2019 – A year of challenges ahead

Apologies for the lack of blogging last year – that is all set to change this year.

Regular readers of my blog will know that I only tend to blog when my running is going badly or when I am not enjoying it as much, in some last ditch attempt to make things seem more positive. In all truth my running couldn’t have gone any better last year. As a bit of an update – I had some health issues in 2017, following my first marathon in May that year, and I had managed to get on top of all this by the beginning of 2018 meaning that my running just went from strength to strength. I entered 8 major races last year, varying from 10k to half marathon, and managed personal bests in 5 of them. In addition to this I not only cracked that somewhat mythical sub 25 minute parkrun time but went on to smash through the 24 minute barrier to finish the year with a 5k PB of 23:39. But it is not all about the numbers. Clearly I am over the moon that I am noticing improvements but I have also regained my running mojo and I am enjoying running once again.

Now time for a rare glimpse into my non-running life. Those of you who know me in ‘real’ life will know that 2018 was not all butterflies and rainbows. I have gone through some major personal life changes which I won’t go into as they are not particularly relevant to this post. Only to say that running is now more important to me than ever. It is the shining light on my darkest days, a reason for me to get out of the door and a vehicle for me to make friends and meet new people.

What will 2019 bring? There is no better time than right now for me to take on some massive challenges. This year I have decided to take on not one, but two marathons and the small matter of two ultra-marathons. They are as follows:

April – Magna Carta Marathon
June – Weald 50k
September – New Forest Marathon
October – Stort 30 miler

These challenges may seem a bit extreme given that I have only ever run one marathon and that was 18 months ago. But this is definitely what I need. It is these challenges that will keep me focused and really drive me forward this year.

I am incredibly grateful to have the love and support of my wonderful partner Paul, who many of you know as being an awesome ultra-runner himself. He’s a brilliant source of advice and has always believed in my abilities even when I haven’t believed in them myself. Paul will be there running beside me for the final 3 races but the first marathon I have to do all on my own because he’s running a 50 miler the weekend before.

Given that my first marathon of the year is only 14 weeks away I certainly have my work cut out for me. I am entering training for this first race with a positive attitude and some decent race experiences behind me. Anyway, I can’t wait to share this training journey with you all. The highs, the lows…and the cries for help. Let’s just hope I can get through this year without injury, minimal drama, and a massive smile on my face (mostly!).

Thanks for reading…i’ll be back with an update real soon.

SJ

x

Running free: running happy

Despite the grimace on my face in the picture above (cut me some slack – I was running uphill!) I have never felt in a happier place with my running.

2018 is my marathon-less year and I have been wondering how I would cope this year without the structure that my marathon training plan brought to my running last year. I’m nearly two months into 2018 and I have to say actually I am coping pretty well indeed.

The year started with a bang. With two parkruns and a run between them on New Year’s Day, meaning that I covered 12 miles on that very first day of the year. The first of those parkruns saw me cross the line with a course PB which I was more than happy with considering I was chatting with my friends the whole way round, attempting to take it easy in preparation for the remaining 9 miles of the day. This wonderfully positive day was followed 3 weeks later by the Canterbury 10 Mile Road Race in which I flew round in 1:23:23, more than 6 minutes faster than the previous year’s time and 3 minutes faster than my 10 mile PB from 2016. Then last weekend I ran my final long distance race of the Winter, the Deal Half Marathon. Another PB bagged and faith in my running ability sufficiently restored.

Now that the Deal Half is done I have deliberately chosen not to plan in a load of races for the remainder of the year. It all got a bit much last year. I trained for one race, then the next. Never really recovering properly and never giving myself time to reflect on my performance, good or bad. Deal was an incredible experience, despite it being a tough, hilly course which was made only tougher with more than significant head winds throughout. It showed me that I am capable of so much more than I allow myself to believe. It also reinforced the idea that I get carried away on race day. I am never able to achieve that pace outside of race conditions. I still can’t fathom how I managed it, even a week later.

