May Trophy Cabinet

How the pinnacles of life have changed.
No room for more race T-shirt’s, medals, certificates... here’s my Strava virtual bling.
Not much at all , but a lot more than a long time ago!

Narrowly bagged my May 10k via a build up of a route discovered last week, via some local lakes. 

It was not easy to get going, get the right nutrition and get up and go. Not quite direct to the point, did some extra exploration miles to get to the 6.1miles and call it a day. 

Most pictures circulated of this hidden gem, was just a view of the tranquil lake...but it takes a runner, dog walkers, licensed fishermen  and some cyclists to road test the path to find the patches where one can enjoy these tranquil views, and weather those exposed trunks, mixed terrain delights for the unseasoned.

This is not Crown Estate, manicured metalled roads. Far from it in some cases. It was a highlight extension for my otherwise now new normal run around the block. Unfortunately, with the amount of trash left around, it must have been the highlight of some locals lockdown outdoor sun-bathing excursions too - an inflatable what?

Here’s to June. Will there be more Strava challenges to keep me going this month ,before I cough up a subscription , new shoes and perhaps a bit of regained freedom with lockdown easing (and hopefully not a second virus peak)!

Lockdown restarts - 2 months on!

Long time no see, does anyone still read? Is anyone still out there? Hello! Thanks for reading on...

Its almost 3 years since my last post about my first half-marathon postpartum. And now ? Only one more half-marathon first postpartum. And 0 races second postpartum.

Life has been taken over running after 2 little boys, and also the old man who is younger at heart!

Fitness levels and goals have been rubbish over the last 2 years, unlike with only 1. The only New Years Resolution for 2020 was to earn my Parkrun50 T-shirt at Richmond Park (no longer my closest Parkrun, but still one that I am comfortable with).

And today marks 2 months on from Covid-19 Lockdown in the UK. Probably not up to me if this goal will ever be achieved this year.

And after a slow start....today I am up there again - first visit this far on the A316 , a Corporate Virtual 5K.

Recent meets on Richmond Park have become a huge logistical exercise - if to bring spectators, by enticing the other half to visit his favourite part of the world over here, and favourite food shops whilst at it, and this was no exception.

With no cars allowed into Richmond Park, I have been dropped off - on a saturday morning, an hour later than usual - to an almost empty starting line. I wore my last Royal Parks Half Marathon finish T-shirt from a decade ago, listened to the virtual pre-race talk, and walked to the start line.

Except there was no crowds there, no buggies, no dogs. I didnt have to start as far back!

I trusted Strava to take me around...foxgloves, wild grasses taller and unkempt, deer in the distance, and London in the far horizon... it was only me, the occasional cyclist, the Nordic skaters (if that is what they were called) in the empty road next to me. After a night devoid of quality sleep, and we must thank my Audible nightcap of bringing me to blog here - as my first morning pages in a while, the first mile felt longer, but ok.

During the lockdown, I have been trying to get out for a run 2-3 times a week, and usually a 5kilometre route. This week I have had the good fortune to have a PB by 1 second on a segment that I usually go uphill, on the way home. And I might finally start to have some virtual friends - a lady who does the same loop counterclockwise (I must have been the same previously until I changed to clockwise this week), a nod. And...the Chertsey Runners Facebook Group! Having always been horrible with keeping up with running in groups, I followed, but never plucked the courage to join. Recently I have been starting to become better at run maps reading, to find new routes around my local neighbourhood...today after an introductory post, they said: we never leave anyone behind. Such a supportive comment in a world where one always find yourself chasing the next thing, or realising that inclusion is a myth. JOMO, sometimes. But good when one find like minds....in our 40s, children, trying to balance work and life, and staying fit.

Its not easy, but it must be prioritised, or fit in, now or never. As lost fitness is very difficult to gain again. Whereas a Couch to 5k I am not, whether I can be complacent with having to stop-start/fartlek/jeffing instead of a non-stop 5k...once I stop I cannot start without stopping again.

Whatever it is, less people? Timing? Knowing circumstances aren’t quite the same at the finish....I kept start/stopping, glanced at my Apple Watch....it didnt flick to 3.1 miles when I walked through the virtual Parkrun Richmond funnel...so I did a little bit more.

11 PRs (gold medals) . 5 Best efforts on Strava, whatever that means! Sub-30.

I felt my virtual friends there at the finish...and walked through the gate to leave Richmond Park, avoiding eye contact with the person with the high viz vest.

It was a windy day, and it might have helped a bit (to my disbelief). Hiked down Petersham Hill to reunite with the boys, to a socially distanced Richmond/East Twickenham to the one we knew 2 months ago...

Here’s a first. Time to restart, Time to reflect. New normal. won’t be the same. Just have to accept its different.

Disneyland Paris Semi-Marathon - a Big medal for a Big effort!

Finally, my first medal this year - or rather, my first half marathon in 3 years! 

It wasn't easy getting to the starting line - exactly 13-months after baby was born, the training finally resumed in late July/early August upon doctor's/physiotherapist's advice to 'take it gently' - we arrived at Disneyland Paris at 0615 CET last sunday morning, for the start.

It wasn't even light yet - but I was accompanied by lots of keen runners - lots of them dressed up in Disney characters. I thought about it, but looked back at previous races where I have worn a tutu (Cancer research 10k) or have had too much clothing on (Santa fun run!), I get annoyed with the extra luggage along the way. Besides, I have enough distractions (Disney Characters - photo opportunities) to slow me down, really didn't needed more. I have a blue top (Inspired by Finding Dory) and a yellow hairband...that was good enough :)

It was a slow start - lots of waiting around - official start time was 7am, but for Corral B (the second stream of runners to start) , we only made it pass the starting line (with Mickey, Aladdin counting down on the screen 3-2-1 for us) at around 730!

