Monday 16 September 2013

Turbine 10k

Yesterday was the day of the Baillie windfarm 10k and when we woke in the morning I think I was the only one out of the 3 of us that was excited, or at least looking forward to it.
The weather forecasters had issued weather warnings for the area due to severe gale force winds and rain coming round from the North West - the run was in the North West!
I had everything planned and packed extra clothes for us all in case we got drenched, energy drinks, recovery drinks and every other contraption I thought we may in some way need.
The race was due to start at 10.30am and we arrived about 9.15am so that we could get our numbers within plenty of time - 37 for me, 38 for Leanne and 64 for Wayne. On the morning my daughters fiancee John decided to join in despite having done no training other than regular football, apparantly my FB comment that he had chickened out from the run enticed him to do it lol.
I was feeling fine about this run right up until the start but then my legs went to jelly and I started dreading it, then when I realised the start was up an incline I could have walked away there and then - I struggle with inclines at the start because I have to get my breathing/asthma under control before I do inclines or hills.


(Look at my running style compared to all the others - is this why I find running hard? My shoulders are hunched and my legs are always stiff looking).
By the time we'd hit the top of the incline Wayne and I had deliberately dropped right back so that I could breathe properly but I still went out too fast and struggled to get my breathing under control after that.
I hated this run from the very first section but when I saw the first hill (yes, the first of many) I think I gave up there and then, the hill was ridiculously steep and pretty much everyone was walking it, Wayne doesn't do walking though and he pushed me to run it. I couldn't run it so I walked it and this didn't go down well with Wayne, in fact this is where it all started to go wrong - Wayne thought he was doing the right thing by moaning at me not to walking and having a go if I did but it had the opposite effect on me, I was getting seriously cheesed off with him.
Leanne and John had gone on ahead and we only caught glimpses of them as we went round, I hated that!
This particular run included some running through Heather and over ditches and again Wayne expected me to run it but yet again I couldn't, I had to walk the Heather. Wayne pretty much had a go the entire time and said I should have been able to run it then at the end he agreed with everyone else and said that there was no way anyone could run those hills or the Heather!!! When I glared at him and asked why he yelled at me do run it then, he said he thought that if he hadn't then I would have given up and walked the entire way! I was fuming!!
With the finish line in sight I was encouraged to up the pace but I really had nothing left by this point, my legs were dead as a dodo and I couldn't find the reserves to get me up the incline finish. Both my daughters saw my struggles and joined me to get me past the finish line - Leanne pushed me lol.
I'm not sure what the official time will be but according to my GPS watch Wayne and I completed it in about 1hr 18mins, we'd hoped for a better time but the wind, rain and my attitude put paid to that. Leanne finished about 15 mins ahead of us and John about 20 mins ahead of us.

We passed Leanne and John during one point of the run and we both managed to state that we were never running again and weren't doing the Baxters run at the end of the month either - such was our lack of enjoyment of this race.

As usual we were pretty much over our grievances of this particular race 10 minutes after finishing, the atmosphere and support from the entire crowd was just brilliant and the medal, goody bag and Tshirt always goes a long way to soothing a bruised pride when I've had a naff run.
I don't think I would do the run again next year though, not unless they change the course so that we don't have to run over boggy Heather.

6 comments:

  1. Congratulations for doing it! I'm in a 4 week "walk every week" phase. Then (gulp), once the visit from our grandkids has come and gone I'm going to start a running program. I'm scared. It's really good to read other people's experiences. It makes me want to at least try. Thanks for sharing the struggle.

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    1. You'll do brilliantly once you start running, just try to stay positive even on the bad days (and you will have them). I used to run alot as a youngster and was very good at it (besides being 4 stone lighter) but now running feels awkward and unnatural, but I want to be good at it so I'll keep going.
      Well done you for making the first steps to getting out there, enjoy the grandkids they're so important :) plus if you ever take part in a run in the future they'll be the ones at the finish rooting for you :)

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  2. Oh, no, I hate runs like that! Once one thing messes with your head (like when you saw that first hill), it just makes you have a bad outlook on the whole race. That happened to me during my first marathon, and it was awful. Great job on finishing!!

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    1. Too true Katie! I tried to convince myself the entire way round that i was enjoying the run but it didn't work lol, I hated it!
      I've read your blog so I know the marathon you speak of, it just goes to show absolutely everyone can have a rubbish day/run doesn't it. I love you dedication and perserverance though - very inspirational!
      thanks for popping by

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  3. It looks like it was a tough race, but you did it! Every run, every race that is hard makes you a tougher runner!

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    1. tough runners! I like the sound of that Lisa!
      Thank you for stopping by and commenting :)

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