Becoming a runner

I've never been a runner, it's always bored me stupid - but it's a cheap free form of exercise and I've always wanted to get better at it - and I need a cheap way of exercising now that I'm not playing roller derby.

So, I rejoined Pure Gym a while ago and I've got into running on a Treadmill, and after a month or two I'm now up to about 5km in 35 minutes.  Not super fast, but I'm pleased with that.

But now Richard has asked me to do Tough Guy with him, and I've crazily said yes.  I think I felt it was something to work towards, something completely different, and having watched him do it three times now I can honestly say that I want to be able to do it - it looks hell and fun all at the same time!!

Anyway, that means that I've got to get fitter, and be able to run much further by July.

Tough Guy is one of the hardest obstacle races in the UK, 17km and more obstacles than I want to think about - you'll have seen the photos from when I've photographed Richard doing it before.

So I'm in training, I'm trying to run outside more (that's not going so well as it freaks me out a little).  Today we went for a run in Epping Forest, which is more like Tough Guy as it involved loads of mud and water.   Although I walked quite a lot of it, we managed 7.75km - my longest yet, certainly my longest outside run.

Yesterday we got me some new running shoes, the grip on the sole is fantastic and makes running in mud so much easier - I'm going to have to make more of an effort when I get back to Sheffield - the woods down below my house will need exploring!!  I wish I had someone to run with like Richard, he's so supportive and encouraging, and doesn't get frustrated at my speed or need to walk sometimes.

Rocks

When we were young my brother was always the fit outdoorsy type, I didn't play any sport or go out in the countryside often, he'd certainly inherited that trait and left none for me.

He ran marathons, climbed, hell he was even on the mountain rescue team for his school (he went to school in the middle of nowhere in Scotland).

He was such a good climber that he instructed, but there was no way I was going to get instruction from him!

There has always been rivalry between us but on fitness I knew I'd never compete (my how things change!), but there was no way I was having him lording it over me about climbing - I think I was about 20 when I signed up for and completed a 10 week climbing course in Swindon (not even knowing if i was scared of heights - i'm not particularly) Nothing fancy, just some bouldering and a bit of belaying. By the end of the course I could confidently climb a simple route to the top, I was happy with that and didn't return to climbing.

You'd think that moving to the UK centre for climbing would make me interested again, and John had been a keen climber before we'd met, but I never seemed to get round to it.

So when Jo at work (in Stockport) mentioned that she wished she had a regular climbing partner, and I'd been looking for something else to do, I thought why not try again.

Tonight Lucie, Jo and I have been bouldering, and I loved it (having lots of fit men to watch helped!). I didn't feel confident belaying after such a long time, but Jo has convinced me that she can teach me, so I'll be going back again after work next week - I'm really looking forward to it!

One of the great things is the availability of walls in Stockport and Sheffield, and that I can go bouldering on my own. I need to build up my upper body strength so this will certainly help.

So, gym on Mondays, skating Tuesdays, climbing Wednesday, gym Thursday, rest Friday, gym, climbing or skating (if there is a bout) Saturday and skating again on Sunday - wow! Go me! (although in honestly it doesn't always work out like this!)

Weekend of exercise

With all the excitement of the zombie shoot (that post will have to wait as it's a secret!), I was tired on Saturday, but I certainly wasn't missing the opportunity I'd been given.

The All Stars were scrimmaging against Leeds, and earlier in the week had asked for an extra skater to make up numbers - I volunteered, and my name was picked out of the hat!!

My first experience of skating at A team level - and it was hard! Although it was meant to be a scrimmage, it was run a lot more like a closed bout, very serious and playing to win.

I got loads of track time, mainly as a blocker, and I loved every minute of it. Leeds won, I have no idea what the score was, I didn't care! I'd held my own pretty well with the All Stars, and even got some praise from their coach.

Needless to say, I was in bed early.

Which was certainly necessary, because on Sunday morning at 9am myself and four other rollergirls ran the Race for Life 5km around the city centre! I'll admit that I didn't run it all, I walked some of the hills, but I certainly did better than last time.

John, Violet, Erica and myself went off to the Rude Shipyard for breakfast!

As if that wasn't enough, after a brief nap, I went to the Sunday training session! Although I didn't do the scrimmaging at the end as I had arranged to see Mickey so that she could give me some exercise advice (how to strengthen my right shoulder).

By the end of the day I was really beginning to feel the strain, another early night.

