Previous Salad Dodger, Addicted to Running, Needs Votes for a Boston Qualifier!
Vote for me here: http://www.runnersworld.co.uk/competitions/target-262-2013-good-for-age/494.html
I used to be fat. Salad was something you bought in a bag, left in the fridge until it was brown and mushy when you threw it away and exercise was something I’d heard about, but wasn’t really that keen about trying.
My moment of epiphany was after some photos where I realised I was most definitely ‘The Fat Friend’. Not a good look. I dieted and got to 9 stone and then the problem of maintaining the weight kicked in. I ran as the most calorie efficient way of burning calories … and then my competitive nature kicked in.
My first challenge was a sub-30 5k, then 29 … 28 … soon I was becoming a regular at parkun and knocking minutes off of my time.
I began enjoying the running and loving how I felt afterwards and how toned I was becoming. I was hooked. My chest of drawers slowly filled up with lycra and sports tops and trainers were something for running not leisure … I even ran with my baby – pushing her in her pushchair. She has grown up knowing me as a sporty Mum – never a fat Mum.
As I ran more, I got better. I’ll never be the fastest or the speediest, but I’m bloody-minded. Tell me I can’t do something and I will practise until I can …
I practised until I started beating my slower running friends, then my quicker friends … and one day I realised I was quite often placed at the local races. Nothing spectacular – these were LOCAL races, but I loved the feeling of being good at something. Instead of The Fat One. Or The Unfit One.
As a present – or possibly revenge for beating him in a parkrun, I was bought a Liverpool Marathon entry for a Christmas present. I’d never even run a half before. So I entered Reading Half in April and made it home in 1 hr 44. The buzz was unbelievable. I was also quite happy to beat my boyfriend who had been running for 7 years by over 5 minutes. He loves that I’m faster than him now. No really
I entered Bristol half and completed it in 1 hr 39 which gave me more confidence for my first marathon and showed me I could keep a steady pace throughout.
My first marathon was Liverpool which I completed – with toenails intact! - in 3:45:11. However, this was without a training plan as I hadn’t known where to start. Did I drop my mileage to start with a beginners plan? Instead, I kept running the same 35 miles a week but I just increased my long runs at the weekend.
My Liverpool time gave me a Good for Age time and automatic entry into the London marathon. But … I decided I could be quicker and set my sights on a marathon I had heard of but 5 years ago never considered I’d be able to enter. Boston. To enter Boston you need to be able to prove you can run a sub-3:35 marathon. I finally have a chance at a Boston qualifying time …
If you want the blood, guts, warts and all lowdown on what it’s like to be trained by the experts, then vote for me. I promise to tell it all … in the most amusing and clear way possible … PLUS get a Boston qualifying time 
