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