#Addicted!

Well I suppose that's 'a wrap' on Christmas! I hope that you have all had as wonderful a Christmas as I have and have been able to spend lots of time with families and friends! 

Boxing Day was spent with Stu, who loved his presents and was happy to see us. Although, the parrot that repeats everything it hears in a high pitched tone, made for an interesting afternoon! Stu definitely liked it though! 

So in the true spirit of making the most of the Christmas holidays, I have so far taken the time to finish my book, do lots of running, spend lots of time with family and do a big sort out of the house (which has definitely been a long time coming!) 

Now I'm confident i saying, that in almost every house, there is a 'junk drawer'... The drawer where all miscellaneous items are shoved when we're not quite sure where they should live... Batteries that may or may not be flat, rubber bands, some of which have already snapped or are so old that they have actually fused together along with the mystery keys that nobody is quite sure what they unlock. Well, in our house the 'junk drawer' had graduated into a cupboard. A big cupboard.. A Harry Potter sized cupboard. Well it is this cupboard that I have tackled today, and no big surprise... it was primarily filled with shoes! Here they are, all lined up for an identity parade in the kitchen! 

And what does this show us? That the Fiance has more than I do, contrary to popular myths about women and shoes!

I think it is definitely safe to say that we have some sort of addiction to running shoes in this house! 

I can also say that I have a specific brand of shoe that I get time after time!  

Having suffered for a long time with blister problems, finding a shoe that doesn't cause issues is important! 

The Fiance on the other hand has a pair of pretty much every brand of shoe going, but seeing as he works for a running company, what should I expect?! 

So having had some much needed family time and the chance to get the house in order, I can continue to focus on the running! This weekend I have a 13 miler on the training plan, which is making me slightly nervous, especially after the knee issues I had towards the end of the last long run I did! Hopefully this one won't cause me any problems, but I think taking it steady and investing in a knee support might be wise. 

Thinking slightly further ahead to the next challenge of the full marathon,  I really hope that my knees don't let me down and I can get through it! 

I've almost made up my mind that after the Brass Monkey Half Marathon, I am going to forget about speed and times and just focus on making it to the end! Almost.. if I can get my competitive streak in check that is!  

Please remember to visit my Just Giving page and give me and my knees some support! All donations welcome!

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/fiona-kitchingman

Smashing it!

After what felt like a completely terrible long run last week, this week has been much more positive. I've avoided the rain (and all the puddles!), run in the daylight and put in some good miles! The best of which, was my 11 miles yesterday afternoon! 

I planned my route before I left to make sure that I wasn't going to have to run past home or do extra loops to make it up to the correct distance.. There is nothing more soul destroying than having to run past your house on tired and achy legs until the Garmin says you're allowed to stop! 

Now, I normally do my long runs on a Sunday, having done the Parkrun the day before, (this might explain why last week's felt so awful!). This week however, I did my long run after having had a rest day the day before... And boy, did it make a difference!! After warming up in the first mile, I really hit my stride and had a great run! The planets obviously aligned, the music didn't skip, the energy blocks didn't make me feel sick and I ran like the wind! (Kind of..) 



Whether I ran like the wind or a light breeze, I am over the moon with the time that I put in! After a disappointing 10 miles last week, I knocked SIX MINUTES off my time! SIX! And then did another mile on the end to boot! 

Now I just have to do an extra 2 on top of this and that's the half marathon done! And then only another.. 13.1 to add on to that.... Sounds so simple right!? 

In the meantime though, I get to be smug about the long list of achievements I achieved on the 11 mile run! New Strava Personal Records for loads of milestones and a new PB for 10K on my Garmin! 







However, as the saying goes "pride comes before a fall", and apparently moderate disaster comes after a great run! Luckily, this time that fall is only a metaphorical one, as I've done the actual fall and I can confirm that it is definitely not fun! 

'The fall' in this case was a particularly awful Parkrun this morning. My knee decided it was a good time to produce a stabbing pain every stride, which was both very painful and incredibly frustrating! 

After an internal battle between wanting to persevere and knowing that I need to take care of my body, I did the sensible thing and walked. I still completed the 5K, albeit very slowly and it was possibly one of the most difficult things I've done! My competitive nature does tend to get the better of me and remembering that I am playing the long game was hard, but was definitely the best thing I could have done. 