There are lots of reasons why I am still running loads during a normal week despite not having any races booked in. I wrote a post a little while back Why Do I Run? which explains many more reasons why running is so important to me. I like to stay healthy, I still want to lose a bit of weight and ultimately it is a brilliant leveller in terms of my mental health.

I fully intend on racing over the Spring/Summer as traditionally I tend to run better when the sun is shining but I will book in some local 10ks nearer the time. This is my new, relaxed approach to training and racing. Running for the sheer enjoyment of running rather than having to got for a run because the plan says I must. I don’t want to get all stressed out about PBs, pacing, fuelling strategy, bla bla bla. I will book a half marathon for around the Autumn time too as it will give me a reason to continue going out for my long runs over the summer months, but I will worry about that nearer the time.

I have enjoyed running so much more this year because of the lack of structure. And I don’t know if it is a coincidence or because I am fully fit now but I have noticed real improvements in my running in terms of both speed and endurance. Sure I still have the odd ‘bad run’ but these are few and far between. Ultimately I am so much happier just doing my own thing, it is like a massive weight has been lifted from my shoulders knowing that I am running because I want to not because I have to. And actually if I wake up on a Sunday morning and decide I would rather stay in my pjs and eat pancakes with my kids, that is absolutely fine! My running will never be entirely without structure and this is with a massive thank you to my incredible running club, the Canterbury Harriers, who I train with on Tuesday (speed work) and Thursday (longer runs). The Harriers have experienced coaches who are always able to offer the best advice and steer me in the right direction when needed but it is great to run with a fantastic, supportive group of like-minded people.

I am using this year to try out some new things with my training too. I have already started doing some more strength and conditioning work in the gym, something that I would have previously been too scared to do in case it impacted on my training plans for the week. I want to go out and run more trails, knowing that the runs may be shorter and slower but that is absolutely fine too because my aim is to enjoy it and there is nothing more enjoyable that being able to run and explore at the same time. Mileage isn’t the be all and end all. I am also going to use this race-less time to focus on chipping away at my home parkrun time. You never know 2018 may even be the year I break through that mythical sub 25.

Thank you to everyone for your continued support. Keep smiling!

Sammy-Jo
x

Reflecting on 2017 – a shed ton of miles!

Wow! What a crazy year of running 2017 was for me. My husband bought me the Strava print (in the featured image above) as a Christmas present and it allowed me to reflect upon all the running and mileage I have completed in 2017. I have also been keeping a running diary for the whole of 2017 which has allowed to track all of my runs – 1300 miles and countless races, including my first marathon. Regular readers of my blog will know the ups and downs I have faced this year which only makes my achievements feel so much more significant to me. 2017 is definitely going to take some beating!

I am happy to report that I finished 2017 on a major high by running a parkrun PB, something I have been chasing for a while as I hadn’t had a PB on that course since February 2016, further proof that I am finally getting back to full strength after the various ‘health hurdles’ I have faced since my marathon in May.

It would be impossible to go through everything that has happened this year but here is a little recap of 2017:

January:
– The start of my marathon training, brimming with positivity.
– My first race of the year -the Canterbury 10 miler (can’t beat a race in your home town). Freezing cold conditions and a challenging hilly course but I still managed to bag a sub 90 minute time.

February:
– Deal half marathon – surprised everyone with a 1:58 – taking over 12 minutes off my previous time – clearly marathon training was paying dividends.
– Ran my first ever sub 26 minute 5k, on a flat parkrun course but it did wonders for my confidence.

March:
– Dramatically ramped up my marathon training mileage – averaging 40 miles a week over 5 days of training. I was absolutely exhausted and the marathon doubts started to creep in but I completed some long solo runs.

