Would Somebody Please Pass the Prozac!!!!!

Have Team Little Legs bitten off more than they can chew??????

As I write this I am a nervous woman, today is Tuesday, in the next 12 days I have three cupcake stalls, one 10k race, two days at work, one child's cross country race, one birthday (my 33rd) and a Christmas Fair that I am organising all by myself! They don't make enough Prozac in the world. My house looks like a small thermo nuclear device has been tested in the play room, the laundry room has piles of washing so high Becky and I could use them for hill practise. However, all is not doom and gloom. There have been some massive highs over the last few weeks, our first cupcake stall being one of them. The girls and I worked like Trojans on Saturday morning, designing, icing and decorating 82 cupcakes, and I was thrilled with the results, they looked great.

Our handy work in all its glory!

 

The stall was a hit, and we sold out, making £60 for the charity. Comments were really positive, one little girl came back three times, another little boy came back twice. Chocolate was a huge hit, I sold out of the chocolate orange before the bout even started. I would like to say a massive thank you to the SSRG (Sheffield Steel Roller Girls) for making us feel so welcome and their lovely comments. We have signed up to sell cupcakes at their next bout on 24th March and would tell all those curious about Roller Derby to come along to Ponds Forge and take a look. Not only can you eat my fabulous cupcakes, but its a fun afternoon for kids and grown ups alike. But I digress!

The training has had its ups and downs. Ups are that I am getting faster. I enjoyed a fast 5K a few weeks ago and smashed my 30 minute target, completing the run in 29 mins and 12 seconds. This was my first sub 30 minute 5k since Emily was born and was a huge confidence boost. I am doing the lovely Percy Pud 10k on Sunday and I would like to do it in under 60 minutes. Hopefully this is not too ridiculous an expectation! The long runs are also getting a little more comfortable, certainly my legs no longer weep unless I push them over eleven miles, and then they only whimper. I have decided to hide from them the fact that long runs after Christmas will all be over 13 miles, why ruin the festive season for them. Downs are the weather; its cold, its wet, and its dark. I feel like I take my life into my own hands every time I run at night, my birthday list has several items of reflective running gear on it. Also fitting the training in is becoming harder, especially alongside planning for the fair, making cupcakes, working a couple of days a week and looking after three children. Example. Sunday is always a busy day of house work, GP reading and fair preparation. By the time I had done the shopping, enough laundry that my family could at least wear clean clothes for the next two days and my GP reading,  I only had two hours for a run. Unfortunately this was the same two hours I needed to cook the Sunday dinner complete with roast tatties and yorkshire's that I had promised my daughters. The solution? My treadmill. I programmed it with 10 miles and every so often paused briefly to rush into the kitchen to put in the spuds, mix the yorkshires and put the veg on. After 94 minutes, 10 miles had been completed and dinner was ready. Some days I feel there just aren't enough hours, and its tempting to think that as the marathon isn't until April, the running can wait. But it cant for two reasons. First reason, every mile counts. I need to keep up the momentum and build up the weekly mileage, I have the nasty feeling that I would come a cropper if I leave the training until too late. Second reason, I need the endorphins. As many runners no doubt already know, running gives you a massive endorphin boost and is the perfect stress release. So no matter how busy I get, running needs to stay, as stressed as I am with it in my routine, I may crumble without it.

So thanks for listening once again. Tonight I need to finish making the decorations for the stalls at the fair. Tomorrow I will be making cupcakes, Thursday I'm working, selling cupcakes at lunch time, running six miles and making more cupcakes in the evening before two Christmas fairs over the weekend. So with my piping bag in one hand, home made Prozac (one part chocolate, two parts ice cream) in the other and trainers firmly strapped to my feet, I face the next twelve days with confidence. Here's to the twelve days of Team Little Legs!

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www.facebook.com/TeamLittleLegs and www.facebook.com/TommysChristmasFair

or visit our fundraising page to give us a much needed boost.

http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/RachelMarsden1

 

Guess I didnt Need Wiggo Afterall!

The Halloween Half turned out to be not so scary

Well I did it, and to say I was pleased with myself as I crossed the line at just before 1pm on Sunday afternoon would have been the understatement of the century.

 

One last push to the finish

 

 

I arrived in Worksop and spent a panicked five minutes in the car searching for my arm band, essential as it would hold my ipod and the all important playlist. I had done my kit check in the car before we pulled away and it was there. I was sure I had seen it as I pulled out my hat just moments earlier. I pulled everything out of the bag; bottle, hat, change of clothes..no armband!!! It was only then I realised that I was in fact already wearing my armband. I took this as pre run nerves. I said my goodbyes to Chris and the Girls, who were off for a much more sensible stroll around Clumber Park and toddled off to get my race number.

 

As I queued I pondered that I really, REALLY didn't feel nervous, and this was completely unexpected. I had been bricking it the night before the Great Yorkshire Run, and here I was, lining up for a very hilly half marathon, more than double the distance and triple the hills, and not a butterfly to be found. As I took my place with the other 2hr+ runners I took a little look around me, there was a man to my left who was 80 if he was a day, and on my right I had almost the full complement of the Mystery Machine; Scooby, Shaggy, Daphne, Velma and two ghosts (Fred was clearly missing in action) and I made a silent vow, I don't care what my time is, as long as I finish ahead of my elderly gentleman and Mystery Incorporated (the day I cant beat an octogenarian and a man in a Scooby Doo costume is the day I hang up my trainers for ever!) However, vow or no vow, as we set off and turned left up the hill towards Clumber Park, Mr Octogenarian (Barry as I later discovered his name was) and Mystery Incorporated left me for dust. Depressingly, over the course of the next ten minutes I was passed by many, many runners. A look behind me at about one and a half miles showed that there was perhaps only 20 people behind me, and they seemed to be closing fast. Glancing at my watch revealed I was running at slightly faster than my target pace, so going any faster would be pushing it. I had a choice to make, did I speed up to avoid the risk of being last over the line, or did I stick to to the planned race pace and give myself more chance of getting round? The ten miles round Derwent weighed heavy in my mind, and I reminded myself that I had not run a half marathon distance in four years. Sensible Rachel won the day, and I stuck to the race plan. Happily, by mile 2 people had stopped overtaking me and I settled down and began to really enjoy the run. It was beautiful! The Nottinghamshire countryside was in full autumn glory, and the views took in farmland and the edge of Clumber Park. After the very up and down first four miles were behind me, we turned to enjoy four miles of running through the park.

