Anyone who has read my blog for a while will know that I am a bit of a health and fitness freak. I’ll never been that girl who denies herself a treat or refuses to go out for dinner, or checks the calorie content in everything she eats, but I love to keep fit and eat well. I am that girl who loves her vegetables, prefers to drink water instead of tea or coffee and who feels rubbish if she hasn’t been for a good workout. But at the same time, I love a cheeky Nandos, I love cocktails and I can’t live without cheese. So it all balances itself out.
Two years ago, I was probably the fittest I have ever been in my life, when my personal trainer friend took me under his wing and decided to turn me into an athlete. I trained every other day with running, swimming, weights and loads of cardiovascular exercises to push my body to the limit. I taught myself breathing techniques, regularly did pilates classes and worked on my flexibility. All this training had me at the peak of fitness and I felt amazing, I had given up drinking for a while and was feeling good and looking good. As a target, I signed up for the 10K run in my home town – GEAR – and began extending the distances I was covering. Finally, after months of training, the day arrived and I was ready after an energy-filled breakfast for action.
I was running on behalf of the newspaper I work for as part of a story I was writing, but was also raising money for the Cystic Fibrosis Trust after my boyfriend’s cousin was diagnosed with the condition. I managed to raise just under £300 which I was quite proud of, and it gave me the motivation needed to complete the run. That doesn’t mean it was easy at all though – it hurt and at several points I didn’t think I would make it round, but I did in 63 minutes which was far better than my time in training so I was very happy. My boyfriend also ran and made it in a great time – so we kicked off the celebrations at a birthday party before heading to the pub and out on the town. Sitting around and then dancing all night was not the best combination and I could already feel my limbs seizing up.
The next day was agony, trying to get up and down three flights of stairs each time I needed the loo or a drink was awful and my body has never hurt so much all over. But it was worth it, I was so proud that I had done it. Last year, unfortunately we were away on the day of the run so we couldn’t take part, because I would have liked to have tried to beat my time. Sadly, now it has been two years and I just can’t seem to get motivated enough to run competitively again. I seem to remember the pain of the next day all too well! I am still keeping up my health and fitness, eating well and going to the gym three times a week, drinking plenty of water. I also run often at the gym, but I just can’t seem to tie myself down to a goal of completing an official run, perhaps because I have completed this one the once, now I need a different route. I’m not really sure why, I just know that I won’t be running the GEAR this weekend, and definitely won’t have the chance next year as I will be on my travels. Maybe I just don’t have that competitive edge, but boyfriend certainly does and is running this weekend so I will be going along to cheer him on and it helps me kill two birds with one stone if I work while I am there and interview people for Tuesday’s paper!
How competitive are you when it comes to running? Do you have any targets coming up?
AbsolutelyLucy 
I have no competitive edge when it comes to running, I am a plodder, slow and steady with the aim to just get round. Last year I did my first 10k in about an hour and 15 minutes, oddly enough though I didn’t really hurt the next day, so maybe try a 10k again but taking it slowly instead of racing?
See I’m almost the opposite of that because I have found that the slower I run the more my joints ache afterwards, I think the heavier plodding motion must strain my joins more and mean more impact with the road. I find the faster I run, the lighter my step so it actually helps to reduce aches and pains. I really struggle to keep a slow pace because of this, I find it has given me a bit of a mental block on running slower. Not sure why I ended up in such pain last year – I did my stretches like a good girl! I think I probably will try one again at some point in the future, but I will need to find the time to train first! Do you think you will do another Lisa?
10k is fab Lucy. I’m supposed to run the Chester half marathon in 2 weeks time but have a fractured metatarsal so I’m gutted!! I’ve still got my entry going spare if you fancy it?? X
Haha I’m glad I did it but also very glad not to be doing it this year! Haha definitely don’t think my little legs could take a half marathon! Hope you heal up soon and can get on that 5k in July! Xxx