Running aMOK: November 2014

Friday, 14 November 2014

Making a Right Boob of it

Last Saturday I took part in the Bella 10k, a flat, 2 loop course round Bellahouston Park in Glasgow and conditions were perfect. I had taken part in this winter race a few times before and always didn't enjoy it, I don't know particularly why, but I just found it tough! I was cajoled into doing it again....

Katie (my lovely pacer) and Heather post-race and CRC prizegiving cocktails

I had tried to keep up with Katie at the Tin Farm race the week before and wasn't too far behind so she offered to pace me to aim for that 46 minute 10k. The race was packed with 'serious' runners, club vests all around, and despite Katie having 7 min 33 secs programmed into her virtual partner on Garmin we still set of like hares at the beginning, our first mile just over 7 minutes. That obviously soon caught up on me and I settled into my pace, my aim to keep with Katie for as long as I could.

Usually a saviour. Not on Saturday.

2 miles in, disaster strikes. My head doesn't go down. My right boob does! PING! Off pops my strap of my now not-so-trusted sports bra. "You'll never believe what's just happened" I exclaim to Katie. She thinks that I've needed a pee too much. Not this time, worse. "What should I do?" I pant in panic. Katie checked the Garmin and we were again, still ahead of pace - do we stop and sort it? No, I decided to persevere. Running round the rest of the route hoping my right boob wasn't flapping about all over the place. I hope no-one was taking photos!!

So it might have not been the most fortunate scenarios I'd hoped for in a race and I didn't manage to keep up with Katie all the way BUT I did manage a Personal Best of 46.19 which I was ecstatic about! The other CRC members also got some cracking times and PBs including my husband who came 15th overall with a time of 35 mins!! Thanks to Katie but no thanks to Shock Absorber!

Boys aren't impressed with my poses at pre prizegiving cocktails...

At least it gave us a laugh as we ate our cakes back at the bowling club and at the CRC prizegiving later that night :-)

Friday, 7 November 2014

Surprizes

I LOVE running, fitness and challenges. You may have gathered that! But I'm definitely not the fastest or the best. I work very hard at it and put my all into training, but I'm not a naturally gifted athlete so it's very rare that I get a prize. Therefore, I was super surprised, a tad embarrassed but delighted all the same to receive 2 prizes at the weekend!

Cathy Dobbie - Coach of the Year

Along with many deserving athletes and sports people, I was nominated for a prize at the South Kintyre Sports Council Awards. And shockingly I won Sports Person of the Year!! Obviously not because of my accolades of winning races (I wish!) but my determination to training and personal achievements such as PBs in marathon, half marathon and 10k this year and my efforts of promoting the sport, coaching and organisation of events within the community. It was a lovely surprise and it ended up being a great night out - good food and brilliant company.

Table banter - Eilidh wins £20 on heads/tails. Wine time?

The next day was the annual Tin Farm 5 race - a muddy, hilly multi-terrain race at Ormsary Estate. CRC had a bus of runners up to the race and our runners dominated the podiums once again which was fantastic - Kenny Campbell, of course, flying to victory and closely followed by my husband Stuart in 3rd as well as a host of many other prizewinners from 'the toon'. I loved the day, it was windy but I dug deep behind Katie to try to keep up. I was extremely happy with my course PB and even more shocked to discover I was 3rd senior lady and got a lovely glass trophy :-) The organisers put on an excellent spread of soup, sandwiches and delicious cakes which we all devoured. The only thing to do afterwards was to celebrate with some ciders and an indian meal with the club - great day out, looking forward to next year already!