Happy 1st Runniversary!

Today is my first running anniversary... my runniversary! (do you see what I did there?!)

Will run for cake!

I started this journey on the 9th July 2014 when I wanted to do something but didn't know what to do. I wanted to exercise but couldn't afford to join a gym. I did a bit of googling and came across the Couch to 5K programme. This programme made running look achievable! I had tried taking up running before but hated every second of it so I have no idea what made me think this time would be any different.

I was newly separated, had very low self-esteem and lonely. I thought that if I started running then maybe I would get good enough to enter races or join a running club. I hoped that I'd make new friends and get fit at the same time. Win win!

I couldn't have imagined that I would do both and become part of an awesome running club who do nothing but support each other and have a great laugh at the same time. I found my running family. Who are these people I hear you ask? Well they are the amazing people who make up Pegasus running club in Cardiff and I love them all to bits.

Go Pegs Go!

A few of the Pegs adopted me at Cardiff parkrun back in February this year and I officially became a Peg on the 1st April. The amazing thing about my running family is that they are always there. They are there on race days, they are there on training days and they are there whenever I need a pep talk, some advice or just a right old laugh. They are even there on my solo runs too, their advice and support often pops into my head when my run is getting a bit tough and I want to walk instead.

When I first started this journey to becoming a runner, I thought that I'd probably just do a few 5K and 10K races but as I got into it I felt more confident and decided to sign up for the Cardiff Half Marathon... I might have mentioned that once or twice before.

To be completely honest, I never thought it would feel like an achievable goal and that I'd bitten off far more than I could ever hope to chew but I was wrong. I haven't even done the half marathon yet, it's just over 12 weeks away, but I know that I will complete it because Pegasus have got my back. They give me so much confidence. In fact I even entered the ballot for the London Marathon in April 2016 after a night running with the Pegs! Nuts? Yes! Is it doable? Totally! Why? because Pegasus told me so.

I'm gonna nail it!

Running is also my therapy. If life is being a bitch then I put on my trainers and run away from it all. It helps me clear my mind and put things back into perspective. It's saved me loads of £££ in counselling fees!

My friends and family have also been extremely supportive and encouraging, they believe in me and know that I can do anything I put my mind to. I love to see their faces or hear the surprise in their voices when I tell them how far I ran on my long run, it makes me feel SO DAMN PROUD OF MYSELF! I am achieving something that I never thought I could or would.

My first ever 8 miler!

I am now in a new relationship and it's going amazingly well *touches wood... touches ALL the wood*. One of the best parts about it is that he's a runner too and is going to be joining me and the Pegs at the Cardiff Half. We've been out for a few runs together and they have been so much fun, I can't wait to do even more.

*crosses fingers*

To date I have run a total of... *drum roll*... 467 miles! 467 MILES IN ONE YEAR! I can't actually believe I've run that much. Here's to many more years and many more miles of running!


#PushingBackHarder

Women's Running Magazine 10K Race

I signed up for the Women's Running Magazine 10k race way back in November and it soon came around. On 31st May the day had arrived and it was raining.

The race was in Bute Park, Cardiff so most of the 10k was on tarmac except for the start and finish which were on grass. Grass! I hate running on grass! It's harder and it was wet and soggy so my trainers became wet and soggy immediately and I had to run 10k with wet and soggy trainers and socks on.

Pegasus girlies ready to run!

Natalie and I were there nice and early so managed to bag ourselves a freebie!

Another water bottle to add to the collection

Nessa from Gavin & Stacey (AKA Ruth Jones) joined us for the run. She was recovering from an injury so only did the 5K race whereas Natalie and I were signed up for the 10K!

Oh... what's occurring?

'Selfie' with a celebrity!

Anyone who knows me knows that I love pink. Any shade of pink is fine but I prefer hot pink or baby pink. So you can guess how happy I was when I saw the baby pink port-a-loo!

One just for girls!

