I only started running recently with Father Fitness and our Hungarian Vizsla, Yogi. It was a great way Read more...]]>

I only started running recently with Father Fitness and our Hungarian Vizsla, Yogi. It was a great way to get him (hubby and the dog, ha!) out in the short amount of daylight there was left at the end of a working day in the winter. The timing of this idea came after losing over two stone following the Weight Watchers plan and increasing my own physical activity. I’d always enjoyed walking and we do still walk for miles with our dog but I was ready to crank my exercise up a notch.

Strive for progress, not perfection.

I’m now learning to enjoy exercise and I hope to build upon my new found desire to run. Whether that be increased distance, speed or ability, I’m not sure yet but I’ll try to enjoy the journey.

You can read more about my personal journey through weight loss and finding fitness over at Mutha Fitness.

Being active has always been apart of my life. My mother would kindly word it as “always throwing myself around the Read more...]]>

Being active has always been apart of my life. My mother would kindly word it as “always throwing myself around the place.” From a young age I was very keen to do well in sport and dancing. It wasn’t until the last few years of high school that I realised running was an actual sport rather than a warm up exercise. I was often chosen to run the 1500m in sports day (albeit that there wasn’t much competition). Once I left school and physical activity was no longer compulsory, fitness kind of fell by the wayside.

It wasn’t until I met my husband, a Royal Marine Commando that I decided to get moving again. He often tells the story of the first ever run we went on. So, having not exercised for a while I had no idea whether I was fit or not but I set off as I would have done back in school. I was met with this reaction “Jeez Rach, you’re going to put me to shame at this pace”. I felt pretty good about that. I think I must’ve made it 200m before I had the most almighty stitch and couldn’t breathe! Ok, so I wasn’t fit. However embarrassing it did motivate me to do slightly better than 200m next time!

Now, running is something I wish I could say I do more off but I am a busy mum of three children. I try to get out as often as I can when my husband is at home. I often use a run as an excuse to have some ‘me’ time. I find that if I set small, achievable goals I keep motivated. I plan to run 10k to raise money for NEST, a charity that researches Nephrotic Syndrome, a condition my daughter suffers with. If that’s not enough to keep me motivated, I don’t know what is!

I have recently started writing a lifestyle blog. Within this I plan to document my fitness progress from post baby to 10k run! You can find my journey here at Mumma Hub.

I started running at the age of 35 after the death of a relative; he died in his mid-fifties from a massive Read more...]]>

I started running at the age of 35 after the death of a relative; he died in his mid-fifties from a massive heart attack and it was the wake-up call I needed. I’d worked in an office all my life and at that time (2006) I would have to say I was overweight and lived a sedentary lifestyle.

I joined a gym and it had a running club, before I knew it I had joined the beginners group and took to it like a fat duck to shallow water. They were a great bunch of people and one of them is amongst my closest friends still, and she is still running. I completed my first half marathon that year, the Leeds Half and then the following year Blackpool and it wasn’t too long before me and a work colleague had persuaded ourselves to enter the Paris Marathon 2007.

It was an amazing adventure from beginning to end from the preparation: which started on a wet and windy 1 Jan 2007; to the execution, setting off on the Champs Elyse (think about those closing shots of the Tour De France) and being baked in searing heat for the whole event, then walking around Paris like John Wayne with a big grin the next day.

The marathon bug stuck although I was always finishing in the 4:15 to 5hr mark I loved it and in 2009 I persuaded another friend, over a pint or three, to do 3 marathons in 3 days in Cornwall, called the Atlantic Coast Challenge. This was a trail marathon, steep, hilly, sandy and required lots of serious training with back to back running. We loved every minute of it and between us raised £1500 for Yorkshire Cancer Research.

Since that first marathon in 2007 I have completed 20 marathons including two London Marathons, two Edinburgh marathons, four Blackpool marathons and two Shakespeare marathons in Stratford. The furthest northerly marathon was Lochaber (Fort William) and the flattest marathon I have ever done was the Mablethorpe Marathon.

