Lucozade Sport Super Six: CC2 - Speedy Goth

saintjason

I went for some Mizuno Kaze spikes in the end - for no other reason that they were on offer at £30

OMG! That was tough - not so much running as skiing down the hills in shin deep mud!! Nice! 

Still - club vest is now blooded or mudded) and a nice glass of red to unwind. 

CC2 - Speedy Goth

Silverware....

We won the team prize in the Nottinghamshire Half Marathon County Championships. The big one has to be returned, but I get to keep the little one.

CC2 - Speedy Goth

Well, I was hoping that the offical results might be up by now. They're not, but I need my sleep so I have to write this now and go to bed. I know it's only 8.50. I don't care .

For some reason, despite having been really up for this race a few days ago, this morning I just wasn't quite in the right frame of mind. There's so much going on elsewhere in my life and I'm frankly tired. Anyway, we got there and handed back the humongous trophies that the club won last year. Queued for the loo, jogged back to the car to strip down to race kit, made use of a bush to avoid the loo queue again, did a warm up and strides, queued for the loo yet again and only got out of there with 4 minutes to spare. Eek. Dashed to the start line and pushed in near the front. Too close to the front really but the only other option was the back. No ta!

At least I didn't have time to worry about my performance. We were off before I'd really come to a standstill. The promised 'big hill' turned out to be towards the end of the first mile but I'd planned a conservative start anyway. I was quite enjoying myself until we got into Clumber Park at about 5 miles or so. That should have been the nice bit and Tim (who was pacing me having run the Leicester half last weekend) kept telling me it was all flat in there. My memories of the Summer League race were of a flat and downhill race with just one steep little hill so it seemed promising. Well, flat my ar$e! The bits that aren't in the Summer League race are all up and down and the bit that is in the Summer League race was run in the opposite direction, so it was a really really long uphill drag. I thought I was dying. My breathing was all over the place, I had two simultaneous stitches and a stabbing pain in the middle of my chest. I took a gel in the middle of there somewhere and I had a handily positioned club mate with a pouch of Lucozade at halfway. I needed those! Somewhere in there there was also a huge unavoidable puddle which guaranteed cold wet feet for the rest of the race, and a weird bit of plastic to run over (I assume it was covering some mud).

CC2 - Speedy Goth

I couldn't wait to see the back of Clumber Park, I don't care how pretty it is. However even when we came out the other side the hills were still relentless. I was really struggling by now. I'd wanted to get to 10 miles in 71 mins but my watch showed over 72 so I knew I had a lot of work to do. Thank goodness the last mile was all downhill (the one we'd run up in mile 1). I let gravity do the hard work and clocked my quickest mile here.

I saw the 800m to go sign - that's still a long way. I started chanting in my head 'just five more minutes' over and over until I looked at my watch and saw it was 'just four more minutes', 'just three more minutes' then I gave up looking at my watch. 400m to go, just once around a track... We turn a corner and Tim shouts 'go on, you've done it, it's your race'. I can see the finish gantry (no clock though) and I up the pace. I can't get this over quick enough. I cross the line heaving, convinced that I'm about to lose my stomach contents. Somehow I manage not to be sick but it's some time until I'm capable of speech.

Watch time 1.34.34.
Splits 7.23, 7.05, 6.51, 7.08, 7.08, 7.23, 7.20, 7.24, 7.03, 7.30, 7.23, 7.35, 6.33, 0.48 (5.46)

It was trophies galore at the presentation. The team prizes alone resulted in two humongous returnable trophies, 10 trophies that we each get to keep and £10 in vouchers each. I my trophy, it's gorgeous! And the huge one is on my cupboard too. We were instructed not to bring them back if we won them again as they're too big for the club trophy cabinet. I immediately volunteered to look afer it for a year. Aren't I kind

kaysdee Kelly

Well done! Awesome result

[Deleted User]

well done cc2 quite chuffed for ya,   great splits too,  especially the last mile,  what agreat effort after 12 mile to do a 6.33.    its also one of my goals to do sub 1.35 hm   the other goal is a sub 40 10k  and both are doable. just need to be patient  and they will come,  but well done mate, i bet it was such a relief

siber

Well done Speedy Goth,

I saw you at the ten mile mark ( recognise you from the pictures, famous now you see! )  You looked in the zone!  The weather was great yesterday, good conditions for a run in the park..It was my first half in two years.  I dont know about you but the legs are sore now!

Really pleased for you-is 1.30 the next target!

saintjason

YES YES YES!!!!!!!!!!!!! Great stuff Catherine!!!! I knew you would smash 95 easy!! Onwards and upwards now that that mental barrier has been defeated.  

Cake

 Congratuations and well done CC2.

Steve Marathon Coach

well done Catherine. Great running and you can go much quicker still on a faster course.

CC2 - Speedy Goth

Official chip time 1.34.30 and 18th lady.

Annoyingly though, girls I can beat easily over shorter distances are still ahead of me over the Half Marathon. Maybe I should stick to 10ks.

[Deleted User]

Welldone on cracking 95 for the half, what's the next target in your sights?

LIVERBIRD

Flippin heck! That's FAST.......

Don't stick to 10k's CC2 - you're blooming good at this!

CC2 - Speedy Goth

There are still people here!