A few hours on and a chiropractor appointment later, I am straightened out and currently pain free, so fingers crossed tomorrows 5K won't cause me as many problems as today's! 

So overall, it's been an alright week! The highs and the lows have balanced each other out and I am ready for a good helping of Christmas cheer (as well as some Christmas running!) 

Please keep supporting me this Christmas, visiting my Just Giving page and leaving a donation. Every donation, little or large, keeps me running and makes a massive difference to the lives of those with learning disabilities and their families! 

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/fiona-kitchingman 

Keep an eye out for further Christmas posts! I am looking forward to spending some time with Stu and the family and will hopefully have some photos to post too!

Merry Christmas everyone! 

A Bad Day At the Office

Today was 'long run' day... 10 miles.. And boy, were they long! 

For the first time since upping the distance of my runs, I actually had good weather! It wasn't raining, the temperature wasn't below freezing and I wasn't running in the dark. Surely it was going to be a good run? No. No it wasn't. Everything was lined up for it to be a good run, everything except my energy levels it seemed. 

Right from the outset, things felt hard. Maybe I was a nervy as it was my first long run after my week off due to feeling so poorly? I suppose I have to understand that not every run is going to be 'a good run' but it felt rather demotivating today, like I was wasting the perfect conditions! But as far as bad runs go, it was pretty bad; I racked up a fair few issues, including (but not limited to): going over on my ankle, the mp3 player running out of battery and the energy gel making me feel sick! So yeah, overall really not great! But on the positive side, I did it and I have lived to tell the tale! 

After a run like today's, the reality of the 26.2 miles challenge is really starting to sink in now. That's actually really far! Like, really really far! 

However, now that it is officially the Christmas holidays, I am hopeful that my training is going to be a little bit easier, as I will be able to run in the daylight instead of either before or after work which is always inevitably in the dark. I'm actually quite looking forward to it! It's got to be better than today's running right?! 

I also have something extra that's going to make my training even better;  some really thoughtful Christmas gifts from my lovely class and children who I teach, including some Up & Running vouchers, a thermal ear warmer and some bath soak! I'm really looking forward to going and treating myself to some new gear in the next couple of weeks to get me through these cold training runs. 

So here's to better running than today! Fingers crossed! 

Please keep me going by visiting my Just Giving page and leaving me a donation and a message, it really does make all the difference! 

Community

So as I mentioned in my previous post, there wasn't an awful lot of running happening this week. It has been incredibly frustrating, watching the days on my training plan pass by without me lacing up my trainers, but I am out the other side of it now I hope! 

After feeling horrible all week, being full of cold and just generally exhausted,  I am definitely feeling much better and was able to put in an alright time at Parkrun on Saturday morning. It was at Parkrun that I had one of those overwhelming moments of feeling the amazing community that you're automatically inducted into when you become a runner. Whilst I was just finishing my first lap around the stray, a fellow runner came alongside me and he started to speak to me. To my pleasure, he said "Gosh, you don't even look like you're working hard!" Which after a whole week off and feeling like it was very hard work, I was pleased to hear! From here, we continued to chat and we began to run together, encouraging each other as we went. 

I really love it when things like this happen at Parkrun. So often, we are so focused on running our own race that we forget to look out for our fellow runners (unless something dramatic happens and we have to put on our hero hair and come to the rescue!). There were many times when I first started going to Parkrun that I found it difficult to get round the whole 5K without stopping, and I was always grateful to the runners who picked me up along the way and got me to the end, so it's nice to feel like I'm paying that forward! 

It was actually touch and go on Saturday morning whether I or not I was even going to Parkrun but I'm so glad that I did (and not just for the reason I already mentioned). The weather was miserable but that means fewer runners, fewer runners means a smaller field and a smaller field means a better finishing position! Even though I wasn't running a PB like a few weeks ago, I put in a 25.39 and was the 4th female finisher and 72nd overall, which are my highest rankings to date! Well worth braving the wind for! 

Despite being poorly, it has been a really positive week in terms of fundraising too. We raised £50 at the Christmas fair last weekend and even more collecting donations after the Infant Christmas Production (which was incredible by the way!). Seeing the total going up is really helping me stay motivated in these winter months, so please give generously on my Just Giving page! It really makes all the difference to the lives of people with learning disabilities, helping them to lead independent lives. 

