Please can anyone who is free on the 20th come along to parkrun to run it with me -I'll be at the back running it with Ryan so even if you're not a runner then give it a go! or if you're a speedy runner then come back and run it in with Ryan when you've finished!! He's excited about it - even more so that I'm now doing it on the Christmas fancy dress day - he's got a Rudolph costume all ready to go!! :) There will be cake afterwards too.... ;)
The race report bit -
October was my big race - the Great Birmingham Half Marathon. All I wanted was to enjoy the atmosphere and get a better time than my first half. Pleased to say that I did both!! It was a lovely sunny day, and great fun heading up with other Malvern Joggers, then meeting up with some Run Mummy Run ladies. Kept my mind off what I was about to do!! Here's me a few miles in when I found my sister-in-law and brother-in-law who were there to cheer me on. And another after the finish with my friend who I managed to catch up to at mile 12 - I didn't know where she'd started so was thrilled to find her and run together for a bit. It was great to have company after the finish until I met back up with those I came with, who had all finished before me. They were waiting for me with beer- was a welcome sight! :) I finished in 2:23:16, which was a 20min pb!
November saw me do 2 races, the first was the Guy Fawkes 5 mile with my friend Claire. This was her first proper race (after the mud run we did over the summer) and we'd only run the distance twice in training. We ran it round together, which is so much more fun than racing on your own!! She did brilliantly and ran it 7min faster than we'd ever run 5 miles before, and we had some yummy food and a pint after to celebrate. Here's us with our medals!! :)
The second was this past weekend at Croome - a 10+k (worked out as 6.5 miles) off road run round the grounds of the gorgeous National Trust property that is on our doorstep. Not that we could see any of it due to the heavy fog!! By the first mile our hair was as wet as if it was raining, and it was so cold it took until halfway round for me to feel my arms again, no more tshirt runs for me this winter!! :) So this one I ran round with my Joggers running buddy Shona. We run together on Wednesdays (club run night) and have recently moved up a pace group, which has been fun! So having run most of my training runs and recent races with friends, I didn't fancy this one on my own- it really is so much nicer with company. Especially this one as it was hard work through all of the mud. Very sticky, squelchy, pull-your-shoes-off mud. For over half the race! There was a stream, and 2 evil hills too, but we did it, and now have a time to beat for next year. :)
The best bit of this race was the atmosphere - lots of familiar faces from local running clubs, and one of my fellow Joggers finishing his 1000k challenge. When I first started going along to the Joggers I saw that he was doing 1000k - and ALL in races! it made me keep quiet about my own 1000k since mine's training as well, though I've since come to realise that 1000k in any form is a lot for someone coming back after a long break from running and starting from scratch. I'm proud of how far I've come, and the fact I've rediscovered my love of running through doing it. :) Here's some pics of the mud!!
The other great thing about November has been parkrun. It started by Natalie running her 10th - with a pb of 38:36, then discovering in the last few weeks that she loves to marshal with her favourite volunteer Eddie. :) It's lovely to see her clapping as we run past, though this morning she had rather cold toes! :( Then out of the blue one Friday, Ryan announced he wanted to run the following day! We had 2 weeks of him getting round both laps- lots of puddle jumping and support from some of the faster parkrunners, both as we were lapped on the first lap, and by those who came back to run it in with us (thanks Trevor and Megz!!!) :) He's finished 5 of them now, and had a week off today because he's a bit tired (he was a marshal instead), but can't wait for my 1000th k run. :) Everyone in the parkrun community is so supportive of Ryan each week when he runs. It means so much to us, and thinking of Ryan smiling as he runs is a real help to get me out the door on those days where it's a bit of a struggle.If you are a parkrunner reading this- thank you for all of your support!!!!!
Here's some photos from recent weeks- Ryan soaking wet on the swings after lots of puddle jumping, evidence of that puddle jumping, and dressed up for Wally's 100th parkrun!
The not as interesting stats bit:
October's distance: 130.8k/81.3 miles
November's distance: 135.8k/84.4 miles
money raised so far: £675.38 !!!!!
Can we get to £1000? I know it's the wrong time of year to be asking but even £1 will help! HemiChat funds £10 for every family member attending an organised meet. The last few months have seen hemi families meeting up for Disney on Ice, going to Lapland, a mum's night at the Manchester Christmas markets, and a trip to the donkey sanctuary. All of these are chances for children with hemiplegia to meet others like them, and for parents to spend time talking to others who understand what it is like raising a hemi child. Thank you for all you have helped me raise so far, it really means a lot. x
The countdown is on!!! 2 more weeks!!!!! :)
(and if anyone asks- I'm not stopping running next year, I already have 4 races booked!!! )