April:
– More training woes including an abandoned LSR. But helped through by some incredibly supportive friends.
– Started listening to podcasts rather than music for my long runs and this proved to be much more successful in taking my mind off the boredom/pain.
– Gave up alcohol in preparation for the marathon (this is more than a big deal for me!)

May:
– BEWL WATER MARATHON completed. Absolutely amazing experience. Helped round by my awesome mate Paul. Spent the remainder of May experiencing a true ‘runners high’ and the odd slightly lost feeling but I was assured this was perfectly normal.
– Start of the inter-club summer relays – discovered that my legs were no longer able to run fast or short distances. Fantastic.

June:
– Charing 10k – significantly slower than the previous year (blamed the marathon) but still enjoyable.
– More feeling like I was lost without a rigid training plan to follow.
– Paced the hubby around his first 10k race – made it over the line sub 60 minutes – very proud wifey.
– Further summer relays – started to enjoy them more. See slight smile in photo below (but it could easily be a grimace).
– Did a 14 day run streak in an attempt to get my running mojo back – didn’t work, wish I hadn’t bothered. Blamed the marathon again.

July:
– Increasing whininess that my legs won’t move fast despite completing a marathon 6 weeks ago.
– Lost the mum’s race at the school sports day – that was a particularly low moment in 2017.
– Thunder Run – 24 hour relay race – 4 laps of 6 miles over a very technical course on quite possibly the worst weather weekend of the year. My first camping experience too! A brilliant but challenging weekend spent with friends, creating memories I will never forget.

August:
– Aylesham 10k, a hilly local race. Beat my 2015 time but it still wasn’t a particularly fast 10k.
– Canterbury half marathon – possibly the worst race experience of my life. I walked huge parts of the course and achieved a personal worst HM time.
– By now I had come around to the idea that I will be slow forever.

September:
– Reached the 1000 mile mark – contemplated giving up running forever.
– Decided not to be stupid and to persevere with this running lark. However while out on a long run I was so tired and my legs felt so heavy that I took a bad fall. Started to question why I was still bothering with something I was so rubbish at.
– Received some game-changing advice from my running club buddies.

October:
– Bit the bullet and went to the doctor. After a few blood tests I was diagnosed with anaemia and given a strong dose of iron tablets for 2 months. Totally relieved that there was a reason for my terrible running.
– Royal Parks Half Marathon – incredible race with approximately 16,000 runners around some wonderful sights in London. Really enjoyed myself.
– Completed my 100th parkrun – a real running highlight.
– Picked up a niggling little foot injury. Annoyed that I had to take a couple of weeks away from running but it gave me time to work on my core strength and reflect on my training.

November:
– Enjoyed some social runs in the woods. No time pressures, just a run and chat. Perfect.
– My running mojo was slowly returning.
– Completed the 666 trail race – a very technical run (the clue is in the title). Absolutely loved it, didn’t stop smiling the whole way round.
– Bought speedy* new Asics trainers. *N.B. there is no guarantee that the shoes make me faster but they certainly look pretty.

December:
– Running gradually getting easier and faster. As a result I was feeling infinitely happier.
– Finally achieved a parkrun PB – the perfect end to an awesome year of running.

2018 onwards:
Many people are surprised when I say that I will not be running another marathon this year but I’m just not cut out for another Spring season of marathon training. So this year I am going to focus on my parkruns and 10k races with the odd half marathon thrown in for good measure. But ultimately I just want to get back to enjoying running and being healthy. 2018 is the year for being kind to myself and not taking things too seriously.

BRING IT ON.

When your running mojo runs away

The featured photo in this post is a photo taken of me during a recent half marathon in my home city…walking.  It was a horrible race for a whole host of reasons that I haven’t even got the energy to talk about but I had to walk an awful lot of those 13.1 miles. I seem to be doing a lot of that walking stuff lately. The truth of the matter is I’m really not that fast anymore. Not that I have ever been particularly speedy but things have taken a terrible turn for the worst and I can pinpoint exactly when this downturn of events started happening – around the time I ran a marathon.

