Pre 2011 plans

At the beginning of the year I entered the ballot for VLM, in September I found out that I was unsuccessful,I was Gutted. The running club got 3 places which they raffled to runners in the club who had been rejected, at the beginning of December. 7 of us wanted a place and I won one, i was ecstatic, but unfortunately my running partner did not win a place, it would have been perfect if she had.


There are a couple of challenges for me this year, My 1st triathlon, 2 marathons 5 weeks apart and I need to conquer my fear of heights to take part in the rat race.


So the end of the year draws closer, and I am now thinking training plans for the races that I have already planned for next year, and a few goals to run alongside them. firstly these are the races that I have already entered. They are in reverse order;

Date	Race	Terrain	Distance
18/09/11	Great North Run	road	Half
28/08/11	Stockton River rat race	mixed	10km
09/07/11	Ripon Black Sheep Triathlon	mixed	S 1500mt B 44km R 10km
22/05/11	Edinburgh Marathon	road	Mara
17/04/11	London Marathon	road	Mara
20/03/11	Kilomathon - England	road	26.2km
27/02/11	Snake Lane 10	road	10M

My race goals are;


5k                         25 min
10k                       50 min
10m               1hr 30 min
Half               2 hr
Kilomathon  2 hr 30 min
Marathon     4 hr 30 min


My distance goals are;


To run 2011 km in 2011
To cycle 2011 miles in 2011
To swim 52 miles in 2011
To run everyday in January


My personal goals are;
To lose weight, (I have  put a fair bit on this year)
To start driving.


Well thats it for now, 2011 is only 2 days away.

End of year update

Well the year is nearly over. I did do  the Newcastle Town Moor Marathon and was very happy with the result. Two marathons within a year, I was advised that I should only do 1 a year, but I did it, and the next day was walking normally, in fact there were no ill effects no real muscle soreness, no blisters or black nails, and it was wet.
Three weeks later I took part in the Percy Pud 10k, dressed as Mrs Claus, and did my fastest time for 10k this year. This was to be my last race this year as I had promised my husband that I would not race as often this year as last year. Last year I raced 32 times covering 252 miles, and this year I raced 31 times covering 277 miles and here they are;


05/12/10Percy Pud(postponed until 12/12/2010) road 10km 55:53
21/11/10Newcastle Town Moor Marathon mixed Mara 4:41:19
31/10/10Guy Fawkes 10 road 10M 1:39:47
17/10/10Bridlington Half Marathon road Half 2:04:40
03/10/10Kilomathon - Scotland road 26.2km 2:40:30
19/09/10Great North Run road Half 2:09:47
12/09/10Wetherby 10k road 10km 57:34
05/09/10Great Yorkshire Run road 10km 57:39
26/08/1021 Engineer Regiment mixed 10km 1:00:40
08/08/10Darlington 10k road 10km 57:34
25/07/10Harrogate Town Centre 10K  road 10km 1:00:21
18/07/10Burton Leonard 10K trail10km1:02:04
04/07/10Burn Valley Run 2010 road Half 2:15:25
01/07/10Harrogate & District Summer League Race #5  road 5M 47:08
27/06/10Rainton 10k road 10km 1:02:58
23/06/10Race for Life Harrogate road 5km 27:16
20/06/10Staveley Stampede  trail 10M 1:36:26
17/06/10Harrogate & District Summer League Race #4 mixed 4.9M 48:08
05/06/10Kirkby Malzeard 10K road 10km 1:03:22
03/06/10Harrogate & District Summer League Race #3 mixed 5.5M 58:58
30/05/10Melmerby 10k road 10km 58:32
23/05/10Edinburgh Marathon road Mara  4:56:56
20/05/10Harrogate & District Summer League Race # 2 mixed 5.35M 56:36
09/05/10Ripon 10 mile mixed 10M 1:39:04
29/04/10Harrogate & District Summer League Race #1 road 5M 49:30
25/04/10Fountains 10k mixed 10km 1:00:26
28/03/10Arkendale 10k  mixed 10km 56:25
21/03/10Lightwater Valley Challenge  mixed 10km 58:21
14/03/10Kilomathon - England road 26.2km 2:37:50
28/02/10Snake Lane 10 road 10M 1:36:18
24/01/10Brass Monkey Half Marathon road Half 2:02:42


I have highlighted my best times for the year in red.

Marathon minus 6

Ok so this is my second marathon, so why am I so nervous? I've checked the forecast, http://uk.weather.com/weather/dailyDetails-Newcastle-upon-Tyne-UKXX1695?dayNum=6 Wet and cold. so now I need to plan what to wear that will be comfortable to run in for 26 miles (5 hours) . Also struggling to get hydration right, the more I drink, the more I pee. I ran 5 miles tonight at a comfortable pace in the trainers that I plan to wear on Sunday. I've downloaded the driving directions to the car park, 500 mtrs from the start.

Have I got it right.