The first 5 kilometres was the highlight of the half marathon - with a tour of Disney Studios and Disneyland Paris. I haven't been to the Studios before ...it was interesting being taken to the set where an explosive London Scene happened (Tube station, Bus, Postbox and all), or through the stage or through another indoor set...Rock'n'Roller coaster avec Aerosmith... occasional characters appearing here and there, and then I saw the typical Disney phenomenon...a queue!  From then on it became a strategic exercise of 'which character has a shorter queue' /'do I like the character enough to have a photo with them'/'how to maximise the number of pictures on my runDisney photopass (an extra 40 euros of investment to get them all on an account - which 7 days on STILL isn't available to download yet)/'how am I going for time'? As from previous experiences , toilet queues in races could take up to 10 minutes, and despite not having trained enough to have breakthroughs in timing , I didn't want to be slower than my first debut at Watford Half Marathon.

So I managed to get Spiderman in Disney Studios and Mad Hatter (of Alice in Wonderland) in Disneyland. An official photo, and a selfie (conclusion: I'm very bad at selfies!) at the same time. 

 The rest of my first 5k was spent taking in the Toy story scenes (army parachutes and Buzz Lightyear...Barrel of Monkeys spelling out goodbye), Space Mountain! Fantasyland, Adventureland, Main Street USA!  and then photos of other runners getting their photos taken , such as with Cinderella and crew..

Aladdin and crew...

and of course, Disneyland Castle! There wasn't much time to be wasted perfecting my selfie...sigh, must practice next time.

and then at the 5km mark - a drinks station appeared, and so did the exit to Paris Disneyland...I took a cup of water, glanced at my watch - 36 minutes!  Time then to make up for lost time...

The next 12km or so was through the outskirts of Parcs Disneyland - past a school (we ran on their Athletics track!) and some residential areas of Val D'Europe, a newly developed area. No more Disney characters to cheer us on the way , but there were bands, cheerleaders to keep us going....lovely selfie kilometre markers (which I didn't want to try after one failed attempt in getting a virtual cowboy hat on early on the course)

Energy stations were not something to look forward to - Special K bars and apple wedges in plastic bags...hmm, I stuck to my one Powergel Vanilla halfway around the course (having lost the other Gu as it fell off the belt). My Timex Ironman watch became my best friend - as long as each kilometre was under 6minutes, I was fine....I enjoyed the time on my own, celebrated the end of the weekend long runs and mid week shorter runs that became increasingly hard to make time for... and try to avoid hitting people who were right in front of me from time to time (lots more walkers in this one compared to most - maybe due to the 'fun' nature)...I enjoyed watching numerous Mickey and Minnie ears, Donald and Daisy caps (great idea, might try that next time), Tinkerbells, Elsa's, Incredibles, Captain Americas weave in and around me. 

At 17kms - I saw Hotel Santa Fe - the start of the Disney resorts with a 'Cars' theme...yes, we were close to home now. The last 5kms were familiar to me, as I was at the Disneyland Hotels for a work conference 2 years ago and ran around the lake, but I kept my eyes peeled for familar faces. 

Finally at 18.5km I saw 2...Thankfully..

Not long to go! The last kilometre or so wasn't hard...I just had to keep running and not walk....

It was great seeing the 'Arrivee' sign and a glimpse of Mickey coming out to shake my hand...but the organisers said 'no photo'! so we were hurried along to pick up my well earned medal, take more official photos (more queues - especially with some who took their entire stash of runDisney medals for the photo op) 

meet hubby and baby, and set off home (5 hours + drive across the Channel Tunnel, and lunch, and wait times on the way).

My body must be not used to the shock of doing 13.1miles anymore, as I went down with a stomach bug the day after, a cold within the next week and was very tired in general. Hoping to get another chance to train for something else soon, so I have a reason to be out and about and feeling good getting fresh air into my lungs and those aching arms and legs.

When I have the official photos from runDisney Photo pass I will share them - its been a very long wait! 

I was happy enough with my time and an almost negative split...from 36mins at 5k then doing around 5:55min/km at 5-10km, 15-20km intervals, finishing at 2:12...what if there's no distractions? :)

Wokingham - my 5th visit & a medal in the household

(This being a post that sat in the draft folder..only publishing now)

The fourth variation of the wokingham medal came home on the 21st February 2016, but landed on hubby's side of the curtain railing.

(For this picture, I had to borrow my 3 as the other 2 on his side were eroding away from more sweat?)

It's an experience bringing baby as a spectator, this time he was there right from the start.

What's all this about ? He must be thinking. It's cold, and there's lots of people, including daddy, and then they run off!

An hour or so later, they all start running back!

And then they get a medal, have lots of food and drink afterwards.

He will slowly get the hang of things in the months to come, when he has his own running buggy, and comes on long runs with us. 

At Wokingham , baby and I were both spectators, but in a few days, one of us doesn't have to be.

Stay tuned.

Firsts

7 years ago, 1st February 2009, I finished my first half marathon.

(Thanks to Facebook for prompting these memories).

7 years later, 1st February 2016, I finished my group yoga class at the gym, after childbirth.

How life changes when you have to modify your fitness goals to what you are able to and allowed to do at the time.

4 weekends ago, I did my first long run in a long time. Enjoyed the Time on my own. Did not try to go fast at all, and my pelvic bone took its toll. 7.5 miles plus turning back at the 'wild fowl sign' on the towpath. I enjoyed it and looked forward to the weekly designated time-slot (exemption from taking baby to swimming class) to build on my long run, plus 5kms on the treadmill (or 5 times round Twickenham stadium) each visit to the gym, I would just be about ready for wokingham half.

But that Monday after, my Physiotherapist looked at my input/output diary and wrote on her notes 'recommended no high impact sports' until she is happy with the overall situation that everything was healing properly and under control. 'Sorry to spoil your fun'.

Not much choice, but it was for my own good to follow her advice.

Wrote to the organizers and had my entry transferred to hubby.

No more treadmills at my twice weekly gym sessions, but 5 minute circuits on the spin bike, elliptical, rowing machine, exercise bike and the spin again. Glute machine, powerplates. 

Core strengthening. Planks whilst playing with baby. Up dog, down dog, my first yoga class today in a long time (wobbly, but getting there towards the end of class!)

