What happened to my mojo?

Has anyone anyone seen my running mojo? Since I sprained my ankle in February I have felt quite down about how much running fitness I have lost.  This time last year I was running a 10k most weekends and was achieving a new PB each time.  This year my running has been limited to the Tuesday runs and only a few races.  With a Half Marathon looming I really should be running more often but I seem to find any excuse not to run.  I feel like i’m not alone at the moment in not feeling the love for running so thought I’d have a look to see what advice was out there.  Focus on how great you feel post run - We all have to admit we get a buzz after a run and even though Fartlek tough last week and I could have easily bowed out at the 3 miler option I stayed with the 5 milers and I really did feel great after. Change your scenery/time of day - I’m definitely not complaining as the weather is beautiful but running at any time of the day is going to result in a warm run and not really having anywhere that allows you to escape the warmth is definitely not helping.  I’m hoping the cooler weather will help bring back my mojo. Loose the Garmin - EEEEEKKKKKK this one really freaks me out.  At the moment I am really enjoying looking at segments and feel that wanting to beat or at least get near to some of my previous PB’s has actually given me a little bit of motivation.  Have you tried this? Let me know how you got on, at the moment I’m still feeling if it’s not on Strava it didn’t happen. Take a break - Although I haven’t been running that much I am trying to stay active and hitting the woods on my bike has be an nice change in activity until I start feeling the love again. Run with a friend - This one may be a huge contributing factor.  Most of my running buddies are whipping my arse at the moment and I’d be the holding them back if I went out with them.  I have massive fear of running alone and go off way too quick and then give up after a mile.  I’ve never successfully run more than about 2 miles alone. Don’t worry about the plan -  I have decided not to stress out about the training plan for my Half.  I’m instead I’m going to take each week as it comes and fit it around what else is going on.  It is summer after all and it won’t be here for ever. Go shopping - This one might actually be the answer but it will be an expensive one.  I’m desperate to find some comfortable summer running gear.  Top wise I’m sorted but i’m sure a lot of ladies out there can sympathise with the claustrophobic feeling of trying to get out of a hot sweaty sport bra and mine all take a lot of contortion to get out of.  My short are also not great as the ride up and give me hideous bulges round my thighs, which I’m sure no one else notices but really bother me. Do you have any suggestions?  Anyone else out there not feeling the love that wants to buddy up with me for some more social runs?  Hopefully it won't stay away for much longer and I can get to enjoy my runs again soon.

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Sometimes you have to adjust your goals….

OK – its confession time here at ‘worst pace scenario’ It’s been around three weeks since my last blog – and a lot has happened since then. Many of you…

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Witnessing Something Special (brew)?

  Its not often you are able to witness an amazing performance or achievement, which makes it extremely special when you do see something incredible. Thursday this week was…..well ok lets…

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Should I run?

Is just running really the best training.   Its easy to get drawn in to just running for exercise – let’s face it we’re in a running club….but is running on…