My best running year to date was 2015 when; following some personal issues, I had set myself some stretch targets to challenge and focus me and to reignite my passion for running. So in April 2015 I achieved my fastest ever marathon, Blackpool 3:36:54. Then in May I managed my fastest 40mile ultra (only my second at the time) in 6:51 and then in July my first ever true ultra – 110km of Lakeland trails (Ultimate Trails 110km) in 18hrs 56 minutes, in a 24 hour cut off. The UT110km was a mammoth challenge and all my running that year led up to that one event. I was truly amazed to feel fantastic and energised at the end; even after a midnight start, running over every hill in the lakes, being sick at 5am, being frazzled by the mid-day sun and having half a pint at a checkpoint 57miles in! In fact I was so buzzing at the end that instead of camping as planned I grabbed my tent, threw it in the car and drove home to Otley, near Leeds, as I was worried that if I lied down in a tent I might never get up again.

As always with running it is easy to get carried away and having completed my longest ever ultra I started to feel burned out. I’d agreed to do the Great Langdale marathon, which is extremely hilly, in September and Mablethorpe in October and although I completed both they were less than stellar performances.

I didn’t race again after that but I had signed up to Blackpool marathon in April 2016 and Coniston trail marathon June 2016 but 2016 was not to be my year although I aim to change that. Due to a perfect storm of personal and professional issues coming to a head early 2016 I stood on the start line in April not ready and not mentally focused. This led to my first DNF at mile 20. Then at Coniston I was timed out at mile 23 with what I later believed to be heat exhaustion which took a week to recover from.

I could feel that my running was taking a dive and my motivation was at an all-time low. One of the things that has really helped me to re-focus has been marshalling for races in the Lake District. Getting out on the hills for a full day at a time, being involved with people who are passionate about running and helping motivate others to achieve their own running goals.

I ran the Robin Hood half marathon as one of my first ever races and I have run the Dukeries Ultra40 twice; which takes you through Sherwood Forest by the great oak itself. So for me the chance to do the full Robin Hood marathon is an opportunity to pick up my running again and to counter some of the early negativity that had crept in. I feel my running mojo returning especially after a great 10 mile run on Saturday (23/7/16) and I am helping a friend prepare for her first marathon in New York City and I can’t let her beat me! Let’s hope the weather is perfect, the crowds cheering and I will do my best to deliver a solid marathon performance.

Running has cost me a lot over the years in terms of finances, toe nails and disappointments but it has given me so much more in return. It has improved me as a person both physically and mentally, provided me with good friends and is now a fully integrated part of my life.

If I have learnt one thing from my running experience it is that it ebbs and flows; by understanding what are at the root causes of any poor performance you can find ways to either go with it or row back a little until you are ready to launch yourself back into the water. Oh and maybe the second thing – never underestimate the marathon, regardless of how many you have done!

I thought I would start by sharing my running past and the reason for starting my running journey. As a kid, unlike Read more...]]>

I thought I would start by sharing my running past and the reason for starting my running journey. As a kid, unlike most, I used to enjoy cross country. I never had the sprint speed. Nor did I have the skills at football. That was putting it mildly. Square feet comes to mind. I always seemed to be blessed with a decent engine. Tractor style.

As a kid, I always wanted to do the Great North Run. Start small. Then one real ambition burned. After being down in London for an ill fated Newcastle United F.A. Cup final, my dad and I were watching the TV the night before the game. Sat in the hotel room, a history of the London Marathon was on. A build up programme the night before the race. I watched with interest and stated to my dad, I will run that race one day. My dad said maybe, it’s a long way. I knew I could do it one day. A challenge ain’t a challenge if it was easy.