Just back from my holidays and plan to have a little down time for November. Ran twice in Whitby (one along the beach to Sand's End and back - bloomin' hard work that is!). Of course, my idea of downtime.......

Saturday 8th - North Mids XC
Sunday 16th - Heanor 10k (if I can get a number, haven't entered yet)
Sunday 23rd - East Mids XC
Saturday 29th - North Mids XC
Sunday 30th - East Mids XC

However, this does mean that I won't be doing any really long runs, just the occasional wednesday evening 10 miler.

No races entered for December yet but I'm contemplating Saltwell Park 10k even though I hated it last year. Then there's the Resolution Run on Jan 1st and then, hopefully, marathon training begins on Jan 5th!

Good luck with the competition Liverbird. I really hope you get in, I would love to read your blogs.

kaysdee Kelly

Downtime? I'd hate to see what busy looks like!

You could always enter the Norman Woodcock Memorial in December, 5m around Gosforth Racecourse. I think there are a few of us from the GNR thread doing it .

LIVERBIRD

CC2 - Speedy Goth wrote (see)

Good luck with the competition Liverbird. I really hope you get in, I would love to read your blogs.

Thank you CC2! - Have you seen the NUMBER of entries though?

I started by reading through them all, but even I'm only skim reading now! Poor Catherine is going to have the headache from hell sorting through that little lot!

I've rediscovered my mojo now! I'm back running and trying not to increase my speed too quickly. I reckon in a week or so, you'd never be able to tell I've been ill!

I have a follow up appointment (to be discharged) with a consultant. I told them I could make anytime except the week in between Christmas and New Year, as I was planning to be away.

So when did they book it for?

30th December!

Whoever gets in, they'll have a lot to live up to with your blogs! I thought they were great!

saintjason

marathon training *cough*????? have you spawned a club place for FLM???

CC2 - Speedy Goth

Still don't know Jason, we don't do the draw till Christmas. If not I'll contemplate entering another marathon. Got to do one sooner or later!

Kaysdee, when is the Gosforth 5 miler? If it's not at Christmas I can't do it though, I live in Nottingham.

saintjason

yeah places for Sale are being drawn this side of Christmas but the coach mentioned having your rejection letters handy! Not sure what he meant by that but either way I'm doing Lochaber and that's that for 2009! Good luck with your "easy" month and draw for FLM!

kaysdee Kelly

Ah, it's Saturday 6th December so maybe too early for you.

I think the last time I did Saltwell Park was when I was in school! Don't think I liked it much then either.

LIVERBIRD

What are you going to go for if you step up to marathon CC2? You can hardly set your target as "just get me round" with your speedy legs can you?

(And at least you can wear black this time)!!!

CC2 - Speedy Goth

Sadly I won't be able to wear black if I get a club place LB, I'll be wearing my club vest, which is (gasp) WHITE! (Eeeek ).

I'm not sure what to aim for to be honest. I'm definately better at short distances and I think coach Steve's 8 min miling might be aiming too high for a first marathon. I'd be annoyed if I didn't get a GFA time though. I reckon I'll follow the schedule of someone looking for 3.30 ish.

Shame about the Gosforth race Kaysdee, but I'm very definately not available that day - work Christmas party! Not that there's much to celebrate at work at the moment. The credit crunch is hitting.

I hated Saltwell Park last year, but I liked the shot glass we got at the end!

LIVERBIRD

*tries to picture CC2 in white*

Nope - can't do it!

CC2 - Speedy Goth

I should point out that this was a Halloween party and I borrowed the dress from my mate Adam (don't ask!) .

But seriously....

Does that help you LB?

LIVERBIRD

That's a REALLY lovely photo! I still think you're far too pretty to be all dressed up in black all the while

Not that I'm on the turn you understand........

None of my male friends have got a wedding dress stashed that I know about.....

I don't have any photos of me in running kit. I think it's because I don't wear make up for races and the non running world never sees me without a decent amount of slap! MY gym buddies on the other hand, think my skin is purple and I'm permanently covered in sweat. When I get dressed and put my face on they always say "ooh you look nice! Where are you going?"

Erm... home!

If RW did pick me for this competition, I'd have a serious dliemma..... Do I let the world see my naked face?

Or try and run a marathon in foundation and lippy!

CC2 - Speedy Goth

Please don't run a marathon in a full face of make-up. You'll look shocking by the end - imagine your 'finisher' photo with your mascara streaming down your face and your lipstick smudged by energy gels!

LIVERBIRD

I'd look like Alice Cooper on a bad day!

I DON'T run in make up! But you lot might see me for the white faced spotty oik I am then!

CC2 - Speedy Goth

By the end of a marathon your face won't be white any more

Cake

LB,

I wouldn't worry how you look at the end of a marathon your a lady you wil look fine. If a little red faced

CC2 - Speedy Goth

2 new PBs tonight! First off I ran 5.55 in the Derby Midweek Mile at 7pm, then at 7.20pm ran 20.36 in the Derby Midweek 5k.

Sadly though I seem to have put my back out again. I had to do an emergency stop on may to work when a dog ran out in front of me. I jarred my back and it was niggly all day. About 1k into the 5k race it *really* started to hurt and the drive home was agony. The pain is muscular and close to where it was earlier this year when my Rhomboid and lower traps were spasming. I have a nasty feeling I'm going to have to go back to the physio. Fingers crossed it will just go away though, I've taken Nurofen...