10km at the Bedford Autodrome

Yesterday was an interesting experience – runners took over the race track at the Bedford Autodrome where cars would normally be whizzing by! Instead of cars screeching, the sounds of quick footsteps and cheering could be heard across the race track. I recently signed up to run 10km at the autodrome and I’m pleased to have completed the route in 1 hour, 1 minute and 6 seconds!

It had been a while since I joined a large organised run and when I received an email about an opportunity to run at the Bedford Autodrome, I thought why not? It’s not everyday you get to run at such a place. Called the Running Grand Prix, the run was organised by RunThrough. They hold various running events throughout the year at interesting venues such as Alton Towers, Hampton Court Palace and Chester Zoo! I will certainly be keeping an eye out for future events by RunThrough as the Bedford Autodrome run was well-organised and there was a great vibe from all participating runners and spectators.

Crossing the start line (not the most flattering photo!)

I was appropriately dressed for the run with my father’s old Formula 1 t-shirt (as seen in the photo above), which I’ve worn for various exercises over the past few years. I had prepared myself for the 10km route by completing a few 10kms at home. My most recent attempt at 10km was completed in 1 hour, 3 minutes and 30 seconds, which was along the local canal last week. I chose this route to practice as it is mostly flat with a few small inclines. The race track was of course entirely flat and made of tarmac, which made it easier to run on with no worries of mud, loose stones or puddles which you encounter along the canal.

With my most recent finish time, I was aiming to complete 10km at the Bedford Autodrome in 1 hour, knowing that the route would be flat and easier to run on. Despite this, I knew it would still be challenging to run 10km in 1 hour, although I was very surprised when passing the half way point in 30 minutes and 30 seconds! I hadn’t completed 5km this quickly before, and so I tried to complete the remaining 5km as fast as I could.

Across the finish line!

Another factor which made yesterday’s run interesting was that the runners on the race track were completing different distances. The options available were a marathon, 20 miles, 16 miles, half marathon, 10km or 5km. The marathon runners started first thing at 9am, and the other runners started their distances at set times. The 10km started at 10:30am, so I was running alongside people at different points of their routes. I followed certain runners as a sort of anchor point and had many occasions where runners who I overtook sped past me later on.

Participating in organised runs is great for competitiveness and the encouragement you receive from other runners and spectators is really uplifting. It often gives me an energy boost, although I’m always wary not to over-exert myself to the point where I have to stop running or struggle to complete a run. I would’ve loved to have completed the 10km yesterday in 1 hour, but I’m still thrilled that I finished in just over 1 hour and 1 minute. It felt amazing to do the finishing sprint towards the finish line, receive a medal and watch other runners complete their chosen distances. I also appreciated the freebies at the end of the race as shown below (I certainly enjoyed a nice soak with the bath salts once I got back home)!

Post-run goodies!

I arrived with plenty of time before running the 10km, which gave me an opportunity to take in the atmosphere. Even though it was raining and a bit chilly, I warmed up with a cup of tea and stayed under cover in the village area where participants collected their racing packs. There were several display chalkboards with quotes written on them. I enjoyed reading the quotes before starting the run as they were encouraging and enabled me to reflect on my fitness journey, as well as my recent mental health journey. A few quotes included “Your next short is more important than your last mistake” and “You don’t need to prove anything to anyone. Do it for you!” My favourite quote is in the photo below, which I think so important for everyone to remember.

One of many inspirational quotes

Overall the run was an enjoyable and unique experience! As tempting as it was to initially register for a half marathon, I think I would’ve struggled to complete it. This isn’t just because it’s been four years since I last ran 13 miles, but the fact that the half marathon involved four laps of the same track. I would’ve found it challenging to run the same lap as I like to look at the various scenery when running at home. I guess those running a half marathon or further yesterday would’ve had different runners alongside them and they would’ve been encouraged by different spectators throughout the day. I might be tempted to run again at a race track, but the distance I choose will depend on the number of laps.

Happy reading and blogging!

Clare Bear 🙂

xx

parkrun #20

I felt chuffed yesterday as I finished my 20th parkrun in 37 minutes and 18 seconds, which was an improvement of almost one minute from last week. Two weeks ago I completed the Braunstone parkrun in 40 minutes and 33 seconds, so I’ve significantly improved in just over two weeks. It also helps that I went to the gym twice before work again where I ran 5km on the treadmill. I’m also very chuffed that I’ve lost another three pounds this week, which means I’ve lost half a stone in two weeks!