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Yorkshire 3 Peaks Challenge

The mountains of Whernside, Ingleborough and Pen-y-ghent are collectively known as the Three Peaks and they form part of the Pennine range in the picturesque northern England landscape. Popular with runners and walkers alike, this circular route is about 25 miles long, with over 5200 feet of climb. So, absolutely perfect for an LFR afternoon out then…what could possibly go wrong? The idea is simple, which is handy, as that’s always a good start: You start at a known point on the circular, and head round, trying to avoid falling over and requiring medical attention or temptation in the form of some of the amazing watering holes dotted around the route. Or, as in our case all of that. Chris Taylor, Steve Ellerton, Martin Crane, John Preston and myself headed up on the Friday night ready to blast round the course in record time, fresh on Saturday morning. Well, you know what they say about the best laid plans…. Starting out from Horton in Ribblesdale, we soon learned that the weather was definitely not going to be on our side and almost immediately we started to regret sampling the local beer the night before, some more than others. Back to the running, and within a couple of miles comes the first peak, Pen-y-Ghent, with its steep, sharp rocky face. It was very ‘hands and knees’ in places but was probably the easier of the three peaks to ascend to be honest, possibly as we were still fresh and after a quick gel stop at the top, we moved on in search of Whernside, peak 2.By 10 miles in we had managed to get separated out so had a regroup by the roadside café near the viaduct and set off again towards the long, slower climb up Whernside. This section has some beautiful scenery along the way, with waterfalls, river crossings, and a great view of the long path snaking up the mountain. Sadly the weather turned from poor, to unbelievably poor at this point meaning not much at all could be seen by the time we got half way up. When we actually got to the top, it was completely gross, the wind coming from all directions blowing rain at you like you wouldn’t believe. Waterproofs on, time to get off the mountain as quickly as possible without falling.By the time 18 miles are done and you head for peak 3, Inglebrook, you know you are in a tough event. The important aspect is to keep moving, keep the cold from seeping in. This was our priority as we went up this final climb, and it was the toughest of the three. Once out of the way though, you have a 4 mile downhill finish. What could go wrong? Well it’s the most treacherous 4 miles you’ll ever run. A lethal mixture of sharp rocks and mud on the downhill making for a very nervous time, but in dry weather could be potentially very enjoyable. Martin and myself pushed on hard at this point, but the rocks claimed one victim here with Steve Ellerton tumbling and smashing his knees up. He was probably not the first or last of the day on that section to fall.Finally a grassy section, then a road section and back to the café in Horton to stamp ourselves in and enjoy a pint of tea! It’s impossible not to enjoy a run like that no matter what the weather did, with 25 miles and 5200 feet of climb, it's always going to be a tough run, but I can’t help but want to go back and do it again. The weather is simply something to be wary of, an extra dimension if you prefer, not something to shy away from. The surroundings, the food, the local ales are all amazing and it makes the 4 hour trip up there worth every second. This is a must do event for anyone that likes off-road running and I will surely be back.

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A Month as a Fun Runner

A month as a fun runner….      May is crazy, packed and busy, So much happening – makes me dizzy, MK – concrete cows and roundabouts, Mile 21 rocks – have no doubts.   Takeover at…

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MK Marathon Support

When I was first asked about finding a mile manager for the MK Marathon earlier this year I knew that finding someone would be tough, mainly because I was certain no one knew what it was about and as such it represents the big ‘unknown’. Most people are happy to take things on when they understand the task, but when asking for people to support an unknown entity, then they are far less likely to come forward. Not having done this myself before either didn’t help, as the important reference point required to get the message across wasn’t there.Being an ‘anything goes’ sort of person, I thought I’d take it on myself – what could possibly go wrong yeah? That’s sort of my motto anyway, so that was that! The first task was to assemble a team of marshals for the allocated mile. And oh yes we had a crack team of marshals! LFR had mile 21, which stipulated 10 marshal points and on the surface of it, you could ask why so many, but after the first recce of the section of the course, it became apparent. A lovely section of path, but plenty of twists and turns to throw the tired marathoner off course easily. So back to the team of marshals: I wanted to get the recruitment of this out of the way as soon as possible as LFR has its own race to properly recruit for and I wanted to assemble this team for MK with no impact to other activities.Team assembled, familiarisation of the section was the next activity. Understanding who would go where and what the likely issues would be. Simples! A couple of recce runs of the area sorted this out, which turned out to be just the ticket. We always talk about how great it is to get out and run somewhere different, well this was all the justification I needed to get out of the local area for a different run.So with a team assembled, recce runs done, all that remained is to ensure all the team met up at the required time, got into position and had everything they needed to marshal the section of course. While all that was going on, I cycled round the team a bit and did some of my own style of runner encouragement.Having over 20 LFR runners on the marathon, it turns out that having so many LFR marshals on the mile 21 section was a great thing! We all got the chance to wave, shout and otherwise encourage our team through to the next mile and this was very well received. Its such a great feeling to see people visibly pick themselves up when they hear you screaming their name, urging them onwards.Whoever takes the mile manager role on next year ought to not be apprehensive about it. It was an easy and thoroughly enjoyable process and extremely enjoyable on the day! I would hope that next year people will be scrambling to do this, so good luck to them, and thanks again to the crack team that marshalled. You were ace!   

