#janathon #2013miles in 2013 #moonjoggers #sidsjanuarychallenge #jantastic. Day 3

As you can see from the title I have taken on a few challenges this year. They all complement each other though. Janathon,run by the fantastic Cathy White, involves doing some exercise everyday in January then logging it on Runningfree online and then blogging about it. (I'm doing that bit now).
Sid's January challenge is to raise funds for his Poppyfields appeal to raise money for Birmingham children's hospital in the name of Sid's gorgeous niece Poppy who is recovering from a brain tumour. This challenge is similar to Janathon because you just have to do some exercise everyday in January. It cost £5 to enter and there is a fine of £1 each time you miss your exercise.
Jantastic is run by Marathon Talk, and involves committing you to an amount of runs per week during January. (I have committed to 7 runs a week).
2013 miles in 2013 on daily mile and Runningfree Online, is to try and complete 2013 human powered miles over the year.
Moonjoggers is a group of runners and walkers who have committed to 1000 miles or 2013 miles of running and walking to cover the distance to the moon and back as a cumulative effort. I have committed to 2013 miles.
My final challenge that I have set myself is to run a marathon distance run, every month in 2013. These will be training runs or races. I have already entered 2 races in April, Blackpool marathon on 7th and Manchester marathon on the 28 th. July is covered by Outlaw Triathlon.
Today's training comprised of a 1 mile swim, a 12 mile cycle and 5.79 miles of running.
Total 18.79 miles.
Good luck to everyone with your 2013 challenges x

A walk and a run

Today for Janathon and moonjoggers I ran with the dog this morning and walked with him this afternoon. Previously on Janathon I have not logged my walking, but I need to cover an average of 5.5 miles a day to complete my 2013 miles so as an insurance I am logging walks too, as I am worried that I may not cover the whole distance by running.
2 days in and I hope everyone is doing well.
3 miles run
1.85 miles walked
Total 4.85 miles

First run of the year

Well Janathon has kicked off again. This year I am also taking part in Jantastic and Sids January Challenge. These all have similar themes. I am also attempting to run 2013 miles this year with Moonjoggers and 2013milesin2013. So I'm going to be busy as I train for Outlaw and Vitruvian. I have also set myself the challenge of running a marathon a month, be it a race or training run. Now I read it I'm worried that I have been over ambitious this year. All I can guarantee is that I will try my best.
Today I ran with hubby who is also training for Outlaw and Vitruvian. He is naturally faster than me so the whole muddy 8 miles were tough for me, but that's just good training. We ran through Studley deer park and the sun shone on us as we crossed the frosty, muddy seven bridges. It was fun and now we've earned the leg of lamb roast dinner that we have cooking.
Happy New Year to all of you.
Good luck to fellow challengers x
Total 8 miles run

Christmas run

Yesterday was Christmas Day, I awoke early as I do every day. My son who lives at home was out partying Christmas Eve, and would not be up for hours. My other son was not coming till lunch time. What to do? Lunch was prepped, I know, I'll go for a run. Hubby walked the dog and I went for a run through the quiet streets. It was a cool and not raining (for a change). There were very few lights on and as I ran around the town I saw only 5 people, all dog walkers. I wished them all merry Christmas, and all but one replied. It's ages since I have had a lone run. It felt quick, but was average. 5.7 miles in a 59 mins.
I have never run Christmas Day before, I really enjoyed it and recommend it.
Merry Christmas everybody.

Catch up

So what have I been up to? Loads as usual. Outlaw was amazing. I still havent blogged it as I gant really put it into words yet. I completed it in 15:15:24.  2 days later I completed the club championship 6 mile race (10 mins slower than usual but I ran it all).
The next week was spent helping to set up the NYPTri annual Black Sheep Olympic Tri which I competed in after leading tje swimmers into the water with my Olympic Torch. I then competed, shaving 6 mins off last year.
My proudest moment was when my husband competed the tri. His first in under 3 hrs.
We then recieved a phonecall informing us that we were to be grandparents.
I did Jarrogate 10 km and was in St Wifreds day parade with the drama group before going on holiday in the caravan.
We watched the Olympics whilst on holiday.
Also my body finally told me to stop. My back went whilst on holiday abd stopped me running for 4 days. But I walked miles instead.
In September I supported my hubby in his second Tri at Roundhay Park Leeds. What a great day. I was so proud. A week later I ran. The Great North run. I giggled when I saw I was on the front of the magazine and on the certificates and website. I didnt quite achieve sub 2 hrs. I was 12 seconds over. I ran the Round Ripon Ultra again at the beginning of October I had the honour to run the most of it with John @runr795. A wonderful man who supported me at Outlaw and supports me online.
At the end of October I set off with friends to Dublin for the marathon. It was hbby and Annettes first, Vicky and Andys second this year and my 7th, 3rd this year. We had a right laugh and we are all planning further matathons. 6 days later I did the Guy Fawkes 10. A hilly local 10 mile race and the next day I dressed in a toga to run the 5km Gun Powder plod in York.
2 weeks later (with an injured foot and knee from a fall) I did a LDWA event. The 23 mile Wensleydale Wedge. Iyt was freezing and muddy with stunning views.
A fortnight ago I wore a Christmas pudding hat for the Percy Pud 10 km race in freezing temperatures and finally. Today I ran the Loftus Poultry Run. 8 miles of mud lanes and hills. I did it as part.of a group. We were elves and a Christmas pudding. We stopped to regroup. We stopped to take pics and all finished laughing in 1 hr 26 mins.
We then drove over the moors to York to pick stuff up from Sweat shop. We were still dressed up which caused some funny looks. That was exactly it It was funny. The whole day.

