Update: Fantastic Jantastic and my second half marathon

After a predictably sedentary Christmas, I knew it was time to get my arse into gear come January.

When I read about Jantastic, it seemed like the perfect way to motivate myself to ensure I kept at least three workouts in the diary every week. It's a really simple concept - set yourself a workout goal each month and then log what you've managed - but for someone like me who is the queen of excuses, it's been a great way to keep myself accountable.

I hit my goal for week one and I'm on track for a successful week two as well - we'll see how the rest of the month goes!

I've also been sorting some races out for the coming year. As I've said before, there's nothing like the gut-wrenching fear of knowing you've got to run in front of potentially thousands of people to get you training!

I'm really excited to have signed up for my second half marathon, the Vitality Run Hackney Half Marathon. It looks like a great race and I can't wait for May to arrive (although I guarantee you I won't be saying that in a few months) so I can get stuck in. A few friends of mine will hopefully also taking part and it will certainly be a little easier to reach than Liverpool! 

(credit)

Other race dates in the diary so far are the Cancer Research London Winter Run 10k and the British Heart Foundation Regent's Park 10k.

There's even been mention of possibly doing Survival of the Fittest later in the year...*gulp* 

So 2015 looks like it's shaping up pretty well. I've been having a little think about what I want my goals to be but that's a post for another day. For now, it's time to get back on 10k form!

Harris x

Did you run the Run Hackney half marathon last year? What races are you excited for this year?

My Race For Life (5k): 14th July, Hyde Park (Part Two)

I wish I had documented the day better, but I think I was too busy feeling nervous to really think about taking photos!

The morning of the 14th arrived, the hottest day of 2013 so far. This was not good. I always specifically made sure that I ran either early in the morning or later on in the evening because I found running in the heat so hard. And yet here I was at 11am, queuing up with all the other runners in Hyde Park.

Things suddenly got pretty damn real...

It was boiling and it was only going to get hotter.

I was actually a little glad that I had got just a little (a lot) lost on my way to Hyde Park and missed out on the warm-up - I definitely didn't need to get any warmer than I already was.

Before I knew it I was lining up with all the other women to start. I opted to join the 'joggers' rather than the 'runners' because I am chronically afraid of holding other people up and this was definitely the right choice.

Lining up to start the race

After a bit of a false start (it was a bit confusing how they got us all hyped up and then herded us off again to the actual start line), we finally started the race.

One of the most important things I've learnt about running so far is that distraction is a powerful tool. When your mind wanders off on a tangent, you often find that you've suddenly run a kilometre without even realising it. The Race For Life was great for that as I was so deeply engrossed in people-watching that I didn't even realise that I'd run past the first kilometre marker.

There were plenty of people just like me, plodding along on their own with their earphones in. But there were also whole groups of people, some in training for bigger runs, families, classmates and sports teams. Sometimes I paused my music to briefly catch a snatch of conversation, whether it was encouragement ("Apparently Mum's made pavlova, just think of that!"), complaints ("My ***ing legs feel like they're going to ***ing fall off") or just general chit chat.

Even more engrossing were the 'I'm running for...' signs people wore on their backs. I'd completely forgotten mine, but it was fascinating and kind of moving to read them as I ran past or was overtaken by others. Many simply read things like 'My mum', 'Jess' or 'a cure'. But there were a few that really caught my attention. One woman's read "because my children have already lost their father". Another's had a whole list of family members. And one little girl, who couldn't have been older than about 10 and jogging with her mum, had a sign saying "because I miss my dad".

Now I'm not an emotional person. In fact I think I've cried about twice in the past year. But those signs were one of the saddest things I've ever seen. Well, sad, but also in a way sort of uplifting. Without going all mushy-gushy on you, just after the 4k mile I had a little moment of realisation. I was here running alongside thousands of other women, all doing the same thing because we really bloody hate cancer and what it's done to our families, friends and people we don't even know. Whether these ladies were walking, running or flat-out sprinting (yeah in my dreams), we were all here to join the fight against cancer. 

That feeling of being in a team like that is something pretty bloody amazing, something you don't really get to feel every day.

Beginning of the race

And what made it even more amazing were the supporters. Now I assumed that people simply came along to support their own friends and family. But just over halfway, the heat was really starting to get to me and I was wishing I hadn't dumped my water bottle by the start (future tip: DON'T DO THAT). I was starting to doubt myself and the little niggly voice in my head started to tell me that I'd never actually run 5k before, I was kidding myself that I could actually do it and to be honest I might as well start walking now.