After the 2nd toilet stop of the morning it was time for the race to start. Natalie and I queued up and started the race at a good pace. Not too fast but not too slow!

The race was 2 laps around Bute Park and I hate laps. I hate knowing on lap 1 that I've got to run the same bastard lap again before I can finish and eat cake.

Our running buddy John came to cheer us on and shouted helpful things like "stop waving and run faster" "you can run faster than that" etc etc. Near the end of the race he clearly saw the pain on my face and gave a cheery "looking good girls" to spur us on.

I completed 2 x 5 mile races in May and thought "what's an extra mile?" Well, I'm hear to tell you that the extra mile is pain, that's what an extra mile is!

Me during the last mile

Mile 5 hurt. Oh my god it hurt. My feet hurt. My back hurt. My everything hurt and I just wanted to stop and lay down on the floor.

What I wanted to do!

Luckily for me Natalie was a superstar and kept going and I was determined to keep up with her. I started to fall back a little bit during the last half mile so had to stretch out my legs to catch her again. She clearly took this as a sign that I wanted to run faster and kept speeding up!

We completed the race in 62:07 and 62:12, I was only 5 seconds behind her and so happy with my time.

Yay!

The text came through before I had even collected my medal and goodie bag! Natalie and I finished about halfway through the pack which was a massive achievement for me, I'm usually a lot nearer the end of the results list! I felt amazing! 

OK my race wasn't that good but it was a lot longer!

OK so it wasn't as long as this but felt it!

Natalie and I hit the podium for our photo shoot!

Happy Pegasus Girlies!

My medal is my favourite medal so far

And the goodie bag was awesome! Everything in it is useful!

And we got a free technical t-shirt!

Score!

Winston wanted to get in on the action...

I do looks handsome!

I had a bath when I got home and realised how much I was aching

Good plan lady!

The rest of my race day consisted of sitting down and eating everything I could get my hands on!

Must. Eat. All. The. Food!

It was a fantastic race day and I loved it even though it hurt like hell! This running lark is addictive especially when you get a medal, t-shirt and goodie bag for your trouble!

#PushingBackHarder

Porthkerry 5 Mile Multi-Terrain Run

Well I wasn't happy with just running a 5 mile race on Bank Holiday Monday and then having an easier weekend... nooooooooooooo, I went and signed up for the Porthkerry 5 mile multi-terrain race on Sunday (10th May).

The race is organised by Penarth and Dinas running club and located in Barry.

It wasn't just me running, some of my fellow Pegasus did too.

Photo bombing by Les Croupier *tuts*

The run was on fields, tarmac, pathways and woodland hills... yes HILLS! 2 big b*stards!

My thoughts exactly!

I eventually got over the shock and the race begin. There were only about 250 of us altogether so my plan was to come in last and anything better than that would be a bonus.

The first hill started just before the 1st mile marker and I was reassured that most people walk up it.

Fake running for the camera!

I'd had a big meal the night before the race (not my best decision!) and it was 50/50 whether it was going to stay down or not.

Says it all really!

Thankfully I didn't need a pit stop. I finally got to the top of the 1st hill and was pleased that the next mile or 2 was either downhill or flat. Thank god!

Actually running

The next and final hill was bigger... longer... more painful... horrendous

I'm with Wonder Woman... the woman talks sense!

After I'd finished arguing with myself, I walked my tired arse up the hill and could've cried when I got to the top.

Soooooo wanted to do this!

4 and 1/2 miles into the race I knew it would be over very, very soon... I just had to keep going. I came around a corner and saw the finish line... oh how I love you finish line!

Nearly there!

It's right here!

I DID IT!

I beat my goal and was something like 6th from last and completed the 5 miles in 56:36 which made me ridiculously happy as it was a hard, hard race.

My Strava activity summary... see, BIG hills!

Pegasus plus others group shot... we're all still smiling!

I thought I would get really muddy as we'd had a few days of rain before the race but this was it

Oooooo hardly any mud!