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/fiona-kitchingman

 

Struck Down!

Feeling unimpressed, cold and wet post run!

Following on from last week's post, I have continued the winter training, come rain or shine (usually rain). 

Overall, the training has been going really well! I have been hitting my targets and seem to be set to get a massive PB at the half marathon in January. However, this week I seem to have hit a sight bump in the road: the inevitable winter cold. It's hit me and it's hit me hard. I've been doing pretty well this year in terms of illnesses, remaining on the whole rather healthy, so feeling so unwell has come as a bit of a shock to the system! 

Normally I am the kind of person who doesn't like to let a little bit of illness stop her, but by Friday lunchtime I was unwell to the point of being sent home from work, which I hated! Whilst it felt a little bit like defeat, I can definitely concede that it was the right thing to do, even if it did mean missing the Christmas party! 

The extra rest however did come in handy for running a stall at the Christmas Fair at school, raising some extra money for The Home Farm Trust. Stu even came along to help! He had a great time looking at all of the stalls and meeting lots of my friends and the children I work with and even won a prize on the tombola! 

Now that the weekend obligations are over, I am finding that I am once again totally exhausted and could do with another weekend to recover! And that's without doing the 9 mile run I was supposed to do! 

Today I've made the difficult decision to press pause on the training plan for a couple of days in the hope I start to feel a little more human before continuing to embark on my running mission!  

So fingers crossed I feel back to my healthy self soon and can get back to pounding the pavements of Harrogate, raising money for The Trust! 

In the meantime, please head over to my Just Giving page and leave a donation and message of support to get me through these winter months and horrible colds! 

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/fiona-kitchingman 

So Good I Named It Thrice!

Whilst on my run today, various options for the name of this post went through my mind... Most of them with very good reason. Not wanting to let any of them go to waste, I'll see if I can squeeze them in throughout the post! 

Five Ws and One H

As a teacher, I often talk to the children about the 'Five Ws and one H': Who, What, Where, When, Why and How... For me today, my Five Ws and one H were more like Wet, Watery, Wild, Windy, Waterlogged and Hilly, as I completed the 'easy' 5 miles my training plan demanded.

Dedication : A Definition

Having arrived home from work, going back out into the elements was the last thing I wanted to do. But today, if you looked up the definition of 'Dedication' in the dictionary, I am fairly certain that there would be a photograph of yours truly!!

After the longest Monday known to man, which involved me not returning home for 14 hours, I am rather exhausted.. And yes. I am aware it's only Tuesday! But my overwhelming desire to get my half marathon PB in January and raising money for The Home Farm Trust spurred me on and was enough to get me back out of the house, despite the wind and rain! I did ask if the fiance (it's definitely not got old yet) wanted to come with me, but unsurprisingly, he politely declined!  

A Rant and a Moan!

Another line of thought I had whilst pounding the pavements in the pouring rain is best surmised a rant: a long list of things that annoyed me whilst running around the streets of Harrogate. 

For the whole 5 miles, I couldn't quite decide what should come at the top of this list of annoyances, so please forgive the fact that they don't necessarily come in a hierarchical order. 

The first thing that irritated me was puddles. Yes, that's right. Puddles. Now as a rational human being, I understand that when it rains, puddles will form; I even understand the water cycle. But what I don't understand, is why our pavements have to be so uneven that they cause puddles to form that are reminiscent of the size of oceans?! 

Nothing breaks a runner's stride quite like having to suddenly become a long jumper, leaping over the vast depths of water that have begun to pool everywhere you look! 

This irritation actually brings me quite nicely onto the next: Streetlights. Why is it, that even though I was running when it was already incredibly dark (at 4.30!), there were limited streetlights on? This one is on the list for two reasons. Firstly, the most obvious is safety. I don't particularly like running alone in the dark as it is, but sticking to areas with streetlights at least means that I feel a little bit safer in doing so. That's all well and good, assuming that they're actually on! There were a few parts of my running route, where I would go as far as to say, I felt a little bit vulnerable as I was unable to see what may be lurking around the corner. 

For the second subsection of irritation number 2, please refer to 'puddles'. A lack of light, means it's difficult to see the puddles. Not only is it difficult to see the puddles, it is also difficult to judge the depth of the puddles. This equals very wet feet for Miss K! Needless to say, this is not my favourite thing! 

