Running from the Heart

On March 20, 2015March 20, 2015 By Girl Running CrazyIn Marathon Chat3 Comments

Standing on the start line, everything fades away

Excitement has been building, just waiting for this day

Now you stand on trial, there’s nothing more to do

You did your best to get here, you know that much is true

Lost in your own thoughts, there’s one more challenge ahead

But this will be a tough one, you slowly fill with dread

You slaved for hours and hours, the road was certainly long

But have you done enough? The doubts, they haven’t gone

It’s been a tough few months, nothing has been easy

But now the time has come, the gun sounds, you feel queasy

There’s no time left to worry, please don’t fall apart

The strength you feel inside you, it comes straight from the heart

26.2 to conquer, the prospect seems so daunting

‘You can’t do this, can you?’ the voice inside is taunting

One foot in front of the other, you remember how it’s done

A little kid high-5’s you, oh yeah, it should be fun!

Soaking up the atmosphere, a smile creeps over your face

The crowds roar all around you, you’re in a happy place!

The cheers are getting louder, the miles are rolling by

It lifts you higher and higher, you feel like you could fly

It’s starting to get tough now, you’re not feeling quite as strong

Everything’s turning hazy, where did it all go wrong?

It was always going to test you, you knew that from the start

The force that drives you forward, it comes straight from the heart

The crowds are going crazy, they scream as you run past

Your legs are feeling heavy, how much longer can they last?

The miles are getting slower, but the end is oh-so near

With the finish line in sight, you step it up a gear

Emotions they engulf you, from sheer relief to joy

You can’t believe you’ve done it! Those doubts have been destroyed

Riding high and giddy, you feel nothing but elation

Huge medal round your neck, it’s time for celebration!

What a day of triumph, what a day of awe

You feel a little tired, your body aches and more

But pain will fade in time, from every single part

Pride, it lasts forever, because you ran straight from the heart

By Katherine French

A long run shared is a long run…halved?

On March 13, 2015March 13, 2015 By Girl Running CrazyIn General1 Comment

The big 2-0 on the training plan is a daunting prospect to even the most seasoned marathon runner. Not only is it a very long way, but it’s as much a mental challenge as a physical one. It’s also the run that can give you the confidence that a marathon is actually achievable – if I can just get to 20 miles in training the last 10k will be fine…right?

Of course, it doesn’t actually work that way in real life because during last 10k of a marathon things can either miraculously come together, or spectacularly fall apart! I’ve definitely experienced the latter more than the former but it doesn’t stop the 20 miler giving me some confidence before race day.

On Sunday the Clapham Chasers hosted their annual Thames Riverside 20 mile ‘race or pace’ event (TR20) which is geared up with Spring marathoners in mind. We offer pacers from sub 7mm to 10mm so it’s the perfect training run to check you’re on track. For me, I just love the fact that I can focus on running with my friends around me rather than worrying about the distance.

A sunny race HQ in Bishops Park at 7.30am

It’s an out and back route from Putney Bridge to Richmond along the towpath which means you get to see some friendly faces as people start turning around and a friendly face can offer the same pick-me-up as a caffeinated salted caramel gel!

I find participating in an event like this really beneficial for several reasons:

There’s emotional strength to be found in not running alone. Even if you don’t know the runners around you, even if you don’t speak, they’re right there and going through the same thing you are (unless you’re Nathan who won the race in a new course record with a full 7 minute lead…but he’s pretty amazing).
Plenty of water stations mean you don’t have to carry your own
There are marshals all along the course to offer encouragement and a smile (and maybe a high-5 if you’re lucky)
When you’re wearing a race number other pedestrians seem more willing to let you past
If anything happens help is never far away
If it’s the TR20 there’s guaranteed to be a whole lot of cake at the finish!

Chaser Pacers, a happy Garmin & an almost empty cake table!

I went off in the 9mm wave not really sure if I’d be able to hold it but, with Laura and Gemma by my side having a good ol chat, it felt surprisingly easy. We were a bit ahead of target which worried me, but I managed to hold the pace even though we split up on the way back – I made friends with some South London Harriers instead!

As I rounded the corner to the finish line I was greeted by the Chaser Cheering Squad shouting my name and cheering, I couldn’t help but finish with a little sprint and a big smile!

The best thing about the TR20 is that all I had to concentrate on was getting out of bed (at 5.45am!) and getting to the start rather than planning a route, carrying fluids and being mentally strong on my own.