The focus has changed to having'just about time to train for my first spring half in 2 years' to  'all the time in the world to train for a proper (as can be for a veteran) autumn season'. 

Glass half empty, glass half full.

The list of possible races to 'revisit' builds..10ks and halfs....

Til then, every gym session and home stretching session counts. 

There will always be another medal waiting to land on my curtain railing. 

I must focus on getting back on track. 

Hope it wouldn't be too long before that First medal as a mother... ;)

(Down memory lane with baby last week: where the '385 yards to go' banner was, after turning off Birdcage walk for the London marathon finish; the mile marker for my lunchtime runs...;the RPFHM routes ...)

Back to Richmond Parkrun on Christmas and New Year's Day

That's 10kms in 8 days.

The first 5 was difficult, over Christmas day and on the back end of recovering from a cold. I had brought along my cousin-in-law (uni fresher but still a teenager!) along to her first Parkrun, and being a real veteran of the event (& first time back) I felt the same nerves as she did to an extent.

Had that surreal feeling when the start beep went off. I know this course only too well. Surely it must be easier without baby on board? In 2015 I have been round Richmond Parkrun with Baby inside me in various stages, twice as a pacer, and a few times as a participant. 

But too much has happened downstairs that it is almost a couch to 5k experience.

I completed. With picture featured on Richmond Parkrun Facebook page. Me and cousin Maddie in the middle.

It's the first time I had done a jog (indoors and out) for a month and it hurt for the whole week! My thighs had the half marathon finish feel but it was far from it.

I didn't do any more the week of Christmas and focused on recovery.

Back again on New Years Day 2016. Totally exhausted due to 4 night feeds (2 more than usual, maybe due to baby being excited over new year's?) and an early start. The crisp air got me going.

I was shocked that half the people around me at the start had their hands up to 'do a double' i.e., run Richmond New Years at 9am, then to crane park (4 miles away) to do 10:30am Parkrun, or Kingston at 10am! 

In the old days, I would've done it, a great way to train 10 miles with a fast start and a fast end. But times are different now - the times I can make it to Richmond Park at 9am depends on my hubby being happy to take baby along and wait under 45 minutes for the whole thing to be done. Which means a sacrifice of hubby being able to do his morning cycle or run, AND baby being fed and changed all before 8am ready to go.

I spoke to the couple sporting an ironman bob buggy with a 16 month old child in tow, and a few others on the course, and can realistically see that it will be a while before I can be back on saturday mornings.

Today's run was easier but still not quite a walk in the park. My legs were coming back, applying a run-walk strategy in the hilly second half. I know how to, but the stamina was missing after the long absence. 

Memories of the heel pain, wearing the night splint to fix plantar fasciitis, and images of the wokingham countryside flashed before me. 

Less than 2 months before I will make that starting line. For now, assume, business as usual.

Runkeeper's constant yelling of 6 minutes something per kilometer - way below marathon pace, as I picked up towards the end, waving to hubby, holding baby in a brown bear snowsuit....

I got the 225th token at the finish.

Had a chat with Mr flourescent Tshirt who started with me and checked my targeted time of around 30.

How did I go?

..well, considering first times back since the birth of my 4 month old..

It's a long road, but one must start somewhere.

Happy New Year!

An article to share and reflect :

http://www.runnersworld.com/running-tips/how-to-return-to-running-after-time-off?cid=soc_Runner's%20World%20-%20RunnersWorld_FBPAGE_Runner%E2%80%99s%20World__Motivation_RunningTips

Hello from the other side...

10 days since I posted my last blog, my baby boy was born.
Next week, on Christmas Day, he will be 4 months old.

Hello from the other side.

So much has happened in the last 4 months to be captured in just the one posting.
From the days of struggling to get out of bed, or to get any form of proper sleep, to putting on my trainers, to running my first 5km, to getting back to the gym.

It isn't easy to just pick up and go anymore. For one, you cannot simply just lock the door and go for a 4 mile loop around the block.

It always has to be a day when hubby is at home, and I have fed and cleaned, feeling less exhausted.
I said, 'this has to be the day', and off I went, donned my larger sports gear I have procured during my pregnancy days.

That was November 1st.

Too scared to have missed the window, I forgot to visit the bathroom before heading out, and had to suffer the slight unfortunate consequences.

Everyone seems to have emphasised the importance of pelvic floor exercises after childbirth, and times like this you understand why.

To understand whether I am doing them properly, I engaged the services of a physiotherapist that specialises in this area. I had to explain to the GP, 'not just any physiotherapist', as I am no stranger to  spending time in these practices.

Thankfully the situation isn't as bad as I initially imagined, but it does take time to build up those muscles again. The first few visits got me keeping a diary of my liquid inputs and outputs, which gave myself and the physiotherapist a good understanding of my capacity.

From then on its the diligence of doing those various types of squeezes, holds and releases several times a day - and then, no running til January. The physio said, you need to have stronger muscles before you can lift those weights (high impact of running on the pelvic floor).

On December 1st, I resumed my membership at the gym - tandemed with baby spending an hour in the creche (which needed to be booked not more than 10 days in advance).

It was surreal being back, to be able to use the rowing machine, the powerplates (which had been a no-no during pregnancy) and the steam room. However, it was very difficult to not look at the treadmill and jump on.

I had to keep my word, to make it work.

My first 2 weeks back have been focused on reactivating my glutes, a lot of cycling, time on the elliptical, and the relevant weight machines.

The one hour usually goes by too quickly, and too long before the next one.

So last friday, I had a longer session with 'hubby creche' in tow - an extended gym and swim.
But it has been too long, my body wasn't used to it and the immune system got attacked....

I have been down with the cold this week. Every cough and sneeze, tests the strength of my exercises.

There's still more to do - but first, I must not veer from the path to recovery.

Then - perhaps, perhaps, I can still do my first race of the year (free entry to Wokingham Half based on last year's volunteering). But I won't be disappointed if I don't make the starting line, or have any expectations of anything but just to get round.

Just with every new experience on motherhood, things happen slowly, but surely.

