So here we are in August. It’s hot, which is a surprise for us Brits, and the school holidays are in full swing.

I’m still running, but I have found it very tough running in the heat.

As a family we experienced a lovely 12 night break in France during which time we enjoyed/endured 38c days and 23c nights. It was scorching and it was too much for our air tent as it popped in the heat meaning that it collapsed and we spent the last 4 nights of our holiday sleeping in 2 hastily sourced festival tents. However, in spite of this, we still had an excellent time. Husband spent the entire 2 weeks undertaking a personal quest in order to find the cheapest, yet drinkable wine (€1.70 a litre was the result) and we all acquired a golden brown tan whilst reading books and generally spending time together without the enticement of electronic devices. It was lovely.

I had packed my running kit (actually it was the first thing I did pack) and was full of positive intentions as we set off. In the first week I did manage a run. It was ludicrously hot and I only managed 4k but I was pleased I went. There were lots of people from our campsite who were runners and we would see them every morning trundling off and then coming back drenched in sweat 30 minutes later. Unfortunately the heat spiked in the second week and I didn’t go again. It was worrying to realise just how soon I slipped back into my old habits of eating a bit too much and drinking copious amounts of wine, champagne (€8 a bottle at the supermarket) and lager. White bread and cheese were a diet staple in France for me and although I was careful to log 10000 steps each day (I took trusty Fitbit with me) I knew I would pay for it when we got home.

However, re-affirming once more that exercise is a very powerful friend to have, the damage wasn’t too bad and I resolved to rectify things immediately. The old me would have discovered that I had gained a bit of weight and then things would have started to slip again further but I was determined to nip it in the bud straight away. By eating sensibly and being active, it all came off the following week.

Youngest daughter volunteered to come with me on a run as soon as we got back and the next morning we set off. My little girl (now a strong park runner in her own right, placing in the top 2 girls in her last 2 Junior Park Runs) struggled a bit and so we ended up walking/running 4.8k. I was alarmed at how hard it was again for me as well as her in the heat and so I resolved to keep running but would also mix it up with other exercises over the hot period which would hopefully strengthen me overall and ultimately help me to run faster. Whilst I recognise that “you’re lapping everyone on the couch” and “you should just enjoy it” etc etc  I really don’t like being last in races – actually I’m not allowed to call them races anymore. On Curly Sue’s instructions I am now referring to them as “Events” – which I agree does sound friendlier. But regardless of what you call them, I would prefer to not always be last.

So I started to cycle to and from work each day and also signed up for some different classes.

There is a group called Run 4 Life which is full of wonderful smiley people and they lead a number of courses but the one I was interested in was Intervals. So I signed up and attended my first one. It entailed of a gentle jog to warm up and then running around 3 trees (each approximately 150m apart) sprinting/running fast, walking and then jogging, changing from each speed on the blow of a whistle. The fast run was 3 minutes and then 30 seconds of walking, 30 seconds of slow jogging and then fast running again. It was nothing short of horrendous. I couldn’t speak and contemplation of death was back with a vengeance, but I did survive and importantly it showed me that actually nothing bad will happen if I push myself really hard.  The worst and most difficult part of the whole session was the 1km slow jog to cool down afterwards. That was very difficult and my legs felt they as though they were running through treacle but I was relieved to find I wasn’t the only one who was feeling tired and so I enjoyed a very amiable jog (we walked a bit too) back with another lovely lady to finish off. One of the lovely things about running is that you encounter new people and often people whom you would never meet otherwise as you live in different places, work in different sectors and socialise in different circles. I love meeting new people and everyone I met at the Intervals class was absolutely lovely and the leaders were very encouraging. I’m trying to persuade Husband (who is deep into half marathon training) to attend the next one with me. I think I am strong enough now not to dissolve into tears as he speeds away from me.

Any scepticism I may have had before the class (do these things ever really work?…) was well and truly smashed  last week at Ashton Court Park Run as I took 1 minute 37 seconds off my previous PB. This was undoubtedly in part as a result of the interval training but I also think it was because I allowed myself to walk a little bit in return for also running flat out down the hill. I know this is controversial as I have spent the last 8 months trying NOT to walk, but I have realised that if I allow myself the odd (and I mean only a couple) of 30 second walking breaks, I can run much faster. The photo of me in the pink leggings (I am nothing if not stylish) was taken at Park Run last week, very close to the end. I was pushing myself harder than I had ever pushed myself before and I think it shows in my face(!) but the result was smashing my previous best time and I was ecstatic.

It turns out that I am not the only person to have realised that running and walking makes you faster and apparently it’s a whole thing called “Jeffing”. There’s a very clever chap (called Jeff, it seems like a good solid name to me) who pioneered a whole running technique where they run/walk whole marathons. Subsequent enquires have led me to discover that a local running Club has a group that run/walk distances and I am going to go along in September and see what it’s all about. I really want to crack 10k in 90 minutes and if allowing myself a little walk is the key to doing that, then that’s what I’ll do. After all, I’m still out there exercising and running so where’s the harm?

Carrying on with the theme of trying different things, this week I attended a HIIT class run by the This Mum Runs group. One of my friends (we’ll call her TwinMum) has been talking to me about the benefits of HIITs and in particular, burpees, for some time now. She has demonstrated them and is really very enthusiastic about them. I reciprocated the enthusiasm and had downloaded some Joe Wicks (Lean in 15) workouts to watch, but unfortunately I have actually only watched them. He is quite easy to watch whilst drinking a cup of tea (!) but it wasn’t helping me get stronger. So when the TMR said they were going to be running a supervised class with a qualified trainer, I signed up straight away.

The class was Monday night in a local(ish) park. We started with a gentle jog and then performed 6  (I think it was 6, I was quite lightheaded by the end of it if I’m honest) different exercises for 40 seconds with a 20 second rest before going straight into the next exercise and so on. The final section was to sprint across the park as fast as you could before returning to start all over again. I have to tell you that I think the class was harder than the 10k. Burpees are horrendous. You think that 40 seconds is short? It isn’t. Time it doing a burpee and then see how long it is. For those of you who are not familiar with a burpee (you are so lucky by the way) it’s where you jump up with your arms over your head and then place your hands on the floor and then “bunny hop” your legs out behind you, then back and then jump up again. It sounds easy but I promise you they are not.  I felt sick in my mouth at least twice but kept going. For some of them I could only manage 30 seconds before resting but I am confident that I did my best. Other exercises included squats, lunges and variations in between (see I told you I couldn’t really remember) but the sprints were the hardest, especially as they were the last one to do. I genuinely felt like I was running through peanut butter. I was the slowest sprinter there but everyone was super encouraging and (after it had finished, not at the time, definitely not at the time) I realised that I had enjoyed it. I was completely shell shocked but I was proud of myself for completing a class that lots of other (much fitter than I) ladies had also found tough. I’m signed up for 2 more….I must be mad.

I have also enrolled for 2 more 10ks this year. I need something to focus on. I have signed up for something called the “Christmas Cracker” which is a 10k around Weston Super Mare in December. Fancy dress is quite a thing apparently and will require some serious thought (more about this in later blogs I am sure). I’m hoping that training for this 10k will keep me on the straight and narrow during the notorious“wine and cheese” festive season but this is still a long way away. Therefore after much deliberation I have also signed up for a 10k on the 11 September. This is a more rural location and I’m looking forward to enjoying the scenery and breathing in the country air and hopefully not wanting to shoot myself. I’m chuffed to bits that my friend GodMum (who also has completed a C25k this year) is also going to run it with me, as well as Curly Sue who is tailrunning.

So with a couple of 10ks on the horizon I am back in training mode and today took myself off for my first solo 5k in a while. I cranked up my songs and set off. I ran 2k and then walked for 30 seconds and then ran again. I gave myself a 30 second walk at 4k and then went for it. I noticed on my watch that I seemed to have been faster than ever before so I really pushed myself over the past kilometre and for the first time ever ran 5k in 40 minutes exactly. I was beyond ecstatic. This is a huge deal for me. When I first ran the 5k around Little Stoke Park Run it was in 45.46 minutes. When I smashed my PB at Park Run last Saturday, the time was 43.07 and so today’s time is a huge milestone physically as well as mentally. Maybe I can run the next 10k in 90 minutes? Time will tell but I’m going to give it all I have and keep working hard. Whilst I contemplate this, I might just watch a short Joe Wicks video to assess his burpee technique…

It’s been over a month since my last blog and since the Bristol 10k. It’s been a bit of a rollercoaster ride to say the least and I have learnt a lot about my body, determination, running and fitness.

According to fitness magazines, after a long run (10k is considered a long run) you should take as many days rest after a long race as the number of kilometres you ran. Of course, I didn’t know that, and also having signed up for the Westonbirt 10k, 9 days after the Bristol 10k, was not in a position to rest. Therefore I afforded myself a couple of days off and then over the next week ran a further two 5k runs. They were hard and frankly, I was knackered. However, I didn’t have the confidence that made me feel that I could take a week off and then run another 10k, so I felt this was the right thing to do…..it turns out it wasn’t.

I’ve made a lovely new running friend (we’ll call her Curly Sue) who is a Park Run Ninja and knowing that I was a bit nervous about running Westonbirt and probably coming last, offered not only to give me a lift but also run with me. I was very grateful. It also meant that Running Sister, who was also there, didn’t have to babysit me and could run as fast as she could and go for a quick time (which she did). If you have never been to Westonbirt before, GO! It’s beautiful. It was another hot day and I was worried about overheating again, but the shade from the majestic, tall trees kept us cool and Curly Sue and I genuinely had a wonderful evening running through the estate. It is, without question, the nicest place that I have ever run and I will definitely sign up for same race again, next year. Unfortunately around 7k, the joint between my hip and my leg started to ache, a lot. CS urged me to stop and stretch, but like a chump, I refused as I simply wanted to finish. We came last. Running Sister was cheering loudly again as I made the final straight and although I was in quite considerable discomfort, I still managed to enjoy the evening immensely. As we stretched out, my entire hip started to seize up and I knew I was going to be in trouble the next day.

Running Sister had been telling me for a while that I need to strength train as well as run, and in my head, I had made a mental note to investigate this AFTER the two 10ks were out of the way. Turns out, I should have investigated it sooner…..

The next morning my hip was in bad shape. It hurt to lift my right leg up at all (imagine walking) and so I agreed to rest for a week. For the first couple of days, I was grateful not to be running, but by day 4, was irritable. My hip felt fine (as I had been resting it) and so I started walking to and from work as not exercising was not sitting very well with me. I had been running 3 times a week, every week (except one) since New Year and not running was an unfathomable sensation. I hated it. It also meant that I had to watch what I ate so as not to gain back any of the 3 stone that I have lost. I HATE dieting and this was one of the reasons I started running in the first place. Basically, that week sucked, but I was a good girl and didn’t run.