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Runs don’t always have to be races

RUNS don't always have to be RACES We must have all done it. Had a look on Strava or race times and thought 'eek! So and so who was slower than me just beat my PB!' I know I have. Most of us also go into a race with a time in mind and it's the first thing you get asked by fellow runners and even non runners when you finish a race - 'what time did you get?' Last week I ran a 10k and instead of having a time in mind I decided that for this race I was going to just get round and enjoy the atmosphere. It might have been the race itself or the fact I hadn't put any pressure on myself but it was the most enjoyable run I've had. It also helped that I spent most of the race with Jeremy and Sandra and chatted the whole way round. Now a bit of healthy competition is definitely good for pushing yourself a bit and achieving something you might not have thought yourself able to do but maybe this year pick a race, run it with some buddies, don't look at your watch and just have fun. I actually left Sandra and Jeremy at the 800m mark as I felt like having a little sprint, but having seen this photo I wish I had stayed with them, might have to do it again!

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It all comes down to this…..

So for the last 18 weeks I have been training for Milton Keynes Marathon – 381 miles ran, an average 3-4 runs a week of anywhere up to 35 miles. Over this time I have got PB’s in all distances from 1 mile to 20 miles, yet there is only one day where it matters. I must admit the pre-race nerves are starting to set in. Have I done enough? Have I done too much? Will I be able to make it round? Is that a sniffle? Why am I aching? Am I getting ill? This is natural, and I experience it before all races however this time round it feels different. I’ve never had a goal before. Obviously all races you want to do your best, and it’s always great getting a PB, but typically on the start line when people ask, ‘what are you hoping for?’ my answer is always ‘just to get round and finish it.’ This time I don’t want to just finish it, I am absolutely hell bent on getting that elusive sub-5 I’ve always wanted. It is going to be a big challenge as my current marathon PB is 5hrs 22mins, so I’m going to need a massive 23mins improvement (almost 1 min per mile quicker average). So how am I going to achieve this? I have 100% faith in my training. I’ve had some corkers of a training run, some I will never want to talk about or think about ever again, but the majority have been a fantastic experience. I’ve got to run with some great people, and learn from them – seeing some go from half marathon runners to full and doing it in absolute style. I’ve had a fantastic support system from my family, friends and running club (as well as complete strangers). I am going to eat well this week, but also stick to the plan. I know what has worked for me over the last 18 weeks, and I know what hasn’t. I am also going to smile, the whole way round the course. I find that smiling when I run lifts my spirits and gives me the bounce that I need to get through some really long distances. I am going to draw on every single positive thought I have, and every positive comment, message, post I’ve received and accept every single cheer and shout of my name that I get! I can’t wait to see my family and friends at the end of the race and on the course. I also can’t wait to see my running club, Leighton fun Runners at Mile 21, complete with jelly beans, fruit pastilles and full fat coke – I know they’re going to give me a huge boost at a time I am going to need it, as well as a couple of man-up shouts! I want to take this opportunity to say a huge thank you to Milton Keynes Marathon for selecting me as an MK Ambassador, I’ve loved the role. I want to say a big thank you to Leighton Fun Runners for their continued support and great advice over the last 18 weeks. Thank you to Laura Williams, my Weight Watchers Leader for helping me lose over a stone and a half, definitely has helped improve my running. A massive thank you and well done to my running partner Jude Wilson, who has been amazing throughout our training and set the bar by smashing London in under 5 hours. Thank you to my family and friends for all their support, both in person, on Facebook and through sponsoring me (I’m raising money for Keech Hospice –https://www.justgiving.com/forLindaHerkes And lastly a massive thank you to my husband Scott for putting up with my early morning long runs, being out for hours upon hours, cooking endless roast dinners on a Sunday because I’m too knackered to move and being there to watch our son so I can train. My next, and last blog, will hopefully be a race report of MK Marathon, telling you all how I smashed my goal! Fingers crossed everyone – and please send as many positive thoughts as you can! xxx

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The Lonely Running Shoe

The lonely running shoe.. A poem about how it feels to be a runners neglected trainer….   C’mon, slip me…

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