Yes Mum… I’ve entered a Half Marathon…
This news has come as a shock to quite a few people – including myself! After ongoing problems with shin splints I was not expecting to continue running, let alone run a half marathon.
At the end of 2017, running had become boring and pointless, purely because I had no goal and nothing to aim for. Running has always been my passion so I couldn’t understand my lack of motivation to just get out and run. There is no point in hiding from the fact that I became very unfit and drove myself towards an unhealthy lifestyle. This lifestyle was certainly not an easier life for me or anyone else around me – it made me unhappy, tired and VERY grumpy (hard to believe I know!!)
“Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow” – Albert Einstein
The new year brought a new mindset… It was a new mindset filled with self-love and the ability to be able to live for the moment. I feel as if they should have put out a worldwide warning – this year I was not holding back! I decided it would be best to work out what I wanted to achieve in 2018 to ensure that I always have something to aim for – to hopefully avoid getting myself stuck in this bottomless pit of no return.
My top 10 goals for 2018 consist of:
Enter and run my first half marathon.
Make the most of every opportunity.
Run a Sub 25 5km.
Reach a total of 50 Park Runs.
Don’t give up.
Run a total of 1000km.
Encourage and Inspire others.
Become stronger by using various different types of cross training.
Make my ideas into plans and my plans into reality.
Have fun and enjoy what life brings.
The big number 1 aim of 2018 is to enter and run a half marathon… The idea of this was to challenge myself and to allow me to have something to aim for. After having a few discussions about “Goal Number 1” with various people, the response was negative. “Really? Would that seriously be a good idea?!” and “Do you really think that’s wise” were the most common comments made and I somewhat understand them. I have suffered with shin splints for years and a cause has yet to be found. As frustrating as this is, I’m not going to let shin splints hold me back anymore. The current treatment that is working for me is using ice on my shins for about 30 minutes every night, as well as wearing compression socks whilst running. At the moment (touch wood) this is keeping the pain away and allowing me to run as and when I wish to. With this ‘issue’ currently in hand, I thought to myself why wouldn’t it be a good idea and why wouldn’t it be wise to enter a half marathon? It would give me something to aim for and keep me focused. So… with this in mind… I entered a half marathon!
If all goes well, on Sunday 24th June 2018 I will be running Torbay Half Marathon. This will be my first ever half marathon and to be honest, it will be the furthest that I have EVER run. For those of you who don’t know, the Torbay Half Marathon route is a two lap route which starts and finishes on Paignton seafront, taken in the stunning coastal views across Torbay. Starting with one lap of Paignton Green before heading towards Torquay, where the course will pass the historic Torre Abbey and by the Princess Gardens where you will start the return back to Paignton. This is my local half marathon and if all goes well, I plan to complete a few more different races in 2019.
Throughout this year, I have a few other races to keep me going. I will be running the Fast Friday 10k on Friday 30th March in Exeter. This race is perfect for a first 10k or having a crack at a PB! I have never run this one before but it’s a great multi-lap and pancake flat 10km run on footpaths and cycle tracks around Exwick Playing Fields and the River Exe Flood Relief. I am using this race as training for my half marathon however I wouldn’t mind getting a 10k PB if the opportunity is there! Another race on my list is the Chudleigh 6 Road Race. This is my local (ish) carnival run that is taking place on Friday 20th July 2018. I’ve taken part in this one for the last 2 years and it’s fair to say, it’s the toughest run I’ve ever done. It is a fun but challenging hilly road race which takes place each year during Chudleigh Carnival week, attracting runners from all over the South West, both highly competitive and fun runners. The race starts in the Fore Street outside the Bishop Lacy Public House, completing a small loop around the town centre before leaving Chudleigh at the southern end and winding its way up (mile long climb) and along the Chudleigh ridge. Finally, the route drops back down into Chudleigh at the opposite end for a sprint finish along Fore Street finishing back outside the Bishop Lacy Public House. If you fancy a challenge and like a good hill – this one is definitely worth entering if you live in the South West.
I’d love to take part in more road races in the South West that are between 5km and 10km so if you have any suggestions or recommendations please let me know.
I am currently just starting week 3 in my half marathon training plan and so far so good. I’ve had my fair amount of highs and lows already but progress is positive. Keep an eye out for my training updates on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. I will also be keeping my blog up to date with all the latest training updates.
If you have any questions or suggestions please do drop me a message. In addition, it would be fab to hear about your training and race experiences so please let me know about that too.
Remember: Make dreams into goals and goals into plans.
~ Thank you, Danielle