Another chapter written.

It's 7 weeks until the Great North Run. It's hard to imagine that. Time has flown so quickly since the start of the year, when the half marathon seemed so far away. Last weekend saw my last 10k before the Great North Run, when I completed the Great North 10k around Gateshead and the south side of the Quayside. I wanted to push for a new 10k PB as I had felt so strong in my previous runs.

The organisation in Great Run races always seems to be spot on. From race numbers with your names printed on, information in booklets with course maps, travel details and clear sign posting on the day, to plenty of friendly marshals and a blooming marvellous goody bag at the end their races might seem more expensive than others of similar distances but you do get a lot for your money.

The race started outside Gateshead International Stadium. I knew quite a few people who were doing the run but saw only a couple of faces before hand. One of those was my good friend, and inspiration, Graham Smith who is aiming to run 2012 miles in 2012. He has been struggling with an injury recently and I hoped he had a good run around the course.

When we went to line up there was the usual aerobic style warmup. I really don't like these. My coordination is pretty poor and I can guarantee while everyone else is going left I'll be going right, or something daft like that. So I decided to have a quick jog around the back of the section. There were several lasses who obviously needed to powder their noses pre-race but rather than risk missing the start had just walked to the back of the starting section, whipped their shorts down and were watering the grass verges. I can't say it's something I would fancy doing myself but if you need to go I guess you need to go.

The race was set off in different groups so that the faster runners weren't held back by the plodders. We were "entertained" by someone from the local radio station before it was our time to go. By the time we were about to start it had just started to rain but the sky was promising it would just be a shower so it wasn't going to be a repeat of the Blaydon Swim Race. We set off and it wasn't half a mile in before I was passing people who were walking already. The course wound its way through a lovely industrial type park before heading down to the River Tyne. I wasn't wearing headphones today as I wanted to try and take in the atmosphere by the river and while I had my Garmin on I had promised myself I wouldn't look at it until close to the end. Even so I knew that my first mile seemed fast but not to a point where I was uncomfortable.

We got to the riverside right by the Baltic Art Gallery and I suddenly heard people shouting my name. It was my friends, Alison and Jos who had brought their families down to cheer me on. It's such a massive boost to have people cheering for you. I ran on past the millennium bridge and past the Tyne Bridge when someone tapped on my shoulder. I was wearing a sign that comes with the number for the race saying that I had lost over 4 stone in weight. Someone behind me had read it and was congratulating me. It wasn't long before someone else did the same thing again. And again. In total about 7 or 8 people congratulated me mid-run for losing weight and running. It certainly put a massive spring in my step.

Just before the 5k point the course turned back along the way it had come and we were heading back past the Swing Bridge, the Tyne Bridge, past the Sage building and back along past the Baltic. Again my friends Alison and Jos were putting their massive voices to good use, and I also saw Micky, my coach from Tyne Bridge Harriers.

After hi-5'ing Jos I headed along back towards the stadium. I was feeling really strong until the 8k point. I don't know whether it was the weather, the course or just fatigue but I knew I was starting to find it harder and I had the dreaded hill to come. When I looked later I was on for completely smashing my PB up until the last mile. Then I had a shocker. In the last km there is a hill which is a killer when your legs are zapped I just couldn't get myself up that hill running and I ended up walking. I was furious with myself! There were definitely some swear words used as I stomped up the incline. Once I got to the top I had to start running again, and my hips were feeling stiff. But I was determined to get across that line. Powered on by anger or frustration or something I kept putting one foot in front of the other. A lass was struggling outside the stadium and I spoke to her and said "come on pet, run with me." Entering the stadium was great, I immediately spotted my mam, eldest daughter and my brother who were there to cheer me home. It's amazing to know you are running on the same track as so many running greats, and rounding the bend with less than 150m to go I said to the lass, "Howay, it's just a Usain Bolt distance now." With about 30 metres or less to go we grabbed each others hands and crossed the line together. I had missed a PB by 18 seconds and was annoyed at first but then realised that I had done it. Another 10k under my belt!

