Again I found myself on a Wednesday racing, however this week was about 15 degrees cooler, to my liking. I would definitely say it was some of the nicest racing conditions! I spent the build up to my race at school, but it is my last week of school this week, and I break up today (Saturday) and jet set off on holiday very soon. Also some more positive news was that I passed my driving test yesterday, which honestly is such a huge deal for me because I can now get myself to training easily without having to rely heavily on my parents... anyway, sorry I'm rambling on now back to my race on Wednesday. As you can see from the photo, I look absolutely thrilled to be racing... I don't look my best before a race, as I'm often getting into the zone and I just like to prepare for my race. Maybe I need to start looking happier when I am on the start line! I was doing a 1500m on this day because I have done lots of 3000m lately so it was a good test, to see how my speed is getting along. After a nice good warm up and drills, we had estimated our race would be at about 8pm and it was near enough to that time as it was the 6th 1500m race. When the race started I found myself hanging onto the group for dear life. As you can see from the photo above I am right at the back just clinging on. I was worried at this point but as I was looking at the clock for my splits, it was less concerning as I initially thought, as I was coming in at about 5 minute pace. During the race there was lots of occasional changes of pace, one moment I would feel like I was losing the group, but sometimes I was nearly tripping over peoples feet. The laps went by quickly and I definitely enjoyed just hanging on and being pulled along with the group. Going into the last 100m of the second to last lap, my legs felt some what fresh and I made the decisive move to put on a final sprint. I gave my last and final kick and charged around the outside of the group on the and with 300m left I was just about coming into second. I tried to push as much as possible and really just wanted to get as close as possible to my aim of the sub 5, which has been a goal for a while. I felt really strong in my last 400m, which was really good because I often don't have that kick at the end, but I'm pleased to see that some of my speed work, in training is paying off. This was my first Watford Wednesday and what a great experience I had, and I definitely will be wanting to do them again! I loved how the race had lots of people in and because there was lots of people it meant the races were really good for whatever your pace, because you had lots of people to work with, which I find really helpful. Anyway after my finally push to the line, I came across in 4:50 and I was chuffed (and also pretty tired) especially to get an 11 second pb and get under the big 5 minute pb - a big goal for me. I've had a pretty fab week, which is not usual for me to say as many would say I am quite a negative person, but this week has just gone my way. It started with Wednesday when I got my 11 second pb, then today I passed my driving test and broke up for school for summer and then finally tomorrow I go on holiday... I couldn't really ask for a better week. I hope you have all had a good week too!
Love G x
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On Wednesday I found myself on the hottest and longest day of the year heading up to Dartford, for the Kent 3km champs. When I looked at the weather forecast in the morning I was not amused to see that the days temperature peaked at 5pm and was still at 29 degrees at 7:30 (the time of my race), I knew at this point it was going to be a very hot race! After a not so long warm up, because I really didn't want to over heat before I had even started racing. I made my way to the start line, and also I chucked a bottle of water over me to cool myself down in the process. The track at Dartford was bright blue which was very cool because it reminded me of being in Lanzarote and the weather did too. When the gun went, the pace went off fast but nothing too quick to deal with. I tried to hang onto the girl in front, to have someone to drag me around the lots of the laps at the beginning. The first 5 laps or so went by surprisingly quickly as I just sat on this girls shoulder, for about two of the laps I lead the run but settled back behind her by the fifth lap, because I wasn't able to gain any distance on her. On the 800m mark left, she kicked and picked up the pace greatly. I struggled to keep up with her and I just couldn't keep with her. I crossed the line about ten seconds behind her in the end with a time of 10:50, 4 seconds off my pb, which I was really happy with considering the weather conditions were pretty tough. I was really chuffed to cross the line in 3rd place, my first kent medal. I have been happy with my last few 3000m but now its time to move onto some more 1500m. Yesterday I had a school 1500m race which went really well with a surprising pb, not quite sure how that happened but it has made me hungry for even more now, before the end of the track season.
