I ran this with 2 friends, we drove to Derby Saturday evening and stayed in the travelodge at Pride Park, close to the finish. we had tea at the Frankie and Bennies restaurant across the road.
I had a room to myself,which was a good thing because i was asleep by 10 pm but wide awake by 2 am, I tossed and turned, watched telly, read and eventually at 5 am got up for a shower and started to get ready.
The bus was at Pride park to take us to the start at Nottingham, we were on the first lot of buses, we like to get to races early, to use the loos and find the baggage etc.
There were thousands of people there, we were put in groups then walked to the start.
Eventually we were off, it was bright and breezy with the breeze in our faces. at the first marker I thought "I must be mad" at 10k I heard someone say "about an hour". Then I started to believe that I could do this. I try never to look at my when I race, I worry that i'll slow down if i start to think I'm doing ok, or speed up too much if I think that i'm too slow, I prefer to go on instinct and those around me.
at 8 miles i knew I was half way and still going great, at 10 miles I was confident that I would finish, my ankle and calf were holding out, I was walking the water stops to give my legs a little break. At 13.1 I knew there was only 5k to go, i was bolstered by people calling, "Come on Lena, you're doing great" i had my name on my Macmillan t-shirt. It was great to be cheered on by strangers in a strange town. By 14 miles I was tiring, we were heading into Derby passing stationary traffic, but there were more spectators, i kept chanting in my head, " You're still going forwards, you're doing great". Finally I hit 16 miles and sped up, I underestermated 0.3 miles. I could hardly walk talk or even think when i finally crossed the line. I was pleased with my time, I know that I couldnt possibly done it any faster.
TIME 2 hr 37 min 50 sec
LIGHTWATER VALLEY 10K for Help for Heroes. This was the week after the Kilomathon so I wasn't expecting to do great, plus I planned to run the 6 miles home afterwards, as marathon training.
This was a course of tracks and road, undulating and very twisty turney. The race went ok, I did it in my usual fashion, run as fast as I can, as far as I can then just keep going, by 5 miles I was tiring and the grass up hill finish was a killer but I did it, Stayed around for 1/2 hour socialising, then set off home.
TIME 58 min 40 sec RACE
Time 1 hr 12 min Run home
ARKENDALE 10k was on 28/03/10 a week later, we'd had a lot of rain lately, so this multi terrain undulating race promised to be a bit muddy, and it was at one point we were ankle deep in mud and water.
TIME 56 min 20 sec. 7 mins faster than last year.
The next race was the first in the Black Sheep Series, FOUNTAINS 10k at Grantley, I do it in memory of my Dad. I planned to run the 8 mile home after. Again we had had rain and the moor was really boggy, I found it tough on my ankles, and my left knee had been playing up, I took it easy, I wanted to run home and I didn't want to damage my knee. tis was a tough, undulating mixed terrain race, but it helped knowing the course from last year. I did ok, and then ran the 8 miles home, which was tough.
TIME 1 hr 3 sec RACE over 2 min faster than last year.
Time 1 hr 32 min 19 sec Run home.
The first League race this year was at Ilkley, so it promised not to be flat. The start was 1 1/2 times around a field then onto the road up, up, up we went then there was l short flattish gravel section, then down, down, down, finishing with a mile of flat and a grass finish. My knee was still giving me grief and my ankles were still sore from the Fountains race ( I have weak ankles and they dont cope well with off road) I normally make up ground on downhills because I have long legs but this time I had to slow down, My knee hurt on changing direction and I couldn't trust mt ankles, they were pretty sore.
Time 49 min 30 sec, over the 5.05 mile course.
RIPON 10 MILE. This is the first long run of the Black Sheep Series, as its organised by the club they like us to help out. I was giving out numbers, this meant that as the race was due to start, I needed the loo, and there was still a queue. I was last out of the loos and had to run the 1/2 mile to the start, I had barely got there when the klaxon went off.
My Knee and ankles were still a problem, so I had to make as much time up as possible in the first mile before we headed off road for a few miles. I was going ok, but as soon as I hit the grass my ankles turned to jelly, there was nothing there, no push off and it was so painful, people were passing in droves, but I wasn't giving up. At the first water stop, i was advised to stop, the marathon in too weeks was more important, but I carried on hobbling. If I got to the road and was still doing badly, I'd consider stopping, but i really didn't want a DNF by my name. I got through the Brass Monkey with a sprained ankle I had to give it a go. I hit the road at 4 miles and like a miracle, my ankles firmed up and I set off up the mile straight to Studley Church. I now found myself slowly catching up with some of the people who had passed me in the off road section. It was a long hard race, but now it was ok, I knew it wouldnt be a great time but at least I'd finish.
TIME 1 hr 39 min 17 sec. 4 mins faster than last year
Up to date at last. It is now only 5 days to the marathon in Edinburgh and I am nervous, I get butterflies when i think about it. This years races so far have been plagued by injury, and affected by the marathon training, I have run over 600 miles this year already, 72.9 of which were races.
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