the last two weekends - but I think it is a totally different ball game and I am now beginning to feel better about my road running.

I can't stress enough that it is not wise to be complacent and I don't think I have ever felt more inclined to think about not taking for granted the things I put my body through, that may well be my age! If I can just get a couple of people to think about maintaining their bodies in good order be it by cross training and sports massage or otherwise then I will feel a little better about what I have been through and this I think is only the tip of the iceberg I do hope that nothing more serious bestowes itself on me in the future. I am heading to the pool tonight to implement another one of my action plans. I won't, however, be at club on Friday as family business prevents me but my weekly run/walk with Dave at parkrun* should stand me in good stead for the love to hate Abbey Dash 10k on Sunday, Monks not included!

*do visit the Bradford parkrun website, the homepage features a lovely photo of none other than Eccleshill's Helen running in the sunshine alongside the pretty daffodils in Lister Park - a vision to behold - won't be long before they're back.....

Onwards and upwards....

2010-11-15T12:47:00.000-08:00

ERR at Spenborough

Well it's been a very eventful week this week. Not least, weather wise, we've had some very adverse weather including very icy cold rain, gale force winds and it's been generally very cold. Not surprising then that numbers were a down as only a very hardy six of us turned up for speed and hills last Monday. Lister Lane Hill reps, not very appealing at the best of times let alone in driving wind and rain. Nonetheless we managed a decent session - the first hill session I have really put any effort into since being injured.
Unable to attend club on Wednesday due to post 16 evening at school for Marc I felt really enthusiastic on getting to club on Friday. The six mile run felt longer than it was and I still feel that my fitness is below par. No doubt this will improve with the increase in training. I also had to take into account the work that Peter May had done on my calves the previous evening.
Interestingly Peter has some differing views on warming up, stretching etc and thought that some of the exercises my physio had given me might have been having an adverse effect on me. I have therefore, made a conscious decision to abstain from these in the short term to see what effect, if any, this has. It's another one of those situations where you really don't know what advice to follow as it sometimes appears to be conflicting but again I remind myself that I should listen to my body and so that is the course of action I intend to follow for the moment.

Getting up early for sweeping duties at parkrun on Saturday morning I didn't feel too good at all, my lower legs were more than a little uncomfortable and I questioned my judgement as to whether I should still go. Fortunately I consoled myself with the fact that I was only going to run/walk and felt absolutely fine all the way round.

Renewed confidence emerged as I got ready on Sunday morning to go to the last of this year's YVAA races at Spenborough. Dejavu set in as I remembered feeling much the same as last year having had a bit of a tipple the night before the race! Glutton for punishment or what? I do usually avoid alcohol before a race but to be quite truthful I had ignored my own warnings and decided to enjoy the night instead, it was after all a fundraiser for Marc's football team! Thankfully I suffered no ill effects and had a brilliant race, even managing a bit of cat and mouse with a Pudsey Pacer, a Kirkstall Harrier and a blue-vested person, the Pudsey pacer 'outpaced' me on the track at the finish but I'm confident I beat the other two - one of the few times I felt I had really put some effort in and despite encountering every terrain you can mention, paths, tarmac, fields and even cobbles, coupled with fences, stiles and just about the worst mud ever, I really enjoyed it and finished in a half decent time beating last year's time by a very fulfilling 1 minute and 3 seconds!

I also managed a fairly fast paced (for me!) tempo run at tonight's Monday speed and hills session with club. Even though it was bitterly cold and threateningly frosty we had a brilliant turn out and everyone seemed to enjoy the session.

My second massage with Peter May tomorrow will hopefully iron out some more of my leg 'issues' as Peter would say! Onwards and upwards.......

Highs and Lows

2010-11-07T20:46:00.000-08:00

The Stunning Pontefract Park lake

I'm on a high today!

Lyndsey put it in a nutshell as we stood chatting (after our warm up of course) waiting for the 11:00 am start of the first of the season's Peco Cross Country League races. She recounted how she hadn't said anything, just got up and got ready to come and take part, her husband had questioned her as to why she was doing it, because, she said although she really hated the thought of cross country and questioned herself whilst running it, afterwards it gave her a real sense of achievement, my sentiments exactly you may recall!

Hosted by Ackworth Road Runners and AC, today's race was held at the stunning Pontefract Park which has a racecourse, golf course, numerous football pitches and a beautiful lake. Idyllic.

So upon getting kitted out to set off and meet fellow team mates to travel to the Pontefract region I got out my club vest, should I put something underneath? I asked myself, recounting last weekend's Guy Fawkes, I had put a long sleeved top under the club vest and was far too hot for the most part of the race, 11 am start, it will have warmed up by then, so off I trot in only the vest. Waiting at the start it was absolutely freezing, my feet were cold, my hands were cold. I began to think I was going to stand out like a sore thumb once I took off my jacket as everyone seemed to be well wrapped up,gloves, hats and long sleeves a plenty, I had surely made the wrong decision hadn't I?

Minutes into the race, the sun was beating down upon us although I felt really comfortable, I had made the right decision!

Apart from there being only a narrow path through the fields of crops (winter cabbage I think!), well trodden out by my faster predecessors, making it quite tough going on the old ankles, I thoroughly enjoyed the race, finishing 86th out of a field of 113 ladies - not bad at all considering I had had doubts as we walked to registration and I actually turned to Shirley and said 'they all look like die hards'! An amazing race set in amazing surroundings, if Ackworth decide to host a race in next year's series, at the same venue, I'll be first in the queue!
The only downside to the day was we didn't manage to field a ladies or a men's team, we were one lady short and three men, but hey we all had a great day.
Here's hoping my account of the day to fellow club members will tempt them to some of the four remaining races.

Meanwhile a low point to the day has to be the news that marathon world record holder Haile Gebrselassie has announced his retirement from athletics. Haile made the announcement after dropping out of his first New York Marathon after 16 miles with a knee injury saying "I never thought about retirement. But for the first time, this is the day". As a runner at any level one cannot help but echo the words of Sebastian Coe: He is the greatest athlete of the last 50 years and arguably the best of all time. I'm just pleased one of the highlights of standing at the finish line at this year's Great North Run was a chance to see the great man himself win....

For me, retirement is not on the cards just yet as I try to stick to the goals I have set myself, first off I have a session with Peter May on Thursday, should I really be looking forward to it?

Forward Planning

2010-10-31T20:03:00.000-07:00

Shall I, shall I not? Thoughts of the ERR photos from last year’s Guy Fawkes 10 mile race – and me not being on this year’s – was just too much to bear. Following a good track session last Thursday I made the decision to have a go. It felt odd as I went to pick Lisa up in Pudsey for us to then go and meet Gill, Ian & Sophie at Five Lane Ends for a lift to Ripley. My heart wasn’t in it and my head was telling me I shouldn’t do it. Moments earlier I had been literally shaking as I gathered my kit and tried to keep focused on what I needed to take with me, freeze patch in case anything serious happened, ice pack so I could apply it in the car on the way home. Painkillers, was I fit enough? I fought off the negative thoughts telling myself that I could take it really steady and if necessary pull out. Sophie had said that I could do a ‘DNF’ , Gill had said we could run it together – I’d warmed to the idea and made up my mind that I would do it but was it the right decision? Think of that lovely goody bag at the end.

Here I was at the start, Lisa had said she would run with me, I tried to warn her against it. It’s an odd scenario when you offer to run with someone, usually for your own benefit as much as theirs but in either case it’s a noble thing to do and I have to say after the first mile and a half I felt pretty bad, things settled down and then at around mile four we hit ‘The Birstwith Brute’ and it was just that, a brute of a hill, I tried to negotiate it by run walking, Lisa gallantly kept going and waited for me at the top. I really considered dropping out at this point, not because I was in pain but because I felt so tired, my fitness has really has taken a nose dive. I managed to carry on with Lisa’s encouragement which continued throughout the race, there were a further two hills, again I was reduced to run /walk but fared much better on the final one, managing to run up it for the most part. At 91/2 miles Gill came up behind us and we managed to keep a good pace to the finish where there were crowds, in amongst them some of our team mates, cheering and shouting as we willed ourselves up the incline and into the stunning courtyard of Ripley Castle to the finish. That’s team work for you. Brilliant, I had managed it, unscathed, if worn out, and with a little help from my friends.