Water on the pavements, water on the road, rain creates a continual issue for even the most seasoned of runners. If you can actually motivate yourself to get out of the door, brave the diminishing light and the puddles on the pavements, you also have to contend with drivers. Drivers and puddles. Not a great combination if I do say so myself. Whilst I was hurtling down Skipton Road, leaping over the gargantuan puddles on the pavements, cars were being less than considerate, motoring through their own lakes on the road, with no thought for where their tidal wave might land. Luckily for me, I managed to avoid a thorough drenching... Although it came very close quite a few times!

The fourth item on this list, is actually all encompassing. Winter running in general. Why do we do it?? It's cold, it's wet and it's miserable, but oh my it's worth it! Especially when I think of the reason why I am dragging myself out on these cold, stormy nights. 

So for that reason, please help keep me motivated in spite of the all of the grumbles and irritations that winter running brings by visiting my Just Giving page and leaving me a donation! 

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/fiona-kitchingman

Miss to be Mrs?!

Well, it's been another interesting week! I really don't know where to start!

I suppose as this is technically a running blog, I should start there.. although I'm not sure that is where I want to begin!

It's been a great week in terms of running and training. I have done a few early morning runs, before going into work, which has actually worked really well; both in terms of timing and the amazing smug feeling I get for the rest of the day! However the one thing that is currently 'grinding my gears' on the running front is that this morning's 6 mile run won't upload onto my Garmin Connect app! Which means, as those who know me will attest, there was no point in doing it at all! I am a big believer in that if it's not recorded and if it doesn't go towards your weekly millage then was it really worth the time and effort? Probably not! I know it's recorded on my watch, but if it's not there for the world to see? Well. Let's just say I'm not happy about it!

But that quite nicely leads me onto the thing that I AM happy about! Very happy in fact! So happy, that I might even fall into the 'over moon' category! No... It's not a new PB, it's even better than that! (Or I think so!) This weekend, I got engaged! G, who will hence forth be known as 'The Fiance!', asked me to marry him! 

I can honestly say that it was totally unexpected and I am still in a state of shock! It honestly keeps taking me by surprise and I find myself grinning every time I think about hearing him saying those words "Will you marry me?" 

For those of you who are wondering "How did he do it?" "Where?" "When?" Well let me tell you! 

The first thing to say is that, I pretty much ruined his plans at every turn. But how was I supposed to know?! 

I woke up on Saturday morning and headed off to Parkrun, as is my weekend routine. I didn't wake G up, instead just slipping out of the house quietly. Something that I didn't think would be a problem! 

I came home after a pleasing Parkrun and we chatted, and I informed him that I was going out to meet some friends for lunch! He always tells me that I should see the girls more, so off I went! I think I did tell him I would only be a couple of hours... 

4.5 hours later I rolled in home, having been chastised by my friends for not remembering all the dates we had set for 2019. Seeing as my diary runs out at the end of 2018, how am I supposed to keep track?! 
Therefore when I got home, whilst the kettle was boiling, I started to write down all the important dates that I need to remember for 2019. Obviously, at the top of that list was The London Marathon! Having completed this task I headed to put my phone on charge, when G called me back to the kitchen, saying "You missed a date." 

Confused, I returned to the kitchen to find G standing with a ring box on my diary and he said those words... "Will you marry me?" 

My response... "Are you joking?" 

Probably not the romantic response that he was expecting! But what can I say?! I was completely caught off guard and had no idea that he was planning this! 

After establishing that this was not a joke, I obviously said yes through my tears! 

So even with me unwittingly sabotaging my own marriage proposal, we got there in the end and can now commence planning our happy day! For now though, I am still waiting for it to all sink in! 

Happy weekend everybody! 

She's At It Again..

She's at it again.. 'Who?' I hear you ask... S of course! My incredible sister, marathon runner extraordinaire!

This time, she has gone even further afield - all the way to The Big Apple! As I type, S is running her 20th mile of The New York City Marathon! This is her 7th marathon that she has completed and I remain totally astounded by her determination and strength. In my previous post about S's marathons, I was struck by what a difficult time she had while running in Berlin, yet she's definitely not let it put her off! Me on the other hand... There's a certain amount of trepidation about the challenge I am undertaking.. But that's natural right?!

