Leeds Marathon 2025 - lets go!

 "Just enter the London marathon ballot, you might get in" that was what Alan had said to me last year, and so I tried and failed to get a place, only Alan succeeded.

"Enter the club ballot and then you can run and train with me for London." and so I tried and failed to get a place. I considered Manchester marathon as I did that back in 2019, the last time Alan got into London and I didn't, but it's now on the same day as London.

I entered a few competitions, didn't get a place and then I was sat on the sofa on New Year's Eve and looked at other potential marathons and decided to sign up for Leeds again...

Why?

• Despite being incredibly challenging and hilly, it's a pretty beautiful course!
• The logistics mean I can stay in my own bed and get a predictiable night of sleep and the breakfast I want
• Alan can drop me off and pick me up if needed!
• The support last time was *INCREDIBLE* from Hyde Park Harriers, friends, family and even people like the lady who was the celebrant when me and Alan got married! -  I felt like a celebrity and I reckon that makes it an absolute no-brainer for me!

It's now 16 weeks to go...and I've written my plan! Fortuantely I still run regularly enough that I know I mostly just need to build in longer Sunday runs and add an additional session into my week on top of Tuesday Run Clubs and Saturday parkruns. I also need to keep an eye on strength and conditioning and if I can monitor what I'm eating and how I'm sleeping as they play a major part in training weeks before the race.

I'm a qualified CIRF, but I qualified in late 2019...I was all set to coach people in the club to achieve amazing things in 2020, but we all had to stop and so I wrote a number of sessions for the club that we could all do remotely instead.

5 years later I thought I'd commit to sharing a summary each week of my training and I'm happy to help anyone with coaching, advice and help who is training for a Spring Marathon - please get in touch. I might even try and arrange some fun long run sessions for people to join me on.

So here's my full plan below.

• It's got rest sessions built in, whilst I've built it around my schedule, someone could use it and move the sessions around, but it's important to have days with lighter loads to allow your body to recover
• It's working from my current base of running which despite a seasonal cold is still pretty decent, if you are faster/slower or already run more or less, it would be wise to adjust the sessions accordingly.
• I've built in planned races, I would take a view the following week if I needed to lighten my sessions at all.

