My last two training runs were the 20 minute ones as mentioned in my last post. Due to a busy week I had to do them on Thursday and Friday and just ran down the lane ......... I'd actually forgotten about the hills after all my runs on the Tarka Trail!!! Anyway they passed without incident!!
At the start of training for this 10K coach Steph had told us to write down the time we expected to do it in. I didn't write it down or tell you but 1 hour 10 minutes was my goal. This week I decided to aim for 1 hour 6 minutes after looking at all my training times.
So suddenly it was race day .........
Hanging around waiting to leave was the worst bit .......
With my knee support on and k tape on my other knee .......( I didn't mention it in dispatches but it had been niggling for a week or so.) and vaseline on my feet we set off at 10am, just as well really as the car park was heaving and there was a long queue for the loo when we arrived!!
Waiting for the Bideford 10K to start
My fellow training group runners with coach Steph!
Eleven o'clock finally arrived and .......... we were off ........... loads of people surged past me, well hundreds actually ........ even though I felt I was running a good pace. I knew I'd set off too fast (I always do) especially with so many other runners but thought I'd wait for the bird on my phone to tell me at mile one and then I'd adjust accordingly. I didn't hear her, nor at mile two ....... infact for the whole race she was silent. I thought my fat arse must have switched her off ...... oh well just keep running and hope for the best!! It was hot as well and the car fumes weren't nice either. (There was a steady stream of cars passing us). Getting near Instow between 4 and 5k I felt sick and realised that I had definitely set off too fast ....... oh god not even half way and I may have to stop. I slowed a bit and grabbed some water at the water station and swilled it around my mouth and chucked it in my face!! It's amazing how much this helped and now on the Tarka Trail there was a lovely breeze which was a blessing.
When he told me my time 1:01 I thought he was joking. My first words were 'never again!!' I took my phone out and saw the bird had been doing her bit as well and although a few seconds out due to not stopping it straight away...... but as you can see my split pace was awesome!!!
My official time was 1:01:20 and I can't tell you how chuffed I am with that, never in my wildest dreams did I think I'd get a time like that!!
Having never run a race before I didn't know what to expect, however the organisation by Bideford ACC was excellent and all the marshalls were friendly, helpful and encouraging and the atmosphere was brilliant ...... you may all be lying down in a darkened room now but thank you it was a great event.
Sooooooooo what's next??
Well the OB told me the other day when I was hobbling around with injury number twenty two that I wasn't to enter any more races ...... we'd just get back to me trotting down the lane and him wobbling along on his bike!!
Yeah right. .........
............. So as my fellow training group and I had an appointment with copious amounts of prosecco and gin yesterday afternoon ....... oh come on we needed to rehydrate!! We came to the conclusion that our next event would be the Bude Rats RNLI 6mile run in Bude on 10th June. It's an evening event so all the OB's have realised that they can wait in the pub for us!
Result!
....... and coach Steph has agreed to coach us again!
Result!
And just before I go the best news is that to date I've raised £432 for Children's Hospice Southwest!!!
Thank you to everyone who has donated.
Thank you also to all of you for your kind words and encouragement over the last five months. It has really kept me going!
I also wouldn't have done it without the support of our little training group ...... we've all had our ups and downs, doubted ourselves, wanted to give up, screamed and shouted but everyone was there to support each other and bloody hell weren't we awesome yesterday? You guys rock!
Last but not least a huge thank you goes to coach Steph who over the last five months has given up her own time to train us (and put up with our moaning and groaning) ........ what a star you are!
Eleven o'clock finally arrived and .......... we were off ........... loads of people surged past me, well hundreds actually ........ even though I felt I was running a good pace. I knew I'd set off too fast (I always do) especially with so many other runners but thought I'd wait for the bird on my phone to tell me at mile one and then I'd adjust accordingly. I didn't hear her, nor at mile two ....... infact for the whole race she was silent. I thought my fat arse must have switched her off ...... oh well just keep running and hope for the best!! It was hot as well and the car fumes weren't nice either. (There was a steady stream of cars passing us). Getting near Instow between 4 and 5k I felt sick and realised that I had definitely set off too fast ....... oh god not even half way and I may have to stop. I slowed a bit and grabbed some water at the water station and swilled it around my mouth and chucked it in my face!! It's amazing how much this helped and now on the Tarka Trail there was a lovely breeze which was a blessing.
 |
| On the Tarka Trail
The lady behind me in this photo, a member of Okehampton running club ran alongside me for a bit and we had a conversation ....... unbelievable me running and talking .........then I followed her all the way home!!
At 400m I could see the finish ........ but it looked miles away .... to sprint or not?
Not!
The same question at 300m and 200m.
No!
At 100m ...... YES ..... go, go, go......... The beastings by coach Steph had paid off ..... I still had enough fuel in the tank and sprinted to the finish!!
The look of surprise on the OB's face as I ran over the finish was to behold.......
Why?
Well apparently he hadn't expected to see me so soon .......
|
 |
| My 100m sprint |
 |
| What I was thinking!!! |
 |
| The look says it all ..... never again!! |
My official time was 1:01:20 and I can't tell you how chuffed I am with that, never in my wildest dreams did I think I'd get a time like that!!
Having never run a race before I didn't know what to expect, however the organisation by Bideford ACC was excellent and all the marshalls were friendly, helpful and encouraging and the atmosphere was brilliant ...... you may all be lying down in a darkened room now but thank you it was a great event.
Sooooooooo what's next??
Well the OB told me the other day when I was hobbling around with injury number twenty two that I wasn't to enter any more races ...... we'd just get back to me trotting down the lane and him wobbling along on his bike!!
Yeah right. .........
............. So as my fellow training group and I had an appointment with copious amounts of prosecco and gin yesterday afternoon ....... oh come on we needed to rehydrate!! We came to the conclusion that our next event would be the Bude Rats RNLI 6mile run in Bude on 10th June. It's an evening event so all the OB's have realised that they can wait in the pub for us!
Result!
....... and coach Steph has agreed to coach us again!
Result!
And just before I go the best news is that to date I've raised £432 for Children's Hospice Southwest!!!
Thank you to everyone who has donated.
Thank you also to all of you for your kind words and encouragement over the last five months. It has really kept me going!
I also wouldn't have done it without the support of our little training group ...... we've all had our ups and downs, doubted ourselves, wanted to give up, screamed and shouted but everyone was there to support each other and bloody hell weren't we awesome yesterday? You guys rock!
Last but not least a huge thank you goes to coach Steph who over the last five months has given up her own time to train us (and put up with our moaning and groaning) ........ what a star you are!
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