C3PO's story

[C3PO]

Q: Please attach a picture, doesn't have to be of you if you don't want - but tell us here: what is the picture about?

A: I’m on holiday, so I don’t have access to my photos, but here’s one of me as parkrun director 3 weeks ago. It’s hard to believe I only ran my first parkrun one year ago.

Q: Tell us a little bit about you!

A: Like my namesake, C3PO, I’m a translator, and am self-employed. I’m a diplomat’s daughter, and grew up on 4 continents, and moved to my 5th (Europe) when I was 18. With my parents’ busy lifestyle, I didn’t have a conventional upbringing, and there wasn’t much focus on exercise or activities for us kids. I’m 50 now, and have three children, one of whom has special needs, so I don’t have much extra energy, but running keeps me sane.

Q: How long have you been a runner?

A: I started running 9 years ago, but stopped for a while after child no. 3, so I consider myself as having become a regular runner 5 years ago.

Q: Did you start running with a C25K programme? Why or why not?

A: No. I don’t know if they existed 9 years ago – I certainly hadn’t heard of them. I had to do it all on my own.

I also had to start over on my own in 2013.

Q: But what made you want to start running races?

A: Seeing somebody wearing a marathon T-shirt at the gym. I always hated running, so the idea of running a 5K race seemed like the ultimate symbol of how I had changed my life. I didn’t end up running 5K, though, I ended up going from 0 to 10K in three or four months!

Q: What's it like to run in your area?

A: Hilly. I live in a capital city, so there’s plenty of traffic. The descent to sea level is about 100 m, but then I have to run up again.

Q: What is your favourite race event so far? And why?

A: Not sure – they’re all so different. London Marathon was special, but since it didn’t go to plan, it’s definitely not there. Maybe the Spitsbergen half marathon. Things went decently, considering my injury, it was a special setting, and the post-race banquet was fun.

Q: What are your favourite mid-race snack, and post-race meal?

A: Gels or jelly babies, cheese mid-race. I have no post-race favourites.

I just need to have plenty of veg to prevent post-race bloating.

Q: Name a favourite running website (plus link, please!):

A: mapmyrun.com because I keep checking my old data!

Q: What's next for you, running-wise?

A: Being kind to myself, and allowing myself to finally recover from my injury. I’m going to try not to make too many plans for now. I have signed up for the Oslo Marathon half in September, but might downgrade to 10 K.

[Sqkr Half Marathon]

Nice to meet you! Wow, you must have seen so much cool stuff growing up. I love hearing how so many people started running to conquer 5k, and then just kept going 😊

Mid race cheese is an an amazing idea! How do you transport it?! This is something I could definitely get on board with. A nice Montgomery cheddar would surely fuel a cracking PB.

[C3PO Marathon in reply to Sqkr]

I just put the cubes in a plastic ziplock bag. I don’t recommend them for long runs in the heat. They got fairly oily and unappetizing during the London Marathon, but they still did the trick.

[roseabi Ultramarathon in reply to C3PO]

I will get around to trying cheese, but I'm glad I didn't have any at the London Marathon!

[roseabi Ultramarathon]

Thank you for posting - and such an interesting story. I always thought you seemed a consummate cosmopolitan, but I had no idea...

I love that you were inspired by a marathon t-shirt!

I've linked to here from the challenge post - hope ok? I guess I should have added a request for that to the list of questions (always learning...)

And here's a link to the challenge post:

healthunlocked.com/marathon...

[C3PO Marathon in reply to roseabi]

I’m happy that you linked to it. I used the post to read the other posters’ stories, so it’s really helpful to have them there!

[roseabi Ultramarathon in reply to C3PO]

Lovely, thanks!

[ju-ju- Marathon]

Lovely post and fab pic too. What an interesting life too!!

[Decker Ultramarathon]

What a great story. Now I get the C3PO connection :). I need to try some cheese on a cool morning run.

[C3PO Marathon]

Since we have some Canada-based runners, it’s time to confess that I spent most of my first 9 years in Vancouver.

[aliboo70 Half Marathon]

Lovely to read your background, this is an enlightening thread to know more about everyone! You've had an adventurous life living in all those continents! Hope you are injury free soon to continue your running journey you've done so well this last year with your marathons!

Lucky to have met you last year and maybe again this coming weekend! Xx

[Hidden]

Great post. It's so interesting to get the story behind the names of people. thank you..

[APScotland]

Lovely to meet you C3PO! Jelly babies seem to keep cropping up as an in-run food, which seems sort of manageable, but cheese?? Maybe one of those squirty tube type cheeses could work? Hope your injury is fully repaired very soon x