Week	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
1 20/21/25	Rest/Cross train	Run Club/60 mins	10 mins easy running 30 secs fast running; 1 min jogging – 4 reps 10 mins easy running	Pilates/Cross Train	Swim/gym/rest	parkrun	90 mins easy
2 27/01/25	Rest/Cross train	Run Club/60 mins	10 mins easy running 5 mins at marathon pace 2 mins recovery 5 mins at marathon pace 2 mins recovery 5 mins at marathon pace 10 mins easy running	Pilates/Cross Train	Swim/gym/rest	parkrun	100 mins easy
3 03/02/25	Rest/Cross train	Run Club/60 mins	10 mins easy running 30 secs fast running; 1 min jogging – 4 reps 10 mins easy running	Pilates/Cross Train	Swim/gym/rest	parkrun	Peco?
4 10/02/25	Rest/Cross train	Run Club/60 mins	10 mins easy running 6 x 3 mins at half marathon pace with 90 secs recovery 10 mins easy running	Pilates/Cross Train	Swim/gym/rest	parkrun	Temple Newsam 10
5 17/02/25	Rest/Cross train	Run Club/60 mins	10 mins easy running 3 x 8 mins at marathon pace with 2 mins recovery 10 mins easy running	Pilates/Cross Train	Swim/gym/rest	parkrun	Snake Lane 10
6 24/02/25	Rest/Cross train	Run Club/60 mins	30 mins easy running	Pilates/Cross Train	Swim/gym/rest	parkrun	105 mins easy
7 03/03/25	Rest/Cross train	Run Club/60 mins	10 mins easy running 30 secs fast running; 1 min jogging – 4 reps 10 mins easy running	Pilates/Cross Train	Swim/gym/rest	parkrun	115 mins easy
8 10/03/25	Rest/Cross train	Run Club/60 mins	10 mins easy running 5 mins steady running; 5 mins faster running; 5 mins easy – 2 reps 10 mins easy running	Pilates/Cross Train	Swim/gym/rest	parkrun	130 mins easy
9 17/03/25	Rest/Cross train	Run Club/60 mins	10 mins easy running 10 mins at marathon pace; 3 mins jogging – 3 reps 10 mins easy running	Pilates/Cross Train	Swim/gym/rest	parkrun	Sheffield Half Marathon
10 24/03/25	Rest/Cross train	Run Club/60 mins	10 mins easy running 15 mins at marathon pace; 3 mins jogging – 2 reps 10 mins easy running	Pilates/Cross Train	Swim/gym/rest	parkrun	150 mins easy
11 31/03/25	Rest/Cross train	Run Club/60 mins	20 mins easy running	Pilates/Cross Train	Swim/gym/rest	parkrun	165 mins easy
12 07/04/25	Rest/Cross train	Run Club/60 mins	15 mins easy running 40 mins at marathon pace 15 mins easy running	Pilates/Cross Train	Swim/gym/rest	parkrun	Race half marathon/0 miles
13 14/04/25	Rest/Cross train	Run Club/60 mins	10 mins easy running 5 mins tempo running; 5 mins easy running – 3 reps 10 mins easy running	Pilates/Cross Train	Swim/gym/rest	parkrun	180 mins easy
14 21/04/25	Rest/Cross train	Run Club/60 mins	10 mins easy running 15 mins at marathon pace 1 min brisk running; 1 min walking – 4 reps 10 mins easy running	Pilates/Cross Train	Swim/gym/rest	parkrun	90 mins easy
15 28/04/25	Rest/Cross train	Run Club/60 mins	10 mins easy jogging Run 1 mile at marathon race pace, 10 mins easy jogging – 2 reps	Pilates/Cross Train	Swim/gym/rest	parkrun	60 mins easy
16 05/05/25	Rest/Cross train	Run Club/60 mins	10 mins easy jogging 10 mins easy running Run 1 mile at marathon race pace; 10 mins easy jogging – 2 reps	Pilates/Cross Train	Swim/gym/rest	Volunteer at parkrun!	RACE DAY!!

 Wish me luck!

 

Mental Health Awareness Week 2024

I've spent all day convinced it was the Third Tuesday of the month and so thought it should be #RunAndTalk and that I had to miss it because I had to travel to Altrincham for a meeting and so wasn't sure if I would be back in time and so was planning on doing the session next week....only it's actually next week anyway...but I've written the blog post, so here it is!

This year's theme is "Movement - Moving more for your mental health"

Some people hear about hashtag#RunAndTalk and worry they can't "Run" or even "Run and Talk" at the same time, but I'm here to say that it doesn't matter! Movement can be anything that gets your heart rate up a little bit and so for example for me this weekend it was:

Friday evening - Northern Lights hunting around dark side roads in the rural countryside near me which meant I got to fulfil a lifelong dream of seeing them as well as getting my steps in rushing about trying to find the best location to see them!

Saturday morning - parkrun with my husband Alan, as usual to start the weekend with a positive activity (I always take a selfie, but this time after staying up late for the Northern Lights on Friday, no one needs to see our tired sweaty faces!) parkrun is an important weekly activity for us, I met Alan at parkrun and made wonderful friends as a result of my first parkrun and so I now it's a staple positive way to start the weekend whether I'm running, walking or volunteering - there is always a way to participate in parkrun and add a little movement to your day. parkrun of course was my gateway to joining the wonderful Hyde Park Harriers and making some amazing friends and adding another positive weekly run routine into my calendar.

Sunday - A trip to the wonderful Spurn Point a beautiful Yorkshire Wildlife Trust site and an 8.5 mile walk up and down the point and climbing up to the top of the lighthouse - a beautiful location and a nice flat walk for anyone who wants to get back into walking without hiking up hills.

