Rosedawn Ramblings

So it's almost the end of 2013 and a time for reflection of what I've achieved in the last year and also for looking forward, setting new goals for 2014. It's certainly been an up-and-down year - I've turned 40 (hopefully without falling apart), we've lost some very special family members and friends and work has been challenging, busy and uncertain for me (and Mr T). Running has certainly been a big part of my life in 2013 - the word cloud below shows what I've been talking about on Facebook and the biggest word is definitely running: My year in words on Facebook: "club time mile running lots faster" But running has been much more than going outside and putting one foot in front of the other. It has been a distraction from the bigger issues, an outlet for stress at work, a fantastic way of spending time with friends and more recently my husband too, a great excuse for a weekend away, a way of challenging myself to face some fears, a route ...

Almost exactly three years ago, I started on a lose-weight-get-fit journey, which has taken me from someone who couldn't run for a bus to someone who has found an enjoyment in running that I would never have imagined and brought out a long-dormant sporting competiveness. I started out slowly, graduating from running on the Wii Fit to the wonderfully simple Couch to 5k programme , which prepared me for my first event, the 5k Race for Life in June 2011. I kept going and in March 2012 completed my first half marathon .  Just over a year later, in the year I turn 40, I conquered a marathon too and had the most amazing day at the Greater Manchester Marathon . I've taken on many different running challenges, including running in the Olympic Stadium , and loved most of them. I've lost weight and got much fitter than ever before in my adult life and perhaps most importantly, I've met some amazing people along the way and have an ever expanding circle of (running) f...

I love it when a plans come together... Over the last few weeks, I've been putting in the miles in training and doing a range of long and short runs, speed work and hill sessions.  I've been getting faster in those training runs and at the St Thomas 7 managed to break 59 minutes for 7 miles and put together my most satisfying run for a long time - practically perfect in every way ! I also returned to the cross country and was back at Winsford  at the end of September for another satisfying run in the first race of the season for the North Staffs Cross County League . The approximately 5,000metre course was definitely closer to 4 miles than 3 miles but I still recorded an average speed of approximately 5:10mins/km and finished in 81st place - a much higher finish than I managed last year. What was even more satisfying, though, was that we had more than enough runners from Potters Trotters to record a team score... something we didn't manage at all last y...

All through the cross country events, runners seemed to talk about the last race in Leek in hushed tones. "Have you done Leek before?" they ask, smiling knowingly when you say "no, this will be my first time". So what is it about the cross country at Westwood Park in Leek that has everyone so worried, that has people missing out on the final event saying "I don't do Leek!? Well, there's this hill. It's called "Killer Hill" and, apart from a brief interlude taking a circuit around a field at the bottom of the hill, the course basically involves running up and down it.  Snow on the Distant Hills It was a bit chilly (snow on the hills), but lovely and sunny when we arrived at Westwood to check out the course and scope out "that hill".  As before, we arrived a little bit early, in time to watch the junior races and could see first hand the challenge presented in climbing it. It was going to be tough... And the ground un...

Round 3 of the cross country at Stafford Common turned out to be a very different challenge than the first two events at Winsford and Park Hall - so much more of a mental challenge than the physical one I was expecting. On another day, in much less muddy conditions, I think it would actually have been quite a good course to attempt - there were hills but they weren't extreme, with plenty of downhill sections to balance them out. But very heavy overnight rain turned certain parts of Stafford Common into a bog, there was mud everywhere and it was sticky mud at that. We arrived in time to see some of the junior races and saw several finishers struggle over the line missing one or even both of their shoes... it really was that muddy. Our race was slightly delayed  - time to tie and re-tie my shoes at least 3 times to get them fastened as tightly as possible. We were underway not long after 1.30pm and the first sticky mud was not much more than 100 yards from the start line....

This weekend, I've taken part in my second cross country event as part of the North Staffs Cross Country League at Park Hall Country Park. After my first effort at Winsford in September, which I survived and sort of enjoyed, I decided that it I would give cross country another go. Since the first event, my running has been a little sporadic. I've run a few times with the Potters Trotters, completing a very hilly 6-miler devised by Liz a couple of weeks ago as part of our preparation. I've also got closer to my Hanley parkrun PB , running 25:12 on October13th with some pace making from Paul Hickman - my fastest time by some margin since July. My next parkrun challenge is to get back under 25 minutes. Last week was a crazy one for work, as I visited Rhyl, Colwyn Bay, Bristol, Croydon and Central London for meetings, spending two nights away from home and with a 5am start on Thursday. I did manage an interval session on the treadmill in the hotel gym on Friday mor...