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December
03
This
was a very quiet month, taking a six week break from hard training
and ticking over on around 20 miles a week. Much of my time was
spent digging the foundations for a garage in the back garden.
November
03
Just
had a couple of races recovering from 24 hours and ticking over
until the World Veterans 100km in Taiwan. Had a poor run in Taiwan
on a hot, humid, hilly course. Suffered with asthma in the second
half of the race and had to lay down and be seen by medics at approximately
55km into race. Planned a six week break after this event to recover
from the exertions of the year and build up again starting from
January next year.
October
03
This was to be the big month, the important
event to maintain my number one status in Britain for the 7th consecutive
year. I did this is style with 205km (128 miles). My target had
been to reach 190km in order to gain the selection criteria for
next years world championships and had been confident of reaching
200km. I knew I was not in shape to break by pb due to various small
injuries sustained since the Flora 1000 Mile Challenge and had not
got up to my normal mileage. My only disappointment was that I only
came 15th in the World, I had hoped that a performance in excess
of 200km would keep me in the top 10, but this was such a high class
event that it proved to be the best ever event ever held over 24
hours in terms of performances, there had never been so many athletes
to break the 200km mark in any event.
September 03
I am continuing
with the heavy mileage and have 3 marathons planned for the month.
By the end of the month all the hard work will be done and I will
taper for the World 24 Hour Championships in Uden, Holland on 11/12th
October.
Races:
Sep 2nd - Coch Howe Fell Race (6 miles), 4th lady
Sep 7th - Billingham 10km, 4th lady
Sep 14th - Robin Hood Marathon
Sep 21st - Lockwood Bounder (23 miles)
Sep 28th - Loch Ness Marathon
August
03
This
was a heavy month of mileage and racing. I achieved steady improvement
over the month and a big increase in my weekly miles. I did lots
of short races for speedwork and three races of marathon distance.
At the end of the month I did the Dales Traverse which included
approx. 7000ft of ascent, and I finished overall joint first with
the first man.
Races:
Aug 3rd - Harrogate 10Km
Aug 7th - Langdale End Fell Race (6 miles)
Aug 9th - Hanging Stone Leap (24 miles), 1st lady, 7th overall
Aug 10th - Darlington 10Km
Aug 12th - York 5km (1st lady V35)
Aug 16th - Race the train (14.8 miles)
Aug 19th - Fox & Hounds Fell Race, 2nd lady
Aug 23rd - Two Bridges (35 miles)
Aug 30th - Dales Traverse, 1st overall
July
03
I ran for England in the 100km Anglo Celtic Plate at Edinburgh on
6th July. I had another disappointing run and finished in 4th place,
but England retained their unbroken record of winning the event
in both the mens and womens team events. Since pulling out of Apeloorn
24 hour race I have struggled to remain injury free and my fitness
has suffered. A third of the way into this race I pulled my right
gluteal muscle on one of the many
tight bends and slowed up considerably. As there was a team medal
at stake I continued on and had a slow finishing time of 9 hours
47 minutes, an hour slower than predicted.
Although this was a bad performance I was not confident going into
the event and lack consistent training and have not returned to
my normal mileage since the Flora 1000 Mile Challenge. I now have
a few months to prepare myself properly for the World 24 Hour Championships
being staged in October and am confident I have the time to pick
myself up again to retain my British number one status for this
event.
I am the only female selected for the combined World and European
24 hour championships to be held at Uden in Holland on 11/12 October
2003. Mens team selected is Stuart Buchan, William Sichel, Adrian
Stott and Walter Hill.
June 03
The
24 hour race in Apeldoorn, Holland didn't go to plan! I had to pull
out due to injury after completing 7hours / 66 kms. I think I sustained
the injury whilst spending the week prior to the event kitting out
our new van as a camper van so we could use it in Holland. I strained
my adductors and this led to other problems in the 24 hour race.
May 03
Done
a couple of 10km races around the 42 minute mark and Leeds Marathon
in
3 hours 18 minutes. The following week I did the National 50km race
in 4 hours 10 minutes as so am back to my normal racing routine.
My training has been around the 70 miles per week mark and not back
to over 100 miles yet.
The big challenge comes at the end of the month when I will compete
in Apeldoorn in Holland at 24 hours. Last year I did 217km in this
race and would like to think I could make it to 200km this year.
Selection for GB is 190km.
April
03
Completed the
Flora 1000 Mile Challenge and did the marathon in a time of 3 hours
34 minutes. I was pleased with my time considering my best time
last year for the marathon was 3 hours 21 minutes at Blackpool.
Scans revealed that I lost 2.5kg of muscle from my legs and made
the time even more surprising. Recovery did not take long but it
was about five days before I slept properly, I kept tossing and
turning until the Friday night. On that Friday I did a 10 mile race
at Marske in 74 minutes and the following Monday an off-road 10km
Race. I was tired for about five days once I slept properly but
never needed any extra sleep from my normal 10pm - 7am routine.
March
03
This
is the big month of the challenge. My training in Oz went very well,
the warm weather helped my asthma and had no problems. Did a 15km
race in Melbourne coming third in 65 minutes off some very heavy
training. Did not complete the planned 100km race in Canberra due
to several reasons (not my ability!!).
Been
busy for the few days I was home with catching up and media requests.
Will send updates on my progress during the event to this website,
you can also follow me on Sunday Grandstand (live start on TV with
the Prince Andrew, Duke of York at 4pm on Sunday 2nd March). Updates
also via Radio Five at 7:30pm every day and Daily Mail is the reporting
newspaper for the event. Local news may also pick up on coverage
(via London news).
February 03
This
month will be spent warm weather training in Australia. My plans
changed due to the bush fires and had planned a 100km race in Canberra,
but fear this will be cancelled. Our accommodation plans also had
to be altered as many of the major cities such as Sydney and Melbourne
have a haze of smoke and so will be hiring a campervan so we are
free to travel to a smoke free zone. Travelling out on 2nd February,
returning on 24th February for a few days to recover from the journey
before the big event.
January
03
Back into heavy training again to get as fit as possible before
the big event. Some good news is that the new managing director
of my sports nutrition supplements (Mannatech) has agreed a new
contract for the year (the fourth consecutive year) and Elle MacPherson
Intimates has agreed to cover all my training costs for the year,
this includes a warm weather training trip to Australia in February
and Altitiude Training leading up to the two World Championship
events in 24 hours and 100km later on in the year. It started with
a spell of snow and ice and was reduced to running at the gym on
a treadmill and a disastrous first race of the year at Scarborough.
I suffered an asthma attack just eight miles into this marathon
event and was forced to withdraw, probably as a result of being
inside all week and having a hard run into freezing conditions.
I recovered from this to successfully navigate the Eston Nab fell
race coming home in third place. This will probably be my last race
until the London Marathon.
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