Ever since I discovered running and movement to help me manage all aspects of my mental health (which has been challenging for pretty much my entire life whether it was depression, low mood, OCD, anxiety or low self esteem trying their hardest to pull me down) 

I've always been fearful of "what if I can't run?" (Thanks anxiety and the ability to catastrophise something normal and fun!) and so more recently as I've battled a hip injury (after a few other injuries and post-covid breathing issues in the past few  years) I've allowed myself to be creative with other ways to "move" and enjoy movement for my mental health - here are some of the things I've found helpful:

• Skiing - yes I appreciate this is still active, but weirdly didn't hurt my hip as running was doing so and you don't have to travel overseas, you can head to Castleford Xscape Snozone for a lesson or a session, or just watch others from the restaurant over the indoor slope.
• Walking - walking is not to be overlooked, it allows you to be active, raise your heartrate and can be easily incorporated into a busy life - you can maybe get off a stop earlier from your bus, walk around the block at lunch to get daylight and fresh air, or even replace a coffee catch up with friends to a walking catch up - you'll also find you might talk about different things whilst walking side by side than you would in a fixed face-to-face setting. It also has an added bonus of daylight and exploring - on Sunday we saw deer running on the beach!
• Step goal - Similar to above, setting a step goal will make sure if you are mostly home based, you are still keeping your body moving - I was on a 43 day 10000 step streak before realising at 11.57pm I was 600 steps off 10000...I lost my streak! But I'm having another go at beating it!
• Swimming - after our trip to Spurn at the weekend, we were a bit tired and sore, so we took the opportunity to go swimming at our local pool Pontefract - Aspire in the Park it was a different way to move and I'm hoping to be good enough at some point to try another triathlon - I need to get better!
• Cycling - I bought a fold up bike last year that weighs 14kg (the same weight as Ipa and Maya cat together!) and my plan now the weather is generally better is to park at the park and ride and cycle the 6K to work - on some days this will be quicker than driving to work and on all days it will save me the cost of parking!
• Pilates / Physio / Yoga - I love all of these things, but definitely benefit from doing them in a class setting best, I can recommend Pilates with West Point Practice who offer zoom or in person sessions and I try and do 10 minutes of pilates / physio each day to keep my injuries at bay, by only setting 10 minutes it gives fewer excuses not to do it and each week it means I do at least 70 minutes of positive movement that I might otherwise forget

These are only suggestions - they work for me and I'd encourage anyone who wants to improve their mental health with movement to try lots of different things until you find something you enjoy and is easy to fit into your day, ideally every day. Good mental health is something that benefits from small daily positive acts repeated every day - so even if it's a walk to the bins - it all counts and it all helps!

And finally, if you are struggling, there are places who can help - asking for help is the first, but often hardest step, so if you aren't able to find the right words, ask a friend, relative, colleague or professional to help and here are some suggestions below.

• Samaritans. To talk about anything that is upsetting you, you can contact Samaritans 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. You can call 116 123 (free from any phone), email jo@samaritans.org or visit some branches in person. You can also call the Samaritans Welsh Language Line on 0808 164 0123 (7pm–11pm every day).

• Mindwell - https://www.mindwell-leeds.org.uk/ - MindWell is the mental health website for adults in Leeds. It’s funded by NHS Leeds CCG to bring together information from the NHS, Leeds City Council and the third sector into one ‘go to’ place.

• SANEline. If you're experiencing a mental health problem or supporting someone else, you can call SANEline on 0300 304 7000 (4.30pm–10.30pm every day)

• National Suicide Prevention Helpline UK. Offers a supportive listening service to anyone with thoughts of suicide. You can call the National Suicide Prevention Helpline UK on 0800 689 5652 (open 24/7).

• Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM). You can call the CALM on 0800 58 58 58 (5pm–midnight every day) if you are struggling and need to talk. Or if you prefer not to speak on the phone, you could try the CALM webchat service.

• The Mix. If you're under 25, you can call The Mix on 0808 808 4994 (3pm–midnight every day), request support by email using this form on The Mix website or use their crisis text messenger service.