I now feel able to plan ahead a little and set some goals. I aim to work on my fitness now, lose the extra pounds I've gained whilst not training and as I have just gained entry into the 2011 Brass Monkey half marathon in January (entries closed in just one day), I’m looking forward to hopefully beating last year’s time and setting my new half marathon PB. Fingers crossed! And that all important team photo? We even managed to coax the man himself, Guy Fawkes, complete with explosive, to pose with us!

to do or not to do?

2010-10-28T22:09:00.000-07:00

I have continued to steadily get back to training this week and increase my mileage slightly. I visited Ove my physio again yesterday and he was very pleased with my progress as I explained I had increased my mileage with little more discomfort than stiff ankles each morning. I had intended to seek his opinion as to whether I should take part in the next of my planned races, the Guy Fawkes 10 mile this coming Sunday - Halloween, I think I knew what his answer would be and bottled it. I came away feeling pleased with myself that he had said I didn’t need to go back but continue to carry out the exercises he had given me and adding the ‘plank’ to my routine!
Why oh why are we so complacent and just expect our bodies to perform the gruelling training we put in week in week out? It isn’t until you are unable to train that you sit and consider where you went wrong. It’s only by talking to experts like Ove and Brian Scobie that you realise. It’s a bit like wiping the steam from the windows and then you can see in a little more clearly. I for one am taking stock and going to rethink my current regimes, and consciously try to make amends, I certainly don’t want to end up back to square one. First off is a phone call to Pete May (Runner’s Rub fame) to arrange regular massage to try and prevent future injury and also make an effort to cross train with a different form of exercise, maybe I’ll get back into my twice weekly swimming.......
I cannot believe how quick the sixth and final session with coach Brian Scobie and Assistant coach Michael Delmonte has come about and it was much as I had expected, further progression with the interval training in the form of increasing the effort without increasing the distance. I have to say that these sessions have been absolutely fabulous and left me with so much respect for the experts involved. There is rumour that the sessions may continue with coaches within the Airedale Athletics network aiming to run sessions in the future and if this does materialise I will certainly consider taking part and recommend them to others. I can see how the sessions have helped fellow runners to improve even in such a short time with Sophie gaining PB’s abound and Gill and Dawn motoring along, I am only slightly disappointed that I had to miss out on several of the initial sessions and really wasn’t able to give maximum effort in those I was able to partake in. Never the less I still feel I have benefited both from those I didn’t take part in and those I did.
So now the question is Guy Fawkes or not Guy Fawkes...... oh the lure of a fab goody bag!

Words of Wisdom

2010-10-26T21:56:00.000-07:00

Dave is performing magnificently as ‘tail’ runner at Bradford parkrun. It’s certainly not an easy task for the both of us. One minute you’re steadily trailing the last runner, the next they’ve completely stopped, the next they’re off like a shot and we have all on catching them up. On the whole though I’m really proud of him, except that he’s still really giddy when people come over to see him and all he wants to do is chew on their hands, rather embarrassing but I’m seeking literature on curbing that. He’s looks the part in his new coat, which is much thinner than the expensive one I first bought him and more suited to running in as he was getting really warm in the thicker one.

I’m pleased that being the tail runner for the last few weeks has given me the opportunity to run/walk thereby not causing me too much discomfort while I was supposed to be resting. I hope that Dave and I can keep up the good work in future. Meanwhile my thoughts are turning to the Winter season of running now that the Summer is finally over with the clocks going back this weekend signalling the end of British Summertime. Here’s hoping club Members can discover the satisfaction of getting themselves out of the house throughout the coming dark, cold nights that are Winter training!!
This month’s Runner’s World (November) contains an excellent article on cross country running – the impending XC season no doubt influencing the Editor’s decision to run said feature. I think if you ask most people these are the races they ‘love to hate’. Runner’s World quite rightly says that ‘knee high mud, driving rain, howling wind and numb hands form many people’s memories of cross country running at school’ – how true! Most of us harbour a dislike of cross country running through our school experiences. I always feel that the races seem many more miles than they are, they do though, provide you with a sense of achievement on completion. Also in the article they state that cross country running is the training backbone for many of our successful distance runners including Mo Farah and Paula Radcliffe and to quote Mo Farah, ‘ cross country is a tough discipline as courses can be hilly, muddy or even snow covered, but it makes you strong and it’s a great way to progress your training’. So I’ll try and keep those words of wisdom in mind when I’m cursing as I encounter another batch of mud or a seemingly impossible hill! I also love the team spirit if we can manage to coerce enough people to indulge! I must say I am quite looking forward to them and as one of the club captains will be doing my utmost to attend all 5 races in the Peco series.

Scobie Dobie Do and the seaside capers!

2010-10-17T21:07:00.000-07:00

The Thursday speed and endurance course was excellent once again. Although Brian seems to be staying with the same theme each week it is still varied as he introduces new principles into the session. We began with the usual warm up 2 lap jog around the track and dynamic stretches. We also once again used the hurdles for flexibility training, again using differing techniques to step over the hurdles. This week we took the speed work a step further in that instead of timed sprints which resulted in 10 x approx 100m distance followed by walking recovery of 50m across the grass back to the start point we completed 10 x 150m sprints with 50m walking recovery and 200m recovery jog. In effect each week we have progressed with effort without increasing the distance. Simples!

Quite predictably I didn't feel able or indeed that it would be sensible to take part in the Bridlington Half Marathon. We did though, make the trip to the East coast in order that Marc could take part in the last of the ERR junior Summer championship races which he did with gusto. Arriving in plenty of time we had an amble on the beach beforehand. It was absolutely beautiful, the sun shone but there was a lovely cool breeze, perfect for running. In no time at all the throng of juniors were lined up ready for off. The gun was fired and off they shot as if they had been fired from the barrel! Within minutes I saw someone gesture that the leaders were on their way. Excitedly I dashed to the barriers and peered along the sea front. I could see them careering towards the finish line, Marc was amongst them, he gave everything he had and managed to finish a fantastic second place. He had no reason to be, but I knew he was disappointed not to come first, there's always next year, incidentally it will be his last at Junior level and I look forward to him moving up to longer distances.

So to the senior race, we had seen Claire and Rob warming up and spoken to Brian, still no sign of Sophie who I had text to see where she was, she had replied they were en route and then again that they had arrived but were having trouble parking. She was cutting it fine with 10 minutes to go until the start. We decided to walk along the front and find a suitable position to spectate, bid Brian good luck and walked on. Not too far along and there was Sophie, what a relief! She seemed relaxed despite having been unwell all week and sounded up beat and confident but said she was going to run without her watch and just enjoy it, sensible. This is the point when I so wished I was able to run, it's no comfort thinking 'oh well there's next year' - it's then and there that matters. People started to mill around as officials were shouting to get runners onto the start line. Tension mounted and 'bang' went the gun again, they were off. Just 1 hour and 7 minutes and 18 seconds later and the first man was home - amazing, the next one didn't appear until 1:11:52 fantastic lead. The first lady appeared at around 1:23 so we were anxiously waiting for Eccleshill's Claire, who we thought quite likely would make second or third lady. 1 hour 30 passed and still no sign of her, we began to wonder what was wrong. Moments later Martin spotted her along the sea front, walking, I dashed along my thoughts looming, had we missed her crossing the line and she'd walked back? No, she'd pulled out of the race. Was she injured? "No", she replied "CBA" - well that's acceptable we all get a case of 'CBA' every now and then - just not usually in the middle of a race! Next came Rob in a brilliant 1:38:17, then Brian in a PB of 1:47:35 and Sophie again a PB in 2:03:59. A visit to Wetherspoon's rounded off a fantastic day beside the seaside beside the sea.

It does sound as though the Bradford runners had a great day too with Eccleshill out in force with 9 taking part in the Half Marathon and 4 forming a relay team. Excellent times for what was a tough course so next year's decision will be a tough one Sunny Brid or (gut) Bustin' Bradford? Time will tell.......

Goodie bags and get togethers

2010-10-14T18:40:00.000-07:00

Team ERR

I've been extremely busy this week and as I prepare to attend the track again this evening I'm amazed that we only have another two weeks of our 'taster' training course left. How time flies!

