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Manchester Marathon 2014
Report for Imagine Independence; THE RACE IS RUN 07.06.14
Yesterday saw the 2014 Asics Manchester Marathon take place in the city, and running in support of Imagine was Annabeth, who tells her story of the race here…
“After weeks of squeezing the miles into increasingly tight time-schedules, experimenting with various fuelling strategies, trialling a range of kit additions and gadgets and far too much time spent trawling articles on Runner’s World over lunch, the big day was predictably here and gone quicker than a sweaty jelly baby snatched from a well-wisher at mile nineteen.
Having started the taper with what I understand to be fairly common levels of angst (but won’t I lose fitness if I don’t run fifty miles this week, what am I going to do with myself?) and a delightful pick ’n’ mix of phantom injuries (I stubbed my toe! I’ll never compete! Oh, wait, no, I’m fine) I actually got to the start line feeling remarkably calm. I knew I had trained hard, fuelled well, tapered correctly and had set myself an achievable goal of completing my first marathon in 3:45 or below in order to qualify as ‘Good for Age’ for the London 2015 ballot.
The mood on the start line was generally calm, focused and friendly and I started talking to a lady who had driven three hours from Oxford to participate. She was also at the start of her first marathon and had a similar half time to me. As she was also aiming at a London GFA and we were both clearly ‘chatty’ runners we set off together! It was lovely when her husband and children spotted her (somewhere along the Chester Road if memory serves me correctly) and we both got a boost from their cheers. A bit of doubt set in at mile three when the mild achilles sprain that I had managed to give myself a fortnight ago at the Wilmslow Half (but hadn’t heard from for over a week) decided to stop by and see how things were going. ‘Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional’ I reminded myself of one of my favourite quotes from the Haruki Murakami book ‘What I Talk about When I Talk about Running’ as I got all Zen and ‘acknowledged the pain and let it go’. Sorry leg, I’m just going to deal with you tomorrow. This did however remind me of my race strategy, which was to run a steady pace of 8.5 minute miles, no matter how good or bad I felt, until mile twenty and then hammer it with all I had left for the remaining 10k. As I had found myself settling into a slightly above pace rhythm this little niggle was a good reminder to chill it out a touch. I was determined not to mention it to my new friend – ‘If I verbalise it’ I thought, ‘it’ll become harder to ignore.’, but I bet she wondered why I suddenly went a bit quiet! Despite this, I was surprised how quickly the first 10k went; ‘that’s the extra bit done!’ we told ourselves, ‘only 20 left and we know we can run that far!’ It’s funny the little mental tricks we play on ourselves to make the miles feel more manageable!
Shortly after mile eleven, as the faster runners were looping back past us, I started keeping an eye out for a friend who I knew would be in that pack. While I thought it was unlikely that I’d pick out one face in a crowd, I was very hopeful that I’d spot him running strong as he’d had some knee injury issues during training. Well, they say running improves your eyesight and they must be right as I wasn’t disappointed! This seemed like a good omen of sorts and gave me a bit of mental energy to keep up the focus on the approach to the half way mark. Funnily enough, one of our training run stalwarts spotted me coming back past her at a similar point a bit later on! Unfortunately, I soon became aware that my running buddy was dropping pace a bit. As we were running a tickle ahead of plan I hung back for a while and picked her up again but by the time we got to the loop at Altrincham, I just couldn’t see her anymore and I didn’t know how far back she was or if I’d even find her. I checked my time as I crossed the mat at the half marathon – 1 hour 51 minutes and 26 seconds… was this good? Was I on plan? My mid-run mental arithmetic isn’t the sharpest and I ended up I reasoning thus; that’s nearly two hours and I’m half way in. That must mean I’m somehow behind schedule as I want to do it quicker than four hours so I think I had better pick it up a notch. In retrospect I can see the flaws in this logic but at the time it was a little rush of mild panic that spurred me on a bit quicker for the next seven miles! Well, that and my slow, steady sips on a delicious apply gel. Yum.
I was still feeling pretty good at mile eighteen when I was over taken by a lady who felt it necessary to tell me not to worry that she was going past me because she was taking part in a relay! While I hadn’t thought anything of it as I fully expect people to be faster and overtake me, I did think it was a genuinely touching gesture that she recognised the potential psychological impact of seeing someone looking so fresh that far into the race when you might be struggling so I appreciated the thought! I wished her well as she went on her way! Suddenly we were turning back onto the Chester Road and I recognised where we were. With less than two miles to go I decided to stoke the fire, pull out the stops, get the pistons pumping and engage in any other appropriate metaphors! I don’t know how many of these were aimed at me specifically and how much they were generic calls of support but there were lots of cries of ‘great running!’ and ‘good form!’ as I came in on the home stretch. ‘Laser beam focus!’ was my mantra at this point and I locked eyes on the stadium as I drove on, just a little bit behind what I judged to be flat out (I wanted to leave enough in the tank to enjoy the afterglow!). Suddenly I heard a shout of ‘Wow, look at you, go girl!’ and I turned to express appreciation for the support, recognising then the relay runner who had overtaken me back in Sale! She seemed so genuinely delighted to see me running strong and I am very grateful to her as I definitely got a little speed boost after that! What a wonderful example of the supportive nature of a majority of the running community!
