Review for 2009
Well where do I start - it`s been a cracking year but briefly;
March - Moved into the V40 age grading. I couldn`t let that drift through so what about “4 for 40”....nah. So a plan was hatched - 5 half marathons in 5 weekends.
8th March 2009 MicknPhil Half 1.44.55
15th March 2009 Fleet Half 1.46.44
22nd March 2009 Hogweed Hilly V Half 1.53.37
29th March 2009 Reading Half 1.44.16
4th April 2009 Bolt Around the Holt (21Km) 1.49.58
May – A fun month. A PB at Bracknell Half (1.42.56) & a run round London dressed as a Nun (BUPA London 10,000) complete with trail shoes.
June – My first taste of pain on the track – Fetch mile – 6.28.
Also my big event of the year – Midsummer`s Munro Half – Box Hill Doking. I knew it wasn`t going to be my day when I went through my PB whilst running through mile 9. Finished in 2.33.30. Around this time I learnt a valuable lesion – REST – as a week later (& two races later) I strained my ligaments in my shin – 3 weeks off.
August – Got lost around Salisbury – 30Km in 3.34.56 – Enjoyable company thou. My longest run to date.
September – Dared not to get lost around Dunstable – Dunstable Downs 20 – 3.10.35. Starting to enjoy this long distance running.
Running to South Shields from Newcastle in an Obelix`s outfit – first half marathon in fancy dress. A fantastic weekend of running & being with friends.
October – Caesars Camp Midnight 30. The course is within miles of home so it would be rude not too. My 1st Ultra. So many good memories difficult where to start or to explain...the quietness of running at 3.00am with no-one around, running through my first 26.2 miles run in the pitch black, arms held high at 5.30am with no-one around, seeing the morning sun first break through the night clouds...going through the finish line......going to a local 10Km in the morning and being quizzed why I wasn`t running. (Finish time 6.50.24)
Getting into London Marathon via the ballot – yeah, another race to run.
Also attending a Chi Running course – so much to learn about running lark.
December – Doyens of the Downs - My 2nd 30 mile Ultra which did prove you can run faster in daylight – finish time 5.22.36. There is something about these ultra`s - the feeling of togetherness is amazing (plus the views tend to be pretty good too)...might do some more of these..
There has been some `down` moments too but an amazing year and quite unsure how I will equal this but if I do I know I will be lucky. Once of the things I`ve learnt is about myself and how much we can do when we take ourselves out of our self imposed comfort zones - you can do all sorts of amazing things just believe in yourself.
I have been also luckily enough to make so many new friends throughout the year (parkrun, races, club) and seen them do some amazing things – Lee, Elaine, Colin, so many I could list – I do thank you.
I am going to sign off this year now on 45 races* completed and 1,395 miles ran...I know I could easily do another 5.5 miles but I know I can sleep happy tonight plus I have a training (& racing) plan to put together for next year...plus I`m a wee bit tired...and I do have two parkruns & a 10 miler before the 4th Jan.
Have a happy & injury free 2010
K.
*Not including parkruns.
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