Having run a 10k and half marathon over the previous two weekends, I was pleased to be having a break from racing, which meant I was therefore able to stay at home. On Saturday I decided to simply enjoy running, so I went to run with my club (Kings Heath Running Club) and took it relatively easy, as there was no great need to push myself in terms of times or distance. So I did a really enjoyable run with the club, 5 miles, with a club member who I'd run with before a few times: I was nice just to be able to run at a pace where I could join in with a bit of a chat, something I don't often do (mainly because I wheeze like a geezer when I run). Anyway it was great to be reminded that running can be a sociable event, not just an individual activity. Then, this morning I had a nice run in the sun, again at a fairly gentle pace. It was good to be out and about in lovely weather, and to just enjoy running for running's sake!
One of the things I was able to do whilst running this morning, was to ruminate on my Challenge Series, and where I've got to so far. I've now completed 7 out of the 11 races I've planned, and run some 325 miles since January (training and races); I've reached my time targets for both 5k and half marathon, but I think am still some way off getting under 50 minutes for 10k and only have 2 more 10k races to reach this. I've also raised £230 for NYAS, way below my target, but at least I've managed to get a donation out of my son!
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| Finishing at Sheffield |
Now I realise that these achievements (apart from getting my son to donate) pale into insignificance in comparison to the achievements of other runners and certainly other fundraisers! I know of others who are running marathons, or a series of marathons and even ultras, and certainly my time targets are nothing to write home about. But one thing l have been learning over the past few months is that what challenges me will not be a challenge for others, its a relative thing depending on talent, age, and training. What I'm attempting would in no way be challenging for a lot of club runners (particularly the times), but it would be very challenging for most beginners! Likewise, achievement is also relative: it's been great to see a couple of runners from my club celebrate their first 10k or running 2 miles without walking: real achievements for them (and rightly celebrated by other KHRC runners!). Another friend gained a pb for a 5k and also ran a half marathon this weekend with a broken toe! Whatever the achievement, the common thread is that it will have taken commitment, guts and not a little will power to get there.
I was also struck with a chat I had with another running club member this weekend who mentioned she'd been in Care and, unlike many, had had a positive Care experience. She'd obviously achieved a great deal in her life and I was reminded that many children in Care achieve because of being in Care, but that also many children in Care achieve in spite of being in Care. Whether its because of multiple placement moves, problems emanating from the time before they were placed in Care, moving schools, bullying, lack of contact with family and friends, lack of consistent adults in their lives, or lack of support when transitioning into adulthood, sometimes the system serves to hinder not help them. NYAS, the charity I am raising money for, help children in Care when things aren't going right, and help them to get their views heard when professionals are deciding about their future. NYAS' Annual Report gives more detail about this and about the tremendous impact the charity makes on the lives of these and other vulnerable children and adults. Through my running this year, I am aiming to raise money for NYAS, so if you would like to make a donation to support this work, please visit my BT Donate page. My next two races are in June, the Woodhall Spa 10k and the St Albans Half Marathon: any and every donation is greatly valued!
After last weekend, running round the beautiful (flat) Cambridgeshire countryside in the roasting mid-day sun, and having experienced a "village fete" type atmosphere, this week it was it Sheffield! As I suspected, the experience was totally different from Fen Drayton, not least because the weather had again forgotten it was meant to be summer and barely struggled to reach 10C. It felt pretty cold and not at all sunny, but at least it didn't start raining until the race was over. Walking from the car park to the start was also different from last week, as this seemed to take us through a pretty derelict part of Sheffield, not at all like the walk through Fen Drayton. This was also a much bigger event, with approximately 5,500 people running the half marathon and another 1000 or so charity runners running a "fun run", so approximately 10x the size of the race last week!
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| Before the start |
The course was also very different, as it meandered through the centre of Sheffield, some of which (and I like Sheffield) was not exactly pretty! The run started and ended at the Don Valley stadium, which was great in terms of atmosphere, organisation and the finish! The main stand of the stadium was pretty full of charity workers and relatives and friends of the runners, which meant there was a good start and a rousing end to the race: it was fantastic to run through the stadium at the end to the general noise and cheering of the crowd! In fact, the people of Sheffield helped to give the race a really great atmosphere and throughout the streets there were plenty of people cheering on the runners; it reminded me a little of the Birmingham half, although not as busy....
Anyway, having heard people say that the course would be incredibly hilly, it was in fact pretty flat. Although the first 6.5 miles were generally uphill, this was a pretty gentle incline, and there was only really one short steepish hill at about 4 miles. There was also one mile long incline at 5.5 miles, which was made worse by the fact that the front runners passed us going the other way, steaming down the hill. All I could think of was that they looked so fresh, whilst I was busy trying to suck as much air into my lungs as possible to give me the oxygen needed to get me up the hill. However, after this, it was literally downhill all the way.