I checked the clock and my (borrowed) Garmin as I crossed the finish line. Disaster! The Garmin had only clocked 26.1 and I knew that unless I hit .2 it wouldn’t register on my account as a marathon! Time for a loop of the race village then! Thankfully by the time I had trotted past the medal and T-shirt distribution, hopped round the portaloos and jogged to the bag drop I’d clocked that last 0.1. Whew. Done it. Compression socks on, protein shake necked and a quick photo with a mate courtesy of bag drop staff and it was time for a check in back at the Up & Running stall to let them know I’d not dropped dead and thank them for the support! The rest of the afternoon (after a 2 mile cool down walk back to town; does that mean I can say I’ve done an ultra?) was spent loafing about in the jacuzzi while indulging in a flurry of post-race texts and discussions. I really couldn’t have hoped for it to have gone any better. An amazing day; and yes, in case you were wondering, with a chip time of 3:31:14, I can also say I have got my London GFA qualifying time! See you there?
Yesterday saw the 2014 Asics Manchester Marathon take place in the city, and running in support of Imagine was Annabeth, who tells her story of the race here…
“After weeks of squeezing the miles into increasingly tight time-schedules, experimenting with various fuelling strategies, trialling a range of kit additions and gadgets and far too much time spent trawling articles on Runner’s World over lunch, the big day was predictably here and gone quicker than a sweaty jelly baby snatched from a well-wisher at mile nineteen.
Having started the taper with what I understand to be fairly common levels of angst (but won’t I lose fitness if I don’t run fifty miles this week, what am I going to do with myself?) and a delightful pick ’n’ mix of phantom injuries (I stubbed my toe! I’ll never compete! Oh, wait, no, I’m fine) I actually got to the start line feeling remarkably calm. I knew I had trained hard, fuelled well, tapered correctly and had set myself an achievable goal of completing my first marathon in 3:45 or below in order to qualify as ‘Good for Age’ for the London 2015 ballot.
The mood on the start line was generally calm, focused and friendly and I started talking to a lady who had driven three hours from Oxford to participate. She was also at the start of her first marathon and had a similar half time to me. As she was also aiming at a London GFA and we were both clearly ‘chatty’ runners we set off together! It was lovely when her husband and children spotted her (somewhere along the Chester Road if memory serves me correctly) and we both got a boost from their cheers. A bit of doubt set in at mile three when the mild achilles sprain that I had managed to give myself a fortnight ago at the Wilmslow Half (but hadn’t heard from for over a week) decided to stop by and see how things were going. ‘Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional’ I reminded myself of one of my favourite quotes from the Haruki Murakami book ‘What I Talk about When I Talk about Running’ as I got all Zen and ‘acknowledged the pain and let it go’. Sorry leg, I’m just going to deal with you tomorrow. This did however remind me of my race strategy, which was to run a steady pace of 8.5 minute miles, no matter how good or bad I felt, until mile twenty and then hammer it with all I had left for the remaining 10k. As I had found myself settling into a slightly above pace rhythm this little niggle was a good reminder to chill it out a touch. I was determined not to mention it to my new friend – ‘If I verbalise it’ I thought, ‘it’ll become harder to ignore.’, but I bet she wondered why I suddenly went a bit quiet! Despite this, I was surprised how quickly the first 10k went; ‘that’s the extra bit done!’ we told ourselves, ‘only 20 left and we know we can run that far!’ It’s funny the little mental tricks we play on ourselves to make the miles feel more manageable!
Shortly after mile eleven, as the faster runners were looping back past us, I started keeping an eye out for a friend who I knew would be in that pack. While I thought it was unlikely that I’d pick out one face in a crowd, I was very hopeful that I’d spot him running strong as he’d had some knee injury issues during training. Well, they say running improves your eyesight and they must be right as I wasn’t disappointed! This seemed like a good omen of sorts and gave me a bit of mental energy to keep up the focus on the approach to the half way mark. Funnily enough, one of our training run stalwarts spotted me coming back past her at a similar point a bit later on! Unfortunately, I soon became aware that my running buddy was dropping pace a bit. As we were running a tickle ahead of plan I hung back for a while and picked her up again but by the time we got to the loop at Altrincham, I just couldn’t see her anymore and I didn’t know how far back she was or if I’d even find her. I checked my time as I crossed the mat at the half marathon – 1 hour 51 minutes and 26 seconds… was this good? Was I on plan? My mid-run mental arithmetic isn’t the sharpest and I ended up I reasoning thus; that’s nearly two hours and I’m half way in. That must mean I’m somehow behind schedule as I want to do it quicker than four hours so I think I had better pick it up a notch. In retrospect I can see the flaws in this logic but at the time it was a little rush of mild panic that spurred me on a bit quicker for the next seven miles! Well, that and my slow, steady sips on a delicious apply gel. Yum.
