I was thinking about what I have achieved this year in those 1001 miles. This year brought Twotacklethree and a great new friendship with Tracey. We both trained very hard and completed three challenges each raising a whopping £1800 for The Haemophilia Society. I took part in the Rock and Roll Half Marathon, The Edinburgh Marathon and also the Peebles Triathlon and Tracey cycled up Mont Ventoux, did the Peebles triathlon and cycled all the way to St Andrews in the worst rain of the year.
Once our epic challenge was over, it was only June so what next. I was enjoying my fitness so I decided to keep going and I entered the Keswick Trail run and had a blast. I love Latrigg and to run up it and then whoosh back down it was just bliss.
Then Tracey and I were back in training for Triathlon, we both entered the Haddington Triathlon. Not sure I enjoyed this one quite as much as Peebles but I still finished it and as ever quite proud of myself. It was lovely at the end though to meet up with Lesley and Michelle (Fetch) to display our numbers on our legs!!!
So that was another Triathlon done and dusted. After this event I decided I really needed to learn to swim properly. So after a few lessons with Lynne I have finally managed to learn to swim fairly respectably and I am enjoying my new found sport very much. Still not sure I am much of a Triathlete, as I am a bit rubbish on the bike but am really looking forward to giving an aquathon a go.
July and August brought us the Olympics and the Paralympics. I had a great time at the Paralympic torch event at Meadowbank where my fabby swimming pal was carrying a torch. And the Olympic torch came through Penicuik, that was a great day. And to top of our Olympic experience Alistair and I whooshed down to London for two days and had the best time. We watched the Olympic Marathon. Brilliant experience.
So onto my next race - I had planned to run the Glasgow Half Marathon, however one dodgy tooth and extraction later I wasn't really fit enough to run the whole thing, however my Mum was doing the 10k so really wanted to do it too. And a great race we both had! Met my Fetchie buddy Margaret there too!
After the 10k I had a bit of a slow down in training as I only had one race left to do for the year. The Bupa Great Edinburgh Run. Andrew did the 5k and I did the 10k. He only bloomin well came in 16th!! Not bad for someone who doesn't really train very hard. Me I came in with a nice 65mins despite the massive hills all the way around.
So back to my run today. That is me hit 1000 miles for the second time in my whole running career. Fetch has a lot to answer for. I have just gotten fitter and fitter since I joined Fetcheveryone two years ago and my buddies on Fetch are just wonderful. I love you all!!! Ironically, Alistair getting so ill has also made me change the way I think about myself and has made me want to try different events to keep me interested and motivated. I am also dead chuffed that a side affect of all this running has meant that I am down to a size 12 in clothes for the first time in 17 years!!!!
So what next? I am officially back in training for the Meadows Half Marathon in March next year. This is a race that Gavin (Fetch) introduced me to last year and I, despite what I thought, actually really enjoyed it. It is about 8 laps around the Meadows and has a great atmosphere. Then I have the Rock and Roll Half Marathon in Edinburgh again in April (was amazing last year) and then the Edinburgh Marathon (despite me saying never again last year) in May. I do have the Great Winter Run in January to start my year off, and Rhona and Hannah are doing it too. As is Tracey.
So that is that as the sun sets over Penicuik park my run is over for the day, a short one but an important one topping off an amazing year in my life of running.
Finally, it goes without saying that my attempts at racing would not happen without Alistair, Andrew and Rhona. Particular thanks to Alistair for picking me up at the end of the Edinburgh Marathon where I actually got stuck on the ground in the Pinkie playing fields in Musselburgh.
don't worry, be happy :)