So to date I have missed several planned races, the latest casualty being the Woodland Challenge last Sunday. I did however, have a brilliant day supporting the people who did run, these included 11 from ERR and quite a few from Hyde Park Harriers. I really did enjoy the day, it is run in beautiful surroundings and there was a fantastic camaraderie and excellent catering facilities too (bacon or sausage butties!) To top it all ERR's Claire came third lady, giving us a valid excuse to stick around for the prize presentation - wonderful hampers for all presented by the legend that is Ron Hill! The only downside to the day was the fact that the race clashed with the penultimate Vets race at Skipton which split the club up, many probably having done the same as I had done and entered Woodland Challenge many moons ago before the YVAA races were announced on the premise that it is a difficult race in which to gain entry, quite possibly due to the lure of the infamous goodie bag.

A girlie get together at 'Don't Tell Titus' in Saltaire afterwards reiterated the advantages of club running once more! Am I starting to paint a picture that I partake in this sport for the social side of things? That's ok isn't it?......

So next on the agenda is the final race of Eccleshill's Summer Championships, Bridlington Half Marathon, another race I have been looking forward to as I ran it with a groin injury last year and despite really enjoying it I was going to give it my 'all' this year, although I'm not sure what my 'all' is anymore. It isn't, however, looking too promising at the moment.

I don't envy those people taking part in the Bradford Half this weekend whilst we are beside the seaside but I do wish them luck. I am told a tough course awaits them so this is one race I don't have a longing to take part in but I'm sure they'll all do their best and have a brilliant day whether they take part in the half or the relay. So on that note I better get moving on down to Horsfall Track and see just what Coach Scobie has in store for us this week.....

B.U.Z.Z.I.N.G.....

2010-10-08T04:53:00.000-07:00

Yes today I'm positively 'BUZZING'! Not a word I usually use but very apt in this instance. I'll tell you for why. After several short jaunts since last week my ankle was still feeling slightly sore but ok. I have been careful not to over do things and ice the area when I get back home. Still being left with some discomfort after each attempt but being something resembling OCD or perhaps anal about carrying out the physio exercises twice each day, every day, Ove has given me. Wednesday I did a very steady 2.85 miles, setting off with Gill, Val and Tony from club and returning alone, I have to admit very dejected. However, still determined to attend the Thursday 'speed work for endurance runners' course I turned up in my kit intending to do the warm up this week, last week I didn't even do that. So after our tete a tete with Brian off we went out onto the track. Two lap warm up followed by some dynamic stretching. Everything felt fine. Hurdles? Yes hurdles, we didn't however leap over them in the usual manner, more a case of using them to attempt the correct style in which to get over them. Nowhere near as high as the professionals use and nowhere near as fast. The techniques used though being extremely beneficial in assisting with stretching and warming up. Yet another light bulb moment, I'll definitely be putting it to the committee that it would be advantageous to purchase some, four to six being sufficient.

So the session progressed onto the speed work following on from the previous weeks. I'm obviously a little out of the loop as the rest of the groups have progressed each week. I joined the (slowest) group - I'm not keen on that word but the other two groups were faster groups and were having to do longer intervals. This week instead of distance, say 50 or 100 m we did timed sprints. Starting on the line and sprinting until Brian shouted 'stop'! The plan was that we would reach the exact same distance round the track each and every time. With each rep I began to realise that my ankle wasn't giving me much, if any pain at all. I decided to push it and completed all ten reps. I have to say I regretted it afterwards thinking that I would suffer next morning. Oh well what would be would be, I went home, iced the area whilst having my tea, got in the shower, massaged my lower legs with my trusty 'Runners Rub' and off to bed. I was awake for a large part of the night with toothache (I'm in the middle of root canal treatment) and on finally getting out of bed to stay out I realised my ankle was not hurting.... I'm still smiling now after an emergency hour in the dentist's chair. Toothache doesn't even come close to ankle 'ache'. Buzzbuzzbuzzbuzzzzzz.......
Off to club tonight and a short steady jog with Tracey who's also suffering with injury and fingers crossed that things get better and better.

Reading a blog I'm following the author made a reference to yet another running website. www.runbritain.com is a website where as well as lots of useful information, runners can input their 5k, 10k, half marathon and marathon times for the year so far and obtain their handicap score and rankings. This is a quote from the Runbritain website:
The runbritain handicap scoring system is a unique way of measuring your progress and comparing yourself with other runners.

As in golf, handicaps go from scratch (zero, or even slightly negative for elite runners) to 36 with increments of 0.1.

To compute your handicap we take a combination of your recent best performances at 5K, 10K, Half Marathon & Marathon but adjusted for course difficulty and weather conditions using our special formulae.

This means that you can improve your handicap at any race as on harder courses you won't need to run quite as quickly as on faster ones.
I'm not particularly impressed with my handicap score of 22.3 but I intend to keep checking back and see if I've improved - once I start racing again that is!
BTW Eccleshill's Claire Elener's handicap is 7.5 she is also ranked 37/100 for the marathon distance - Mara Yamauchi being 1/100. Claire having run 3:09:20 in Berlin last month!

Tail running

2010-10-03T08:33:00.000-07:00

After the incident at Parkrun last week where the finish area was packed up before the last runner had crossed the finish line I decided to action something I had been considering for some time. I emailed Linda Bussey to offer mine and Dave's services as sweepers or tail runners as my 'thank you for volunteering' email aptly titled it!

Linda replied to my email accepting my offer and saying it was a brilliant idea. She has been away for the last few weekends and was not going to be there this week, giving consideration to that and of course, my injury I toyed with the idea of whether or not to go and 'sweep' this week or simply carry out my usual marshal duty. I made the decision to go ahead with the 'sweeping'. Went on Ebay and searched for 'high vis dog coats', ordered Dave a 'marshal jacket' and looked forward to it, run/walk, hopefully would be perfect in helping with my recovery.

The coat for Dave didn't arrive in time for Saturday but hopefully it should be here for next week. So, how did it go? Fairly well. Obviously it is going to be a learning experience for a few weeks. We positioned ourselves at the back of the pack and off they went, on the first lap the back runner overtook to leave a track suited lady in front of us, all going well, a really steady jog ensured we stayed a fair distance away from her, one of my concerns is not to make the back runner feel intimidated or pressured. Up the 'teeny tiny' hill we went for the first time still keeping our distance, upon us came the left turn to signal the start of the second lap when much to my surprise the lady we were following carried on up the hill - panic set in, we weren't behind the back runner at all, how could this be, my heart sunk and I began to speed up in an attempt to catch the lady who had overtaken her. All the while thoughts that this was a no win situation loomed around my head. How on earth does one know who is taking part in Parkrun and who isn't? Anyway not too much longer and I was back behind the back runner, much to my delight she had now overtaken someone else and this someone else was the lady from last week who had endured having to crossing the line as the finish was being dismantled. I rested my laurels on the fact that she had returned despite probably feeling disappointed last week.

We will continue to learn from our experiences, and in future I will ask the race director to request that the runners give the tail runners a wide berth as at one point a chap came a little too close on a bend causing me to panic a little and in trying to get Dave as close to me as I could I tripped over him! I can't see who is coming up behind me. No harm done but it could so easily have resulted in us tripping the runner up or me standing on Dave or worse! Another lesson learned this week is that we need to take along a dish and some water so that Dave can have a well earned drink afterwards.

All in all our first duties went really well. Let's hope that it continues to do so and becomes beneficial both for Parkrun and Dave's exercise regime!

In awe...

2010-10-01T21:36:00.000-07:00

On many occasions throughout the (nearly) four years I have been running I have found myself in awe of people in this field. They may be runners, coaches or 'famous' athletes. Few however, have I been able to get in close proximity of.

I do admire many people and quite recently have been privileged to speak to and feel the benefits of those in the know. Firstly through being given the opportunity to take a Leadership in Running Fitness course and the multitude of people I have come into contact with through our club being in the Airedale Athletics Partnership. Most recently the Speed work for endurance runners course I signed up for. Despite my inability to take part due to injury I have turned up each Thursday for the sessions in the hope of gleaning information from the experts. I have not been disappointed. I can liken some of the things I have listened to as 'light bulb' moments. To quote athletics coach Brian Scobie from this weeks session, 'the human body is lazy' - Brian went on to explain how it is necessary to train the body to do more (in our case push ourselves when running). Our bodies will not voluntarily work harder, we have to physically train our bodies to do more. Which makes sense. Continually running at a pace which is comfortable for us will not help us to sustain running at a higher pace - hence speed work, intervals, fartleks etc all help us to train our bodies to do more. He raised chuckles from the group as he mimicked the body speaking - 'I'm not going any faster, bugger that' - he reminds me of a tamer Billy Connolly with his Scottish accent - minus the obscenities so often heard from the comedian! It makes you consider your own training, plodding along doing the same things week in week out for years until presented with opportunities such as taking part in topic specific courses, gives you a 'wake up call'.