When I first started writing this blog around a year ago my stated aim was to get faster. Not by much but faster all the same. I would love a sub 25 minute time at my local (hilly) parkrun and at some point in the not too distant future I would love to run a sub 4 hour marathon. That’s the dream right? I figured that embarking on a marathon journey could only lead me on an upward trajectory to better running. WRONG. Oh so wrong. My parkrun times are right back to where they were when I started parkrunning over 3 years ago and a sub 27 minute feels like a distant memory let alone sub 25. I fear that throughout marathon training where I ran week upon week of 30+ long slow miles, getting in the groove and just getting the miles done has ruined me. It is like my fast twitch muscles have forgotten how to work and my slow twitch muscles have taken hold for good. I have said before that I am lucky to be surrounded by some absolutely incredible runners who have also completed marathons this year but have come out the other side and their running has come on, quite literally in leaps in and bounds.  My marathon was way back in May, what on earth is wrong with me? When is my time going to come? But if there is one thing I have learnt from running, it is that however hard this may be, you can’t compare yourself to others, everyone is different. And it is really hard. Especially when I am putting in so much time and effort into my training but not getting anything back.

Well it doesn’t take Einstein to work out the effect this has had on my attitude to running and my running ‘mojo’. There were times during marathon training that I felt down but this is something else entirely. I recently went out for my normal 10 mile run on a Sunday. I’m a marathon runner so 10 miles should be a walk (or run!) in the park. But no. It felt unbelievably hard. It was like each of my knee caps weighed 5 stone and it was as much as I could do just to lift my feet up. I had to keep stopping and it was a real effort from start to finish. When I got home I didn’t even get the ‘well at least I managed it’ feeling. I actually felt remorse for doing it in the first place. I vowed never to run again. Of course I ran again 2 days later but that’s not the point. The struggle I was feeling and lack of ease that I had previously felt when running had really got to me.

I spoke to one of my friends (also a runner) recently about the issues I have been having with speed and how I was so much faster before my marathon. He replied “yes but you can run so much further now”. And do you know what? He’s right! I can run further so I just need to find a way of letting my legs know that when I go out on a shorter run I can afford to run a but faster. It also made me feel a bit better realising that I may have been able to run faster over a 5k distance a year ago but I wasn’t running the weekly mileage I am now. In 2017 I have run over 1100 miles so far. That’s a huge amount of mileage to be carrying around in your legs and an achievement that I should keep in mind when I am being so harsh on myself.

Another friend (again also a runner) when talking to me about my running woes made a very good point. I am so incredibly lucky to be surrounded by some awesome runners who regularly compete in marathons, ultra-marathons, 100 milers etc. and sometimes this leads us to forget that the distances us ‘normal runners’ do are still HUGE. There were times when I couldn’t run a mile without stopping and now I regularly run at least 4 days a week and clock up around 25 miles in that time. We just need a slap in the face every now and again to remind ourselves of how far we’ve come.

So what am I going to do about this little blip? Firstly I am confident that that is all it is, a little blip. Ultimately I love running, of course I do. But that doesn’t mean you always have to like it. I have got the Royal Parks Half marathon in London this weekend – a race I have been looking forward to all year so my plan is to try my best and make the most of the scenery and amazing crowds. Moving forward with my running I have booked a routine check up with my doctor (under duress from my ever supportive husband) just to rule out any other reasons for my general feelings of fatigue. In terms of my training I think it is time to shake things up and concentrate on getting some of that speed back. I have enlisted the help of a friend (guess what – a runner!) who is actually a brilliant runner and a real inspiration and he really knows his stuff or in his words “knows just enough to be dangerous”. We’re going to sit down and write a training plan together. I am hoping adding some structure to my training will be just what I need and having a plan written by someone else might help with my discipline.
The next few months are definitely going to take me on a journey and hopefully lead me to new levels in terms of my fitness and ability. I am certain that there will be plenty of ups and downs along the way, just like my favourite type of trail run. But am I ready for the challenge? You bet I am!