It was towards the end of this week that my daughter got a new bike (early birthday present) and so we took it out for a spin on the Bristol to Bath cycle path. We cycled 18 miles over the course of that day. We didn’t set out to cycle 18 miles when we left the house, especially as my youngest daughter only has a little six speed bike, it just sort of happened. It was a great day and I look forward to doing it again. I love partaking of sporting activities with my girls and Husband and now, happily, I can join in. However, the point is that my hip felt fine after the mega bike ride (as Sporty Daughter now refers to it).

So on the Tuesday (which made 7 days of rest) I ran the short route to work (3.5k) and when I arrived my hip was aching, so with a heavy heart, I called and made an appointment with a local physio who was able to see me the very same day.

My diagnosis is frankly hilarious. Apparently, I have very weak glute muscles (muscles which are in your bum). How this is possible I have no idea as I would have suspected that due to the size of my derriere, my glute muscles would have been near Herculean in strength…but apparently not. So with weak ass muscles which do NOTHING whilst I run, this means that the front of my legs have to do all of the work – and 2 x 10k races had pushed them to their limit.

So the recovery plan was put into practice. I had to do squats and shoulder bridges daily (ouch and yuk) and not run for another week. Then, provided everything was ok, I was only allowed to run up to 5k for another month or so, and I MUST keep up the squats (have I mentioned how much I hate squats?) for EVER (seriously?!). She also recommended a strength class.

So, I did what I was told. In order to keep running I knew I had to be sensible so I rested for a full week and didn’t run. I cycled and walked lots but didn’t run. I was averaging 30-50 squats a day and my ass?…well just let’s say that it does have muscles in it after all, and I could feel every single one. The physio was happy and so I was allowed to put my trainers back on.

So I have entered a new phase in my running career. I have to keep the distance down….so I have been experimenting with trying to be quicker over shorter distances and not looking at my watch. Let me tell you, not looking at your watch is very hard, especially if you are borderline obsessed with your stats. It happens to everyone eventually – you complete a c25k and you’re happy just to be in one piece at the end of the run. Then suddenly, out of no-where, you are frustrated with yourself because the same run you ran last week, was 45 seconds slower. It’s easy to forget to just enjoy the run. CS is very good at simply enjoying the run, and so I tried to take a leaf out of her book and not look at my beloved Fitbit Surge quite so much.

I also attended a strength class which was 50% hideous and 50% ok. The class itself is basically 45 minutes of squats and lunges whilst holding a barbell over your head or swinging a kettlebell. The class was attended by a broad cross section of society and attendees ranged from a woman in her 70s (at least) who looked like she could pick me up and bench press me whilst not breaking a sweat, some “Yummy Mummies” a couple of “Muscle Men” and interestingly, 2 chaps in “Bristol 10k” T-shirts. I spoke with one of them at the end whilst packing up and it turned out that he was there for the same reason that I was – strength training to be able to run. Apparently it’s quite common. The chap running the session was very friendly, called Dave and he really looked after me. As it was my first class, he made me set my stuff up at the FRONT right next to him and then asked me to demonstrate to everyone how each move was performed, to show him (and everyone else) that I understood what was required. I did as was asked, but have the co-ordination and balance of a drunk fish on a unicycle and it was fairly embarrassing. I had a terrible fit of the giggles half way through which did nothing to help my rapidly disintegrating energy stores. But but I did my best and that’s all I could do. It’s fair to say that it was a full body workout as it hurt the next day (and day after that) to breathe….and as for trying to sit down on, and get off from the toilet….well let’s just say it wasn’t easy. Still, I was using muscles that I hadn’t used for years and this can only be a good thing and so I will definitely go again (I’m booked in for another class tomorrow).

The other thing I have tried is interval training. This lunchtime, I had a structured interval session with Curly Sue around Queen’s Square. We have started meeting on a Tuesday for a quick lunchtime Harbour Loop (5k and it sets me up brilliantly for the afternoon and we have a lovely chat as we run, I can talk for some of it now at least), but due to the amphitheatre being closed this week due to pre-Glasto concerts, CS suggested we go for intervals and as I’ve not ever managed them, before properly, (I attempted it on the way to work last week) I thought that having proper instruction would be a good thing.

It was BRILLIANT.

For those not familiar, Queen’s Square has footpaths running across it that mark out a “Union Jack”. This means that you can plan very specifically, equal distances to sprint (yes you read that correctly – SPRINT), then walk, then run faster than you would normally but not sprinting, then slow jog. I haven’t “sprinted” since school and as I ran full pelt between the corners of the square, knees lifting and elbows pumping, I didn’t know if I wanted to cry, be sick, or squeal with delight! The first one or two were fine (good even) but I tired quite quickly and so after 2.5k of intervals, we stopped and walked back. A good stretch followed (CS is very good at making stretching mandatory) and then I was back at my desk within 35 minutes. I had burned 393 calories in 30 minutes which is brilliant. Of course, I had also broken the World record for the most amount of sweat that a human being can produce, but I had sprinted and it felt AMAZING. I am definitely going to keep going with this.

Summer holidays are around the corner now. I’m off to Spain for the weekend with my BFF this week and I think a run is unlikely – unless we spot a 2-4-1 on gin and tonic somewhere – and we have our family holiday coming up imminently also. The intervals have shown me that I don’t have to drag myself out on long runs to keep my fitness levels up and so I will try to keep these going whilst I am away. I’m also thinking of booking another 10k race for September, but for now, I want to keep going over the Summer and not let the gin undo all of my good work.

I’m confident that it won’t though and this is the reason. Last Saturday, both my daughters asked to come and run Ashton Court Park Run with me and they both completed the entire 5k including the mountaineering section up the hill. They raced each other with youngest daughter leading her elder sister the whole way and then being furious at being pipped on the line. I couldn’t keep up with them and Curly Sue’s sister very kindly ran with them and kept an eye on things. I ran the whole route (including the uphill part) for the first time ever (no walking). My daughters cheered me into the finishers’ funnel and were completely ecstatic about the whole experience and immediately asked when they could do the next one. My daughters have been my running buddies since the first loops around the allotments all those months ago, and I am sure that they will be my running buddies over the Summer and beyond. One day, I am hopeful that I will be able to keep up with them but they make is easy to keep trying. My collection of medals is growing, but the best reward for any of this is seeing my girls embrace fitness and sport and that we do it together.

I have a shiny medal. The medal of someone who has completed an official race and has an official time. Yes the Bristol 10k has happened and I managed to complete it, in one piece.

However, my preparation in the run up to the race was not been perfect and so my stress levels were very high as I stood waiting in the pen yesterday morning for the start of the race.

We had gone camping last weekend and so I planned to run into work on the Friday morning and then again on the Monday morning (slightly longer), and then with a final run on the Wednesday before resting my legs, as advised, ahead of the big race.

Unfortunately this did not go as planned. I ran to work on the Friday – a speedyish 5k that was comfortable and everything seemed ok. But when we got back from a brilliant (and hot) weekend of camping, I returned home with chronic hayfever and my asthma was also quite horrible.

I have spoken previously on this blog about my asthma practically disappearing due to running and on the whole this remains the case. However, historically, it’s always been hayfever that really triggers my asthma. Every asthma attack I have ever suffered have always been in May or June which, as I am sure you aware, is peak hay fever season. I woke wheezy on the Monday and also generally felt unwell, so decided not to run to work.

This was a mistake. I should have forced myself out as I spent the whole of Monday regretting my decision and also stressing about how to fit in the two remaining training runs around running a business and being a working Mum. I had been advised to “taper”, which is where you stop running longer distances in the week before the race to conserve your running legs and it helps you get personal best times (PBs) etc. Tapering meant that anything over 5k wasn’t a good idea this close to the race so, on Tuesday evening I set off home via a 5k route.

It started off well and I was feeling positive. Still a teeny bit wheezy before I set off, I made sure that I had my inhaler handy (my new running trousers have hidden ingenious pockets secreted about them and one pocket perfectly fits my inhaler) but elected not to push the time too much. As I ran, the sky got a progressively darker and greyer and soon it was raining…heavily. I had no kagoul and so got wet pretty quickly. A fluorescent orange T shirt offers great visibility when dodging cyclists without lights at twilight, but offers little protection against a torrential rainstorm. I passed two other runners during the 5k and both laughed and waved at me as we inwardly questioned our sanity. As I ran into our garden, Husband (who had obviously been watching out for me) opened the door and once inside, I peeled myself out of my running gear, so as not to start a flood in the hallway. You could literally wring my T-shirt, trousers and even undergarments out. You really haven’t experienced “wet” until you have been for a run in the rain.

At this point, I had a decision to make. I had been advised not to run past Wednesday but I really needed to have a run on Thursday. I know that people tell you “you have the miles in your legs, you’ll be fine if you miss a run” etc, but surely this applies to experienced runners? Not wobbly, middle aged, women who have been running for less than 5 months and really have no idea what they are doing? Finally, I consulted the Red Lady and she advised, knowing me well, that if I felt like having a run, I should go for one. So Thursday morning I ran to work, but the short way and only 3.5k. I felt fine and I also ran very quickly. Finally I felt better about things.

On Saturday it was my gorgeous nephew’s 1^st birthday party and our whole clan was congregated to celebrate it. As Husband, Fitbit Sister, Running Sister and myself were all running the following day, it was the driest family gathering I have ever known with water being the drink of choice and barbequed sausages and chicken with cous cous, salad and birthday cake being used for carb loading. The Eurovision Song Contest in the evening with a large pint of water whiled away my final hours as I waited. I laid out everything I needed the night before (as had been advised) and went to bed. I was worried I wouldn’t have been able to sleep but thankfully I drifted off straight away and the next I heard was the 7am alarm on Sunday morning – RACE DAY.

I had real butterflies as I got dressed. Was I ready? Could I do it? I felt sick and have no idea how I forced down my porridge and toast with peanut butter. I thought back over the past few months and tried to remember why I was even doing this. Then Youngest Daughter gave both Husband and I a homemade card, complete with our bib numbers on, wishing us good luck for the race and telling us that she was proud of us.  I felt quite tearful as I gave her a hug to say thank you. This whole running thing has been a game changer for all of us. I am fitter, stronger, smaller, sleeping better and generally much happier with my lot in life. Husband, although he only started running again to support me, is also really enjoying it and I think is also surprised by how fast he is becoming. Finally, my two daughters are regularly Junior Park-Running now and are also talking about doing a full 5k too with us. There is less stress in our house, for all of us and there really are no negatives. Youngest Daughter said she would be proud to watch me cross the line as she hugged me and so I resolved, that no matter how hard it would be, I would cross the line for her and her sister.

Husband and I set off for Temple Meads and had decided to cycle. Although this seemed like a brilliant idea to dodge traffic and road closures for the way there, as well as providing a gentle warm up, I have to tell you that later that day when we returned after the race and I had to lift my weary leg over the crossbar, I wanted to shoot myself.

