Parkrun Horror!!

I love Parkrun - I love the concept and I love to be able to go every Saturday and have a 'race' but without the same level of competition and not to have to worry about time etc if you don't want to, but still have the experience of running with a large group of people.

This week, oh my gosh!! Having had a fabulous club run (for me) I was not worried about my run on Saturday. However, it looks like my body had other ideas!! I hadn't had much sleep as I had been preparing 64 cupcakes and 5 large cakes for a cake sale on Friday (another £70 odd into the fundraising pot!), and I was feeling increasingly stressed with the encroaching end of Redundancy period.

So off I set and felt good, for about a quarter of a mile!

The course is undulating with some short steep bits, on paths, grass and mud all of which is pretty draining! As I was heading down the first bit of grass having eventually got to the top of the hill my chest started thumping which was a bad sign. I hadn't been going that quickly! After about 3 quarters of a mile, I knew I was in trouble. I went past the lovely Helen at one of the worse bits of the track and gave her a weak smile 'its too hard', I stammered, whilst contemplating giving up and could I sneak away with nobody noticing. 

Then I walked. I haven't done that before. First lap and a half done. First bursting into tears!

Horrid snotty gasping mess!

More weak smiles as I struggled on past the volunteers. Back down to the football pitch, knackered. Motivation on the floor, hardly moving, cheerers having to wait for ages to start to cheer in case they had to for ages and feeling embarrassed! A few more tears.

Then back past Helen, this time the flood gates open and I can't control it! Bless her, she literally pulls me along, up the hill shouting at me ' if I can do it in wellies.....'  

Ok, top of the hill and I pretty much have got my control back. Bloody hell, there is Adam with the camera, hope he is too busy taking photos of anything else at all!!

Round the corner, dragging myself along. Spot the back markers, glad she had a first timer to look after because that really would have been embarrassing (imagined conversation, 'is this your first run, you are doing great etc' 'oh no' I say 'I'm training for a marathon!')! 

The down hill straight. Don't notice the wind that normally rushes up this bit of hill, I just need to finish and hope that I can get away with it. 

But no - my lovely friends are waiting for me! Helen, Amanda and Allyson are there cheering and running up the hill towards me. Then they are there running back again to the finish, me with more tears and snot everywhere, Helen still shouting about her wellies. Finally it was over. Lots of people talking to me and wanting to make sure I was ok. This is the spirit of the Parkrun, but honestly I hope I don't have to experience it in this way again!!

It is my 10th Parkrun next week - PB??

Thank you to the amazing organisiers and volunteers at Corby Parkrun for a flawless event every time (https://www.facebook.com/corbyparkrun?fref=ts) and to Desborough Running Club (https://www.facebook.com/drrc2013?fref=ts) and its fab members xxx

https://www.justgiving.com/Samantha-Herring2 #VLM 

Discoveries!

Today was a mixture of a day. 

There is a lot that is going on and I am  aware that it is starting to take a strain. In fact that was my first discovery. I was heading towards a panic attack. Not had one for a very long time and thought I was well clear. It is not going to bite me in the bum this time!

Discovery number 2

Hill training with the running club is not as scary as I first thought it would be. Sure I was slowest but that doesn't make a change!!

Discovery number 3

I am better at hill training than I expected!! Pushing yourself does wonders for your own confidence and certainly gets the endorphins going (piss off anxiety!!).

Discovery number 4 

I love running in the snow - makes me feel proper hard core!!

Discovery number 5 is going to arrive in the morning when I try to get out of bed. If the way I  feel now is  anything to go by I am going to need the rescue services!!

95 days to go #londonmarathon eeeekkkk!!

Why do I run?

It felt really good on Sunday to get out with the running club (Desborough and Rothwell Running Club - https://www.facebook.com/drrc2013?fref=ts). I haven't been out with them for a while due to injury and I was a bit nervous. I have lost quite a bit of fitness and wasn't sure what to expect and how well I would cope.

I was running late and I to drive around to find them (!), my legs ached and I was tired. Very tired. I could see one of my running buddies at the back and she looked like she was struggling a bit. She has been a little flat recently, and struggling with injury. She works bloody hard and is a big inspiration to me and I wanted to give something back. So we ran together with another member of the group. We weren't the fastest but we all supported each other and it felt good. That is one of the reasons that I run!

There has been lots of talk about goals in the last few weeks. I keep setting myself what I consider to be big goals, then decide they are not! So I set a goal to complete a Half Marathon, then it was 3, then it was 5, then it was complete 5 Half Marathons and a Marathon. Now I'm thinking Ultra Marathon, or Tough Mudder or something. 

Hmmmm. none of these challenges are easy for me, I am certainly no lean and fit running machine but does that make them any less valid? I think not! The She Can advert certainly makes that point. So what do you think? What are your challenges for this year? 

https://www.justgiving.com/Samantha-Herring2 

Birthday Run

Woohoo, out on my birthday!!

It was cold, wet, very wet, sleeting, and did I say cold? I did a little trail running, got incredibly muddy, then cleaned off again due to the levels of wet ;-)

I ran the furthest that I have run since my last half marathon in October - a whole 10 miles!!!

I was so very pleased although a little sleepy later. 10 miles is one of those milestones that is really important. It is important mentally - 'wow, I ran 10 miles!'. It is a boost.

Then comes Half Marathon distance as you can add the word Marathon!! I am not sure where the milestone sit after that as I have never got that far! I will be amazed if I get to 14 miles!!

I am looking forward to trying out these longer distances but it is a bit scary.

I did a short run today, just 3 miles but it was great to get out. I am not having the best time at work, and to be able to get some quiet time for reflection is really important and is not often something that is gifted to us. I do think that it makes me a better wife and mother, although I think that Mike will only agree with this once the fundraising is over and I am back to running every so often (although I don't think that this will happen!)

Talking of fundraising, with the amazing support of so many people, my fundraising total has reached £1000 this week. I am so thrilled with this, It is certainly hard when you commit to such a high target. It is stressful and worrying but again with support of many wonderful people I am getting there. Some good events coming up.

Have you all jumped into Jan weight loss. I have. I am putting myself under pressure when should I really just relax and let the running bring its own rewards. I often joke with Mike about being like Del Boy because every year I will get into my Bikini!! This is something that I make myself quite sad with, silly really but not that easy to get away from. Maybe this period of increased activity will start to break down the barriers that I put in the way of sucess

600 miles

Wow, I am a bit stiff today!! I have committed to running at least 600 miles between now and the end of the London Marathon in April - That is a pretty big target for even seasoned runners, of which I am not!!

So, nearly 46 miles down including a 10 miler, which is the furthest that I have run since October last year, how am I feeling about it? Do I think I will do it? It depends on when I am asked!! I absolutely will do it. I am fully committed! Will it be easy? No not at all. It means that I have to average about 34 miles a week which is a lot when I work and have a family to think about. But I am running a marathon and raising money for a fabulous charity so it will happen!

Really busy time coming up over the next couple of months. Music Event in Macclesfield, Barn Dance and Craft Fair in Northants to organise, Virtual runs to promote, Cake Sale / Coffee Morning, Buggy Push - the list goes on! If anyone wants to to lend a hand or has any ideas I am really happy to talk further! 

Message me if you can help samantha.j.herring@gmail.com

Donate to https://www.justgiving.com/Samantha-Herring2/

Virtual Run https://www.facebook.com/events/1422219084667256/?ref_dashboard_filter=upcoming

Music Event in Macclesfield https://www.facebook.com/events/323873964484051/?ref_dashboard_filter=upcoming