Despite weighing significantly more since starting the parkruns and my quest for fitness, I can still run pretty well. I’ve managed to conquer the steep hill halfway through the Braunstone parkrun by running up steadily, and I’ve not had a to walk or take a break. I decided to wear my parkrun orange t-shirt yesterday, which I hadn’t done for a few years as I didn’t feel confident enough to wear it. I can’t believe that I bought it over three years ago, but it felt good to wear it again. I wore a long sleeved black top underneath to keep myself warm, as it’s felt rather chilly the past few Saturdays.

It’s been a while since I’ve won my parkrun t-shirt

My fitbit also saw an significant improvement since last Saturday, as it read that I had ran 4.74km rather than 4.43km. A software update was completed on my fitbit earlier this week so that may have helped to improve its accuracy. The map looked very much similar to last week’s, and I might also try wearing my Fitbit a bit looser next time to see if that makes a difference.

I won’t be running next Saturday morning as I’m off to Southwell Minster to sing at a special evensong service to raise money for Alzheimer’s. However, I will be going to the gym in the mornings before work which I’ve now been doing for two weeks. I just need to make sure that I keep this up, and ensure that my mojo is kindled and kept alight!

Happy reading and blogging!

Clare Bear 🙂

My first half marathon

I did it!!! I ran my first half marathon yesterday in 2 hours and 47 minutes!

After running 13 miles!

The whole experience from arriving at Victoria Park in Leicester where the race started, to crossing the finish line was incredible. I have to say that I felt a little overwhelmed by the end of the half marathon. I even cried a little when I went to give my sister a sweaty hug after crossing the finish line.

I arrived in plenty of time for a 9:15am start (I had to go to the toilet three times due to nervousness!). It was amazing to see so many people wearing different t-shirts showing the cause that they were running for, including Macmillan, Cancer Research, LOROS and Marie Curie. I saw a few people wearing local air ambulance t-shirts as well. I could’ve worn one, but I’m raising money for the Association of Air Ambulances so it’s for all air ambulance charities across the UK. In the end I borrowed one of my dad’s t-shirts, as I only have t-shirts from previous runs, including Race for Life, The Colour Run and The Resolution Run.

It was when I lined up at the start along with thousands of runners that reality hit me. Waiting for the runners ahead to start moving made me think about how I had never imagined in my life that I would be running 13 miles. Being placed in low ability classes for physical education while I was at school purely based on my physique and experiencing bullying for being fat meant that I never thought I could participate in something physically challenging.

Waiting to start

 

The start of the Leicester Marathon saw runners making their way downhill on a road called London Road, where cars and buses normally drive. It felt incredible seeing a sea of runners making their way on the route. I found it strange running along an A road north of Leicester, where one lane was closed off for runners. It felt quite nice when you felt the breeze from a car or lorry as they drove past the runners.

I made sure to keep to my own pace for the entire route. I sped up when I felt comfortable and made sure to take steeper inclines steadily. I hadn’t practiced any parts of the route so I didn’t know when to expect slopes and steeper gradients.

I enjoyed the route, which took runners through the city centre, up the ‘Golden Mile’ (aka Melton Road), through Thurmaston, then around the lovely Watermead Park, through Birstall, then through Abbey Park, past the National Space Centre and Abbey Pumping Station, then back through the city centre and back up the New Walk to the finish line back at Victoria Park.

What made the route even more enjoyable was the amount of spectators and supporters who cheered all of the runners on. It really helped to keep my momentum going; it was adorable when young children gave runners high fives as they ran past. Some people even offered sweets and small snacks as runners went by. I felt a great sense of community spirit during the route, which made me feel proud to be running my first half marathon at the Leicester marathon, my hometown.

I ran for the entire 13 miles except for towards the end, probably the last 1/2 mile up the New Walk, when it was a gradual slope all the way back up. I  had to walk up but a spectator urged me to run as I reached the top of the hill, and so I sprinted the final bit towards the finish line. I heard my name being called out and I jumped across the finish line in victory!