I'm still hopeful of being able to join in the course before it ends but if I'm not able then I shall just try and store the valuable information in the hope of using it in the future and of course, passing it on ***frantically making notes from last night's training session***

Back on track...

2010-09-27T03:11:00.000-07:00

Some months ago Airedale Athletics announced plans to provide taster sessions of various strands of running. Six week enhanced training courses would provide anything from fitness testing to speed work for endurance runners and all sorts in between. After consideration of what was on offer I decided to enrol for a Thursday evening course at Horsfall Track. Without further adieu here we are and the courses are about to start.

At the beginning of this week I contacted Jill Jones the Airedale Athletics administrator for the upcoming training courses and advised her that I would not be able to join the course I had applied for due to being injured. I requested that I be allowed to observe the sessions in the hope of picking up tips to pass on to our own members on training nights and maybe help out where I could, that really is how far ahead I was thinking that I would not be able to run - sometimes I entertained the thought that I may not run again. However, following my visit to the physio on Wednesday Ove's advice was to run. I came out of the clinic wondering if I had the courage to go for a run the following morning. I didn't.
I decided to turn up for the training course, Lycra at the ready and see how I went on! After a very inspiring talk by Brian Scobie, our coach, we went out onto the track to warm up. I managed to run several laps of the track and the warm up drills and we began some interval training. After which, I began to feel mild pain and so decided not to 'push my luck' and took a seat in the grandstand with Claire and Mick Brearley to watch the rest of the session. Result!
I went home and iced the area and next morning felt no ill effects.

I carried out my usual marshaling duties at Bradford parkrun on Saturday followed by football training for Marc.
I turn up early each week to collect Marc and walk Dave around the park so this week I decided to have a jog around with him. I must say he did very well and apart from trying to chase the odd leaf blown by the wind and showing great interest in the squirrels scurrying around, it would appear he's a natural runner!
I intend to take it one step at a time and try not to rush things, and I'm going to keep my fingers crossed that Dave and I will have a long and happy running relationship!
Whilst marshaling at Parkrun this week I was once again unsure of when it was time to leave my post. I'm sure lots of people have been in the same situation themselves when marshaling. I find it totally unacceptable that there are still runners out on the course and the organisers start packing up and marshals leave their posts. I am aware though that as in this case it's sometimes unintentional as it was on Saturday. We were packing up, collecting the cones which mark out the finish funnel when in came a lady. I was certain the last person had passed me. I have been thinking for some time that there is a real need for a sweeper. Recalling my delightful sweeping antics at the Wrose 5k a few weeks ago I started to think about how we could resolve this situation.
So....I have emailed Linda (Parkrun race director) and put a suggestion to her, watch this space!

Over and done with

2010-09-20T22:36:00.000-07:00

A whole month has gone by now without a single run! I decided against trying to run as I was simply terrified of ending up back at square one. Ove had reluctantly said to try a mile or two when I pressed him as to whether I could run but when it came down to it I knew that I shouldn't. I get the feeling that is a natural process. You know when all is well and when it's not. Just as we learn when and how to gradually increase training when we first start running, I figure it's the same when we're injured - we know when we have over done it and it's no surprise when we end up with unusually achy muscles or even worse, a pulled muscle. Sometimes we get away with it, sometimes we don't.
I got away with it for longer than I probably should have done! In the end though I came to my senses and I'm not about to take any risks and run before I'm fully recovered. I can't explain why all of a sudden my attitude has changed and I have finally accepted that I really do need to make sure that I don't run before I am ready.

This showed at this weekend's Great North Run when far from dreading standing on the finish line I was really looking forward to it in the end. We had a fantastic weekend and apart from feeling emotional when Martin got off the transfer bus at the start of the race and five of us stayed on to go to the finish and again when I watched him cross the line, I found it a great experience seeing all the elite athletes, Haile Gebraselassie, Berhane Adere and of course Mara Yamauchi and one or two celebrities, Nell McAndrew and Tony Audenshaw. It was, of course, even more uplifting when I spotted Gary from club who finished amongst the fast club runners in a fantastic 1:29 and Jo who also clocked up a brilliant 1:56 despite them sporting charity vests when I was looking out for club vests! I don't however, want to repeat this year's event and am now looking forward to next year when with a great deal of patience I hope to run it. I've happily transferred my Horsforth 10k number for this coming Sunday to Martin and I hope that good sense will prevail for the next of my planned races. So with my final mention of a great weekend going to my son Marc who completed the Junior Great North Run (3 miles) in great time of 20:10 beating his Parkrun PB I'm going to log on and see if the official photos are uploaded yet.

So the (30th Anniversary) Great North Run is over and done with for another year...........

A week on Sunday

2010-09-08T21:52:00.000-07:00

Here I am on week two of solitary confinement (yes that's exactly what it feels like). I'm feeling more miserable by the day and really thought that by now my attitude to whether I will or will not be able to run the Great North Run a week on Sunday might have changed but unfortunately for me - it hasn't. Just how do you train yourself to accept that you more than likely will not be able to do something you have looked forward to for months upon months? I wish I had the answer. It's not been made any easier by the fact that everyone around me are receiving their race packs containing race day info, timing chips and race numbers.

I have lightened my load a little by continuing to attend club training nights - this way I can keep in touch with everyone, meet new members and generally keep abreast of what's going on at club. This way I'm still in the same routine of getting out of the house three nights a week too. I'm also trying to volunteer where possible, my latest job being to marshal at the Epilepsy Action Alice's Run in Mytholmroyd last Sunday. Helen did the race report and wrote 'Lyndsey was flying the flag for ERR at Alice's run this weekend. She had cunningly positioned 8 ERR marshals along the route to keep her going on throughout the full 10k. Interesting route in this picturesque valley with good weather to boot. Thanks to our volunteer marshals and a special guest appearance by Dave Steele, who was adored by those who met him.............' I met a charming gentleman with whom I was manning the water station at the half way point and also directing the runners and traffic, all in all I was kept very busy and really enjoyed it. Marshaling can sometimes be as rewarding as running and certainly was in this instance.

Having not run for over two weeks I am now entering new territory for me. I went back to see Ove the physio this afternoon and whilst his treatment was not nearly as painful as last week, it was still very unpleasant. I've also been given a green exercise band and been shown how to do some exercises to strengthen my ankles as well as carrying on with the 'clam' exercises I was shown last week.

Questioned as to whether I can run this week Ove suggested I try a mile or two but if I feel any pain I must stop, ice the area and not run again but if it does go ok to increase the mileage very slightly a couple of days later. I must say I am not looking forward to trying to run as deep down I know all is not well. I also pressed Ove on the possibility of my taking part in the Great North Run - he put my chances at 50/50 and added that there were other races............

The moral of this story is.....

2010-09-02T20:58:00.000-07:00

Just so that it's not assumed I've disappeared off the face of the Earth I thought I would keep up to date with my blog even though I'm not running at the moment. Yes, you guessed it, things with my Achilles have come to a head.

I went off for a few days to stay at my sister's house in the Washburn Valley region to look after her 2 dogs, Ben the Labrador and Jess the Dalmatian along with Jim the very large horse and Molly the not so large horse (required as I have two nieces, one very tall and one not so tall!) whilst they went on holiday. Of course I took Dave along with me. I had fully intended having a week of total rest from running whilst away (packed my kit just in case though) and this was going very well until Martin announced he was getting up early on Wednesday morning to go for a run around Fewston and Swinsty reservoirs. It is well documented that this area is one of my favourite places to run. Could I resist? Erm.... no......

I'm going to say no more on that subject other than I was in pain all the way round and had a terrible run as a result.

A few days later and I was back home to the Ponderosa and I mulled over my options, I began to entertain the possibility that I may not get round the Great North Run this year. That thought is not a very appealing one.