We met Fitbit Sister and Running Sister at Temple Meads and set off for the “Athletes’ Village”. (Yes I was an athlete). Hockey Sister was in charge of collecting my daughters and we had pre-agreed where they would be stood to cheer us on along with Running Sister’s Husband (Fitbit Brother) and my niece and nephews, and importantly, where to meet after the race. Running Sister had promised to run with me and I was relieved that I wouldn’t be running my first ever event on my own. As we walked into town, seeing scores of other runners, all walking in the same direction as us, the nerves kicked in again. Nerves mean many things, but for me (as I discovered yesterday) this means having to go to the toilet roughly every 10 minutes, which was a bit annoying to put it mildly. So, upon arrival at the Harbourside, we went off to Lloyds V Shed to use the facilities, along with scores of other runners. It looked as though we were part of the biggest “Fitness” Themed Hen Night that Bristol had ever hosted. We saw the Unofficial Trainer too (whom I had also seen the day before at my nephew’s birthday party) and she gave me her final sage words before she disappeared off for to her (much faster) starting pen. She said “don’t go off too fast and enjoy it”. But as Fitbit Sister, Husband and I got to the pen, Running Sister was no-where to be seen. I don’t mind sharing with you that I was having a mild panic. What should I do? It was crazy busy as there were A LOT of people now waiting to start, doing stretches, reeking of deep heat and other “personal body” smells etc and the likelihood of Running Sister being able to find me was slim. I patted my inhaler in my pocket like a re-assuring comfort blanket and began (inwardly) to have a minor meltdown. Fitbit sister is much faster than me and so I knew she would be off (quite rightly), Husband (as we have previously discussed) is not the perfect running partner for me, and anyway, already frustrated with himself for putting the wrong time on application, was in the incorrect slower wave and so he would go off like a shot. I really thought I might cry and was pleased that I was wearing sunglasses. Then out of no-where Running Sister appeared. I didn’t know whether to punch her or hug her, but I was definitely pleased to see her.

Then….finally, we were off.

As we ran through the funnel, I was awash with emotions. Husband high fived me and then shot off and Fitbit Sister ran with Running Sister (RS) and I for a bit but then she too ran off. RS and I jogged along, side by side. As always the first 2 k were a bit painful and I found it strange to be running with so many other people. This was like SUPER Park Run to the tune of 12000 people.

One thing I haven’t mentioned yet about yesterday was the weather. It was absolutely boiling. There were no clouds in the sky and the sun beat down relentlessly throughout the whole run. It was the hottest that I have ever run in and it made something that is already difficult, even more challenging.

I had 3 “markers” in my mind to get me through the race. The first was the turn on the Portway, the second was the bottom of Cumberland Road and the third was the turn towards St Mary Redcliffe’s Church. I don’t really remember the whole race in detail but I do remember certain bits very clearly. I remember watching out for the “Unofficial Trainer” and whooping with joy when she shouted to me running in the opposite direction to me on the Portway. When we ran under the covered section of the road on the Portway, the shade felt delicious and I didn’t want to run out the other side as the Portway felt very long in the heat and it was hard work. The Marshalls were, as always, amazing as they encouraged us along clapping our achievement. I was watching for Husband but couldn’t see him and then suddenly there he was and he shouted loudly for a high five moment that I will always remember. I also remember high fiving FitBit sister and then knowing that we weren’t that far from the turning point. (High Fiving was huge yesterday – I think I high fived around 50 children who were dotted around the route, as well as some adults too.)

I was boiling and completely overheating as RS and I arrived at the 5k point and water station. RS doused the back of my neck to cool me down (I felt like a real athlete as I’ve seen them do that on the TV) and I re-filled my water bottle. I spotted a couple of portaloos and decided it was too good an opportunity to miss so also stopped off for the quickest comfort break of my life.

The section on Cumberland Road to St Mary Redcliffe’s, 6-8 kilometres were the hardest of the whole course. It seemed never ending and RS and I chased the shade across the road. I also developed a pain in my hip which has never happened before, but we kept plodding along. RS knew I was struggling and so chatted away to try and distract me, but I couldn’t respond. I couldn’t speak. It was hot and hard to breathe and I was beginning to wonder why on earth I had ever thought I could do this in the first place. As we turned by St Mary Redcliffe’s there was a hill. I was wrecked and also aware that at the bottom of the hill, I was going to see friends and family and so couldn’t be walking. So I walked up the hill. RS was trying to encourage me up and I was quite rude to her (in a way that only a sister can be) and stated loudly, “that I was going to walk to the top of the hill and then run to the finish line and that was that”. RS understood what I meant of course and was not offended in anyway as we speak fluent “sister” but we obviously amused the St John’s Ambulance men who giggled at us from the side of the road. I must have sounded quite “snippy”….! A few steps further on a man offered me Jelly Babies which I gladly took, despite all the warnings about never accepting sweets from strangers. They tasted great.

Now we were at the business end of the race and I was exhausted. But on the bridge I suddenly saw some of my friends and their daughters cheering us on. They were loud and I felt like a Rock Star as I waved at them and felt a sudden (small) surge of energy. As we approached the corner which I knew our family would be beyond, I felt myself tearing up. The crowds were now much bigger now we were in the final stretch and the noise was loud. RS and I turned the corner and there they were, cheering very loudly; Husband, Daughters, Fitbit Brother, Hockey Sister, Niece, Nephews, Unofficial trainer and her wife – the best looking crew the world has ever seen and I have never been so pleased to see them in my life. RS and I pushed on but it was hard. Bristol Centre had never seemed so long but soon, with RS offering continual encouragement, we entered the final straight and then we put our arms around each other’s shoulders and crossed the line together. We had done it. The triumph I felt was unbelievable. I was ecstatic and elated. It was amazing. Partly relief that it was over and partly pride that I had done it. I felt on top of the world.

It’s possible, however, that I didn’t look as fresh as I was feeling, as a St John’s Ambulance man approached me at speed as we crossed the line with some water. I suffered an anxious couple of minutes with him as he managed the slowing of my breathing down and supervised me sipping some water. Honestly I was fine and RS was laughing but there was a moment there where both she and I firmly believed that he was going to put me in an ambulance and send me off to hospital!

RS was a legend over the last 4 kilometres. Ignoring me when I was grumpy and continually offering encouragement. She kept me going and I will always be grateful to her for that.

My hips were killing me as we met up with Fitbit Sister who had finished a bit before us with a very respectable time. We walked to collect our goodie bag and medal and also take on board more fluids and eat a snack. I was suddenly quite hungry. Fitbit Surge told me that I had burnt 1400 calories during the course of the race and I burnt 4500 calories in total yesterday over the course of the whole day.

We found Fitbit Brother and Hockey Sister first and then went find Husband, who was waiting by the “This Mum Runs” stand. I knew where this was as I’d been over to see the ladies there before the race and had received a wonderfully heartfelt hug from Mel Bound who is the leader of this brilliant tribe of motivators. TMR has been a constant source of encouragement and support over the past few months and I have met some lovely ladies both online and in person too. If any ladies are reading this, thinking “I wonder if I could ever run” join the facebook group. Do it. It’s kept me going and has been a major factor in me being able to complete the 10k race yesterday.

When my daughters saw me, I nearly got knocked over such was the ferocity of their hug. I sat down on a seat (which was a mistake as I nearly seized up) and breathed in my gorgeous girls. They said they were proud of me and all the pain and suffering was suddenly worthwhile.

Husband completed his 10k in 55 minutes but was annoyed that he didn’t get sub 53 minutes and I believe that if he had started in the right colour pen, he would have done. I want to publicly thank Husband for being such a brilliant Husband. He has been encouraging and supportive and at no point has entertained the possibility that I wouldn’t be able to complete my goal. I love you Husband. He’s thinking about doing the Bristol Half in September and if he does, I know he will smash it.

So what now for me? I did wonder if I would cross the line yesterday and immediately want to sign up for the Bristol Half marathon, myself? But no….not a chance! I am proud of my achievement yesterday but it was hard. I am not ready to double the distance yet and so I am resolved to keep running at the 10k level, losing weight and hopefully getting faster which will allow me to consider applying for the Bath Half marathon next March. RS is doing the London Marathon 2017 (having had to defer her place from this year due to illness) and so I hope that I can help her train for that at the same time as a thank you for looking after me yesterday. I am one pound off having lost 3 stone and I’m also signed up for another 10k, again with RS, at Westonbirt Arboretum in 9 days’ time. Hopefully I can better my PB of 93 minutes for a 10k.

I may not blog as often as I have been from now on (you are probably pleased to hear!) but I will not stop blogging completely as, I’m only just getting started in my running life. I know for certain that I definitely will not stop running. Ever. There are too many good things about it to stop. And besides, I am a runner and we don’t give in. We just keep running.

So here we are, 10 days before the Bristol 10k and since the last blog I have run 6 times over the distance of 38.56 kilometres and I am finally, 3 pounds away from having lost 3 stone in total. Will I get to 3 stone by the time I run the 10k? I really hope so, but as we’re going camping this weekend, I suspect there will be some carb loading of the croissant and lager variety, so possibly not. Still, you can’t have everything. If my choice is to lose 3 pounds but not eat the croissants, I will happily let the 3 pound loss roll into the following week.

As I sit here, typing this, I am finally wearing flip flops and Summer seems to have arrived. Honestly, I was beginning to think we would skip straight from Winter to Autumn as I ran in SNOW on one of my runs last week (seriously, snow?) The chap running in the opposite direction to me, shouted to me with his thumbs up “what are we doing out here?….it’s ******* snowing!” (he had a point) but happily snow days seem to be behind us now as summer has finally arrived.

Summer brings new challenges to a runner. Firstly, it’s hot. Obvious I suppose, but when you surprise yourself by how much sweat you can produce when it’s snowing, the realisations on this topic on a hot day are frightening. I ran to work this morning and when I arrived, I could wring my headband out. Hockey Sister was not impressed by my “musky aroma” at all and was relieved when I returned from the shower we have at the office. At 7.25am when I left home, it was gorgeous and sunny and I was feeling in the zone. I had a good run in and I was surprisingly speedy. I clocked 7.1k at 62.53 minutes which is considerably faster than any of my runs to date. I do seem to be much quicker and more effective in the mornings. This is good in that the 10k race will be run in the morning and with the arrival of Summer with the heat, I suspect that most of my runs will need to take place in the mornings from now on.

