Race for Life yesterday :-)

[flowerbox]

I signed up for this years Race for Life in January, around the same time I started C25K for the second time. I knew that 5K was achievable so my aim was to be fit enough to run the whole distance.

It took me a long time to complete C25K, life just kept getting in the way, and I'm a very slow runner. Although I could just about run 30 minutes, 5K was still quite a long way off. I've kept the running up post graduation but I think I only managed 5K of actual running once, most times I had to include the walking sections to make up the distance. The last two weeks have been really hectic with one thing and another so my training has not gone as well as I would have liked.

The only other organised run I've ever taken part in was the Electric Run in April which wasn't really a run. I was on week 6 of C25K at the time, I only ran for short sections and found myself really demotivated by seeing others walking.

So I was feeling quite apprehensive really about yesterday's race. It was a hot day, I think I was the only one hoping for drizzle! I started with a real mixed ability group and I lost everyone right at the start so I ran my own race. I carried on running, even when the course narrowed and most people were walking I took a wide line and kept running. First km was fine, second km felt like forever, settled down a bit after that, felt really hot and tired but just kept focussing on how good it would feel to achieve my goal and how disappointed I'd be if I didn't. It felt good to be overtaking people all the way round until it got to the last km, lots of people had obviously planned to walk most of the way then sprint to the finish so while I was flagging they were still feeling fresh and loads of people came past me on the final stretch.

Still, I finished, I ran all the way and I completed it in 38 minutes, a personal best time so I'm happy with that.

[PandaRunner Graduate]

Whoop whoop! Go Girl! Being determined and achieving your goal is half the battle I believe! You never gave up and you did it in a good time! Running the whole way is a big achievement - it's what we are all striving for after all! I have got my race in 2 weeks. I am really looking forward to it. It's why I started c25k - so glad I did

[misswobble Graduate]

It just shows what can be achieved when you set your mind to it. Well done Flower. You nailed it!!!! I bet you are really pleased with yourself and so you should be. We never really know how tough we are until we have to pull out all the stops and just do it.

I hope you will keep running and make time for it. Running is your time so take it! You deserve it

[no-excuse Graduate]

Great achievement flowerbox, well done! Keep running x

[AmberC Graduate]

Fantastic time and a big congratulations on achieving your goal. Well done.

[Irishprincess Graduate]

That's brilliant flowerbox. Great achievement and you should feel very proud. You have proved that running is very much a mental exercise too as your thought process focused on the completion! Really well done.