Running events

Ryan and I have done many running events in the last year or so and this is a run down of them all, ones I liked, didn't like etc.

As I have mentioned in the thread Beginning of fitness journey, Ryan did the Mens Health Survival of the fittest in October 2011, We then booked to do the 'Night Fright' on 26th October. That was my first run and it was horrible, extremely hard, apart from the fact it was hilly, I hadn't trained either!

We then decided to do Nos Galan - a 5k run in Aberdare town centre.

This is a race which commemorates a Welsh runner who died at the event after doing a charity race. It is on New year eve at around 7pm, the atmosphere here was amazing! They have a celeb appearance - that year was Shane Williams. The only problem with this event is that given the time of year, the weather is always going to be bad! If I remember correctly, I ran this in 34 minutes and was quite happy with myself as it was my 2nd race and I still wasn't taking it very serious.

Around this time we started getting interested in biking and Ryan took part in a duathlon. It was the Ice Breaker Duathlon. Unfortunately he had a very old bike at the time and he said it was pretty much him pushing the bike through a quad bike course - very muddy and hilly. I felt sooooo sorry for him! He definitely looked shattered at the end of it.

Ryan's toughest event!

Next up was Legends of Sherwood my all time favourite event!!! I LOVE IT! I did the 5k course and Ryan entered the 10k - which was going to be at night. The course went through the Sherwood forest and had obstacles in-between. I found it an easy, manageable run and the obstacles were so fun!

Jumping off the final wall

Ryan having a cold shower

All muddy after the race

I can't remember my time for this but I do remember Ryan saying he was proud of me for how I did and I was chuffed at the time :) The only downside to this event is that it is in Nottingham which means a long cold drive home.

Ryan then did the Carten 100 which is a 100 mile bike ride starting in Cardiff and ending in Tenby, he did this event with the Fire Service so it wasn't one I could have attempted, but I did meet him in Tenby and we stayed a couple of nights which was nice, we went quad biking and a few walks around the town.

Tenby beach

Dora the explorer

Getting ready to go quad biking

We booked the 10k trail run in the Forest of Dean after having a while off running. I really didn't think I could do it. I had never run more then 6k and was still far too lazy and unmotivated to training before it. 

shattered after my longest distance so far.

So apart from a couple of jogs/runs in the week running up to event I didn't do anything more...and regretted it! The run happened to be on the hottest day of 2012! It was horrible - after the 7k mark I actually thought - why the hell am I doing this...my joints hurt and I was so bloody hot! Obviously once it was over I was relieved and on a high having done my longest run to date and just wanted to do more!

As you can probably tell I wasn't entering the races with much enthusiasm, more of a sake of having done it. I still was not training properly for them and just seemed to hope for the best when the time came - BAD ATTITUDE! The next event we took part in was again - for the fun of the event rather then the competition, Ryan did the Spartan race with a friend last year and we booked to do it again.

 It is probably the most exciting of all races, they make a real event out of it! People dress up as Spartans and there is a great atmosphere. 

After the race we had a dip in the lake

I enjoyed this one a lot, it was very hard and some of the obstacle were lethal - One you have to crawl through an ice bath which has a barb wire above lined with electric fence! Yup - I got shocked a lot! We jumped into the lake at the end which was great.

A lot of biking came in between the spartan race and the next Nos Galan. Stupidly, again I wasn't too bothered about my timing. I was incredibly dissapointed to find I did it in 36 minutes - less then last year! Admittedly I was chatting to someone most the way, I didn't find it difficult I just wasn't feeling competitive and again, lack of training. 

Ryan with his well earned medal!

That is the run that sticks in my head most. I felt terrible! Not the best way to start the new year! So I added it to my new years resolutions to put passion in my running, try harder - if not for me for Ryan! Ryan has always been brilliant (I call him lucky haha) He has always done really well but he does work for it. I hated seeing my time for Nos Galan and I knew he was just as dissapointed in me as I was. It has been over a year of doing these events and I couldn't push myself to beat last years time - pathetic! 

So we booked our second Legends of Sherwood race. This time I was also doing the 10k and this time I was going to work for that medal! I started running as soon as we booked it. Every time I went out for a run, it now felt like it had a purpose, I want to be proud of myself and I really wanted Ryan to be happy with my time. I started doing runs to the old mansion, and laps around the rugby fields, increasing the amount of laps every time I went out. My weight sessions in the gym were being molded around the running (I would work harder on legs) and I felt great for it. When race day came we drove up to Nottingham the night before - even though it was a night race, we liked to be there in plenty of time!

ready and waiting for race to start

This time - I was ready!

Although I didn't train quite as far as a 10k, I did do a few 5k runs leading up to it and I felt fairly fit, not to mention I had something which was missing in previous runs - the desire to do well!

As soon as the race hit off, I knew I was going to push myself and had that in my head the whole way round. When the 5k water station came I was actually very surprised by how great I felt as I did not expect it so soon. I was passing everyone I set my head on passing and didn't feel tired or out of breathe at any stage. Luckily I had an up beat song in my head 'Lets go' by Calvin Harris' that helped too. The obstacles were good, I flew over them :) By the time I saw the finish line approach, I was shot with a boost of adrenaline and sprinted for the wall.

The final wall - very slippery!

Unfortunately I couldn't do it in one as it was very slippery and there was a girl ahead of me but I did it the second time and crossed that line with a HUGE smile on my face! Seeing Ryan smiling with the camera pointed at me made me feel great :) That is what all the training was for and I will use the memory as fuel for future training for sure! Ryan ended up coming 52nd out of 647 people with a time of 1.05 and I came 296 in 1.26 beating more then half the people - good for me!!

Very happy while I remove my foot tag

The high lasted a while - I even impulse bought my new Camelbak bag after it on one of the stores - it was half price from £80 to £40 though and its lush and bright purple!

My impulse buy

We have now booked this years Mens Health survival of the Fittest - yup thats right, the one I thought was impossible 1 year ago, the one I stood by watching and couldn't believe how people managed it. I know I can though - I will be setting myself achievable goals and I will make myself proud. It has taken a long time to get the passion out of me but I have :)

End of race, so happy :)

I also did a couple of mini triathlons and a nasty mud run last year, I don't remember when they were but as far as I am concerned they're all the past, I am started fresh with my events as I only want to make myself proud. I am looking forward to this years events and I WILL kick ass - my own that is! I am my own competition right now! I do hope to do the Spartan again this year and I think Ryan is thinking of the Tough Mudder - one of the toughest events on the planet. Don't know how I feel about that yet but I'm now excited about having a chance to get going again.

W A T C H   T H I S   S P A C E !