Fantastic weekend

It's going to be hard to describe how amazing the weekend has been, this might end up being a long post!

The team had been asked if we'd like to play a bout against Dublin, a double header, A and B teams. But in the end we could only get enough Belles to go - so off we went!

Firstly, on Friday it rained, not just a little - biblical proportions! Trains across to Manchester were cancelled and it looked like we might not be going anywhere.

But Colin to the rescue! With minutes to spare he drove us across the Peak District in a department minibus.

Our hostel in Dublin was great, right in the middle of Temple Bar, clean and with free toast and tea for breakfast. We arrived, dumped our bags and went off to the rock bar which sponsors the Dublin girls. I had one pint and didn't stay up late.

We had a bit of time for wandering and coffee on Saturday morning, as the bout was not until 4pm. I've been to Dublin once before so felt confident wandering on my own. We had a coach booked to take us out to the bout.

The bout itself was a bit of a shambles, inexperienced referees and non-skating officials meant that the scoring was all over the place ..... penalties not being called (or called incorrectly), scores either not being counted or being added to the wrong team - I've never played a bout with so many time outs!

The scores were a bit of a mess but with about 6 minutes to go we needed 26 points to win, but the final score showed us losing by 2 points.

We played really well as a team, I was happy with both my blocking and my jamming, and I got a good amount of track time. I even had a couple of power jams too.

But wait, we'd congratulated the other team, but an official enquiry was going on due to scoring irregularities.

Then the official final score was announced - we'd actually won by 2 points!!

We then went on to win the after party! Lots of dancing and drinking going on - although I only had one pint due to my hatred of hangovers and lack of funds. Although despite my sobriety I was still dancing. Our bench and line up managers decided to give out awards to best jammer, block and most valued player on the team - and I'm so chuffed, I got most valued player!!

Sunday was a lot more relaxed (and thankfully no hangovers!), breakfast in the hostel then I spent the best part of the day walking the streets in the rain!

Lots of street art and other interesting things to photograph. Some of the others went to the leprechaun museum, which I have to admit did look fun, others went on a boat - I just wandered around and went to cafes!

But Bob wasn't feeling well, and by the time we got to the airport in the afternoon she'd been throwing up for sometime. Although she suffers from travel sickness, this seemed so much more than that, and at one point I was concerned that she wouldn't be allowed on the plane - by the time we got to Sheffield she was very pale and still being sick - we had to get her Mum to come and pick her up.

Extreme Sport

Photo © Jason Ruffell

Finally the world is starting to take Roller Derby seriously, and take note that it's a demanding and difficult sport, not some kind of 'women's interest story' (which is often where it appears in the news).

The website Buzzfeed has just published a story entitled 'The 10 Most Demanding Extreme Sports', so counting down (although given the photo above you won't be surprised what's on the list!!)

1. Rugby
2. Wrestling
3. Ultramarathon
4. Waterpolo
5. Soccer
6. Windsurfing
7. Mountaineering
8. Cross-country skiing
9. Bossaball (no I've never heard of it either!)
10. ROLLER DERBY!!!!!

So, don't let me hear anyone say I don't work hard when I play my sport.

Bank Holidays are for spending time with your partner, something we don't seem to have done much of lately.  So I was really pleased that for once we had the whole day together - in fact we'd even had the evening before snuggling on the sofa watching television!

AND the sun was shining!  So, we borrowed John's parents bicycles and went for a ride along the Trans-Pennine Trail  from Thurlstone to Dunsford (not sure how far it is).

Very enjoyable, I think it's about 10 years since I rode a bike - glad a had some off road experience before my car goes back to the company and I have to start cycling more on the roads.

Marathon woman

This weekend I did something I never in a million years imagined I'd ever do - I did a marathon!!  Myself and about 20 other members of the team, went down to Goodwood race course on the south coast to take part in the Goodwood Roller Marathon.

It's a full marathon, 26.6 miles around the historic Goodwood race course - 11 laps in total.

We didn't all stay together as we all skate at differing speeds, and obviously had to stop sometimes - I had three stops for dealing with blisters and refuelling.  Richard and V came to watch and on my second stop, he administered plasters and jelly babies!  I can't believe I actually managed it, in 2 hours, 49 minutes and 58 seconds.

(warning - the volume is loud, I can't work out how to turn it down!)

Siege, Wendy and I ended the race together due to an accident - but it was fantastic to have some others on the team to cross the line with!