I hope you have all had a good weekend, and are enjoying the slightly cooler weather. G x This weekend I haven't found myself racing which is a bit of a relief considering how hot it is, but I am racing midweek next week. This weekend in particular has been so so hot, which I am not complaining about but yesterday when I prepared for my track session, I was dripping with sweat before I had even got from my car to the track... thankfully I got through the session, however my back is now very burnt now! I have been very busy with school this week too but coming back to running after a short break for a slight injury has been great. In between though, I have had a chance to review and video the new 'Brooks Revel' trainers in action which I have also posted a review for this weekend. I have attached the video at the bottom of the blog post, if you fancy a watch. Sorry this hasn't been a hugely interesting blog post, but I have spent most of my week working on my brooks video, so I hope you enjoy and make sure you do give my review of them a read, because they are really great trainers. Use this link to find them over on the Brooks website and you can get your hands on them for just £90! Love G x Today I found myself not doing my usual sort of race, I swapped the competitive track race for the more light humoured colour run, up at Wembley Park. After having been side lined in the last few days for a slight hip niggle, I wasn't planning on running most of it, but just having fun and trying to get as much paint on me as possible. After having a relaxing morning at home, and getting my large sum of Econ homework done, I found myself driving to the station ready for my run. It was slightly frustrating that all the trains to Charing Cross had been diverted to Cannon Street, which did make our journey up to Wembley considerably longer, but we did eventually make it there! Our wave was due to start at 3:00, however because there were so many people, we did have to queue to get to the start line for an hour... arg not ideal! So as we approached the start line marked by a huge balloon arch, we were quick to break into our first jog. After what felt like a very long time of walk/ jogging we finally got to our first paint station, there was a lot of excitement within the group at this point. This was then the first of many paint stations! First green, then pink, then foam and then red. Yes I said foam, it was the most surreal thing. At one point we were just wading through a foot of foam and when we had got through this station, we all looked like we were wearing knee high snow boots. Once we reached the finish line, we were covered in an array of colours, however some areas were sort of more brown where the colours had all mixed. There was a really fun after party, with lots of music to enjoy and even more paint thrown at us! We all felt like we could just spend the rest of our afternoons there, but we knew that the trains were going to take a long time to get home. After lots of face wipes and a huge plastic coat which we got given, we were finally acceptable to go on public transport, and start our long journey home. I had such a fun day, and was so nice to combine my love of running with friends and paint. I would always say to anyone to do a colour run, as they are just so so much fun! This week, I should be back running pretty soon, hopefully as I am sure that my injury is nothing too serious. I hope you have all had a nice weekend!
Love G x This weekend I found myself up in Milton Keynes on Saturday afternoon, for my first BMC race. I was down to do the 3000m, my second one of the season, and I was hoping to get another pb in it. After arriving after a 2 hour journey, it was nice to stretch out my legs. It was also a bonus, that we were one of the first races at 4:41, as it can be a long evening at BMC races, and I think the last race was being set off later than 9:30pm, I would definitely struggle with a late one like that. After watching the first steeplechase race set off, Phoebe, Nicole and I headed off on our warm up. We did a nice easy warm up and then headed to get our spikes, to take up to the start. Once we had put them on, we began to do some of our drills, but before we knew it we were being called up to the line. I was confused, we still had ten minutes left and I was worrying because I hadn't done many drills at all and only one stride, (and this stride was from one side of the back straight to the other, when I suddenly saw my race lining up). What had in fact happened was that they had printed off the paper timetable and brought the race forwards ten minutes, but hadn't changed it on the digital timetable, and we had only looked at the online version. I will admit my first km was probably a little bit too fast, but the pace of the race set off fast and I found myself being pulled along with the faster pace. With the sun shining down on me and the lake of warm up, my second and third km definitely payed for that. However on the last two laps, I found myself working with a little welsh girl, and I feel we definitely pushed each other around those last two laps. Luckily I managed to stay on the inside of the bends each time and kicked away from her in the last 200m, but when I crossed the line my legs were pretty dead, and I just had to sit on the floor for a bit... I crossed the line in 10:46, yes I was a little disappointed with that as I was aiming for sub 10:45 but I guess I can't complain with a pb of 7 seconds. Back to training to get some good sessions in before another 3000m next weekend, where I hope to improve on this time again. After the race, Phoebe and I went on a nice cool down on the paths around the track, making sure we never went off the main route. 8km later we finally got back to the track, and we had got very lost. We were even about to resort to knocking on someones door to ask for help. I don't think we are going to get trusted again now going for a warm down on our own, without a phone.
I hope you have all had a nice weekend, G x |
HelloI'm Grace, a 18 year old runner, and fitness fanatic. Join me on my crazy journey through life, squeezing in an adventure in every second of spare time I have. Archives
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