2:19:52

Barely 30 hours ago I completed the Brighton Half, and it already feels like some sort of surreal dream. If it wasn't for feeling like led weights were attached from my hips down, then I wouldn't count on it being more than a dream.

I wouldn't trade today's pain for anything - yesterday was immense. I was full of nerves before the race, & I'd spent most of this last week fretting about it and having dreams of running in treacle, forgetting all of my kit, and missing the start of the race. Every worry had crossed my mind, but I didn't let the fear get in the way of enjoying myself on race day.

Sure, two and a half hours is a long time to run, but I settled into a really good rhythm mentally, which kept me steady all the way round. The course takes you up towards the Marina, then all the way back down the coast up towards Hove. The stretch towards Hove seemed to go on forever, but my trusty playlist & the crowds kept me pumped. I took time to assess how I felt every so often - not 'Oh God my legs are killing me!' but more objectively, like 'What's tense? What's different? Am I swinging my arms freely? Am I hydrated enough? How's my footing?' A quick body scan every so often just to check in with myself, and then adjust accordingly. This really helped me run strong because I felt so conscious and aware of my movement - when normally I'd just switch off when running on the treadmill. I really wanted to be present and enjoy it as much as possible, after all I'd only be there running this exact day once!

The best advice I received was simply, to smile. I've just downloaded the audiobook of A Life Without Limits by Chrissie Wellington in which she dispensed this secret. Every time I felt like it was a struggle I forced a smile & it instantly flipped my mood.

Everything just seemed to click into place yesterday, and the only things that 'went wrong' per say, was when I squirted half of my first gel all up my arm (but I couldn't help but laugh at myself) and at the last drinks station when I momentarily queued up for the toilets, before deciding 40 seconds on that I could last until the end. It was the only kilometre where my pace was above 6:51which was very frustrating, but hey ho!

I was really chuffed with my time. I tried to place myself between the 2:15 and 2:30 pacers which seemed to work well. I'd love to work on bring my time down to 2 hours, that'll be the next challenge.

48 hours to go

Be mine Valentine

I spy with my little eye...

Photo courtesy of http://robryanstudio.com

A spoonful of sugar

In the lead up to the Brighton Half I'm trying really hard not to get sick. As I write I'm making my way through a plateful of orange segments, reading some blogs & having a wee panic about what will happen in less than two weeks time.

I've hit my fundraising target (woo hoo!) so that's one massive relief. I've just got to, ya know, run 13 miles and hope it's not too hot/cold/rainy on the day. I'm not very good at dealing with the unexpected, so this will be a bit of an interesting challenge. I know I can run, I've got legs so that's a start. But it's all the little worries like 'Oh god, we're staying in a hostel the night before, will I sleep enough? Will the beds be comfy? Will I wake up with shin splits after my next run? Will my stomach settle enough on the day to run for two hours with all that anxiety swimming around?' It's all the little 'what if' worries that are making me second guess it all. But it'll be worth it. I know it will be worth it.

If you run you are a runner

I've clocked up 64Km already this year, meaning if I continue at this rate I'll manage 760Km by the end of the year which seems insane. Running gives me this strange kind of joy I can't quite find anywhere else. When I'm happy, I run. When I'm angry, I run. It's a relief. It's redemption. It's this thing that feels bigger than me, like when I step out on to the pavement I am syncing up with the world, and I am suddenly much closer to everything. It's beginning to get strangely addictive - something I never thought I'd say about running.

This was on the Sweaty Betty bag I received with my last purchase.

This last week I've spent most of my hours in-between finishing work and drifting off to sleep, listening to an audiobook version of Born to Run by Christopher McDougall via Audible. It's so incredible the distances ultra-runners go for, and it's been really inspiring me to look at why I run, and what I should aim for. Every time I plug it in to my ear buds I want to run a little bit more, immediately. It's pure brilliance.