The Obstacle Colour Rush definitely did NOT take place on a beautifully warm and sunny day. It was felt like the lower Baltic up at Bath Racecourse. It was also much more physically challenging than any of us could have anticipated. Fitbit Sister, myself and the Red Lady ran half and walked half of it, as climbing over cargo nets, hauling ourselves up inflatable steps/ladders to slide down the inflatable on the other side and racing on giant space hoppers (which was the worst and most painful of all the obstacles by MILES – my thighs still haven’t forgiven me) is exhausting. Incidentally the ladder and slide obstacle appeared twice over the course, and humiliatingly, I couldn’t pull myself to get over it on the first attempt and kept sliding down to land into a muddy puddle at the bottom in front of everyone queueing to get on. After 3 tries, I gave up. I was much more embarrassed about it than I let on and so was determined to get over on the second one – and was relieved that I managed it, else the shame would have been too great.  For the 3 days after the event, I felt like I had been beaten up as the muscles in my upper body were screaming at me.  This led to a different realisation, that although I am definitely getting fitter and smaller, I am still very weak and my core needs work. A LOT of work.

Husband and I have started to do some planks. This is not a euphemism, it an excruciatingly painful exercise that demands you hold your body flat in a press-up position for as long as you can (30 seconds for me at the moment) and also a few box press-ups (full press-ups for Husband). The problem is, I feel like this is the tip of the ice-berg and if I am to improve as a runner I will need to investigate more of this and almost certainly return to Pilates. We will probably need to do it more regularly than we are at the moment – which is “when we remember”.

The daughters are also into the running swing of things too. Last Friday I really didn’t want to go for a run but Youngest daughter offered to go with me so off we went. I took 3 minutes off my 5k personal best (PB) as I didn’t want her to be embarrassed by my speed. 3 minutes? She then also beat Sporty Daughter in the Junior Park run 2 days later, placing as the third girl overall! I’m beginning to think that I may have mis-named my daughters for the blog. Running daughter?…we’ll see.

All the runs have NOT been brilliant though. Last Sunday I learned a very important lesson – don’t go for a run 90 minutes after a massive Sunday lunch. Yikes. I nearly threw up on the Feeder Road and I was very, very slow. Running 6.2k in the same time as I ran 7.1k this morning. Oh well. You can’t win them all. Contemplation of death featured heavily during the run as did indigestion and chronic stomach cramps. You live and you learn. This is not a mistake I am likely to make again.

Husband is banging out 10k runs now with alarming regularity and is getting extremely fast. He will definitely smash a sub 60 minute 10k and I also wouldn’t be surprised if he manages a sub 53 minute time on race day.

However, it’s important that you all know that I managed to run 10k before he did! *evil cackle* Last Tuesday, I had plotted an 8k route home, which was to be the longest run I was planning to attempt before the actual race. I plodded along and was feeling fairly ok. I had only had to walk once (which was for less than 20 seconds and at the top of a hill I had just run up) and as I approached the homeward straight, I glanced at my watch and decided to go the “long way home” which then took my distance to 9.1k. I had to keep going. I had to see if I could get to 10k alive, so barely running, more shuffling, I ran loops around our street until my watch buzzed. At around 9.8k I passed some friends who high fived me (I needed that more than they will ever know) and then when my watch buzzed at 10k I burst into tears (thankfully they weren’t there to see that) and stopped, walking the last few metres home. I have to tell you that I felt pretty chuffed with myself. 10k. 6 miles. Whether you use metric or imperial, it’s a long way. Husband was equally delighted and annoyed (whilst chuckling), that I had managed it before him but mainly chuffed. He will always be much faster and stronger than me (my first 10k attempt was 96 minutes) but I ran it first. I also now know that I can run 10k and the fear about next week has disappeared. I am still excited and looking forward to it but I don’t fear it.

I’ve treated myself to some Nike running capris (trousers). I was able to buy women’s capris for the first time EVER. This might not sound like a big deal, but I promise you, as a hefty lady, used to having to buy men’s sport’s clothes, this is MASSIVE (no pun intended). I have also been into Sweaty Betty and tried stuff on in there too. The Sweaty Betty lady who helped was amazingly supportive and helpful. I was quite daunted by the array of designs and was worried if I tried things on they might have to cut me out of them (not something you ever want to happen), but she assured me that it would be ok. It was better than ok. EVERYTHING FIT! I was so happy I can barely put it into words.

I still might go back to Sweaty Betty and buy something as it was all gorgeous but for now I am good with my fancy new NIKE trousers. This morning, I was listening to Kanye’s “Stronger” on my iPod (killer running playlist track – trust me), wearing my Nike capris, training for a 10k. Who am I?

This is the outfit I am going to wear to run the 10k. If you are going to be watching, please give me a wave, or high five or shout hello. I promise I’ll wave back or if you’re really (un)lucky, I might even give you a sweaty hug.

Things I have learnt since January:

• When you get really, really sweaty, the salt can make your face really sore.
• I often get a very bad headache after a long run, even though I drink lots of water during and after as well as rehydration salts.
• When you run really fast down a hill, it can make you feel sick, and you can feel your ankle joints rattle.
• If you live in England, you have to be able to run in all types of weather. I actually quite like running in light rain but hate running in the wind.
• My running kagoul is not even slightly waterproof.
• Strangers high five you as you run past them (this has happened twice in the past week).
• For every d**k that shouts “run fatty run” at you, there are at least 20 lovely encouraging people in cars who slow down at junctions to let you run across rather than making you wait and run on the spot, looking slightly deranged. Most of them give you a smile and some give you a “thumbs up”.
• When I finish a run, I need to eat something quickly else I feel incredibly nauseous. I’ve tried many different things but the most effective by far, is chocolate cake.
• I’ve finally tipped the 2 and a half stone weight loss mark and I’m feeling positive.

Since the last blog I have run 6 times, totalling 33.68 kilometres. Some runs are faster than others but on the whole I am faster. Not fast (Paula Radcliffe need not be concerned just yet), but definitely faster and importantly,I do feel stronger. Average pace per kilometre now is 9.15 minutes, which is nearly a full minute per kilometre faster than in February so this encourages me.

I’m doing a few warm-ups now and as long as I don’t go off too fast, I no longer contemplate death for the entire duration of the run, although this is still a feature when I encounter a hill.

So following my triumphant 5k without walking at the Little Stoke Park Run a couple of weeks ago (it’s possible that you may have heard about Little Stoke Park Run on the news over the past couple of weeks….) when it came to my next run, I felt under huge pressure to recreate my success.

I set off at lunchtime and ran along the river. There were several times when I did feel like stopping but I kept going. I was very pleased and this now proved that it is indeed a case of mind over matter, as marathon sister has been telling me. So now, I simply had to keep it up. Running regularly and keep building on the 5k distance.

The problem with this as a plan however, is that as I am slow (I may have mentioned this before) by the time I have run 5k, it’s taken me three quarters of an hour, and whether you run fast or slow, running for 45 minutes, without stopping, is very tiring indeed. It’s great for fat burning, weight loss, general fitness, strengthening your heart, asthma etc, but it’s exhausting and also from a practical point of view, to do more than that on a normal work day, is difficult to schedule in.

So for the next 4 runs, I stagnated a bit and for each ran around the 5k distance mark. These runs included a lovely outing with the Red Lady when we took on the dreaded Brislington Hill again and I also ran up Allison Road (for those of you that are not familiar with my local terrain, think Park Street in Bristol or the hills in San Francisco). It’s steep. But I managed to get to the top utilising this bizarre powerwalk/shuffle run technique that I am thinking about patenting. It’s not elegant, but it is effective. It also makes me grunt which is an unfortunate side effect.

I have never been a morning person EVER. I hate getting up and I love sleeping. So it was surprising for everyone that on the Monday morning I was out, running, in torrential rain at 7.30am. We had been away to Woolacombe for the weekend and even though I had optimistically packed my running kit, I had not been able to squeeze a run in. We had managed a powerwalk up and down some hills to try and counteract the lager and chips, but no runs. I was anxious not to have too long a gap in between my runs and so was up and out first thing on the Monday, keen to get a run in before work. My fluorescent kagoul was pulled up over my baseball cap (I hate getting my face wet) and my lovely new trainers were getting wet as I splashed through puddles, hopefully not looking, but certainly feeling, like Peppa Pig. It felt good and I wasn’t too hot. I was however soaking wet as my kagoul might as well have been made of cotton for all the waterproofing it offered. I ran, but observed the distance on my watch like a hawk. As soon as I had travelled 2.5k I turned around and went home. I felt happy that I had been out, but again it was only another 5k. I knew that I needed to increase my distances and so far, this wasn’t happening.

On the Wednesday evening, I decided to brave the This Mum Runs “conversational” 5k run again, with the intention of running on home straight away at the end which would have put my distance up to 6k. Brilliant in theory but those lovely ladies are so fast, I could barely walk the final 1k at the end, let alone run it home. They did look after me though and due to the “looping” system (where the front runners loop round from time to time and go behind the last runner and then slowly overtake again) I wasn’t always at the back. Both Football Mum (who is getting very fast and strong by the way) and Laura (who ran a 53 minute 10k at the weekend) both also ran with me for a while, which was nice and I appreciated enormously. But it was hard as it was one of those runs that just didn’t work. My shoulders were sore and niggly, my calves felt tight and I was 50/50 about even going when I got home from work, but I dragged myself out of the door. Laura had some advice about my shoulders and advised me to punch downwards every so often as I ran, in case it was to do with my hunched posture or possibly from getting wet on Monday from my Gene Kelly impression. So, looking a bit like a second rate cheer-leader, every 500m or so (or when I remembered) I punched towards the floor in a slightly drunk Toni Basil manner. My watch buzzed 5k at the bottom on Sandy Park Road (HILL) and I still had to run to the top. After trying to keep up with everyone, I just couldn’t do it and so I walked up the last hill. I was so cross with myself, but felt better as I realised that due to the speed we had run at I had shaved 42 seconds off my previous PB for 5k. 42 seconds?!!! I was shocked and elated. Well shocked, elated and completely and utterly shattered, but definitely elated. We stretched and I walked home, smiling.

This is the thing with running. It’s the thing that everyone and anyone who ever contemplates giving running a try should know – even if the run is bad (and as this blog demonstrates, some of them are horrendous) you are always glad you went. ALWAYS. Even when I arrived home, last Monday, so wet I was able to wring my undergarments out, I was still pleased I went. Whatever the reason is for not wanting to go – ignore it and always go if you can. It’s a strange thing. I can’t explain it, but as sure as I know that Hendricks Gin tastes amazing with cucumber, it is true.