Why Do I Run?

I am often asked ‘Why do you run?’ or ‘What is it you love about running so much?’. In all honesty I’ve never really given the answers to the these questions much thought…until now that is. So here it is – the complete list of why exactly I run and don’t ever see myself wanting to stop.

1. Habit
   Someone once told me that fitness isn’t about short-term changes, it is about a complete change of lifestyle. Running is more than a hobby to me – it is a way of life. The more you run, the more you want to run. At the start of every week I don’t just plan what I am going to eat, what activities I am going to do with my children or what chores I need to do, I also plan in when I am going to fit in my runs. This is going to become even more prominent when I start marathon training after Christmas. This habit has become so profound that I get grouchy when I haven’t been able to run because parts of life have got in the way. I am sure there is a proper word for this so please do let me know if you work out what it is.
2. Balance
   I know it’s a cliché but I like to eat…a lot. Now I’m not saying that I run so that I can afford to eat more, that would be a really unhealthy way of looking at a healthy habit. But I would eat loads even if I didn’t run so much so at least this way I can indulge without feeling guilty. Let’s be honest, we all have enough to feel guilty about without treating ourselves to something naughty every now and again. There is something oddly satisfying about getting to the end of a long run and seeing that you’ve burned 1400 calories knowing full well that you’ve already got a massive roast dinner and pudding lined up for later.
3. Quality time with me, myself and I
   I’ve got a busy life, young children and job etc. Running gives me the opportunity to get away from it all and just spend some time by myself, getting my thoughts in order. Sometimes it is even nice just to put one foot in front of the other for an hour or so and not have any thoughts at all. Before I started running I honestly thought that taking up exercise just to have some time away from life was pretty extreme but now I’m here and never looking back.
4. Setting an example
   My husband has taken up running in the last couple of years too and whilst I’m not sure that he shares the same level of passion for the activity as I do it is clear that our children have felt inspired on some level. They have been in the crowd at every single race I have taken part in, watching from the side lines, taking it all in and never once complained about having to stand around for sometimes quite long periods of time. They occasionally run with us at parkrun on Saturday mornings and when they are not running they are marshalling or helping out in some other capacity. Running is as much a part of their lives as it is of ours. Long may it continue.
5. Friendship
   In my last blog post I talked about my love of parkrun and the friendships I’ve made through our Saturday morning meet ups. I don’t just talk about running to my friends but it certainly takes up a large part of our conversations. As I’ve mentioned before I’ve recently joined my local running club. I’ve made some new friends there too and again these are friendships that I never would have made if it wasn’t for our mutual love of running. It is good to know that I have a ready made bank of running advice for me to draw from whenever I am feeling uncertain of something. These friends are there to pick me up when I’ve had a bad training session or give me a pat on the back when I’ve nailed it.
6. Therapy
   If you are having a bad day – go for a run, it will clear the black clouds and allow you to think more clearly. You are only one run away from a better mood. If I’m a bit scratchy my husband will often suggest that I go for a run. No further hints required!  But equally if you are having a good day – go for a run just to celebrate life and how awesome you are.
7. Achievement
   There is nothing better than setting goals then going out and smashing them. I have gone from 5k to 10k to 10 miles to a half marathon and then moving on to a marathon (and beyond!) next year. Life is about doing what you never realised was possible. It is about continuing to move forward even when that little voice in your head is telling you to stop (and has been telling you to stop from about 100m in). Pushing through when all you can feel is pain…everywhere. It is that feeling when you cross the finish line and see your little family waiting to congratulate you at the end of a tough race or getting to the end of your long run knowing that you have added on that little loop that you didn’t think you would manage.
8. Because I can
   I have a free time and I am healthy. Therefore I can run. I may not be fast and I may not go far but all the while I can run I bloody well will.

