I heart running again!

Had you asked me 6 months ago if I could ever enjoy running again, I would have said never! Training for London Marathon destroyed me, don't get me wrong, an incredible experience and a day I will never forget, but I wasn't in the right physical condition and have suffered ever since with really painful shin splints, so running this past year hasn't been a pleasant experience! Also screwing up my 5k race back in November really knocked my confidence and belief in my own ability, so I just concentrated on gym work and ran once a week or so, mainly to keep in touch with my friends at running group.

After Christmas I started helping out with Regency Runners 5k Learn to Run course, this fitted into my training schedule perfectly as on Thursday I was required to do some active recovery. I met a lady on week 1 of the course who I have come to know well over the last 10 weeks, I've never known anyone try so hard, and have so much spirit, she had her last treatment for cancer in November, and in January, she was out running. A leader, Anne, had approached her the Saturday before at Leamington parkrun after seeing her finish her first ever 5k in 54:36 and suggested she join the course. I have really enjoyed getting to know her over the last 10 weeks, she really is such an amazing lady, although I think there have been times where she has secretly wanted to punch me when I have pushed her on intervals or ran behind her up hills. This past Thursday was the last week of the 10 week course so the ladies completed the 5k race, and on a particularly hilly course she finished in 45 minutes, incredible!

Regency Runners also run a 10k course alongside the Learn to Run, my friend Clair (@hulahair) gave herself a target for sub60 10k at New Year, and over the last few weeks she has worked really hard with the leaders to improve her running, she completed her 10k on Thursday in 60 minutes flat, I'm so proud of her!

Also, last weekend was the first ever Warwick Half Marathon. I didn't run, for obvious reasons but so many of the ladies from Regency Runners were running, I love the group so much and we are really supportive of each other so if I am not running a race I like to go and show my support, which I did. I really felt for the runners, it was such a miserable day but as they set off there were lots of smiles!

Janet, Tina, Tanya and Nikki

There weren't so many smiles as they approached the finish line as 10 minutes after the start the heavens opened and it threw it down all morning. On a hilly route many of the ladies achieved PBs, and Tanya joined the sub2 club, ace!! It was on this day that I was reminded that I was running Regency 10k on 7th April, crap. I hadn't ran more than 4 miles since VLM2012, and those 4 miles were back in June! I thought I had better get training, and quick!

Monday morning means the weekly email from Regency Runners outlining the weeks sessions. I had planned to run on Tuesday and was delighted when I saw that Tuesday was hills. I love hills. It's so hard but I know it's good for me, so I always try my hardest. Regency Runners really do this session well and it is really inclusive to runners of all abilities. Anne told me that she was going to work me hard after I was a teeny bit cheeky to her on twitter and geez she chased me up that hill so fast I passed everyone on the way up and when I got to the top I really thought my lungs were going to explode! She told me that it was excellent so I took the feedback and went back down to the bottom to go again, and again, and again, you get the picture!

Friday was #5milefriday, which I had arranged with a few girls from Regency Runners with the Regency 10k fast approaching, I just wanted to know I had the miles in my legs, then I would stop panicking! At one point it looked as if I would be running on my own but then Sharon came up trumps so I was able to run with her, with a route I had never done before, which I prefer. It was a really nice chatty run, a bit of messing about with road works, closed pavements and mud during the first mile of so but after that we were able to run quite freely. Sharon said that she had noticed my running style had changed over the last year or so, I think this has a lot to do with losing such a lot of weight but also all the walking lunges that Oli has put in my programme! Apparently I'm much more upright and bouncy, picking my legs up much more, which is what I am working towards, great! Sharon asked me couple of times if the pace was ok for me, it was and felt quite comfortable and we were able to keep chatting as we ran, apart from the few hills where we concentrated not slowing the pace as we ran up them! The last mile or so was quite tough, all gradually uphill back to Sharons house, we had picked the pace up by this point too so I must admit to being pleased at seeing my car!

#5milefriday!!

We finished 5.2 miles in 58 minutes so not too bad. I was chuffed with the distance and I still felt that I had more in my legs so at least I know that I don't have to worry about the 10k in only 2 weeks time!! 

Baby Steps

Ok, so I have taken the first steps to next years half iron distance triathlon. I have continued with swimming twice a week, this seems to be going quite well and I'm now able to do full lengths of breast stroke, and am officially no longer a member of the dry hair brigade. I do have a long way to go with my technique, my legs seems to go in 8 different directions at the same time and I'm sure I could be much more efficient with my arms but the main thing for me is that I am able to get my head in the water and breathe out, and also, that is it now starting to feel natural and comfortable. During Tuesdays session I reduced the time spent in between lengths to just a few seconds and I felt much more comfortable than I had done in the past, so things are really improving. I'm really proud of my progress over the last few weeks and I'm sure that soon I'll be ready for my shell bra and scales for Mermaid status. Although, I was reminded by @TheIron_Bear that I won't do very well in the bike with a fish tail, smart arse, I think I'll do just fine, and I'll prove it!

I have been thinking about an event for next year that I wanted to do, I hadn't found anything that jumped out at me or that seemed really interesting. Originally I wanted to do an official Ironman event but geez they are expensive, I also don't know what I would gain from it being an Ironman event, and also, the 70.3 in the UK is apparently one of the toughest, so I decided to look for smaller (cheaper) events. I was due to do a local 5k race today (I'm ill so I didn't run, booo) and when I was checking the Raceways website for the details I noticed that they had added a 70.3 to their race calender, perfect! I knew it was the one that I wanted to do straight away, the event is at Radley Hall in Warwickshire which isn't too far from me, and it's a lovely place. The swim takes part in the lake where you complete three laps, and the run is also in the grounds and the finish line in front of the Hall itself. The only thing I'm a little worried about is the ride, the route is yet to be released but is described as undulating, I guess I'll just have to learn to enjoy burying myself in hills! Another reason I was keen on this event is that all Raceways events raise funds for Kids Run Free which is a great Midlands charity.

So with the event picked I plucked up the courage to enter my first triathlon in May. It's only a super sprint distance but I figured that I need to decide whether or not I like it or not before committing myself to such a big event and challenge. Plus, this gives me something to focus on and so far I am enjoying the training. I timed myself swimming 200m which I did in 8 minutes, I was pleased with this and considering I've only been  swimming for 4 weeks I aim to take a good chunk of this ready for the triathlon in May. 

Training has been kind of going well in general over the last few weeks and my weight had continued to drop. I've been adding additional exercises into my circuits in the gym and even though this has been taking up for time I have been enjoying it, of sorts. I'm not sure if I am getting it quite right as I'm not getting as sore as I once was, so maybe I need to re-evaluate the weights that I'm using, I'm also finding it really difficult to get motivated once I'm in the gym, I go through the motions and do what I need to, but I struggle to get that intensity that I need. I made the mistake of saying this to @TheIron_Bear and he has given me a ridiculous circuit to do involving quick weight circuits and 1k runs in between with no rest. Now, he told me that this is probably the hardest session that he does, so I am not really filled with confidence that I am going to be able to complete it but I'll give it a go on Monday, hopefully once this cold and temperature has gone!