I had been aiming to beat my PB, and to get under 2 hours for a half marathon, which was one of my targets for this Challenge Series. I was therefore aiming to run on or below a 9 m/m pace for the first half and hope that the downhill slope in the second half would see me through! Although the start was crowded, I managed to keep to this pace, even up to the 6 mile mark (and with a slight calf stiffness), and continued with this until the return to The Don Valley, where the noise of the crowd lifted me to a "sprint" finish! I was pleased that I never really felt "out of breath" during the race, the main thing seeming to hold me back was my legs not feeling that strong after about 8 miles. And the result? Well, I finished in 2823rd place, with a chip time of 1:56.02, a result I was pretty pleased with, as I managed to knock 5 minutes off my previous best time..... having said that, it was a fast course!
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| At the end! |
The other great thing about the event was that I was joined for the day by Graham, a really good friend and (although a few years younger than me) a veteran of many half marathons! Having done a few of races on my own, it was great to have someone with me, particularly as it entailed getting up at 5.00am to drive to Sheffield for the 9:00am race start! Graham is a much more naturally talented runner and a very determined guy. Although generally pretty fit, he'd not done a huge amount of half marathon training recently, and only decided to join me in the run about 2 weeks before the race. He did one 10 mile training run in the week of the race.... and then during the race, he felt his hamstring twang at 3 miles and again at 8, but battled through the pain to finish in a time of 1.55..... better than mine! A great run under the circumstances.
I now have a bit of a break until my next race in Lincolnshire at the start of June. In fact I am over half way through the series of runs I'm doing to raise money for NYAS. I'm looking forward to finishing the races, meeting more of NYAS's staff and volunteers, and more importantly, raising more money for the charity. If you haven't done so already, please do visit my fundraising page, and if you want to get a better feel for the work NYAS does, please take note and read this year's Annual Report. It will give you such a good idea about what we do and why we do it!
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| Before the start |
At last it feels like summer has arrived, with a warm and sunny week followed by a lovely weekend of bright sunshine for the Bank Holiday. On the Saturday, I had a good run out at Cannon Hill Park Run, finishing with a time just a couple of seconds short of my PB. And on Sunday, with the weather remaining the same, I was sorely tempted not to travel to Cambridgeshire, but just stay and enjoy the sun at home!
I was glad I did travel though. I was running the Fen Drayton 10K, which turned out to be a real community event for the village and local school, with not just the 10k, but a fun run and plenty of other activities and food on offer! The race itself was really well organised, the marshals were great and encouraging and quite a few people from the village turned out to watch and support the event, which was also really encouraging! Fen Drayton itself is a pretty village next to a bird sanctuary and Fen Drayton lakes, so a really lovely part of the Cambridgeshire countryside. In fact I found it quite surreal to have taken part in the run and to have experienced the atmosphere of the village fete, only to return home via the metropolis of Birmingham.
The day was very warm. The race also started 11.00am, which was great in terms of travel, but not for coolness as we hit the midday sun. I was feeling a little jaded after the journey, which was not helped by the 15 minute "workout" the race organisers had arranged (although i cannot claim to have really got into this!) before the start: so I started off by thinking I would just enjoy the run and scenery, and not aim to try to beat my PB.
However, as soon as I started, I knew I would try to run my best; I have too much of a competitive streak in me! I also thought this would be a fast route, as it was flat, and the conditions (apart from the heat) were perfect for running, so I did think that it would be too good an opportunity to miss. The route itself was mainly off road, with a fair few potholes early on, but was pleasant, flat, and took in some lovely scenery around the lakes and bird sanctuary. It was really enjoyable, but unfortunately, I was either too busy looking directly ahead of my feet to avoid tripping, or too occupied with the other runners to take too much of the scenery in!
At the start I had placed myself about half way back, in between the 50 and 55 min markers. This was an accurate starting position for me, as this was roughly where I finished the race. Although I passed more runners than runners passed me, I realised from fairly early on and then all the way through, that I was seconds off running 5 min kilometers, which was what I was aiming for. I did not really get up a gear, and my legs felt fairly sluggish. And although it was flat, it was warm and hard going, and I definitely needed water at the 5k stage! However, I was able to raise my pace a little at the end to provide a quicker finish, which I was pleased at, particularly as the finish line was well supported with onlookers!
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| Hot'n sweaty at the end |
So the result? A chip time of 51.08, being placed 126th out of about 360, finishing about half way. I was pretty pleased with this, although I again managed to evade the 50 minute mark, which I have been aiming for this year. I'm not at all sure if this is a possible target for me, and I'm running out of races (no pun intended) to find out. I only have two 10k races left in this series, Stoke (which i am sure will not be flat) and Woodhall Spa, which might offer me some hope.
So, onto next week, where I'm running the Sheffield Half Marathon, which I'm sure will be a totally different experience from this race. For a start it will be hilly (at least in the fist half), will begin at 9.00am (so I will have to leave Birmingham at about 6:00am or before!), and (with all due respects to Sheffield) I'm sure it will not be as pretty! However, I am hoping that it will be good fun with lots going on! When I've run this, I will have completed 7 out of 11 of the races I have planned this year to raise money for NYAS, the charity I work for. If you haven't sponsored me already, please do give it a thought and visit my BT Donate page, and if you can, give generously! The work we do helps to support children in care, children with disabilities and other vulnerable children and adults at a time when cuts in public services does not make their lives easier! Thank you!
