Tuesday, 31 March 2009
My Fundraising Attempt
Yippee! These have been a bumper few days on the fundraising front. My total now stands at £2431 against a target of £2750. This is absolutley fantastic and many, many thanks to everyone who has sponsored me so far. Ali Alger and I are meeting with the Head at Ulverston Victoria High School tomorrow to talk about possible projects within the school where we can spread some Brathay magic! If you haven't got around to sponsoring me yet and have any pennies to spare you can do it either by contacting me at alyson.knowles@brathay.org.uk to pledge an amount or even easier by following the link to my Just Giving page www.justgiving.com/alysonknowles
Who would have thought Aly from the Valley in print!
Received my advance copy of Rosemary Conley Diet & Fitness Magazine today with an article on 'yours truly'. I am really pleased with it. It has not always been easy but I believe if it's worth doing then it's worth sticking at it! Just goes to prove what you can achieve if you want it enough and have the determination and willpower to succeed. It's so easy to make excuses about why you cannot do something whether that is losing weight, running a 5k, passing your exams or even running 10 in 10! Setting short term goals and celebrating when they are achieved have helped keep me going. Motivational lesson over - now back to the job in hand -getting those miles in. Only 37 days to go now until May 8th.
Monday, 30 March 2009
Another Great Week!
Another 70 miles completed over the week. I concentrated on running longer each day in one go, doing 12 miles at a time instead of being split into 2 separate runs. I must say this was a lot harder than going out twice a day. I was really quite tired by the middle of the week and couldn't wait for my rest day on Friday. By then I had completed another 10 days of running - 120 miles in total.
Having the rest day Friday worked out well as it was the day before the Coniston 14. I couldn't decided how to run the race - whether to just jog around and admire the scenery or to go for it and do a PB. I was receiving lots of advice about 'keeping my eye on the big picture' etc. The fact that the weather forecast was for it to be strong northerly winds, cold with showers did not help either.
In the end the weather was OK- bright, no showers but still a strong cold headwind for the last 8 miles. I loved it and had a fantastic day! It really is a brilliant event - well organised and really friendly.
It was good turning up for the race with Mac. We also met Jill there as we went through our pre-race preparations. Jill laughed at the amount of vaseline Mac was attempting to put on his feet - no blister was going to get him!
I worked hard on my mental preparations - I was not going to be intimidated by all the other 'athletes'. This is something that has always happened to me in the past at the start of races. I have always looked around and thought everyone else looked so athletic and fit and would put myself at the back of the group. Saturday was the first time ever that I had walked around and stood on that start line with my head held high. I felt proud to be wearing my Hoad Hill Club Vest and to be running in a race with fellow team mates. I felt great.
I ended up running on my own and had a brilliant run and finished in 1:53 - another Personal Best for 14 miles. I went through half marathon stage at 1:46!! I only really worked hard for the last mile and a half. This meant I had smashed through another PB and also had not completely knackered myself in the process - bring on Paris!! Mac did really well and finished in 1:43 - I'll get him yet!
The Hoad Hill Ladies Team won second place - we had a £15 quid voucher each to spend at Pete Bland's! I was second counter and felt especially proud to be standing on the stage with Sharon Dixon (who was 8th lady overall). I have admired Sharon's athletic ability for many, many years and never thought in a million years that I would be standing alongside her receiving a prize!!
Finished off the week yesterday running with Mac on a lovely off road run over Birkrigg - I do enjoy running with him!
And so to this week. 70 miles planned. Another 10 day stint - next rest day Tuesday 7th April. Mac and I travel to Paris on Thursday to spend our wedding anniversary running the Paris Marathon. I hope to at least match my Draycote Marathon time of 3:46 so hopefully will remain injury free this week. Only 38 days to go!!
Having the rest day Friday worked out well as it was the day before the Coniston 14. I couldn't decided how to run the race - whether to just jog around and admire the scenery or to go for it and do a PB. I was receiving lots of advice about 'keeping my eye on the big picture' etc. The fact that the weather forecast was for it to be strong northerly winds, cold with showers did not help either.
In the end the weather was OK- bright, no showers but still a strong cold headwind for the last 8 miles. I loved it and had a fantastic day! It really is a brilliant event - well organised and really friendly.
It was good turning up for the race with Mac. We also met Jill there as we went through our pre-race preparations. Jill laughed at the amount of vaseline Mac was attempting to put on his feet - no blister was going to get him!
I worked hard on my mental preparations - I was not going to be intimidated by all the other 'athletes'. This is something that has always happened to me in the past at the start of races. I have always looked around and thought everyone else looked so athletic and fit and would put myself at the back of the group. Saturday was the first time ever that I had walked around and stood on that start line with my head held high. I felt proud to be wearing my Hoad Hill Club Vest and to be running in a race with fellow team mates. I felt great.
