First race of 2015 - Brighton Half Marathon

I went to bed last night with the realization that in the next nine weeks, I was doing 2 half marathons and full marathon, with many miles training in between. Talk about busy! But no point in dwelling - I had the pressing matter of a race the night day to focus on!

Today went so well - smashed my PB by a whole 5 minutes, crossing the line in 1:34:45 - 10 minutes better than when I did the same race a year ago!

As per normal tradition, I had a huge, unhealthy, carb-tastic dinner last night (curry) followed by an early night. My race mornings are always the same, stay in bed as late as possible (night before prep is key), make two slices of toast smothered in Nutella, topped with Banana and tea, then hop in the car and go.

It was an absolute beaut of a morning, clear skies, no wind and an amazing sunrise. We got down to Brighton with loads of time to spare where I then made a beeline for the Portaloos (early arrival means you beat the queues!) and then onto the start line for a warm up. My warm up consisted of walking high kicks, lunges, side steps followed by stationary stretching. Then it was time to line up and off we went, all 15,000 of us!

Having run this race last year, I knew exactly what to expect from the course - the first mile is a flat, pacey loop back to the start, then a 6 mile undulating climb up the Marina and back, bringing you back to the start line. Last year I found this bit really challenging (I was looking for places to vom the entire time) but this year it flew by, I couldn't believe it when I was passing the 7 mile marker. From here, its then 3 miles out to Hove and back down to the finish. I felt great the entire time and even managed a final sprint to line to come in under 1:35.

My PB was great but actually the best thing about today was seeing my progress over the last 12 months - knocking 10 minutes off my time was absolutely the highlight. I could distinctly remember struggling on specific parts of the course that today felt great. It really shows that consistency is the key - already looking forwards to taking this one on again in 2016!

So this week is another big week of miles, with a 21 miler on Saturday. Bring. It. On.

Shoes, glorious shoes!

As a distance runner, I tend to go through trainers rather quickly. The general guidelines suggest you change each pair after 500 miles which for me, is every three to four months. I have been waiting as long as possible to upgrade my current pair as a) I love them and b) I want them to be as fresh as possible for the Marathon. This week however I was forced into upgrading as I had run through the outer sole entirely. Its not all bad news who doesn't love new shoes!

These have got a lot miles to cover including 2 half
marathons and a full marathon in the next 9 weeks!

These trainers are so great that you don't need to break them in slowly - I received mine this morning and will be running the Brighton Half Marathon them tomorrow. I have been running in the Brooks Adrenaline GTS range for the last couple of years and I absolutely love them. Since owning these, I have been completely injury free so now when I need a new pair I just default to this style.

I'm forefoot runner, which means I strike the ground with ball of my foot as opposed to the my heel. I also underpronate which means the outer side of my foot hits the ground at an increased angle. All of my trainers end up in the exact same state - take a look;

I'm heavier on my right side owing to an old injury hence
the increased wear this side.

Trainers can be expensive, so a little tip - each year the manufacturers update the range and usually the price. If you are a comfortable with a particular model then simply buy the older style once the new one is out as the price drops significantly. For example, the new Adrenaline GTS 15's came out at the end of last year and are around the £110 mark. You can pick up a pair of 14's for about £50.

As a runner, the most important bit of kit you own is your trainers, which is great news as its a perfect excuse to indulge that shoe habit. Buying trainers shouldn't be entered into with the one-size-fits-all approach as each pair of feet is unique. The main factors to consider when selecting right pair for you are biomechanics, weight, run surface and the shape of your feet. The first time you buy a pair it's well worth going to them fitted professionally as all of the above will be assessed so you can be confident you'll end up with the right pair for you.

Running in the right pair means you will find your runs much more enjoyable as you'll be comfortable and supported but more importantly are less to pick up an injury. Check out these guides for more info
Choosing the right pair of trainers
Understanding Pronation

Making it count

I have so far managed to neglect to mention one of my main motivations for running 26.2 miles in April - Charity! I was lucky enough to get a Ballot place for London however I have chosen to run as part of ABF The Soldiers Charity team in order to fundraise for this amazing cause.



Meet my Mascot - Zeus! Lifting him is becoming a
workout in itself!

From previous experience, when the going gets tough it's a huge motivation to me to know that people have got behind me by supporting my chosen Charity and is inspiration I need to dig deep and keep pushing.

Here's more on this wonderful charity from themeselves - ABF The Soldiers’ Charity are for soldiers, for life. We provide financial assistance to all soldiers and their families when in need. Even when a soldier leaves the Army they are still part of our family and eligible for our help. The scope of our work is huge. Half of our money is given direct to individuals to help in areas such as debt relief, mobility assistance, education bursaries, carehome fees and respite breaks. The other half is given as grants to other charities.

Your money can make a huge difference to those that dedicate their lives to keeping us safe so this is a great opportunity to give back to them. If you would like to make a contribution, then simply click here

I would like to say a HUGE thank you to everyone that has donated so far, it really does mean so much to me.

This weekend I am running the Brighton Half Marathon, the first of two training races in preparation for the big day. This will be my first Half of the year and i'm really hoping to get a PB following all the miles I've been putting in - wish me luck!