At the water point I saw Rob and Anji from Tyne Bridge Harriers who were helping out, which was lovely, although I did try and concuss Rob by hitting him with a full water bottle when giving him a hug. Sorry Rob! And so I have the pride of completing another race. Wearing another T-Shirt that shows I have done it, getting another medal which I'll keep forever (I do love a medal).

Who gave the idiot a foil blanket!

Friday saw the biggest occasion of the year for me so far. On Friday 27th July I reached 3 years sober. I've spoken about my drinking before. How hard it was to stop. How life has changed since I made that decision. But this year was different. When I mentioned that the date was coming up my friend Elaine organised a party for me. It was so lovely that my friends wanted to celebrate my sobriety with me. We went to Mamma Mia's in Newcastle, had a great meal, a fantastic laugh and I spent time with people who mean so much to me. Life is barely recognisable from what it was 3 years ago. I feel healthier, I feel stronger, I feel that I have people in my life who genuinely care about me. It's not about dulling the senses with alcohol, it's not about pushing the self destruct button randomly. Life is now about making a success of myself, having goals that I'm achieving and enjoying the time I have with my girls and my friends and family. Life is precious.

Constantly improving

The last fortnight has been magnificent in terms of running. First up was the Jane Tomlinson 10k.  Jane Tomlinson was a truly inspirational woman. Diagnosed with breast cancer and given 12 months to live in 2000, Jane defied all the doctors predictions and competed in the London Marathon twice, the New York Marathon, two London Triathlons and cycled over Europe and the USA. She raised a remarkable  £1.85 million for charity. Her "run for all" races in Leeds, York and Hull live on as a testimony to a wonderful woman.

It was certainly the biggest race I have ran in up to now. The day dawned and the sun shone for Jane. In fact it was a beautiful summers day in what has been undoubtedly the wettest summer in years. As I made my way to Millennium Square in Leeds I was looking forward to the run, hoping for a good time.  The groups for the start were banded into "runners', "joggers" and walkers. I was in the middle section.

The start was very crowded, and there was a real jostle for places in the first mile. Elbows were certainly being employed as people fought for a space to run in. This wasn't helped by people who were obviously planning to walk the run starting with the joggers, and trying to manoeuvre around people strolling 5 abreast was not easy. However I managed the first mile in 10 minutes 13 seconds and from there the field certainly thinned out.

The event is certainly well planned. The marshals are along there with the best I have experienced so far, friendly and encouraging and the first 3 miles passed in a very pleasing 31 minutes and 54 seconds. The day was warm and there were water stations every two miles, which was very welcome and I managed to drink on the run without sluicing out my sinuses and then poured some water over my head which helped cooling me down

I definitely felt myself tiring by the end of the race despite the course being flat and the last mile seemed to drag. The finish line was back at the Headrow in Leeds and it seemed like there was always another corner to turn. I heard someone shout "Howay Geordie" as I passed them. Wearing my Tyne Bridge Harriers shirt definitely helped and I crossed the line in a PB of 1 hour 10 minutes and 30 seconds, a cracking 4 minutes faster than my previous 10k time.

With my medal after finishing

There wasn't much of a rest for me, with Tyne Bridge Harriers hosting their first ever "Bridges of the Tyne" run the next Tuesday. A lot of planning has gone into this 5 mile run and I felt honoured to be one of the small group of participants to take part in the inaugeral event. Meeting up with my friends Paul and Karen at the Tyne Bar, we found that the registration point was well manned and got very busy before the start. 

We walked along to the Pitcher and Piano on Newcastle Quayside as a group and it wasn't long before we were on our marks, set, GO! I had agreed to run with my great friend Davina. It's lovely to be able to run with someone who you can have a good natter with and enjoy the time. As the speedy gonzaleses flew away, Davina and I were running at a steady pace and got through the first mile in 10 minutes 57 seconds. Considering my legs, and especially my quads, were still aching from Sunday I was delighted with this. As we were approaching the mile and a half point the front runners were already coming back, and words of encouragement flew between both groups. 

