Welcome to 2015! Similar to 2014 this will be broken down into a few blogs to cover what I got up to in the year. Looking at the races I did, the times I did them in it was a year that I really had to dig deep in races to get round. I came off 2014 buzzing, which is no surprise given the number of races I did approx. 8 months and the money raised for a worthy cause. I’d got a really good marathon time (at last), become consistent with my half times but still hadn’t attempted a 10K! Parkruns were a part of my training as were club nights.
Looking back 2015 gives a great illustration of what running is all about. I probably made the mistake of taking the successes of 2014 too much for granted. Possibly with a little bit of an attitude that I could just turn up and race with little training, the way I had with those first couple of marathons. When I needed to train a bit harder, I don’t think I did yet when I really needed to dig deep and run through the pain barrier, I was able to. So although I wasn’t in great physical shape by the end of 2015, mentally it was the year that I really did believe I could take anything on. think it’s fair to say that by the end of 2015 I hit a bit of a lull and a disappointing run at Chester marathon put me off wanting to run that distance. Yes, I know. You’ve heard me say this before! The end of 2015 saw me try something different with my running. I took myself out my comfort zone to try and re-ignite a passion for running but it was hard work. It would take until 2017 to really rekindle the passion for running.
Anyway, I’ve jumped a few blogs ahead. Lots get back to the first 3 months of 2015. Many of you will know Haroon Mota, the marathon man, from Coventry. An amazing guy with a real passion not just for running but to get people from all backgrounds out running and / or walking in the great outdoors.
My first of 3 fundraising challenges for 2015 was to run for Teenage Cancer Trust for whom Haroon worked for at the time. It was also inspired by the incredible Stephen Sutton. An incredible young man – https://www.teenagecancertrust.org/information-about-cancer/cancer-stories/stephen-sutton-mbe. This is just one of many links you can read about him. His mum Jane will be well known to many as she has ran many races with the Wolverhampton Bobsled team in recent years.
Before I get into the 2 races, I did for TCT I should mention what was an unexpected but much welcomed little prize I won. Parkrun. Something I’ll talk about in more detail another time as I think it is the most amazing event. Back in 2014 into 2015 Sweatshop used to be one of the main backers of Parkrun. Parkruns at the time could pick their runner of the month. The winner would get a voucher to use in Sweatshop to get a free pair of trainers! I apologise if this is incorrect in anyway. This is how I remember it. The lovely volunteer team at Walsall Arboretum Parkrun picked me for January 2015. A new pair of trainers was high on my want list and not surprisingly I got a new pair of Adidas with my voucher. I also invested in moulded soles for my feet which were very useful that year.
So back to the races for TCT. I’d met Haroon at the Coventry Half of 2014 when we were both featured in their race promotion. We’d seen each other at a number of races in 2014 and kept in touch so when Haroon put on social media that he had places for Coventry half available for anyone wishing to fundraise for TCT I went for it. This was the first of 2 years that I joined him in this endeavour and in this first year I helped with a couple of training runs in Birmingham he arranged, around Edgbaston reservoir, for runners taking on their first half marathon.
I decided to make it a double half and added Silverstone to my fundraising for TCT. At Coventry half we ran in black T-shirts provided by the company that was sponsoring all of Haroons team, Mesmereyez. For some reason I decided to run Coventry half sporting the green afro that I had worn for the 20 races of 2014. Now running in the green of Macmillan’s, the afro made sense. In 2015 though it didn’t really make sense! It was the last time I wore it, although not the last time I would sport an afro in a race! Later in 2015 I would go for a much more different look!
The 2 half marathons fell just 2 weeks apart which worked out well for me as I had Manchester marathon on 19th April. Coventry fell on 1st March and Silverstone on the 15th. I had achieved a PB at Coventry the year before and initially the target was to try and get close to it. However being part of a big fundraising group with a lot of first time half marathon runners; the plan changed.
The focus became to encourage other runners that were part of the team. Not necessarily run the whole race with them, but at least encourage them. I started a bit further back than needed but that was because I knew a lot of the team would make the mistake, we all make in our first race where there are no defined waves. Start too far forward!
Every time I saw a Team Mesmereyez runner in black, I’d run a short while with them, check to see how they were feeling, answer any questions they had (mainly asking when the next water stop was) and just giving a few words to encourage them. The further the race progressed the easier it was to encourage them. I came in with another member of the team. From mile 10 he latched onto me and just focussed on sticking to a consistent pace with me. I came in at 2 hrs 30 and a few seconds. It was a comfortable run, but my running wasn’t over.
One member of the team, Daya, had been concerned about running the race and Haroon who had already finished was by this time on his bike, I think! Anyway I’m not sure how it transpired but I started running back the way I had come! The last mile or so of the half at that time was coming in! way you had ran out. So I started making my way out, occasionally walking when I saw other runners coming in.
I got to the 11-mile marker when I spotted Daya coming in and I then ran back in with him encouraging him as much as possible. In the lead up to the run he wasn’t sure if he had what it took to do a half marathon, so it was important to just do whatever it took to get him to that finish line. Haroon soon joined us as did a couple of other runners and some cheer leaders and with about 200 metres to go we all stopped and let Daya have his moment of glory crossing the finish line.
A good race with a different focus. Helping and encouraging others round. Something I would be doing later in the year again although I didn’t know it at the time.
In the 2 weeks between Coventry and Silverstone I did an 8.5 mile run and a Parkrun. As it turned out, it was the smart thing to do. Silverstone I sported the TCT running top but had to right Usingh Bolt on it by hand as I didn’t have time to get it personalised!
This was my 4th and final time running this version of Silverstone. This spring version doesn’t exist anymore, and it was also backed by Adidas. Now, it’s an autumn race done by another company. I don’t remember too much of this race except that in keeping with the previous 3 versions there was a little bit of rain, it got windy at times and there was a surprise musical act on the day. Punjabi dholi (Indian drum), the one and only Gurcharan Mall. Due to the nature of the course, I ran past him 3 times and then the 4th time he approached the part of the route we were on to support us. He had another 2 or 3 members of his band with him but it felt good to hear some Bhangra beats on the course.
I came in with a time of 2 hrs 19. 5 minutes slower than my effort the previous year but I wasn’t quite in the shape I had been in 2014 so was pretty pleased with how it went. So, two races done and fundraising for TCT done.
This was the appetiser before the main course though. The main course being Race the Wall in June. My first ultra. 69 miles! 24 hours to complete it in. I think I decided on that ultra at the end of 2014 or at the beginning of 2015 as when I went to Manchester, I went with my won designed T-shirt.
The rest of March was Parkruns with a mile or so extra, club runs and a couple of other smaller runs. I used Easter weekend to get in a long run before Manchester. After the massive PB at Manchester marathon the year before I was looking to crack 5 hours. I was quite confident going into it, but we’ll talk more about that and my other race prior to the ultra, next time.
Usingh Bolt - Endurance Runner 