Flash forward a few years, university hit. Booze, bad food and late nights had taken its toll. By this point, I had done 3 Great North Runs. Never really at any great pace nor did I take it seriously. Post university, I ballooned in weight. To the point where after a visit to hospital with severe stomach pains, they thought I had Crohns disease. They said the weight I had gained was increasing the stomach cramps severity. Doctor said in a quite frank manner, if I continued the way I was, I would dig myself an early grave. When that is said to you, it makes you look very hard at yourself.

As it materialised, all I had was bad IBS. Also my mates said my weight had got out of hand. At my biggest, I was 18 stone plus. So I needed to hit the gym. The issue is the gym is just plain boring. Never found it interesting but stuck at for nearly 2 years. Lost a fair bit of weight. Got down to 14 ish stone. My girlfriend at the time thought I was losing weight to meet someone. It was simply not the case. I just simply just didn’t want to end up in a casket.

So to keep my weight loss going, I started to run again. Then made my best move ever. I joined a running club. Heaton was the club. Found the sessions friendly and challenging. Move forward to present day, I am a proud member of Heaton Harrier. I have been there vice captain and I am the club treasurer. I have not only run more half marathons, 8 marathons to date (including London, told me dad I would), competed at northern and national cross championships, over 100 parkruns and countless other races. Road, trail and fell. I have the following PB’s…

Mile: 5.18
5K: 17.42
10K: 38.10 (Haven’t raced one in ages)
10 Miles: 1hr 30 secs
Half Marathon: 1hr 21 Mins 38 Secs
20 Miles: 2hrs 13 Mins 31 Secs
Marathon: 3hrs 6 Mins 2 Secs

Since having my three children I feel running and cycling are the easiest ways for me to keep fit and Read more...]]>

Since having my three children I feel running and cycling are the easiest ways for me to keep fit and healthy.

I started running after having my first child in 2009. I wanted to get fit again, have some time to myself and in the long run set a good example for my daughter.

Now three children later I have managed to keep up with my running and am also really in to cycling. I completed the C2C in 2011.

I’m not really sure what the future holds. I guess to remain fit and healthy is a good start!

Having shown some promise as a runner at school Kev finally got back to the sport at the age of 30 in Read more...]]>

Having shown some promise as a runner at school Kev finally got back to the sport at the age of 30 in 2012.

In the three years since, primarily through trial and error but more recently through expert coaching guidance, he has steadily improved and currently has the following PBs:

5k: 16.44
10k: 35.37

Kev’s current goal is to achieve an England Masters England vest.

He’s a keen Cross Country runner and competes in the North East Harrier League (NEHL) for his club Elswick Harriers. He hopes to continue to improve as a Veteran competitive runner in the North East of England.

He also completed a Leader in Running Fitness (LiRF) in September 2014. He is extremely interested in training/coaching to improve and has studied the principles put forward by the coaching greats including Arthur Lydiard, Frank Horwill, Jack Daniels, and more recently Greg McMillan.

Key Achievements

• Qualified for the Fast Pack in the 2014/15 NEHL Cross Country season
• Ran a 10k PB of 35.37 at the Blyth 10k in April 2015
• Finished 62nd in the June 2015 Blaydon Race
• Ran a 16:44 5k PB in May 2017

Kev enjoys writing about his running experiences on his two blog sites:

1. Sub Seventeen Dream (kevrich1981.wordpress.com) – tales of a 30 something runner aiming to run a sub 17 5k
2. Your Running Potential (yourrunningpotential.com) – blog site aimed at helping runners understand their current running fitness level and to believe in and achieve their true potential

Kev is a big believer in the following training principles:

• Structured and consistent training based on a runners current fitness level
• Assessment of potential improvements based on current fitness levels and key personal stats including age, gender, height, weight, BMI etc
• Clear goal setting – “believe to achieve”
• Using heart rate and pace training
• Focus on building aerobic strength and stamina first and foremost
• Using Lactate Threshold training to achieve real fitness improvement
• Using Interval and Speed Work sparingly as the icing on the cake
• Regular time trials/races (once per month) to assess fitness improvements
• Analysis of training performance to build confidence and propel runners to new levels of achievement

Kev will be regularly contributing to Full Stride.

