Running 4 Women

The Final chapter – It’s Just as Well we Can’t See Into The Future …

Peter — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 09:30:37 +0000

Into 2010 and I took part in the following races – Silverstone Half Marathon in March; Good Friday, 2^nd April, the Easter 10(miles) held in Maidenhead; 16^th May, the Staines 10K; May bought the BUPA London 10K, the first time I had taken part in this race. What an absolutely fantastic experience! Running through the streets of London, past famous landmarks, superbly organised and although a big race, friendly. And I set a new 10K PB – 57:45.In July I completed the New Forest 10(miles), a race in a beautiful setting but it was very hot, finishing in 1:52:55.

As the end of the school summer term approached we were looking forward to a family holiday to the USA, a couple of days in Washington for sightseeing and then on to the Gulf Coast for a relaxing ten days in a rented villa.

But, at the beginning of August, three days before we were due to leave, life bought me back down to earth with a huge bump. A lump had appeared in my left breast, out of the blue, nothing one minute and a lump the next. I made an appointment to see my GP who said I would have to be referred to a specialist and would have to attend a hospital appointment within the next 14 days. I explained we were due to leave for our holiday and she agreed that she would get me an appointment the moment we were back. She did say though that it more than likely would be cancer, given my history.

I really did not understand why I would have a cancer again. In a very weird way it was easier to cope with a second time around – it was almost as if I had been waiting for it to come back in some form.

You can imagine that our holiday wasn’t what it might’ve been. My emotions ran all over the place, I was very low and despite trying to hide it from our two children my teenage daughter knew something was wrong. So, I tried to explain to her about the lump and what it might mean. She became very distressed and we spent some time just crying and hugging each other.

I saw the oncologist on 23^rd August, almost a year to the day since we had buried Mum so an emotional day. I had taken the decision not to tell my Dad about the cancer, I figured he had been through enough. On 31^st August I was told that I had two different kinds of cancer, both invasive and would need surgery. In fact, if the lump hadn’t come up the other cancer would have gone unnoticed. This would mean some time out from running again and I would have to miss my two favourite races, the R4W Windsor 8K (although we did still go and watch the 8K – I wasn’t prepared to miss out completely!) and the Great South Run.

After more tests and scans I had surgery on 16^th September to remove the lump and some nodes to see if the cancer had spread. I then had to wait for the results which I received on 28^th September, the day after my son’s 11^th birthday. I was so, so lucky – they had got it all, the cancer hadn’t spread and although I would need a course of radiotherapy I would not have to go through chemotherapy. The relief was indescribable and still is. I still get very emotional when I think back to that day.

We had a few days away in Cumbria in the October half term to rest before radiotherapy started.

On 31^st October I was back racing! A friend of mine was taking part in a 5K in Basingstoke, some of which was inside the shopping centre there and asked if I would like to take part. An unusual race to say the least but I was overjoyed to be part of the running community again.

At the beginning of November, I started a course of 18 radiotherapy sessions at St Luke’s in Guildford, finishing just a few days before Christmas. My husband was with me for almost every session and I was so grateful for his support. I thankfully received no side effects from my treatment and finished ten days before Christmas feeling extremely well.

I got back to running regularly, booked races for 2011 and got life back on track. Since then I have done a number of races and am now lucky enough to work for my favourite running club – Running4Women of course!

People think it’s strange when I say I am lucky but I think I am, I’ve had two cancers, both of which have been caught early by the NHS and my running fitness has helped me to recover quickly. My children still have their mum and my husband his wife, and my Dad his daughter.

People tell me I’m an inspiration – I don’t think I am, it’s just that you fight and get on with life or you go under. I chose life. I had the support of the most wonderful network of family, friends and R4W. If I am an inspiration and have inspired just one person then telling my story has been worth it. I have never shied away from my cancers and if people want to ask me about it I will always answer the best I can.