I was still feeling pretty good at mile eighteen when I was over taken by a lady who felt it necessary to tell me not to worry that she was going past me because she was taking part in a relay! While I hadn’t thought anything of it as I fully expect people to be faster and overtake me, I did think it was a genuinely touching gesture that she recognised the potential psychological impact of seeing someone looking so fresh that far into the race when you might be struggling so I appreciated the thought! I wished her well as she went on her way! Suddenly we were turning back onto the Chester Road and I recognised where we were. With less than two miles to go I decided to stoke the fire, pull out the stops, get the pistons pumping and engage in any other appropriate metaphors! I don’t know how many of these were aimed at me specifically and how much they were generic calls of support but there were lots of cries of ‘great running!’ and ‘good form!’ as I came in on the home stretch. ‘Laser beam focus!’ was my mantra at this point and I locked eyes on the stadium as I drove on, just a little bit behind what I judged to be flat out (I wanted to leave enough in the tank to enjoy the afterglow!). Suddenly I heard a shout of ‘Wow, look at you, go girl!’ and I turned to express appreciation for the support, recognising then the relay runner who had overtaken me back in Sale! She seemed so genuinely delighted to see me running strong and I am very grateful to her as I definitely got a little speed boost after that! What a wonderful example of the supportive nature of a majority of the running community!
I checked the clock and my (borrowed) Garmin as I crossed the finish line. Disaster! The Garmin had only clocked 26.1 and I knew that unless I hit .2 it wouldn’t register on my account as a marathon! Time for a loop of the race village then! Thankfully by the time I had trotted past the medal and T-shirt distribution, hopped round the portaloos and jogged to the bag drop I’d clocked that last 0.1. Whew. Done it. Compression socks on, protein shake necked and a quick photo with a mate courtesy of bag drop staff and it was time for a check in back at the Up & Running stall to let them know I’d not dropped dead and thank them for the support! The rest of the afternoon (after a 2 mile cool down walk back to town; does that mean I can say I’ve done an ultra?) was spent loafing about in the jacuzzi while indulging in a flurry of post-race texts and discussions. I really couldn’t have hoped for it to have gone any better. An amazing day; and yes, in case you were wondering, with a chip time of 3:31:14, I can also say I have got my London GFA qualifying time! See you there?
It's the Final Countdown!
The Final Up & Running Marathon Training Run, 30.03.14
It was the hard-core elite that made it along to our 8 mile tapering run last Sunday and I hope the numbers were lower due to the coincidence of Mother’s Day and the change of clocks rather than a sudden spate of nerves and injuries! I managed to get over my own niggle- ageddon scare earlier in the week when I thought I’d pulled my Achilles (after taking the Wilmslow Half Marathon a bit more seriously as a race than I was supposed to) and was almost considering not running myself to be on the safe side so perhaps people are being cautious! Nevertheless, a slow 50 minute 5 miler on Saturday confirmed I was good to go so was I was extremely pleased to join the team for our final run before The Big Day! Super spring weather graced us with its presence again as we took it 4 miles gently (if it can be called gentle up that hill!?) up Bury New Road to Prestwich and back.
Hopefully everyone is now enjoying the rewards of all that hard training and enjoying the taper. I am certainly enjoying an easy week myself and dreaming of a kind of carb based heaven over the next couple of days. With all that cake in the world… For those of you planning to participate in the next big run to come to Manchester; the Bupa Great Manchester Run of 10k on the 18th of May, you can enjoy our next series of training sessions taking place on Wednesday evenings throughout April and May. These are on April the 16th, 23rd and 30th and then also on May the 7th, leaving from the store on Deansgate at 6pm (arrive early to register). They are a great way to motivate yourself, spice up your training and get advice, as well as meeting others who are also participating in the race.
GOOD LUCK for next Sunday to all our marathoners… I’ll see you on the other side and just leave you with this quote from Dean Kamazes;
“Run when you can, walk if you have to, crawl if you must; just never give up.”
It was the hard-core elite that made it along to our 8 mile tapering run last Sunday and I hope the numbers were lower due to the coincidence of Mother’s Day and the change of clocks rather than a sudden spate of nerves and injuries! I managed to get over my own niggle- ageddon scare earlier in the week when I thought I’d pulled my Achilles (after taking the Wilmslow Half Marathon a bit more seriously as a race than I was supposed to) and was almost considering not running myself to be on the safe side so perhaps people are being cautious! Nevertheless, a slow 50 minute 5 miler on Saturday confirmed I was good to go so was I was extremely pleased to join the team for our final run before The Big Day! Super spring weather graced us with its presence again as we took it 4 miles gently (if it can be called gentle up that hill!?) up Bury New Road to Prestwich and back.