Entering the park looking fresh as a daisy

 The rain held off and as I left the park at mile eight I was amazed, I still felt good, not fresh by any means, but I was still enjoying the run.  I even found the energy to have a little joke with the marshalls, asking to take a short cut back into town, I was refused and the photo shows my obvious devestation! I was slowly but surely starting to overtake people, including Mystery Inc, however Mr Octogenarian still eluded me. The comedy signs on the way down to the sponge station were an hilarious interlude, although as I women I feel I have to object to the one that read "90% of women running this race should be home cooking Sunday dinner" and the one which warned "Danger, Rabid Squirrels" had me slightly on edge. As I passed the 10 mile marker I was elated, only 5K left and I knew there was a good downhill section to come. However, all of a sudden I was in trouble, it was like my legs realised they were in new territory, 10 miles+. My quads contracted, my hamstrings pulled and I was in a lot of pain. This continued for the next ten minutes and I honest to god felt like giving up and walking back. Only stubbornness kept me putting one foot in front of other, and thankfully, as I passed the 11 mile marker it eased a great deal. I looked at my watch and was flabbergasted to see I was coming through 11 miles in just less than 2 hours, if I could do the next 2.1 miles in less than 21 minutes I would come in under 2hr 20min. Did I dare push? Could I push? I was going to give it a go! I went up a gear and headed into the grounds of Worksop College. As Eye of the Tiger (I swear its true) came on I had come through the first mile in 10 mins 20 seconds, some very speedy mental maths told me I had to cover the last 1.1miles in 10 minutes 40 seconds. Not possible I thought, my legs hurt and I was tired, but it was down hill all the way so I went for it. As I reached the bottom of the hill, Mr Octogenarian was in my sites and I claimed him with 600m to go. As I rounded the final bend I knew I had fallen short, but I gave it one last push down the hill and crossed the line with a huge smile on my face.

  My split times proved how hard I worked, I did the last two miles quicker than the first two, but alas, my poor legs just had nothing left, and my time was 2 hours 20mins and 20 seconds, slightly dissapointing at the time but far far better than expected.  Had it not been for the undulating (to put it mildly) course, I may have been a shade faster, however, had it been a flatter first few miles I may have gone off too quickly, and found myself in the position of many of those I passed in the last couple of miles, good runners capable of fast times who had just gone off too quickly and paid the price. The only down side to my unexpected good time is I beat both my play list and the my family to the finish line. Charitos of Fire didnt reach my ears until I hobbled to get my t-shirt and collapsed on the floor to attempt to stretch my now screaming leg muscles. It took ten minutes before I was able to make it to the car.

 

 

A good stretch, a hot bath, a cuppa and a jacket potato restored me to full health, and I sat back to enjoy a smug sense of satisfaction. So, next stop London Marathon. I have decided to fit a few more races in between to help keep things interesting, another half marathon, ideally in February or March,  and a couple of 10K's. Any suggestions and offers of companionship gratefully received. However, the next big challenge is the Marathon. Still a daunting prospect, if you had asked me to turn around and do the race again on Sunday, I would not have got very far! But in my first training session in late April I couldn't run for more than two minutes and on Sunday I ran 13.1 miles. As it took me six months to get from 0 to 13 miles, I feel confident I can get from 13.1 to 26.2 in the next six.

 

Wish me Luck and follow Team Little Legs along the way.

http://www.facebook.com/TeamLittleLegs

http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/RachelMarsden1

 

But I Dont Have Over Two Hours of Hill Music

What are the chances of doing it on a bike????

Sorry for the long delay since my last post, its been a difficult couple of weeks for Team Little Legs. We lost our Nan-Nan, a wonderful lady who fought and ultimately lost a long battle with Alzheimer's Disease. The last few days of her life were hard and in the days since we lost her its been hard to motivate; I've found myself eating cupcakes and dodging training. However she would not have wanted that, she was a devoted lady and would want us to keep going regardless, she always did. So I am once again pulling on my trainers and hitting the keyboard, but I love and miss you Nan-Nan and this Sunday I dedicate my half-marathon to you.

My Nan-Nan (second from the left) with my Grandad, Mum and Aunt

 

So back to business. I have my first half marathon on Sunday, and to say I am bricking it would be an understatement. I had managed to lull myself into a false sense of security, I had done a couple of ten mile runs and had not died as a result, and I took this to mean that 13.1 miles would be a realistic prospect. Ha ha ha ha HA! On Saturday this week I joined the fabulous Corin, Firefighter Extraordinaire, for an autumnal run around the breathtaking Howden and Derwent Dams, a 10.4 mile run taking in Victorian dams, woodland and open moorland . As we left the Fairholmes car park the sun was shining, the water was still, and leaves were colours not thought possible in nature. I was full of confidence and looking forward to the road ahead. By the time I came to climb yet another hill at the beginning of mile six, I was sweaty, in pain, and trying to work out if I could ride one of the many sheep grazing nearby back to the car park. I was destroyed. My previous ten milers had been flat and/or down hill, with very little in the way of actual climbs. In comparison this run was what I like to call a what goes up must come down, although it has lots of nice downhill sections, you have to climb up there before hand!

