Swansea Half Marathon Sunday 25/6. Eeeeep. Should have done more training.

What can i say??

I'm an idiot. I cannot wing a half marathon without doing any run training. I can wing mabes nine / nine and a half miles but i cannot wing a half marathon. 

However, I still had an amazing time :) 

Although my actual time wasnt that amazing at 3:05.21 on apparently the flatest half marathon in the UK. Ooops. 

It all started so well. 

Got to the start with plenty of time to have a pee and chat to Dean from LRRs. Chatted to some lovely women in the starting pen and whooped and cheered my way across the start line.

I felt fine.

Took it gently. Chatted to anyone and everyone - fellow runners, spectators, marshals and whooped at every mile marker. I was having such a fab time. Was absolutly on schedule to meet Kirst, Gav and the girls at about six miles at 10:30am for cheese and marmite sarneys and hugs. I was the picture of perkiness.

After many hugs, selfies and much whooping with my gorgeous support crew, i headed off back into Swansea feeling strong and wonderful. I even upped the pace a bit.

Hmmm, my calfs are feeling a tad tight, ooh my thighs are bit sore, ummm am i getting a blister on my right little toe, oh jeez my feet are sore just like at Brighton. Oh dear. Mile 9.5 it all went horribly wrong. 

Lets just say the next hour was spent admiring the beautiful Swansea shore line while chatting to fellow runners who were also struggling abit or they were just really really slow. 

The finish line couldnt come soon enough. Although we did have to negotiate a hill of cobbles before we got to it.

However, I really love a finish line so had a wonderful time whooping up.the finishing straight :)

Needless to say i bloody loved the race and will def be doing it next year!!

One huge addition though to June 2018's race...

Alot more pre race run training or indeed any run training. 

Obligatory finishing selfie and check out how big the medal is - it really reminds me of London 2015. 

Great great fun.

The rest of the day was spent hobberling about at Kirsty's drinking tea, eating my body weight in food and generally having a very chilled Sunday capped off with a huge roast dinner and Dr.Who on catch up.

Such a fabulous day.

p.s. 

Having a support team is just so awesome. 

Swansea half marathon weekend

Stayed with Kirsty, Gav and their girls Lilly and Evie in The Mumbles. An absolutly top weekend with the added bonus of a 13.1mile run thrown in on Sunday morning.

Even managed 15mins in the sea Saturday evening.

We worked out we hadnt seen each other for twenty years which is bonkers as that first year at KAC Kirst and I saw each other pretty much 24/7 for three semesters. 

I love bingo - thursday 22/6 :)

Didnt win but had such a laugh!!!

Too hot to run so ate chocolate instead

So I'm all changed, wearing my LRR top ready to cycle to Manor Farm Country Park... And then i didnt go. It just felt too hot. 

Did i make the right decison?  I think so. Yes i'm running the Swansea half marathon this Sunday so a five mile training run would have been useful. But I just couldnt face it.

So instead i watched a couple.of episodes of The Handmaids Tale and ate most of my leaving No Limits chocolates. All of the chocolate in the attached picture has been consumed. 13 days. Gone. Needless to say my 30lbs to be lost by the Weymouth half ironman isnt going that well. 

Plus i've just remembered where i put all the biscuits. 

Okay tomorrow i'm writing my training plan for Weymouth!!!!!!! 

(fyi - still loving my holiday x)

w/c Monday 19th June. Back on it :)

I didnt run once in Cornwall even though i'd packed my trail shoes and PE kit. 

Back on it now though.

Monday - HB session, LRR run leading (Josh did an agility session) the tri club swim session - first one for ages, was tough.

And i also went up to the Jubilee Sports Centre to fill out paperwork ready for the 3/7. Helen my new boss said to bring my PE kit to work as i'll be able to check out alot of the classes!

Tuesday i mainly flopped about in the flat as was so hot but then 5:30pm HB session then S&C on the common.

Today i've been to HB and i'm now chilling on my front door balcony. RR10 tonight but nothing planned until then. 

Meet Lizzie Chicken

Just look at her!!

All strutting about with her tummy scraping along the grass. Isnt she awesome :)

And omg chickens LOVE broccerli, sweetcorn and watermelon!!! 