If you think I can help you in any way, if you want to ask me anything, please contact R4W and I will be more than happy to get in touch. Thank you for taking the time to read my story.

ou can also follow me on Twitter – @CarolR4W.

What do I Really Need to Run – Part 2

Peter — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 09:15:20 +0000

The job of the kit is to make you feel comfortable. Whatever you choose make sure it is technical fabric. The days of cotton are firmly out and these days it has to be lightweight moisture wicking materials. There is nothing worse than fabric that gets wet and gets heavier as you run or rubs in the wrong places. All the top brands make their kit with this material. Think about the season, are you trying to stay warm or trying to stay cool.

If cold, think about layering up with a thicker long sleeve, an outer lightweight jacket or top, long tights and technical hats and gloves.

The science is dealt with but lets be honest, as with any clothes, style and cut for your body shape is everything and all the brands offer options.

Some legs look great in capris; other people’s silhouettes are more flattered with a full length tight. There is nothing wrong with sticking to a slightly looser yoga pant for the time being… The important thing is your feel confident enough to go out there and run.

In the summer months you really do have to consider choosing the right shorts (or at the very least capris). I know getting the pale legs out can be a scary thought girls but wearing too much and over heating on your run is exhausting. Choose shorts that will look great, move well with you and are flattering. Here is a tip, although often associated with the ‘elite’ athlete, the split side baggier short is often more flattering than the tight short. I live in my ‘split sides’ and always feel more comfortable and less ‘on show’. They are super cool in the heat. Saucony actually cut theirs big enough for you to not have to increase the size to get ‘the look’ and I have also been known to wear Nike men’s split sides in years gone by. Team your bottom half with a T-shirt or vest that feels cool and light.

Then its gadget time.

Well, lets be honest, when you are new to running speed, pace, distance isn’t really a factor…. The important thing is just getting out there and running. When I first started my gadget was a hallway clock. I used to quickly glance at it, before I shut the front door, when and I completed my target lap of the local park, would come back in, check the time and say ‘oh great, about 20 minutes’. As I got more fixated on beating my times I would start the timer on my mobile, hide it behind the flower pot, and then on completion come pegging back up the path like a women possessed, dive at the phone to check my time. Eventually my exasperated dad bought me a stopwatch for Christmas.

However, if anything, a simple digital watch is all that’s needed but for those who want to know about their pace, the terrain and heart rate there are a multitude of GPS options out there now. They cost but can be great fun especially if you want to track your route and begin comparing runs and checking progress. There are also a number of great running apps.

Now I mentioned the shades didn’t I? Well have you ever tried to run in a pair of fashion sunglasses? They fly everywhere and you spend most of the run holding them to your nose. If you want a real treat get some sports sunglasses. They are designed to grip across the nose and ears and are very light to wear. The expensive ones have lenses that can be changed or react to the brightness around you. There are different colours, frames, and styles and with some brands you can even design your own…. I must remember to put my order in.

Now I could go on for hours on this kit lark as you can already sense but my final tip is all about your choice of sports bra.

Please don’t just choose one from a high street retailer but go to a specialised running shop, as with the trainers. This is crucial. Grab a female on the shop floor and ask for a bit of advice. Try some on and jump up and down in the changing room. You need it tight enough to support but not so tight that breathing is restricted. Established running brands bras are very specialized and for comfort and safety are an absolute must.

So there we have your starters guide. Pick and choose what you require and go and hit the ground running!

Good luck from Phoebe and Nick

Runningwithus.com

Go for Green

Joanne Tranter (R4W admin) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 11:03:58 +0000

Green for go

The everyday drink that will help you train harder in 2012

Throw away those protein shakes and post exercise carb replacements because according to a new study Green Tea could be one of the best drinks there is for helping you recover from strenuous exercise.

In the new study, published in the leading journal Nutrition Research, 35 men where split into two groups and given either a green tea extract or a placebo for 4 weeks in a randomized, double blind trial, during which they performed a strength training regime.