Maybe sharing a 20 mile run won’t make it any shorter, but it’ll sure make it happier. I’ve got 18 miles to knock out this weekend and I’m more than grateful to have some Chaser ladies lined up to share it with!

Laura & I looking surprisingly perky post run.

Track FEAR

On February 19, 2015February 19, 2015 By Girl Running CrazyIn General5 Comments

Every week Tuesday rolls around and it’s time. With sweaty palms and a sickening feeling deep in my stomach, it’s time to check the Chasers website and see what track session is lined up for the evening. Peaking through my fingers I slowly scroll down to find the right date and what’s in store…

THE HORROR

I hate track. No matter what the session involves, track is the one thing that always makes me giddy with nerves long before I even get to Battersea…and then the nightmare unfolds.

As soon as I wake up on Tuesday I’m trying to find excuses to skip it. Maybe I’m ill, am I ill? I’m not ill… Is that a twinge in my leg? Maybe I’ll have to work late? Maybe, just maybe I’ll have something better to do? But it’s a Tuesday and, sadly, I really don’t have anything better to do. I’m scared.

When I first started going to track 2 years ago I was always last. I wasn’t last a little bit, I was last by a LOT. Everyone was just faster than me so I would have to beast myself on every rep, come in last, and then get killed on the recovery, which would obviously be shorter than everyone elses.

Basically I spent the whole session running like this desperately trying to hang off the back of someone else.

My problem was I always, always ran off too fast, I would literally run as fast as I could until I realised pretty quickly I couldn’t keep it up for longer than 100m. I ran off too fast because I was trying to keep up, but it was a strategy doomed for failure. Track Fear was born.

During one session that left me gasping and almost in tears Bryn told me that it was much better to skip a lap, or walk the last 100m, to get the recovery I needed for the next rep than to slow down. If you can’t do the full session at goal pace, cut the session, don’t drop the pace. Since then I’ve stuck to that principle.

This week was a 10 x 800m Yasso session (yep that’s 5 miles in total). The goal was to run each 800m in your target marathon time, so if you’re aiming for a 3 hour 45 marathon you should be aiming for a 3 min 45 sec 800m – whatever your goal, that’s actually a pretty achievable pace for track.

I had a good session this week, each rep came in just under target (although some were a tad fast) but I felt strong throughout so I was happy!

I learned the hard way that track isn’t about running as fast as you possibly can, that will only leave you knackered and open to injury – I’m a long distance runner, not a sprinter.

Track is one session in my training week, an important session, but one session and the reason I go is to build upon and improve my speed. Yes, it should be hard, it should be uncomfortable and it should leave you out of breath but it shouldn’t leave you in absolute bits.

I don’t hate track, not really, but I am scared of it and I do get so nervous my legs turn to jelly as soon as I step on that orange bouncy stuff. But, every Tuesday around 8pm, I walk out into Battersea Park with a sense of achievement and relief. It’s only a lil’ 400m loop after all, it’s not so bad is it?

Until Tuesday rolls around again…

10 Things I wish I knew before I ran my first Marathon…

On January 13, 2015March 11, 2015 By Girl Running CrazyIn General, Marathon Chat21 Comments

1. It will hurt

Obvious? Maybe. But what I didn’t know was how much it was going to hurt long before race day.

Running more miles than you ever have before hurts. Speed sessions hurt, long runs hurt, short runs hurt, even rest days hurt…when you go to bed, when you wake up, when your alarm goes off at 7am at the weekend. It all hurts.

But trumping them all is when your friends stay in the pub for a late one on the jagerbombs, and you trundle off home with your tail between your legs because you need to knock out 9 miles in the morning. Nothing hurts quite like that.

It’s gonna hurt. Get used to it.

2. You will have bad days

There will probably be quite a few, marathon training is never plain sailing. When I was training for Paris I attempted a 15 mile run after work on a Friday night. I was under prepared, mentally and physically, I was in a rush and I underestimated the distance. I couldn’t do it.

That night I ran 12 miles. I came home in tears wailing ‘I had to cut my run short by 3 MILES and I’ve only run 12, whhaaaaa’. I thought it was the end of the world, my housemate thought I was mental. I probably was…I probably am…

If you have a bad day, or even a bad week, move on, don’t worry about it and definitely don’t give up.

