Hello, hello, hello people!
I'm not on drugs. I'm just still on my runners high!
So I'm going to be honest. I had only run consistently for about 3 weeks leading up to this event and no further than 4 miles. But I was feeling relatively confident. I knew the course, I'd ran the half marathon and the 10k before. 6.2 miles isn't going to be that bad is it, surely?!
Wednesday, 2 weeks ago I decided to go hardcore in my training and do a relatively hard 4 mile run to the gym, as well as do some leg and abs strength for a hour... and then decided to run 1 mile intervals back home. I awoke in the next morning in excruciating pain. Like of course you get your usual DOMS after half marathons, pain going up the stairs etc... But I mean I've never experienced pain like it! In my quadriceps! It seemed I was locking my knees out with every step due to the fact that the slightest bend on the knee nearly brought me TO my knees in tears! My own fault. I put it down to over training and not stretching adequately.
It took me a whole 4 days to recover, to the point where I was thinking I'd tore the muscle in my right quad. I hoped that the Saturday at work would make it get warm and take the ease off (which it usually does) but it was to no avail. SHIT! The next week saw me revising for my end of semester exams on Thursday and Friday. Which is a very big deal. As usual, I left revison to the last minute and was too busy attempting to retain as much information as possible about People Politics in Britain and 20th century World Wars and Cold War to care about running. I most definitely noticed the difference. I was moody, extremely snappy and depressed. Maybe I should have just fitted 2 milers in for my mental health- I dunno!
I worked a very generous 12-6pm shift on Saturday having worked the Tuesday and had done decking for a Sunday off. My shift went quick and I was overly excited upon heading home.
I'd had a spending spree and decided to get over my Texas thigh insecurities and brought some Nike Tempo Shorts and was treated by my momma because she'd seen how bad and upset I was after my exams. With that, I brought New Balance shorts in a plum colour. I used the rest of my Saturday night, with my newly personalised running vest deliver on Saturday morning spending ages deciding on a race day outfit. (I don't usually do this). I was looking at the shorts, not fully satisfied, thinking i'd lured myself into a false sense of security of believing I'd actually look half decent in a pair of running shorts. Who am I kidding? I'm not one of these ectomorph built athletes!! But i said to myself. I'll go with the shorts, insecurities aside- F it! and put my compression shorts on underneath with my compression socks.
Hello race day, after not sleeping very well due to excitement I awoke extremely fresh an hour and half before pick up! Toast down me, tablets taken and dressed (in my shorts!). Away we go!
We arrived in Brum, Jennes Road for about 10ish. White wave wasn't assembling till 11:06. My Bestest supporters, craving heat on a unusually chilly May 1st huddled into Subway, stole 4 seats and sipped coffee delightfully waiting for the elites/club runner to be set off at 11! The time flew by and before I knew it, I was making my way up the narrower right side to gain access into the starting stretch. I seen my fellow secondary school tutor/ history teacher assembling on the other side of orange wave and wished her luck for the miles ahead. With the stretch beyond the metal enclosures too packed to even bother hurdling over them, I found a spot. Stripped off my hoody, necked a SIS gel and finally gained access into the strating paddock! Weeee heeee with a very congested start I was off!
My pace was increasingly kind to me in the first mile! After getting lost in the atomsophere, I looked at my watch and had clocked in my fastest mile to date - 8:36! Yeah, that's amazing I thought. But too fast. I dreaded the horror of that March day in Silverstone happening again! I didn't want a burn out! Especially not with the last 2 miles of the course being the beasty hill! So I continued on, trying to establish a relatively stable 9:45 min mile. Apparently I did quite well, as mile 2 was a staggering 9:29. After the tedious Pershore road we hit Edgebaston cricket ground. Correct me if I'm mistaken. I don't recall going through the actual ground last year. I thought we had to go round the perimeter. But either way that was strange running through a stadium. My 5km time was an amazing 28:39- again another best. From that point, I knew I'd been on target for my aspirational 1:04:?? Finish. The run back up Pershore was intense. My legs were starting to feel the impact of my cocky big headed starting pace. I thought that's it. I've f-ed it. I'm burnt out. But I continued going down and under the bridge heading towards St James Road. When we turned left I knew, I knew it was that time of the day! The hill will defeat me completely or I will strive onwards and upwards (quite literally!). It just so happened that I felt like I was dying. But I preserved with a feeble striding. Refusing to walk. Pin pointing when I stopped once that whole year ago. No... You will not stop me. I recall singing Queen in my head "Don't Stop Me Now Cause I'm Having a Good... Run?!". I know right thoughts of a boarder line runner hey!
The last incline up towards Broad Street. My legs were going, I could tell I was struggled when I looked after at my 5th mile, that clocked in at around 10:30 min mile- my worst mile of the day! Upon the last little bit, I'd strangely caught up with my old tutor, gave her the spaziest wave ever and a "COME ON MISS!" Motivational shout which effected me positively. Just hope it had the same effect on her too. Haha. Well, it brung a spring back into my step anyways. As well as knowing i was so very near to that finish for the 3rd time in the space of a year!
The road going under the, I want to say bipbass on Broad Street was amazing. After all the incline us runners had been subjected too. The last up and onto the final stretch seen me looking at my watch. I was 200 meters from the finish on about 58/59ish minutes. No, had something happened. No way had I been that fast! Safe to say those last 200 meters of me upping my pace made my lungs feel incapacitated and left my legs feeling like sand bags. My snailtastic sprint fired up and took me over the finish line. Not thinking to even look at my TomTom. I progressed to grab my bling and finishers bag. I'd obviously clocked my dad et al on the left hand side shouting words of encouragement 200 meter before. So I knew I had a bit of waiting time until we were reunited. As a result I looked at my watch... I can't believe to tell you how utterly proud I was at that moment! I'd come in unofficially at 1:00:22! Feck my life, Mary, Jesus and the Donkey too. That was faaaaaaast for my snailtastic self. Hurray for Coley!! Over the moon with my time I was greeted with hugs and kisses off my Dad, Helen and little Kady! Selfies were a must as I'd PB'd. That very same day, a year ago I had took on my first ever 10km mileage and event. I completed that in 1:12:43. I knocked an amazing 12minutes summit, summit off the space of a year. Maths- not my strongest point!! It goes to prove once again. Mind over matter. If you believe, you will indeed achieve. Your body has no limitations to what it's fully capable of. I've entered May with a very positive outlook and with one more exam to go on Thursday, I look forward to (hopefully no retakes!) and the task ahead... CHESTER MARATHON TRAINING BABY! Come at me bro! The biggest challenge of my life to date!