Before and after the 4 week period the men performed a muscular endurance test and blood samples were taken to calculate the effect of the exercise on the body and muscles.

The blood samples were tested for levels of anti-oxidants, polyphenols (protective natural chemicals) and creatine kinase, a chemical that is used to measure muscle stress as levels become elevated when muscles are damaged.

As would be expected, green tea helped raise the levels of anti-oxidants and polyphenols when compared to the placebo, but the study also helped highlight the beneficial effect of this process for those wanting to recover quickly from strenuous exercise.

Before the 4 week study period, the exercise test produced raised levels in creatine kinase (the muscle damage indicator) levels in both groups of men 24 hours after the test was complete, indicating that there hadn’t been full muscular recovery in either group. However after the 4 weeks of training, and taking either a placebo or green tea extract, it was only those who had been taking the placebo that showed elevated levels of creatine kinase 24 hours after the exercise test, whilst those taking the green tea extract had normal levels.

What these results indicate is that green tea raises levels of protective anti-oxidants and polyphenols and that these help protect muscles from the oxidative stress caused during exercise, allowing them to recover quicker from any damage caused – all important for anyone serious about making gains in any athletic or sporting discipline.

Which Green Tea?

If you’re looking for a truly effective green tea to help post exercise in 2012, the exciting new Green Tea Blend from Natur Boutique combines green tea with the rare and exotic Java tea (Orthosiphon stamineus), which is also a powerful antioxidant ^{2, 3}, and thought to therefore help aid the body with removal of unwanted waste molecules. Liquorice adds a no calorie sweetness to the tea.

Natur Boutique’s Green tea blend is available from www.naturboutique.co.uk and costs just £2.95.

Green tea extract supplementation gives protection against exercise-induced oxidative damage in healthy men. Nutr Res. 2011 Nov;31(11):813-21. Jówko E, Sacharuk J, Balasińska B, Ostaszewski P, Charmas M, Charmas R.
Orthosiphon stamineus leaf extract protects against ethanol-induced gastropathy in rats. Yam MF, Ang LF, Salman IM, Ameer OZ, Lim V, Ong LM, Ahmad M, Asmawil MZ, Basir R. J Med Food. 2009 Oct;12(5):1089-97.
An investigation of the anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects of Orthosiphon stamineus leaf extract. Yam MF, Asmawi MZ, Basir R. J Med Food. 2008 Jun;11(2):362-8.

Your Well Balanced Nutritionally Defficient Diet

Happiness is a Way of Life – Part 2

Peter — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 08:30:56 +0000

With increasingly stressful busy lives, more demands being made on us to work longer hours, travel longer distances, work as parents, carers and home makers as well as juggling numerous jobs, businesses and careers, it’s easy for life to feel like an eternal treadmill with the gradient increasing all the time, yet never reaching the destination. And happiness and fulfilment can seem like a distant dream.

So, apart from getting off the treadmill (which isn’t often an option), we need to find a way of feeling happy, because work, money, commuting, possessions and the daily grind of life is unlikely to provide much, if any of the ‘H’ word.

The good news is that happiness is free. It’s not something that can be bought, plucked from a shelf or created from a bar of chocolate or a bottle of Wine (although granted these things can certainly put a smile on our face). Happiness is within us, it’s out there; it just needs to be found, harnessed and developed.

But how do we make ourselves happy? We need to find our real selves. Be true to ourselves and learn to like ourselves. If we’re feeling depressed or lost, overweight and sluggish, stressed and anxious, then it’s time to do something real about it. One way to do that is to exercise:

Through pushing ourselves to our natural human state of physical activity, we stimulate the feel good chemicals within our minds, and our bodies respond. Through exercise we find our real selves, we feel alive and stimulated to be positive and energised. For sure, embarking on an exercise programme is daunting, if terrifying to most. Sticking with it is hard. At times it hurts and we want to stop. At the extreme level, I wonder if Jessica Ennis ever feels like a few days or weeks off during her Olympic Heptathlon training regime? And at the non-exercise level, how many of us have struggled to even get out of bed on a dark, cold, wet January Monday morning, let alone get our trainers on and go out for a walk or run!?

