Review of 2013

Stats from this year

• 239 race miles (43 more than last year)
• 289 days running (40 more than last year)
• 1780year which is 30 less than last year
• 47 miles was my highest weekly mileage which is 1 less than last year
• 199 was my highest monthly mileage in March which was
•  9 more than last year
• 23 Races (2 more than last year)
• Half Marathons x 7 with a PB of 1:42
• Full marathons x 2 with a PB of 3:48
• 10k x 7 with a PB of 47:35
• Parkruns x 27 with 5 PB’s and current PB 23:25

Did I achieve my goal of running 2013? 

Well unfortunately not however I did run 1780 miles, which is strangely down on last year despite more running days and a longer distance covered in a month, if I ran this consistently then I would have reached Morocco. 

Despite being down on my mileage and not achieving my 2013 miles for the year I did achieve 2 marathons and 1 sub 4 hour marathon which I am very proud of, but also very grateful to my friends and family for helping me raise over £2,222 for MacMillian Cancer Support.

Here are some of my great photos memories:

VLM 2014

Thunder Run 2013

Trentham Running Club

Get out of the door

Running is not easy and neither is motivation, however here are some of my tricks that have got me out of the door more than once when I didn't want to go…….

Audio books, I have listened to numerous books while out on the run; as busy people it is so hard to find time to pick up a good book, but having someone read to you when you are out on a run is amazing. I scared myself with thrillers on dark evenings, being inspired by some great story of triumph over adversity that made those last few miles a little easier, had my heart skip with a great little rom-com and heard how some of the greats have got to where they are today.  Give it a whirl and get the book you have been meaning to read listen, the books I have listened to are posted to this blog.

Podcasts, I love these again for some of the truly inspirational discussions and helping me feel a little less alone with the hurt, the rain and the how many more miles.  I have also learnt a lot from the training tips and even got my name mentioned a few times, which always puts a spring in my step. 

Run log, running is hard and it never gets easy.  The reason it never gets easy is because as you improve you go longer and faster. Unless you keep a track of this you will think you are going backwards.  I have spreadsheets dating back to 2010.  Where my distances where recorded in K and my average mile was 9:39, now I record in miles and my average pace is 8:34 and my average race pace is 8:07.  It is still as tough as it was back in 2010 and the reason is that running is tough and if it isn’t tough you might not be pushing yourself enough. 

Music, having a dedicated running play list is a must, you know when you hear a song on the radio and you want to get up and dance, that is the song for your play list, I have an great mix of rock, dance and good old feet tapping music, and don’t worry if it is seasonal either because when that song comes on it will bring a smile to your face; case and point during a tough half last year in September Fairy of New York by Kirsty McCall and the Pogues came on the playlist and I love it! It lifted me up and got me out of a tough mile.  Beyonce is another good one for that, but only you will know what those songs are, find um and put um on your playlist. For inspiration and a a little more understanding of what makes me tick my current playlist is posted to this blog

Friends: this goes without saying, but running with company is great they help to feel motivated, sometimes you are the one motivating them, other times they are the ones motivating you.  Running with friends helps the miles fly by, you can share your day, your troubles, hopes and dreams.  It is quite funny when you stop to think about it sometimes you share a lot more on a run than you would at any other time.  But there should always be one rule "what is said on the run stays on the run" here is a great running video which shows what I mean about people being quiet open about personal disclosure, I have added a page to my blog that links directly to it.

Zombie run: this is a great little mobile application that adds a little bit of spice to your run, I don't want to ruin it for anyone, but if you want to feel like your runs have purpose then download this great app.

Hopefully this has been able to give you a little inspiration next time your trainers are staring back at you.

Kirsten the runner

That is who I have become known as and this intrigues me as I haven’t always run.  If you have read my bio you will see that I was the last person I would have expected to run.

Now when I tell people that I use to smoke they are shocked, they are equally shocked when I say I go to slimming world.  It is funny how other people perceive you; “Kirsten you are a runner and healthy couldn’t imagine you doing anything like that!”  It is kind a nice to think people look at me and see someone healthy but I think it is only fair if I share the fact that I too struggle with motivation, running, food, getting faster and food.

I haven’t always run, I took it up really back in 2010 I had run a little before that but for buses and last orders at the bar does not count.  

I started out with a couple of 5k and 10k’s and thought anyone running a marathon must be mad. Now I have run 21 half marathons with a PB of 1:42:04 and 2 full marathons with a PB of 3:48:01 and to date clocked up 5341 miles! 

So I guess I am "Kirsten the runner"