The second mile approached just before a small climb up into the business park before a greasy run, partly on grass then down a few steps before ending up back down at the riverside. We reached the 3 mile point in 34 minutes and 36 seconds and I was feeling strong. The more I ran the easier my legs were feeling. There was plenty of encouragement from members of the public as we ran back towards the Tyne and Millennium Bridges. At this point I started pulling away from Davina, as I was feeling very strong in the final mile. I picked up my pace and as I was nearing the finish line I looked at my Garmin, and saw it had just gone past the 59 minute mark. I told myself that I could get there under the hour and started sprinting. 

So fast I am blurry lol. 

With Karen, Paul and the others gathered at the finish line cheering me on I crossed over the line in 59 minutes 53 seconds. I was absolutely delighted! Two races in two days with great times. I had thoroughly enjoyed both races and hope that Tyne Bridge Harriers will be making this run an annual event. It's now 9 weeks until the Great North Run and these races have definitely been great preparation for the big one. Next up is the Great North 10k and I am hoping for a solid performance in that too. Til next time....keep on keeping on! 

Achieving so much

What a week I've had. It's been amazing!

Firstly I have got my eating well back on track. I had to make a massive effort to control what I was eating, as I was letting food slip back into my diet that I shouldn't have. Because I've got my head back in the game I have lost 6lbs this week. I know that the weight loss is as important as anything else in this journey and it's about getting everything in synch.

After last week's parkrun PB and I have managed to get 19.76 miles under my running belt. With Tyne Bridge Harriers I have been able to concentrate on being able to run better. It's about quality running, I have gone now from sounding like a bust set of bagpipes to being able to hold a conversation while running. It's not the talking though that's the good thing, although it is nice to be able to put the world to rights when you're out on a run, it's the breathing that has been the important thing. I can see that my heart and lungs are coping better with the exertion of exercising. That is a fantastic thing to know.

On Saturday I went to the Newcastle Parkrun again, as the Tyne Bridge Harriers were running their last winter parkrun grand prix race there. The pacesetters were out this week, basically people running the course in a specific time, and I was determined I was going to chase the 35 minute pacesetter as much as I could. I was determined to get a new PB this week. The first two miles seemed to go quite quickly, well quickly for me, but the last mile was a killer. There is a ferocious crosswind on the Town Moor, even on a non-windy day and I felt at times like I was taking one step forward and two back. However with less than half a kilometre to go Micky from running club became my personal cheerleader, I could hear him shouting at me to keep going all the way to the end, and he definitely helped me to dig in and get to the end and as I crossed the line I had taken a massive 46 seconds off this week, a new 5k time of 36.03 minutes. Looking at the photos taken later on I definitely looked worse for wear, pale and interesting as my mam would say.

I've decided that for the next few parkruns I am going to concentrate on just running them, rather than aiming for PB's. My pace is improving all the time, I know I can get better too with practice and help from the running club, but I don't want to push too hard to quickly.

On Sunday I had decided to break the mental barrier of the 10k. I am doing the Age UK Wrap up and Run 10k on Mothering Sunday and there is no way I wanted to go into that without having managed the 10k distance, because I knew I would doubt my ability. One of the lasses from running club, Davina, said she would come along with me on the run. Davina is brilliant. She is a lot like me, as in we don't have the stereotypical runners' build, but we do have bags of determination, we're stubborn and we are going places.

We met at Tynemouth and the sun was shining beautifully. It really felt like spring.

Starting at the Priory we just set off and ran, the aim not being the pace, but getting that 10k barrier shattered. Having the lovely Davina with me really helped me. We chatted about all sorts of stuff and it felt great to be able to talk about why I am running, what I want to achieve, what she has achieved and basically keeping each other motivated.

I got to 3.5miles out and turned back (Davina needed a quick pit stop to powder her nose so I had run a little way on my own). I felt really great, strong and happy. Then I got to the Surf shop at Tynemouth and my legs felt like cement. Without Davina there telling me she wasn't going to let me stop I probably would have started to just walk, but I managed to keep on going. Getting to the corner just past the Grand Hotel and I felt like all the heaviness had gone in my legs. It was if the knowledge of being on the home strait had energised me, and I finished feeling stronger. I was delighted to see that not only had I broken the 10k barrier, I had absolutely smashed it! 11.3k in total! ELEVEN POINT THREE K!!!