Blog restart coming

It's been a busy year has 2012. I've let my blog slip. So this weekend I plan to update and restart this blog ....

invincible still

I did it, I ran 2 marathons a week a part and survived they are my fastest marathons to date with Greater Manchester on 29 April my PB 4:16:26, it was horrific wet cold weather and 4:32:07 for The Marathon of the North at Sunderland on 06/05/2012. On the back of these results I have entered the Black Sheep Triathlon which is 2 weeks after the Outlaw, and am considering Burton Leonard 10 km the day after that. We'll see. anyway for the race reports on the 2 marathons and pictures please see my training blog, Outlaw Calling  http://lenaconlin.blogspot.co.uk/

Invincibility test

Those of you who read this blog will know that I have a tendency to break the usual rules of running/training. Last Sunday I ran the Manchester marathon in a pb time of 4:16:26 Tomorrow I intend to run theMarathon of the North at Sunderland. You may think I have rested all week, no not me. I went to Ilkley on Tuesday evening to run the HDSRL league race. My intention was to trot along at tha back.
I started at the back but soon moved up the field and found myself running hard. I finished the 4.8 mile hilly course in 46 minutes. I sometimes amaze myself. Today I am marshalling at Harrogate Parkrun.
I dont know what will happen tomorrow but I will work hard regardless of the result.
You can follow my training on my other blog. Outlaw Calling

The Secret revealed

At 7:30 this morning (now) it will be the official launch of the Olympic Torch Relay.
My sister-inlaw Jontje nominated me on the Lloyds website
for my fundraising and work in the community. In December when the torchbearers were chosen there was some confusion. I recieved an email telling me I had been unsuccessful, but when I went on the site, my page said I had been successful. A conversation with Lloydds confirmed that I was unsuccessful.
In early January I was surprised to recieve a phonecall from Lloyds offering me a place. Obviously I accepted and then it was a mad rush to get the paperwork in intime. Lloyds could not say where I would be carrying the torch but that it wiuld be on 19 June in my community. Community being anywhere within 2 hours travel. 19 June is when the torch travels from Hull to York.
Due to the confusion in December, I have been apprehensive that it again was all a mistake and I didnt really have a place but then on Friday 16 March I recieved an email from the Olympic Relay team telling me they were delighted to confirm my place on the relay. They had tried to get me a place within 1 hours travel of my home addres and therefore my place in the relay will be on 19 June in Ripon. Yeah!!
So if you live nearby. Booke the day off work and come along.

time for a catch up and a secret

I now have 2 blogs, this one and one which is tracking my journey ,weekly, to completing an Ironman Distance Triathlon. For those of you who do not know, Ironman consists of a 2.4 mile swim, followed by a 112 mile cycle and rounded off to a nifty 104.6 mile challenge with a marathon and it has to be completed within 17 hours.
This is a massive training jump for me, OK, so I have run 5 marathons and an ultra in the last 2 years, but this is different. It is incredibly time consuming and difficult to fit around family and work commitments (particularly since they increased my hours) not to mention my out of work commitments, often leaving me feeling selfish and rushed.
The event I have chosen is Outlaw an iron distance Triathlon in Nottingham on July 1st 2012. I am nervously excited.

Mum update, Mum is now in Harrogate and much improved, but cannot swallow or walk yet,unfortunately it was a stroke that caused the brain haemorrhage and the consultant says that she may not make a full recovery, but she is trying hard.

As for the secret, I cant tell you that until 7:30 Monday morning.