Saturday is now Park Run day in our house. Husband LOVES Park Run. I think this is because he absolutely smashes his PB everytime he goes to one. Husband’s running by the way is going very well indeed. I am sure he will do a sub 60 minute 10k and will probably be showered by the time I cross the finish line. He has a running buddy now – who is also super quick. What is it with men? Is it genetic? Possibly not having to lug two undignified bouncing orbs on their front helps them?…

So as you have probably heard (unless you live on Mars) our local Park Run was the one in the news and was cancelled last week, therefore, homeless, we decided to try Ashton Court, which was also co-incidentally celebrating their 5^th birthday on the same day. It was BUSY. Due to the extra publicity and Little Stoke refugees there were 561 people running. I met some lovely TMR (This Mum Runs) ladies and also met Melanie again who as you remember had promised to run with me at the back. The hill at Ashton Court is steep. It felt a bit like extreme mountaineering to be honest. I had to walk some of it, and let me tell you that even walking up it was hard, but I got to the flat on the top and made myself run the rest of the way. The AC course is 2.5k up (with 1 kilometre almost in need of grapple hooks in the middle) and then 2.5k down. Coming down I was very fast. It felt amazing, but I was also a bit scared to be running so fast – I could feel my ankle bones jarring with each step. BUT I WASN’T LAST. Now I suspect on a normal Park Run day (where the 200 extra people hadn’t turned up) I would have been last, but I don’t care. You learn when you start running to take your wins where you can get them. It was a shame not to be able to run with Melanie at the back but I’m sure there will be another opportunity in the future.

Yesterday, I took the plunge and ran 7.22k. This is the furthest I have run by some considerable distance. The first 4k were fine, almost enjoyable, but the final 1k was very hard indeed. It was very hot and very sweaty, but, I did it. I felt shattered afterwards and worryingly my back ached quite a lot for the rest of the day. I suspect that this is weight related, but apart from this, on the whole I felt ok. Tired and in need of chocolate cake (which I ate) but ok. My number for the 10k arrived this week (3.5 weeks until the race) and I know I have to keep pushing myself. I was still very slow, but my objective is not to try and get round in record time (luckily), it’s to get round the course in one piece, alive, with as little walking as possible. I’m feeling cautiously optimistic. Also, the Unofficial Trainer called this week to say that she has also entered the 10k so at least I know my warm up is in good hands.

This weekend I’m off with Fitbit Sister, the Red Lady and another friend to take part in the Colour Run Obstacle Course in Bath. It’s going to be BRILLIANT and hopefully a lot of fun. Running is fun….most of the time…….who would have thought I would have said that 3 months ago?

Here we are in April. The clocks have changed meaning lighter evenings and everyone immediately feels happier. It also means that I no longer have to run in the dark, scared like a baby.

The lighter evenings have also made me reconsider my former cycling career. When I say career, I mean cycling the 3 kilometres to the office each day rather than walking or taking the bus. As I have alluded to previously, I have a history of failed attempts of getting fitter over the years and each has failed miserably (up to now of course). I had a spate, a couple of years ago, when I did cycle to and from work for a whole Summer. I grew up in a village and so never experienced cycling in proper traffic and frankly, the roads in Bristol terrify me. Yes there are plenty of cycle paths and there is improving infrastructure, but you do have to be confident on the road, else you will get squished. I did all the right things, completed a Bikeability course (with the Red Lady, who has been an avid supporter of my get fit attempts over the years), got a high viz jacket, helmet etc, but I was still scared. Husband of course, has been bombing around Bristol on his bike since he was 10 and literally nothing scares him on the road. I am terrified as I think of him cycling up and down the Gloucester Road and across the Centre, and he really only wears a helmet now as a compromise to me, but he is perfectly comfortable and so has been “seriously” cycling in Bristol now for 3-4 years.

I, however, reconciled myself to be a “cycle path” rider. I am fortunate in that my office is at the end of a cycle path that runs alongside the river so I was happy to cycle to work as there is minimal interaction cars and buses. Unfortunately a couple of summers ago, I fell off my bike into undergrowth whilst on the cycle path  (comedy style, I tipped sideways and the bike fell on top of me. I was stranded for about 5 minutes before I managed to crawl out and limp, in tears, to the office, where Hockey Sister patched up and sent me home). This meant that my limited cycling confidence had been knocked somewhat (as well as my pride) and I hadn’t been on my bike since.

On Easter Monday, Husband and I decided to make the most of the lovely sunshine and so I agreed to get the bikes out. Sporty Daughter, alarmingly, seems to have grown considerably over the winter and her bike is definitely too small. However, raising her seat seemed to help enough for one day and so we set off. We had promised the girls lunch at Frankie and Benny’s if we cycled there and the promise of chips is a strong incentive meaning it didn’t take long at all. It was great. We cycled mainly on the footpaths and I was pleasantly surprised by how much I was enjoying it. I decided there and then that I would cycle to work a couple of times a week – ideally on days when I did not have a run scheduled. Of course, the excruciating pain in my buttocks that accompanied me everywhere for the next 3 days after the cycle ride made me question my enthusiasm. Oh my goodness. That pain is real but I knew that it would get worse before it got better again and the only way to fix it was to “get back on the horse” so to speak. I’ve cycled to and from work 3 times since Easter Monday and accompanied by my FitBit Surge (which can track cycling) I am already quicker than I was the first time. This evening I raced Husband home and although I had no chance of ever really beating him, he said that he was surprised by how quick I was. (Surprised or worried?…) My recovery times are also better and importantly I am experiencing elevated heartrate and ticking my “30 active minutes of exercise” box most days now. Also, the burning of an additional 200 calories each day that I cycle is important in “Easter Biscuit” season….

On Wednesday of last week, I decided to bite the bullet and finally agree to go out on one of the “This Mum Runs” social 5k runs. This is what they call them as you are supposed to be able to have a “social” chat whilst running. I try not to laugh out loud as I contemplate this. I had been building up to this for a while and although I was terrified, under the guidance of the Red Lady, I committed. I had responded on the Facebook page (which is the modern equivalent of signing in blood) and had managed expectations by stating that I was slow, but was encouraged along all the same. The Red Lady has been most insistent that at this point, the reason I wasn’t able to run 5k without stopping, wasn’t due to my legs, it was due to my head and self belief. So coupled with this sobering, but hopefully accurate advice, I set off on the Wednesday evening to meet the group.

As expected, they were all lovely and extremely welcoming. I wasn’t the only “first-timer” there on Wednesday and I felt really hopeful as we were led in our warm-up by an extremely positive and friendly “Run Maker” called Laura. Then we were off. Oh my goodness, they went off at velocity. I could feel the tears prickling in my eyes as they disappeared around the corner but then had a strong word with myself (the kind that Hockey Sister might deliver) and decided to slow down, not try to keep up with them and run my own race. However, I would say that any race I am keen to run, will never involve the Brislington Hill. Oh my days. I ran the fastest km I have ever run to date and I ran it up that hill. I could feel my heartbeat in my brain and as the stats showed later from my fitbit, my heartrate was definitely in “cardio” zone (understatement). Fairly soon, the group were off in the distance and out of sight, but Laura, wonderful Laura, ran the whole way with me. She was extremely encouraging. Asking about how long I had been running, why I had started etc and also gave some very valuable tips. I thoroughly enjoyed the conversation with Laura and have now put her firmly in my mental list of “people I would like to drink gin with”. During this run, I also discovered that (if it’s possible) it’s actually more painful to run down a steep hill, than it is difficult to run up one. Had I not experienced it myself, I never would have believed it, but as I ran down Alison Road, I felt sick. We were nearly at the end and Laura coaxed me round the past 1km and then we were done. I had only walked a couple of minutes over the course of the run and had also ran faster than normal, but nevertheless I had walked. We did our warm down and then I jogged/walked home (this was another km). I was frustrated by the walking but overall really pleased and I was smiling when I arrived home.

On Saturday, Husband and I attended Little Stoke Park Run again. There wasn’t the same anticipation as there had been the first time, as we knew the drill and what would be happening. Husband met his friend there (they had both chosen to carb up in the pub the night before…) and I had promised that I was happy to run alone. Another “This Mum Runs” lady was there and said hello (she recognised my “Buff”) and another different lady smiled and looked at me hopefully as we lined up to start, probably thinking, “she looks slow, I can run with her”. Sadly she was too quick for me. However, I wasn’t worried at all, as possibly the greatest thing about Park Run (other than it’s free and totally volunteer led) is that one of the Marshalls always runs with the person at the back. As the crowd pulled away from me, this is exactly what happened. A wonderful, sunny, smiling lady called Sue started to run with me. She asked if I was going for a time but my response was simple – I don’t care what the time is, I just don’t want to walk. So Sue and I set out together and I am proud to report to you that for the first time ever on a 5k run (actually any run) I did not walk. The first 4 kilometres were actually ok (yes you read that correctly) but the final lap of Little Stoke Park seemed never ending and the final 500m was nothing short of horrific. It hurt. It really hurt but Sue took it upon herself to chat away and I grunted and listened gratefully as she tried to distract me. As we crossed the finish line, I hugged her and thanked her from the bottom of my heart. It had taken me 3 months to run 5k without stopping and my time was 45.49. My sense of achievement was absolutely enormous and I am someone that delivered a 9 pound 4 baby without an epidural! I was ecstatic. I had the type of grin on my face that could not be extinguished and I can really only liken it to how I felt on my wedding day. I am not a fan of having my photo taken but on my wedding day, my smiles were genuine and not forced. It was the same on Saturday for the hour after I finished the run.

After arriving home, Husband took the daughters out and I was left on my own, shattered on the sofa. It’s hard to explain how I was feeling but I was definitely feeling emotional. In the shower I cried again (yes again!). It was partially exhaustion I am sure, but also due to the acheivement. I have come a long way in 3 months and this really has been a life changing experience. I now weigh less than 16 stone, have bought size 18 jeans and have given half my wardrobe to the charity shop. But more important than that, I feel better, sleep better, have more energy and critically, I am setting a good example to my daughters.

However, 5k is only 1 hurdle and there is the not too small matter of the 10k which is NEXT MONTH. So not too long to dwell on it, but time to acknowledge a smile for sure.

Sunday followed Saturday and Daughters were keen to try the Junior Park Run along with my God Daughter. Junior Park Run is simply genius. Lots of kids ready to run 2k. Laura (my running boss from Wednesday) was there with her little girl and one of the Marshals was also someone I recognised from the Facebook group, so I went to introduce myself. Again, Melanie was a joy to meet and she asked if I would do the Ashton Court Park run in a fortnight’s time as it is the 5^th birthday of this particular Park Run and there would be a large picnic afterwards to celebrate. She also said that she is rota’d on to be the Tailrunning Marshal on the day, so I agreed. Always good to know who I will be running with at the back.

Back to the kids – if grownups go off fast, the kids are super-sonic. The girl who won, ran 2k in 6 minutes. 6 MINUTES!!!! Sporty Daughter and God Daughter put up a strong race which GodDaughter won and they both had very respectable times at 11 minutes and Younger Daughter (Husband ran with her) came in at 13 minutes. They loved it and want to go again.

They only want to run because I now run. This is amazing. I suppose I could stop now and say that my job is done, but of course I am not going to. The sense of pride I felt they hugged me after I told them about the 5k without walking was greater than anything I have ever experienced. I look forward to that hug as I cross the 10k finish line.