I hope to update you all soon with more activity. in my own time.

On one of my buggyfit sessions waiting for hubby to finish his run in our local park, back in October

The Journey - (almost) at the Finish line

Is it a half (or a full) marathon? It's very likely to be an ultra....

Unlike most 'races' I have prepared for - 'THE one' in 2015 is one that has an undetermined finish (although at 40 weeks+, I am almost there).

Mantras, Nutrition, Visualisation and warm-up exercises are the norms for a runner training to get the finishing medal.

With this one - the 'medal' will be big and heavy, with long lasting effects!

In this blog, I've very often referred to my 2 regular courses that help me in bigger races ahead:
1. Richmond Parkrun - 5km's on hilly terrain
2. Wokingham Half marathon - first one in the year, rain or shine.

This year, I've been behind the scenes in both - seeing the ones that come in first, a sense of achievement, and those who just get around, grateful to have completed the course.

My 2015 challenge isn't one that will be determined by a Personal Best (yes of course it will be my first), or there will be any prizes for getting there the perfect way.

My Asics GT-2000 (since Autumn 2014) have only gone through a 10k at its max, but with bump in tow - we have been places. Mule trails on the Greek volcanic island of Santorini,

on a yacht in Oslo Harbour, to my first training ground for Paris Marathon (Regent's Park and Primrose Hill)

My load increasing with every step I take, and yet my midwife advises , "you will stop when your body tells you to stop".

so there we go. The only 'race' I signed up this year - the J.P. Morgan Corporate Challenge on Wednesday 8th July at Battersea Park. 

My 8th entry (out of 9 years in London) - again a very familiar 5.6km course. With the option of running or walking - which suits me perfectly at 34 weeks. I chose "Walk" with a conservative estimated finish time of 70 minutes (probably same as my first ever 9-10k over Sydney Harbour Bridge (main objective was to be on the bridge to take pictures) - so all back to square one, with minimal training, and starting off with my first 'proper' Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand t-shirt (the logo wasn't ready for last year's entries as the merger was still to be finalised).

It's great to report that I had friends along the way. I had an old friend who started with me (who had a 10k race lined up for the coming sunday), which I encouraged for her to take off, as it became increasing hard for me to pick or maintain speed in the first kilometre when the crowd was at their most energetic state. 

As I slowed, I looked around and spotted another familiar face at JPMCC, walking with a backpack! I said hello, and glad to find out that she was also on my journey (2 trimesters behind), so we took the time walking the course.

I remembered the journey over this route in the last 7 years, rain, or shine, the years when I rushed to the start, or when it was very hot, or when it was totally pouring and the course was muddy. We were encouraged by the marshals at an easy pace, took time at the drink stations and enjoyed.

The course became flatter and smoother as we approached the end of 4kms, my legs were warmed up and I had an urge to run. I said goodbye to my mate and thought I would give it a go.

The last 1.7km, which usually involves going around a playing field, almost felt like a 'Forrest Gump' moment when he broke free of his crutches. I'd like to believe, but not quite.

I picked up speed, altering my running stance as I go (as I have been doing in my last attempts in the previous month to take hold of the increasing load). 

I felt the cheering in the background as I passed more 'able' runners who were not dashing for the finishing line.

My breathing felt good, although my right knee was starting to give a little. 

I tried to imagine going for it as I would in my old days (although in previous attempts I would be exhausted at this point), which taking into account how fast I can *actually* go....

I held on....didn't slow down, and reeled in the finish line. 

The text came on my mobile. 00:58.42. Wow...a sub-1! I was proud of myself.

My friend who was with me at the start greeted me at the finish - I was grateful for her hanging around to meet me there!

So - another proud finisher t-shirt to add to my collection, and this one will be going to the bag with me soon as I approach THE big day.

and of course, visualising the memories of the last 1.6km at Battersea Park on that sunny afternoon in July this year.

The Journey 2015 - right from the beginning (Wokingham the 4th time round)

The typical February weekend finds me at Wokingham, for the start of the year's running season, and 2015 is no exception.

Wokingham Half Marathon is a 'fast, flat course' and I have done this in 2011, 2012, 2013... 2014 it was cancelled due to the floods, so our entries were carried over to 2015.

It's a race that 'has become like a Parkrun' due to my familiarity of the course, and having done it in rain and shine (the muddy shoes at the finish). A mantra for the days when I hesitate to go out for a long run - that 'I've completed the 13.1 mile at Wokingham whilst raining throughout, nothing can stop me'.

This year, I have special privileges.

I have a special parking pass, which I placed on the dashboard, and walked around 300 metres to the start, upstairs into the building.

This year, I am a race official - a marshal for the Wokingham Half Marathon.

We worked in pairs, and I teamed up with Mark, a veteran marshal on the course (but not a veteran finisher of the course like myself) - together we gathered the space blankets, the high viz jackets, a set of instructions, as well as my backpack with thermos and a paper bag of official snacks, a director's chair - we boarded the van that would take us to our marshalling point, just off the first mile of the course - a strategic location as we will see the runners start and return.

"So why am I not running today?" he asked.

He would be one of the very first people to be let in on the secret! I was in my first trimester of pregnancy and didn't want to take any risks. Another 'benefit' of being a marshal this year was that you get automatic entry into the 2016 race - which means a deferral without an extra fee. Who knows what next year might lead me, but at least it is in the calendar.

Being a marshal and speaking to Mark made me appreciate the work that's been done behind the scenes. Most of these marshals are sourced from local charities, and these men and women give up their 3 hours on a wintry sunday morning to ensure everything runs smoothly.

Interesting observations that I hope to take into my future training (whenever that might be)...
- The keen runners actually run up to mile 1 as a warm up before the race starts (thats 2 extra miles on top of a 13.1!) (well it's nothing, I still remember passing Liz Yelling doing bonus miles after she's completed and won the Half one year)
- the ones that finish earlier return to mile 12 with a more refreshed look than the later finishers who seem to be walking and looking tired.

