June running update

by Leyla [Thisdayilove] - 00:27

Well June can only be described as rubbish. What a rubbish sandwich.

I started June with injury and I finished June with injury.

I returned from Spain and drove straight from the airport to Derby to take part in Ramathon. The Ramathon is my favourite ever race and you can read more about it in my race report which will follow shortly.

After Ramathon I was still in a lot of pain with my ankle and so took things really steady in order to run the School run. I think this had to be one of the prettiest runs I have ever done. It was one of those I just had to stop and take photos. In fact I was more interested in the views than I was in running.

I continued where possible to help out at both parkrun and junior parkrun and by the end of June am on 40 parkruns and 30 volunteer roles. I love how the girls love junior parkrun too and ask each week to go.

I received some amazing news in June. First I have a charity place for the London Marathon in 2018. I cannot tell you how incredibly excited I am by this. I have been given the chance to complete a dream by running the London marathon, but I get to do it by representing such an amazing cause, Meningitis research Foundation. If you would like to sponsor me you can do so here. You can also keep up to date with my journey here

I also was successful in becoming an ambassador for the National Running show! I cannot wait to bring more on the latest news, and tickets! I am also really excited to be attending the show too!

After this June became a bit of a write off.

I suffered a personal blow which made me spiral into a huge depressive state. I lost my running Mojo completely, became an emotional mess and just generally lost it. I put on the best brave face I could, and still am doing, got out and tried to run. Tried to regain some normality but it just wasn't happening.

I had entered Hull 10K and whilst not really feeling the race I went along. I had no plan in mind, except not to pass out due to the heat, but was happy I came away with a PB for 10km.

After completing the 10km I drove for just over an hour to meet a friend and team mate to support in the final run of her challenge. She had run 5km a day every day for 100 days. It was a beautiful route with plenty of runners in support, and a real pleasure to be a part of such a wonderful moment.

My clubs run followed, the Furty Furlong. I had run parkrun in the morning, as tail runner, and then had to make a quick dash to the start line. Unfortunately I ran through a field of nettles on the way to the race and had a reaction to them. I spent the entire race feeling like my legs were on fire. I wasn't paying much attention to the run as my legs were taking over and I the heat really did not help. All I wanted to do was stop and make the burning sensation go away.

It took just over a week for the rash to die down, I still have a few scar marks left but thankfully all is well. The emotional spiral of June seemed to continue and in total honesty training went out the window, I fell into unhealthy eating habits and generally wanted to avoid all human contact. I had a 10 mile race booked, the Dambuster 10 which again I will write up shortly.

I had mixed feelings about this race, mainly due to my current emotional mood, but went along regardless to enjoy it.

It was such a beautiful race running around the reservoir but in all honesty my heart and head were not in it. It was another going through the motions type of run and I really wasn't feeling it. I could have done so much better and am disappointed with myself looking back on the run.

Things just seemed to go from bad to worse. My mojo well and truly left, I had no motivation or desire to run. I was an emotional wreck. I had fallen into bad eating habits.

Penistone 10k came rather quickly, and I knew I could get a PB. At 3km I turned into an emotional disaster and by 5km I had had enough. I could not stop the tears, the events of the weeks before just caught up with me. This emotion accompanied with a huge burning pain in my foot meant I had my first ever DNF [ did not finish].

A DNF hurts, a lot. Yet I have no regrets. I run because I enjoy it, and in all honesty I had fallen out of love with it. My foot hurt and whilst I could have probably pushed on, I didn't want to. I have no regrets about my decision. It was the right thing to do at that time.

There we have it June.

I am glad to see the back of June in all honesty. I need to find my mojo again. I need to start eating properly again and stop comfort eating. I need this depressive cloud to go away and for running to be my happy place again. I hope it will. My training is continuing for Yorkshire marathon but the love is missing, I am hoping it returns soon.

Total distance covered = 126.9km

New PB set this month

= Half marathon 2hr 24min

= 10km 1hr 5seconds

= 10 mile 1hr 44min