Exercise and finding happiness takes significant self control. Research shows that happier people tend to have lots of self control. Something we are not necessarily born with or shown as children, but we can develop: It’s not easy to put our bodies through the initial pain of exercise; to be active on a summer’s day, let alone a wet winter one. It’s not easy to stop ourselves reaching for the biscuit tin or wine glass, but, once we’ve learnt to take control, got out there, taken the plunge and done it, how good do we feel? When people start commenting on how well we look, how positive we sound, how motivated we seem to be, then how much better do we start to enjoy life? Stick with it, and clothes start fitting better, food tastes more satisfying, energy returns, and we start to emerge into a world of self belief rather than self-loathing.

Looking younger, fitter, healthier and livelier is one of the best gifts we can give ourselves and those around us. Why don’t you ask yourself why you like watching those in the Public Eye who have positive attributes? Why you like being around energised and ‘happy’ people as opposed to being dragged down by those who always see the glass half empty, provide problems not solutions, and who take huge self pleasure in moaning, criticising and sapping the energy from all around. Negative people will generally look unhappy. Negativity will generally stop success and negativity certainly has no place in successful Sports teams and people. So think about your attitude and whether you can make a choice and change your inner self and way of thinking. Think positive and happiness will find you. Think positive and you too could be the one people seek out.

Change the way you behave and you will get different results. Choose exercise and you will enter a new world of increased confidence and self belief that you too could make happiness a way of life!

Annie Jack

www.personaltrainingworks.co.uk

What do I Really Need to Run?-Part 1

Peter — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 09:30:15 +0000

Last week I told you about my story and how I found running. The girl who hated PE and never ran yet has gone on to become a veteran of many races, coach and personal trainer……….I still have to pinch myself each time I tell the story! Is that really me?

Anyway, the real dilemma ladies, over the years, has gone on to be kit and how to look good when trying to kill myself. Is it ever possible to look glamorous when sweating and wearing lycra and bright colours? Is it really necessary to look like a moving traffic cone or light?

I am often hit by how simple running is and should be, particularly when I visit India a few times a year to TV present at the Bangalore 10k, Delhi half and Mumbai marathon. There you see people often running in old trainers or sandals and the everyday clothes they own. Indeed, millions of years ago we just left the cave and ran around all day bare foot catching our food. But now if I pick up a magazine there are adverts and articles on trainers, best kit options, bras, watches, gps devices and even sunglasses.

This has become a serious business. Should I rebel and keep it simple or should I keep up with my friends who do look pretty cool. After all, I am now a runner and feel ready to tell the world that I have arrived!

So what do I really need?

Well first of all think FEET! Neglect these babies and they will soon let you know. If you only get one item right, make sure it’s the shoes. Go to your nearest proper running shop and treat yourself. Make sure the staff pamper you and seem interested in what running you are doing. Please DON’T just stare at the wall of shoes and then nail your favourite colour. This choice has to be based on science, the way you run and how these shoes support and cushion your own foot. Expect to be asked and even watched running on the treadmill and definitely behave like Julia Roberts please girls. Demand attention and try on plenty of pairs!

Then get some real running socks. You need a pair that fit well and wick away the moisture from your foot. Proper running socks with no seams or ripples. They cost but there is nothing worse than a blister.

After shoes and socks the real fun begin…now it’s time to look good and go for the kill.

I have found that there is no point in choosing kit that you have simply seen someone else in, is in the latest magazine or is what you think a runner should wear. You must choose the style that does its job but also makes you feel confident and most importantly, not embarrassed.

What do I mean by ‘doing the job’? Find out in Part 2!