Postscript: my times for each lap
14:26.07 
14:06.57 
13:39.66 
16:58.14 - stopped for sock rearrangement 
14:29.14 
15:38.19 
16:53.78 - stopped for blister management
17:45.97 - another blister management stop!
14:30.47 
14:57.06 
16:33.73 - slowed at end so as to come across the line with others.

Muddy running

I hate having to get up before the sun, and it's not often I'll do it, but I had promised Richard that I would be there to support him and take photos.

So I was up at 5.30am and along with Bob we went down to meet Richard at Wolverhampton before squeezing into his Audi to go to the Tough Guy site.

In the summer the race is called Nettle Warrior as it also involves running through a specially grown field of nettles!

Unfortunately Stuart wasn't able to do the run this time so Richard was on his own (he did mention that next time he expects me to do it!!).  But the really good thing was that because he'd done the race before he was able to start at the top of the hill reasonably near the front - we could see him.

V, Bob and I managed to keep track of where he was and therefore this time I got some great photos of him.  I'd stupidly transferred my stuff out of my handbag and so only had one card, but this meant I couldn't blast away and had less to edit when I got home.

I think Richard found it difficult without the moral support from Stuart, but he did really well - despite being electrocuted by the tentacles near the end.

Bob and I were exhausted by the time we got back to Sheffield, I hate to think how Richard felt!!

Just for the record Richard did the race in 3 hrs, 23 mins & 27 seconds - he came 409 out of 1008 runners, and I'm very proud of him.

Going to the dogs

On Saturday John and I met up with lots of his family for a meal to celebrate his parents 50th wedding anniversary.  Afterwards John's uncle and some of his cousins were off into Sheffield to Owlerton to the dog racing.

His uncle and aunt have about 30 retired greyhounds, and currently own a couple of racing dogs - always worth going to these things with people who are in the know!

Most of the races we picked the dogs according to their name, or by looking at how they'd done in the preceding five races, putting down the minimum bet of £2 at the Tote.

But when we got the nod on one race John put down £20 and I put down £10 on one dog - nice return on those!

I'm not sure about dog racing, about the welfare of the dogs - but I do know that those that get to live with John's uncle and aunt have a great, well looked after retirement.

Crazy

Last weekend I did something I honestly would never believe was possible for me to even attempt!!

A few months ago Richard asked me to watch and photograph whilst he ran the Tough Guy challenge - a crazy 10km obstacle run with burning hay bales, icy water, electrical wire and other dangerous things to get over, under or through. It was one of the maddest things ever, but looked like fun (sort of!).

The obstacles weren't what would put me off, it was the running of 10km!

So when Richard phoned and asked if I'd do a less challenging version with him I originally said no - but then gave in and signed up.

The British Military Fitness 10km run near Redbridge in Surrey isn't as mad as Tough Guy but is still challenging, especially for people like me who've never done anything like it before, and who have done no training!

I went down the night before and stayed with Richard, travelling to the course early the next morning, to say I was nervous is putting it mildly!! I wasn't worried about the mud pits or the other challenges, I was worried about the distance!

And I was right to be worried, at 2.5km in I thought I was going to die! It really did feel like I'd broken a rib, the stitch was so bad. Luckily Richard kept me moving and I walked through the pain.

The mud pits was so funny, up to my waist in cold muddy water, if there had been more of that and less running I'd have been fine.

Richard was fantastic, he worked so hard to keep me moving, encouraging me and setting small achievable goals - 'just run to the next yellow sign' or just giving general help and encouragement. I finished the course and I wasn't last! I was 14th from last out of about 300 women (because he stayed with me Richard was the last male out of about 1200!!).

I'm very proud of myself and the medal I got, but I am much more proud of my little brother for helping me and staying with me.

I need to get in training now to do some more - yes, I actually want to do it again - despite the fact that I could barely walk on Monday morning!!

Wow! What a buzz!

Photo from Somethingmonumental on Etsy - look them up!

Last night at practice we had our first go at scrimmaging - properly skating as if in a bout.

I have to admit to being rather nervous of being hit, and worried about injury (if I get injured I'd be off skates for a while), but in the thick of it that was the least of my worries!

Taking my glasses off was essential, if I break them during practice I can't drive home, but since most of the time I don't need to see long distance its okay (just as soon as we stop I have to put them back on to see what's going on) - I must try again with the contact lenses.

The first time round I took B4 position in the pack, this means being at the back and the first line of defence when the jammer starts to gain on the pack - I really like this position although I need to learn when to stop trying to block her and let the other blockers take over.

