My tiny baby is no longer a baby. She is now a 1 year old... a dare I say it... a toddler. Dun. Dun. Duuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuun!
It’s been absolutely amazing to watch her grow into her own cheeky personality. I can’t believe how fat... I mean how far she’s come! Haha. She’s solid bro. I mean solid. She makes me laugh, she makes me cry. She is the meaning to my life and I love her.
It’s been a year of exsessive germ infestation for our family! If ones not poorly, then you can count your sorry souls the other one definitely is. It’s actually really got to me this year. My running has suffered to say the least, it’s been fairly sporadic. However, in its own right it’s been a successful come back after pregnancy. I have accomplished 2 half marathons, gained my Alpha Wolf and partaken in nearly a dozen 10ks, not to forget cycling London to Brighton on Trish. I had no expections of fitness related goals, well not really really. I was just excited to run and not wet myself- just to enjoy in being, in short a Mother who likes to run and thus releases endorphins = not wanting to kill everyone 24/7. Lastly, I wanted to lose the excess baby weight, which I believe I have- according to the scales anyway.
What I’ve found out after having a baby and coming back into running is that you definitely cannot wing it. It’s simply not a wingable affair. I started training in February for the Liverpool half. Immediately I started asertaining niggles all due to my glutes and core were still too weak. I took no time to strength train and assumed my body would adapt like it did before. It’s taken me a part time cleaning job to gain a free gym membership to really concentrate on strength. But it has paid off. With illnesses, niggles and baby duties March was an all time with regards mileage - 9.8 miles recovering for flu. It then shot up to 41.8 in April. May to this date is my highest mileage at 42.4miles. The rest as follows:
June 27.7 miles - norovirus
July 19.8 miles - excessively hot, sinus infection for 2 weeks.
August 13.1 miles - heatwave material
September 22.7 miles - birthday colds 2 weeks apart
October 35.3 miles - meh alrightish only one cold gained
November 15.8 miles - illness after illness for 3 weeks running, including a wee sinus infection.
December 41.5 miles* to be continued. Currently feeling another cold. What a rareity.
I now sit here after near on completing my 3rd week of marathon training for Belfast at the start of May. At current, I’ve stuck to plan. I am also signed up to (RED) to run everyday in January. But, I know there’s going to be obstacles that lay ahead, especially when my weekly mileage starts to increase. But for now I enjoy the beginning and take advantage of the fact Jakes off work. I’ve just broken a sub 30min 5km last week too, which took me near on a year and a half to gain when I first started to running back in 2015. I’m starting to feel strong like I use to before I was pregnant.
My goals and events for 2019 are as follows.
Goals:
Break a 9min mile
Break a 29min 5km
Gain a 1:02 10k
Break a sub 2:15 half
Lastly smash my 5:38 marathon time
Events:
January - RED = run everyday
February - nothing planned
March - Coventry Half and possibly a 20 mile event in Northamptonshire.
April - Cathedral to Castle + Brum 10k
May - Belfast Marathon and possibly Sheffield Half
June - Two Castles (if successful in the ballot) failing that another 10k somewhere. Possibly Aldridge 10k
July - I may have to return to my ol’ ye’ faithful Birmingham Black Country Half. Unless I’m feeling particularly risky and find another half somewhere. Anglesey has a new trail half out on 14th hmmm.
August- nothing. However if I feel energised and it’s not too hot Stuweb have another event similar to that of Brum Black Country following canal paths a little further in the Midlands somewhere.
September - I would love to run the Robin Hood Half in Notts, but not overly fussed if I do not. Maybe try either Wolverhampton 10k or the half
October - the fave Brum half
November - a 10k somewhere.
December - my month off events.
Good luck to all of you who are getting active in 2019. It’s amazing. You don’t have to do much, just go! Good luck to anyone running events also. I may be roping some of you in this year!