Happiness is a Way of Life – Part 1

Peter — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 12:14:39 +0000

Do you or anyone you know genuinely enjoy life? Do you know someone who has a real sense of purpose, fun and energy? May be you don’t personally, but the chances are you can think of a ‘Celebrity’ who has these attributes: If we picture iconic Sports People, then we’d generally associate them with positive personality traits. And, if we look at TV Programmes like Strictly and the perceived enjoyment factor of those taking part, then happiness is certainly a word that would fit.

According to Research, if you do 20 minutes of exercise, three days per week for six months, your general feeling of happiness will improve by 10-20%. This is based on measuring the chemical release or ‘Runner’s High’ people experience during cardiovascular exercise. The moment when Endorphins (which have a similar affect on the body to Morphine) are released into the blood stream causing a temporary feel good boost or emotional high.

I guess measuring happiness really depends on how we define happiness and what it means to us, the individual. For sure, there are millions of unhappy, deeply desperate people in the World in situations beyond their control, but there are also millions of people who appear to ‘have it all’ or at least are exposed to images of what ‘having it all’ seems to involve.

But for all that fast pace living brings, it doesn’t necessarily deliver happiness. In fact, it can do quite the opposite, since for some, the more they have, the more they want. And the more they see others have, the more they want that too. The premise of this is that these people spend their entire life chasing a false hope that the next possession, the next material item, the next big purchase will somehow make them ‘happy’.

Certainly money can deliver many opportunities and alleviate the normal day to day stresses just making ends meet, but surely real happiness is about more than money? Arguably happiness is about the experiences we have, the moments we treasure and the way we feel. Crucially, the way we feel also affects the way we look, the way we view ourselves, and the way others view us.

Why are we so fascinated by the likes of Kate and Pippa Middleton, the latest Celebrity physique to be unveiled, or Sports Personality to emerge and succeed? Partly it’s their position and standing, their lifestyle, their visual appearance and the Media machine that puts them in the Public Eye, but it’s surely also because they seem to be people who are aspirational and successful, and above all they seem to be sorted and confident: People we somehow perceive to be happy.

May be these people are genuinely happy (we don’t really know), but they certainly put on a good impression of being so, and we consequently associate them with positive imagery. People we want to look at, read about, watch performing and listen to.

Creating a happy persona requires skill and possible media manipulation, but some of their character traits are undoubtedly genuine. I would argue that some of this genuine happiness shown by some is, in part, to exercise. And, if we take the people we know personally that appear ‘happy’, how many of the people we think of as being happy, also take regular exercise?

It is well known that Kate and Pippa regularly work out, so does Gwyneth, Cameron Diaz and of course any top Athlete trains on a daily basis. They all appear in public to be highly energised and confident, not to mention looking fantastic physically. On a personal level, I’ve watched people totally transform from lacking self esteem, energy and drive, feeling disgruntled with life, to becoming positive, confident and forward thinking not to mention looking and feeling better. This transformation has largely been due to changing attitude and addressing diet, but most importantly to exercise.

To read Part 2 please click here

Annie Jacks

www.personaltrainingworks.co.uk

NIKE ANNOUNCES NEW NIKE+ FUELBAND

Joanne Tranter (R4W admin) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 10:31:15 +0000

NIKE ANNOUNCES NEW NIKE+ FUELBAND

Measuring Movement to Make Life A Sport

New York, New York (January 19, 2012) – NIKE, Inc. (NYSE:NKE) announced today the NIKE+ FuelBand, an innovative wristband that tracks and measures everyday movement to motivate and inspire people to be more active. Activities can now be measured through a new metric called NikeFuel: the more active you are, the more NikeFuel you earn.

NIKE, Inc. President & CEO Mark Parker unveiled NIKE+ FuelBand at an event in New York attended by seven-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong, Oklahoma City scoring champion and all-star Kevin Durant and 2011 IAAF women’s 100 metres World Champion Carmelita Jeter.