The scene of my undoing

 



To make matters worse, I had in my ultimate stupidity done a five mile Fartlek the day before and a full on body pump session the day before that! As a result my quads were screaming and my legs felt so heavy I was tempted to check my trainers for lead shot.  Corin in comparison was fresh as a daisy, and I felt very much like I was holding her back (she however was a complete running gem, and never left my side or tried to up the pace) I made it back to the car park, but my confidence was by that point missing, presumed dead, and the thought of the half marathon that was only eight days away was terrifying. I have done the Worksop Half Marathon twice before, so I know what is coming. Receiving the hill profile of the race by email a couple of days later only served to confirm that my memory is indeed correct, 13.1 miles of hills await. I take some small consolation from the fact that it is a loop course, that starts and finishes at the same place, meaning once again, what goes up must come down. The race does indeed have some lovely down hill sections, unfortunately they are all preceded by a quad destroying, glute crushing hill. I have discussed how I use upbeat music to get me up hills during races, but I only have about twenty mins of hill music, on this occasion, I'm going to need a bigger play list! I have also discussed how I use race strategies, well my ideal strategy for Sunday involves a tandem and an Olympic cyclist, perhaps Bradley Wiggins is available? Alas, I feel even if I did grace the starting line sharing a bicycle made for two with Wiggo (of course sporting matching sideburns) the fellow racers would feel I was not quite acting in the right spirit. To add insult to final injury, the weather forecast for Sunday is just awful, rain and cold. But, I am a Yorkshire lass, and if I didn't run in the rain I would never run outdoors. So I have crafted the final race plan, and it lies below

 

1. Good upbeat music and a carefully crafted play list (to be completed tomorrow evening) 
2. A good running kit (happily I have now lost two stone of baby weight and can get back into most of my kit). This will prevent me from succumbing to hypothermia before the end of mile eight
3. Support. I feel weather conditions will be too unpleasant for my fellow members of Team Little Legs, however, I will take perverse pleasure in the thought that my husband will be cycling up the huge hill from Worksop to Clumber Park and then standing in the rain for an hour for me to pass him, before he cycles back down the hill to meet me at the finish.
4. NO FIVE MILE FARTLEK RUN THE DAY BEFORE (no further discussion needed)
5. Positive Thinking. I can do it! I have done it before, for pity's sake I ran from mile seven to the end in 2007 with a broken bone (thank you adrenalin) I can do it. I have put in the training, I am fit and its going to take more than a bit of sleet to stop me now!

So thanks for letting me prattle on,wish me luck and do me a favour. I take great delight in sitting and watching the Great North Run or the London Marathon with a bacon butty and a cuppa. I leave Worksop at 10.00am on Sunday, so put your feet up, get that cuppa and think of me as you watch the rain pour down your living room window. I will be out there plodding away, thinking of little Quinn and my Nan-Nan. Once again you can sponsor me at all the usual places, please help us with our cause, and I'll let you know how I got on next week.


http://www.facebook.com/TeamLittleLegs

http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/RachelMarsden1

 

 

The Cupcake Conundrum

Does the running cancel out the cupcakes or do the cupcakes cancel out the running???

Team Little Legs has alot of money to raise, and this week I received the email equivalent of a kick up the backside from the fundraising manager at Tommy's. It was a reminder that half our fundraising total needs to be raised by Christmas, and of this £1250 I have currently only raised about £450. This is not an amount of money to be sniffed at, but I have only 10 weeks to make up the difference. To add to the pressure, it seems the whole world wants to do the London Marathon next year, so there are lots of people waiting in the wings to take my charity spot. So, we put on our collective thinking caps on, and then it came to me, CUPCAKES! After I had gone to the shop and eaten all the cupcakes I'd bought, I began to think we might have a go at baking some to sell. I have done a fair bit of baking in the past, how hard can it be? The answer to this question is Very. I had no idea how many nozzles, bags, icing recipes and cupcake recipes there are out there. The only way we are going to get to a vaguely professional standard is practise, practise. So, after I had done my long run (a very nice nine mile run in the beautiful autumn sunshine) Rebecca, Evie and I made our way to the kitchen.

Evie made a simple batch of vanilla cupcakes, while Rebecca couldn't resist whipping up a batch of chocolate. In the last week or so I have made some lovely recipes, including choc-orange and a truly scrumptious caramel cupcake, but for today's cakes we kept it simple. While the cakes were cooling we made a batch of icing and coloured it up. Evie picked pink, Rebecca a baby blue, while I opted for a dusky pink colour.



 I was really impressed by my ladies piping skills. As you can see Evie got stuck right in. I used a recipe I found on the internet that called for milk, but I found it a little runny. Even though the piping was not spectacular, we had an army of glitter and sprinkles to rectify the situation.

 



The girls were very happy with their creations and they certainly passed the taste test. I think that we will need a whole lot of practise before we get something that looks good enough to sell. I am a little worried however that having all these cupcakes in the house will spell bad news for my diet. Perhaps my running will cancel out the calories, but I cant help but think that it may be that having a house full of cupcakes may cancel out all the good work done by the running, only time will tell.

Once again please consider following us on Facebook and if you can spare a little bit of dosh, it all goes to a good cause.

http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/RachelMarsden1

http://www.facebook.com/TeamLittleLegs

Please Dont Stop the Music

How do you craft the perfect half marathon play list?

Good News! I survived my ten mile run on Saturday. Not only that, I did it in a fairly good time and could almost convince myself that I enjoyed it. With this in mind, I have come to the perhaps mistaken conclusion that I may indeed survive the Worksop Half Marathon on the 28th October. Don't get me wrong, as I finished my ten miles I was tired, but if you had told me that I had another three miles to go, I would not have wept (if you had told me that I had another 16.2, like I would have done in the marathon I would have had a breakdown, but lets worry about that another day) So now I have to plan for my half marathon, covering race tactics, what kit I am going to wear, and most importantly, the play list. How do you select the music that will help the miles fly by? In my peak running days I would have needed around two hours of music, however now, realistically, I am looking at around two hours twenty ish. There is a whole industry based around finding the perfect music for you to run to. Websites will use your average km/mile split times or those that you aspire to to tell you what bpm (beat per minute) music you need. I am a much more simple creature though, for me running music falls into three categories, Get Moving, Keep Moving and Inspirational.

Depressingly, my current race pace gives me a bpm of 156

Get moving music is what I use at the beginning of races. These songs bring catchy beats and dance and rock feature heavily. I always start my play list with Fatboy Slims Right Here, Right Now. After all, all the training has been building up to this moment. Other common songs for the early sections are Muse's Supermassive Black Hole, Voodoo People by the Prodigy, and Lets Get it Started by the Black Eyed Peas.

