Holiday's

I have had a busy old couple of months, I have been on holiday in Mexico in which we had a fab time; Mexico is a long favourite holiday destination for me.  I love the food, love the drink and love the sun! So when we booked it last August for the 1^st two weeks in July 2012 it sounded a long long time away! However before we knew it we were heading off in to the sun, it has been a tough few weeks for me at work, a lot of long stressful days and this holiday I was really looking forward to!

The holiday was everything I was expecting and more, the only downside was that it was the start of their rainy season so we had a couple of days when we had a shower or two, but other than that it was great. We had a romantic meal on the beach.

Took a trip to Coco Bongo , now this is one place you should go to if you ever make it to Mexico, it’s a great show and the dancers where amazing, something truly to behold. But one of the funnist things was watching the girls who thought they were all that dancing on the podum inbetween the shows, and every so often they would send up a jet of air and the poor girls skirt would end up around her ears! Fortunately all of the girls were wearing knickers, but they would never learn, after the jet had gone off they would carry on dancing without a care in the world and then of course the jet of air would go off again! Needless to say I didn’t get up there…no on wants to see that!

We loved Mexico so much that we are going back next year, but with all of the training I am going to have to do next year we are going to have to wait until later on in the year, probably around October or November, which is ages ago!!

Cheese !

Keep on rockin'

As well as Mexico I am just back from the Rewind 80 Festival in Henley which again was fantastic, it was a little quieter this year, as it was just me a Sean, our friends had to pull out a the last minute, but have promised to be back next year.  The weather was fantastic, which was a shock considering what the weathermen were saying in the run up to the festival; we had 3 days of wall to wall sunshine.  Every year this little festival gets busier and busier, we arrived a lot earlier than anticipated and there quite a few in front of us, however by the time we got in there was a load more behind us.  As far as festivals go for us this was a quiet one, early to bed but very early to rise, still didn't take my trainers (3 days off running!).  All in all we had a good time and yes we will be back next year! 

You would think that I have not had much time for running but you would be wrong, since coming back I have been in three races Meerbrook 15k which was pure evil!! Staffs Knot 5 and  Dave Clarke 5k which was not so bad, didn't break any personal bests or any major records. I have got my mileage back up to around 40 miles a week which was my plan when I got back from holiday.  I would like to try and keep it up there and maybe a little higher I am not sure why but it would just seem a shame to drop the mileage again, after working so hard to get there.

Potters Arf 2012

This is our local half marathon and it is a toughie! the headlines speak for themselves, in race speak it is known as undulating! ha, if you have never run it is it undulating, if you have run it you will know that it is bloody hilly!!

I ran this for the 1st time last year; when it was unseasonably cold and wet (in previous years it had recorded record temperatures and was always known as a sunny race ), it was tough and despite the cold and rain there were still a number of spectators out on the course, but numbers where understandably down.It was only my 4th half marathon and I had never run the course, it was all new!

This year was significantly different, since I had re-invigorated my running and started more regularly I had run parts and the full course on a number of occasions. I ran it with Phil 6 Towns Runner as part of his 12 half marathons in 12 days, on my own as a training run, and the Tuesday before the Sunday with Sharon and Laura, in an attempt to get the last long run in before the race. The only expectation I had of myself was to beat last year’s time, as I knew there was no way I could beat my Half Marathon PB from Edinburgh but I would have been happy with a course best.

The weather had promised to be dry, not sunny, no warm, but dry is the best we can hope for in the UK anything else is a bonus, the weather in the days prior where horrible, pure evil .  However the morning of the race and the sky was looking rather favourable, a few fluffy white clouds, but that was about it and there was even a hint of blue!!  the running gods were looking down and smiling on us! 

The race itself was great, tough in places and easy in others, I knew the course and knew what was coming. However because of the nice weather the crowds where really out in force! Every step of the route there where people out cheering us on, giving out jelly babies, ice pops, water, juice and even hosing down the runners (after all the rain we had no one can say there wasn’t some to give away to hot runners).  I do hope that the spectators realise that it is there support on the route that really spurs the runners on, it gives us the motivation to carry on when we think we are about to give up and help push us that extra mile or two!

Potters Arf’, has a notorious hill at 11:50 miles in, they re-name the road “Heartbreak Hill”   I have heard that some cars struggle to get up there!  however the crowds along the way and right at the top give you such a cheer you think that you were winning the race!

So did I achieve my aim, yes I beat last years time and came in at 1:54:24, which is a big improvement on last year and I got a Bronze medal for my efforts. 

Jazz hands

Westbrigde 5

This race has a little bit of history and I think I mentioned it in last years post, it is one of my 1st real races and one I originally thought was only a 5k . 

How things have changed, this is a nice little run, in and around Stone and Aston in Staffordshire.  It is shaped a little like and lolly pop, long out along the canal and around Aston and then back along the canal.  I am not sure if it is shaped like a lolly but that is how I think about it.  Due to the nature of the run, there is no room for spectators other than the boats along the canal and those speeding along the A34, so it is really feels like a race.  

I didn’t really have any aims other than do my best, I think I was still on a high from getting a PB at Edinburgh the week before and I had done my first DOUBLE, “DO THE DOUBLE”.  I had ran into work and then ran home, a total of 14 miles, should I get in to the Marathon I feel this is the best way to get my mileage in and save on my fuel bill!

The day itself was rather dull and over cast , fortunately it stayed dry but it was very cold , as the run is along the canal there are very few over taking spots so you have to try and position yourself well at the start.  I felt really comfortable during the race and I was clocking sub 8 minute miles, which I was very impressed with.  There was lady in front of me, who I was determined to keep up with because I thought she was a fellow group “W” and I thought I need to make sure I get those points, however around mile 4 I noticed she was an “M” the next group up! then I just thought knuckle down and hang on in there.  Which I did and managed to knock 2 minutes of my Olympic Park time  at real thumbs up moment!