“The NIKE+ FuelBand is a way for Nike to further evolve the exciting possibilities of merging the physical and digital worlds,” said Parker. “Nike has always been about inspiring athletes, and the NIKE+ FuelBand will help motivate them in a simple, fun and intuitive way.”

Designed to be worn throughout the day, the ergonomic, user-friendly NIKE+ FuelBand uses accelerometry to provide information about different activities through movement of the wrist via a LED dot matrix display. Four metrics are available: Time, Calories, Steps and NikeFuel. Unlike calorie counts, which vary based on someone’s gender and body type, NikeFuel is a normalized score that awards equal points for the same activity regardless of physical makeup.

Users set a daily goal of how active they want to be, and how much NikeFuel they want to achieve. The NIKE+ FuelBand displays a series of 20 LED lights that go from red-to-green as the user gets closer to their goal. The FuelBand syncs with the Nike+ website through a built-in USB, or wirelessly through Bluetooth to a free iPhone app, to record activity and track progress every day. The app interface also provides encouragement and motivation as goals are achieved.

Armstrong said, “What’s great about the idea of NikeFuel and the FuelBand is the way it provides real information and numbers to show how much people are doing all day, every day. That’s what will get people challenging themselves to do more and better their own scores. It’s a tool to get people more active.”

“NikeFuel means everyone can get recognition for activities they do,” said Durant. “It provides a scoreboard for your day and gets everyone moving.”

Jeter said, “You don’t have to be an elite athlete to appreciate how NikeFuel can motivate you. It’s an easy way to get credit for activities and compare how you do with others, even if you take part in different sports.

The Nike+ FuelBand will be available in the UK from the 1^stMay, RRP £139 (GBP).

TV Star Phoebe Thomas – “Does This Sound Familiar?”

Peter — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 14:59:12 +0000

Does this sound familiar?

This is the year that I am going to become a runner. I can’t believe it, yes I was the one who stood on the school sports field refusing to run and pretending my asthma was bad. I hated running and dreaded every PE lesson.
Yet at that New Years eve party as the clock struck midnight I found myself thinking that this has to be the year when I finally get fit and get into shape.

Some of my friends run 5ks, half marathons, marathons and seem to have so much fun. They all look great and seem so full of energy.

Any of the above ring a bell?!

Well the good news is that we all had to start somewhere. I really do remember my first run and it wasn’t pretty. My dad was a PE teacher and a runner who raced for Wales. What a nightmare I was for him…the daughter who refused to ever run a step. My acting career was going well and I had plenty of rock ‘n’ roll friends but something was never quite right it seemed.

However, the years passed by and I needed to become something a little different. Before I knew it I found myself secretly lacing my retro trainers and leaving the door in a trendy baggy tracksuit and T-shirt with hoodie around the waste. If anybody spotted me I could pretend I was off to starbucks I thought.
I walked around the corner and towards the park. I was out of sight from anybody in my road and suddenly found myself jogging…OMG!!

It lasted about 10 minutes and I had to stop and walk at least once I think, but I was alive. A whole loop of the park completed (a pretty small park obviously) but before I knew it I was sneaking back through the front door. Nobody knew I had been out and I had just become a runner.
I then discovered my brother’s girlfriend wanted to get fit through some running… great! I had a running buddy. Not so embarrassing now and easier to share the pain with a friend!

Amazingly I kept this going several days a week and found myself soon able to run for 15 minutes, then 20 and then the magical 30. It had taken about 6 weeks and I now needed a challenge. Sure I was feeling slimmer, full of energy and great but how about that local 5k that dad had said I should always go to. Hundreds of people there, many would spot me from TV and I am sure to embarrass myself aren’t I??………

WRONG – what a day! I turned up and there were hundreds and hundreds of women and most were first timers. We were part of a team that had made the decision to get fit through that sport I had always thought could only be mega boring and painful.The banter was great and any nerves soon became laughs.