Hopefully everyone is now enjoying the rewards of all that hard training and enjoying the taper. I am certainly enjoying an easy week myself and dreaming of a kind of carb based heaven over the next couple of days. With all that cake in the world… For those of you planning to participate in the next big run to come to Manchester; the Bupa Great Manchester Run of 10k on the 18th of May, you can enjoy our next series of training sessions taking place on Wednesday evenings throughout April and May. These are on April the 16th, 23rd and 30th and then also on May the 7th, leaving from the store on Deansgate at 6pm (arrive early to register). They are a great way to motivate yourself, spice up your training and get advice, as well as meeting others who are also participating in the race.
GOOD LUCK for next Sunday to all our marathoners… I’ll see you on the other side and just leave you with this quote from Dean Kamazes;
“Run when you can, walk if you have to, crawl if you must; just never give up.”
Just a little bit glad it's over!
Report for Up & Running: The 25th Great Northwest Half, 23.02.14
It’s fair to say that my first race of the year totally blew me away. I had of course been expecting that though, having checked the weather forecast the day before; light rain showers, no problem until we got to the bit about 26mph southerly winds (not forgetting the 45mph gusts). Not exactly my favourite running conditions. No surprise there I suppose, a route that takes you along the sea front at Blackpool in February isn’t likely to be best described as ‘balmy’. I had originally intended to participate in the Oulton Park Half Marathon, also scheduled for the 23rd, though I’d found it would be nigh on impossible, or at least irritatingly difficult, for a non-driver to reach by public transport, so somewhat reluctantly opted for the Great North West Half instead. This actually turned out to be for the best as two of my running friends also registered (and I got a lift anyway)!
Seeing this primarily as a training race in preparation for the Asics Manchester Marathon, re-acclimatising myself to race day atmosphere and conditions, I had strictly warned myself not to be stupid and hammer it for a PB, risking injury and upsetting the rest of my training plan. I’ve moved off any attempt at speed work into endurance training after all and the weather wasn’t exactly conducive to this either. However, having completed the Bupa Great Birmingham Run last October in 1:37:11 after aiming for anything sub 1:45, I knew I’d be disappointed to finish in more than 1:40, so when my friend Steve who conveniently runs with a pacing watch voiced the same target, I decided running with him wouldn’t be such a bad plan.
The race started well, if a little chillily. No rain, reasonably flat, a little crowded but only with considerate runners. The wind was behind us to begin with but I was well aware of the implications of this further down the line given that this was a two lap loop of a course and we were bound to turn round and head back; twice. The miles ticked by pretty comfortably and in terms of pacing this seemed pretty text book. I was pleased to find myself feeling strong and the running was easy; I took this to mean I had judged my rest and nutrition in the preceding days pretty well. You can imagine my surprise then when just around mile 6, Steve, who is far more experienced than me, announced that he was ‘sacking it in!’
‘What, are you joking!? Why?’ I demanded, but apparently the weather conditions were really getting the wind up him. ‘Don’t be silly, we’re almost half way and we’ll have the wind behind us again when we start the second lap in a minute! Have you ever quite a race before?!’ I knew he hadn’t, but he dropped back and when I tried to slow down for him to catch up I couldn’t see him anywhere. After a moment of loyal hesitation something else far more primal kicked in. Right then. This was my race now and with the wind behind me and no one telling me to slow down and keep to pace I was damn well going to make up some time. It was at this point that I really started to rather enjoy myself. I’d already felt that I had more to give so it didn’t take much to open the valve a notch and start picking off people to overtake. A slightly different approach was required on the southbound return stretch, which I had expected to feel hard but was less than delighted to discover had got even windier. I normally hate running too close to others but the only way to survive it seemed to be joining in with the gaggles of competitors who huddled together in groups in an attempt to draft their way to an easier run. I’d also been advised to stick as close as I could to the sea wall for similar reasons, so I ditched any attempt at personal space and stuck to a group. I did feel a little sorry for all the tall or muscly guys though, each with their little clutch of parasitic skinnier runners trailing along behind them like a string of neon Lycra clad ducklings. Still, all’s fair in love and running and I didn’t feel sorry enough not to exploit them for their mass just as much as everyone else! It was a tactic that must have worked; despite the conditions and my slightly conservative first half, I completed with a chip time of 1:38:13. I also placed 8th in my category, which I didn’t feel too bad about either! Even better than that of course was to discover that following a walk through a water station, Steve hadn’t dropped out at all and still managed to achieve his own sub 1:40 with a chip time of 1:39:59, almost like he’d planned it. He then went on to do another ‘comfortable’ 5 miles on the treadmill that afternoon. Well, it takes all sorts. Danny, the third to our party, battered us both with 1:34:11
It’s fair to say that my first race of the year totally blew me away. I had of course been expecting that though, having checked the weather forecast the day before; light rain showers, no problem until we got to the bit about 26mph southerly winds (not forgetting the 45mph gusts). Not exactly my favourite running conditions. No surprise there I suppose, a route that takes you along the sea front at Blackpool in February isn’t likely to be best described as ‘balmy’. I had originally intended to participate in the Oulton Park Half Marathon, also scheduled for the 23rd, though I’d found it would be nigh on impossible, or at least irritatingly difficult, for a non-driver to reach by public transport, so somewhat reluctantly opted for the Great North West Half instead. This actually turned out to be for the best as two of my running friends also registered (and I got a lift anyway)!