Keep Moving songs are key for two sections of the race, coming through halfway, and the second to last mile/km. By halfway your just starting to feel the faster pace, but you still have as much road in front of you as you have left behind. You need up-beat music with lyrics that spur you on, a musical kick up the backside if you will. Black Eyed Peas Pump It, LMFAO's Sexy and I Know It and Florence and the Machine's Spectrum, are all songs I am using at the moment, but other songs that grace the mid section are Chemical Brothers Galvanise, and the slightly cheesy but highly obvious choices of Run by Gnarls Barkley and Moving by Supergrass. As you come towards the end of the run but still await that first glimpse of the finish line, your legs are really feeling it, as often you've not pushed this hard for this long before. What you need is a good beat to lift you towards the end. Two firm favourites I have used in the past are Marilyn Manson's Personal Jesus (the only reason I made it up Snig Hill without tears)  and Madonna's Four Minutes.



So now we come to Inspirational. These are songs with lyrics that speak to me, or more often than not, they are songs that just happened to be playing during a perfect running moment. For example, Speed of Sound by Coldplay, which was playing as I ran over the Tyne Bridge with the Red Arrows flying overhead during the 2005 Great North Run, or Robert Miles Children, which I listened to during a run round Rother Valley, enjoying probably one of the most beautiful sunsets I have ever seen. These songs evoke good running memories and give a little shot of endorphins, and I like to dot them around the play list.

 

A picture taken by my father in law as he waited for me at the 2005 finish line

Before I tell you how I end my play list, I have to admit to being a bit OCD about the whole thing. No, seriously, my husband had his head in his hands the whole time I compiled my last list. I work out my pace for each mile, then I write the songs out and how long they are, before compiling the final list so the right songs come on at the right time. Then I have the same two songs at the end. Vangelis, Chariots of Fire is always playing as I should be crossing the finish line. Cheesy, Moi? Guilty as charged, but it makes me smile and I love coming through the last 200m to the sound of the orchestra. But that's not the last song on my play list, that honour goes to Proud, by Heather Small. I play that to remind myself that although I didn't make my time, I should still be proud of my achievement. So if its Heather and not Vangelis serenading me over the line on October 28th, I will not lose heart, because 13.1 miles is a long long way, and I will definitely have done something that day to make me feel proud.

If you have any suggestions for my play list..please feel free to post them on the comments or on the Little Legs Facebook page. I am always on the hunt for new music and for another one of those block rockin beats!

As ever, I am prattling on to try and raise dosh. You can support us on the usual links below. Thanks for listening. You can text LEGS55 followed by the £amount to 70700 or


htp://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/RachelMarsden1

http://www.facebook.com/TeamLittleLegs

The Loneliness of The Long Distance Runner

All by Myself....Don't wanna be All by Myself

Evie Cross Trains in Millhouses Park

So its almost over, one last family run on October 7th at Braham Park in Leeds, and then I am all on my tod. The long runs are now also living up to their name. I have a ten miler scheduled for this weekend and at my current pace, that's about 1hr 50 mins of running. I have almost always been a solitary runner, my husband, though I love him dearly, would only run with me if I stole his Xbox, and would stop as soon as he had caught me and retrieved it. I had a fabulous running mate before things all went Pete Tong four years ago, a firefighter by the name of Corin, but I tried to keep up with her during a half marathon and ended up in Bassetlaw District General (Cheers for that Corin) Thinking about it however, it may also have had something to do with the four carbo gels and two bottles of lucazade sport I guzzled. Other than Corin, non of my friends have really been runners. I have done a few 5K type distances, but never anything longer than 4 miles with them. This never bothered me, I would lace up my trainers, strap on my headphones and run to what ever beat or book I had selected for that day. I ran round Rother Valley to the Woman in White, and round Howden listening to Newton Faulkner, and other than them had no one for company. But now I am spoilt. I have done several races with my children and had them to train with in the early stages and I got used to the company. Now I am starting to cover longer and  longer distances the girls cant join me and I find this sad. Evie is no longer training, she has turned her attentions back to world domination, and that is a full time job. Becky is running twice a week, once with school and once with the Hallamshire Harriers, she loves it, especially being in a club. I am expecting good things from her on the next 5K. Maybe I should follow Beckys example and join a club, I still worry I am a little slow, that's my main reason for not running with Corin at the moment, that and the threat of hospitalisation. I think I will just have to put it out there that I am doing long runs and see if anyone is up for it. So looking at the weather forecast Saturday is the day for my long one, its a good route though so it should be fun. If worse comes to worse, and I get too lonely, I can always use Team Little Legs indoor training centre.

Team Little Legs indoors training centre, A.K.A the Playroom

The fund raising has ground to a halt somewhat and I am feeling a little demotivated after the high of the Great Yorkshire Run. I was really saddened when I saw that a facebook tribute page to a murderer had more likes than Team Little Legs. I have sent off numerous letters and got very few replies, those that do reply usually say no or bog off.  But I remember the words of Jonnie Peacock...paralympic 100m Gold Medallist, who said "I don't want to cross the finish line knowing that there was one second when I didn't try my hardest" and I don't want to get to April and know I didn't give it everything. So, I am resending the letters, sending out new ones, and making new plea's for sponsorship. Please help if you can.

Once again you can find us at all the regular places, with addition of Text Giving, text the amount and code LEGS55 to 70700 for a free way to support us. Thank you

www.facebook.com/TeamLittleLegs
http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/RachelMarsden1

Great Yorkshire Girls

Team Little Legs conquer the Great Yorkshire Run

Sunday 2nd September arrived and Team Little Legs were once again wearing trainers and pink vests. The day of the Great Yorkshire Run 2012 was here and boy was it a hot one. We each had our own individual challenge ahead, 10k for a nervous Rachel, 1.5K for Evie and the pocket rocket had 2.5K between her and the finish line.