3. You may never have a good hair day ever again

I’m afraid this one is serious. Morning runs will leave little time for a perfect blow dry and, by the time you’ve finished your run of an evening, you’re likely to be more concerned with filling the void in your tummy than sorting your hair out.

Unless you have a personal stylist on tap it’s gonna be a rough few months for your locks. Sorry

4. You will become really boring to your non-running friends

I mean, really boring. There you are, living, breathing, even dreaming about running and it’s all you can do to stop talking about all the miles you’ve run, the ache in your calf, the new gel flavour you’ve discovered, your new Sweaty Betty top…but the harsh truth is, the only people that will be vaguely interested are other runners.

Whilst your friends and family will be endlessly supportive…they really don’t care. They don’t care that you knocked 53 seconds off your Parkrun PB or that you ran your longest run ever, or that your toenail just fell off…

WHAT! You went for another run? Really?! Guess what…

tumblr_inline_mxz3ejkfM31snbmlq

5. You need to have a little faith in you

There will be many times over the 16 odd weeks you’re training when you will think you just can’t do it. I still think that all the time! My friend Mike is always telling me I need to trust my training and he’s right, you need to trust all the hard work you’ve put in during the build up, it will pay off and it will see you through.

When I was struggling in the run up to Amsterdam Keith told me look back and write down my top 5 runs. What was good about them? Remember the positives (all negatives are banned…)

Most importantly, you need to have a little faith in yourself

6. You’ll talk about poo more than is socially acceptable

When you start running long distances you get to know your body very well and you’ll soon have a mental map of all the accessible toilets within a 20 mile radius. Tennis courts, pubs, coffee shops, churches, bushes-where-dogs-can’t-find-you, you’ll know them all.

Whilst it’s fine to talk stomach cramps and Imodium with other runners, your friends won’t understand and your work colleagues just won’t get it, so when you bust out the poo strategy chat on a Tuesday afternoon after a conference call…well…don’t.

To be clear: Poo talk is fine with other runners, but at work? NO

7. Respect the rest day

Would you disrespect the long run? No. So don’t disrespect the rest day! Rest days are when the magic happens, it’s when the body adapts and improves and gets stronger. Don’t try and make up for missed sessions by compromising rest days, just let it go.

Your days off are hard earned, put your feet up, put the kettle on and chill out. Enjoy it!

8. It’s Emotional

Nothing can quite prepare you for the immense euphoria, relief and triumphant joy you feel when you cross the marathon finish line. Weeks and weeks of blood, sweat, and tears all comes down to this very this moment and you’ve done it! Add to that the sheer exhaustion, more pain and raging thirst and you may very well just cry. But that’s OK…just don’t ruin your brand new shiny medal!

9. You’ll get the blues

What goes up must come down and after the high of finishing your first marathon there’s a fair ol way to come back down. When the celebrations are over and you’ve caught up on life it’s normal to feel like there’s a bit of a hole in your life. You spent so much time, energy and focus preparing for one day it feels a bit like when Christmas is over when you’re a kid.

I’m afraid the post-marathon blues are very real

There’s only one way I’ve found of picking myself back up again, and that leads us on nicely to…

10. It’s an addiction

Sure, you might not believe me now and you sure as hell won’t believe me just after you’ve crossed that finish line, but give it a week…maybe less…and you’ll be carefully dusting off your trainers secretly plotting when your next marathon will be. All of a sudden it’s not so secret and you’re lining up marathons like you used to line up sambuka on a Friday night.

Don’t say I didn’t warn you. Before you know it people will be all like…

And it is a problem. It’s a really big frigging problem…so good luck with that 🙂

Review: Zombie Evacuation Race

On November 4, 2014September 18, 2019 By Girl Running CrazyIn Race ReportsLeave a comment

THE UK MAINLAND IS UNDER QUARANTINE, I REPEAT, THE UK MAINLAND IS UNDER QUARANTINE…

When I was invited to take part in the Zombie Evacuation Race by Currys the day after Halloween I was dead excited and immediately said yes. This was promptly followed by a warning that I may be electrocuted….erm, OK, what’s a little electrocution right?!

“Run for your life through a 5km course dodging the UNDEAD and navigating a multitude of challenging obstacles designed specifically to slow down your escape from relentless ZOMBIE horde who are hungry for fresh brains! Survive or be become one of them!!

Only the fittest will survive…”

I arrived at Allianz Park in North London at 8am and headed to the registration tent, or the Evacuee Check-In, where I signed the bit that precludes you from suing anyone if you do in fact get infected by zombies, or electrocuted, or lose a limb, all the usual stuff.