Whilst S went to Berlin chasing a time, she has gone to NYC chasing an experience. It's not every day that you go to such an amazing city and take part in a race of this magnitude, so I think she has definitely got the right idea! And what an experience she is going to have had! Not only is she running through the streets of New York, she also took part in the opening parade of the marathon.

Having a seasoned runner like S in the family is incredibly useful for a person in my position... My position being someone who has possibly bitten off more than she can chew! Despite S's busy life and personal training schedule, she always has time to offer help and advice to those of us just starting out on our marathon journey; something which I am very grateful for!



Now S isn't the only one who has been out pounding the pavements this weekend. Mother Dearest has put in the miles too (a little more locally), completing the Guy Fawkes 10 mile race today. A seasonal outing, this particular run is known to be more than a little challenging, comprising of a fair amount of steep inclines that could stop the most seasoned runners in their tracks, or even put people off from entering entirely (Hello! That would be me!), but not Mother Dearest! After being unable to complete this race 15 years ago due to a circumstances beyond all of our control, she had some unfinished business to take care of. And take care of it she did; completing all 10 miles, hills and all in an amazing 1 hour 42 minutes!

So with these two beautiful ladies paving the way, it is time for me to lace up my trainers and troop on!


It is 10 weeks to the Brass Monkey Half Marathon in York, which is the next goal. Having achieved my '10 miles by Christmas' a couple of months early, I can hopefully up the pace and put in a good time in my 4th half marathon.. Dare I dream of a PB? With the support of these two inspirational ladies, I definitely hope so!

Please don't forget to visit my Just Giving page and read about my family's story and why I am completing these challenges. The blood, sweat and tears will be all be worth it to achieve my fundraising goal.

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/fiona-kitchingman

Half Term Halloween!

What a week! 

As teachers, we hear a lot of jokes about 'all the holidays' we get, and how we only work 9-3.30, but this week has allowed for some much needed rest and relaxation (as well as some preparation and planning for the half term that is still to come of course!) 

So far it's been a full week of lunch dates, catch ups, shopping, pumpkin carving, spa days and of course a little bit of running - After all there needs to be some hard work along with the relaxing and I had to take full advantage of being able to run in the day time, when it's nice and light. 

The diminishing day light is something that has been concerning me for a while now, as we all know it becomes harder to stay motivated during the winter months, with the dropping temperatures and the dark nights. But I have been proactive! I have signed up to join a running club so I will always have people to run with! I went to my first 'Club Night' on Tuesday evening and enjoyed my first run around the streets of Knaresborough with my new friends. 

As a club, they also do endurance sessions, which are optional but I am weirdly excited about them. They're meant to be really good for helping you improve your running, so predictably, I can't wait to have a go! I'm also excited to have another community of people to get advice and support from as I up the mileage, as I am more than aware that I need all the help I can get! 

In other news, the ankle has settled down now and I have been reassured that it is a problem of fatigue and not to worry about it too much so I am psyching myself up for a longer run tomorrow and a Parkrun on Saturday. 

Bring it on! 

Don't forget to visit my Just Giving Page and read about the Home Farm Trust in my previous post. The work that they do is so vital to individuals with learning disabilities and they can't do it without our support. 

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/fiona-kitchingman 

Frustration and a Fundraiser

This has been a week of frustration in terms of my training, but a week of joys in other ways!

I haven't been running since Sunday, which is 4 days and it's driving me crazy!
During my 8.5 miler on Sunday, I noticed a twinge in my right ankle, but it wasn't bad enough to make me stop. It felt more like a pin prick and was easily ignored (I will concede it probably wasn't the wisest of choices).

My ankles have been sore for a while, but at the end of the day, what did I expect, pounding pavements with such determination?! It was bound to happen! Whilst it might be the inevitable, it doesn't make it any easier to put up with!

This week I was planning on continuing with my recent routine,  running home from work on Tuesday, but I noticed that my right ankle was looking a bit puffy; so putting my sensible head on, I decided it was better to give it a miss and allow my ankle time to rest and heal. Come Wednesday, which is my Running Club day, my ankle was no better and ended up being strapped up by the lovely First Aid expert at school. An evening of elevation and ice seemed to bring the swelling down, but not completely.