As I arrived in town I couldn't stop smiling. I last ran a competitive race in October 2008 and I had forgotten how much I loved lining up with all the other competitors. It was hot, hot, hot and I took the decision to set off with the slower runners at the back. As I lined up next to a storm trooper, I contemplated my target time. I wanted to get round in 70mins, my best time in training was 72. After a downhill start the course was flat until the last 1k, which contained some absolutely killer climbs, including a finish up Commercial street. The hot weather and the fact I was setting off at the back (which any runner will tell you means you are going to walk for most of the first 500m until the crowd thins) made me decide to kiss this goodbye. I resolved just to get round, and as long as I beat the storm trooper home I would be happy. So the start came and I was right, several bottle necks meant I pretty much walked down to park square, but then I was off and before I knew it we were on Penistone Road. IT WAS HOT, and there was no shade, but my music blasted and the KM markers ticked away. A brief stop to refill my water bottle at 6k slowed me down (its the first time I have ever run out of water during a 10K) but the sun went in, the breeze picked up, and suddenly we had reached 8K and were heading back into town. I had glanced at my watch several times and my pace was fast, I was aiming for 11min 12s miles but my pace was often sub 10min miles. I forced myself to slow down, but I had come through 8k (5 miles) in only 52 mins and still felt I had loads in the tank. As I got to 9K I was cursing myself, thinking I should have pushed myself harder, perhaps I could have made it sub 1hr!!! Then came the hills, first up to West Bar, then up Snig Hill and then back down again before the long hard tug up Commercial Street. My team were waiting for me at Leopold Square, and their shouts of "come on mummy" got me to the 200m to go mark, but I had NOTHING left in the tank by the time I got to the top.

A cheer from my lovely in-laws got me round the last bend and I crossed the line in 65min 2s. I was delighted and think if it hadn't been for the hills I would have been close to 1hr.

After a sit down and a subway sandwich it was time for Evie to line up. She was determined to run with the Tommy's tin, "people may want to give us money".

 As we set off it was apparent our training had paid off, Evie was quicker and was running for longer without needing to walk. By the time we got to the Peace Gardens we were flying but then DISASTER, Evie went down on the cobbles. We had a minute to get over the shock but soon she was off again and I struggled to keep up (please bear in mind I already had 10k in my legs). Her poor grazed knees started to hurt  but we held hands and screamed our way to the finish.

A time of 8m 48s (1.5k is just short of a mile and she spent at least 30s on her bum) was her reward and she wore her medal with pride.

So now it was the turn of the Pocket Rocket. We studied a map of the course and decided where to cheer her on. I stood on Arundel gate to cheer her through the 1K mark, Daddy would wait at the Peace Gardens to see her into the last km and Momah and Grandad would be at the bottom of Norfolk Street. Grandad asked what time I expected her to finish, I said 15minutes, based on her last time of 18mins for a 3K.  Becky went to the start and we took our positions. The junior race was made up of two waves, Red were 12-14 year olds and Blue 9-11. Becky was Blue, and they set off 2min after the Red (this is relevant later I promise). At 13.50pm they were off and I was amazed when the front of the Red wave runners came through 1K in just over three minutes, outstanding. At 13.52pm Rebecca's wave set off and I waited for her to complete the first KM. To say I was stunned when she came through 1km in around 4 minutes would be an understatement. I screamed myself hoarse. I watched the winners come through and the first girl for the blue wave finished in an amazing 7m 4s. Where would Becky come? How far behind would she be? The time ticked away and the blue girls crossed the line, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th and the clock still hadn't reached 10 minutes, Becky couldn't go under 10 mins surely???

At 9m 30 sec I saw Becky come into view, as the photo shows she was overtaking girls in the red wave, and they had a 2min head start! Once again I screamed....COME ON BECKY!!!!!!!!

She did it! I wasn't sure of the exact time but I knew it was under 10 minutes. In the end it was 9m 56sec, 6m 21s mile pace, a pace I could only dream of. She came in 10th position in her wave and was a very proud young lady.

 

The Great Yorkshire Run was a great day in so many ways. First of all it was fun. I really enjoyed my 10K and the girls had a great day, I was so proud of them. I have completely caught the running bug again and as any runner will tell you I have got the inevitable next times, next time I want to go under an hour, next time I want to do a half marathon... I am energised again and feel completely up for the next challenges. Rebecca has decided to join a running club to see if her obviously natural ability can be turned into something more, she knows she will have to work hard, but who knows? Little Evie now bows out of the running challenges, but her contribution has been wonderful and she will still be there on our other fund raising events.

 

Once again you can keep up to date with us through facebook, please hit the like button.www.facebook.com/TeamLittleLegs

 

 Sponsorship as always needed and can be given through our fund raising page http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/RachelMarsden1

Meet Team Little Legs: Focus on Rachel

Meet the Matriarch of Team Little Legs

Name: Rachel Marsden a.k.a Mummy and Marsden's bint.

Star Sign: Sagittarius. apparently sagitarians are optimistic, freedom loving, jovial, good humoured, honest, straightforward, intellectual and philosophical. I will let the jury decide how accurate that is!

Favourite Colour: Blue, must be all those Wednesday matches I went to as a kid.

Favourite Animal: Its a close run thing. I love Giraffes, Tigers and Hippos passionately but in the end I think Hippos just win it out. Perhaps its because I feel I can relate, large but capable of being very fast, appears docile but likely to bite your head off and leathery from spending too much time in the sun.

What do you want to be when you grow up? A doctor  Why? I've started so I'll finish.

If you were to win an Olympic medal, what sport would it be in? I'd fancy my chances at rowing actually. I'm tall and I have really big shoulders and arms so I reckon I could do alright.

If you were a cartoon character, who would you be? Velma Dinkley, without a doubt. Smart, bit mousy, likes a challenge, but you just know that underneath that turtle neck sweater theres a right little go-er!!!

 

If you had a million pounds how would you spend it? I would buy a house and take my whole family on a nice holiday. I would also give money to charity, Tommy's,  NSPCC, Alzheimer's Society and the British Heart Foundation are all causes really close to my heart.

If you could meet anyone, alive or dead, who would it be? Can I have a man and  a woman? A woman it would be my Nan-Nan Price. She has Alzheimer's, and is still with us, but she is very end stage now. I would love to go back to before she was sick and tell her about me being a doctor, introduce her to my children, especially Emily. I find it so sad that she doesn't know them. Man, it would have to be my Grandad Hutchinson, he died when I was a little older that Evie and prior to that he had Alzheimer's as well, so I feel like I never got to know him. I have a wonderful relationship with my Grandad Price so I feel I have missed out.