I was then given a ‘GPS tracking device’ which was a waist belt with 3 lifelines attached with velcro – loose all 3 lifelines and you’re officially infected!

I met up with my fellow bloggers (and fellow Clapham Chaser Fiona who was also ready to take on a few zombies) and the nice lady from Joe Blogs gave us all a different piece of the latest wearable tech to test out during the run courtesy of Currys. I was given a Withings Pulse O2, a nifty little device that tracks steps, running, elevation, heart rate and sleep, I couldn’t wait to give it a go! There will be more on the Pulse O2 to follow as I’m still giving it a full test run but so far so good!

The cold rainy start to the day had made way to sunshine and the atmosphere was brilliant. As we made our way to the start line on the track (the same track that was used as the warm up tack for the 2012 Olympics no less) ominous music was blasting over the tannoy and we could see the gruesome zombies shuffling and limping on the rugby pitch.

The race organisers did a great job getting everyone in the mood – a Sargent from Majesty’s RAZORS (Royal Army Zombie Outbreak Response Squadron, obvs) explained that as of 0700 hours the UK Mainland had been placed under quarantine due to a zombie outbreak. We were warned that we should not engage in any physical contact with the zombies as the infection was highly contagious and we should proceed directly to the evacuation zone – uh oh!

Start Line Selfie. Photo by @BeiFit

As the zombies hovered dangerously close, eager to get their grubby infected paws on our fresh skin, the Sargent started to lead us round the track and into the woods on our mission. I really wasn’t sure what to expect but I had the same nervous energy I get when I know I’m going to be doing some sprinting, I’ve just never sprinted away from zombies before!

Together with the music building a sense of fear and dread, thick smoke was pumping out on the ground creating a mist that was difficult to see through, were the zombies going to attack us already?! We started with a jog, sticking together seemed the safest thing to do, but as the course opened up and I decided to put my legs to work and go for it.

All over a sudden we were rounding a corner and the music from some kind of horror film with a baby (Carrie?!) was playing and THERE WERE ZOMBIES!!! It really was quite terrifying to be faced with a group of mentalists swaying back and forth looking like death and trying to attack me…so I ran faster and screamed!

The course continued through the woods with a number of zombies zones to navigate, some covered in sheets with blood smeared over them, some zombies hidden under things waiting to pounce, some just milling around looking completely insane, there was even a zombie bridge and groom!

Various obstacles, as well as zombies, also plagued the way including barbed wire, ditches, dogs (although I’m not sure they were part of the course, they were much more friendly than zombie dogs…), more smoke, minefields, steps, even the brambles in the thick woodlands were attacking me!

And as for this guy…was I scared to run up the stairs towards him to get past…? Maybe a little, wouldn’t you be?!

My bull-in-a-china-shop approach didn’t really work and I was left without any lifelines in less than 10 minutes, a more cautious approach may have been more effective in hindsight. As the course came back towards headquarters we were taken into a large, pitch black warehouse…a pitch black warehouse full of zombies, that was definitely a scary part!

Action shot. This may have been the point of infection…

Out of the warehouse we went over a bouncy castle and then were faced with the final challenge. The rugby field. This reminded me of a scene from The Faculty, stood at one end we had to run to the other but the the field was full of insane looking zombies that wanted to catch us, it was quite unnerving. Head down and RUN!!!!

Of course I was already infected but it was still scary. At the end there were 2 tunnels, one for Survivors and one for the Infected..I crawled through the Infected one and I was done!

The race crew then whisked me away and turned me into a zombie so I could join in the chasing on the rugby field to scare a few unwitting suspects – it was fun, fun, fun!

The Zombie Evacuation race was brilliant, a brilliant idea, brilliant execution and a LOT of fun. There are a few logistics that need to be ironed out (some of the course was very unclear and I didn’t actually get a finish time despite the timing chip) and it’s very expensive for a 5K, but I can promise you will have a great time.

I’d like to thank both Currys and Joe Blogs for sponsoring me for this event.

As for me, well, I feel fine now. The infection’s gone. Totally recovered in fact.

I mean, I’ve got a little headache I can’t shift…and a twitch in my eye…but who doesn’t?? I’m also looking a little pale but that’s nothing a little fake tan can’t fix, right??