The gun went and we were off. I ran the whole way, clearly going off too fast, but that’s what all keen novices do right? I was hooked and eight years later I now look back having run 5 marathons, loads of half marathons and having made many new friends. I have become the shape I always wanted and am now a running coach, personal trainer alongside being an actress. Yes that’s right, the girl who never ran a step in PE and ‘forgot her kit’ most weeks.

Go on, take the first steps and I promise running will change your life……….

2009 – A Year of Highs and Lows!

Peter — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 12:31:52 +0000

My first race booked for 2009 was the Reading Half Marathon on 29^th March. I ran regularly to train for the race and the day dawned sunny but cold. This is one of my favourite races and I crossed the line in what I thought was 2:19:02 but then realised that was the gun time. My actual chip time was 2:10:49 – I had managed to take almost ten minutes off my previous half marathon time!

In May I did the Bedfont Lakes 5K, its inaugural parkrun at this venue, and finished in a time of 27:52

2009 was the year of the very very hot summer and my next race was on 14^th June, the Southend Half Marathon, in Shoeburyness. All the family came with me and we met up with my mum-in-law, who lives near Southend, and my sister-in-law. I do love having family support at races, it really makes a difference. The race started, a two lap course out and back along the sea front. I have to say that the heat really made this race a struggle, there wasn’t even a sea breeze and I did not enjoy the race at all. I saw many people being treated for the effect of the heat and was grateful to get to the end! I finished in 2:20:05, which given the circumstances I wasn’t too disappointed with.

On 20^th June I took part in the Bedfont Lakes parkrun again and recorded a time of 27:21.

I then had two weeks to go before my next race. I had booked to do the Cranleigh 10K, only about 40 mins drive away, on 5^th July. Come race day it was still very warm. I can thoroughly recommend this race, it takes you through some beautiful countryside and two farms – probably not good if you’re allergic to animals though! Everyone was very friendly and I was pleased to finish in just over an hour, at 60:04.

We had another family outing in July to the athletics at Crystal Palace, really enjoyable and an outing I would really recommend for any age.

I felt good about my running, and life in general, my family were well and everything seemed to be going to plan.

But that wasn’t going to last.

In early August 2009 my dear mum suffered a heart attack and despite best efforts doctors were unable to save her and three days later her life support was switched off. She and my dad had been together for almost 60 years and to see his utter devastation was heartbreaking. But, being the gentleman that he is, he told my sister and I that our lives must go on and we musn’t make changes to accommodate him. But of course we did but he was absolutely insistent that I didn’t stop running. In fact, it helped me enormously. I went out for my first run again about two or three weeks after mum died and it helped me put everything back into perspective, as did a refreshing day trip to Lulworth Cove at the end of August.

My next race, on 6^th September 2009, was the Harry Hawkes 8(miles), in Thames Ditton. This was only a few miles from Dad’s house so he came along to watch and I could see the pride in his face as I headed towards the finished line at the end, in a time of 1:16:52. He said Mum would’ve been so proud of me.

The children had returned to school and me to work as a Special Needs Teaching Assistant and life slowly took on some sense of normality again. My sister and I obviously gave Dad as much support as he wanted but, being of his generation, he is very independent and never wanted to, and still doesn’t want to, ask for help with anything, despite being nearly 80 years old.

The R4W Windsor 8K (5 mile) was next, on 26^th September. I’m biased of course, but this has always been one of my favourite races. Everything is superbly organised, plenty of facilities and everyone is always really friendly. And, somehow, the sun always shines brightly! I was very pleased with my time of 46:34.

My next challenge was to be the Great South Run on 25 October. I had promised to run for a local charity set up by two close friends of mine who had both lost children at a very early age. The charity, Heavenly Stars, aims to provide support to those families with life limited children and so is a very worthy cause. The children held a cake stall at my son’s school to start the fundraising which was great fun. Race day arrived and we travelled once again to Southsea in plenty of time. But despite that, I still managed to forget to put my timing chip on my shoe! I finished in a time of around 01:40:00. Altogether we raised about £600 for the charity and I was slightly embarrassed to be presented with a certificate and flowers at a school assembly just afterwards and was asked to tell the children about the race.