I now feel like I can go to Leeds on Sunday and I will manage the 10k, because I know I can run even further than that! Getting that 10k wall smashed down has been brilliant!

This week is planned to get a little bit of running in with Tyne Bridge Harriers and plenty of rest too. I'm still keeping my eating on track and hope to have another nice weight loss for next week. All in all I'm feeling so positive and motivated, and ready to take on the world.

Smoother running

Since the Grand Prix I have felt like my running has been going a lot better. At the moment it is about consistently getting out, getting miles under my belt and making little improvements.

I attended the Newcastle Parkrun again this weekend past. After the run I enjoy a cuppa with my good friend, Karen which is one of the highlights of my week, but the run is important too, lol. This week saw the sad death of PC David Rathband, and David was someone who attended the parkrun with his running partner Kerry. So it was apt to mark his death with a minutes silence, a balloon was released and many people, including David's twin brother Darren, ran in Blue Lamp Foundation t-shirts. It proved to be quite a sombre occasion. I decided to run this week for David.

The parkrun this week felt considerably easier than the last one, which I wasn't that happy with. I knew after 2 miles that my pace was considerably faster than the previous parkrun. I kept on going, despite a really strong wind in the last mile, and Karen was waiting at the final corner cheering me on. I crossed the line and found I had knocked a staggering 4 minutes off my last parkrun time. It was a new PB for me, and I was absolutely delighted with it! That was for you David, I hope I did you proud. To see the improvements in my running over time is motivating me to keep going.

I also managed my longest run so far with Tyne Bridge Harriers on Tuesday. 5.11 miles was ramped up on a cold Tuesday night around Byker, along the coast road and then along Chillingham Road. My pace is definitely improving over the longer runs too and that is important for me with my first 10km coming up. However the camaraderie within Tyne Bridge Harriers is something that I am enjoying too. I haven't come across one person who believes they are better than anyone else. Each person's achievement is celebrated no matter who they are.

I hope to run 10km this Sunday for the first time. It is important for me to get the distance broken before the run at Harewood House on Mothering Sunday, mentally more than anything else. I know I can do it, I just have to get out there and hammer it!

Running in circles

Last weekend saw me participate in the Newcastle Parkrun at Exhibition Park in the city centre. It's a weekly free event, you against the clock. All you need is to register on the park run website and print off the barcode that comes in your welcome email and you are set to go. Along with my friend Karen, I headed into Newcastle for 9am for a cold and blustery 5km run. I felt like I had cement in my running shoes. I don't know if it was a lack of running in the week before, or the cold or what, but I felt like I was taking 2 steps forwards and 1 step back all the way round. I finished the course last, and felt like I hadn't put my best in. However I've decided to do the Parkrun on alternate Saturdays with bootcamp on the other Saturday and want to see a marked improvement in my times on this course.

On Tuesday I went to Tyne Bridge Harriers, and signed my papers to join them. Since starting training with them I have felt nothing but made welcome. Despite there being a wide range of abilities there isn't any elitism. I feel like by joining I will improve my running immeasurably. It was their penultimate Grand Prix event on Tuesday evening. Basically its a Yacht handicap system, where the person with the slowest 5km time starts first and the fastest starts last. This means that everyone finishes at about the same time. Naturally I started first with two other lasses, and while one was faster right from the start me and the other one ran the whole route together keeping each other going around the course.

It was nice to not be trailing at the back from the very start. From Glasshouse street we ran to the Pitcher and Piano, across the swing bridge, along to the Millennium bridge and across and then back along to Glasshouse street. I had managed to keep a little bit in my tank to pull away from the lass I had ran with at the very end and finished 5 seconds in front of her, and third from last. I had run the 5km in a time 2 minutes and 43 seconds faster than on the Newcastle Parkrun on the Saturday. I felt so much happier with this effort, and it's set me a bench mark for the final Winter Grand Prix in four weeks.

My number has arrived for my first 10km, the Age Uk Wrap up and Run at Harewood House in Leeds on Mothering Sunday.