It's a local race, and the atmosphere was great. Kiddies supporting their parents, or neighbours pouring out to the streets to cheer everyone on. I had my colleague to cheer on as well - having previously told no one that I'm not doing the race...she was a little surprised when I called her name on the way out at mile 1. Its always good spotting someone you know amongst the runners.

It's so much 'easier' being a runner, to be on the course for a time that you can sustain, and be rewarded with honour afterwards. Ladies with medals returning to their families and the pram with their little one , smiling with pride on finishing in good time - could that be me next year?

This marshalling experience will encourage me to say my Thank You to all those who helped. After 3 hours + standing there, we were picked up by the van (luckily containing no runners) and drove into the finish....following the very last runner of the race, as the clock ticked 3:00:00.

What will this year hold for me in terms of staying active? It was still early days in February, and one needs a crystal ball to be only able to imagine....

The Perfect Pace

It's the start of the second month of 2015, and I have taken on again the role of a volunteer Pacer at Richmond Park on a saturday morning.

(That is to absolutely prevent myself with the excuse of 'oversleeping' - the first time it happened ever last week from making my now sometimes only exercise of the week!)

This time I have been 'promoted' to be able to select from a range of times , sub-40, sub-35, sub-30 and sub-27:30. Glad I wasn't forced to pace at 35, and was almost tempted to do sub 27:30. But logic overruled and I chose what I am most recently comfortable with - sub-30.

Thinking I was unique, I headed to the starting line, only to see another (older) guy with the same bib on, he was chaperoning a boy half his height. 

"We are going to stay close to each other" I said.

"I did 29:50 last week that's why I'm pacing sub-30 today" he replied.

I started next to him, quite close to all of the starters, and as usual, I let every one (even Miss sub-35 pacer!) get their adrenalin out of the way and take my pace slowly up the muddy patch, towards the not-yet-set-up finishing point, and a left down the middle of Richmond Park.

A clear saturday morning, and I am so glad to be out there. No deers that I saw this morning, but quite a few people on tripods. as usual, some prams (with a 2 year old girl with a dummy), the owner with the Jack Russell, and a group of teenagers were amongst us, weaving in and out..

This clearly wasn't a session to target my PB, but I took the relative tranquility and the mindset of maintaining the pace, and not chasing it, as I reflected in the first kilometre of the run, the Runner's World article on pacing your best 5K - which states that to race a good 5km (or 3.1 miles), your first mile has to be 6% faster than your average pace...(so not even pace, and definitely not negative split!)

I could occasionally hear Runkeeper blaring away in the distance, after 1 km, it was saying 5:something per kilometre - my mind said 'you are going too fast' and I slowed....typical before rounding the first corner...and just like my first time as a pacer, someone started talking to me:

Mr Orange Jacket : Are you on target?

Me: Yes ...pretty much

....basically Mr Orange Jacket is a regular 30 minute Parkrunner - he identified Mr Grey-Hair-in white top (aged 70) is his 'peer'...last week (grey hair) beat him (orange) and when usually the overtaking takes place..

I Thanked him for the insight, and Congratulated him for being able to identify friends within the group.

The second and third quarters of the race....I had my sub-30 colleague within 3 footlengths, and kept to that. Enjoyed my workout and the slow climb....the times I have replayed this scene in the last 5kms of a marathon (if I can do it in Richmond Parkrun in 30 mins...I am therefore 30 minutes to home)..never have I been at such peace with my pace - even breathing, not rushing to stop...

As Runkeeper made the 4km announcement...I saw Mr Grey-hair-70-year-old stop. (Oh no! I thought, like Mr Orange said, maybe today isnt his day?) I didn't hesitate to encourage him...."go on, you are almost there!!" It turns out he was just taking a break (by the lake- near the starting point), he picked up speed, and got me to go on....so he was more qualified as a pacer than I am! We both picked up speed...my stopwatch was starting to say 27 minutes something,... I let him go ahead of me, also waved the pram ahead of me (no jogging on the spot for 2 minutes like last time though!), and ran up to the funnel...

I stopped my stopwatch. 29:45

I stopped Runkeeper. 30:00 (spot on!)

My official results from Parkrun 29:59

This is the perfect pace. For the first time ever I have landed a perfect sub-30! I nailed the pace!

Very glad to have also spoken to another lady who was trying to chase me but fell short - after scanning her barcode I passed her 'the tricks of the trade' - what I have written above.

One of the joys of being a pacer is the opportunity to encourage and motivate. I may not be the fastest runner but it absolutely warms my heart to be able to share experiences, and encourage people to do better each week, and that is what Parkrun is all about.

Route today on runkeeper

http://runkeeper.com/user/bontotry/route/3648658

A brief rest now, and for another backstage job on the course tomorrow...

This year I am taking a break from competitive running and working more behind the scenes, in preparation for greater challenges ahead.

Get off that couch!

The first month of 2015 is almost gone - life has been a bit of a whirlwind, with year end closed and a bit of time again to get ready for a year of renewed focus. First of all, to start the year with a spur-of-the-moment entry in my Toastmasters Club Speech Competition, which, despite not having brought home the coveted Cup, have motivated and inspired a few to admire and maybe do the same, and get off the couch! Sharing my written version below with you all, Hope to keep on inspiring as I have done with this blog and my previous running entries.

Happy Start of the 2015 Spring Running Season for those with races in their calendars! :)

Post by Riverside Communicators.

Do you think you can run a marathon? 

Do you think you can run from Buckingham Palace to Windsor Castle, in a couple of hours, and arrive at the finishing line in 1 piece?

I’d never thought I could do that. 

I’ve never got through the Athletics heats at school and was never a sporty person.

I was only forced to take an interest in Marathons when I started going out with a marathon runner, and supporting him is harder than running one yourself. At the Paris Marathon expo, I registered my mobile for alerts, which will send me a text message when he reaches the 20km and 30 km mark. 

Saw him off at the start, got to the 25km mark with lots of time to spare, surveyed where I would stand on the course, and went to the nearest café for a croissant and a coffee. Beep! Came the text, I got my bill, eased into position and snap snap, got 2 nice close up pictures of my runner, then hop onto the metro, for the 31km spot at the Trocadero. 