Then there’s the bleeding and….Oh

Please note that this post was not sponsored and all views are my own

Amsterdam Marathon. The one that broke me

On October 25, 2014March 11, 2015 By Girl Running CrazyIn Marathon Chat, Race Reports3 Comments

“Cause sometimes you just feel tired. You feel weak. And when you feel weak you feel like you wanna just give up. But you gotta search within you. You gotta find that inner strength and just pull that s**t out of you, and get that motivation to NOT give up, and NOT be a quitter, no matter how bad you wanna just fall flat on your face and collapse”

Eminem

The Marathon is a relentless, unforgiving, gruelling event. The second you show just a moment of weakness it will turn on you, digging its painful claws deep into your soul draining you of everything you have, punishing you, willing you to fail, laughing at you.

It hurts. Then everything gets a bit fuzzy.

The Amsterdam Marathon broke me. It broke me early and it broke me hard. I genuinely started to wonder how I was going to make it to the finish line in one piece and I’ve honestly never felt like that before.

When I arrived in Amsterdam the concept of running 26.2 miles still didn’t feel very real. Training had been anything but perfect, but that’s nothing new, getting to the start line of a marathon injury free having nailed every training run would put you in a very small minority.

I had started well, ticking off the miles and sticking to my plan, but my lazy bum triggered an injury that I struggled to come back from. On the plus side, the injury has gone and didn’t flare up on the day, but the consequence of 4 solid weeks of bum exercises meant that the muscles I’m using when I run have changed, and 4 weeks is not long enough to get them used to the kinds of distances I was running.

My physio was brilliant, I did everything she told me and she spent hours painfully ramming her elbows into my leg so I could run without pain, but I was running very slowly. I just couldn’t do any of my speed sessions, my legs seemed to be tiring much quicker than usual and on my last 20 mile run I stopped several times (in the pouring rain…)

Alex and I feeling hopeful at the start (he totally nailed it and got a new PB)

My Mum & Dad had come over to support me so we all went to the Expo on Saturday morning to register followed by some lunch. I then went back to the hotel for an obligatory day-before-the-marathon-afternoon-nap before going out for a huge bowl of pasta and then back to bed for an early night.

The next morning I went through my usual ritual of force feeding myself porridge and a banana (not easy at 6.30am) and drank tea, tea and more tea (never again will I let caffeine withdrawal get me!) and we went to the station to meet my friend Alex.

The start was at the 1928 Olympic Stadium on the other side of town, which made for a great atmosphere, and Mum & Dad went off to find a seat in the stands. Alex and I were in the same start pen which I was grateful for as I think I would have mentally crumbled on my own.

We chatted through our pre-race nerves, discussing toilet strategy (standard) and wondering if the dudes dressed head to toe in a weird silver outfit (we thought they were penises, Mum thought they were silver bullets…) would beat us (they beat me, Alex took them down) and then the elites were away and it was time to run!

The start was great, I wasn’t sure how I felt about having to run through the finish line to get to the start line, but it was fun to run round the 86 year old track for about 200m before getting onto the road.

The route was pretty, it took us through and around the City, including the heart of the Rijksmuseum (the famous passage which connects Amsterdam city centre with the south of Amsterdam), and along the Amstel River. I think this was my favourite part as it felt very calming running past stately mansions and windmills, quintessentially Dutch! As we neared the finish we ran through a very green Vondelpark taking in the trees and ponds, before heading back to the stadium for the big track finish!

Looking pretty cheery at about 4 miles

At 7.5 miles I heard someone come up behind me shouting ‘Go Chasers!!’ before realising it was fellow running buddy Ryan. We had a quick chat, and, even at that point, I admitted I was starting to struggle.

I wasn’t feeling like myself, running felt like such an effort, it was laboured and difficult and tiring. I think it was around mile 9 when I started to fall apart – I don’t know why, I just wanted to stop running. So I did…and walked. When the wheels are falling off at mile 9 you know you’re in for a very tough run.

Unfortunately it all went downhill from there, I tried to enjoy the scenery and take in the atmosphere but I was totally overcome by the need to take regular walking breaks which I normally wouldn’t tolerate. I felt like such a failure, I was in the Amsterdam Marathon, my parents had come to support me and I couldn’t even run!

Giving up was never an option for me. The task ahead was daunting, there were still a lot of miles left to cover, I knew people were tracking me online and I knew I was going to finish in a time that would crush me. But giving up was not an option.