I am so nervous about doing this 10km. Like my first 5km I haven't set a specific time that I want to get, I just want to finish my first 10km. It's just another step on my way to the Great North Run. But it will be a step up from what I have achieved before. Before then, though, I just need to keep the training going in. Thanks once again for all your support, I couldn't do it without you all.

Getting it back together

I'm currently in another episode of "low mood". Warning for any lads who don't want to read about women's problems, skip the next paragraph.

Basically since December my period has been continuous with only 7 days where I haven't been bleeding. I am absolutely exhausted. I've been to the doctors, she has done various (unpleasant) tests and everything has come back clear. So now I am on some tablets to stop me from bleeding for the next ten days to give my body a rest and I have to go for an ultrasound scan.

Secondly my middle child is going through a pretty bad spell. She has some emotional problems and has been refusing to go to school meaning that every day is a battle. She has been given a "managed move" so that she can try another school but this has taken a while to get through, and in the meantime her behaviour has been appalling and has been so stressful to me and the other bairns. She is now attending CAMHS (child and adolescent mental health services) and I am hoping that this can help her.

These things have obviously had a knock-on effect with my training and also my diet, but I also know that I am needing to get my head back on track. I can't use these as an excuse. So I have decided to draw a line under the last few weeks and this week is the start of new things.

I went to David Fairlamb's bootcamp on Saturday, despite feeling a bit rough with the health problems mentioned earlier, but I wanted to give 100% and was completely shattered when I finished. We had an unusual participant at bootcamp this week. Mark Allison (aka RunGeordieRun) is toying with the idea of doing the London Marathon dressed as a lion (as you do) and so completed bootcamp in his costume. He looked like he had been in a sauna when he took the head off at the end. I can't imagine how he managed it, as I find it hard enough to do bootcamp in jogging pants and 3 layers on a cold day.

I have entered the Blaydon Race in June. So that is another build up run booked in on my journey to the Great North Run in September. It's the same weekend as the Download festival that I was planning to go to, and part of me can't believe that I'm giving up 5 days of rocking out to run from Newcastle to Blaydon, but I know that come June I will have done the right thing. Running is becoming a massively important part of my life.

Then yesterday I had a particularly stressful morning with the bairn, and got home after an hour and a half's struggle to get her to go into school. My head was shouting to hit the bottle or reach for food and I was scared I was going to crack. So I put my running shoes on, headed to Tynemouth and went for a run. I have to use healthy coping strategies to deal with stress and going for a run is certainly preferable to comfort eating and I don't want to break my sobriety after 2 and a half years. Running along the coast is amazing, to be able to focus on the scenery, to be able to put my all in physically and to remember that back in August I could only run for 30 seconds with a 2 minute recovery is certainly better than binging on chocolate.

Then last night I returned to Tyne Bridge Harriers. I am determined to continue running with them, I feel like I can improve massively with them, and think I will be putting my application in to officially join them soon. I was running with Steve last night, and despite being slower than the others he kept me going, setting me small targets and encouraging me on. I know that as the weight comes off I will get faster, I still have a long way to go weight wise but by running, going to bootcamp and eating right I will get there.

As I am feeling tired I am wanting to make sure I get plenty of rest this week, and so I'm setting myself a 10.30pm bedtime this week. It can only do me good. So this next week is about being disciplined. I need to concentrate on my food, my exercise and also my sleep and make sure that I am hitting my targets. I will do it!

I'm lapping people on the sofa

I reached 2 goals since the last post. I reached the landmark of 50lbs lost and I also raised the minimum amount needed for me to do the Great North Run in September. Both goals are absolutely remarkable. The weight loss has made a massive difference in my life. I feel so much better health wise, I feel that I am in control of my weight, not the other way around. The sponsorship target being met means so much more than £400 raised for the NSPCC. In reality it shows me how much my friends and family believe in me. I want to thank each and every one of you who has helped me, not only to reach the £400 for the NSPCC but also for helping me to raise over £500 for Mental Health Matters in the year previous.

