Saturday 5 January 2013

New Beginnings

I feel a bit embarrassed that I haven't written this blog in such a long time. Since the end of August, to be precise. I am going to use the age-old 'insanely busy' excuse and move on, swiftly.

The truth is, I have been working super hard, running a lot and being Mummy to my beautiful Miss Ruby - so there's been little time for anything else.

Since I last posted I ran the Berlin Marathon. It was what this whole blog was leading up to. I won't lie - it was hugely painful - after the Dr advised me not to run, I had a few weeks off training (including a lovely, slightly raucous week in Ibiza for my beautiful friend's wedding). So when I lined up with 40,000 other people at the Brandenburg Gate, I'd never felt so unprepared for anything. I was petrified. I can still remember it so clearly - this overriding thought that there was no way in a million years I'd be able to get to the end.

Thankfully, I had so many messages of support - some made me laugh, others made me want to sit down in the middle of the road and sob my heart out because the people that I love and respect most in the whole world were telling me that they believed in me. It made me run, and run, and run.

The last 3km were hell - my hips had completely gone so I had to alternate between walking and jogging. I swear the finish line got further and further away - I must have looked like I was going to pass out because as soon as I crossed the line a volunteer grabbed me and ushered me into the first aid tent. All I could think about was that I had done it for Miss Ruby, and that they'd better not have given out all the medals already.

Fast forward three months and I am planning in my races for 2013. No marathons this year, mainly 10km's, with the Sheffield Half Marathon, Wales Half Marathon and Tough Mudder thrown in for good measure (I didn't get to run Tough Mudder last year - I was gutted).

I'm working super hard on my running at the moment - specifically getting my time down for 5km. I have been running parkrun every week, which is really helping because I am ridiculously competitive. My very first parkrun was back in March last year and I think I ran it in 38 minutes - today I knocked almost a minute off my PB from last week, running in 25:58. My goal is to get down to 22 minutes by the end of the year.

I'm pretty excited about Tuesday night - I have my first run with Nidd Valley Road Runners, which I'm hoping will help me improve my speed and technique. I'm still suffering pretty badly with excruciating stitch on some of my faster runs and it's probably the most frustrating thing ever - my legs and head are all saying GO but my diaphragm is spazzing out of control. Ouch.

Lastly (for now) - I have a new challenge. Feeling pretty overfaced with it right now, but hopefully this time next year I will have chalked up 1000 miles. I'm thinking with the running club and all the races I have coming up (10 at last count - trying for one every month) it should be achievable.

Oh, and I'm going to try and be better at doing this... :)

Sam x