I ended up running on my own and had a brilliant run and finished in 1:53 - another Personal Best for 14 miles. I went through half marathon stage at 1:46!! I only really worked hard for the last mile and a half. This meant I had smashed through another PB and also had not completely knackered myself in the process - bring on Paris!! Mac did really well and finished in 1:43 - I'll get him yet!
The Hoad Hill Ladies Team won second place - we had a £15 quid voucher each to spend at Pete Bland's! I was second counter and felt especially proud to be standing on the stage with Sharon Dixon (who was 8th lady overall). I have admired Sharon's athletic ability for many, many years and never thought in a million years that I would be standing alongside her receiving a prize!!
Finished off the week yesterday running with Mac on a lovely off road run over Birkrigg - I do enjoy running with him!
And so to this week. 70 miles planned. Another 10 day stint - next rest day Tuesday 7th April. Mac and I travel to Paris on Thursday to spend our wedding anniversary running the Paris Marathon. I hope to at least match my Draycote Marathon time of 3:46 so hopefully will remain injury free this week. Only 38 days to go!!
Tuesday, 24 March 2009
The Big Dipper Week!
Phew! What a week that was? Highs and Lows all in the space of 7 days.
Physically my preparation continued along a gradual incline. Another 70 miles in the bank which included some great lunchtime runs in the lovely spring weather. It is so different running without gloves, hats and waterproofs. The sun on your back also gives you a fantastic feeling.
Mentally I had a real wobbly couple of days in the middle of the week. It didn't help my emotional state knowing that Friday would have been my late grandmother's birthday. She was such an inspirational lady who I miss very much. Anyway, I got to thinking about how enormous a challenge I have committed to and how close it is - only 7 weeks to go! I was feeling scared and I'm not ashamed to admit it. For months and months I have been saying that I didn't know if it was possible or whether I would be able to manage the training. It was always a long way off. But now all of a sudden it is so close - I can almost touch it and feel it! and yes it is even more possible. Gulp!
However, after sharing my thoughts, concerns and tears with Mac, Shelagh, Steve, Johnny and my boys - the best support crew you could ask for, I soon got myself back together. Thanks guys it would be so much harder without you! I started thinking about the closeness of the challenge and saw things in a different light - now the words being used were not scary, intimidating, impossible but EXCITING, CHALLENGING, A DREAM COME TRUE! I can't wait!
I ended my training week running on my own around the Windermere course on Friday (26 miles) in 4hr 9mins. Shelagh and Jill Dawes thankfully providing the necessary jelly beans, water and encouragement at 16 miles. Mac also joined me to cycle back the last 3 miles. both Shelagh and Mac decided not to join me in the Brathay for the customary 10 minute cold soak though - obviously dedication and support only goes so far!!
Saturday I ran the Sticky Toffee Pudding 16k (in fact it was more than that 11.2 miles in fact) in Cartmel. It ws a lovely day although the course was tough - hilly and very very muddy in places. Still it was great fun!
Mothers Day on Sunday saw me making another tough decision - should I stay put, rest my tired legs and have breakfast in bed OR get up and run before Morgan's rugby? What did I chose? Yes you got it right - I got up and ran for 6 miles. There's always next year!
So highs and lows but another good week - onwards and upwards.
Physically my preparation continued along a gradual incline. Another 70 miles in the bank which included some great lunchtime runs in the lovely spring weather. It is so different running without gloves, hats and waterproofs. The sun on your back also gives you a fantastic feeling.
Mentally I had a real wobbly couple of days in the middle of the week. It didn't help my emotional state knowing that Friday would have been my late grandmother's birthday. She was such an inspirational lady who I miss very much. Anyway, I got to thinking about how enormous a challenge I have committed to and how close it is - only 7 weeks to go! I was feeling scared and I'm not ashamed to admit it. For months and months I have been saying that I didn't know if it was possible or whether I would be able to manage the training. It was always a long way off. But now all of a sudden it is so close - I can almost touch it and feel it! and yes it is even more possible. Gulp!
However, after sharing my thoughts, concerns and tears with Mac, Shelagh, Steve, Johnny and my boys - the best support crew you could ask for, I soon got myself back together. Thanks guys it would be so much harder without you! I started thinking about the closeness of the challenge and saw things in a different light - now the words being used were not scary, intimidating, impossible but EXCITING, CHALLENGING, A DREAM COME TRUE! I can't wait!