What superhero powers would you most like to have? Mind reading, but I would have to be able to turn it on and off at will. There are some situations where I would not like to know what some people are thinking.

What do you enjoy most about the runs? I have loved doing it with the girls and I am so proud of them. Its been so nice doing it as part of a team and I am sad because this is the last run Evie will be involved in, unless we find another short run for her to do in the spring.

Why do you think its important that we do our runs and raise money for Tommy's? I want to do something positive in memory of Quinn and his parents strength has been such an inspiration. Also I have selfish reasons too. Tommy's want to halve the number of babies lost during pregnancy or at birth by 2030. In 2030 my girls will be 29, 24 and 18, all childbearing age, not to mention my five nieces, who will also be in their childbearing years. If raising money now helps save them from losing a special little one, then that's the icing on the cake.

Rachel will be taking part in the Great Yorkshire Run on Sunday 2nd September. Please support her and the rest of Team Little Legs in our quest to raise much needed funds for Tommy's. You can do this at all the usual places, and Rachel, your the oldest, so that's why you have to do 10k!

www.facebook.com/TeamLittleLegs

http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/RachelMarsden1

Meet Team Little Legs: Focus on Becky

Meet Team Little Legs Speed Freak

In the second of our Meet Team Little Legs series, this week we invite you to learn a little more about Rebecca A.K.A Becky, the pocket rocket of Team Little Legs. Who is Becky? What motivates her? And when her little sister finally fulfils her destiny and takes over the world, which country will Becks want as her own? Find out here.

Name: Rebecca Margaret Amy Marsden, but most people call me Becky. My mum was adamant when I was born that I would be Rebecca, not Becky, but even she was calling me Becky within a day.

Star Sign: Aries. A fire sign, Aries traits are adventurous, energetic, pioneering, courageous, enthusiastic, confident, dynamic and quick-witted. (I do not believe in star signs as a rule, but I feel you could not get a better description of my eldest daughter)

Favourite Colour: Purple, because it is bright, I like bright colours.

Favourite Animal: Dolphins, because they are cute and intelligent.

What do you want to be when you grow up? A vet. Why? I like animals (sound familiar????)

If you were to win an Olympic medal, what sport would it be in? Running

If you were a cartoon character, who would you be? Not a Pickachu because mum thinks they should all be rounded up and shot. I would be Walle, because he is funny and I think it would be cool to be a robot.

If you had a million pounds how would you spend it? I would go on holiday abroad and lots of toys and games

As you know Rebecca, Evie is one day destined to rule the world from a hollowed out volcano. When this happens, which country would you like as your own? I would like Cyprus, because its hot and sunny and I could go on lots of holidays there.

If you could meet anyone, alive or dead, who would it be? I would like to meet Henry VIII so I could see how much he could eat in one go!

What superhero powers would you most like to have? Flying and turning invisible.

What do you enjoy most about the runs? I like training on the treadmill at home, that's cool. I also like to see how fast I can do the courses in and I love looking at the results to see where I came. I am glad you have entered us in another 5K, I bet I can do it really fast next time, maybe under 30 mins!!!

Why do you think its important that we do our runs and raise money for Tommy's? Because its not nice when babies die and I hope that Tommy's will help stop that from happening.

Rebecca will be taking part in the Great Yorkshire Junior Run on Sunday 2nd September. Please support her and the rest of Team Little Legs in our quest to raise much needed funds for Tommy's. You can do this at all the usual places, and Becky, your racing solo so you can do this one as fast as you like. Go Becky!!!

www.facebook.com/TeamLittleLegs

http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/RachelMarsden1

Meet Team Little Legs: Focus on Evie

Meet Team Little Legs Littlest Legs!!

As a bit of fun in the run up to the next challenge we thought we would run a bit of a special set of blogs to enable you to find out a little more about Team Little Legs, who we are, what makes us tick, if we were a cartoon character who would we be???? Enjoy (It is worth noting that these are Evie's actual responses, other than the star sign stuff. I am reminded what a remarkable little girl I have)

Name: Eve Mary Ann Marsden. My family have called me Evie since I was born but my proper name is Eve. I went through a stage of wanting to be called Eve, because when I was learning to write my name I realised Eve is shorter than Evie, however, now I have got the hang of writing I have gone back to Evie.

Star Sign: Gemini. Gemini traits are outwardly expressive, extrovert,flirtatious,confident,fun-loving,strong,independent,freedom-loving.

Favourite Colour: White. Why? Because I like it

Favourite Food: Pizza

Favourite Animal: Dogs and Ponies, its a tie. I once told my mummy that the reason I was so desperate for a dog was that the garden was too small for a pony (those were her exact words, she was four at the time)

What do you want to be when you grow up? A vet Why? Because I like animals.

If you were to win an Olympic medal, what event would it be? Swimming.

What would you do on your best day out? I would like to go swimming, then Ice Skating, then to the movies, then to Jordan and Shannon's (cousins) house to play and then to Alice's house (cousin and one of her best friends) for a sleepover.

If you had a million pounds how would you spend it? I would buy some holidays and sponsor a child.

If you were a cartoon character, who would you be?? I'm not sure, but mummy did an on line quiz and it says I am like Elmo, so I'm Elmo and I know it (check out the you tube video). Mummy and Daddy think I would make a good Elmo.

If you could meet anyone alive or dead, who would it be? Katy Perry, I like Katy Perry, I like her songs (on a cute note, her first answer was Caroline with the White Hair, because she's really nice and she lets me play with Lego, Caroline with the White Hair, you know who you are!)