Of course, the next step is to find out if I am able to run 5k on my own. My next run is booked for tomorrow and so we will find out. I will do it. I am 41 and a runner,  a slow runner for sure, but still a runner.

Sometimes, inspite of all planning and good intentions, life makes it impossible for you to do the things that you want to do. This is what happened a couple of weeks ago and for the first time since I started this blog, I had a week where I didn’t run. It wasn’t intentional, it just wasn’t possible. Work was crazy busy and I was in London for a couple of days which meant a run was not practical (as I wasn’t staying over) and on the one day when I could have squeezed one in, I felt ill. It was a strange feeling and I was very surprised to find that I definitely missed running. The first day was ok as I was in London and as I always now get off the tube early to walk (trainers and suit are now my thing) I hit my 10000 steps easily (in fact I smashed it). The following two days after however, I was chained to my desk from very early until very late and I don’t think I managed to even do 3000 steps.  Thursday I was back in London again but was feeling twitchy. Very twitchy and also quite irritable. I felt like I had ants in my pants and although I managed to rack up over 10000 steps again, I was missing going for a run. I planned to go Friday but woke up feeling unwell and so couldn’t. The idea that you can miss going for a run sounds ludicrous, but nevertheless there we have it. I am in new territory here and it’s strange.

During the course of the week, Unofficial Trainer got back in touch. She had made (with her starring complete with her cat watching her) 9 videos for me. Each video shows me how to warm up different parts of my body needed before a run. It includes the three I already knew… along with six others I had never seen before. Thanks to the wonders of modern technology (more specifically Whatsapp) I can watch these whenever I want to and they have definitely helped. I am very grateful for the help. Unofficial Trainer should set up her own YouTube Channel – fame awaits.

After a week of not running, on Sunday we were signed up for the Sport Relief Mile. Husband and I were running 3 miles (5k) and Daughters were running 1 mile. Our mile(s) were at Horfield Leisure Centre. Parents-in-Law accompanied us to help with daughter duty as the 3 miles started 10 minutes before the 1 mile which would have left Daughters alone for 10 minutes. There was a brilliant atmosphere and an extremely enthusiastic aerobics instructor led us all in a warm up before we set off (no concerns for my warm up today). Then we were off. 3 miles was 9 laps of the track and then 10 minutes later Daughters went off for 3 laps. I was secretly pleased as I felt confident that with some parents there with toddlers doing the mile, there was no way that I would be last (as is always my worry). There were lots of people running and there were also huge variations in running ability. As I hadn’t run for a week, I did find it quite hard. It was also the first time I have run on grass. I can’t decide if I liked it or not. It was softer and so my knees didn’t ache afterwards which was good, but I’m also not convinced that I preferred it. My secret plan, I am ashamed to confess, was to catch up to Younger Daughter, who I knew wouldn’t run the whole way around and so I would be “forced” to walk some with her. Cunning plan eh? Unfortunately, I was three quarters of the way around the track when the One Milers set off and I didn’t manage to catch Younger Daughter up at any point during the race. Of course I was overtaken by an ecstatic Sporty Daughter who ran the entire 3 laps and really enjoyed the whole thing (she must get her running legs from her Daddy). She chatted with me and said that she was going to run with me for a bit so Daddy could catch her up and then they would cross the finish line together. However, when I warned her that Daddy would definitely go for a sprint finish (which he did) she decided not to wait and shot off like a rocket. She was buzzing afterwards and definitely now wants to do more running. This pleases me enormously.

Unfortunately Younger Daughter was knocked over by a big dog who had been running around the field (owner no-where to be seen). Husband thankfully had been a few hundred metres behind Youngest and had seen the whole thing and so had tested his sprinting ability to get to her and offer Daddy hugs. My poor little girl was very upset by the whole incident (as I would have been) and so needed her Daddy to walk with her for a lap. Once she had finished and was safely deposited with Grandparents he was off again. He overtook me as I proudly announced that I was on my final lap but he joyfully told me that I had miscounted and was only on my eighth so had another one to go. My disappointment was palpable. I couldn’t believe it. But anxious not to lose face in front of both (now finished) Daughters, I set off for my final lap and ran the whole thing even though I was completely wrecked. I was so relieved when I finished. My stupid watch had paused itself half way around and so I only had stats for the first 3k but they seemed respectable. It had been (almost!) enjoyable. I also had my first medal – this was huge. I hadn’t realised that I would get a medal. It had also been wonderful to do something as a family. Sporty Daughter was very excited at having run without stopping and so was how planning her next race already.  When all the cash and online donations were counted my Daughters raised £145 and I am very proud to be their Mum. Thank you if you sponsored them.

Following the Sport Relief Event, on Tuesday I decided to run to work in the morning. This was the first time I had contemplated running to work since week 2 when it had been a complete disaster. I knew that I needed to eat before I set off so scoffed some breakfast biscuits at 6.45am and then set off at 7.45am to do the 5k route I had plotted. As much of this blog demonstrates, most runs are hell on earth whilst I am doing them, but this was one of those rare (very rare) occasions when everything fell into place and I seemed to be able to do a convincing impression of a runner. I walked only on 3 occasions and for each of these I only walked 20 steps. As I neared the end of the run, I was keeping an eye on my watch as it occurred to me that I might be able to beat my PB set at Park Run and so I practically sprinted up Cattle Market Road, grunting like a piglet as I tried to better it. I didn’t but was only over by 7 seconds. I was delighted (although a bit gutted about the PB), as well as extremely red faced and sweaty. The three flights of stairs at work to reach my office made my legs burn and I gratefully drank the water that Hockey Sister had put on my desk. Husband was off running errands and he had my clean clothes to change into and so I was spend 3 hours in my running gear….sweating and not smelling of flowers. Of course, the law of sod would of course dictate that this would be the day that I had 3 unexpected visitors in the office, much to Hockey Sister’s amusement. At lunchtime, Youngest Daughter’s Godfather happened to be in Bristol attending a work conference and so thought he would pop in for a cup of tea. Luckily he is one of my oldest friends and so was not phased at all by the horrific sight before him and also, thankfully, saw the funny side. As he was leaving Husband arrived and so I did get changed, but as it was now 2pm I decided (ill advisedly as it turned out) not to bother having a shower and so although now in jeans, was not smelling fragrant. Of course then my Dad and his Lady turned up (also unexpectedly) to a visit. Seriously, you can’t make it up. When I’m at work looking presentable, with blow dried, straightened hair, in full make up – the only person who arrives is Alfredo the Seagull (yes we have named the Seagull that sits outside the office window). When I am stinky, hair soaked in sweat, barefoot because my feet are so hot, the whole world turns up.

So although the run to work was a success, in future, I really need to ensure that I have a change of clothes at work ready so I can shower as soon as I arrive. Otherwise, you know that Gary Barlow will choose this day to come and meet me to discuss a change of career to become an Auditor.

Good Friday came and I had a planned a run with Football Mum. I’d had a couple of days off work and we’d enjoyed a couple of hugely enjoyable Family days in London and Legoland respectively. As I drove home along the M4 on Thursday night in the dark and driving rain, I was seriously doubting my sanity in booking in a run for the following morning. When the morning came, I was tired but crawled out of bed thinking “at least it will be done and I can enjoy the weekend”. However the good news is that the weather was glorious and the sun was shining. When we set off along Wick Road, things were feeling ok and we enjoyed a wonderful 6.3k in the fresh air. Poor Football Mum suffered a blister and so we walked the last kilometre but it didn’t take away from the enjoyment one bit. There is something about being out and about early in the sunshine,that is difficult to put into words. It really was a lovely way to start the Easter weekend. I had completed my 10000 steps by 10.30am.

By now, the trainers that I had bought in Sports Direct in January were looking a bit tired and as I am now sure I will never stop running, it was time to go and buy some serious running trainers. I asked Husband to consult his brother (who has numerous marathons to his name) to recommend a running shop close to home, (Marathon Sister had recommended one but it was a fair distance away) and so we decided to go on Easter Monday, early, before it got busy.

I was feeling fairly intimidated as I walked in, but I had no need to be. The chap that served me was nothing short of amazing. For those of you that have never bought trainers from a shop like this, it involves the slightly humiliating activity of running on a treadmill and then being videoed for analysis. Embarrassingly, I didn’t know how the treadmill worked so stood there like a lemon for a few seconds before my new friend came to my aid. The treadmill was also set a lot faster than I usually run, so I had to practically sprint whilst the critical filming took place. Watching my bum wobble as I ran was definitely NOT a highlight of my weekend, but happily the analysis showed that my ankles and feet are good – allegedly perfect for running (little does he know..!). I was then presented with a selection of very brightly coloured trainers. I asked what I was looking for when I tried them on and was told that “they should feel like slippers”. This was a bit of a surprise to be honest, as I was expecting him to say that they should support you “here” etc, but slippers was definitely not expected. I struggled to choose between a pair of Brooks and New Balance but in the end went for a bright blue pair of New Balance. They are so comfy I want to wear them all the time. I took them out for a short 4k spin on Monday evening and they are great. I have become someone who loves trainers. I have numerous high heels that I have no interest in wearing as I only want to wear trainers. I really don’t know who I am anymore.

I am so inspired by my new trainers and recent runs that I have finally decided to bite the bullet and join the This Mum Runs Wednesday evening 5k. This is a big group of ladies and I will have to run 5k pretty much without stopping. The Red Lady has also been influential in this decision. This will definitely challenge me but it’s time. The 10k is getting ever closer and I need to start ramping my training up. Husband and I are also going to Park Run this coming Saturday.

PB, I’m coming to get you….

There are varying opinions on the internet as to how many times you have to repeat something before it becomes a habit – some say 21 days (personally I don’t think that’s long enough) to 66 days. I’m now on day 72 of living a more healthy life which I am sure is long enough to qualify. Running, watching what I eat and generally making better choices is now a habit and I feel that this has taken a bit of the pressure away. It’s just something I do now. My daughters no longer really comment when I arrive home, sweaty and stinky and my Mum has taken to getting me a drink ready for when I get home. It’s no longer a big deal in our house.

So now it is a habit, I felt it was time to get serious. In our family we have a history of high cholesterol and I was last tested 6 years ago with the promise to re-test every 5 years. Needless to say, I did not get tested last year. However, with my new resolve and determination to be healthier, I now needed to know how my insides are bearing up.

The appointment was called a “Well Woman” check-up. It was the Full Monty – weight, height, dreaded BMI, how much alcohol, how much exercise, diet and then the results of my cholesterol (which I had had a blood test for the previous week).The appointment was with a friendly nurse who was very jolly and seemed to almost apologise when she asked me to get on the scales. She suggested that I take off my belt (which I need these days otherwise my trousers fall down), trainers, empty my pockets – at one point I genuinely thought she was going to suggest I stripped to my underwear – and then she weighed me. As I am now a fully paid up member of the “scales club” there were no surprises there and she confirmed that my BMI makes me obese, but not morbidly obese.