But that's when I ran past three guys who I reckoned to be about forty-something. Now after several occasions where people have beeped their horns, passed smart-arse comments or wolf-whistled as I've run past (seriously HAVE YOU SEEN HOW RED MY FACE IS?) I've perfected my staring-straight-ahead. But these guys were shouting at almost every woman that ran past them. And it wasn't until I too ran past that I heard what they said: "You're amazing!"

I couldn't believe it. As I continued to run I could hear them encouraging those behind me: "Go on, you're over half way now!" "Well done, keep going!" "You're awesome, keep it up!"

More than once this happened, coming across pockets of people, mainly men and children, shouting encouraging words. Then of course there were the people with the foam hands who insisted on giving you high-fives as you ran past.

As someone who always runs solo, this was a whole new experience. But it gave me SUCH a boost.

Before I knew it, the 4k mark was heralded by the above-mentioned foam-handed people. Despite the insane heat I still felt okay - I wasn't going fast by anyone's standards, but I wasn't walking and that was my goal.

The crowd thinned down as the heat started to take its toll  - these trees were one of the few shady parts of the course!

I didn't start to feel really knackered until the very final 500m. There was something about knowing I was so close to the finish that made me start to feel tireder and tireder. The last bit really was a battle, with the almost midday sun beating down, but finally (and about bloody time) the finish line appeared.

I remember a friend who ran the London Marathon (yeah dream on) telling me that you have to do a sprint finish for every race. Now I don't know how you feel after 26.2 miles, but I imagine it's a whole lot worse than after 3.1. So with her words ringing in my ears, I absolutely pelted the last 50m. Everyone around me probably thought I'd lost the plot, but you know what? It felt bloody good.

Finishers were herded through a gap in the fence to collect their medals, a bottle of water and a brioche bun (personally my favourite part of the whole day) and I promptly collapsed under a tree.

I had been worried that doing the Race For Life on my own would be a kind of lonely and I would feel like a bit of a Billy-No-Mates. But even though I didn't chat to the other runners or have anyone there at the finish line to cheer me on, I really did feel like part of a team.

I realise that for many people, 5k is no distance at all. When I mentioned that I was doing the 5k Race For Life, several people promptly told me "Oh that's easy, you'll have no problem, 5k is nothing". But for me this was a really big deal. I was so proud to cross that finish line after running all the way and I think I always will be. I made to so much progress to get to that day.

But I hope that there is more progress to come.

I've kept up my running since the Race For Life, adding either distance or more intensity to my run. I'm not really sure what the best way to go about it is, but I'm determined to continue to improve.

Next stop, 10k.....?

Harris x

My Race For Life (5k): 14th July, Hyde Park (Part One)

Signing up for the Race For Life was my first big challenge. I'm a very goal-motivated person - if I can't see a point then I don't want to do it. While it was nice to see myself making progress with the C25K plan, I certainly wasn't dedicated.

I wasn't aiming for a particular goal or trying specifically to lose weight, so on days when I though "ahh I can't really be bothered with this", I just stayed there on my bed watching Gossip Girl.

I found all sorts of excuses not to put my trainers on and just get on with it: I just ate, I'm too hungry, it's starting to get dark, it's too cold, it's too hot, I have work to do (yeah like I ever actually did any), on and on it went.

So finally in a moment of madness I signed up to the Race For Life. Well, more specifically in a moment of trying to avoid my Business Journalism assignment. But whatever.

I had always thought it sounded like a great thing to do, but up until this point I firmly believed that races were for runners. You know, those people up pounding the pavements at the crack of dawn with their neon lycra on (yes I have since bought some neon lycra and yes I am thoroughly ashamed). My interest was particularly piqued when I saw the newest Race For Life advert on TV.

But it was only when a family member got diagnosed with cancer that I decided to put my money where my mouth was and sign up.

It had exactly the effect I needed. I stopped making quite so many excuses. Drizzle was no longer a legitimate reason to skip a run. I wanted to run that race and I wanted to do it properly.

Once this arrived, I knew I had to go through with it

I followed the C25K plan and made it all the way to my 'graduation run', a half hour non-stop. Although initially very pleased (this was real progress for a girl who thought she was going to die after 10 minutes light jogging), I soon realised that I wasn't even hitting 4k in this time. 

I knew I needed to train harder, but with my final MA exams looming, there simply wasn't the time left.

I was going to have to chance it on the day.

Check out Part Two to find out what happened to me when 14th July rolled around and I found myself in Hyde Park on the hottest day of the year so far...

Harris x