Saturday morning I remembered I had volunteered for the Bradford Parkrun so off Marc and I went, him to run and me to marshal. After the run we were chatting away to fellow runners in the Lister Park cafe (as usual!) and Gill suggested I should go and see a physio she had seen earlier in the year with much the same injury. No bones about it I shy away from such activities, scared of the cost. Gill's husband Ian emailed me the details of said physio and I completed an online enquiry form on their website, knowing it was Bank Holiday Monday coming up so it may be a few days before I got a reply. They telephoned me at work on Tuesday, lo and behold I was able to make an appointment for late Wednesday afternoon. After a rather long drive to Garforth I sat gingerly in the waiting room mulling over the story I was going to tell him. I knew I would be unable to admit I had had the problem as long as I have. However Ove (the physio) was understanding as you might expect, deep down I knew he had heard the same stories hundreds of times before and I must admit I was sceptical when after explaining my problem and telling him that I wanted to do the Great North Run, he worked out that we had 19 days to get me fixed!

He completed his assessment of my injury and began manipulating various areas of my lower right leg, I use the word manipulating very loosely, I can honestly say I have never felt such pain before (no not even during my massage with Penny Brook). Afterwards, I tried to compose myself and await his verdict.

My heart lifted when he said, 'you have a bit of tendinitis, don't run until I see you again, but I think we will be able to have you back running again next week'. Hooray, I felt as though he had just handed me a million pounds, believe me I really, really wish I had gone to see him sooner.

The moral of the story?
Never put all............
I really don't think I need to answer that.........

A Lesson Learned.......

2010-08-19T15:55:00.000-07:00

I quite like the feeling I get when I know I've touched upon an inaugural occurrence. However, the usual interpretation of that is that I have had some participation be it running or organisational in the first staging of an event. Last nights inaugural event was not so pleasant, missing a race I set off to run.

The Vets race at Stainland was at 7.15 pm on Wednesday 18th August, I had read the race details on the Yorkshire Veterans Athletics Association site numerous times in the weeks before the race. Why then did I have it in my mind that it was taking place from the same club house as the Helen Windsor 10k back in July? I really don't know the answer to that question.

I had discussed with my husband Martin what time we should set off, we had downloaded a route finder and entered the postcode of the venue, established it was a 30 minute drive, what we didn't do was print off the YVAA details or the route finder - still thinking we knew exactly where we were going as we had been there on 7th July, my birthday, how could we forget. "Six O'Clock" he declared will be plenty of time to get there in time for the 7.15 pm start, pay your £3 and run! Now, on Wednesday afternoon I had been shopping for a new dress for my Niece's (very short notice) wedding this coming Saturday, off I popped upstairs to try on my new purchases, lovely, all set for the wedding I decided that I would not get dressed again but instead get into my club vest and running gear, pinning the veteran category onto the back of the vest, I did just that, 5 pm and I was ready to go!

An hour later we were literally getting set to walk out of the door when my sister and niece turned up, 'I won't keep you' she said and outlined her reasons for calling in to see us. Off we set, making our way confidently, if a little late, to Greetland. As we came upon the club house I could see the place was deserted, with that I noticed the sign outside 'Greetland All Rounders Club' - we're in the wrong place, we need to be at Heath Rugby Club? How had I made such a mistake? I'll never know, frantically I began ringing fellow club members mobile phones, nobody answered, those who were at the race would have obviously left their phones in their cars. It became clear we weren't going to make it to the start line. My heart sank as Martin declared we would have to go back home, in a last ditch attempt he drove down the road hoping to find a sign pointing us in the right direction, moments later a sign appeared 'Huddersfield'.

Dejected, we followed the road signs back to Bradford. The sinking feeling was one I have so very nearly felt before when we have been momentarily lost on the way to a race but found it at the last minute. This time though it wasn't going to go away, we were going to have to return home still clad in our race numbers and remove them not having taken part.......

I hope we have learned our lesson and take better care next time we are planning our journey to a race and that is the first and last time I miss the start.

Prizes galore!

2010-08-16T06:13:00.000-07:00

It worked - the lure of a wager if he came in under 24 minutes and Marc had the trainers on ready to take part in the Wrose Challenge 5k with it's 1 in 6 gradient hill and all! All in all a brilliant race, being a 'sweeper' was even more enjoyable than I had anticipated, I think because the course was such a tough one. The thought that I had to stay at the back instead of trying not to be at the back was very uplifting. Marc didn't manage to finish in under 24 minutes but just outside at 25:31 so I paid him the bet anyway as his fantastic effort saw him first in for Eccleshill. He has put the money towards new running shoes - all good. The highlight of the race came at the end. We had gone into the clubhouse for a drink, they were also serving free chip butties and selling raffle tickets. I bought a couple of strips and so we were standing around hoping it wouldn't be too long before they made the draw and presented the prizes to the winners of the race.
Without further adieu the prize giving began. Various prizes were presented and then they shouted 'Men's Vets 35, first Mark Scott, Eccleshill Road Runners', unfortunately Mark had gone home, so up I stepped to collect it on his behalf, it felt like I had won - and even though I hadn't I felt very proud that it was someone from our club. Moments later 'Ladies Vet 35 - First Debbie Trolley Eccleshill Road Runners' - those of us standing around gave a roar for the second time. This is another benefit of being part of a club, we all share in the excitement of prize giving even if we as an individual don't win anything! I did, though, win a raffle prize of a Nike cap and a new kit bag in the raffle!

The week was topped off with a lovely club run on Friday evening around Esholt, photo taking and cheering at Bradford Parkrun where Marc was awarded his 10 T-Shirt and our now monthly 'away day' Sunday run in the Washburn Valley, Fewston and Swinsty reservoirs. Made all the more pleasant by the fact that we all either took cake or tea and coffee for after the run. It was idyllic running round the reservoirs at a steady pace after the recent relay races saw us charging around them like lunatics, that memory is now long gone as we are left with pleasant memories of a summer Sunday morning....Wonder where next month's 'away day' will take us?........

Sweeping up that hill..........

2010-08-10T02:22:00.000-07:00

6 of the 8 Eccleshill runners + Marc at Askern

Here we are well into August and already thoughts are turning to our return to our Winter training base. Other than the dark nights I don't have any reservations whatsoever about that. In fact, I nearly prefer the Winter training. It's not too hot and I really do think it gives a greater sense of achievement when you've managed to get yourself out of the door in all that the diverse British weather has to throw at you! On the flip side there is nothing like the draw of a Summer's evening run with a group of friends to tempt you to don the Lycra and pull on the trainers so I'll enjoy it whilst it lasts!

Another busy week has passed me by culminating in my participation in the Askern 10 mile race near Doncaster on Sunday. I discussed at length with Dawn, a fellow club member who has been struggling with various injuries and trying to heed advice from her physio to take it easy, whether we should run it together, although there isn't much between us pace wise, I also wanted to exercise some restraint as the realisation that we are now only six weeks away from the Great North Run (the highlight of my year!) dawned on me and I so want to arrive on the start line in reasonable shape to be able to complete it. So thoughts of beating my Askern time from last year, which is also my 10 mile PB, had to to put on the back burner. Needless to say we managed to agree that we needed each other on this one and stayed together. The result was a brilliant race where I wasn't focusing on finishing times or racing, never once uttered the words 'why am I doing this' and really enjoyed it.

We held our monthly club committee meeting on Sunday evening and I it gave me great pleasure to be able to report a significant rise in members attending training nights and Gill, our Membership Secretary, reported an increase in new member applications. It really does seem that all our efforts are reaping the rewards and our small but friendly club is going from strength to strength and long may it continue.

A first for me this week is being 'sweeper' at a race. The Wrose Challenge 5k is being run on Wednesday and Edward East, one of the organisers, asked if I'd like to step into the role, I'm just hoping he doesn't give me a brush! I've managed to rope Martin, my husband in to do it with me and I'm really looking forward to our duties of running at the very back of the race to ensure the all important back of the field return safely after their run. I've just read that under 15's must be accompanied by an adult and realised Marc can take part, now to convince him that it's a good idea to run up the infamous Carr Lane - the hill with a 1 in 6 gradient - as part of a race!

Stats, Ale, Runner's Rub & Dave....

2010-08-02T03:45:00.000-07:00

I'm doing my level best not to get hung up about race times but can't help noticing I'm getting slower... as many runners know mileage and race times keep a lot of us going. Without my stats on Fetcheveryone I think my last three years worth of running would have been 'less of an achievement' I think is the most suitable turn of phrase. Yes, I would still have had the satisfaction of knowing that I'd 'stuck at it' and yes, I would still have made all those wonderful friendships, but I would have had nothing to look back on with regards to my training and racing.

