Twilight Race for Life 2013 - The Day of the Race

When you sign up for something like the Race for Life, you imagine perfect weather, being in peak physical condition and having a wonderful time. The reality of it as the day approached was wet, miserable weather and my daughter recovering from a knee injury that meant she hadn't run in weeks. We weren't sure if she would be able to run the full distance but we were determined to make it round even if I had to carry her and whatever the weather threw at us, we were going to have a wonderful time.

On the day of the race, I was pleasantly surprised to see blue skies and sunshine. I was hopeful that the weather would hold out for us. As I was getting ready in my 'Cancer, we're coming to get you' bright pink T shirt, there was a heavy downpour that prompted me to pack emergency rain ponchos. I ignored the sudden change in the weather and carried on regardless, adorning myself in pink fairy lights, getting my little team of supporters ready with some pink floral face painting and pinning on my race number and tribute to my sister who was a victim of the disease we were all coming together to fight. The final touch was some pink lip gloss.

It was light still when we left for the venue at Trentham Gardens in Stoke but by the time we arrived, it was already starting to get quite dark. Ladies in pink with various illuminations were everywhere to be seen. It felt instantly like being part of something special. I had bought pink fairy lights for my daughter but unfortunately, did not have the AA batteries needed to power them. We'd 'borrowed' the batteries from the TV remote control for her but her lights were dim in comparison to mine. I think she felt a little put out that she wasn't lighting up like a Christmas tree but a bigger concern was whether her knee was recovered enough to withstand the rigours of running 5K.

The weather was perfect - dry and mild. The emergency rain ponchos were superfluous to requirement. The venue was perfect - a beautiful lake reflecting moonlight from a full moon in a cloudless sky. It was hard to get a proper feel for the grounds in the dark but I saw enough to  make me want to return during the daytime. We could see parts of the route marked out with tape, big arrows and rotating lights in the ground. A stunning effect was achieved at various point around the course by uplighting trees. The pink uplighters were particularly beautiful and fitting. We could see the starting line. I couldn't wait to get going and I knew that I was going to love this.

First we had the warm up and then a minute silence to remember those who have lost their lives to cancer. And then we were off....

The route snaked around the grounds of Trentham Gardens with terrain varying from gravel to grass to hard surfaces to wet muddy, potholed, tarmac. It certainly kept things interesting. Some parts were floodlit, some parts were spookily dark. I think I smiled the whole way round. From some vantage points you could see an almost endless stream of runners, joggers and walkers creating a mesmerising vista of light.

My daughter did amazingly well. I only had to slow down for her once and although I lost her for a while towards the end of the race, she put in a massive effort to catch up with me so we finished almost together. We celebrated with a packet of jelly babies and a well earned bottle of Aqua Pura.

It was a wonderful experience and it felt good to be doing something positive for an important charity. I would strongly urge anyone who was considering taking part to absolutely GO FOR IT!!

My daughter's thoughts on the Race for Life Experience:

Back in the Game

Twilight 5K

Survival

Race for Life 2013

Back in the summer of 2011, I took part in a Race for Life Event with my daughter Liberty - running 5K with an army of women dressed in pink to raise money for Cancer Research. Despite a distinct lack of proper training ( a few sessions on a treadmill) I loved it. I loved the atmosphere. I loved the sense of achievement it gave me. I loved the fact that the charity was benefiting.

This coming Saturday, my daughter and I will be taking part in our second Race for Life - this time a Twilight Event. Not to be confused with the glittery vampires, the Twilight Event takes place during the evening and competitors are encouraged not just to don the trademark pink but to drape themselves with fairy lights and anything twinkly or luminescent. It has the potential to be quite a spectacle!

Since our first experience with running 5K, my daughter and I undertook a beginners training programme with our local running club. Over the eight weeks of the programme, we graduated from running a minute/walking a minute eight times up to running without stopping for thirty minutes. It was not then a huge leap of faith to run 5K without stopping, which I did in about 36 minutes on my first try.  I now run 5K on average twice a week, taking part in regular Parkruns whenever busy lives allow. I have yet to achieve my goal of completing the distance in under 30 minutes but I am ever hopeful.

The Race for Life is not about achieving a new personal best for the distance. It is about taking part in something wonderful. It is about sharing an experience not just with my daughter but with all the women coming together - united in a common purpose. I am so looking forward to it.

The Race for Life is sponsored by Aqua Pura 

Our Color Transformation

Last weekend, my husband and I joined 6000 other people in pure white Tshirts to take part in a Color Run event in Brighton. The basic idea of the event is to run a 5K course and have paint thrown at you. The more serious side is that it is in partnership with the Stand Up to Cancer Charity - a cause close to my heart since losing my sister to cancer 18years ago.