Kev can be contacted on: kevin.richardson3910@hotmail.co.uk. Those interested can also contact him through his website: Your Running Potential.

Why do I run? Let me start by saying; I don’t really like sport, I don’t understand the appeal of gyms, sports Read more...]]>

Why do I run? Let me start by saying; I don’t really like sport, I don’t understand the appeal of gyms, sports halls or tracks. And I certainly don’t fit the stereotype of what a female runner looks like.

But none of this matters on the streets, paths and trails where I run. And it doesn’t matter to the wonderful people I’ve met on the way.

I love running because it takes you on a journey a world away from the restrictions and prejudices I associate with much organised sport. It fundamentally reminds me that I’m human, that I’m alive. We’re all members of the human race, for goodness sake. Baby, we were born to run.

It was babies that brought me to running five years ago. I’ve always been a bit of an outdoor junkie. But long days walking and mountain biking don’t easily fit with the demands of being a new parent. So when my son was born, I bought trainers and squeezed running in when I could, with another new mum.

Those first six months of running are tough. Retuning your body to an activity it was born for, but never done, is hard. And like many mums, I’d had a difficult labour that led to health issues, making progress slow. Gradually the miles started to increase and with them my confidence. After a break for baby number two, I toyed with joining my local club.

I’d always been aware of PB Fitness Running Club in my village of Rowlands Gill. Here was a club on my doorstep where I could improve and meet like-minded people. A year after Ruth was born, I took the plunge. The fact my running mate came too made it a lot less scary.

It was then that my love of running took off. This fantastic club showed me that runners are open, welcoming folk who respects whoever turns out to run. And it continually encourages me to enter races, try new terrains and push myself physically.

I’m most definitely a slow and steady long-distance runner. 10k races make me quake much more than marathons. Although I enjoy road races, I’m getting drawn more and more to trail and fell running. It takes me back to my first love and where we fundamentally belong; among the mud and fells and trees. And surely it is better for the old joints?

Running is not just my physical, fresh-air fix. It keeps me sane. It is fun to run with others, but the joy of having the space to run and be on your own is the loveliest thing. And I’ve been blessed with a supportive and loving hubby who understands how important that time is for me.

“Well done. Your pace over those last few miles was amazing,” said a young, athletic guy shaking my hand at the finish line of Kielder Marathon last year. I’d decided to enter the race as a 40^th birthday treat. I’d overtaken him towards the end, as my spirits soared turning a corner to a breathtakingly lovely view of the lake.

I love Sport England’s ‘This Girl Can’ campaign as I’m that girl, a runner in spite of my lumps, bumps and jiggly bits.

I am proud I can run a marathon, but I don’t over-inflate the achievement. People have much more difficult stuff to deal with in life than running 26.2 miles for fun.

But knowing I can run undoubtedly sharpens my stamina and reminds me of what we are capable of as human beings. I hope this stands me in good stead for the bigger challenges.

Yes, I am one of those boring running evangelists. Pear-shaped? Prefer poetry to Sky Sport? Hate tracksuits? Then, you’d probably love running. Honestly. Just look at me.

Join a club, we’re a friendly bunch. I have been running now for almost 30 years and love it!

Running is a Read more...]]>

Join a club, we’re a friendly bunch. I have been running now for almost 30 years and love it!

Running is a great sport that anyone can do, and is as cheap or expensive as you want it to be. That is that beginners can just go and run to the shops and back if they choose on a Sunday afternoon, or the more serious runners can run sessions whenever they have time, and often run 10 miles or more on Sundays. The beauty of it being you don’t have to be a member of a club, you can just open the front door as “ X-Factor “ starts, and run ‘til it finishes completely free of charge.