Of course that would have been the easiest thing to do, pulling out would have been the easiest thing in the world. But it would also have been weak. To give up on something because it’s tough, because you’re scared of failure, is weak. I wasn’t ill, I wasn’t injured and I wasn’t weak, I was going to get to the finish line somehow.

My hardest earned medal. Ever.

I started a run/walk strategy based on distance and I think sticking to this was the only thing that got me through the last 6 miles. My watch was ticking away with the time going up and up, my mile splits getting slower and slower and every half a mile feeling like the most difficult thing ever. I had no idea how long it would take me to finish but I did know it would be my slowest marathon by a long way.

The support was the best spectator support I’ve experienced outside the UK and I fed off it. Twice someone from the crowd took my hand when I was walking and jogged with me for a few metres, I love those 2 people. People lined the streets in the last several miles and a lot of people cheered me by name, there was even a ‘free energy’ station where a group of people were having a little street party with a tannoy lifting everyone’s spirits.

Other runners were also very supportive, this really helped as everyone seemed to be struggling so we cheered each other on. An old boy from Sleaford Striders was a big inspiration for me, he was running with a limp and a bit of a hunch but he was still running!

Eventually I made it through the park and could see the stadium ahead of me. I was determined to run the last bit and enjoy the track finish – this is were the Olympics were held 86 years ago! The seats were filled with people cheering us round and I could see the finish! I tried to spot Mum & Dad in the crowd but there were just too many people to pick them out.

I crossed the finish line, got my medal and just wanted to collapse, I was exhausted!

Marathons demand nothing but 101%. 26.2 miles is quite a long way and it’s not easy whatever time you finish in. Somewhere along the way I seem to have become desensitised to the distance and the challenges it brings. 26.2 miles is actually a bloody long way!

I’m aware I can be quite hard on myself, people tell me that all the time, I expect a lot and it’s disappointing when I don’t meet my own expectations. Yes, I had a bad race, but one bad race does not make you a bad runner, you can’t run strong and get a PB every time. Anything can happen in running and these things can and do happen, it’s how you deal with it that can make you stronger.

So I finished the Amsterdam Marathon in 4 hours 50 minutes. All that really matters is that I finished and had a great weekend in a great city. As my boss said when I went back to work and quietly admitted my time ‘Who cares? You did it and you were in Amsterdam, well done!’

It wasn’t lucky number 7. Could it be lucky number 8?

The Poncey Air Kiss that could undo it all

On October 15, 2014 By Girl Running CrazyIn Thoughts2 Comments

There’s just 4 sleeps to go until I run my 7th marathon. I’ve got a sore throat and I’m pretty sure my leg’s about to fall off.

No, really, I jogged, jogged round the block on Monday and there’s a new weird pokey unexplainable kind of pain in my dodgy leg….

Is it real? It feels real…it even made me limp a little yesterday. I’ve been doing all my lazy arse exercises, my foam roller is my new best friend and I’ve even been stretching after I run (I know, I don’t recognise me either). So what the hell is it and where has it come from all of a sudden??

I know what you’re thinking. The taper has got me. But I think your wrong, injury has set me back so much it doesn’t even feel like a taper so how can I be suffering taper madness? Exactly.

It’s also that time of year when the weather is changing and all the sickly types are starting to get, well, sick. Why does this mean that everyone INSISTS ON TOUCHING ME.

Do you have to give me a kiss on the cheek? Do you? We’ve had 38 meetings before and you’ve not felt the need to kiss me until this particular occasion when you’ve just had a coughing fit and have snot dripping down your nose. Thanks. Appreciated.

Don’t get me started shaking hands. What is that? Why do we need to shake hands? Will it really compromise our business relationship if our hands don’t touch? Can’t we just smile? Keep your gross germy hands safely in your pocket and…

If that wasn’t bad enough I have the added challenge of negotiating the rat race on a daily basis just so I can get to the place where all people insist on touching me.

Don’t get me wrong, being a Londoner is bloody brilliant, but you know what’s not bloody brilliant? Getting the tube to work. Packed full of germ infested, snotty, coughy, wheezy, sneezy commuters, tourists, children and even animals that are waiting in eager anticipation to invade my personal space just to spread their germs. I hate you all. WHHHAAAAAA

On top of all that it looks like there’s a storm coming. Of course there is. Of course there is.