Having had to change trains twice, the 30km text came just as I was getting out of the station. I had missed him – so had to run to the finish myself.

So the following year, 6 of my friends decided to sign up for Paris –was I going to wait around for all of them to come through the finish? If you can’t beat them, join them…hence my number 1 tip to be able to do a marathon: Just Sign up first!

I had 6 months to prepare. They say, you cannot miss any of your weekly long runs, and build on no more than 10% increase in distance each time, so that you can one day complete the full distance.  Regardless of how much running I did during the week, every Saturday morning I was up for my long run, the pressure was off as I was meant to go really slow….I enjoyed myself, getting to know more and more of the Thames Path as the weeks go on, but one day, I learnt the real reason why I was out there doing all these miles. After going for what must be 3 hours, I flew over a tree trunk and fell on my hands without gloves. The shock totally woke me up!  It really taught me to: Do all your long runs properly, and do not fall asleep!

With less than 4 months to go in the New Year – I came to realize that I have never even done a half marathon– how can you do a full then? Watford was the logical choice, being on the 1^st February and on the Metropolitan line. Unfortunately it was a very cold day, I thought it was best to rug up with a long sleeved running top, a fleece top, AND another jacket. A bandana to cover my nose, and also a beanie – I looked more like a bandit than a runner. Well I was more than equipped for a ‘rewarding course in country lanes with undulating hills’! 

My water bottle fell off the belt, and I was almost trampled at the start. I soldiered on and my felt my vision getting blurry, because it started snowing and little wisps of it was landing on my eyelashes! I almost felt lucky that I have so many layers on, until the second half of the race, I was getting warm and sweaty, and had to choose between stripping everything off and littering the countryside, or carrying them around with me. I kept them on, but ended up getting a headache and had to walk at times. Which taught me another lesson – don’t wear too much for a race, you will definitely get warmer!

The Big Day came in April, I felt more than prepared: 

I have one race under my belt, 

done my longest run in 4 hours! 

I have my gloves,

I got rid of that bandit look and 

know that I cannot fall asleep.

I really enjoyed the run around Paris, it’s good to take in the Bastille, the Eiffel tower and the Trocaedro with my camera and on my two feet. I ran at an easy pace, until the last 5 kilometres, when I had to go slowly through the park. A nun offered me a glass of wine, which I gladly accepted and then spat it out as it was warm! That got me to rush to the finishing line in just over 5 hours and luckily, still in one piece!

My first marathon experience taught me not to do anything you haven’t done before on race day (such as accepting red wine from random nuns that appear in a park!) and remember what you learnt from each training session.

But it’s signing up and getting yourself onto the starting line that makes the difference. You are the winner of your own race if you put are willing to put yourself out there.

So move away from that couch…you too can become a marathon runner this year!

The Bandit Look - Watford Half-Marathon (my first!) 1/2/2009

My first Half-Marathon - Watford 2009
My first Marathon - Paris 2009

The Talk Test

The last few months have been crazy,  temperatures have fallen, the miles have slowed, with the exception of the weekends while we were away, a memorable one exploring Bruges' Windmills before breakfast and along the shores of the Rhine at Dusseldorf.

I've had a taster personal training session from my gym recently and those lunges with weights have put me out of action for a week( just like Willpower and Grace), and I'm considering whether to quit the gym..

My latest focus is on improving my speaking skills and rediscovering my creativity, by joining Toastmasters, Riverside Communicators in Twickenham in October.

Ever since joining, I've had the chance to play an active part in the meetings, having already served as Timekeeper and Table Topics Masters (on Guy Fawkes Day!), on
3rd December I earned my first ribbon for giving my first speech, The Ice Breaker.

One of my favourite parts of the speech was the bit about running (of course) - and I suppose the runners amongst us will get the pun!

our love flourished along the shores of the Thames, as he was training for Paris Marathon, I was forced to keep up on the bike...  it wasn't easy. ...    but it was for the long run. 

It was a sunny day on the day of my Icebreaker speech, and feeling cooped up in the office, I had to make an escape at lunch. There wasn't room to practice my speech again, and the only way to not refer to any notes, was just to not have them with me. So off I went into Gunnersbury Park, knowing the speech can only go on for slightly more than 6 minutes (before Timekeeper will turn on the red lights and ring the bell), so I practiced this as I was going around the park,. Twice (the speech, not the Park). It really made me realise what I don't remember, or what I can speak from my heart. So with that bit of fresh air in my lungs, I feel more prepared for that evening.

At that same time I was preparing for my first ever volunteer role at Richmond Parkrun by using that practice as a 'talk test' to be able to run without being breathless whilst carrying out a conversation. As a free event we are supposed to volunteer a few times per year, but since I don't even turn up enough for the 5km first thing on Saturday, I chose a role where I felt comfortable and that some running can still be done - and that was as a pacer on the first saturday of the month.

There were a few 'random' times on the usual bibs, and being out of running for a while, I didn't want to pace at my own target pace of 27:30, instead I opted for a sub 30minute. But when I arrived on this frost morning (0 degrees celsius!) this was the only bib that was left for me to choose!

I haven't ever run at a 35 minute 5km before (especially not in this cold weather!), so even though the other volunteers say I can announce myself as a 32:50, no one will have time to believe me.

It's an unpopular role. Runners at the start line look at me and wish they can be in front of me, only thing I can say is 'see you all at the finish, I hope you don't see me again!'.  I do not want to appear to be walking to discourage other runners merely getting by, so had to stop myself from overtaking anyone.

In preparation I had printed out my run keeper map, and know for the first time the location of the exact kilometre markers. My first kilometre was the most relaxed I've ever done (almost like the start of a weekend marathon long run) - it was a cold day and I cannot help by glancing backwards to see who else was behind me...  there wasn't too many at all. At the end of the second kilometre I did speak to one woman who was aiming at 32ish...  again, being able to carry out the 'Talk test' (not out of breath when talking and running at the same time) -  I was careful to let her go first after- but not sure whether  I did eventually overtook her at any point (hope not).