Seeing this primarily as a training race in preparation for the Asics Manchester Marathon, re-acclimatising myself to race day atmosphere and conditions, I had strictly warned myself not to be stupid and hammer it for a PB, risking injury and upsetting the rest of my training plan. I’ve moved off any attempt at speed work into endurance training after all and the weather wasn’t exactly conducive to this either. However, having completed the Bupa Great Birmingham Run last October in 1:37:11 after aiming for anything sub 1:45, I knew I’d be disappointed to finish in more than 1:40, so when my friend Steve who conveniently runs with a pacing watch voiced the same target, I decided running with him wouldn’t be such a bad plan.
The race started well, if a little chillily. No rain, reasonably flat, a little crowded but only with considerate runners. The wind was behind us to begin with but I was well aware of the implications of this further down the line given that this was a two lap loop of a course and we were bound to turn round and head back; twice. The miles ticked by pretty comfortably and in terms of pacing this seemed pretty text book. I was pleased to find myself feeling strong and the running was easy; I took this to mean I had judged my rest and nutrition in the preceding days pretty well. You can imagine my surprise then when just around mile 6, Steve, who is far more experienced than me, announced that he was ‘sacking it in!’
‘What, are you joking!? Why?’ I demanded, but apparently the weather conditions were really getting the wind up him. ‘Don’t be silly, we’re almost half way and we’ll have the wind behind us again when we start the second lap in a minute! Have you ever quite a race before?!’ I knew he hadn’t, but he dropped back and when I tried to slow down for him to catch up I couldn’t see him anywhere. After a moment of loyal hesitation something else far more primal kicked in. Right then. This was my race now and with the wind behind me and no one telling me to slow down and keep to pace I was damn well going to make up some time. It was at this point that I really started to rather enjoy myself. I’d already felt that I had more to give so it didn’t take much to open the valve a notch and start picking off people to overtake. A slightly different approach was required on the southbound return stretch, which I had expected to feel hard but was less than delighted to discover had got even windier. I normally hate running too close to others but the only way to survive it seemed to be joining in with the gaggles of competitors who huddled together in groups in an attempt to draft their way to an easier run. I’d also been advised to stick as close as I could to the sea wall for similar reasons, so I ditched any attempt at personal space and stuck to a group. I did feel a little sorry for all the tall or muscly guys though, each with their little clutch of parasitic skinnier runners trailing along behind them like a string of neon Lycra clad ducklings. Still, all’s fair in love and running and I didn’t feel sorry enough not to exploit them for their mass just as much as everyone else! It was a tactic that must have worked; despite the conditions and my slightly conservative first half, I completed with a chip time of 1:38:13. I also placed 8th in my category, which I didn’t feel too bad about either! Even better than that of course was to discover that following a walk through a water station, Steve hadn’t dropped out at all and still managed to achieve his own sub 1:40 with a chip time of 1:39:59, almost like he’d planned it. He then went on to do another ‘comfortable’ 5 miles on the treadmill that afternoon. Well, it takes all sorts. Danny, the third to our party, battered us both with 1:34:11
A Rabble of Runners! (What is the collective noun anyway!?)
Up & Running Marathon Training Run, 16.02.14
It was great to see some new faces as well as some coming back for more on our second marathon training run from the Up & Running store on Deansgate last week. We were once again very lucky with the weather and managed to pick the one dry and sunny day sandwiched between some far less clement meteorological conditions! My only minor quibble with regards to the weather was running into the wind on the way back from the first leg, though since that was my last long run before the Great North West Half next Sunday, which takes a route along the Blackpool seafront, I think I would be better off seeing that as an important part of the training!
For this run, we took the same 10 mile course to Denton Golf Club as in the previous meet, however, upon returning to the store there was then the option to add on a quick 10k up towards Cheetham Hill. This second leg took us on the same route as some of our recent night runs that we offered at the end of last year so I felt much more confident with where I was going! I also found it much easier this time to keep a steady pace of just less than 7mph which is roughly what the middle group were pegged around. If I’m honest, I probably did a similarly (if slightly slower) consistent pace for most of the last run too but I definitely felt more confident that I was doing a reasonable job of providing a pacing service this time as I wasn’t worrying about the route.
Personally, I really appreciated the opportunity for the loo and water stop after the first 10 miles but I know that some of our runners found it a bit challenging to stop and start again. It certainly takes a certain amount of mental toughness to get back to your starting point and then go out again as opposed to doing the same distance on a straight course and if your legs aren’t used to a pit stop you can really feel it when you set off again. Still; all good training I reckon!
