I started running in 2008 when I had left university and moved to work in London. I could no longer row to stay fit, so I chose the cheapest easiest option of running. I hired a personal trainer, who was a marathon runner herself, and was really good at setting out a programme for me. I did most of my running on the treadmill after work, but was completely useless about getting out at the weekend for the long run. She predicted I would do 45 minutes in my first 10k. I didn't, and still haven't. But here are some races.
2008
May Bupa 10k 52:50, a rainy day, run with my sister
October Royal Parks Foundation Half Marathon 2:15:11, hot and sunny and no training run beyond 8 miles!
2009
I had moved to Australia for a gap year. this was great for my running, I ran almost every day along the coast from Freshwater to Manly, then back again, perhaps to Curl Curl and back again to Freshie.
August Pub to Pub 13km from Dee-Why RSL to the Newport Arms 1:21:57
2010
Back to the UK, and having learnt in Australia all about setting goals, I wanted to make sure I had run a marathon before I was 25. So, I started training. I entered a load of races. Another goal was a sub-2 hour half marathon, hoping that would get me toward a sub 4 marathon. I was completely broke, so no PT, and relied on Runner's World and Mike Gratton training plans. I reconnected with my charity, Starfish, and they gave me a lot of race places.
June British 10k 53:12 - annoyingly close to my 10k pb, surely I would beat that soon then
August JPMorgan Chase Challenge 3.5miles 31:41
September Starfish Breakfast Run 10k 53:24 - what, still not beat that debut time?
October Royal Parks Foundation Half Marathon 1:59:03 - yay, sub 2hr half!
October Bupa Great South Run 10 miles 90:18
2011
By some wondrous strokes of luck, or providence I got a place in the London Marathon with Starfish. However, my dad had also been diagnosed with cancer last summer, so I struggled to fit my weekend long runs in with travelling to Colchester every weekend to care for my dad. Somehow I got some training in though, and did it.
April Virgin London Marathon 4:38:31 - my first marathon, an AMAZING experience
May Bupa London 10k 54:14 - I can't believe it, I went slowly at the start to run with friends, but ran a 5k pb of 24:45 in the second half of the race!
July Standard Chartered Great City Race 5k 24:01 - my aim was sub 25- I was thrilled
September BMW Berlin Marathon - 4:33:57 - second marathon in 6 months, training was blighted by injury. Perhaps too much too soon.
2012
A really tough year. I wanted to do more marathons, and had a place in NYC Marathon through a travel partner. My father passed away in April, and it took me a long time to realise the effect this would have on my running, not least triggering me to develop asthma, which had been undiagnosed for quite some time. I felt the asthma on all the races I did this year, as well as multiple injuries- patella tendonitis, and a torn calf.
April Reading Half Marathon 2:06:38
July Maldon Sprint Triathlon: 750m swim, 28km bike, 5km run: 1:57:23
October Royal Parks Foundation Half Marathon 2:05:30 - I had planned to run at my planned marathon pace, but nonetheless was totally exhausted after and didn't think the NYC marathon was going to be good
November - ING New York City Marathon DNS - Hurricane Sandy caused the NYC marathon to be cancelled for the first time ever. Perhaps this was lucky- I really shouldn't have run it anyway. I don't think I did a long run further than 14 miles in training!
2013
I was really angry about the cancellation of NYC marathon, along with other races I had entered in 2012. I was also getting emotionally stronger and coming to terms with my Dad's death. But along with this, I also had less of an obligation on how my free time was spent. I could really throw myself into my running. I had entered the ballot for VLM and didn't get a place, I had entered the RW Asics 26.2 competition for Paris Marathon and didn't even make it to bootcamp, but this shouldn't stop me from running marathons. And I was keen to do more races but not pay the earth for them. I got involved with setting up a parkrun in Colchester. I also wanted to stay true to my goal of seeing the world through running, but as I am engaged now, we really couldn't afford expensive trips, so races this year are all in the UK, and I have seen a lot of it.
Here are some from Run Britain Rankings. I've also done a few XC that are not on here.
| HM | 1:56:07 | Colchester Half Marathon | 0.5 | 1.8 | 17 Mar 13 | |
| HM | 2:05:33 | East London Half Marathon | 1.2 | 5.5 | 14 Apr 13 | |
| parkrun | 29:14 | Colchester Castle parkrun 5K Event 5 | 1.0 | 7.7 | 4 May 13 | |
| Mar | 4:18:42 | Halstead & Essex Marathon | 2.4 | 2.3 | 12 May 13 | |
| parkrun | 24:19 | Colchester Castle parkrun 5K Event 7 | 1.5 | -1.0 | 18 May 13 | + |
| 22K | 2:38:04 | Karrimor Great Trail Challenge 22K | 3.0 | 10.6 | 9 Jun 13 | |
| parkrun | 23:08 | Colchester Castle parkrun 5K Event 14 | 1.0 | -2.6 | 6 Jul 13 | + |
| 10K | 49:43 | Felsted 10K | 1.4 | 0.0 | 14 Jul 13 | + |
| parkrun | 22:33 | Chelmsford Central parkrun 5K Event 26 | 1.0 | -2.1 | 20 Jul 13 | + |
| parkrun | 24:24 | Colchester Castle parkrun 5K Event 18 | 1.0 | 2.5 | 10 Aug 13 |
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