Kallyfudge and the Great North Run update

[Kallyfudge]

Hi all, I have been away again and I'm sorry! I have still been running though

On Sunday I did the GNR for the 1st time. I was mostly scared about logistics, getting there, getting there on time, etc. I am really anxious about these things and this was the furthest from my home, in manx or family home in skipton, I have raced. Fortunately my parents got a hotel in Newcastle and came to see me which made it much easier.

In the lead up to the race, I have mainly been training for 5k and speed, but Included some limited long runs in prep, but still getting about 50k per week. So I was fit but don't have the best endurance. Not going to say I did it on "zero training" however, like a lot of people falsely say on youtube.

I really enjoyed the race, it turned out to be and feel a lot hotter than I was expecting, but I've done a lot of hot runs over the summer, beginning with the enjoyable disaster that was the Great Manchester 10k (28C or more), where I failed to even get close to the 10k time I did in a HM. I also liked the hills, these made it harder to gauge what pace I should be doing so I relied on perceived effort. I believe I am good at down hills too. I took in as much water as I could at the aid stations and needed it! I was very close to the front so didn't suffer from the overcrowding people have had. I went towards the front of the orange wave as that's where the 2 pacers I needed were, planning on staying ahead of 1:35:00 and behind 1:30:00, In the end I finished 1:35:25, a big improvement from the Manchester HM 11 months ago and I was surprised as its was also a flatter course and cooler temperature. That also got me another 10k PB since my only 10k PB attempts have been the 2 Great Manchester 10ks, one close to when I started running last year, and the hot one this year.

At about 14k the 1:30 pacer overtook me, I have no idea how I overtook him to the extent that I was disheartened as I thought it was the 1:35 pacer. The 1:35 pacer overtook me with about 3k to go I think and I managed to keep him in sight, he is in one of my photos at the finish line.

The hills and distance took it out of my legs and the last 5k I was heel striking a bit. Haven't got the core strength yet. But really enjoyed it!

Next up I have the Manchester Half marathon in 1 month, then the month after I am doing the Run Bolton Abbey HM again, that is a hilly one ~700m climb. I think I will still focus on 5k and speed, but do some more long runs in the coming weeks to try for another PB. Most importantly to try staying injury free!!

Then the Manchester Marathon again next year.... This year I had to do it after a 5 week running break due to injury. Not good for my 1st Marathon. Going to try and build mileage up steadier this time, already at 50k/week so should be safe. Love you all and hope you are OK and keep running!!!!

[Katie204 Half Marathon]

Awesome progress, Kally - well done!

[Kallyfudge Marathon in reply to Katie204]

Thanks Katie! Just appreciating every run and trying to stay out of injury. Really good to see you here

[Sqkr Half Marathon]

I was so glad for those water stations, and I'm not usually much of a drinker! Oof don't like the sound of the 10k in that heat. It sounds like you had a great run on Sunday though. 😊

[ancientrunner Half Marathon]

Well done - that's a great time.

[Lordi Marathon]

C25k to a 1:35 HM in 2 years is fantastic progress! Great report. What was the improvement over Manchester HM?

[Kallyfudge Marathon in reply to Lordi]

Thankyou Lordi, really happy with progress so far, even still I see people joining the running club and in a few months they are faster than me. But always want to go faster and just compare to myself. The most important runners are those starting out. I wish I could get more people to try it. I did a 1:37:06 in the Manchester half 11 months ago. I guess it doesn't look like a huge improvement when I look at it like that (but still good) but I was thinking of the added heat and hills at the GNR. Guess I will see at the Manchester one next month.

[roseabi Ultramarathon]

Hey - good to see you!!! And what a fabulous run, well done!!!!!!!

[Kallyfudge Marathon in reply to roseabi]

Thankyou Roseabi, good to be here again and good to see you . I don't know why I go through phases and disappear but I am always running and unsuccesfully (apart from 1) trying to get everyone to do C25K

[roseabi Ultramarathon in reply to Kallyfudge]

People come and go... it's good to know you've kept running, and so successfully too! And kudos to your C25K conversion - I haven't managed to do that, although a couple of people I know have taken up running, so I take credit for those

[Kallyfudge Marathon in reply to roseabi]

You should crazy to think how many people might see us running and start themselves. Really nice to see it growing so well, and being an administrator of this forum you are getting 1'000s of people to run and keeping them going too.

[roseabi Ultramarathon in reply to Kallyfudge]

❤️😊

[Macmac Marathon]

Wow! An amazing result - well done to you 👏🏻👏🏻 Great to see your progress and race report too 🙂

[Anniemurph Half Marathon]

Wow, what a result! Very well done!

[ju-ju- Marathon]

Nicely done, and boom what a great time too... speedy 💥🕺🏽