For those who did both sections of the run (and that was everyone I think except for the self-confessed hung over triathlete who’d already done 18 miles on Saturday!) it meant we clocked up a tickle over 16 miles, one more than our intended 15 but it’s funny how that last mile seems to almost dissolve under your feet when you realise you’re nearly there (I’ll find out if I still feel like that at mile 25, of course!). I was actually rather pleased we did that extra though as it took my mileage for the week to 50, which feels like that bit more of an achievement than the 49 I was expecting! An easy week for me before the race on Sunday and then only 6 more weeks of training before The Big One! I will be running for a local mental health charity and you can read more about that (as well as finding a link to my fundraising page) on the charity’s own blog: http://imagineindependence.wordpress.com/2014/02/11/keep-on-running/
That’s enough of the personal plugging; our next scheduled run is on Sunday the 9th of March and we will leave from the store at 11.30, so if you plan on joining us, head over at about 11 so you have time to register, stretch a bit and grab a last minute loo break! We’ve planned to do 18 miles, though there were one or two murmurs that it might be rather nice to clock it up to 20… Either/or, we will find a way to meet your training needs and we always make sure there’s an option to head back earlier if you feel you need to. I’ve never run more than 19 before so I’d certainly be up for the challenge!
If you can’t make the 9th but still feel you need a bit of a boost to your training, why not check out our Tear Down the Wall advice evening this coming Thursday, the 20thof February? You can get physio, race day, nutrition and hydration advice as well as making the most of our free gait analysis service to ensure you have the shoes you need with enough time to break them in before April! The event is from 5 – 7pm at our Manchester Deansgate store and is totally free! Come and have a chat to some fellow enthusiasts who won’t glaze over as soon as you say ‘blisters’!
It was great to see some new faces as well as some coming back for more on our second marathon training run from the Up & Running store on Deansgate last week. We were once again very lucky with the weather and managed to pick the one dry and sunny day sandwiched between some far less clement meteorological conditions! My only minor quibble with regards to the weather was running into the wind on the way back from the first leg, though since that was my last long run before the Great North West Half next Sunday, which takes a route along the Blackpool seafront, I think I would be better off seeing that as an important part of the training!
For this run, we took the same 10 mile course to Denton Golf Club as in the previous meet, however, upon returning to the store there was then the option to add on a quick 10k up towards Cheetham Hill. This second leg took us on the same route as some of our recent night runs that we offered at the end of last year so I felt much more confident with where I was going! I also found it much easier this time to keep a steady pace of just less than 7mph which is roughly what the middle group were pegged around. If I’m honest, I probably did a similarly (if slightly slower) consistent pace for most of the last run too but I definitely felt more confident that I was doing a reasonable job of providing a pacing service this time as I wasn’t worrying about the route.
Personally, I really appreciated the opportunity for the loo and water stop after the first 10 miles but I know that some of our runners found it a bit challenging to stop and start again. It certainly takes a certain amount of mental toughness to get back to your starting point and then go out again as opposed to doing the same distance on a straight course and if your legs aren’t used to a pit stop you can really feel it when you set off again. Still; all good training I reckon!
For those who did both sections of the run (and that was everyone I think except for the self-confessed hung over triathlete who’d already done 18 miles on Saturday!) it meant we clocked up a tickle over 16 miles, one more than our intended 15 but it’s funny how that last mile seems to almost dissolve under your feet when you realise you’re nearly there (I’ll find out if I still feel like that at mile 25, of course!). I was actually rather pleased we did that extra though as it took my mileage for the week to 50, which feels like that bit more of an achievement than the 49 I was expecting! An easy week for me before the race on Sunday and then only 6 more weeks of training before The Big One! I will be running for a local mental health charity and you can read more about that (as well as finding a link to my fundraising page) on the charity’s own blog: http://imagineindependence.wordpress.com/2014/02/11/keep-on-running/
That’s enough of the personal plugging; our next scheduled run is on Sunday the 9th of March and we will leave from the store at 11.30, so if you plan on joining us, head over at about 11 so you have time to register, stretch a bit and grab a last minute loo break! We’ve planned to do 18 miles, though there were one or two murmurs that it might be rather nice to clock it up to 20… Either/or, we will find a way to meet your training needs and we always make sure there’s an option to head back earlier if you feel you need to. I’ve never run more than 19 before so I’d certainly be up for the challenge!
If you can’t make the 9th but still feel you need a bit of a boost to your training, why not check out our Tear Down the Wall advice evening this coming Thursday, the 20thof February? You can get physio, race day, nutrition and hydration advice as well as making the most of our free gait analysis service to ensure you have the shoes you need with enough time to break them in before April! The event is from 5 – 7pm at our Manchester Deansgate store and is totally free! Come and have a chat to some fellow enthusiasts who won’t glaze over as soon as you say ‘blisters’!
My First Medal!
Report for Imagine Independence; KEEP ON RUNNING, 11.02.14
This year’s Manchester Marathon on 6th April will have a very special entrant – Annabeth Orton – who will be running in support of Imagine. Here, Annabeth talks about her own personal journey.