• Papyrus HOPELINEUK. If you're under 35 and struggling with suicidal feelings, or concerned about a young person who might be struggling, you can call Papyrus HOPELINEUK on 0800 068 4141 (weekdays 10am-10pm, weekends 2pm-10pm and bank holidays 2pm–10pm), email pat@papyrus-uk.org or text 07786 209 697.

• Nightline. If you're a student, you can look on the Nightline website to see if your university or college offers a night-time listening service. Nightline phone operators are all students too.

• Switchboard. If you identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender, you can call Switchboard on 0300 330 0630 (10am–10pm every day), email chris@switchboard.lgbt or use their webchat service. Phone operators all identify as LGBT+.

York 10K 2023 Race Report

 

Covid took an awful lot away from many of us and continues to impact our lives. I hated not being able to run with HPH, parkrun and races so it was a huge relief when things started up again and I was able to run in different areas and with more people than just dragging Alan out with me to do laps around the village. 

My biggest frustration remains the effect Covid seems to have had on my fitness (and indeed Alan as well). During lockdown, being told I was only *allowed* to run once a day meant I got quite fit and even managed a 23.24 "not parkrun" in September 2020 which was edging closer to my previous peak times back in 2016. Having the privaledge of being able to work from home throughout the majority of the pandemic meant that both myself and Alan avoided covid until late March last year. We travelled to Vegas in February and ran a half marathon with a decent time  around 2hrs 8 and even a day before I tested positive I ran a 24.31 at Pontefract parkrun. 

However, since we both caught covid last year, all fitness has felt like a literal uphill battle (with that hill ressembling Post Hill most of the time!)  We signed up for the Leeds Marathon (and I still need to write a blog about this!), but Alan had to drop out a few weeks before and I had a lovely race and smiled all the way around, but was very much nearly a personal worst in terms of my time of 5hrs 8 minutes. Neither of us has had a "long covid" diagnosis, so I can only imagine how tough it is for people who have, but just when we were getting back on top of our running fitness last year, Covid put a stop to our hopes for a return to racing. There isn't anything obvious that has held us back from returning to fitness (which is almost more frustrating) but being less active has meant I've put on weight and putting on weight has meant it's been harder to run and I've lost fitness. (I just want to point out that I'm not someone who judges people on weight as it's a very complex issue, but I'm at a point where my clothes don't fit and my thighs are rubbing together and I just like to feel more comfortable when I run, so I'm hoping that some more focussed activity and more considered nutrition choices might return me to a body that I'm more comfortable in) 

We have signed up for a few things that we've not been able to complete such as Ilkley Half recently and so when Alan messaged me this week to point out there were still spaces for York 10K this weekend and did I fancy it, I jumped at the chance. 

The one and only time I have ever run York 10K previously was back in 2016 and I remember enjoying it, but feeling a bit disappointed with my time of 46.28 (!). It's not as "flat" as you might think, but is a lovely route with lots to keep your brain interested and so I was looking forward to it today, especially as the weather this morning actually resembled summer!

We set off from South Milford at 7.30am and were there in half an hour which left us around 90 minutes to pick up our numbers, grab a coffee and queue for the toilets - this took a lot longer than we'd have predicted and toilet queues were huge and slow moving. We got to the start pen for around 9.20am and we crossed the start line around 9.33am which we were grateful for as there were rumours that they might need to delay the start.

The first couple of KM are a bit up and down through the outskirts of York City Centre and Alan and I always planned to run together and we decided to try keep close to the 1 hour pacers (who were very amusing teasing me with lots of comments about the most annoying HPH members...it wasn't as mean as it sounds typing it out!)

I'd set my garmin to pace us for 6 minute KM and we were ahead of target pace for the first 6KM with sub 6 minute KMs. We loved running past York Minster and all the twists and turns around York confusing lots of early morning shoppers and there was lots of good crowd support most of the way around. I spotted fellow HPH Ande who regularly runs in group 2 when I'm leading, but delivered an amazing performance and should definitely consider jumping up to Group 3. We also bumped into my friend Tana who is a lapsed HPH and had a great race and we had a bit of cat and mouse with over the final 1.5KM..