I'm hoping to be back out running tomorrow or Saturday, just taking it steady. I don't know if I can handle resting any longer! Although, I am remembering my mantra: Rest days are important!! And my new one - Listen to your body!

It has felt very frustrating not being able to continue my training as I had planned, however I am slowly beginning to realise that it might have been for the best; not only for my sore and poorly ankle, but for myself generally. I've been attacking training with a lot of enthusiasm and I've been feeling particularly exhausted recently. The two things aren't necessarily related  (but let's face it - they probably are!) Although I have plenty of energy whilst actually running, it's all the other times that I find myself yawning and wanting to curl up under a duvet! The other possible cause for the general exhaustion is the crazy 8 week half term that we are just coming to the end of! I am definitely ready to spend some time recharging my batteries, getting the training back on track and beginning to experiment with some new meals and nutrition. 

So after an amazing weekend last week, smashing a Parkrun PB at Fountains Abbey, I somehow don't think that I will be getting that PB feeling this week!... If I even make it round a Parkrun this weekend!

I have however been cheered up by lots of new song selections for my Marathon Playlist! It's definitely a varied selection and I love it! I also have loved the enthusiasm of some of the Year 6 children at school who held a cake sale on Monday and raised £105 for The Trust! It was a real triumph and there were lots of tasty treats to be had!

If you're unsure why I am taking myself on this journey, allowing myself to become battered, bruised and exhausted, please take a look at my previous post about The Home Farm Trust and have a read of 'My Story' on my Just Giving page. Any donations and messages of support are very much appreciated as I get ready to pound the pavements some more (ankle dependent of course!)

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/fiona-kitchingman

The Home Farm Trust

As previously mentioned, one of the pleasures of my job is giving assemblies! And this week, I was able to give another! This time, I was introducing the charity I am running for to the children at school. 

This was a mix of exciting and nerve wracking, as The Home Farm Trust is something so close to my heart. I couldn't wait to share the Trust's vision and explain what we are going to be raising money for, whilst also sharing some family photos and personal experiences of what the Trust is able to do. 

Overall, the assembly went well and in researching additional information about the HFT, I found out things I never knew before, like how they began! I never knew that it was one small group of parents that started the Trust, wishing to ensure a safe, secure and independent life for their children with learning disabilities. This small beginning in 1962 has now grown into a national charity, supporting 2,500 adults with learning disabilities across the country. 

Caravan Holidays! 

For me, The Home Farm Trust has always been there. When I was younger, I never considered how they came to be, or how they functioned. They were the people who looked after Uncle Stu, and that's all there was to it! Now that I am older and I look back on the life that Stu has had, it is so clear to me how instrumental to that the Trust has been. 

My Uncle Stuart has Down's Syndrome, which is a learning disability that for Stu means that he needs people to help him do things that we can do by ourselves. Stu doesn't really use verbal language like we do; he understands what we say, but communicates with us through a type of sign language called Makaton. 

Stu & Mother Dearest

When Stu was young, my Gran and Grandad realised that if he was going to be able to lead a life that was as independent as possible and be safe and secure, then they were going to need help. This is when they found The Home Farm Trust. They were able to support Stu and my family and have been responsible for him ever since. With the support of the Trust's amazing staff, Stu is able to live in a house with others who the Trust support; people
 who are his life long friends. 

The money donated to The Home Farm Trust provides so much to the people they support. It means that a person who can't speak is able to communicate and make choices about their own lives. It provides training to staff who work with the people the Trust support. It means suitably adapted living spaces so a person with learning disabilities can live independently. 
It means the people with learning disabilities can live the lives they choose, achieving their own dreams and goals just like we do. The money donated to The Home Farm Trust really does change lives. 

Stu & His Friends!

Well that was a long one! But as I'm sure you can tell, this is a topic that means an awful lot to me and when I talk about it, I always want to make sure I do it justice. If you want to learn more about the work that The Home Farm Trust does, please visit their website and read some of the stories of the people they support and the difference that they have made to their lives; it is truly inspiring. 

Please don't forget to visit my Just Giving page and help me to say thank you to this wonderful charity that does so much for so many. 

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/fiona-kitchingman 

Level Up!

What an amazing day! Officially on one of those 'Runner's Highs' that we all like to tell you exist! Today is the day that I have achieved goal number 1: Run ten miles before Christmas. 

