Happy One Year Running Anniversary

Did I think when I first met Sandra Roycroft-Davis huffing and puffing red faced trying to keep up with her as we made are way to catch the tube, Sandra talking away (as she does in a good way) The only thing I remember Sandra saying was "we will get you doing exercise" my heart sank and I thought no way I just want to lose weight. The seed was planted and I had no idea that it was.

Another great person Lorraine Albon my Diabetic Doctor who when I had started Thinking Slimmer and started losing weight said You could enter the Great South Run, again no way I don't run look at me. Another seed planted (I'm sure I'm also a gardener now as well!)

On this day last year having entered the Great South Run a few days earlier I started training and it needed a purpose as Lorraine also said you only have to run one minute and walk one minute and I will run it with you. I start my training with my partner Hazel we decided to park the car at Eastney and power walk to Clarence Pier  and back this was roughly a 5 mile distance as I was doing a 10 mile race this would open my eyes to want I need to do.  http://runkeeper.com/user/DarinMcCloud/activity/35496796 Without Hazel helping me at the start I would not be where I am today because I hate walking and I am a naturally slow walker, if I had done this first session on my own I would have been a hell of a lot slower and properly not completed the 5 miles.

Hands up who thought the GSR would be my one and only race and that I would not run after. (Both hands in the air from me) let alone stand here in front of you all one year on having not only kept on running but also completed the Brighton Half Marathon and the Virgin London Marathon. And also have three 10k race's booked in to run as well as this years GSR where the pressure will be on to run better than last year this year I am also running the Gosport Half Marathon three weeks after the GSR just because I can, last year I could not walk the next day Got to have Goals. .For the first time ever I can use the word pressure and it not scare me or make me go back into depression. I am so looking forward to running with experience and freedom The GSR is my race for life I don't ever see a year when I will not run/complete in this race. 

It would be remiss of me me not to mention the one really bad day Mothers Day 2012 and the Worthing 20 mile road race. http://runkeeper.com/user/DarinMcCloud/activity/76184279 and the blog to match this day http://darinm-httpwwwthinkingslimmercom.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/success-or-failure-fine-line.html I learnt so much from this day not only about running and training but more importantly about myself as a human being and I am a much better person for this day. Remember that you can only learn things from making mistakes or things not going according to plan.

I am now going to put some numbers in front of you that have amazed me, every number is very special and precious to me. 109 The number of times I went for a run. 630 Miles that I have ran, jogged or walked. 105,000+ The number of calories I have used.  89 The number of miles run in the month of March for the Marathon.  94 The number of miles run in April including the Marathon. 5.78 Miles the average of each run.

And now three times that mean so much as well, I will have these times etched in my heart for ever 2:09:10 the time of my first ever race The Great South Run. 2:36:00 the re-adjusted official time for The Brighton Half Marathon. 6:27:41 The time for the London Marathon.

I can not believe that I have achieved so much in such a short space of time. If you are reading this and saying I CANNOT do that you are not asking yourself the right positive question's and are looking at reason's not to something, in many case's like you have for many years and I included myself in that, see the first paragraph of this post as prove. You don't need to run a marathon or swim the English channel you don't need to be fast there is no shame in being at the back of the field. The best runners are the great people at the back pushing themselves to achieve there dream there goal. The Victory is making the the start line.

My runner of 2011 is Caroline Storey who entered the GSR because of me and completed in a small fraction over 3 hours we did some training runs together and I am so proud to call her a friend and an athlete  Caroline showed me that if you set your mind to something you can achieve that goal, on many occasions when I needed some inspiration some focus I remember Caroline who ran a 10 mile race because of me.

Having completed the training for the marathon running 4 times a week which as I have documented was extremely hard to fit in, I now find myself free to train and enjoy my running again but I feel guilty because I'm not running as much as before I am putting Hazel first a bit, I owe her that much after what we have been through and if the weather is a bit iffy I look out out and think why get cold or wet. Is this being lazy my head is struggling and saying yes my heart says no you will run when you need to when you want to and do what needs to be done in the run up to races. It is all about balance about being happy and content, today I should go out for a run as I have a day off but I have this blog to write (it takes forever to type, I need a secretary lol)  I have some bills to sort out and I have a leg massage booked in for tea time, that's most of the day sorted doing these things out, so why feel guilty about not running. I know I shouldn't but just a little bit I do, I will work through it as is the Thinking Slimmer way plus the support network will set me straight. I love learning about myself and I love helping others on their journeys either or Slimpod and Fitpod, together we are strong and we will change our lives for the better.