I ended my training week running on my own around the Windermere course on Friday (26 miles) in 4hr 9mins. Shelagh and Jill Dawes thankfully providing the necessary jelly beans, water and encouragement at 16 miles. Mac also joined me to cycle back the last 3 miles. both Shelagh and Mac decided not to join me in the Brathay for the customary 10 minute cold soak though - obviously dedication and support only goes so far!!
Saturday I ran the Sticky Toffee Pudding 16k (in fact it was more than that 11.2 miles in fact) in Cartmel. It ws a lovely day although the course was tough - hilly and very very muddy in places. Still it was great fun!
Mothers Day on Sunday saw me making another tough decision - should I stay put, rest my tired legs and have breakfast in bed OR get up and run before Morgan's rugby? What did I chose? Yes you got it right - I got up and ran for 6 miles. There's always next year!
So highs and lows but another good week - onwards and upwards.
Wednesday, 18 March 2009
Summary so far
June to December 2008
On deciding I was going to take on the 10 in 10 Challenge I started my preparations, this included speaking to Mac and the boys to ensure I had their full support, I also spoke to Shelagh who was very encouraging. With this core team in place providing full support I believed it was more than possible.
I set myself some short terms goals against which I would be able to check if I was on track or not.
On deciding I was going to take on the 10 in 10 Challenge I started my preparations, this included speaking to Mac and the boys to ensure I had their full support, I also spoke to Shelagh who was very encouraging. With this core team in place providing full support I believed it was more than possible.
I set myself some short terms goals against which I would be able to check if I was on track or not.
- Surviving hayfever season - in the past I had always struggled to train while taking my medication which made me feel drowsy
- Continuing to train through my holidays in France - you would think with all the extra time it would be easy but no, the temptation for lounging in the hot sun and drinking copious amounts of french wine always proved difficult! Not the drinking of wine but the running!
- Continuing to run after the Langdale Marathon in September-in the past once a marathon had been completed I took a well earned rest.
- Running the Snowdon Marathon only 5 weeks after Langdale
- Building my mileage up from 20 miles to 50 miles per week by the end of the year
- Run a back to back marathon by end of December
I achieved each and every one of these short term goals which not only meant that I was getting physically prepared but the sense of achievement was doing wonders for my mental prep too. I was especially please to run a 10K PB of 47.48, a Snowdon time of 4.08 (5 weeks after Langdale) and a back to back - never before even thought of!!
January 2009
- Maintained 45 - 50 miles per week.
- Running to Newby Bridge and back (25 miles) during the 10 in 10 training weekend in 3.50!
- Almost PB-ing on my training runs
Mac and I also spent 8 days running in Majorca. This was an amazing break, we ran at least 2 - 3 hours every day up and down the Majorcan hills and along the coast. I came back having stepped up another level in my fitness.
February 2009
February saw me attempt another back to back 2 x 26 miles which this time was not as pleasant an experience. It was cold, wet, I was under-dressed and ran the 2 days on my own. The only good thing was being supplied with a warmer jacket by Martin (who drove up and down the lake on Friday) and jelly beans from Shelagh. Saturday was especially tough mentally and I have to admit I spent the 10 minutes in my ice cold bath after the runs, crying and feeling sorry for myself - still I did it!! I can hopefully draw on that mental strength come May.
I travelled down to run the Draycote Marathon just outside Birmingham. I had some great hospitality from fellow 10 in 10 runners Leon and Lorna on Saturday evening. We travelled to the race together and met Steve Edwards. For some reason I nearly lost it before the race, doubting myself - I had a real confidence dip. I looked around at all those athletes and wondered why on earth I was there! After some stern talking from Steve I lined up - still with a full bladder as I couldn't find the toilets and set off to run 5 laps of the same course around Draycote Water. I felt absolutely brilliant and maintained 8.40min miles the whole way round. I finished the race in 3.46 taking an amazing 15 mins off my marathon PB!! What a confidence booster. I know I had every right to be on that start line and going forward will remember that should it rear its head again!
Up to and including Sunday 15 March
I am now running 70 miles a week and have been advised by Steve to keep this up until the taper at the end of April.
I have also run for 11 consecutive days, which includes yet another double - a 26 mile training run on Friday and then another 26 miles on Saturday. Over the 11 days I clocked up 115 miles and am taking a well-earned rest day today ( Monday 16). This double was a far more pleasant experience, Jill P ran the first bit with me on Friday, Anna Tetley cycled to Coniston with me and Helen M joined me for the last 13 on Saturday. It was great having the company. Mac and Jill are also running with me whenever they can which really helps with the boredom.
I now intend to run 10 days on, 1 day off, 10 days on maintaining 70 miles per week until the end of April.
This week I plan to run around the Windermere Marathon route on Friday before doing the 16K Sticky Toffee Pudding run in Cartmel on Saturday. All that and a Sticky Toffee Pudding too!
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