 

#loveparkrun

In my earlier blog posts I promised that I would get around to talking about my love of parkrun. So here it is. My name is Sammy-Jo and I am head over heels in love with parkrun. This free, weekly, timed 5k event has changed my life and I’m going to try and put into words why I love it so much.

Firstly, for those of you who don’t know what parkrun is you might want to go and check out their webpages at www.parkrun.com but also where have been for the last few years?! In short, every Saturday morning at 9am, groups of runners across the world meet at their local parks and walk, run or jog 5k. You need to register with parkrun first (see their webpages) and print off a barcode so that at the end of the run you can have your finish token scanned along with your barcode and your finish time will appear on the website as if by magic.

It is probably best if I take you back to where it all started, a little over 2 years ago. I had heard about parkrun maybe a year or so before that. I have always been into fitness and have run in the past but never really taken it seriously. Someone in my office told me about a parkrun in a nearby town and tried to persuade me to go along. I got as far as registering myself but never had the guts to turn up. Something about runners in numbers made me feel quite nervous and I hadn’t run 5k in a good few years. Then a little while after that I got an email at work with the news that a new parkrun was starting not only in my city but actually situated at the university campus where I worked, now I had no excuse. I printed off my barcode in earnest.

So on April 12th 2014 I made my way to my first Canterbury parkrun and made it round the course in 29 minutes 18 seconds. I had no idea what to expect in terms of my ability so to finish in less than 30 minutes was pretty amazing but it was really hard work. I can’t say that my love of parkrun was instant. It definitely grew on me over time. I went through a good few months of waking up on Saturday mornings full of dread and even convinced myself that I hated running at one point. But I persevered and I am so pleased that I did.

Over time I have seen my running improve. It is not for everyone but the timed element of parkrun really motivates me. I am not competitive in the most common sense of the word. I don’t want to beat anyone except myself. Someone once told me that the only person you need to be better than is the person you were yesterday – but in this case I just need to be better than the person I was the Saturday before. There is nothing more certain of putting me in a good mood than getting a new parkrun personal best.

Parkrun has definitely made me more focussed on running. There is something about running amongst runners of varying abilities that makes you feel so inspired. From the super speedy sprinters at the front that look as cool as a cucumber crossing the finish line in 18 minutes to the runners at the back of the field with the tail runner who give it their all for every single minute of their 45 minute run. It is absolutely incredible. And lets not forget the awesome volunteers who give up their valuable time on a Saturday morning to marshal, hand out finish tokens, man the timers or scan barcodes. It has motivated me to set training goals and look at longer distance races. Many other runners use parkrun as a stepping stone to other events. There have even been times where the only reason I have been running during the week is so that I don’t find parkrun so hard on a Saturday. Those days are long gone now and now I will occasionally use parkrun as part of a longer run or to try and improve my 5k time. My current parkrun PB is 26:00 and I’ve set myself a crazy target of going sub 25 by the end of the year – as I’ve said before It Means More When You Write it Down. I will get there, I just need to believe in myself!

I can’t even tell you the exact moment that I fell in love with parkrun, it just sort of happened. As time went on I got talking to other runners and would occasionally volunteer at the event. Then my husband started coming along to support me and then he became involved in the volunteer team too. He is often seen marshalling on the course with our two children (sometimes other runner’s children too – we call this the parkrun crèche). We would stick around after the run and have coffee and a natter with these other runners and volunteers. Then before we even realised it had happened these runners and volunteers, these people that we wouldn’t have met if it wasn’t for parkrun, became our friends. At the risk of sounding gushy these are the people that have changed my life. There are times when I’ve had a bad run or I’ve been injured and these friends that would otherwise have been strangers have been there to pick me up. I would be completely lost without them.

So in short – if parkrun is something you have been considering please do give it a go. You won’t regret it!