Running Update - The Belfast Marathon!

So it's a few days on and I wanted to update you on how the marathon relay went on Bank Holiday Monday. I was SO nervous preparing for the day, not just because I'd not run the distance since all my injuries and my forced break from running but also because I was co-ordinating 19 other runners who made up 4 relay teams - all from Belfast Community Gospel Choir.

Each team ran for a different charity and my team's charity was Fintan's Fund - set up in memory of a friend's brother who died much too soon from cancer just over a year ago. 

I was running the last leg so waited anxiously at home counting off the runners as they finished their legs between 9 and 11am and then I headed into Corporation street myself to wait to take over the baton at around 12pm. Here I am with the 4 other 'glory' leg runners:

Finally...I was off - second last to leave the last handover point but at least I knew that all the other 18 runners were ok - and the 19th wasn't far behind me.

It was a gorgeous day so there was a huge turn-out along the streets cheering on the runners - mostly the entire marathon runners admittedly.....us relay runners had a much easier task. But I was happy to take all the support on offer on my 5 mile route, including running with my son for half a mile...which was really special.

I found the run ok and felt I had more left in the tank at the end so I'd like to train that distance a few more times to see if I could push myself a bit more. It's always hard when you've been injured as you don't want to push your luck either. In any case, I crossed the line in just over 50 minutes...steady 10 minute miles. And here's most of the teams afterwards - once we finally found each other at the finish line:

I always said I was just doing this to prove to myself I could be part of the Belfast Marathon again after 7 years of a break but now I think I might have the bug to do another race and perhaps a 10k this time? One of the girls in the photo above, Rachel, who ran for her own charity Jengana, is organising a 10k on the 21st May in Antrim so I have signed up and am going to give it a go - just to see if I can do a 10k again. Then I'll go back to the 5k and stick with that...maybe. 

Thank you to all who donated (mostly off-line) to my team's charity. We haven't totted it all up yet but there's about £350 so far just for Fintan's Fund alone. If you'd like to add to that at all, you can do so on this link - and also read more about the charity too. 

Oh and if you're local and want to give the Jengana 5k fun run or 10k (less fun) run a go - here's the link for it.

Ax

PS Thanks to Sportique in Magherafelt for my ASICS Nimbus trainers which have made a significant difference to my training. I know there are a number of factors contributing to my (pain-free) running at the moment, not least the amount of strength training I'm doing alongside but I know these trainers are helping hugely too....I literally bounce along in them. Never again will I buy trainers without gait analysis. You can read more about my experience having my gait analysed on this link.