At the 3rd to 4th kilometre, where the hills usually start in Richmond...  for the very first time I wasn't even out of breath...  I went slow...  but not sure how slow can I ever be (and not walk!)? Again, not many people behind...   

Towards the last 200 metres, I glanced at my watch. only 30 minutes!
I really don't want to do the thing where I've seen pacers do and stop and walk...  so I had to jog on the spot, and do a big big wave of with my back facing runners - hurry up...  you can make it!!!

So I must've done that for about a minute...  and got home at 32:15. Luckily still not my personal 'worst' at Parkrun (the worst time goes to Bedfont Lakes, when I was 10 mins late to the start due to no parking space).

The grass was slowly defrosting after the ordeal...  my poor hubby also doing the same waiting for me (a PB for him the second time this month!), and then I couldn't stop sneezing. Almost for a week!

That's the price of being a volunteer to motivate runners and to sacrifice a better time for myself.
I hope it was worth it in the end, and to get myself talking to more people, to be in an easier pace.

Willpower and Grace

It's one of the moments when you walk in a room and realise that you haven't 'got the memo'.

I was prepared as any attendee to a yoga/body balance class in a gym would: black tights, no socks, trainers on, a towel....but a runner's short sleeve shirt. FINISHER, it boasted, from the latest jp Morgan corporate challenge.

Everyone was wearing black singlets, black tights.

Instructor welcomed me, and asked me to stand to the right hand side (inner side) as I was new, and asked for my name. Take my 'muddy' shoes outside and come back only with the towel and water.

The other 2 girls, relatively newbies: Tatiana and Polly smiled and relaxed me as we waited for the class to fill up. 7 in total.

The word of the day, on the mirror is DEPTH - as they say on the site: to do something
In depth, you need to work hard.

And thats what instructor repeatedly said, if you are not trying hard, you are not in my class!

But Bonnie, since you are new, you can put your hands on your waist! (while others hold them above their heads in various manoeuvres)

This class certainly has it's standards, and I'm not sure how long my concessions will last for if I come back another week!

The first exercises were some sole awakening. Lift and drop toes, roll feet from side to side. Highly recommended for runners! I love the way my feet felt against the new re engineered wooded floors, unlike the normal dance studio at a gym.

Then it got more intense, but not unmanageable. With music, core strengthening, dynamic plank. Yes, I have been there before, but not that long.
It felt good, towards the middle of the class I was sweating!
My heels were free of pain on those arches, a new experience since my last Pilates class when I was in full running training mode and had struggled with balance.


Another encouraging word from Polly during the water cooler break, that's why she kept coming back!

It's such a supportive environment, and a good stretch, almost as good as a (Thai) massage. I feel activated, and hopefully another slot in Thursdays calendar to improve my gym attendance rates!

Willpower is what everyone needs to have to succeed. Not everyone is born with Grace..and perhaps with a bit of persistence, it can be learnt!

Video of the type of exercises involved:
http://youtu.be/OuHVVyNQQes

The DOMS for the Willpower and Grace class (on further research, a proper method of conditioning), came on the next day, when my whole body ached as if I'd finished a half marathon the day before! It was so bad I skipped my Saturday Richmond parkrun for fear of a below par time as I've been building up since the 10k.

The lesson? Need to keep stretching and exert willpower, and those barefoot exercises, and you will carry yourself with Grace.



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EMC Million Makers 10k

It was a perfect day for racing. Cooler temperatures, no rain.

The runners on our floor sat excitedly at their desks, still chewing on last year's stats, if it were to indicate this year's success, and last minute tips on race strategy, nutrition and estimated time.

Glad to have had a breather and a sneak peak at Race Central by marshalling at the 12pm race (there were 3 times: 12, 15:30 and 18). It was a long walk up from the office to the start, and luckily I brought my brompton bike along to save my legs from walking up and down the park, to and from the marshalling points.

I managed to secure a 'complicated' marshal point, a t junction where the 5k/10ks would turn left/right to complete their 2 or 4 loops around the left, or right of the park to the finish. (The 10k runners run the first route of the 5k route anticlockwise)

Sounds complicated, but as I found out later as a runner, it was ok and minimal chance of collision!

I had a good time supporting the lunchtime runners, along with a supporter who 'paid for them to run for him' :) here's pictures of the fastest female and male. Love the running style, long strides








Both feet of the ground at the same time!










I also had fun watching the myriad of lunchtime normal activity in this park: the fitness training (squats, burpees, laps) & the furry friends! It's good to take a breath of fresh air at lunch!







I signed off my post as most of the 10k runners have been through -was expecting some more, but later realised they'd made an 'executive decision' to get ready for the ice bucket challenge, saving some showering after a 5k??







Rollforward to 5:30pm. Energy levels waning, a coffee, spoons of honey and a nutrigraim bar later- I was out onto the start line with my fellow runners. It was good chatting to quite a few of the runners at the start, colleagues I've never met, some from last year (who remembered me as 'being quite fast'!) and checking from the little sticker on our bib whether we were a 5k-er or 10k-er.

A storage tent. An organiser's gazebo - it was the friendliest race I have been to.

Off to the start! I picked up on the advice of 'breathing every 4 steps for a 10k', and starting playing the 4/4 time standard, Miles Davis's 'All Blues' in my head... As always, the first kilometre was too fast! But as I overtook the fancy dress Gorillas, I ran the long uphill on the big loop, regulating my breathing and trying to stay calm and not 'hit the wall'.

'Would you like a drink of water Bonnie?' Personalised service at the drinks station, how can I refuse? Very conscious of the small race numbers (77in total and half at the 1800), I spent my first 5km staying on pace, taking advantage of any downhill whenever I can. During this time, I overtook this guy and girl and when I went round lap 2, I saw that the girl was gone and 'mr. Green' shot past me on an inner tangent, and was impossible to catch up.

So, it seems. 10kers pairing up with a slower 5ker - what a good way to induce negative splits!