What superhero powers would you most like to have? Flying

Why to you want to raise money by doing your runs? To buy Quinn's Mummy some flowers. We have tried explaining to her what we are raising money for, but she is adamant that some of the money should go to buying Quinn's mummy some flowers, because "flowers are nice when you are sad"

We hope you enjoyed getting to know Evie a little better. On Sunday Evie will be running the Great Yorkshire Mini Run in Sheffield City Centre. Please support her and Tommy's at the usual places, and we would be delighted if you were to come down and cheer her on. And Evie, you will be delighted to know that at 1.5k, this time, you only have to do one lap! Thank you.

www.facebook.com/TeamLittleLegs

http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/RachelMarsden1

Goodbye London 2012: It's Been Emotional

Go GB, GO GB

Well what a fortnight, and what a time to be British. To say that Team Little Legs has enjoyed the Olympics would probably be the understatement of the century. From the touching moment that British sporting legends gave the task of lighting the torch to seven young sporting hopefuls, to the heartbreaking sight of Gary Barlow singing Rule the World at the closing ceremony, Team Little Legs has joined the rest of the nation in being utterly transfixed. After seven years of planning London 2012 got underway and Team GB did us all proud. An astounding 64 medals, 29 of them Gold, and third place in the medal table was the reward for all the hard work and dedication of the whole GB team, from the awe inspiring athletes, the coaches, the scores of workers who built the impressive venues, the gamemaker volunteers and also, though I hate to say it, the politicians, without whose support during the bid process, London 2012 would never have happened. And we needed it to happen. Its been a gloomy few months, well years, and we really needed something to distract us and bring us together. Everywhere I went over the last fortnight (on those rare occasions I could bring myself to leave the TV, why oh why do children need sunlight) people were discussing the games, talking about the Olympic success, and enjoying being part of Team GB. We really did feel part of the team, and that for me was the success of the games. When athletes stood/sat at the starting lines I shook with nerves (how they held it together I will never know), when they reached the closing stretches I shouted myself hoarse, when they crossed the line I cheered and shouted as if I had won the medal myself. When we feel part of a team, we feel as if we are not in this alone. Margaret Cartey once wrote "the nice thing about teamwork is that you always have others on your side", and when you feel that you can face anything.

For me, one of my favourite moments of the games was Mo Farah becoming the first British long distance runner to win gold in the 5000m and 10000m. He was awesome, and his words after he won his second gold inspired me. He said you can do anything, its just hard work and graft. I must admit to a large amount of self doubt creeping in over the last few weeks about whether I can complete both the marathon and my fund raising, but seeing the GB athletes pull epic performance after epic performance out of the bag has inspired me. They trained hard for four years, I can do it for seven more months, they train for hours every day, I can manage one or two a day.

So thank you team GB, and i cant wait until the paralympic games, GO GB, GO GB

www.facebook.com/TeamLittleLegs

http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/RachelMarsden1

A Very Public Tradegy

A tragic reminder of the importance of Tommy's

This week saw a public tragedy that reinforced why we are supporting Tommy's. As the rest of Great Britain celebrated Super Saturday, with six golds in one day for team GB, Gary Barlow and his wife Dawn were mourning the loss of their fourth child, who was still born. In a statement Gary said that they were devastated at the loss of their little girl Poppy, and were focusing on giving her a beautiful funeral and loving their remaining children as much as possible. Although I don't know personally the pain they are feeling, thanks to the bravery and honesty of Quinn's parents, I have been given a glimpse of the anguish felt after the loss of a baby. I do however know only too well how Gary and Dawns friends will be feeling. The complete sense of shock, not knowing what to do or say, feeling cowardly and useless as their friend cries whilst on the phone and they have absolutely no words, the overwhelming desire to turn back time and do something, anything, that will allow their friend to keep their baby, the disbelief and anger that the world goes on regardless. I personally had my own brand of survivor guilt, something that Mark Owen, who happily became a father for the third time recently, may be able to empathise with. I couldn't understand why I had been allowed to keep my baby, and my friend had lost hers. I felt guilty every time I looked at Emily, every time she smiled at me I felt wrong for taking joy in the moment, knowing that Quinn was gone. I also felt scared that my friend would be lost to me, unable to cope with seeing my family, however this was unfounded, my dear friend showed bravery that I am certain I would not be capable of, and soon embraced Emily once again and continues to be a large part of my children's life.

The loss of Poppy Barlow highlights the tragic mystery that is stillbirth. We very rarely know why a baby is lost at birth. The Barlows will have been able to afford the best in health care and nutrition, and have had three healthy children before this pregnancy, but they still lost their little one. The loss of a child is I am sure the most awful thing that can happen, the loss of all that could have been, the heavy feeling of empty arms as you leave hospital, but what surely must make it worse is not knowing why.  Human beings are intelligent apes and we need answers. As a doctor I have seen that people can face terrifying situations with unbelievable bravery if they know what they are up against, why it happened and what they and medical staff can do about it. Parents of a still born baby are nearly always denied answers to these questions and that is where Tommy's come in. They help fund research into the causes of stillbirth and provide midwife led helplines to try and lead people through what must be the darkest hours they will ever experience. The pain felt by the Barlows is acute and overwhelming, but it is no less painful than the emotions felt by Quinn's mummy and daddy, the only difference is that they have now found the strength to incorporate the pain into their every day life, and will carry it with them forever.

If you do nothing else today, spare a thought for Poppy, Quinn and the countless other babies that have been lost either at or before birth. Think of their parents and follow the Barlows in loving your children as much as possible, I know I will. Please support Tommy's. You can as always do this by sponsoring us, however, I would be equally delighted with a direct donation, every penny counts.

 If you have been affected by anything I have talked about today and feel you need some support, please contact Tommy's, thier website link is below. Thank you.

www.tommys.org

http://uk.virginmoneygiving/RachelMarsden1

Hurry up Mum!!

Rebecca and Rachel Complete Team Little Legs Second Challenge

So once again Team Little Legs tied on their trainers and got going for Tommy's. This time it was at the Clumber Park 5k. Evie was taking part in the role of chief cheerleader and the running was down to Rachel and Rebecca.  A gorgeous hot day awaited us, however this added a whole new dimension, we just weren't used to running in the heat. With the race starting 40 mins late we had almost run out of water and had to go on a desperate hunt for extra. But we soon off and as the photos show it was all smiles at the start.

 So we were off and as usual clumber park did not disappoint as a running venue. I have done the Worksop half marathon twice previously and love running through the park. I however knew how hilly the park is in places, and was a little worried when I found us headed toward the biggest hill in the park. My watch had broken and as we reached the bottom of the hill I felt that our target time of 35 minutes was looking doubtful. Becky was an absolute trooper though, and despite the heat and hills never looked tired. Eventually the top of the hill arrived and a new challenge arose, the muddy forest track was wet and churned up and it soon became obvious that Team Little Legs new challenge was to get down the steep hill with intact ankles!

