Both of them were good 🙂
Since, oh, I dunno, April perhaps, I’ve been going out running 3 or 4 times a week, following the Couch 2 5K interval running programme. To start with, I couldn’t even run for a minute, but over the weeks, it has built up until, 10 days before the Race for Life, I could run for 40 minutes, in chunks of 3 minutes running to 1 walking. I never quite got to my training goal of 45 minutes what with one thing and another, but I was really pleased to come so far.
The day of the race dawned clear and clearly going to be hot; I’d had no sleep and had barely eaten for days, so it wasn’t auspicious, but we headed down to Cambridge and joined the crowds of pink clad women. Fran and Maddy had done no training for it but were sure they’d be fine, I really just wanted to make it round and not disgrace myself.
Cheerleading Squad (not so good a photo, they were really very supportive!)
We put ourselves into the joggers section and as things worked out, ended up at the head of one of the 1000 women chunks. As soon as we set off, it was clear Maddy was planning on doing a blistering pace; Fran and I did ten paces alongside her before looking at each other and saying “I don’t think so!” and Maddy asked permission to run ahead. I said yes, thinking she’d stay in sight, but that was the last we saw of her and by the time we got to the end of the first km, which was around the edge of a green park, she was gone. I didn’t bother to worry, but afterwards I really admired her courage for running alone for 5km in a completely unfamiliar city.
Fran needed the loo, but refused to break off to go in one of the portaloos, so muttered about it most of the way round. 🙄 I stunned myself by managing to run the first 5 minutes solidly, by which time we had caught up with the previous sections walkers and after that Fran and I mostly ran together, in chunks of 3, or 2 1/2 or 2 minutes, with minute walks in between. Getting to the 2km mark felt a killer, given it already felt a long time, but my training to a clock had taught me the stretches that felt tough and I knew I could keep going. Cambridge was lovely to run through; lots of crowds cheering us on, shade, beautiful colleges, people on the river punting clapping us as we ran through Kings. It was great and I was so proud of myself and us all.
One thing that had never occurred to me was that I had actually achieved being one of the most able runners, one of the fittest in 7500 women. Fran and I threaded constantly through the walkers ahead of us, which actually made it quite tough going and were still running comfortably with 500m to go. By then we’d taken 40 minutes and my body was at it’s limit and knowing it was under pressure anyway, I walked for a couple of minutes.
Any solidarity I had expected from daughter number 1 was shattered however, as she took off shouting “I want to beat you!” over her shoulder!!!!!!! I pulled myself together, saw the finish line and ran the last chunk, making it in in 46 minutes. Fran did it in 42; Maddy achieved a blistering 35 minutes and that was with walking some of it apparently!!!!
We ran for lots of people that day, though I confess the personal achievement was huge for me and my main goal. But we ran for my Aunt Judy, my S-MIL Linda, for Vivien and Lyndsey and Great Gran, who have all either lived with, beaten or eventually succumbed to cancer. And of course for Freddie, because it is not possible to do anything without his name drumming in my ears.
I did snigger at Maddy. Being herself, an endlessly practical, live in the now girl, she only put Auntie Judy on her back, saying “She’s the only one who has it and is still alive.” (We’re still working on social niceties!) 😆
If you’d like to sponsor us, please do, even a couple of ??’s would be lovely 🙂
We didn’t get to quite enjoy our achievement as finding the girls took some doing (they were in the place we told them, we couldn’t find it!) and then we had to walk another couple of km to find a bus to the park and ride and then hotfoot home for the girls to do a trampoline competition!
They all did really well, but it was just great that Amelie and Josie got some glory by both winning their comps. Josie had to compete late as her comp was in the morning, but got the highest score, so shared the podium with Amelie.
Rather a good day all in all. Well done team Puddle 🙂
Tbird says
well done indeed Team Puddle!
Sarah says
Will someone please explain to me why pound signs come out as question marks, and how to fix it?
(well done Puddles one and all, I am very impressed!)
Rich says
Well done everyone indeed. I like Josie’s hairdo! 😀
Jeanette says
Wow! What a day. My big girls and I have been doing the c25k, and I can barely manage 90 secs running. Maddy sounds like my Eden, I’m certain she’d be off too.