“Today I was delighted to confirm that I shall be fundraising for Imagine Mental Health when I (attempt to) run my first marathon this April! 18 months ago I hadn’t even thought about running 10k, let alone racing. As a teenager I experienced significant loss of mobility due to rheumatoid arthritis and though as a healthy adult I knew the importance of exercise, it was just part of staying fit, not something I enjoyed much. However, finishing the 2013 Bupa Great Manchester Run in 45:31 (having expected ‘something sub 50’), sparked my evolution from indifferent ‘fitness’ runner to dedicated ‘recreational’ runner. I was then inspired to improve that time at the Salford City 10k before crossing the finish of the Bupa Great Birmingham Run at 1:37:11. I can barely believe I am now registered for the Great North West Half and the Asics Manchester Marathon as well as 3 more 10k races later in the year!
I am asking for people to support my efforts with donations to Imagine Independence, as I have found running to be extremely beneficial to my own mental wellbeing in what has been a difficult couple of years personally. I strongly feel that mental health is one of our last social taboos and that a lot of damage is done by the stigma attached to the term ‘mental health’. I have never understood why the word ‘health’ tends to conjure images of vitality and energy, but with the word ‘mental’ in front of it becomes instantly tainted with fear and negativity. It is my opinion that just like with physicality, we all go through life experiencing mental ups and downs. While many of us may be lucky enough never to need significant treatment for any condition, the support for those who do is often jeopardised by popular misconceptions and resulting discrimination. I have experienced this first hand in my own ongoing battle to maintain good health, as well as witnessing it in situations involving friends, family and colleagues.
In other areas of life, I am a visual artist and a lecturer in Art and Design at Tameside College. I also organise an artists’ networking group and run various community crafts workshops in Greater Manchester. As such, I am enjoying one of the benefits of working with such a small charity in that as well as being more locally focused, I am able to be involved in what the money raised is used for. In this case, donations made on my behalf will be put towards delivering arts workshops to those using the service.
As mentioned, running has been an important way of managing my own stress and anxiety over the last few months; however, I would like to think that my interest in it could also be used in more than one way to help people. I recently found the sport is not necessarily a solitary pursuit and have started running with others, learning from those more experienced, sharing my enjoyment with newer, less confident runners and reaping all the social benefits. I also started as a sales assistant in a specialist running shop at weekends, seeing this as an opportunity to continue learning, pass on knowledge and become involved in a wider community. Last Sunday, I was able to participate in a marathon training run organised from the store and enjoyed not only a ten mile run from Manchester to Denton and back but also listened to the stories of why other people run. At college, I am involved in starting a running club for students and am excited about involving younger soon-to-be athletes. As well as a natural instinct to share what I enjoy, I am aware that I am in a position to encourage female interest in what is sometimes perceived to be a male-dominated area and hope to see lots of girls running alongside, or overtaking their male classmates!
Given my interests and experiences, supporting a mental health charity that delivers arts provision as part of a strategy for improved mental health on a local basis seemed a natural choice. I am looking forward to seeing the many creative endeavours that are made possible through the support of donors, channelled through my running passion. I am also looking forward to eating a lot of cake when I have crossed the finish line! You can find out more about my arts practice at www.glittermouse.co.uk “
This year’s Manchester Marathon on 6th April will have a very special entrant – Annabeth Orton – who will be running in support of Imagine. Here, Annabeth talks about her own personal journey.
“Today I was delighted to confirm that I shall be fundraising for Imagine Mental Health when I (attempt to) run my first marathon this April! 18 months ago I hadn’t even thought about running 10k, let alone racing. As a teenager I experienced significant loss of mobility due to rheumatoid arthritis and though as a healthy adult I knew the importance of exercise, it was just part of staying fit, not something I enjoyed much. However, finishing the 2013 Bupa Great Manchester Run in 45:31 (having expected ‘something sub 50’), sparked my evolution from indifferent ‘fitness’ runner to dedicated ‘recreational’ runner. I was then inspired to improve that time at the Salford City 10k before crossing the finish of the Bupa Great Birmingham Run at 1:37:11. I can barely believe I am now registered for the Great North West Half and the Asics Manchester Marathon as well as 3 more 10k races later in the year!
I am asking for people to support my efforts with donations to Imagine Independence, as I have found running to be extremely beneficial to my own mental wellbeing in what has been a difficult couple of years personally. I strongly feel that mental health is one of our last social taboos and that a lot of damage is done by the stigma attached to the term ‘mental health’. I have never understood why the word ‘health’ tends to conjure images of vitality and energy, but with the word ‘mental’ in front of it becomes instantly tainted with fear and negativity. It is my opinion that just like with physicality, we all go through life experiencing mental ups and downs. While many of us may be lucky enough never to need significant treatment for any condition, the support for those who do is often jeopardised by popular misconceptions and resulting discrimination. I have experienced this first hand in my own ongoing battle to maintain good health, as well as witnessing it in situations involving friends, family and colleagues.