So it seems that my race times have plummeted since the VLM back in April, and as I struggle to work out why, several reasons come to mind, first and foremost, my ongoing Achilles injury which readers may ask themselves 'if it's so bad why is she still running?'. Well the short answer to that is 'because I can'. I can deal with the soreness afterwards, I can deal with the stiffness next morning but most of all 'I can still run'. I must admit I was a little concerned what effect three days consecutive running would have but I'm pleased to report no ill effects - could it possible be that the reduction in training is the cause of my downward spiral? I don't know.... So still heeding Penny's advice of the stretching exercises, I am now also using Peter May's runner's rub, twice a day, self massage into the lower limbs including the Achilles and ankle areas. I am also constantly on a quest to seek advice from past sufferers, everybody who posts anything on a forum or physio site have the same symptoms so I know I'm not alone. What I am alone in is my ability to make a decision to rest and when I say 'rest' I mean for a significant number of weeks. Left alone in that decision I have a feeling I know the outcome....

Anyway enough of the doldrums, I'm going to try and be more positive in what I'm doing to rectify my current situation after a fantastic last few days beginning with a club run up to the Leeds Bradford Airport last Wednesday evening, Friday run in the pouring rain after our coached session on the field was scuppered, Bradford Parkrun on Saturday and the delightful Idle Trail Race on Sunday - which incidentally was Yorkshire Day and we were fittingly rewarded with a bottle of Idle Trail Yorkshire Day Ale coupled with a spot prize of Peter May's Runner's Rub! Dave made his race debut at Idle - spectating that is, and he behaved impeccably until the last half hour when he had had so much attention thrust upon him that he got really giddy and was nipping anyone who dared to come and fuss over him! Let's hope it's the first of many for him (races that is, not nips!).

Bad to worse.......

2010-07-26T15:03:00.000-07:00

I'm hoping that today, Monday, signals the end of my downward spiral of the last couple of weeks.

After the awful experience of the Golden Acre Park relay I was looking forward to a nice steady 5 mile 'Hospital Route' club run on Friday evening. The sun was shining and it was truly a lovely evening as we all congregated down at Rawdon Meadows ready to set off. Linda, being leader of the session directed us up Apperley Lane to assemble at the end of Woodlands Drive to do our warm up stretches before proceeding up through Woodlands. I elected to stay at the back with Arthur, after a short while I could see Marc walking ahead of me, knowing this was unlike him I hurried along to find that he was being sick. Once he seemed to recover we decided that walking back was a better option than him waiting around for me to run back and get the car to drive back and get him, however, things just went from bad to worse when he became more and more ill. One and three quarters of an hour later we got back to the car park.... in true club (www.eccleshillroadrunners.com) spirit some members ran back for us and we later learned that most had hung around as long as they could. I'm pleased to report that Marc recovered from his ordeal and although he didn't do his usual park run on Saturday was fit and well enough to run the Pudsey junior race on Sunday and finished 3rd Boy, 4th overall - in fact all 4 ERR juniors ran brilliantly!

A chap ran as the Marie Curie Daffodil

That leads me to the Pudsey 10k Challenge, the best bit about this was the fact that I took great pleasure in saving 20 x 20p pieces to donate to Marie Curie since it was the 20th Anniversary of the running of the challenge. I still could not justify why I was standing on the start line when I had vowed after last year's race that I would not do this race again. I really am tempted to say 'least said, soonest mended' but I rather think I should go on with my account so that I may read it before next year's race and be reminded just why I said 'never again'. We had 8 runners on the start line and off we went, Jo, Sophie, Lisa and I were running side by side for about the first 1/2 a mile, I quickly dropped back as I struggled to get my breath, the heat was immense as we turned a corner to go uphill back to where we started. A short while later we were in a familiar wooded area where I knew the first of the 'challenging' hills was before me, I really tried to keep going up it but was reduced to walking half way up, most people in front and behind me were walking too, at the top I set off again and managed to catch up to Lisa, she too was struggling with the heat and said she felt terrible. I managed to stay a little way behind her for a while, she then became very laboured and I was really worried about her. I managed to get alongside her and keep chatting, we managed to keep a good pace.....until the next hill, it was nearly impossible for us and those around us to walk up it let alone run! I joked with the marshal at the top of the hill that a stair lift would be great at the bottom of that, he replied 'that would be cheating!'. I have to say the marshals were the best thing about this race and I was very pleased to turn a corner to see the entrance to the park where the race finished. I really mean it this time 'never again'............

If I haven't had enough hills tonight's club session is speed and hills, in the form of the Co op pyramid, I just thank my lucky stars it's not Eccleshill's two steepest hills, Park Road and Bank!

Birds of Prey at Golden Acre Park!

2010-07-22T04:27:00.000-07:00

Last night saw the second of our planned relay races at Golden Acre Park! Nearly ended up swimming there as we drove through the flooded roads en route. Coupled with this the traffic was horrendous and I suspect that may have been the reason some members didn't turn up.

So after being uber organised and downloading and completing the entry form for each team viz; Eccleshill Eagles, Eccleshill Ospreys, Eccleshill Kites, Eccleshill Buzzards and Eccleshill Owls it all turned to pandemonium as it got later and later and we had to make a decision to swap the teams around and take out those who hadn't made it so that we could submit our entries, as it was the organisers delayed the start by 15 minutes and we managed to get our last team entered at 7.10!

Thankfully though it stopped raining not long after we arrived at the park, and although very muggy and damp it looked like we were going to spared a soaking!

The reshuffle of the teams saw the demise of the Eccleshill Kites and so it meant team members Lyndon joined the Eagles and Sophie joined us owls! Gill who was travelling from the city centre was no where to be seen, no doubt stuck firmly in the traffic. Moments later as the first leg runners were being called to the start Gill appeared, nothing could be changed we had entered our teams and there was no going back. Off to the start line I ran, and the start was signalled, anyone who has run around Golden Acre Park before knows it's not the easiest of courses and tonight it seemed was going to be no different, around a field and up a hill, when I got to the top I figured I would turn back, I felt so ill, my legs were tingling, I had nothing in them, was this down to the massage? I suspect so. Note to self: do not book a sports massage on the same day a race, no matter how short the race is! I managed to recover and kept going - in true cross country fashion the twists, turns, hills and hazardous tree roots continued to be put before me. I was trailing two runners, one from Kirkstall and one from Wetherby, a short downhill and I managed to overtake them both. Finally I got back to the field where it all started and welcomed the sight of the finishing line. It may have been short but it was very, very tough!

As each runner finished we nearly all agreed that it was a very tough course, somehow it didn't seem to have the camaraderie we had experienced at Fewston a few nights before, no doubt down to the tough course, the hold ups, confusion and of course the weather. Let's hope we get better weather next year!

Pleasurable? Pain?

2010-07-21T15:41:00.000-07:00

Finally! Penny Brooke phoned me back on Tuesday and after a short discussion she said she had an appointment free on Wednesday morning. Without a second thought I jumped at the chance and booked it! Panic then set in, along with the fears I already had about how painful it might be I then realised I had a relay race in the evening, would I be ok to run? I emailed Mick for his advice (he's a massage frequenter!) - his reply said that he doesn't usually run when he's had a massage - oops. Anyway I went ahead with it and gingerley entered the health centre where Penny is based, gave my name and took a seat to await my fate!

Penny called my name moments later and I was led like a lamb to the slaughter into a side room. She proceeded to ask me questions around my running, health etc and examined my old trainers which she had requested I take along, 'these tell a story' she said, and proceeded to tell me I'm a heel striker with a funny swirl to my foot strike, amongst other things! Let the massage begin. She guessed I had had children by the way I was able to stay relaxed through some of the painful massage techniques. I have to say that it was way worse than I was expecting and most especially the soles of my feet, by heck it hurt! Other parts of my body made me giggle with a mixture of pain and relief! The good news for me though was her analysis of my Achillles. She said that it was not too bad and a 'thickening' of the tendon had not ocurred as it often does. She gave me some excellent advice and I came away with a leaflet enabling me to stretch and rehabilitate the injury. I haven't made up my mind whether I will go back yet, the next few days will no doubt be an indicator of whether I feel I have had any benefit from it so watch this space.

Now to see how the relay goes this evening, I'm sooo looking forward to it!