I have had a bit of a sore hip at the moment, but with some ice on it after training and some ibuprofen I am not hurting too much. I went to bootcamp on Saturday, and despite it being cold it was an exhilarating experience. I came away from the session feeling like I had worked hard and I knew I had worked hard.

This week saw me try something brand new. For a while my friend Mark, aka Run Geordie Run, has been encouraging me to come along to Tyne Bridge Harriers to go running. I was going to go in November but I picked up the calf strain. Then if I am honest I was too scared to go. Social anxiety is a problem I have to deal with and I have been avoiding going to the club as I was scared that I would be too fat and too slow to run with a group, and I didn't know if I could deal with.

Last night I went to my first training session. I was the slowest in the group, and I was last, but it didn't matter. The group was so encouraging. One of the trainers ran with me, and I managed to complete the circuit. Then I read something this morning that made me think about what I was doing, it said "It doesn't matter how slow you go, you're still lapping those sat on the sofa!" That's what matters to me, I might be the slowest runner BUT I am doing something about it. Last night made me think back to last August when I struggled to run for 30 seconds when I started couch to 5k. Now I have completed two 5k runs, can run 5 miles and am confident that I'll manage the 10k I'm booked in for in March.

I think losing weight, and getting fitter, has a lot to do with mental attitude. If you think you'll fail then you will fail. If you believe you can do it, if you eat less, move more and keep going then you will lose weight, get fitter and feel better. It sounds simple because really it is. Willpower, motivation and dedication is what you need (as Roy Castle would have said). I plan to go back to the running club, and it doesn't matter if I'm the slowest, lagging behind at the back because at least I'm trying and that is the most important thing.

Goooooaaaaalllllll!!!!!

Saturday saw me back at David Fairlamb's beach bootcamp for the first time in a couple of months, due to family commitments. Boy had I missed it. A year ago a workout on Tynemouth Longsands on a November morning would have sounded like torture but in reality it's amazing! Dave and his team are just magnificent. Before I first started going to the bootcamp I emailed Dave and told him that I was anxious about going because of my size, and I got a lovely email back from him encouraging me to come along. It still took me a couple of months before I plucked up the courage to go though, but I am so pleased I did.

Dave and his lovely assistants (hehehe), Tony and Mark, are probably the most encouraging, motivating and inspirational guys I know (along with my pal Mark Allison). It doesn't really matter what fitness level you are at, Dave and the lads will get the best out of you. There are proper athletes at the bootcamps, and then there is me, lol, plodding along at the back, but still giving 100%. The thing is, though, the whole group is encouraging.

In the photo above is the extremes of bootcamp. Paul is an amazing runner, he recently won the Newcastle Scramble and is super fit, behind him is me, who recently completed their first 5k and when I started bootcamp couldn't run up the hill in the picture once, never mind the three times which is my PB.

However, Paul always has a kind word to say to me, he will urge me on to keep going as he races past and just knowing that he, and the others who also give me positive feedback on my efforts, can see that I am trying my best mean so much to me. It's such a friendly, welcoming, accepting group, plus you have the best looking gym in the world. Nothing beats Tynemouth on a saturday morning, and I much prefer working out there than in a gym looking at the walls. Get yourself down there, I couldn't recommend it highly enough.

On to my weight, and when I was weighed on Monday I had lost 3lbs. After being stuck on 49lbs for several weeks this loss pushed me through the 50lbs lost and on towards my next goal of 56lbs, which would be 4 stone. It's still surreal that I am 50lbs lighter than I was at Easter. All I can say is that it is totally worth taking care with my food and ensuring I'm putting the right fuel in, and doing the exercise too.

I'm thinking of joining a running club and was recommended Tyne Bridge Harriers. I'm hoping to get a babysitter sorted for the little one so that I can get myself along. I have a plan of how I'm going to be able to run 13 miles by next September, and I need to make sure that I have the necessary support along the way. Talking of support, I just want to thank each and every one of you who have sponsored me to get to my target for the NSPCC. If you want to add your support you can at my just giving page here and you can be assured that each and every donation means so much to me, and it really spurs me on to know so many people believe in me.

Right, I'm off for a run. Catch you all soon.