If you have the pleasure of seeing me in the next few days I strongly suggest you approach with caution, keep a comfortable distance and bring copious amounts of Berocca, hand sanitiser, First Defence, chewable vitamin C and broccoli. Thank you please.

Prosecco, Cupcakes & Chrissie Wellington

On July 10, 2014August 7, 2017 By Girl Running CrazyIn General2 Comments

“I approached the race in good spirits…that said, I shat myself at the start. Literally. This is going to be a long day, I thought to myself. The race hasn’t even started and I’m shitting myself already…It’s all very well crapping into your swimskin when you’re in the water, but doing it on a bike is horrible. And trying to run a marathon with poo dribbling down your leg is not much more fun.”

Chrissie Wellington: A Life Without Limits

After I had such a good time last year, I was excited when Runners Need announced they would be running their exclusive Women’s Running Events again this summer. It’s an evening dedicated to offering expert advice specifically for female runners from training to physio to nutrition. They even give you a goody bag & a glass (or, ahem, 3) of bubbly. Perfect!

Cupcakes and prosecco on rest days…

Having signed up to the Covent Garden event with some running club buddies I was buzzing when I received an email saying Chrissie Wellington would be making an appearance!

Chrissie Wellington is a British 4 time Ironman World Champion and she is my sporting hero. She competed in 13 Ironman distance triathlons. She won them all.

However, none of this came easy, she suffered from an eating disorder in her early days, was bullied by her teammates who were jealous of her performance, had to sleep in a brothel the night before a big international competition, and regularly suffered falls off the bike which left her with fractures, bruising, and even 3rd degree burns in the form of road rash (which you can partly see in the picture above, ouch).

Her journey to the top was an eventful one – it was sheer commitment and determination that allowed her to overcome the odds more than once.

Inspirational speaker

I was looking forward to hearing her speak again, what better person to give us advice than someone who has conquered what is arguably the toughest sport on the planet?

Chrissies’ top tips and advice:

Find your passion
Set a goal that scares you
Remember your motives and why you want it – this is what keeps you going

You need a plan – there are 4 key sessions you should incorporate in the plan

Steady sessions
Strength work – eg Hills
Race pace sessions
Intervals – and they should ‘hurt like hell’

Rest & recovery is vital
You need to train the mind and brain as well as the body so you can teach it to shut up in races
Learn to hurt in training
Break the race into smaller segments – a marathon is never 26.2 miles, it’s 4 x 10km with a little bit on the end
Remember racing is supposed to be uncomfortable – if it’s not you aren’t going hard enough
The measure of success isn’t always the time on the clock – it’s the feeling of giving it everything you’ve got
Finally, and one I live by myself, Never Give Up

Chrissie signing my book at an event last year and telling me not to be so hard on myself!

Thanks Runners Need – a fab event and an awesome swag bag once again! Not quite sure about the ‘drinking oats’ though?! Already looking forward to next year.

Who’s Harry Hawkes?

On June 30, 2014 By Girl Running CrazyIn Race Reports2 Comments

Harry Hawkes was a real life man who lived in Thames Ditton in the early 1900’s and had a really cool name. His Dad ran a bottling factory producing Ginger Beer and mineral water, and Harry was the captain of the Thames Ditton Cricket Club 2nd Eleven for 10 years.

Why is this important?

Well, in 1984, back when I found Button Moon more interesting than lycra, the cricket club launched an 8 mile race and named it after Harry (his really cool name probably had a lot to do with it). It was a race that quickly established itself and ran (excuse the pun) for 26 years. Even my Dad had heard about the Harry Hawkes race and he lives over 100 miles away!

After a 2 year break, the race was re-launched as a 10 mile event and a few of the Chasers found ourselves entering this year. 10 miles is a great distance, possibly my favourite. By the time you even think about flagging there’s only a couple of miles left anyway, there’s none of that ‘no mans land’ you get in a half marathon.

Spot the Chasers!

The race started on Giggs Green by the cricket club (which I think is 175 years old, one of the oldest in the country) and looped round Thames Ditton (adding the extra 2 miles) before continuing along the towpath by the river, crossing Kingston Bridge and heading back along Hampton Court Towpath, past the Palace, and back on the 2 mile loop to the finish on the Green.

The route is on mixed terrain but is flat and fast and very pretty along the river, I wish I had a camera!

