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 3

Well hello there :) Happy Easter to one and all!

Okay, so last week was a bit of a write-off when it came to race training...it was Easter so OBVIOUSLY I was going to slack off and attempt Death by Chocolate....don't pretend you didn't do the same!

Back on the wagon this week.

I'll be honest, after 4 blissful days off work catching up with people I've not seen for a while, I'm struggling to find motivation for anything that doesn't involve chocolate and lounging in the sunshine. (Down with work booo!) I've even gotten lazy with blogging but what else are holidays for?

I went for my first post-Easter run yesterday and noticed how stiff my thighs had become in the space of four short days, even though I've still been walking a little. This just goes to show how important it is to keep exercising and stretching in order to keep the fitness up. The run itself was fine, and I'm really pleased with how quickly my body is becoming accustomed to running longer distances.

My foot's been playing up something awful - yes, after six weeks of ditching the Primark Chelsea boots, I'm still having joint pain in my foot! Methinks a new pair of trainers will help with this.

Anyway, here's what this week's training schedule looks like:

Mon: Rest day, adventures with Mr Robin!

Tues: 5km run on hill setting on treadmill (29 mins), followed by 6km cross trainer in 25 mins

Weds: Rest day

Thurs: 1.6km jog, then fast run for 2 mins, recover with 2 minute jog = repeat 4 times then jog 1.6km to cool down; followed by strength training for 30 mins

Fri: Rest day

Sat: 7.25km run (3.29km easy pace, 4km race pace)

Sun: Rest day

Well and truly back on track this week - in more ways than one! Wish me luck! Or sponsor me if you like!

Bye for now :)

Lent

Lent is a really powerful time. I was wondering what it is that makes me love this time of year so much. Why does a period of abstinence make me feel so happy?

Well,  I think there are several reasons.

Lent is full of opportunities:

To reflect upon the things in my life that aren't bringing me ultimate fulfilment.
That could be something as simple as cutting down on the frantic compulsion to check my social media apps and texts every three minutes. It could be  eliminating junk food from my diet for 47 days and starting to treat my body like the temple it is.

To take stock and appreciate. This could mean taking a few minutes each day to be mindful of all the blessings in my life and saying thank you.

To give back. Gratitude expresses itself in giving of self. When I'm feeling grateful I like to show people by saying thanks, taking time to help out and perhaps even giving a gift. There are also other ways to give back to the wider community during lent, such as volunteering at the local soup kitchen, distributing sandwiches to the homeless and visiting the elderly and sick. Doing things like this really gives me  perspective and is a massive mood lifter.

Anticipate. Lent, like Advent, leads up to something. (Easter and Christmas, respectively). These are two of my favourite times of year because they are filled with anticipation. This is such a powerful and hope-filled emotion and helps to break the year up into different moods and meanings.

Here's looking forward to Easter!