I entered the Canterbury 10 mile race in rather last minute fashion - on the day actually! It made me quite stressed that I would drag myself out of bed and trudge down there only to find the race was full, however there was no problem will paying on the day. I got my number and timing chip which I expertly attached to my shoe (I have learnt from bitter experience at the Harvel 5 miler last year, when I took so long faffing and tying my shoelaces wrongly etc, that I missed the start of the race entirely) and I met up with the rest of the Rebel Runners. I wore my relatively new bright pink Asics which are lighter than my normal version used for longer runs. I didn't yet have my official Rebel vest, but was still made to feel very welcome!
Nutrition wise, I had some porridge with a few nuts, seeds, a banana and peanut butter stirred in (really yummy) in the morning - and had managed to keep calm despite a porridge-exploding-in-the-microwave episode. I had also hydrated quite well the day before, plus had some lucozade with an electrolyte tablet that morning.
Yet again I was cursed with loo problems - I'm the kind of person that has to go again just in case, and unfortunately the portaloo supplier had let these poor guys down. 5 toilets between everyone wasn't sufficient or pleasant. Let's just say there seemed to be a lot of pre race nerves going on!
We had a little walk up to the start line, speculating on where the hills were, how bad they would be, our finish times etc. I was looking to beat the 1hr 15 I had set at the Dartford 10 miler in September.
And we were off! And too fast AGAIN. I can't seem to get this right, and always get carried along with the crowed. Around 6min 45 for the first mile was a bit speedy, although I could see another Rebel, Lisa, in front of me. We have run the team runs together before and she is an amazing runner - so I thought I would try and stick with the pace and keep pushing.
I'm not going to lie - the hills at miles 4 and 7 hurt. A lot! There was a lot of huffing and puffing going on as they sorted out the men from the boys...! Hills are not my forte and I know I need to work on them - but I managed to attack and push through and then reclaim my legs at the top.
I thought he course in general was lovely. Not too narrow, luckily not wet or muddy, variation to keep it interesting, and it was a beautiful day which helped.
I seemed to somehow get a second wind around mile 6, my competitive instinct kicked in, and I thought I would try and push this. The last couple of miles were nice and flat, and I managed a little sprint finish for. 1hr 11 which I was delighted with. All the Rebels who raced that day were so impressive, I think Chatham Hill training stands us in good stead! I think there were PBs all round. I really enjoyed the team spirit too.
I've been experimenting a bit more with nutrition lately too, and have been eating more, but more healthy foods as paying attention to recovery and eating after training. I have noticed my energy levels are higher. I have discovered Upbeat protein drink, Nakd bars and a lot of Greek yoghurt - which has become a staple. Porridge is now my go to breakfast every time, and I have been making time for this before my long runs i.e getting up ridiculously early! I've also really got back into the weights and gym classes - it's good to have variety, and I believe it's making me a stronger runner.
In terms of fundraising, I had a pub quiz in Colchester on the 30th January which was really successful. The owner of the pub was so helpful, and provided the prizes for the quiz and the raffle, the questions, and was also the quiz master for the night! I bought along some branded Whizz-Kidz banners and collection tins, and took the entry money and the raffle. A lot of people were very supportive as I want round the tables, and even more so after I did a speech on how fantastic Whizz-Kidz are, what they do, and why I'm running the marathon specifically for them. Just over £250 was raised, which is a good boost to my total and means I am just over half way to target...!
I have to keep pushing now and think of some news ideas to get the money in. I'm also looking at booking some more races with the Rebel Runners and getting as much experience as I can before the big day.
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