Before setting out on today's run, I was not filled with so much excitement. In fact, knowing that I was planning on running 9 miles today, I woke up many times in the night and was even having stress dreams about it! However, despite my disturbed sleep and the fact that the forecast was predicting rain, rain and more rain, I put on my running shoes and psyched myself up for the onslaught. 

Ready to go!

On leaving the house, the rain wasn't so bad... A mere drizzle. Well that lasted for all of 5 minutes before the heavens officially opened! At this point, the voice was there in the back of my mind.. "You could just go home. Nobody would blame you in this weather!" "This is going to be really hard in this weather. Your shoes are already soaked!" "Just give up now."  

At this point, I did the only thing I could.. Turned my music up and got on with it! And do you want to know the really marvellous thing? It felt great! I was going steady on my pace, focusing on the distance and even whilst looking and feeling like a drowned rat, I loved it. By the time I had completed 7 miles, I had a choice of heading home by the most direct route, or going around the edge of the stray. It was such an easy decision! The stray was as gorgeous as ever and it was lovely to see people who had come out in the rain to support the footballers (although I did see one particularly aggressive tackle which should have been a red card in my opinion!). 

Running down Skipton road as I hit mile 9, I was having a great time. Yes, I couldn't feel my fingers and I was soaked through to the skin, but it was dawning on m that I could actually do this. I could actually run the London Marathon and run it well! 

At this point, there was a lot of self affirmation going on inside my head. The little voice had perked up by this point and she was much more positive! "You're amazing! "This feels great" "You're going to smash it!"  The wet feet and soggy clothes didn't matter anymore. I was smashing it and loving life! 

So now that I am home and have dried off, I can relax and eat lots of chocolate for the rest of my Sunday, guilt free! 

Soaking wet but feeling great! 

Please don't forget to visit my Just Giving page and have a read about the charity I am raising money for and maybe even leave me a donation and a message of support. It would be much appreciated as I know how important donations are to this charity and what a long way they can go. 

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/fiona-kitchingman 

Fixed!

As many of you will know, I have been sharing the link to this blog on Facebook, but with little success as the link wouldn't work! Well thankfully, that problem is no more! 

After watching various YouTube videos and fiddling with settings, I am pleased to say we have cracked it! All the links from here on in will be 100% secure, so no more pesky warnings when you try and read my page! 

New Stuff!

Well, this week has been a very exciting week (for me, if not for my bank balance), as I have bought a few new running essentials! 

On Monday, I decided it was time for a new pair of running shoes. I have had my previous pair for a year now, and they have put in a fair few miles and were beginning to show the strain somewhat! I took them with me to Up&Running and the guys in the store were able to perform an interesting postmortem  on them. Turns out that I have an interesting and unique running style (or that's what I'm translating it as). My shoes weren't worn equally, as I heel strike on one foot but not on the other and I run in a way that has caused my shoes to become twisted! Weird! 

Unfortunately for me, I didn't get my new shoes on Monday - They didn't have my size in my trusty Brooks Ghosts. I did however get the Flipbelt I have been talking about for ages now and it's great! It fits my gigantic phone and my keys so no more achy shoulder! 

So after my initial disappointment, Saturday became the best day of a runner's year: New shoe day! And not a moment too soon either, as my Saturday morning 5K resulted with a nail right through the sole of my old pair. Luckily there was a clip attached to the nail which prevented it from actually reaching my foot. 

So here they are... The new shoes! Still looking clean even after their first 6 mile outing!  
And here is the other pair.. still in their box! Because yes. I bought two! 

Whilst this might seem a little extravagant, it is a well thought through investment, which means I can alternate shoes each run, giving them time to recover and preventing me from running in wet shoes! I just need to get my Sharpie out and label them 'Pair 1' and 'Pair 2'! 

Their first outing was definitely a positive one too! 6 miles with a pace of 8.46 minute miles! I'm still working up to that all important 10 miles by Christmas, but the weekly millage is steadily increasing. This week I have clocked up a grand total of 27.3 miles! Now I just need to all of that in one go and I'll be laughing! 😂

For now though, topping the table of the family competition will suffice! 

#FitFam

Please remember the reason I am going to all these lengths; to support the fantastic Home Farm Trust. 