Relays and Football

2010-07-19T05:45:00.000-07:00

Team ERR at the Washburn Valley Relay
Last Friday we had club visit to Fewston Reservoir for a recce of the Washburn Valley Relay and I had looked forward to taking part in the real thing all week! What a week it has been, it feels like most of it's a blur, it's gone that fast.

Jo & Jack get me up the hill

I'm still waiting for that all important phone call from the physio and desperately looking forward to being able to book in for my massage, I have tight muscles upon tight muscles now! Partly due to the effort I put in at the Washburn Valley Relay and partly due to careering around on a football pitch all in the name of a 'Ladies' match organised by Marc's football team! I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed both.

Eccleshill had 18 runners in the relay, 3 per team, so 6 teams entered! Fantastic! We all had a brilliant night and I was once again reminded of why I am a member of a running club. There is no feeling like 'team spirit' and we certainly had plenty of that at the relay. Each and every runner was treated to a rousing cheer as they finished their leg and the next one took off on theirs. Being one of the leg 3 runners I absolutely gave it all I had and was dreading the steep climb to the finish, however, several team mates ran down to run me in, including Jo and her little boy, Jack, and what a brilliant feeling when I got to the top of that hill! We are taking part in the Golden Acre Park relay this coming Wednesday and I, for one, can't wait!

Meanwhile on the football pitch I scored two goals and although on the losing ladies team we all had a great day and I don't even mind the fact that I can hardly walk today! Speed and Hills this evening? Hmmm..........

A New Running Buddy?

2010-07-16T20:25:00.000-07:00

Ever felt you had been 'ganged' up on? I have recently : (

I'll start at the beginning........ A few weeks ago we suffered the loss of our beloved dalmatian Millie, and though she was getting on in her years it was all too sudden for me and I was left somewhat in shock after her death. As the weeks passed we started to realise life was a little easier without a dog and I came to the conclusion that we would not have another one - not at the moment anyway. My husband and sons then decided they wanted one of our elder sons whippet x greyhound puppies - after much fratching I was forced to accept they were going to get one with or without my consent (one of the disadvantages of being the only female in our house!) Enter... Dave and I have to admit his beautiful blue eyes are captivating and you really can't help but fall in love with him. I know they say a dog is a faithful friend but he's a boy so that may not be the case!

So the advantages of having a dog now have to be sought, the only one that springs to mind so far is whippets/greyhounds are good runners...........

Plans?

2010-07-13T21:36:00.000-07:00

This week has not exactly gone to plan!

After trying to assess whether I should run or dine on my birthday I decided on the run (less calories) and entered the Helen Windsor 10k in Halifax, on the night. Having not done this before I did wonder what I had let myself in for. As I feared it was rather hilly and the muggy weather didn't help either. On the flip side though it was a very scenic course and well attended. Once we got up the 'undulations' to reach Greetland it was fairly well down hill or flat from there. Unusually the memento was a pair of socks! Well pleased, made a nice change from a t-shirt!

After the race we stood around chatting with other runners and as it often does the topic of conversation turned to injuries. Mick and Dawn again sang the praises of their physio/masseur, Penny Brooke - so I have finally bitten the bullet and contacted her with a view to making an appointment for a massage and hopefully obtain some advice on my ongoing Achilles injury, meanwhile Sophie has loaned me a book which has a section on just that so I plan to follow that advice forthwith.

Somehow I don't think a 10 mile race would have been advisable by the physio or the book but that's what I decided to do instead of going to Honley to do the Vets race and found myself at Eccup instead of Huddersfield! I now feel as though my training and racing are suffering and although I think this is more psychological than physical I think the time has come to address the problem before I end up in deep trouble (I think I might have said that before!).

Paula Radcliffe came to town!

2010-07-06T09:18:00.000-07:00

The day before I'm another year older - hmmm they're flying by!! The question is whether I run a race on my birthday or go out for a meal. I can't decide. However since it is only days away from my Wedding Anniversary too I'm leaning towards the race as I will be able to celebrate after the Vets race at Honley on Sunday our 29th Anniversary. Time will tell.

Marc with both feet off the ground! He believes he can fly!

Another busy week in the running stakes, the Jane Tomlinson 10k on Sunday was an experience I can only liken to the Great North Run, a very congested race with a fantastic atmosphere! I ran it alongside my Sister, Sue who was running her first ever race, she only started running recently and I managed to encourage her most of the way round resulting in her only having a few walk breaks! I'm now trying to impress the benefits of running with a club on her in the hope that she might join us at Eccleshill Road Runners! 10 Runners turned out for ERR, my son Marc was one of them, running his first ever 10k race - this was the replacement for this year's Leeds Family Fun Run he was disappointed to learn he was too old for that one this year. After the race he was star struck having run alongside Paula Radcliffe for part of the race, exclaiming afterwards that he had 'beaten the one and only Paula Radcliffe' (there was just the small matter that she was 7 months pregnant!) Nonetheless he had a fantastic race and flew round as the photo shows finishing in 45 minutes and 4 seconds - truly fantastic for our junior member. Accolade of the day though goes to Claire Elener who finished second lady overall! Claire was presented with her award on stage by Paula - I missed it being just a little way behind her, I'll try and go a bit quicker next year!

Back to it.......

2010-07-02T02:18:00.000-07:00

The second of our monthly coached sessions last Friday was extremely enjoyable! I highly recommend it - not only is it a fantastic form of cross training it really does give you an alternative workout! Kick started with a warm up from Sophie we were treated to a myriad of circuits in the form of ladders, hurdles, skipping and also relays and even a pelaton around a circle of cones, finishing off with a game of rounders! I was pleased I had made the decision to take part in this session after my week of forced rest due to a painful Achilles tendon, I figured if I were to set off on a run and then find I couldn't complete it I would be in trouble. However, the session provided me with the opportunity to work as little or as much as I wanted, yet another advantage of our 'field based' structured sessions. Fortunately once warmed up I found I eased back into training without too much discomfort.

It is by no means totally eradicated but is feeling much better and my next step is to try a recommendation from a fellow runner - charity runner Stephen Auker recently wrote his blog around the subject of ice baths versus ibuprofen to manage pain. I have been thinking that may benefit me as I'm suffering with a painful knee in addition to the ankle area. Stephen's conclusion was, following medical advice that the NSAID Advil gels far outweighed the benefits of ice baths and also his doctor dismissed any ideas of Ibuprofen causing stomach problems. I too am going to consult my doctor with a view to trying Advil.

Monday's speed and hill's session had a good turn out of members and we made our way down to King's Road for hill reps. I am one to champion our speed and hills sessions because I know how much my running improved when I decided to attend these sessions in addition to the Friday sessions I was already attending. Anyway much to my dismay I felt I had to hold back and take it really easy as the advice for Achilles injuries is to cut back on your training and avoid hills, in addition you're advised to look at your footwear which is another thing I aim to do in the next few weeks - my birthday is looming and of course birthdays = pressies! I had planned on requesting gift vouchers to pay for massages but I feel I have to prioritise and so new shoes it will have to be.........

Wednesday - another glorious Summer's evening - saw another good turn out and so we were able to split into two groups - the faster ones left us in their dust as we strived to get up the hilly climb to Guiseley in the heat, once on the flat though we all got into our rhythms and had an enjoyable 8 mile outing taking us through Guiseley and down to Baildon then onto the canal for a traffic free amble back to Apperley Bridge, a couple of the ladies chose to take the same route as the faster group and work their way back through Shipley along the traffic laden Leeds Road - and a couple of miles longer into the bargain. I was glad of the slightly shorter, scenic route and as yet my longer jaunt has had no ill effects.

Unwelcome rest....

2010-06-24T03:29:00.000-07:00

My first leadership session went quite well, Co-op pyramid was listed on the Calendar as our session, so I planned my warm up to take place in a park which is on the way to the aforementioned Co-op. I do have a problem with confidence in my ability to come across as advisory rather than bossy! I hope I managed to deliver a good warm up. So gentle jogging, strides etc done off we went for our 9 laps of the supermarket! So, session finished we made our way back to Fitness First for the cool down, however, numbers dwindled steadily throughout the session as people made their way home directly from the Co-op, only 4 us made our way back to Fitness First and as they made a hasty retreat it seemed pointless to to try and encourage them to hang around! Bang goes the cool down!

