Yep. 4 months ago, I could barely run 1/2 a mile to the gym.
Today, with £200 of sponsorship motivation from friends and family, I ran 10 kilometers through the Beaulieu Estate in the New Forest in 54 minutes.
It really was a gorgeous autumn day, clear skies and shining sun. I set my running tracker to 9:00 minute miles, although I hoped to do just a bit better than that. In the end, the combination of starting at the back of the field and having to climb a closed gate at the 5km-ish mark added a bit of time.
54 minutes - a smidgen under 9s. As I said, I was a bit slow off the start, being at the back of the field (we were split into starters under 50min/over 50min - I just went near the back). I fell back from my chosen pace for a couple of km while the field thinned a bit, then picked it up, worked through the pack and by 4km was ahead (of my Virtual Partner). That was when I hit the closed gate - which they broke open as I climbed over it :rolleyes:.
At 5km I slowed for the drinks station, then just sat on the pace for the rest of the run - breaking into a stretch-out for the last 100m. To be fair I think I should have done that a bit earlier - maybe 400m out. I think I could have lasted for that, and maybe shaved 30 seconds (and beaten the guys dressed as the 118-118 team). As it was, a marshal said I was about 200th coming in to the last kilometer - out of 600-700 starters. My place didn’t shift much from there.
But my heart rate was at 95% of max for the whole race, so I did push it as much as I dared. Heaps more training coming up - I want to go faster. I was running with a Sat-Nav running watch on, makes pacing so much easier when not on a treadmill.
Thanks, but you’re the inspiring one - fighting cancer, losing weight and being eternally cheerful and encouraging (at least to us dopers).
Lots of runners had messages on their backs, naming relatives, friends, colleagues etc who had or have cancer, and that was really moving.
I was running in memory of my mother, who died 20 years ago from cancer. But I couldn’t help but think of ivylass and Gail (and others who I may have missed) fighting the fight and David Simmons and others who have died from cancer, and all those dopers who have mentioned family and friends.
I figured that sticking
on my back might not exactly be what Cancer Research Uk would want
But you guys were in my thoughts, and when we had a moments silence before the race, it was pretty hard not to choke up.
Congratulations on using such a momentous personal accomplishment to put something positive into the world.
I’m certainly feeling inspired. I started running 5 months ago, and could barely do 3 minutes straight much less a half a mile. I ran my first 5K on the 4th of July. Lately I’ve been sticking to 2 miles daily lately and just watching my speed go up. Today I’m going to run intervals for the first time. Running has become an integral part of my life and I get cranky when I go without it for longer than two days. I am a LOT faster than when I started–but a LOT slower than you!
