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After setting off at 12km per hour as planned this only lasted for 4 hours by which stage it was so cold I had to stop and put on extra kit. I now had three long sleeve tops and a jacket on top of this along with hat and gloves. My hamstrings had also started to stiffen up with the cold and hills and came in for Bill to give them a quick massage. This did the trick and slowed the pace just to finish. I easily won the womens race but well below the British record. I knew everything had to be perfect for the record to go and with the tough course and poor weather was not too disappointed, I achieved the maximum possible under the conditions and was satisfied with my performance and am confident with the right course and good conditions the record is within my reach. There is news coming through of a 12 hour race to be held in England next May, is this is correct may be I will have another attempt then. Got lots of short races over the Christmas and New Year period so will do those and then get back into a serious training programme for the new year. November
04 After only achieving plan B in the Czech Republic last month I have recovered well and even done a couple of races already. The Burley Bridge Hike was just three weeks after the 24 hours and managed a reasonable time for the course and a steady run in the Leicester Marathon the week after following a very hard week of training. I have now decided to take on one last long run before the end of the year and that will be in France on 4th December. I will be running in my second ever 12 hour race, although I have two good goals for this race they are going to be tough to achieve and so will not be too disappointed if I do not achieve them. I am optimistic about a good race with my two goals being to get the B standard for the 100km which is 8 hours 50 minutes and hopefully beat 8 hours 48 minutes which is the best performance by a British female this year and may be go on to challenge the British 12 Hour record as set by Eleanor Robinson with 134.08km. Watch this space! October
04 In the World Challenge the route was the worst I had ever competed on. The very small loop of just 1.3km had twelve 90 degree bends, had obstacles such as drain covers, kerbs, uneven ground to contend with and was also quite undulating. My big weakness is continually running around corners, disrupting the rhythm of running and straining my ankles. Considering the course I ran well but had hoped for a higher placing and was disappointed with my 16th place in the World and 11th place in Europe. The good news was that I retained my British Number One status for the eighth consecutive year and still attained the goal of over 200km (ran 202.6km). I also have the back-up of a team with the minimum three athletes required. I led my team home to 4th place in Europe and 6th place in the World. Considering most teams above us had five or six athletes in the team our three did very well and hope for a medal position next year. Read more about the World Challenge September
04 After falling off my bike a week before the race while out cycling in the moors with Bill, the handle bar badly bruised my left quad and left me unable to train for a few days. The final decision came when Bill was rushed into hospital by ambulance after a visit to the doctors on the Tuesday before the race. Although he came out on the Wednesday evening I decided to have six weeks of consistent training before the World 24 Hours in the Czech Republic. Confirmation of selection from UK Athletics has finally been received after a few problems with funding and the good news is that a womens team of 3 athletes has been selected. I have also given up the Sports Massage business and decided to return to Teesside University to start my Masters in Sport and Exercise this month. August
04 July
04 Fitness has picked up very well this month with some consistent high mileage training. The only disappointment has been not reflecting this fitness in races. I have struggled in a few of the shorter races and would have broken pb's at 5km had my breathing not restricted me. At the beginning of the month I had a steady run round the Thirsk 10 and was pleased with a season's best for 10 miles. On the Thusday before the West Highland Way I was leading an off road 5km race until the last kilometer where I had to walk due to asthma. The West Highland Way is a 95 mile trail run but started even earlier than last time I competed. The 1am start created several problems for me, nearly 3 hours of tripping and stumbling in the dark and straining to see so early and getting wet feet made my feet blister quite early. Blisters are usually something to be suffered and do not drop out with these but was aware by the end of Loch Lomond (around 40 miles) that my ankles were unusually stiff. After the steep drop from Crianlarach I was aware that coming down hill I was scrunching up my toes to avoid the blisters being squashed by the ends of my shoes and this was creating the stiff ankles. At Tyndrum, Bill made me sit and discuss whether or not to continue, I had not even contemplated pulling out at this stage as the rest of me felt fine. I still had nearly 40 miles to run and was constantly feeling my left ankle in particular. As this was just an enjoyable long race and not significant to the international scene Bill thought it best to pull out and not end up with an injury that may put me out for a few weeks just for the sake of finishing, reluctantly I had to agree and so pulled out to conserve myself as my next big event was just two weeks away in the Czech Republic (7 marathons in 7 days). The ankles recovered quickly and was able to compete in a 10km race the following week, but again had problems with asthma half way into the race. The asthma is worse in short races when breathing is taxed most but the gentler running in long races does not stress my breathing so much and so am still able to perform in these events. May
04 April
04 The bad news for the month was that the World 24 Hours was not going ahead at Apeldoorn due to lack of sponsors. After getting over the initial shock of this news I took up an invitation to compete in the Surgeres 48 Hours race in France. This will take place on 28th -30th May 2004 on a 300m cinder track. Many the of the world's top athletes will be there, athletes like Edit Berces and Irina Reutovich, who have dominated the top two places in 24 and 48 hours for the last few years. March
04 February
04 January
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