Wednesday's club run was substituted with the 3rd of this year's Vets races at Pudsey. A very warm evening saw us having to make a 15 minute trek up to a farm track for the start. It was a stark contrast to last year's race which saw us nearly swimming round the course! However, the heat took it's toll on me and I'm sure lots of others and I struggled to get up the hills, my Achilles suffered too as I was in great pain going up and could feel the relief as I reached level ground again. Fortunately I didn't do any lasting damage and got round the (nearly) 6 mile course in 54:15.

I am now into the final day of my week of rest (Thursday). It hasn't been a pleasant experience, forced rest is not supposed to be pleasant but a very necessary evil. Icing, Ibuprofen and gentle stretching have been the order of the week and it feels much more comfortable. I have kept in touch with club members by going and doing the register as usual each session and I also went to support at the 4th Vets race on Tuesday. My plan is to attend club tomorrow evening as it's Janice's 'last Friday of the month' coached session so that will enable me to take it easy rather than setting out on a run and finding I can't continue. Fingers crossed : )

BBQ's, Beer, oh and racing!!!

2010-06-14T08:32:00.000-07:00

Last Wednesday's Otley 10 mile went very well. I did have some discomfort in the ankle area but once again not enough to stop me running, this is the reason I can't make a decision to rest altogether. I did however, make a decision to have the weekend off and marshalled at Bradford Parkrun and then visited Askwith Show to watch my two Nieces compete in various horsey events, and making a wise decision not to run on Sunday morning having been on my feet all day. So back to the Otley 10 mile, although a very hilly course and run on a very windy and rainy evening I really enjoyed it! The uphills were tough but beleive me the downhills were something else and I was pleased I managed to keep going and run the whole course which started out along Pool Road, over the bridge left to Leathley, up a hill and believe you me at the top of it it felt like you were on top of the world and the wind was howling! We then turned right to Lindley, I thought we may get a glimpse of the reservoir but I didn't spot it, we had a great turnout from ERR and I really love it when there's a few of us waiting around to cheer in all of the runners - it's that team spirit feeling not to be beaten. With a bbq for the spectators and a bottle of beer in the goody bag I highly recommend next year's race - it's firmly in my diary!

Friday's club run saw the start of things to come at Err - we hope to be giving our Members an altogether better experience at club by providing them with the basic requirements we think being part of a club should offer in addition to the social benefits already gained. Following attendances at a leadership in running and fitness course by five people we now hope to put to use the skills we learned. Sophie lead the Friday session and I was impressed with the professional feel she portrayed to the group, it felt as though we were making an effort to safeguard the runners from possible injury, obviously there are no guarantees but I can't help thinking the club has a duty to help and inform it's members and I am proud to be part of that and hope that we can keep our forward thinking and go from strength to strength.

My turn tonight and I've planned my drills (loosely) and am confident I can deliver a good session.......

I'm a Leader!

2010-06-07T07:29:00.000-07:00

Part way into my pre-booked races and I'm beginning to suffer with my Achilles, although it doesn't give me too much pain when I run, the next morning is a different story as each week it seems to be getting progressively worse. I keep thinking I should make a decision to rest for a while but that really is going to be a last resort.

We have a brilliant turn out from club last Tuesday for the 2nd of this year's Vets Races at Kirkstall. What a beautiful setting to start a race. Martin and I ran it together as he hasn't completed any distance recently and was apprehensive. We finished it in a reasonable time and he survived to tell the tale! A downpour had us make a quick retreat for the car at the finish!

On Saturday I attended a 'Leadership in Running and Fitness' course at Leeds Metropolitan University. A fantastic opportunity provided through club with the assistance of England Athletics. We had a fabulous day doing both class room and outdoor based activities around providing safe and enjoyable first running experiences to people of any level of ability, age, size and shape. We explored issues which prevent some people participating in running and ways to encourage new members, we also practiced planning and delivering all parts of a session and also explored the roles and responsibilities which a leader will take on. Whilst I felt we were already providing some of the content covered, we learnt a whole lot more and although we packed such a lot into a short space of time it was very worthwhile and rewarding. Now to put it into practice over the coming months!

Club training nights are going from strength to strength as we continue to have more and more new members joining each week, this is also reflected at races and it really does give me a sense of belonging when we make our presence known at these events, we tend to be the noisy cheering ones, particularly yesterday at the Harewood Chase, so called as the Ladies are set off 30 minutes before the Gents, they therefore, give chase and try to catch us up, fortunately not a single male passed any of our ladies! This then, is one of the few races where we are at the finish line before our male counterparts and it is great fun cheering them in, as we did yesterday, soon after some more spectators joined us in clapping fellow runners in. My weekend was finished off with a girlie get together afternoon at Sharon's with Lisa, Sophie, Gill, Dawn and Janice after the race.

The Otley 10 mile awaits me on Wednesday, hopefully - after that I think I am going to reassess my racing and training to try and give my injury time to heal or else I fear I may end up in trouble............

Oh and as he's mentioned in my profile I'm proud to report that my fourth grandson, Zach James (above) arrived in the very early hours of 30th May!

Thank God!

2010-05-24T06:26:00.000-07:00

Training continues to go well. I have now completed all three John Carr 5k races in the 2010 series. These are really pleasant races to do aside of the fact that they are fast 5k's! There's a certain camaraderie about them, everyone is trying to beat their time each week, there's close to 400 people running and always a good turnout from Eccleshill Road Runners from the youngest, a 14 year old to the eldest, a 75 year old. In addition my two boys Tom and Marc usually compete too. Marc this year managed to get his time down to 20 minutes 29 seconds in race 2 but as was the case for most of us didn't better it in race 3, great times for a 15 year old though.

Emails were flying round last week as those of us who have done our marathons try to keep focused by entering more races. Sophie has encouraged us to enter one or two races which include the Harewood Chase 10k, Otley 10 mile, Hull Half Marathon and the Woodland Challenge. Coupled with the up and coming Vets races and the Washburn Valley Relay that should keep us going for a while!

Meanwhile I think God was looking down on me as I changed my entry from the Edinburgh Marathon to London, I haven't got the full story from the runners yet but if the temperature in Bradford was anything to go by it will have been horrendous conditions for running yesterday and I'm so glad I wasn't on the start line.

Just because I want to.......

2010-05-16T17:33:00.000-07:00

For the first time a quite a few months I met some other runners from the club on a lovely sunny Sunday morning and went for a run - just because I wanted to! That was a great feeling after months of being fearful that if anything went wrong on marathon day it might be down to lack of training. Thankfully I didn't think that - in fact quite the opposite, I knew if anything did go wrong it would be due to some other factor. This had still placed considerable pressure on training regimes from December last year. So today it was a great feeling to be able to leave Woodhouse Grove and head for Guiseley with a spring in my step.

Some of the runners set off in a different direction for a longer run, we girls set off for a 8 or so mile run. I knew just how Jo and Lisa felt, this was their final 90 minute run before Edinburgh the following week. Just under an hour and a half later we arrived back to the car park having leisurely chatted our way round the route we had done so many times over the last few months, so the penultimate group are about to embark on their marathon. All that remained was to wish them 'Good Luck' and wait to see them on their triumphant return.

Post London

2010-05-09T07:10:00.000-07:00

Today I completed the Leeds Half Marathon in a time of 2:07:04 and really enjoyed it.

I wasn't sure if I had maybe entered this in error! I had heard so many stories of people having 'marathon blues' and being on a 'downer' following a marathon, so I booked it well before London along with the John Carr 5k series with thoughts that I would have something to focus on afterwards.

In a way I think I did the right thing as I didn't so much have 'marathon blues' but did feel that in light of so many months of training and the build up the marathon itself it seemed to be over so quickly when race day finally did arrive and I was left feeling somewhat shell shocked and bewildered! It is only now, a few weeks later, that the enormity of all that training in the snow, ice and general bad weather and then running 26.2 miles at the end of it has really sunk in. It could have turned out differently and I might not have been in any fit state to take part in the John Carr or Leeds Half but thankfully this was not the case and just short of a week after the marathon I was back at club and looking forward to getting back to my 'normal' training routines. So my advice is listen to your body and if you feel up to it - do it. Whilst I value other peoples advice greatly, it sometimes conflicts in all aspects of running so I tend to take note but then do what I think is right for me.

Speed and Hills session at club tomorrow so I'm going to have to reign myself in and take it easy, shouldn't be too difficult, or should it?