April Running update

Well April [and almost May] seems to have just flown by so quickly!  I really am trying to keep on top of these running updates.  

The 1st April was a Saturday which can only mean 1 thing, parkrun!  I took this one steady and recorded one of my slowest times of the year, but also at the same time it was one of the most enjoyable as me and my running buddy just simply had a laugh and giggle all the way round.  Sometimes those are the best runs! 


Junior parkrun follows on a Sunday and when the girls run I volunteer, usually with Little Man strapped to me.  My youngest daughter was running for her half marathon band, and my eldest running for her marathon band.  Unfortunately my eldest fell over and grazed her hip which meant she did not finish.  


In sympathy for my daughter on Monday night club run I also fell over, well I was pushed by a certain person who later tried to shove me in front of a moving car, I continued with club run and am still plotting my revenge. [it's all in good fun!]


The rest of the week saw some steady 5Ks with the pushchair and the dog in tow, and a very clingy little man who was not too happy about running.  This resulted in several runs getting aborted only a few kms into the run.


One such run resulted in a treadmill session once Little Man napped.  J watches me on the treadmill and seems to have a very confused look as I run.  As soon as I finish though he jumps onto the end of the treadmill!  I am trying to work on both my speed and cardio fitness and one of the ways I am looking to do this is with a few more treadmill sessions. 


I had set myself a target time of 30minutes at parkrun the following Saturday and fell just short with a time of 30.06.  I am going to blame the rather fantastic injury to my side from the 'fall' earlier in the week. 


My youngest daughter was awarded her half marathon wrist band at junior parkrun and my eldest completed her marathon ready to be awarded her marathon band next time.  After volunteering again at junior parkrun we made a 45 minute journey over to York to support my club in the Vale of York 10.  I think it important to show the girls the importance of a team and that supporting and encouraging your team members and friends is a very important role to undertake.  


 The next two weeks saw us on our holiday in Orlando Florida!  We walked over 20,000 steps every day, I think our lowest step day was 18,000!  I did however take my running kit with me and managed a couple of 5K runs.  I had to get up very early as by 8am it was just too hot to run!  It wasn't the best place for running and I would just run around the hotel and the nearby shopping outlet.  Still a run is a run!

One thing the Americans do know how to do is organise a race!  I took part in Lake Nona Pig run whilst there and it was one of the best organised races I have every done!  A 5km race which at 3.5km you enter a 'pig pen'.  Here you have to enter an assigned number of donuts before completing the race.  Some people had 12 donuts assigned to them!  

I absolutely loved this race.  Everything from the atmosphere, to the organisation to the course itself and I will be writing it more in detail soon.  Even the medal is fantastic!


Both girls had a fantastic time too, free popcorn, free candy floss and they even completed a fun run which my eldest won!  At the end of their race they were awarded with donuts and a medal, I think possibly one of their favourite races to date too!


I had tried desperately and failed to get a place in the runDisney Star wars event.  It is on my bucket list of races and I really would have loved to have taken part.  As the week progressed the set up for the race began to take place and it began to really hit home that I wasn't running it.  One year I will.


Our holiday finished with a Disney cruise.  On board the cruise ship is a running track and I loved waking up early to watch the sunrise as I ran around the ship.  It was hard work.  Passing the engine room at one end with a strong smell of fuel, one side of the ship had such strong headwinds that crew members were stationed on deck to make sure no one went over board but it was just beautiful.  The sunrises in the Bahamas over the ocean are like no other.  The boat fast asleep, slowly becoming more and more alive as the morning progressed.  I felt so lucky to witness the sunrise each morning


Our final day on board and once again an early start.  This time however on shore and a very wet 5km.  Castaway 5km is a 5km run around Disney very own private island.  The weather was not kind.  The heavens opened up and there was a very heavy downpour.  There were people running in plastic Dinsey Ponchos, and there was me in my t shirt thinking it felt just like home.  I actually found it harder to run on the flat in the heat and the rain, than I do running at home with the hills.  At least an up hill has a downhill! I simply went out and had fun and although struggled at first to get a pace, I found it easy to pick out certain parts of the course which broke down the route.  Whatever I did worked because I ran my first Sub 30 5km!


Monday and Tuesday that week involved Jet lag and travelling so my first run was a 5 mile road race for the road league.  I would love to write about what happened but in all honesty I cannot remember the race.  I was unbelievably jet lagged.   I have no idea what the course was.  I have no idea of the weather.  I was just so tired.  All I can remember is wanting to sleep, and my legs just moving!

The next morning I went for a run with my best mate but even that had to be abandoned as Little Man decided he did not want to be in his pushchair! The weeks running just went out the window!


Friday was another day travelling this time to conference in London.  I had located a parkrun close to the hotel for Saturday.  I had a nice 2 mile warm up run to parkrun and ran my first tourist parkrun.  I had wanted to get my first 50 parkrun at my home run, but I could not go without my parkrun fix.  I think 1 tour is allowed right?


It was a lovely flat course with views of the Olympic stadium and I even got a PB! I was super happy and a great way to start a Saturday.  Realising just how close the Olympic stadium actually was was an opportunity I could not turn down.  Sunday morning I got up early and ran to the Olympic stadium and around the grounds.  I liked the view better on this side of the rings before anyone comments!  


I ended April on a huge high with a 5k PB, my first sub 30 5K and ready for the marathon training to begin!

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