My race goody was a bright yellow t-shit which is perfect for training in

But I had been under the impression that I was getting a t-shirt and a medal... I like a medal *glares at John* However my disappointment was short lived as the race entry fee was very cheap and the t-shirt is very good. I think John felt sorry for me and knocked this special medal up for me.

MY MEDAL!!

So to summarise my run, it went something like this in my head...

I hate running

Why am I running?

I'm on bloody grass

WTF that's a mountain not a hill

Thank god, flatness

Yay downhill!

Oh flat again, I could get used to this

OMG why grass again?!

I hate hate hate running!

A hill... you said a hill... that's more like Everest!

Oh good flat but grass... bleurgh!

More flat

Why am I still running? There's no-one else around... I could just walk! No, don't walk... run!

But I hate running.. .this sucks!

Ooooo downhill again. John said left my body relax and my legs just go... this is fun!

More grass... why all the grass?!

Oh look there's John

What? John just told me to sprint to the finish line!

How am I sprinting? I have no energy left.

OMG I'm so close to the finish line... I can see my Pegasus... must. run. faster.

YAY I FINISHED!!!

Ok breath...

Ooooooo t-shirt and water... feeling spoilt

Must walk over to my Pegasus posse... work legs, work!

After all the yays and hugs I was asked how the race was, this was my response...

I hated every second of it until I got to the end and then it was amazing and I want to do it again!!

Yup!

#pushingbackharder

Cardiff Bay 5 Mile Race Day!

On Bank Holiday Monday I got out of bed and drove to Cardiff Bay for the appropriately named Cardiff Bay 5 Mile run.

Cardiff Bay... 5 miles

It was my first race as a member of Pegasus Running Club and I was strangely calm about the whole thing. I got there nice and early to sign in and get my race pack.

Race day selfie with Katie

Kitted up and ready to run!

The girls and I in the club had a discussion about the best time to go to the loo as we all knew we had to leave it late enough so we didn't need to pee when we started running but not too late otherwise there would be a big queue.

Timing is essential!

We had time for a quick team photo 

Team Pegasus!

We all gathered at the starting line and it seemed to take ages but that meant time for another couple of photos 

Full of smiles and pure terror!

Cheeeeeeeeeeese!

The race started and Katie and I stuck together to make sure we didn't get carried away with the crowd and take off too quickly otherwise that would've ruined our whole race plan... not that we actually had a proper race plan, it was more of a 'one foot in front of the other for 5 miles' kind of a plan.

I can see the finish line!!

I wanted to complete the run in under 60 mins (sub 60) and totally smashed it by finishing in 54 mins and 22 seconds!

Wooooo hooooooo!

Today's race reward was a shiny medal so we all did a lot of posing with our new jewellery 

Say armadillo!

I was totally buzzing after the race and wanted to do it all over again. I'm sure I would've managed about 5cm and not quite 5 miles but my heart was up for it.

I can take on the world!!

 Once everyone finished the race we did some more posing

Bling bling!

Last race day selfie!

The next most important part of the day was all about food. How many calories did I burn so how many cakes can I stuff into my face?

We ended our race day in the Mount Stuart pub. We chatted about the race, our performance and then which races we would do next while we ate our well earned food.

Photo bombing medal

By the end of the meal, I had agreed to do about 3-4 more races before my Cardiff Half marathon. Have I mentioned previously that I'm running the Cardiff Half marathon??!! Maybe only once or twice.

Now this is the dangerous part of the day. You feel on top of the world and want to do it all over again as soon as possible. This quickly goes from this...

I want to do it all over again!

To this...

I just agreed to what??!!

For me, the best part of the whole day was being with my team and feeling the Pegasus love and support. If you ever consider joining a running club then I say do it. It's the best decision I ever made and my race day was a 1000 times better because of my new running family. I knew I could do it because they helped me train for it and were there to cheer me on. Best. Day. EVER!!

#PushingBackHarder