It was smiles all round as Andy took the win (by over 3 mines) AND the course record by over 4 minutes, and the boys took the team prize for the top 4. There were also some PBs despite the warm, sunny weather. I, however, was so far behind everyone I actually missed the team photo at the end…I fully intend to be faster in the next race and photobomb at every opportunity I find!

Winners and more winners

Although I was slower than usual, I’m attempting to follow the P&D marathon plan (in preparation for Amsterdam) which meant Sunday’s run was a mix of marathon pace and an easy pace rather than running as fast as possible. Not only did I achieve that, but it meant I very much enjoyed the run too!

It was a beautiful sunny day so we hung around afterwards for the post race BBQ the cricket club put on (although, disappointingly, there were no vegetarian options, only burgers and bacon) and enjoyed the atmosphere.

The Harry Hawkes 10 is highly recommended. It’s well organised, on a lovely course, with fantastic marshals and has a great local feel about it – if you fancy a flat, fast and scenic 10 miler in the Summer make sure you join us next year.

Cheers Harry!

http://www.harryhawkes10.com/

Internet results are forever…but only if they’re published

On May 30, 2014 By Girl Running CrazyIn Thoughts3 Comments

The Edinburgh Marathon Festival has been slammed this week after refusing to publish a complete list of results for any of the events held over the May Bank Holiday weekend.

Why? They claim:

“All your personal data and information, including your running times, are treated with great respect. As such your result information is exclusively available to you…They are your results and times.”

Not even Power of 10 or Run Britain, websites which allow you to compare your performances against others, had access to results meaning athletes couldn’t record their performances. Bloody annoying if you ran well.

And what about those who wanted to use Edinburgh as a qualifying race for another event? How can you prove you’re a Boston Qualifier or London GFA if results aren’t readily available? It seems almost ludicrous in this day and age.

This isn’t the first time this has happened – Bournemouth Marathon Festival did the same thing when they launched last October…and they’re organised by the same people.

Following an angry backlash, EMF have since updated their website giving athletes the option to ‘choose’ to publish their own results…but they still haven’t backed down on publishing the full results.

Whilst there are strong views surrounding this decision, as well as failing to meet IAAF guidelines (of which the IAAF Bronze Road Race label is proudly displayed on the EMF website), it does raise an interesting debate. Should your race time, splits and finish position be made available online for the world to see? Possibly forever…?

Of course, before the days of the world wide web (say what???) etching results into history forever wasn’t an option – when my Dad ran the Southampton Marathon many (many) years ago the results were published in the local paper, not national, and a results list was sent out to competitors through the post. I believe this was common practice, but these results are unlikely to still be available.

However, it’s now 2014 and, not only is there a certain expectation as part of the race package, but it’s an IAAF requirement that full results are made public on the event website:

3.12.2 Official Results for all participants should be made available on the race’s website within the shortest possible time.

Source: IAAF Road Race Label Regulations 2014

There’s nothing a runner loves more than running stats – our little eyes light up gleefully when we’re presented with the latest race results showing our splits and finish position – how did our friends do and other people in our category? Did the heat slow everyone down or was it just me that suffered?

Geeky? Yep, but it’s difficult to fully assess your performance without knowing how others of similar ability ran on the day. So when there are no results available to geek over…

So, what possible, logical reason could EMF have for making a decision they knew would anger the very same people they want to come back next year?? Money

Perhaps it’s not protecting the data of competitors the organisers are concerned about, but protecting the data of their event – an event that has arguably seen decreasing numbers year on year (I tried to find evidence to support this but, interestingly, could not find any comprehensive historical results either…)

Besides entry fees, races, especially big races, make a huge amount of money from sponsorships. But sponsors want to reach guaranteed numbers of relevant people in return for their investment and they want to know what that reach is. EMF have already seen Asics and Lucozade Sport walk. How can you protect existing, and future, partnerships, and this vital revenue stream, when numbers are dwindling? Don’t publish those numbers.

Cynical? Perhaps, but it makes perfect sense in a commercial world and, at the end of the day, EMF is a business and they need to make a profit. It’s certainly a better theory than data privacy – especially when Marathon Photos offer an option to include your race time on your photo…which is available to preview…publicly.

There’s no denying that refusing to publish race results is a controversial decision. The orgainsers prerogative? Data privacy? Or a bloody stupid idea driven by fear and greed? I don’t know what EMF’s reasons are, but I do know the advertising industry inside out…and there’s only one theory that’s convinced me so far.

Jason Henderson – Athletics Weekly Editor