Race for Life!

Well hello there!

Pre-run!

Over the weekend, I ran my very first charity race - the 10K Race for Life in aid of Cancer Research UK. The funds raised by people participating in this event go towards vital and groundbreaking research to treat and find a cure Cancer.

After weeks of training, I laced up my trainers and donned my pink t-shirt to run for this great cause. It is a cause which is very close to my heart, as I have lost three members of my family to Cancer, and have an uncle who survived Cancer.

This event took place in Heaton Park in Manchester, on a beautiful warm Sunday - thankfully not too hot! The atmosphere in the park as we all gathered was one of excitement and positivity - this day wasn't about death, but life-affirming and upbeat. I was inspired by the strength and determination of so many of the women as they took up the challenge to run in memory of the ones they'd loved and, in many cases, lost.

I'd opted to run the 10K, and after weeks of preparation, I finally faced the challenge. While I'd trained a lot, I don't think anything could have prepared me for the experience of running such a long distance (for me) alongside hundreds of other pink-clad women in one of the hilliest parks in England! I managed to survive blistered toes, heavy legs halfway through and a horrendous stitch in the last 500 metres. What kept me going was the knowledge that I was running this not only in memory of the people I'd loved and lost, but also that this charity was helping to save lives. The amazing work of Cancer Research could even potentially help save the lives of future loved ones - perhaps even my own life.

Post-run!

With that firmly at the forefront of my mind, I was thrilled to be able to hand over the funds I'd raised, as well as a bag full of old clothes, DVDs, CDs and books.

It really was a very moving and powerful day. It felt great to be part of a movement larger than myself, and reminded me to be grateful for the people in my life. So much so that I'm determined to do it all over again next year!

Read more about Cancer Research UK and Race for Life

Bye for now!

Race for Life Training Week 2!

Well hello there :)

This week marks the second week of my training for the Race for Life in aid of Cancer Research UK.
I'll be running the 10K with my friend Rebecca, and as I've never run a proper race before I'm slightly pooping myself.

I've decided to alternate my training weeks from intense to milder training, as I'm not used to running and have been having some joint pains (old lady problems). I've also started taking Omega 3 fish oils as these are really good for protecting the joint cartilage when doing high impact exercise.

As it's the Easter weekend and I've had loads to prepare for, I've not had as much time as I would have like to train this week. Next week I'll be fully back on the wagon (and will probs need to be after all those Easter eggs! Mmmmm fattening....)

So here's what this week's admittedly meagre training looked like:

Monday: 11.6km cycle in 20 mins on Cardio settings, followed by an hour's Zumba class and 10 minutes on the Cross Trainer

Tuesday: 11.5km cycle in 20 mins on Fat Burn settings followed by one hour's Yoga session

Weds, Thurs, Fri, Sat and Sun: Rest Days/Easter/Gorging myself on as much chocolate as is possible for one human being to consume....naughty naughty!

Happy Easter everyone!

Bye for now :)