But the humble me didn't have enough in the tank to spur my fellow male runners on when I overtook them. I just let them be - and pictured the nitro boost happening anytime...just anytime. You never know.

How many 16-bar sets of All Blues have I gone through...the faint murmur of runkeepers 'current pace: 9 minute twenty...per mile' kept me focused. My strategy at Parkrun last week...latch on, reel them in. But where were those to reel in? My only, only chance came in lap 2 after mr Green disappeared, was to go after mr navy blue.

I spotted him (the only aspiration for approximate a 3 minute aka 0.3mile distance since the 2nd drinks station at 6km)..and used the gravity of the downhill again to let my legs go. Kept a safe distance. A pain in my rib cage, a bit of a stretch. Tempo. Tempo.


The km markers disappeared, and I really couldn't care. I was more interested in testing out the reeling strategy. I picked up my stride, kicked back more, breathed harder, replayed the downhill speed up when I took down mr green and blue girl...but me navy was still in the distance. Closer. But still not close enough. The imagery of passing through mr white shirt at 5k, and the 'ghosts' of miss white vest from last week, spurred me on harder.

I passed my marshalling point at 12pm, and knew it was the rough bumpy batch on the Tarmac before the uphill grass finish. I jumped a little bit, my back started aching, my stomach aching, will I be able to do it, am I going to catch him in the barricaded area? ? Are we actually going against the same placings???

I let him go. With 2 metres of a distance apart, 6 seconds apart. They called my time. 55:08 for a 10k, witnessed by a few supporters, and a final lap (to me) as exciting as a Mo Farah in the 10,000metres in 2012...a very close shave.

Is it really a PB? A properly measured (not certified) course, with an uncalibrated runkeeper GPS. I just love these almost perfect splits!!


The day after I was overjoyed to do a bit of quick analysis on the results spreadsheet. I was the 4th fastest female in the 10K category! 'Once again' in the Top 5 (this for someone who never made it through athletics heats in school). Only here I get such a chance. You think, 'what if' ? Looking at all the finishing distances and times, analysing the circumstances, The results and dynamics would be all so different if we'd all ran at the same time...

Which is why I love distance running - you run your own race, and the 5k and 10k is totally a different game. Compare same runners year on year on different distances, yield different results. A year older, a year wiser? Or 4 quarters more weary?
Time has told, and may/will only tell again.

Donations? Please visit my just giving page:
http://www.justgiving.com/owner-email/pleasesponsor/Bonnie-WongEMC

Thanks to David Koffler, you can find official photo's of the event here
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Race strategy!

Call me kiasu...nope. (I've already kissed any chance of being 'on the charts' this year goodbye, being a more organised race and with external competitors (thanks to runner's world advertising!) But with the competitive mentalities of quite a few people on my floor, I've been tempted to road test the course for Thursday's 5 or 10k.

Last week, I ended up being in Gunnersbury Park...once, twice, and three times.

Well, that's the only way I could get my kayanos accustomed to the outdoors. Me to get used to running without stopping, and close enough not for me to invent any excuse to back out of a training run...(like today, having to cook for a big meal to celebrate the fullest moon of the year!)

I'm always lost in this park. The 'potholed' surfaces, the possibilities to take a wrong turn...doing a proper race here wasn't going to be easy.


Tuesday, I kicked myself out there...thinking of the uphill, the stairs from last year, I picked the hardest route possible....and managed to just squeeze a mere 3.5 miles. It's a far cry from my 'marathon days', a no stopping session is an achievement. And a negative split! Hallelujah !

Thursday, as I mentioned in my last post, I went around the route with the organiser...ive not ran and talked with someone during running for a long time....it really pushes my limits , but makes me realise why there's always pairs of runners yapping away in the first miles after the start, it makes a negative split much easier. Alas, after lap 1.5, after she said goodbye , my motivation waned...and so did my pace.

Now onto Saturday....having left my bag at work on a Friday, I had to go fetch it...with twickenham rugby on, the easiest time to head west was early in he morning. Now that I knew the course was largely modelled on this parkrun in gunnersbury, and finishes uphill on grass...it was the time to get my inaugural visit to gunnersbury parkrun.

It's rather friendly, people were spread out, the pacers had their numbered bibs (unlike the printer generated one of Richmond park, my home club), and when the race starts, everyone swarms downhill on the grass...



Except my runkeeper won't start. I held and fiddled for a bit, and gave up as soon as I reached hard surfaces.

It's funny running somewhere you know well, but organised in a different way. (As I keep telling the guys, it's the exam where you know the subject area, but no one tells you the exam question). Unlike Richmond park, predictably hard towards the end, gunnersbury, is very well organised....with km markers signposted, and a 'time reader' at half time...she said 13:xx. I left mr 30 whilst doing the uphill after the first km, but mr. 26 was never to be seen. Well with 13 being read, I knew it wasn't the day.

In my years of training, I've never read up on race strategy (only on training),so this article is quite handy, for the things to think about, in race.


LATCH ON

My target came after just shortly before 4km, a girl in a white singlet ....I followed and overtook her...but can never get comfortable....gunnersbury is relatively flat, compared to a 4km mark at Richmond where I was out of breath, I could still go on (but not sprint). It was then potholes after potholes around the bottom of the park...

Pick one person and focus solely on reeling them in, nothing else

This, as I was going up 'theboulevard' towards the finish, was another singlet girl "gt3000"(like my old shoes)...I tried the above, it worked! What I was unaware of was I was being reeled in by ms white singlet again...and she passed me this time.

With only 100 metres to go...I had to just get there. One tends to feel safe through the barricades but not this time, another girl tried to squeeze past me to get her barcode. Lucky the fair marshal stopped her and awarded me chip 157.

5:25/5:45/5:20/5:28/5:33... So that's it for the week. As they say, it's your first parkrun on this course, so 'we have marked this as a pb'.

It's my fastest time this year. On Thursday, it will be a course record for me (never ran this type of distance in this park). But can you ever compare different types of apples?



(Yes it's going to be a route that runs backwards on the second lap..how can it be done?)



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