The t-shirt and medal I got at the end

It felt great to receive a medal at the end, as well as a t-shirt, a banana, a bottle of water, a flapjack, a small bag of sweets and a bag of crisps. I had to catch my breath as I felt a bit breathless, which was probably due to sprinting across the finish line when I felt tired already. I also felt a bit funny and sick, so I found a bench to sit down with my sister. I felt much better after drinking a lot of water and eating my flapjack and sweets.

I couldn’t help but cry when I saw my sister. I think it was due to the fact that I couldn’t believe that I had just ran my first half marathon. I felt like that I had overcome some of the challenges that I’ve faced in my life so far, such as bullying, body image, self-belief and self-confidence. I was shattered for the rest of the day, so I had a lovely Radox bath as soon as I got back home, my sister and brother in law cooked a lamb roast dinner and then I had nearly 12 hours of sleep!

I’m a little achy today but I feel very accomplished, which is a fantastic feeling. At this stage I don’t think that I could run a full marathon just yet. I would need a lot more training, but I am tempted to run another half marathon to try and beat my current time.

Happy reading and blogging!

Clare Bear 🙂

18km round #2

With only 42 days to go until the half marathon, I was determined to run 18km this morning. The last time I tired to run that far I experienced what many runners refer to as The Wall. I just wanted to stop running and felt like giving up, so I only made it to 15km the last time I went out for a long run.

Today was better than my last 18km attempt, to an extent. I felt great running this morning and after reaching the 10km point, I was even contemplating running 21km, the distance of a half marathon!

However, my iPod died on me. I checked the stopwatch on my iPod when it said 1 hour and 30 minutes, but a few moments later the music stopped playing. My iPod ran out of battery after I had just passed the 14km point, so I had another 4km to go without music.

It was tough as the next 2km was just a straight long path along what used to be a railway. I tried to admire the scenery, saw many cute dogs and tried to listen to the birds, but running without music is very difficult for me.

When I ran in the Race for Lifes and the Resolution Run, I didn’t listen to music as runners are normally advised not to listen to music due to the amount of people. I’m pretty sure that runners are not allowed to listen to music at the Leicester Marathon. When there are so many people though, it’s important to be aware of who’s around you and not to get distracted. I have to be careful when I’m out running as you sometimes can’t hear approaching cyclists behind you.

The atmosphere at large organised runs is fantastic though. The support you hear from other runners and spectators means that you don’t need music to motivate you. I managed fine without music at the runs I’ve participated in so far, but when I’m out running on my own, I need music to keep me going, otherwise I find it boring.

The last 4km was tough, but I finished 18km today in about 2 hours and 5 minutes. I completed my last successful 18km run in about 2 hours, so I’m pleased with my time today, since I found it difficult to run the final stretch without music.

I’m also pleased that I haven’t experienced pain in my shins for a while. I was worried about this earlier in the year during my training, as my shins were hurting which made it difficult to run long distances. I hope that the pain doesn’t come back anytime soon, especially on the day of the half marathon!

I’ll make sure that my iPod is fully charged, so that I have music for the next time I go out for a long distance run, which could be the distance of a half marathon!

 

Happy reading and blogging!

Clare Bear 🙂

parkrun #15

It was glorious this morning, so I couldn’t possibly miss out on doing a parkrun today. The sun was out and the sky was completely blue. It’s been a while since I last ran at the Braunstone parkrun (almost a month), and I feel better for running this morning.

The last parkrun  I did was my personal best at 32 minutes and 1 second. This was the week after I ran 15km at the Resolution Run, which was also at Braunstone Park. I felt pumped because I managed to complete the distance equivalent to 3 parkruns, which helped me to achieve my personal best so far.

Today I finished my 15th parkrun in 33 minutes and 14 seconds, so I didn’t meet or beat my best time. I still feel happy about it though, because I hadn’t been out running for a while, and I’ve not been able to get to the gym either.

Since starting my new job three weeks ago, I have been walking (most days) 5 miles a day. I walk quite fast on my own so it’s a good form of exercise. I’d like to fit in the gym, which I can. I’ve just got to get my act together and wake up a bit earlier in the morning on work days. The gym I go to is on my way to work which is very convenient.

Now that the British spring is in full swing and the summer is on its way, I’d like to try running at more parkruns on Saturdays. I can’t next Saturday as I’m away for the weekend, but maybe the Saturday after that. When the weather is nice it does motivate me more to run. It’s nice to see lots of runners ready to run 5km; generally the better the weather, the more parkrunners.

 

Happy reading and blogging!