Take a look at my Just Giving page and read my family's story and why the charity means so much to us. 

www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Fiona-Kitchingman 

Getting faster!

Another weekend and another Parkrun! Whilst this week marked Mother Dearest's 100th run AND a new PB, for me it was a huge surprise to see myself running my fastest Parkrun in 2 years!

Mother Dearest after her 100th ParkRun!

It's been a long road back to running over the last couple of years. After the 2016 Great North Run left me nearly unable to walk, I set out on a mission to get to the bottom of the pain in my leg that had troubled me for 7 years: A worthwhile, but lengthy exercise... Over a year and what must be nearly 100 chiropractor appointments later, I am finally getting back to where I was! And I suppose it's a good job, seeing as I've got 26.2 miles to run in April!

Even though distance is the goal, rather than speed, I can't help but be quietly overjoyed that the pace is coming back. It is frustrating seeing an old PB staring you down every time you check the results. But not for much longer... 24.33- I'm coming for you!!


I am partially putting my regained pace down to new socks! Having suffered with blisters after running more than 4-5 miles, the thought of my upcoming challenge was concerning me. However, since the arrival of some new 'runderwear' socks, my feet are finally beginning to recover! Here are my shiny new socks, which I have just ordered more pairs of (in pink this time... Obviously!)

These splendid new socks have seen me through an extremely hilly 7 mile run today! Despite a number of killer hills, I have to say I actually really enjoyed the outing - A steady pace and a few photo opportunities made for a pleasant afternoon run with Mother Dearest!

In Kettlesing where we used to live!

All in all, it's been a positive week where running is concerned! A grand total of 23 miles this week and feeling good! I am excited to see what the coming week brings, more miles and more pace!

Please remember to visit my Just Giving page to sponsor me in my marathon challenge!
www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Fiona-Kitchingman

'The Fall'

Another week closer to Christmas and I still haven't run that all important 10 miles.. But there's time. 

I have however been building up the amount of runs this week and trying to push a little further each time; the furthest being 5.5 miles - halfway to the first goal! Woo! 

Whilst the milestones (pardon the pun) are small, I can still see and feel the progress in my running, which is great. The running is by no means easy yet, and an extremely windy Wednesday run was a monumental challenge, but myself and Running Club were able to soldier on. I am also keeping true to what I said in my last post. I am being more like S and refusing to give up - determination is prevailing and the hills haven't beaten me yet! 

The increase in running is presenting some other challenges too, like a sore and achy shoulder both during and post run, which isn't ideal. I'm confident that the cause of said achy shoulder is the arm wallet I am currently using to carry my phone... 

A quick fix - don't take the phone, right? This was previously my attitude. For a long time I enjoyed leaving my phone at home, having some time away from being reachable at the touch of a button, not having something bleeping at me with notifications every few minutes. Until 'The Fall, that is'. 

I'd never really given too much thought to running without my phone. I have my Garmin to track my run, which will sync when I get back and a lightweight MP3 player to listen to some pacy tunes. Why would I need anything else? This was an opinion that changed on one particular Thursday in the Summer Holidays. I had run almost 5 miles and was only a stone's throw from home, taking a route across a public footpath through a field. All was going well, I had picked up the pace knowing that I was on the home stretch, however what I didn't pick up were my feet. Hitting a stone, I went down and I went down hard. 


I was quickly able to sit up and take stock of my injuries; hands that had been chewed by stones and legs with bruises already beginning to show. And in that moment I wanted one thing: My phone! 

I was extremely lucky that day (apart from the whole falling thing), as I knew I had just run past a woman walking with her children and that she would be coming around the corner any moment and would hopefully be able to help me! Thankfully she did. She helped me up and even took me back to her house to try and clean my hands before driving me back to my house to await a lift to A&E to have my hands cleaned properly. 

Still smiling, even in A&E!

Many lessons were learned that day: 
1. Always run with your phone - you never know what might happen,
2. Falling over really hurts and as an adult you fall both further and harder,
3. Sometimes you just need a mum, it doesn't have to be yours, but a mum will always know what to do! 

So having learned these lessons and all my injuries healed, I now run with my phone and always pick up my feet! 

Please don't forget to check out my Just Giving page and read a little more about why I am running The London Marathon. It's a very important charity and I would love for people to know more about them and support the cause. 

www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Fiona-Kitchingman