 The 4K marker arrived and Rebecca wanted to sprint away! I was shocked, very little training, a huge hill, heat and she was still wanting to sprint. I knew I was not going to have enough in me for a full kilometre sprint and held her back until the the last 400m. As we got to the finish line I was stunned, the time was less than 32mins! At a guess we think our time was 31mins 50 seconds, it was defiantly less than 32 minutes and to say we are chuffed as we crossed the line hand in hand is an understatement. I was so proud of Rebecca and who knows what she is capable of if she trains full pelt.

Thoughts now turn to our next challenge on 2nd September. I have a 10K and the girls are also running, Rebecca 3K and Evie 1.5k. I will keep you informed!

As ever you can follow us on facebook www.facebook.com/TeamLittleLegs and please visit our fundraiser page on http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/RachelMarsden1

NOTE: The Clumber Park 5K was a Race For Life. Although Becky and I were raising funds for Tommy's we gave a large donation to Cancer Research UK and if anyone feels they would rather support that equally worthy cause please do so. Thank You for your support.

The next challenge looms...

So....how do you train in a monsoon?

As of today there is less than one week to go before Becky and I take on the Clumber Park 5K. How's the training going I hear you ask?? Well, the training is going well, but it is all indoors. Now don't get me wrong, I'm a Yorkshire lass and I'm no stranger to bad weather. I have run in wind, rain, thunderstorms, snow and hail the size of golf balls but only ever for a few minutes at a time. That's the thing about British weather, if you don't like it hang around, there will be some more along in a minute. However at the moment its rain, rain, RAIN! Its all very well heading out into the rain for a run on your own, but dragging a pre-teen along with you is a different matter. Becky is a good girl, and would run in the rain if I asked her, but motherly love seems to preclude me asking. So we have been hitting the treadmills.  My fab husband Chris has brought my treadmill into the dining room so we can train whenever we like. Becky seems to be struggling with the distance a little, but that's mainly because of the sheer lack of outdoor runs. I myself seem to be getting along fine, I ran a 10k in 65 min 39 secs on last Thursday and my latest outdoor 5k was finished in 32min 12 seconds. I feel like i have tonnes more energy, which I am taking as a sign of improved fitness. I am a little worried about how Becky will cope with the 5k. She has done the distance before, at 8 years 1 month she ran a cross country 5k in 33mins, but that was a glorious spring and we were outdoors all the time. However, we have a few more days left and will hopefully squeeze in a few more sessions.

And how is the weight loss going? (my your full of questions today!). I lost 3lb in my first week and I am chuffed. The diet is making me eat lots of fruit and veg and I am sure that is why I have more energy. I am hoping that I may have lost another couple of pounds before the race, which should make the run a little easier. I must admit there are tough bits, the cake counter at Chatsworth today was an exercise in willpower but I did it.

Back to the training and surprise surprise its raining out, so onto the treadmill I go!

follow us as usual at

www.facebook.com/TeamLittleLegs

http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/RachelMarsden1

Remember..the camera adds ten pounds

Slimming world here I come

I loved every minute of last weeks run, and I put the pictures up on facebook and on this blog with pride, however, I was HORRIFIED to see how I looked in the pictures.

Now I know what you are going to say, I only gave birth in February, I am doing really well to be running like I am, only movie stars lose all their baby weight straight away and then its because they have personal trainers etc etc etc and your right, and yet I still feel unhappy with myself. This time last year I was vomiting in a bucket (the joy of pregnancy) but I was a size ten and two and a half stone lighter then I am now.  I naively thought that once I started training the weight would fall off, and initially I was right. I lost ten pounds almost straight away but in the last month I have lost nothing, this despite the fact that I am now running over twenty miles a week, plus two swimming sessions. I am a doctor, so I understand that weight loss is all about calories in versus calories out, and I need to take responsibility. If I am burning over three thousand calories a week running (one delight about being so heavy, those calories clock up fast on a run), then in order to not loose any weight I must be putting too much in, simple as. I am not going to be one of those people who makes up a long list of reasons/people to blame for being overweight and not being able to shift it (although I hasten to add that as a doctor I know that some people have legitimate medical reasons or family commitments that make that the case, I am just not one of them unfortunately).

Therefore on Thursday I plucked up my courage and walked the 100 yards to the church at the bottom of the road to join my local slimming club. I was given a very nice welcome, and get this, they reward you for exercise, so I should get some awards next week!!! I have all the books, the shopping has been done, meals planned and I am feeling inspired. I am a practical women, I am not expecting any big differences in the photos for the 5K challenge, but I would like to think that it will be noticeable by the 10k in September. I know it will be tough, but as you may have guessed, I like a challenge!

Wish me luck and once again don't forget you can follow us on facebook and on our fund raising page.

www.facebook.com/TeamLittleLegs

http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/RachelMarsden1

 Team Litte Legs First Challenge

Graves Park Run in the Park

1st July 2012

WE DID IT!!

Team Little Legs braved the cool July air on Sunday morning and did our first 3k challenge. It was a pretty but hilly course however loads of people and the party atmoshpere lifted the chill. We ran the first 250m together but then Becky decided that she wanted to stride ahead. Evie struggled on the hills, and when we passed the finish at the end of the first lap Evie was horrified at the prospect of another lap. However she was a trooper and kept going, and before we knew it the finish was in sight.

Becky was waiting for us at the finish line, a little tired after a blistering finish. She finished in a most impressive time of 18mins 39 seconds, was the 29th women over the line, and 89th finisher out of 416 runners overall. Very impressive for an eleven year old. Evie and I came over the line in 25mins 39 seconds and collected our medals with pride.

Our fundraising is still ongoing, this is a marathon, not a sprint afterall. The next challenge takes place in three weeks time and is a 5k in Clumber Park. Evie will sit this one out so Becky and I will fly the flag for team little legs.  If you want to contribute please visit our fundraising page, http://uk.virginmoneygiving/RachelMarsden1 and follow us on facebook, www.facebook.com/TeamLittleLegs