The keener of us, often join clubs, and then it can become a social point round a more competitive atmosphere where training programmes are followed, or sessions are lead by either an experienced runner, or a coach. The result of that is often improvement! The improvement will often be based around the style of coaching, but can be faster times, or just completing a run without walking. (I know people who run for clubs, but still walk up hills, although their times are much better nowadays). The club I run for tends to concentrate more on middle distance training for the seniors, and track/shorter distances for junior runners.

I started running because I was sick of hearing a friend talking about running and so tried it to see what it was all about. Within a month I was hooked and running every night after work. I entered some local races, and reset the target performance after each race, sometimes it was made quicker, but sometimes after a reality check the time was extended. It was shortly after I married that I actually joined a club, still didn’t take it too seriously, but I had targets and was told the only way I would achieve these targets was if I joined a club that had a structured training programme.

When I joined the club it struck me what a pleasant set of people runners were. No aggression at all, it was an absolutely family friendly club, but with a hard working ethic. When I started working away for short periods of time I have continued with my training and often ended up as a guest at local running clubs always made welcome and always enjoyed seeing other clubs sessions that I have carried back to my own club. It is a wise man who listens and takes notice. There is never just one way to achieve a goal, and sometimes a change can be just what makes that difference!

I have enjoyed running for my club, when I joined I wanted to get below 40 minutes for 10k and 90 minutes for the half marathon, it took me 4 years to peak, but once I settled in to proper training with hill sessions and intervals etc, at the age of 34 I managed a 34 minute 10k and a 78 minute half. But, because we varied the training, I did venture onto the track, but that was never my thing. Pleasant and sociable, but hard work; there is nowhere to hide on the track. I managed 58’s for 400, but never achieved a sub two 800, although I got close. I have to say though if you stick at it… I managed an 82 minute half, two weeks before my 47^th birthday. I was pleased with that.

As now I am in my latter years, although to look at me you couldn’t tell, (joke) this could actually be my running epitaph. I have run all over the north east, never been special, but always a good team counter, and as a result cannot go anywhere in athletics without a handful of people stopping me to pass the time of day, and that is what I love about it all. There is a message in this tail, if any of you reading this haven’t got so bored that you didn’t make it this far…

7 weeks ago I was knocked off my bike and run over by a lorry. I was very lucky in as much as the lorry just ran over my foot, so I survived. The doctors say it will be 12 months before I run again. I say, if I am not starting in 4 months I will probably never start again. It is really sad, I have still attended the cross country meetings on my crutches, and spoken to many people from “rival” local clubs, and for their well wishes I thank them all sincerely. I volunteer at park runs to try to encourage people in the sport to join in and compete. The local Harrier leagues are starting to swell in numbers and it is great to see, but please look up running clubs in your area and try them; most clubs will give a couple weeks free to see if you wish to join. You know, I have just thought of another reason for joining the clubs, safety in numbers, this isn’t sexist ladies, but you are much safer running in a group than on your own during the dark winter months; a good reason in itself.

Its dead easy, just google running clubs and the name of your town and you will find they have sprung up all over “since you last looked.” (Running clubs have Xmas parties that you don’t get if you run on your own).

I hope this will make you think, and consider joining a club, and I hope you all enjoy your running as much as I have over the last 20 odd years.

My running history started at the end of 2008, in a pub in Newcastle town centre when two work colleagues Read more...]]>

My running history started at the end of 2008, in a pub in Newcastle town centre when two work colleagues challenged me to complete the Lausanne half marathon of 2009 giving me less than a year to train. After taking a sip of beer and thinking about it I accepted the challenge, and even though I had never run regularly in my life before, and had less than favourable memories of athletics and cross country at school I was looking forward to it. I mean running along the shore of Lake Geneva with the backdrop of the Alps in view should be enough to entice anyone right?