Farmer Carter at your service :)

Axe Head Farm = a little piece of heaven on earth :)

Thursday to Sunday lunchtime with Di (Adrian joined us Friday night) On their small holding just outside Helston. A wonderful three days of some manual work, lots of tea and loads of love.

Aaaah Cornwall :)

And relax.

Lovely three days with Joey, Shey and the boys. Had a couple of fab dog walks of 40mins or so each, been a bit of a tourist, had a few drinks, loads of snacks and a proper Cornish pasty. 

This evening with Cath and Sally and the Jubilee pool in Penzance. Sea water lido. Amazing. We were probably in the water about forty mins. 19degrees. Was wonderful. 

How far did we swim? 

Maybe 1km. Def felt as if i'd had a swim.

Then wine in the garden, chilli, TV and a hot bath. This is shaping up.to being excatly what i need. Hoorah x

Last day as a paid worker for No Limits Friday 9/6/17

End of an era.

Sixteen years at No Limits as a paid worker is now over. I'm a volunteer but that's it. Eeeeep. 

Friday was amazing. Utterly overwhelming. Best colleagues ever. Will miss each and every one of them.

Luncheon with colleagues at the Ave. Then tea and cake with Alison at The Art House. Then prossecco with shed loads of colleagues from 5pm at Ebb and Flow. Ended for me with a cocktail at The Slug. Home by 11:30pm 

A top top last day and evening as Liz No Limits Carter :)

Wahoooooo.

Three weeks off before starting at my new job as customer care / reception for the University of Southampton's sports facilities. Soooo excited. 

Election day, Mettricks Guildhall and Hurtbox.

Snap election was called, the polling stations have now closed, will soon know if Jeremy and Labour got in or if its five more years of the Tories.

Met Rose for supper in Mettricks Guildhall and then off to Hurtbox with Suzanne and Coach Fast James.

Great day.

Oh and it's also, after sixteen wonderful years, my penultimate day at No Limits. 

Running Sisters RR10 @ Fleming Park :)

4.6miles 52.26.64

Gosh that was tough. I got into.my groove eventually but really struggled at the beginning. I'd run for five mins and i was all jeez i just want to stop!

But lots of hugs and thank you marshal to my wonderful sisters. Enjoyed the run. And lovely to see Jenny, Martin, Angela, Jason from tri club :) Love tri club.

Operation lose my tubby tummy isnt going that well but i'm rather hoping that i'll get more focus once i leave No Limits. 

Last day this Friday. Eeeeeeek. 

But still a volunteer. God i'd be so sad if i wasnt a vol. 

Love that i'll still a part the charity xx

Mini triathlon :)

Did Go Tri's Hamble mini triathlon #1 today with a gaggle of chums from Runcamp 365 / LRR

What a brilliant morning :)

160m swim 3.32.71

T1 3.48.76

10k cycle 26.18.03

T2 1.53.22

2k run 15.03.14

= 50.35.86

All I can say is thank god Kelly Wickens was busy in the pool starting everyone as my T1 was hilariously bad! 

I really do have to get quicker / more organised or at least have a sense of urgency about myself when in transition. I'm on operation shave minutes off my half IM time so I finish within the cutoff at Weymouth on the 17/9, and transitions are an excellent way of saving time. I'm also on lose 30lbs by 17/9 as that should save me at least ten mins on the run just because I'm lighter. And yes, I will do training - I'm about to do my training plan. The key of course will be to actually follow it :)

Back to the mini tri...

So fab to see fellow tri club buddy Sandra marshalling. It's so wonderful seeing familiar faces when competing.

Kinda forgot I was racing until I was overtaken on the bike. Day dreaming and racing aren't really a match made in heaven :(

But the cycle was good, felt strong and knew I could have been faster. The run was fine. No niggles. Again I could have gone faster. And I enjoyed the swim. Felt smooth and relaxed.

All in all a really fun event made even more special as I was doing it with a whole heap of chums who had never done a triathlon before. They loved it. Such a cheap event to - maybe £12? They've got two more lined up at Hamble school - 6/8 and 3/9. I'd absolutely recommend them xx

We then went for brunch as all triathletes do after a race :)