We then went off for a very much looked forward to family break to Cumbria for five days. Visiting the Lake District always invigorates and refreshes me and I really think if I could go and live there I would!

So that was all my races for 2009. I carried on running regularly through the Autumn and Winter to prepare myself for 2010 and my next race, the Silverstone Half Marathon.

Next time – the final chapter

New Year, New You…….Really?

Peter — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 14:29:22 +0000

How many times have you heard this phrase…? ‘New Year, New You’!

This splits the nation into two categories; those who get majorly motivated by the statement and begin to plan this ‘New Self’ versus those who cynically think ‘yeah yeah I’ve tried it all before’.

I guess the reason many runners new years resolutions fail is because the goals are often too extreme and the changes unrealistic. However by choosing the correct targets for YOU and planning exactly how you are going to achieve them, by the end of 2012 you could find yourself smugly looking back over 12 months of New years resolutions having come true.

Here are some suggestions for different categories of runners who are looking for some New Year inspiration or guidance.

The Newbie

If you are a complete beginner and your New Years resolution is to take up running from scratch then firstly you need to choose an achievable target. A 5k is a great starting distance. The end goal gives your running focus and the training is manageable and not too daunting.

Work out how many times you can realistically fit running or exercise into your week and use this as a basis when choosing a training schedule. The number of training sessions can always be increased and fitness and motivation progress as the weeks go on but beginning with an unrealistic number of sessions per week can often lead to de motivation due to this being unachievable. Too many people want to go from zero to hero in the first week!

Consistency is key, so if two or three runs per week fits in with your life balance right now and is an obtainable target then stick to this. Regularity of training over a few weeks beats binge training one week and doing nothing the next.

The old hand seeking inspiration

If you are a more experienced runner then is this going to be the year you churn out the same routes, runs and races or are you going to finally break that plateau and achieve some new PBs? If so then some changes certainly need to be made…

Give yourself some new goals in the form of different races. This may be distances you don’t usually target or races you have never run. If you always run marathons then why not try getting faster over the shorter distances such as the 5 and 10k. The training will be fresh and stimulating. The recovery after these races is also much quicker meaning you can have more attempts at a PB within one season! Ultimately the training will have a positive effect on future marathon attempts.

Like wise if you always target the shorter races then maybe stepping up to a longer distance is in the stars for 2012?! This could provide you with the missing endurance you have always needed in you chosen racing events.

Analyse what went right and wrong within last years training. Stick to the positive elements but change the negative. This may mean choosing a new and challenging training schedule, finding a coach who can give you fresh advice and structure or beginning training with other runners by joining a group/club.

The Spring marathoner

If 2012 is beginning with a spring marathon target for you then let’s get organised and ensure you are on the road to success.

Have you chosen a good trustworthy training schedule that will guide you through the next 12 to 14 weeks and is suited to your ability?
Have you scheduled in your pre marathon races? One or two half marathons along the way will provide short and mid term goals and will give you an indication of how your training is going. Are you wearing the correct trainers that have been fitted properly and suit your running needs?
Have you found a good trustworthy physio to help you with sports massage, injury prevention and provide an MOT to check for strengths/weaknesses and advise on what to concentrate on in order to get to that start line in one piece?

Have a look at the points above and aim to have them all ticked in order to begin your marathon journey successfully. It is time to get organised and get motivated. You can’t cram for a marathon and it is a process of putting all of the correct ingredients together in order to achieve your 26.2 miles of success!

Make this year the year you take control of your running. A New Year a New You….. Go on, you can do it!

Happy New Year to you all,

Phoebe and Nick

Runningwithus