Women's Running Nottingham 10k... take 3!!

The Women's Running Race Series will always be a special for me as it was my first 10k two years ago and as a result its annual visit to Nottingham remains firmly in my race calendar.

Last year I had quite a bad experience, I went at it chasing a time that wasn't realistic so ended up shattered, achy and disappointed. Despite running a PB!

Since then, my attitude to running has changed a fair bit. I don't beat myself up (too much) after a 'bad run' for one thing and I see every race as an experience as I do a chance to chase a PB. If anything, my average speed is a bit slower than this time last year and I'm behind where I was at this point for building miles up in training for the half but, for the moment I'm quite relaxed about it all. Which is unusual for me as I normally like to worry about everything all the time.

So anyway, back to the race. As my alarm went off and I began to panic about my lack of clean running club shirt and sports bra it dawned on me that spending the day before sharing a bottle of wine, cocktails and three bottles of Prosecco with my best friend might not have been the most clever plan. Luckily (and by some small miracle) I wasn't hungover, but I had enough to flap about that I was bloody relieved by the time I made my way past the portaloos and into the familiar race village on the Nottingham Embankment. 

There's always a lovely atmosphere are the Women's Running races. I really love how there is such a diverse bunch of ladies all ready and raring to go by the time the starting horn sounds at 10am.

I'm pretty sure they were a new addition this year, but for the first couple of hundred metres after the starting line there were tiny cones everywhere ready to map out the path later on in the race. Add this to the normal initial crowds and it was a bit of a nervous trot by myself and my fellow runners not to trip over and end up with a tour de France (or alternative cycling race) style pile up. Because of this, as soon as I was past them my race pace brain came into force and I knew I needed to leg it for a bit to make up some time.

So I ended up doing the first few miles at a much faster pace than I normally aim for on long runs (9:30min/mile as opposed to 10:30, if you're interested) until my legs and feet started to really bloody hurt. I think this was in some part as a result of being on them all day the day before bopping around town rather than taking it easy as I should have done.

For some reason, I really struggled to bring my pacing down to what it needed to be if I was going to avoid completely doing myself in before the last few miles. So I decided the best thing to do would be have a little walk and start again.

A little walk turned into a series of little walks as my leg ache continued under the ever-increasing heat which was proving to be a hindrance. By the time I got to about 4 and a half miles in I gave myself a right talking to as I knew that the much reduced pace I'd taken on would lead to me being disappointed with my finishing time so I picked it up again and settled into a nice trot through the embankment taking in the views and the race day atmosphere.

The last bit was fairly uneventful, although I do want to point out the great comment I had from a fellow runner who said I had really good pacing and that she recognised me from other events. Ironic considering the ups and downs of this race so far!! Just the words of encouragement I needed as I entered the last mile and saw the faces (and huge banner) of my spectator fan club.

I really do love the last bit of every race, the bit where the "I got this!" feeling really kicks in. With great words support from the marshalls cheering us though those last couple of hundred metres I was ready for my finish line sprint through the cheering crowds!

I came in at a respectable time of 1:03:34 and was handed a fantastic medal, along with a lovely technical t-shirt and the best goody bag I receive each year.

So another one done and dusted! If I'm counting correctly that's 12 10km races now since my first one two years ago. At the time, I'm not sure I'd have believed it if someone told me everything I'd achieve in the last two years. And I've no plans of stopping yet!!!

Rach, Rach's banner and me!

Club photo of the lovely Notts Women Runners

A very smudged make-up finishing photo with a great sparkly medal

More finishing celebrations

June.. the fun run month

The last month has gone by in a complete flash! It started with a streak (as I spoke about in my last blog). I was really going strong until day 26 when unfortunately I had to abandon the running streak because of the necessary 14 hours at work or doing Uni work streak I had to pick up.

However, while I might not have completed that, I did complete three races very different to any I've done before, all of which had been on my running bucket list for a while.

Colour run
If you've not heard of a colour run this might sound like a strange concept... you run around while people throw powder paint at you. I did this one with my two friends Hayley and Sarah along with Hayley's six year old daughter, Faye. It was great fun doing a run with my friends and was a lovely atmosphere made all the more exciting with it being Faye's first race!

We soon laughed our way around the lap of Holmes Pierrepont reaching the finish line all colours of the rainbow and collected our medals all with huge smiles which got even wider at the sight of our friend with a cold bottle of Prosecco waiting for us (I've not mentioned that it was 25 degrees!)

So all in all a lovely race with a great family atmosphere. And any thing that involves colour, glitter and Prosecco is going to go down well with me!

Happy smiley run!!

Sunrise 5k
The clue is in the title with this one! 1,000 people trotting around the streets of Nottingham at 5.30 am. I'd been looking forward to this race for filling in the gap last year's Nottingham 10k left behind with the big market square finish.

The whole race didn't disappoint and was well worth the 4am alarm call! Maybe it was just the giddy mood I was in from finishing my CIM but there was a bit of an exciting air as everyone congregated on Long Row ready to get started. I think it really added something all having the same t-shirts on and I even considered shopping a couple of times en route to get some photos.

A couple of big hills in the route added in a good mix and before I knew it I was legging it down hill back into market square.. all by 6am!! A major good point of this one has got to be the medal, the photo doesn't do it justice but it's all purple and lovely and even spins!!

Obligatory medal shot!

Race For Life Pretty Muddy
Another one where the clue is in the title a bit! This time a woodland ramble with a variety of wet and muddy obstacles. All women this time and all to raise money for cancer research. I was part of a team for this one, 11 of us formed the "Fuddy Muckers" and I really liked the new dynamic being part of a big group at an event brought.

We head off onto the 5k course which started with some giant inflatable hurdles and several bits of tunnel and muddy/wet nets crawls with a few hundred women and again the atmosphere was good, despite the bit of chill in the air from numerous warm-up water pistols!

Despite not being the most adventurous person in the world I went under, I went over and I went through the obstacles, ending at the last big one, a huge inflatable slide before dashing over the finish line to collect the all important medal!

Once again, there was Prosecco at the finish line, something I could get used to!!

Before and after (yes I had Prosecco before too)

What next?!
So now the time for 'fun' is over! It's been great enjoying different races and taking part in some of them with lots of friends and family. But now into the 12 week countdown stage ahead of the half marathon so that's what I'm working to. I've already done the big units switch on my watch so I'm working in miles instead of km and my main long runs between now and then are all planned in.

Next Sunday it will be back to where it all began with the Women's Running 10km which I'll be taking part in for the third time this year and I can't wait! Then it's gradually increasing my distance with a few interval sessions thrown in for good measure and I should be good to go by 25th September! Watch this space!