At the beginning I was just about able to plod very slowly for a 20 mins, and I still remember those first runs and how difficult they were in the cold of a North East winter, how out of breath I felt and thinking how unfit I was. They gradually got easier, or at least more tolerable, and by March 2009 I completed my first 5K race in Middlesborough and a 10K a couple months later in Edinburgh. My training was progressing nicely towards our half marathon date in October in Switzerland, but the same couldn’t be said about my colleagues, and the two of them both ended up quitting the race months in advance! I didn’t fancy travelling to Switzerland by myself to run to my first half marathon alone, but also didn’t want to waste all that training I had put in. After looking over a few options I decided to run the Great Eastern Run half marathon in Peterborough with a couple of friends, one of which assured me that the route was flat as a pancake. It duly was, and I ran round the 13.1 mile course loving every minute of it! From the moment I crossed the finish line of my first half-marathon I knew I wanted to run a full marathon.

I experienced that particular feeling in 2010 in Berlin when I completed my first marathon, and then again in London, Windermere and Chester in 2011. Since then I’ve completed numerous other races including a few marathons and short ultra-marathons, one of which was the Two Oceans marathon (56km) in Cape Town in 2014. Since I moved to the Derbyshire Peak District in 2013, I’ve been doing more off-road and fell running which has been a revelation as PBs and timing is less important, while enjoying the views and scenery when you get to the the top of the hill (although bursting your lungs and burning the muscles in your legs inevitably happens in the process) is what makes it enjoyable. I still have time to, and do enjoy pounding the concrete and regularly take part in road races, chasing that elusive PB.

Running has been a revelation in my life, it has completely changed me as a person. I never used to like to get up early in the mornings and I these days I don’t think twice about doing that if a run is the reason. I’m much more active than I ever was and have developed a real affinity to the outdoors and have met a lot of fabulous people and made a good few friends through running. In particular, the parkrun community has been amazing, I participated in the founding core teams at both Gateshead and Lyme Park parkruns. In addition, the all-singing all-dancing fetcheveryone.com website has been the single most instrumental factor in maintaining my motivation in running over the last 5 or so years, primarily due to the support, wisdom and friendliness of the vast majority of members that hang out there.

I can’t imagine a future without running, and long may my running continue, I hope to stay free of injuries and just aim to enjoy myself. My targets in the next few years are to complete the Comrades marathon, a 90km road ultra-marathon in South Africa, and closer to home a similar distance race would be the Bullock Smithy, a round tour of the western Peak District near where I live. On the way to achieving these aims I hope to better my times at shorter distances ranging from 5K to 50K and to meet, inspire and be inspired by my fellow runners. The next best thing to running is to chat about running because it just makes you want to go out and run again!

I suppose when I think about it I’ve always ran. Some of the best memories I have whilst growing up were Read more...]]>

I suppose when I think about it I’ve always ran. Some of the best memories I have whilst growing up were on my childhood estate playing games called ‘Fox and Hounds’ and ‘Jack shine the Maggie.’ All of which involved hours worth of running around the estate and having loads of fun in the process. I was also known for just about running every where with my twin brother. We would enact scenes from the latest athletics, being competitive with each other in winning the race.

Running remained a big part of growing up. I ran for the school and also enrolled in the local running club, however it was never something which progressed into a major competitive element. I’m not sure if this is something I regret as there was probably potential there for improvement and progression.

Over the years I’ve pretty much dabbling in most forms of fitness – Karate, gym, circuits etc but runnings always been there and I have to be honest in saying that I still love it. I enjoy the social element when running with friends but it’s those times when I’m running alone when my competitive edge comes to the forefront, pushing myself harder to beat a goal or a time.

10k is my ideal distance and I’ve ran in a number of organised event over the last two years. Most recently I ran my first Kielder 10k, this was a very tough course both physically and mentally however was extremely pleased with a finishing time of 45.20.

I would love to run more than I actually do nowadays but that seems to be the challenge balancing a family with children, work commitments and fitness.

I can’t see a time when running won’t be apart of my life and I hope that I have many many years ahead of hitting those streets and getting that feeling of freedom, a great workout and clearing the mind. Nothing else works better!