At 6KM we had to slow a little and have a few walk breaks as we were running up and over several bridges. There is a lovely part where you run over the runners in front of you and can wave! We managed to run the last 800m which was a slightly psychologically challenging out and back along the edge of York Racecourse. We crossed the finish line together and were pleased with a 1hr 02 mins and 43 seconds. 

The goody bag was decent with a medal, a carob bar, packed of crisps, bottle of water and electrolyte tablet. We'd opted to decline a t-shirt as we both have too many, but it was a nice looking navy blue one. 

I had such a lovely time running this morning in the sunshine with Alan and seeing some friendly faces. My time was over 20 minutes slower than it was 7 years ago, but I think I enjoyed this race even more as I'm now much more grateful to be able to do things that 3 years ago seemed like they might never happen again. 

Goals for 2023

The fact that I had to look up my 2022 goals doesn't bode hugely well for whether I managed to achieve them...

This is what I came up with....and a guess of how I've done so far!

Daily

• 10 minutes of reading (at least) - Yep!
• 10 minutes of writing (at least) - Nope!
• 10 minutes of daylight (at least) - Yep!
• Only have treat food (chocolate, takeaway or booze) if I've had my 5 a day fruit and veg - Nope!
• 10 minutes of activity - cardio or resistance (at least) - Nope!
• In bed to allow enough time to sleep for c8 hours - I'll find out my average soon on my Lifecycle app, but I have a feeling that it won't be quite 8 hours
• 10 minutes of physio exercises - Nope! 
• Listen to one new piece of music every day - Nope! I did get up to 55 songs in my playlist so a good 310 off what I was aiming for
• 1 hour everyday away from social media/phone - Nope!

Monthly

• Read 4 - 5 books (4.33 is needed to hit my target of 52 in the year) - Pretty much achieved
• One new place visited - Did quite well..but didn't track
• One walk in a beautiful location - Did ok, but need to do more
• One thing planted - achieved this
• One item/box/bag donated to charity/recycled - nope
• One blog post (at least) - nope!
• One gym visit/strength session - better, but nope!
• One new film watched - think I managed this
• One catch up with friends - not too bad, but need to be better
• One craft session - only managed a couple of these
• One letter/postcard - not in general, but did well with postcards whilst in Vegas
• Lead/coach one run club session - Yep I think I was there consistently on this one
• One live music/theatre/comedy trip (either attended or booked) - Yep pretty sure this was achieved
• 12 days veggie only - nope - did make a effort to eat much less meat though!

For 2023 I'm going to try and keep it simple, but also track better! (I've just built a spreadsheet)

Daily Goals

• 10 minutes of reading (at least)
• 10 minutes of writing (at least)
• 10 minutes of daylight (at least)
• Only have treat food (chocolate, takeaway or booze) if I've had my 5 a day fruit and veg
• 10000 steps each day
• In bed to allow enough time to sleep for c8 hours
• 10 minutes of physio exercises
• 1 hour everyday away from social media/phone

Yearly Goals

• Run Leeds marathon and help a coaching group run it
• Swim again in a pool
• Finish my novel
• Start writing a new novel
• Read 3 books about owning a forest
• Work out how much it costs to own a forest
• Work out how much money I need to buy a forest
• Investigate courses on forestry management

Monthly Goals

• Read 4 - 5 books (4.33 is needed to hit my target of 52 in the year)
• One new place visited
• One walk in a beautiful location
• One thing planted
• One item/box/bag donated to charity/recycled
• One blog post (at least)
• One gym visit/strength session
• One new film watched
• One catch up with friends
• One craft session
• One letter/postcard
• Lead/coach one run club session
• One live music/theatre/comedy trip (either attended or booked)
• 12 days veggie only
• 12 new songs listened to

Wish me luck!