I told her about my new lifestyle and she seemed impressed and was visibly gobsmacked when I told her how much weight I had lost. We had a really good chat about the ease of the Fitbit and how it works and by the end of the conversation, she had pledged to buy one for herself. (I’m beginning to think I should start charging Fitbit commission.) My blood pressure is very low (normal but low) and my cholesterol is 5.9 which is apparently higher than is ideal but still within the normal zone. Importantly it means that there is no need to have a conversation about “Statins”.

Finally, according to the statistical information gathered, I have a 1.67% chance of dying from a heart attack in the next 10 years. I have literally no idea how they can possibly know that from asking me how many gin and tonics I drink in a week but there we have it. Of course, what we will never know is what these numbers were if I had had the tests at the end of last year…but best not to dwell on that.

I have now lost 2 stone in total. Literally half of my clothes don’t fit and the suit I mentioned a few weeks ago, (that I last wore the day I found out I was pregnant with Sporty Daughter) was slightly loose when I wore it yesterday. Now this is obviously brilliant news in that I am getting smaller and fitter, but from a work perspective is proving problematic. For years I have pressed my nose up at the window of Hobbs Clothing and have yearned to be able to fit into one of their suits. They only go up to a size 18 so this has never really felt achievable previously, but today, Husband bought me 2 new tops (from Sainsbury’s) and these were both a size 18 and they fit….so maybe I will have a suit from Hobbs? This is another goal I have set myself.

One of things that I love about writing this blog is how interactive it has become. You lovely people “tag” me in on funky running leggings that you see on Facebook, private message me to find out when I’m going to post the next blog (sorry for the lateness but work is REALLY busy at the moment), and also brilliantly, message me suggestions for any questions that I pose. Thank you. Please keep doing this. I adore it. A couple of ladies I know have started the couch to 5k because, well let’s face it, if I can do it, literally anyone can. I have the beginnings of an idea about a party at some point later in the year to celebrate this……..I’ll keep you posted.

This week out of the blue, “Unofficial Trainer” messaged to ask some questions to see if she could assist with my trouble running the first kilometre. Now it’s a work in progress, but we seem to have established that it is indeed due to my lack of warm up and stretching before I set off. She is working out a warm up for me (as I hope this blog confirms, I don’t really know what I’m doing!) but in the meantime, I decided to allow myself a longer walk to warm up (another 250m) and I also spent a good 5 minutes before I set up performing the (3) stretches I know over and over. I also decided that I should just man up and run through the pain. My runs usually start with me having this sort of conversation with myself but sadly I am not usually able to keep my promise to myself.

On Sunday last week, I decided to test the theory. Stretching and warming up definitely helped (I suspect that there may be a few seasoned athletes out there banging their hands on their foreheads #facepalm style as they read that – er…obvious – but it’s only obvious if you know.) I managed 6k and some splits were fast and some were very slow. I am now doing my absolute best to run up hills as and when I encounter them and if I can’t manage them in one go, l only allow myself 20 walking recovery steps in between running again. As is usual on my runs, most was run but some was walked. It was mainly good but did take me just under an hour and then I was annoyed that I couldn’t recreate the 7k from the week before.

I decided to try a different tact on my next run. Rather than try and go for distance, I would try for a faster time. So on Tuesday I ran home from work. It’s a 3.5k route that I did repeatedly in January and I hadn’t run it for a while so felt this would be an interesting experiment. Again I allowed myself lots of stretching time before I set off. I was pleased that I was able to run most of it without walking (although still did have to put a couple of 20 steppers in to catch my breath) but I was still horribly slow. I walked home from work tonight and was disappointed to discover that tonight I walked at roughly the same speed that I had run one of the kilometres on Tuesday. Is it better to be quicker but have to walk some or slower and walk less? Perhaps I should try and do some intervals? It’s very annoying. I don’t really seem to be improving but I am still going. That’s all I can say really.

On Sunday, I was in Sunny Gloucestershire and was off to do a run with Fitbit Sister (who had done a run the day before and was really only coming to keep me company). The day was glorious and it was definitely the warmest day I have run in so far. Therefore it was a horrible mistake to forget to take any water with us. For the first time, I went running without a high viz jacket and wore a T-shirt over my running skin (I didn’t need the skin either – it was boiling). I was pleased with the first part of the run – I was able to even have short conversations as we trotted along in the gorgeous sunshine and the first 3 kilometres were good. They felt comfortable and were very fast which again further confirms my theory that I run faster when I am with others. On Sunday I ran my fastest ever kilometre split at 9 minutes per kilometre. In the interests of honesty, it’s only fair that I tell you that I was going downhill for part of it, but still! The first 3 kilometres were all under 9 minutes 20 seconds. Things were going well, despite the (what felt like) unseasonably near tropical Gloucestershire heat until we came to the bottom of Cam Pitch. This is a BIG hill. It’s the sort of hill where you might consider having a sit down half way up it if you were walking. It DESTROYED me. My legs were burning, I felt light-headed, sweat was running in my eyes and down my back, I would have paid £20 for a bottle of water if it had been possible but Fitbit Sister was great – we used the lamp posts and ran between the first 2 and then walked between the next 2 and so on. This lasted for the longest kilometre of my life, but we did get up to the top. I was wrecked. We had to run/walk for another 500 metres even after the hill was finished before we finally managed to run the last bit.

I’ve entered one of the Sport Relief events which is taking place next weekend. Husband and I are running 3 miles and Youngest and Sporty Daughter are running one mile. They were very keen to get involved and they haven’t seen me run since those early allotment days and I am feeling quite nervous. I want them to see that I have improved but I also am excited by the prospect of them seeing me cross the finish line.  If you are able to, and haven’t yet, please consider sponsoring my daughters as they are raising money for this brilliant cause.

http://my.sportrelief.com/sponsor/teamtiley

I think I will wear the T-Shirt that Marathon Sister 3 bought be back in January – if only to manage the spectators’ expectations……

Each time I start writing my blog, I re-read what I wrote the week before to get an “essence” of what I was thinking. Last week, the overriding sentiment was that I enjoy running with other people and wish to only really do one run a week on my own. Well this week I have completed 3 runs racking up 18 kilometres (or 11.1 miles) and every step of each run as been on my own.

As a working Mum and wife, I am a slave to my diary. Everything (and I mean EVERYTHING) goes in it. If you want me to be somewhere, you have to send me a diary invite otherwise, sadly, assume that I won’t be there. This is a depressing state of affairs to be honest with you. It doesn’t make me proud or happy but I am a pragmatist and understand that it is what it is. It is almost certainly one of the reasons why I enjoy camping in the Summer so much, as there is no timetable and definitely no wifi. Like many of you, as a family we are juggling work, the school run, teacher meetings, piano and guitar practices, football training, gymnastics, birthday parties and this week it has also been Husband’s birthday. For this reason, I have got myself into the habit of deciding when I am going to go for a run for the following week on a Sunday, and I put them in my diary. This way they happen and are also non-negotiable. If I didn’t put them in my diary, I am sure that I would be able to find an excuse not to go; something at work is more important, I need to work through my lunch etc. I am proud to say that I have not yet missed one.

On average I am now out running for around 3 hours a week. If I had told myself in December that this would be the case, I would have scoffed at the prospect as “I don’t have a spare 3 hours in a week”, but I am here to tell you that I do. I have made running non-negotiable. Of course, as I run my own business, I have more control over my time than many others and I know I am lucky. It means I can go running in the middle of a work day and this week, I think that this has been one of the reasons why I have not managed to run with anyone else.

As weeks go, it has definitely been up and down.

I gained a pound (which I was furious about) I think due to the fact that I ate so much last weekend after the parkrun. I was starving, all day, and so kidding myself that I could eat what I wanted but of course I couldn’t and so paid the price on the Wednesday morning weigh-in. Having said that, I am still losing inches as the photo demonstrates clearly and I have now gone down 2 dress sizes. The T shirt is a Mother’s Day present and is a size 18. I am usually a size 22 and this pleases me enormously.

On Monday, Husband and I ran the 5k loop near the office at lunchtime again. I still can’t run it without walking and this is beginning to really annoy me. If anything I don’t feel like I am making much progress. I am out there and running regularly but I’m not getting any better. On Tuesday I used the app and was supposed to run 10 mins, walk 1 minute and do this 4 times. I couldn’t do it. The first and second kilometre on every run is an absolute killer and on Tuesday it was really hard. I think I could only run for 5 minutes at a time before walking and this was the case for the whole of the first half of the loop. On the second part of the loop I definitely ran more and also clocked much faster splits too with the final kilometre being one of the fastest I have ever run. What does this mean? I want to be able to run 5k, in one go and then build up to being able to run 10k without walking. When I start each run, I can’t even run for 500 metres in one go. I don’t know how or what to do about this. Every time I start a run I am confident that it won’t happen “this time” but it always does. It makes me incredibly frustrated. I may have to enlist the help of “Unofficial Trainer” for advice.

On Thursday it was Husband’s birthday and we had a big dinner planned in town. I really wanted to enjoy the meal and so planned to run a long run home from work. The Red Lady had mentioned that with 10k coming up, I should plan to increase my routes by 0.5k per week so I should be able to run 10k by mid May. With this in mind, I arranged to leave work an hour early and plotted a 6 k route home. I was more than a little concerned about it but knew I had to give it a go. I knew the route and so tried not to look at my watch too much, cranked up the tunes and just went. The first 2 kilometres were hell on earth. I ran/walked, needed my inhaler (which was really unusual), wished I had bought a drink with me, generally felt like crying and thought I was going to die, and then something very strange happened. I just started to run. I kept the speed down (laughable right?!) and just focussed on running. I had the app going, but abandoned it after 15 minutes. I used lampposts, parked cars, hedges anything really as markers and although I did still walk a bit, the further I went, the less I walked and the easier it seemed to get. Please note the use of the word “easier” not “easy”! Nothing about this is easy, but it definitely was easier, and I actually enjoyed it. Yes –enjoyed it! Somehow I got a bit lost on the back roads of Bristol and took a wrong turn. It meant I had to run up a hill (which I managed to do with only 10 walking steps in the middle) but I kept going until I recognised where I was. I was feeling pretty tired but kept going. When I arrived home, I discovered that I had run 7k. Yes you read that correctly. I had run 7k which had taken 1 hour and 8 minutes. I had run for over an hour and I had burnt 9400 calories (which took care of the steak and chips I was going to eat later). I was seriously elated. ELATED. It wasn’t just the fact that I had run the 7k, it was more importantly the fact that I possibly, no probably, could have gone even further if I’d had more time. I believed for the first time that I really could run 10k. This was as big a mental milestone as physical. Mental strength is absolutely as important as physical strength when it comes to running.