We started the morning with a cup of coffee (and a big hug) at my father-in-law's house, then headed down to the seafront. 

My husband knows Brighton well having grown up there and his dad had some advice about the route to take and where to park. We arrived in good time and joined in the warm up. Any melancholy that had been affecting me thinking about my sister and the more recent tragedy in the family was relieved by the sight of my husband trying to master the zumba style exercise routine. 

There was a wonderful party atmosphere and it was an amazing feeling to be running with such a huge group of people. The real fun started when we reached the first Color station. There were four Color stations along the course. At each, a different vibrantly hued powdered Color was liberally sprinkled, squirted, thrown and generally 'applied' in explosive plumes. It was a glorious sight. And messy. Very colourfully messy!

It was the easiest 5K I've ever run. We stopped for photographs along the way. Everything slowed down at the Color stations. There was a huge amount of joviality and the camaraderie of sharing a common experience. I loved it.

Our Color Transformation was all over too quickly but the party went on as finishers were given sachets of the Color to create their own chaotic rainbow clouds.

I will definitely be back again next year to do it all over again.

Racing for Life

Right at this moment I feel fantastic.

I have no doubt that later the aches and pains will start to make themselves felt to remind me that running 5K is not something I do every day.

Today was my Race for Life day.

I was up early and dressed in my official pink T Shirt. Ivy kindly put my hair up in a French plait to keep it out of the way and I was ready.

When we got to the Race venue at Weston Park it was hard not to be impressed. I knew that there would be 3750 women there all showing their support but nothing prepares you for that much PINK! Most participants wore dedications on the backs, proudly displaying the names of people that had lost their lives to cancer or who were battling the disease. It did make me feel quite emotional.

After a mass aerobic warm up, we were lead to the starting line. Serious runners went first followed by joggers then the walkers. Liberty and myself joined the joggers.

... And we're off!

Weston Park provided a glorious setting to run. The sun was shining but there was a cool breeze keeping it pleasant.  The route was marked with the Kilometre milestones so it was easy to keep track of how far you had come and hence how far left still to conquer. Passing the 3Km was a huge boost, knowing I was over half way and feeling as though I really could do this.

It actually wasn't possible to keep running the whole way round. There were some bottle necks on the course and everything slowed down to a walking pace. I didn't mind. It was good to catch my breath.

Liberty and I did not manage to stay together the whole time. It was great for me because I got to witness her epic finish and cheer her on (I wish I'd had my camera at that moment).

I have spoken before about my sister for whom I was running this race and how I firmly believe she can exert a cosmic influence on the lives of us mere mortals left behind. I had just reached the "500 metres left till the finish line" marker and was feeling as though it might just be 500 metres too far. As my spirits were flagging, my french plait mysteriously got completely tangled up in the safety pin holding my back sign bearing Carol's name giving my hair a very obvious tug. Coincidence? Maybe. But that hair tugging reminder that I had come so far and I was so nearly there put a big smile on my face and I ran. As that finish line came into view I ran faster than I think I've ever run before. It felt like flying. I was overtaking people and I was doing it for Carol.

The runner who crossed the line first did so in 20 minutes. It took me just under 40 minutes and Liberty was hot on my heels. As I had anticipated it taking me an hour, I was really pleased with that result. These are our before and after shots. Our complexions match our T Shirts in the 'after' shot, but we're still smiling!

I thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience and would whole heartedly recommend it to anyone. It is also a good feeling to have raised money through sponsorship (a big thank you those who sponsored me) for the Cancer Research charity in the hope that they can keep moving the treatments forward to beat this disease that affects so many lives.

Running for Carol

I love walking. I can walk for miles.  Running? Not so much.

Why then have I put myself down to run the 5K Race for Life this coming weekend?

I did say in my 11 things for 2011, back when the year was new and I was full of motivation, that I would seek experiences outside of my comfort zone. Running anything more than 10 minutes on the treadmill will take me seriously outside my comfort zone.

So that does tick one box but there are many more things I could have chosen instead. Why this?

Simple  really.

I will be running the race for my older sister who died of cancer shortly before her 36th birthday. She is never very far from my thoughts and my world is a less colourful place without her in it. I will run this race with every last ounce of energy I possess and I will do it in her honour. With every scream of pain from my unsuspecting muscles I will imagine her sitting on her heavenly cloud, looking down at me, shaking her head and thinking what an idiot I am.

Love you Carol and Miss you always xx