Clare Bear 🙂

parkrun #7

I’m on a roll! I made it to the gym on Wednesday morning and for the first time ever, I ran a parkrun two weeks in a row. I must try to keep this roll going. Exercising twice a week is what I aim for, but I’ll see if I can increase this to three times a week soon.

I was very surprised to get up on Wednesday morning after a late night and only six hours sleep (I like at least eight hours!). I went straight down to the gym and completed 2km on the cross trainer. In a recent blog I mentioned how it was difficult to keep to speed with what I’m accustomed to, but it was much easier this time round. The last time I exercised prior to Wednesday was my sixth parkrun, so four days beforehand, not over 2 weeks! I pushed myself more as well by increasing the intensity to a higher level and working out intensely for longer periods of time. I completed 2km in 34 minutes and 16 seconds, which I think is pretty good .

Cross trainer result on Wednesday

This morning I ran my seventh parkrun and achieved my personal best: 32 minutes and 44 seconds! My previous personal best at the parkrun was 33 minutes and 11 seconds, so 27 seconds faster. I spoke to my dad about it and he said that 27 seconds is really good. It may not sound a lot, but he said that it is. When exercising, every second counts when you are trying to improve on your personal best. I am aiming to finish the parkrun in 30 minutes, so I’ve still got some work to do; I’m pleased though with today’s result.

I was hoping for my best time so far this morning as I really went for it, running a bit faster and even gently running up the difficult first slope at the halfway point at the Braunstone parkrun. At no point did I walk this morning. I came in 302nd place out of 388 runners, which I also think is my best result in terms of finish position.

It was great to see a couple of runners in fancy dress, since it’s Halloween on Monday. A few runners put up some Halloween decorations before the race started, which looked pretty cool.

Halloween decorations at the parkrun

I really enjoy doing the parkrun. It’s a great way to keep yourself active in a friendly environment where people of all ages and fitness levels run 5km. I am very tempted to buy a parkrun t-shirt, as I feel proud to be part of an event which takes place all over the world at 9am. It’s nice to know that I can participate in any run I like on Saturday mornings. Besides, I found out and completed my first parkrun in Guernsey!

 

Happy reading and blogging!

Clare Bear

Parkrun #3

At 6 o’clock yesterday morning I heard the rain hammering down outside. I thought to myself: ‘Oh great! I want to go to the parkrun again but I’m not running in that!’ I was considering going to the gym instead, which I’ve not been to for two weeks (slaps myself on the wrist!) but by the time my alarm went off at 8am, the rain had stopped.

I went to Braustone Park again to participate in my third 5km parkrun at 9am yesterday. All of the runners were advised to be wary because of the amount of rain that fell. The paths were still wet and there were sodden leaves but as far as I know, no one fell over or injured themselves.

My third parkrun is my personal best so far! I ran the course in 33 minutes and 11 seconds and came in 308th place out of 372 runners. So I beat my previous time by almost one minute; I completed the Braunstone parkrun last Saturday in 34 minutes and 8 seconds.

Before we started running, some announcements were made by a volunteer. One of these announcements was that two runners were doing their 100th parkrun! Considering that the parkrun takes place every Saturday, it takes almost two years to complete 100 runs if you go every Saturday continuously.

That’s when I learnt about the clubs which exist within the parkrun. There’s the 10 club, 50 club, 100 club, 250 club and 500 club. These figures correspond to how many parkruns you have completed. So I need to do another 7 runs to join the 10 club, then my next milestone will be the 5o club. I have noticed people wearing parkrun t-shirts with numbers on the back. 50 club members wear a red t-shirt and 100 club members wear a black t-shirt. I had quick look on the parkrun website and only one person is a member of the 50o club, which takes over 9 1/2 years to do! It takes so long to achieve since parkruns only take place at 9am on Saturdays.

I’ve enjoyed the runs that I’ve done so far. It’s nice to run with lots of people as it’s motivating. It’s also enlightening to see people of all ages and fitness levels running. Volunteers are dotted around the course, encouraging you to run on by clapping and giving messages of determination. There’s another parkrun in Victoria Park in Leicester which I’d like to try one Saturday morning. This also happens to be the same location of the 10km Race for Life, which is now less than a month away!

If you’re thinking trying out running and you’re not sure of where to start, then I highly recommend the parkrun!

 

Happy reading and blogging!

Clare Bear