In other areas of life, I am a visual artist and a lecturer in Art and Design at Tameside College. I also organise an artists’ networking group and run various community crafts workshops in Greater Manchester. As such, I am enjoying one of the benefits of working with such a small charity in that as well as being more locally focused, I am able to be involved in what the money raised is used for. In this case, donations made on my behalf will be put towards delivering arts workshops to those using the service.
As mentioned, running has been an important way of managing my own stress and anxiety over the last few months; however, I would like to think that my interest in it could also be used in more than one way to help people. I recently found the sport is not necessarily a solitary pursuit and have started running with others, learning from those more experienced, sharing my enjoyment with newer, less confident runners and reaping all the social benefits. I also started as a sales assistant in a specialist running shop at weekends, seeing this as an opportunity to continue learning, pass on knowledge and become involved in a wider community. Last Sunday, I was able to participate in a marathon training run organised from the store and enjoyed not only a ten mile run from Manchester to Denton and back but also listened to the stories of why other people run. At college, I am involved in starting a running club for students and am excited about involving younger soon-to-be athletes. As well as a natural instinct to share what I enjoy, I am aware that I am in a position to encourage female interest in what is sometimes perceived to be a male-dominated area and hope to see lots of girls running alongside, or overtaking their male classmates!
Given my interests and experiences, supporting a mental health charity that delivers arts provision as part of a strategy for improved mental health on a local basis seemed a natural choice. I am looking forward to seeing the many creative endeavours that are made possible through the support of donors, channelled through my running passion. I am also looking forward to eating a lot of cake when I have crossed the finish line! You can find out more about my arts practice at www.glittermouse.co.uk “
Ready to Go!
Up & Running Marathon Training
Run, 02.02.14
Weather was fantastic, dry and a light breeze was blowing, so we set off across the city. Runners are by nature a friendly bunch and one of my main reasons for loving it in the first place is stress relief, so by the time we’d fought our way through the city center crowds (Chinese New Year) and were on to the ‘main stretch’ of the run out to Denton Golf Club, I was feeling much more relaxed!I even noticed some early mood-boosting signs of spring in the form of daffodils making an appearance and some enthusiastic birdsong, despite being so close to a main road. Of course the best thing was chatting to the others and finding out about their stories; from the first time marathoner who hasn’t even done a half yet because he likes a challenge, to the second timer who’s not entirely sure why she’s signed up again, and the mildly humbling ‘sorry we were a bit late after cycling in to town but we’ve caught you up now, and oh yes, we are triathletes actually, how did you guess?’. I never have to look far in the running community to find examples of all levels of experience coming together to support and motivate one another and it was affirming to find myself in the middle of one such group. I’m not entirely sure I did the best ever job of pacing, but it was with a huge sense of satisfaction that I arrived back at the shop on Deansgate. Knowing that I had played a part in supporting others to make progress towards achieving their goals gave me even more of a mood boost than I might normally expect after clocking up another ten miles for the week on another run.
All those who joined us were keen to come back for more at the second training run, which is a fifteen mile jaunt on the 16th of February, starting from the store at 11.30. If you fancy getting in on the action and boosting your training schedule with support, motivation and advice from the staff at the Manchester branch you can register online or drop us an email. We also have an advice evening from 5 – 7pm on the Thursday the 20th Tear Down the Wall with Harris & Ross Physiotherapist. Hope to see you there!
Weather was fantastic, dry and a light breeze was blowing, so we set off across the city. Runners are by nature a friendly bunch and one of my main reasons for loving it in the first place is stress relief, so by the time we’d fought our way through the city center crowds (Chinese New Year) and were on to the ‘main stretch’ of the run out to Denton Golf Club, I was feeling much more relaxed!I even noticed some early mood-boosting signs of spring in the form of daffodils making an appearance and some enthusiastic birdsong, despite being so close to a main road. Of course the best thing was chatting to the others and finding out about their stories; from the first time marathoner who hasn’t even done a half yet because he likes a challenge, to the second timer who’s not entirely sure why she’s signed up again, and the mildly humbling ‘sorry we were a bit late after cycling in to town but we’ve caught you up now, and oh yes, we are triathletes actually, how did you guess?’. I never have to look far in the running community to find examples of all levels of experience coming together to support and motivate one another and it was affirming to find myself in the middle of one such group. I’m not entirely sure I did the best ever job of pacing, but it was with a huge sense of satisfaction that I arrived back at the shop on Deansgate. Knowing that I had played a part in supporting others to make progress towards achieving their goals gave me even more of a mood boost than I might normally expect after clocking up another ten miles for the week on another run.
All those who joined us were keen to come back for more at the second training run, which is a fifteen mile jaunt on the 16th of February, starting from the store at 11.30. If you fancy getting in on the action and boosting your training schedule with support, motivation and advice from the staff at the Manchester branch you can register online or drop us an email. We also have an advice evening from 5 – 7pm on the Thursday the 20th Tear Down the Wall with Harris & Ross Physiotherapist. Hope to see you there!
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