Sunday 1 September 2013

10 Miles...

Wahhooo! I've finally managed 10 miles of running in one session and apart from falling over in spectacular style (surprised it didn't happen sooner) I feel pretty good for it!  I now know that the 13.1 mile half marathon is well within my reach.  Not bad for someone who was struggling to run a single mile just a few months ago, even if I do say so myself ;) 

As you know, last week I got myself a bike so I can get a bit of cross training in. Went for a 12 mile ride yesterday morning which was 6 miles uphill and 6 miles downhill on the way back so not too taxing but good to get out and stretch my legs.  

Because I have been doing all my biking through the local country roads I thought I'd swap my long run route from the long, straight main road through town out to the country lanes instead. This is a good idea in theory as there are more hills and it gives me a better challenge in training as I know that the route for the half marathon I'm doing is pretty flat except for two short, but steep hills. 

All was going well, I hated the first two miles ( as I always do on a long run) but soon got into a nice pace and kept going along the floor of the valley for a just over 3 miles until I attempted my first hill.  That wasn't too bad but slowed me down a bit and I caved in about 20 yards from the top but I felt as I was only 4 miles in at this point I needed to conserve energy.  Once I was at the top though it was all a bit easier going and I carried on with a decent 12:30 training pace until I decided to take a 'short cut' through a recently harvested field.   This was going surprisingly well until I lost the amongst a sea of sharp, unforgiving stalks of freshly cut oil seed rape plants that started tearing my legs to shreds (this was to be the least of my worries further down the road!) so I ended up walking most of this part and wasting a bit of time.  

I finally found the road again and headed off back down in to the valley and was on the home straight.  I had upped my pace to 11:30 and all was going well until I got to 8 miles, distracted by some bunnies in the field next to me I managed to catch my right toe on what was probably a bit of tarmac sitting 1mm above the road and over I went.  Now, most normal people when they fall over put their arms out to break their fall, graze their hands and land on their knees.  I always try that, but as usual ended up with one hand pushing my whole body over so I skidded along the asphalt on my left shoulder and the left side of my face.  It was a bit of a shock but I soon realised that I was lying face down in the middle of a dark tunnel of trees on a country lane so I had to get up pretty quickly!  I stood up and other than a bit of stinging and a few blue birds and stars flying round my head I carried on walking and rang the bloke to let him know that I was walking wounded and if I didn't return to come looking for my body.  My first though was for him to pick me up but part of me didn't want to quit with only 2 miles to go and thankfully the determined part of me took over and I soon started running again and made the two miles home.  It felt damn good to have completed the 10 miles and I know that if I had given up I would have been very fed up as well as horrendously sore for the rest of the day and that just won't do!!

Now that I have completed 10 miles it is probably appropriate for me to start pushing the fundraising for the half marathon, which I am doing for Kent Association for the Blind. More details here:
http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-web/fundraiser/showFundraiserProfilePage.action?userUrl=CarolineGower1  

I understand that things are tight for everyone right now, but anything you can give would be greatly appreciated towards what I feel is a very worthy cause.


Luckily next week I am mostly off work on annual leave and the training is quite light as i've not got another major long run until 2 weeks today which will be 12 miles but i'll try to stay vertical for that one!

It must be time for some pain inspired motivation from Jillian Michaels....




No comments:

Post a Comment