Now as good as Thursday was, the mental strength theory was further demonstrated in this morning’s run. As a family, we received some news on Thursday evening (whilst Husband and I were out at dinner) that meant that Friday and Saturday had to be completely rescheduled and we had to attend some very difficult meetings and make some unexpected decisions. The outcome has been positive, but it’s been a very emotional few days and when I woke this morning, I was exhausted. After opening my wonderful Mother’s Day presents this morning, I headed out for my run. I had plotted 6k (hopefully this time I wouldn’t get lost) and set off, as usual knowing that the first 2k would be terrible (which they were). Again I just plodded on. It didn’t feel anywhere near as comfortable as my run on Thursday evening, but I did enjoy the run. I enjoyed the mental headspace that comes from being out on my own. Running gives me time to think. As I alluded earlier, my life is dictated by my diary and time to think is impossible to schedule. When you are a busy person with a hectic life, stuff happens all the time, whether it be to me, Husband, Daughters, work or family and most of the time I just react and manage the situations. Time to reflect is rare but so very, very important.  I really needed it this morning and the run gave me time to think which I valued more than the 6k and exercise. Time alone with your thoughts should never be underestimated and this morning, when I returned after a hard 6k, I was feeling much better about the world.

So this week has been pretty good all the way through and has definitely ended on a high. As I type this, drinking a cup of tea, I am delighted to tell you that this morning I completed my first Park Run.

I have been worried about it all week despite having good runs through the week in preparation.

Last Sunday, the Red Lady, God Daughter and myself, completed a very respectable 4.4k loop around the local area and again I was able to run much more than I walked. It’s a good loop and an enjoyable little run. Conversation was good (although mainly it was the Red Lady talking and me grunting in response as I don’t yet have “conversational running” nailed yet!) and I felt ok. For the first time, I attempted to run up the hill on the Bath Road. This is a very deceptive looking hill. In the car, you barely notice it, but running?….It’s hard. When we got near to the end of the loop the Red Lady gave me the option of looping round Sainsbury’s, going up the hill, or going home. Not wanting to lose face in front of God Daughter I chose the hill. As I set off, I was mentally slapping myself around the face for choosing the hill, but as I plodded off after my Running Squad, I reminded myself that at some point I was going to have to run up a hill, and I don’t want this to happen for the first time on the 10k.

The run up the hill was nothing short of horrendous. I was really only managing 20-25 second bursts before having to walk again and was using lamp-posts, house entrances, anything really, as markers. But I did run some of it. When I got to the top, I felt as though my heart was exploding out from my chest. It was a level of breathlessness that I haven’t really experienced since week 1 at the allotments, which seems a long time ago now. Still after a brief rest, we walked home.

I have been suffering a bit with extremely tight calf muscles. I haven’t really been doing a warm up as the bikini clad triathlete on the app simply makes you walk for 5 minutes as a warm up and then again as a cool down. The thing is, as I am now running for around 30-45 minutes, a 5 minute walk at the end (which I do enjoy – maybe it’s the relief of being able to stop?!) isn’t really cutting the mustard so to speak. Over a cup of tea with the Red Lady after our run, she introduced me to the foam roller, and lent me one to use. This has been equal parts brilliant and excruciatingly painful but seems to be doing the trick. The idea is to roll your leg over the foam roller, but using the weight of your body as leverage. The weight of my body although decreasing, is still substantial, so it works well and I am noticing a difference.

On Tuesday, Husband and I went out together for a lunchtime run for the first time since Black Friday. As promised and agreed, we mapped the 5k loop by the river and started at different sides so we would meet in the middle (ish) and then “high five” as we passed each other.  It was much warmer on Tuesday than any other day that I have run so far and so wardrobe was a bit of an issue (isn’t it always? I never seem to have anything to wear!). However, with limited options on kit at the moment, I wore my usual, but had to take my jacket off within about 500 metres of starting. I also didn’t have any water with me and I knew quickly that this had been a mistake. However, I did my best and made sure that I ran mainly and really only walked towards the end.

This was the first time I had tested out my new running playlist. On Monday evening, I researched on the internet “running songs” using the Jessie J track that seems to make me run faster, as a guide. As with most things running, I am baffled by the amount of information there is on the internet. I learnt that the Jessie J song has 149 beats per minute and so found an enormous list of songs that have the same beat, and spent a good hour or so creating my own playlist. Gary Barlow needs to up his game as sadly there is no Take That available (which makes me sad), but it does include some real corkers : Toni Basil “Hey Mickey” made me raise my arms “pom pom” style as I was passing Asda on my way back and a grey haired gentleman gave me the thumbs up whilst laughing. Hopefully with me rather than AT me, but frankly I didn’t care which it was. Bonnie Tyler’s “Holding out for a Hero” is also on there. Now that is a TUNE and importantly it makes me smile. When I’m in the final 1k, I need things that make me smile and music will always do the trick.

On Thursday evening, I ran with one of the Mums from Sporty Daughter’s football team who has also signed up for the 10k. We had discussed running together before and had made a plan. We did the same local loop as I had completed on the Sunday but this time I managed to nearly get up the hill in one go and only had to walk a tiny bit (20 paces as I counted them). I still had the same “heart exploding out of my chest feeling” at the top, but I did feel a sense of achievement in getting there. I am definitely going to have to start incorporating some hills into my training plan. (Did I just write that?! Who am I?)

I also now know without a doubt, that I definitely like running with other people. It worked very well with Football Mum indeed. She is quicker than me (I suspect everyone is), but I felt comforted by the fact that I could see her and she was only a bit in front of me (although I suspect that she was going slower than normal). She was also very encouraging and is a lovely lady. It was good.

Ideally I think I would like to run on my own once a week (using the app) and then twice a week with other people. The 10k is now 10 weeks away and I need to start increasing the distances I am covering meaning that I need to do a longer run at the weekend.

This week also saw the purchase of the Fitbit Surge, which is their running watch. A lovely lady I had met previously through the “This Mum Runs” Facebook group was selling one (she had used it only a few times but not got on with it) and Husband quickly gave permission for a purchase. I cannot tell you how happy this watch makes me. I do love a gadget and this watch is now measuring all sorts of things, most of which I don’t understand. So it was time to enlist the help of a specialist. Hockey Sister has a very dear friend who is a qualified personal trainer and is one of those people who is always running races, very fast indeed. I contacted her as my “Unofficial Trainer” and sent her some screenshots of my statistics and heartrate whilst running, amongst a few other things. She came back quickly with some very helpful information. I must tell you that her observation that my heart rate demonstrates that I am “working very hard for the majority of the run” made me laugh so much that I spat my tea out! That is an understatement. Will it ever be easy I wonder?

So back to the Park Run. Last night I was very nervous indeed. I had some pasta for tea and spent most of yesterday drinking water to ensure that hydration would not be a problem. I’d received the best text from the Red Lady earlier in the week which read “I’m staying with you Buddy, we’ll cross that line together” and I have to say that this did help quite a lot but I was still feeling anxious.

Husband, the Red Lady and myself were meeting Running Sister and Fitbit Sister at the site in Little Stoke (flattest course, very important) just before 9am in time for the race. Fitbit Sister and myself had traded quite a few texts on Friday night about what to wear, but in the end I went for the normal long sleeve top and high viz jacket. What we actually needed when we arrived this morning at 8.30am was a duvet as it was absolutely freezing. Husband was also cold (which is rare) so I know it wasn’t just a girl thing. Husband had asked a few of his friends along too as it was also his first Park Run and one of his oldest friends arrived, having run there from home. He does a lot of running (races, half marathons) and Husband was pleased to see him.

If you’ve never done a park run, or never heard of one (and let’s be honest, why would you unless you run, this was all alien to me 9 weeks ago) it is a truly brilliant thing. Races cost an alarming amount of money and the “Invoice of Pain” mounts up quickly. So far, the Bristol 10k, 5k colour run obstacle course and Westonbirt 10k (oh yes, forgot to tell you, I’ve signed up for that too now) have cost £70 which is not an insignificant amount of money.  Every week, across the UK, volunteers get up on a Saturday morning to man and ensure that the Park Run happens. It’s completely free because it’s run by volunteers. There are Marshalls all the way around (who clap and encourage you) and it’s timed and measured meaning each time you run one, you get an official time.  You have to sign up online and then you print off your barcode but that’s it. No money.

What a brilliant concept. Before we started, there was an introductory instructional chat by the, Irish rugby supporting, “Head Marshall” and a quick run through of the rules. We First Time Park Runners got a round of applause and then he asked if there was anyone there running their 50^th or 100^th Park Run? There wasn’t…..but wow! Will I be blogging in a year’s time to report to you how I just completed my 50^th Park run?…..never say never.

Then we were off. 3 and a half laps of the park was 5k. Husband and I had already agreed that we wouldn’t run together so he ran off with his friend. Let’s not forget that this is only the 3^rd time that he has run this year. He wanted to take it steady but I knew he was hoping to sprint finish.

Fitbit Sister and Running Sister went off ahead of us and the Red Lady and I were very close to the back. It was exciting to be there. A real race. There were LOTS of people there. Some people who took it very seriously, some recreational runners and some, like me, who were beginners. At the beginning of the second lap, we got lapped by some Elite runners. I knew it was going to happen, but felt a bit disappointed all the same.  The Red Lady (who by the way could have shaved many minutes off her time if she had run on without me) stuck to her word and didn’t leave my side. For this I will always be grateful as the whole experience was quite emotional. For a large part of the race we were at the back. A lovely thing happens at Park Run to whoever is at the back – a Marshall runs with you, chatting and encouraging you so you’re not on your own. I am sure that I will be at the back for a while, so this is reassuring.

Husband was just behind us as we finished our penultimate loop (he was finishing) and if he had sprinted, he would have overtaken me. He saw me and didn’t. I love him for not doing that and this has definitely spurred me on to get faster so he never has to make that decision again.

The final lap was very, very hard and I did have to run/walk a bit and used the trees as markers. However, I was determined not to walk the final stretch even though I was shattered. Running Sister and Fitbit Sister (who had already finished) were there cheering before we headed into the final straight which was great. As we entered the funnel at the finish, I burst into tears (why I am I crying all the time?!) with emotion and relief. I hugged my sister who was grinning at me. We were all grinning. My time was 46 minutes, 46 seconds which isn’t exactly a blistering pace, but who cares? I finished and I never would have thought that as I lumbered around the allotment all those weeks ago.

What a great way to start a Saturday.

As we got in the car, my fitbit buzzed 10000 steps. 10am and I’d already completed 10000 steps.

Since this morning, I have drunk around 8 pints of water (seriously, will I ever quench this thirst?!), had a nap at the cinema watching the Snoopy film (don’t go and see it, it’s rubbish) and the girls are now baking cupcakes. I’m going to eat one of those cupcakes, possibly even two. I may not replicate my 4 pound weightloss from last week, but I won’t be bothered. I am 41 and a Park Runner. Who’d have thought it?