I really have not prepared for the Newcastle Town Moor Marathon, in the way that I prepared for my first marathon, The Edinburgh Marathon in May earlier this year when I lived and breathed marathon training. This time I fear that I have been a trifle overconfident.
I figured that as I have completed one marathon six months ago and I have completed a lot of races since, (most of them long) that it would be ok. Then panic set in, I looked at my running diary and noted that the weeks running up to the Edinburgh Marathon, I was averaging 48 miles a week. In the last few weeks I have averaged 24. So last week I managed 47 miles including a long run of over 21 miles.
My 21 mile run was yesterday it was tough but went better than I had anticipated. Oh boy I was stiff and sore all afternoon, but today, I have no aches and pains.
So I guess I am more ready than I thought.
Now I can taper.

getting uptodate

Ok, so its a while since I updated my blog, so I'll start with the 29 races that I've done this year so far.

31/10/10	Guy Fawkes 1	10M		1:39:47
17/10/10	Bridlington Half Marathon	Half		2:04:40
03/10/10	Kilomathon - Scotland	26.2km		2:40:30
19/09/10	Great North Run	Half		2:09:47
12/09/10	Wetherby 10k	10km		57:34
05/09/10	Great Yorkshire Run	10km		57:39
26/08/10	21 Engineer Regiment	10km		1:00:40
08/08/10	Darlington 10k	10km		57:34
25/07/10	Harrogate Town Centre 10K	10km		1:00:21
18/07/10	Burton Leonard 10K	10km		1:02:04
04/07/10	Burn Valley Run 2010	Half		2:15:25
01/07/10	Harrogate & District Summer League Race #5	5M		47:08
27/06/10	Rainton 10k	10km		1:02:58
23/06/10	Race for Life Harrogate	5km		27:16
20/06/10	Staveley Stampede	10M		1:36:26
17/06/10	Harrogate & District Summer League Race #4	4.9M		48:08
05/06/10	Kirkby Malzeard 10K	10km		1:03:22
03/06/10	Harrogate & District Summer League Race #3	5.5M		58:58
30/05/10	Melmerby 10k	10km		58:32
23/05/10	Edinburgh Marathon	Mara		4:56:56
20/05/10	Harrogate & District Summer League Race #2	5.35M		56:36
09/05/10	Ripon 10 mile	10M		1:39:04
29/04/10	Harrogate & District Summer League Race #1	5M		49:30
25/04/10	Fountains 10k	10km		1:00:26
28/03/10	Arkendale 10k	10km		56:25
21/03/10	Lightwater Valley Challenge	10km		58:21
14/03/10	Kilomathon - England	26.2km		2:37:50
28/02/10	Snake Lane 10	10M		1:36:18
24/01/10	Brass Monkey Half Marathon	Half		2:02:42

Your Personal Bests

26.2 miles	04:56:56
26.2 km	02:37:50
13.1 miles	02:02:42
10 miles	01:36:18
10 km	00:56:25
4.9 miles	00:48:08
5 miles	00:47:08

>See these in a graph >WAVA PB Analysis

Kirkby Malzeard 10k

05/06/10 This was the 3rd 10k in the Black Sheep Series, and I'm not doing too great this year, still this was my fastest race this year. The weather forecast was for hot and sunny, another warm race day. Today was the first time that I was trying out my new toe sock, hoping that having each toe encased in its own pouch would limit my discomfort from my existing blisters and hopefully prevent more forming.

As the 2pm start approached the temperature rose, I had a frozen water bottle with me, but that was melting rapidly as was my pre race mars bar. V and I went for a little trot to warm up, well that was me knackered and we hadn't even started.

Everyone gathered at the start and we were off, up the village and round past the cricket field where we would eventually finish, a slightly uphill fist 1/2 mile then a good long down to the first water stop and hose spray, that felt good, then as we started to climb my legs began to complain, what is wrong with me its like I cant run more than 2 miles in one go anymore, I can see all the other Ripon Runners pulling away from me, that makes me feel quite low.

I run a bit walk a bit for the next few miles with an Edinburgh marathoner from Wetherby Runners, who was having a similar race, we took it in turns to pass each other and I could see that I was starting to gain on some of the Ripon Runners, that made me feel a bit better. At 4 miles the blistered toes reminded me that they were there, but not as bad due to my new toe socks. About 1/2 a mile to go I had to let the girl from Wetherby go, I was burnt out, struggling in the heat, it was now down hill, but didn't feel it.

When I crossed the line I was disappointed that it had taken over an hour, but my feet weren't too uncomfortable and gained no new blisters, so that was positive.

TIME 1hr 3min 20sec

League race at Guisley

03/06/10 The weather was still glorious, not ideal for a race, at least it didnt start till 19;45 .

The race was organised by Yeadon Dragons and at a previous race one of them had told me that it was predominantly off road.

The race started and it was humid, we started by running along an old railway line then headed off for the woods, down down down, avoiding tree roots and rocks. In the back of my mind i knew it was going to have to go up at some point, but first a short flat bit, a relief for my blistered toes after they'd been battered in the front of my trainers as I ran down about 2 miles of woodland tracks.

Then it began, the long climb back up to the start, still through woods, I had to walk some of it, but I was going forwards. I was with my marathon training partner, V, she turned her ankle, we stayed together, the same as Temple Newsam, we started together so we'd finish together which we did, exactly together.

The next day I was disappointed that the scorekeepers had put V 1 second behind me.

TIME 58 min 58 sec, 5.5 miles