Well I thought I'd start this blogging lark!

3rd February 2015

Well thought I would try this blogging that some of my friends do, that way the people that really couldn't care less how I'm getting on with my training for this years Virgin London Marathon in 12 weeks time and all the other bits and pieces I'm doing this year don't have to bother seeing this on their news feed and also those that don't want to sponsor me for whatever reason also don't need to see what I'm getting up to and why.

I know there are lots of my friends that don't mind seeing my weekly updates or even 3-4 times a week updates on my running endeavours but I also know some people get bored of seeing the same old posts. Well maybe running cycling, combat and spin and other keeping fit stuff is part of my life, it's social and I enjoy it, just like those friends that post endless pictures of food, their dogs and even children. I don't moan at that do I?

Now it's not all moaning and to be honest it's nothing that anyone has said about my posts about training it's comments about raising money for charity and how shallow some people can be. There are lots of worthwhile charities around, and you can't give to them all it's impossible, just like I can't run for them all, but the fact that people expect something for their sponsorship to me is very wrong. Anyway enough about what annoys me, now to bore everyone with my running:-)

As some will know I ran the London Marathon in 2013 for the first time. I'm not a runner although I have attended many exercise classes over the years, and have been regularly going body combat, body attack and spin classes for years and used to do yoga, body balance, body pump, aerobics and step as well, Infact anything with good music, makes me sweat with a good trainer I suppose.

In March 2011 my fiancé Jay lost his mum to cancer, that May we took to the paths and canal side and walked roughly a half marathon for Farleigh Hospice in Chelmsford which was where she died for charity. We then decided to join the Santa fun run that December for the same charity. It was only 4km and it was meant to be fun but I decided I wanted to run it as a challenge. So that October I started running on a treadmill as it was so cold. Can't say I enjoyed it and probably walked more than I ran but none the less I was determined. That December day I can remember was freezing even though we were all in our Santa suits and hats. It was the first time I'd ran outside and I loved the experience. It was hard, I was knackered but the sense of achievement I felt probably for the first time in my life was great. I had beat every one  of our team back, although Jay had been ill with a virus and Jays dad walked quickly, but it didn't matter I was well chuffed.

So when I mentioned this to my friend Lorraine in 2012 at one of my classes she mentioned that she'd run the Southend 10K on her own the year before  - 10K I didn't even know how far that was!! So decided my next challenge for 2012 would be this 10K - 6.2 miles in old money. So that Spring I started running with Lorraine when could and running on my own on other days. We also both applied to run the London Marathon. We weren't drunk but it was something I'd always wanted to do when I used to watch it with my dad every year, I never knew you paid, I never knew there was a ballot even I thought you just ran!! Anyway we both applied thinking we'd both get in and just before that first 10K I found out I'd got in and she hadn't - oh my god what was I going to do? Well get on with the challenge ofcourse.

So I ran my first 10K in about 1 hour 7 mins I think, was pleased with that. And continued running through all that snow and ice we had in 2012/2013 - it was horrendous at times but I couldn't give up. Jay helped with my long runs every Sunday at 6-6.30am and I managed to get to 18 miles. Was hoping for 20 but the weather put paid to that.

So everyone told me I had to do a half marathon before doing a full one? What did I decide to do?