I just had to share! Blaydon race 2015!

[Lovefood1984]

For those of you not from the North east or who don't know about the Blaydon races get googling for our Northern anthem As per the old song, there is a road race that takes in the same route every year on the 9th of June (5.7 miles worth). Now for what I really need to share!

You may remember my posts of late being about the struggle to get back into running after my wedding and honeymoon and I was seriously expecting this to be slower than last year after my struggles getting back on track, slow runs, no pb's for months and lack of training compared to last year (and a smidgen more podge). Well anyway not far in and I realised I was in the 10min per mile range which is crazy fast for me (was expecting 11:30 with 11 as a stretch goal) 1st mile beeped, 10:27, feel ok, decide to try and keep it up.....mile 2 10:38 bit slower but still on course to do ok, mile 3 10:20....booming eck I'm on fire here! Mile 4 some not so good news.....I'm slowing 11:00min per mile.....mile 5 10:58.....I know there is only 0.7 miles to go but it's really hard and I still have another flyover to go up.....stop to walk for a few strides, make the most of the downhill to up my pace then it's slightly up hill to the finish line.....another couple of stops and starts and then I can see it and 0.15miles to go I put on some pace, pass some people and cross the line! Garmin says I've done better than last year and the results support this. Last years chip time 1:03:17....this years 1:01:05....unbelievably happy. Now I just need some more faith in being able to do it!

Perhaps more training isn't always everything. This run felt good (well perhaps up until about 4.5miles in when it started to hurt). I now know I can go quicker than I think I can so will have to push myself more when required. 2mins 13 secs off is not to be sniffed at and I'm over the moon happy.....which is why I had to post!

Oh and so glad the race was delayed due to roads not being clear as the garmin took 15mins to find a signal and I started it 5mins before the race

P.s. Photo is of me at the finish, same style as last year. Hairs a bit wet from pouring water over myself at the water station.......not my best shot but not looking too shabby.

Happy running folks!

[notbad Graduate]

Yay! Well done Lovefood, so glad you got there after all the set backs, sounds like you had a great time.

I kept my eyes peeled but didn't spot you, I had the same problem with the Garmin (my friend's TomTom picked it up straight away) - and you are so right about those last 0.7 miles, seemed to go on forever. Really good fun event though.

[Lovefood1984 Graduate in reply to notbad]

I kept my eyes peeled for you too, didn't spot you either. Last night was probably my most enjoyable race run to date Your time was excellent. Only downside to the event is the lack of bling but I think I'll forgive them for that! Just glad they let us know via FB that the guy collapsed at 2 miles is doing ok (was the worst I'd seen someone in a race, he was not in a good way when I passed) Still aching this morning :S forgot what this felt like

[notbad Graduate in reply to Lovefood1984]

Thanks hun, you too! I had no idea about the poor guy who collapsed (the ambulance passed us on Scotswood Road) but saw his wife's post on facebook - she said the CPR saved his life. Really awful it happened but so glad they were on the ball like that.

[Lovefood1984 Graduate in reply to notbad]

Just signed up for the St.Oswalds colour run on the 21st June at the Rising Sun (right next to where I live :)) I need some bling There are a couple of people from work doing it and apparently we are supplying the goody bags at the end. You got anything else lined up? The guy at the Blaydon was still conscious when I went past so it must have just happened and given you're quicker than me you must have just missed it, saw the ambulance pass too, didn't know someone had had to do CPR....scary! but at least he was in the best place as any and I'm really glad he's ok!

[Fitfor60 Graduate]

Looking good mrs Lovefood And what a great time No wonder you are over the moon. Married life obviously agreeing with you. Maybe because you weren't expecting good time you were more relaxed and it all just fell into place? It just shows that even if your training has had little dips these last few months your body remembers what you have done in the past. I've not explained that well but hope you know what I mean . Well done you

[Lovefood1984 Graduate in reply to Fitfor60]

I know exactly what you mean, I think I just needed to remind my body it could be done thanks for the well done! Hope the training for the GNR is going well.

[Tracey001 Graduate]

Fantastic achievement. You should be feeling really proud of yourself.

[Lovefood1984 Graduate in reply to Tracey001]

Thanks Tracey, I'm still grinning this morning and my legs are reminding me of my effort last night, it's been ages since they ached this much (probably about this time last year when I was upping milage) it's certainly given me a high point to my running this year

[Laineydglm Graduate]

Wow awesome! 5.7 miles in just over an hour that seems epic to me :-).

Congrats 🎉🎈🎉

Congrats on your marriage too!

[Lovefood1984 Graduate in reply to Laineydglm]

Thanks

[dawncoates34 Graduate]

Well done 😀 brilliant knocking time off your pb yeah!!

[Lovefood1984 Graduate in reply to dawncoates34]

Love getting pb's, thanks!

[Irishprincess Graduate]

Fantastic run Lovefood and a great time too. No wonder you're smiling in the photo! Well done.

[Lovefood1984 Graduate in reply to Irishprincess]

Thanks, still grinning like a loon now

[Tomas Graduate]

C O N G R A T U L A T I O N S ! ! !

That is a great result. Well done you, and brilliant to have shaved over two minutes off last year's time. Particularly given that you went into the race expecting to take longer than last year. Wow!

Happy running, but give yourself time to recover

[Lovefood1984 Graduate in reply to Tomas]

Hubby who was waiting at the finish had heard a guy say to a woman a minute was nothing in terms of shaving time off......I soon put him right on that one! Don't worry about the recovering. 1 recovering run planned then its a week and a half off for me whilst I go camping, i'll be cycling instead and will be leaving the trainers at home Still grinning ear to ear!

[AdamB Graduate]

Well done! two minutes off your PB is not to be sniffed at

I'm glad you managed to get a place. A lot of people got caught out this year when the website crashed shortly after opening - it appeared to take your money, but not allocate you a place. When it finally reopened, nearly 2 weeks later (at 9:00 on a Saturday morning in the middle of parkrun!!!) a lot of people missed out. I hope that next year there won't be the same problems.

[Lovefood1984 Graduate in reply to AdamB]

It's almost worth becoming a member of a UK athletics running club to do this one as they still had places left at 11am the day before (my dad's a club runner). The website had crashed by the time I got out of bed the following day for us non affiliated lot and my kind dad sacrificed his Saturday morning with my log on details to get me one of the last allocations (I was in New Zealand at the time) Still a fantastic race though and doesn't take long to cross the start, I'm pretty sure resultsbase will make sure they get it right next year! Only gripe I have is i'd like some bling! (Guess club runners have enough bling!) Still on a high from my PB 2 days later running should come with a health addiction warning!