On my second go I got to be jammer - WOW! I never thought I wanted to jam, but I was wrong, it totally rocks! I certainly seem to have the speed, and I love the challenge of trying to get through the pack (which I did twice), but I need to work on not skating out of bounds, and concentrating on what is going on around me when I rejoin the track.

I had some falls, but seemed to get up quickly and didn't come away with too many bruises.

Roller Derby ROCKS! I can't wait for next practice.

Weekend of sport

This weekend has been more sporty than I've had for many years, unfortunately I wasn't participating, just watching.

On Saturday the roller girls hosted their first bout of 2011, and as a member of the team I had to be there to support them, but also to help out.

Along with Jo, I was selling raffle tickets to everyone possible as they came in (over 300 people!) and during halftime - we sold out!

Photo by Peter Marshall

The bouts were great, Sheffield vs. Middlesbrough and we won by rather a large margin 185 to 34! The girls did so well. Ponds Forge is a great venue, and it was great to see so many people turn up from around the country, teams from Newcastle, Leeds, Manchester, London and beyond. I even spoke to one girl on holiday from Australia!

The real entertainment came later, with the boys bout. Made up of refs from across the country they really held no prisoners! It's easy to see why mixed sex derby doesn't happen - we'd be flattened! The boys are much more violent, and watching them is very entertaining.

I didn't go to the after party as I had to be up early the next morning for the next sport of the weekend - Tough Guy Challenge.

Richard and his friend, Stuart, had signed up for this totally mad race on a farm near Cannock. We met up in a hotel car park and went to the donkey sanctuary where the event I'd held, along with 1000s of ore people, over 3000 people are mad enough to enter (many appeared to be forces people).

Stuart and Richard hadn't seen the course so we wandered around for a bit, which might have been a mistake as they quickly became aware of what they were attempting! The plan was for me to locate them near the beginning, and then attempt to follow them round taking photos.

But with so many people, so much mud, and the fact that it was impossible to work out the route of the course, I only saw them once and that was quite near the beginning.

I stood near one part of the course for an age but didn't see them and honestly started to worry about them, especially when I saw the state of some of the people who came through. In fact many of them looked so much in pain that it almost seemed wrong to be watching!

I gave up searching for Richard and decided to wander around taking photos of other participants, and make my way back to the start/finish to find Richard and Stuart.

There were people everywhere, mud and bloody splattered participants, and spectators looking for friends and relatives. Richard and Stuart found me, and they looked wrecked but much better than i'd expected! Tales of electric probes, dark tunnels and freezing cold mud and water, but I have no doubt that both will enter Tough Guy again!

Selection of my photos from Tough Guy 2011

Rollerdance

I don't know why I haven't blogged about it much, but I'm LOVING, LOVING, LOVING Roller Derby!  I joined a few months ago, and so I'm still only a Carbon (beginner) and it will be a few months before we can do our minimum skills test and move up to even thinking about being involved in bouts.

We practice twice a week, Tuesday evenings and Sunday afternoons, and when I can I like to get in a few hours at Skate Central on Thursday evenings (which is a session there that is open to the public so is good for practicing avoiding smashing into little kids!).

The video above was taken by someone watching last night.  It was our last practise before Christmas (boohoo, two weeks off), and we had Northern Roll Rollerdance over from Leeds to show us some steps!  I have to say it was good to see everyone struggling to the same level (with the exception of a few) - I am in this video although a bit difficult to spot (I'm wearing a red t-shirt and red tights - well, it is Christmas!).

I don't have a derby name yet, although I have a few that I like (can't tell!), we will be able to put in for our names in January hopefully, then I can get it printed on my t-shirts.

If you want to know more about derby watch the video below, this is my team but I was off ill on the day it was filmed!

SSRG vs CCR

SSRG vs CCR

This weekend I finally got to my first Roller Derby bout - wow! what a great day (despite the fact that I had a migraine).

For those of you who don't know what derby is, watch the video and you'll probably still not be clearer! It's an all girl contact team sport played on quad roller skates.

If you have a burning need to know the rules you could look at the information on this site.

The Sheffield Steel Roller Girls (my home team, which I hope to join sometime soon), were playing against Central City Roller Girls (from Birmingham). It was great to see a live bout, made the rules easier to get a grip on, although I still wasn't sure about some of the decisions that the refs made.

I can't remember the exact score, but let's just say that it didn't go well for SSRG - but there's always next time!

I had a fantastic day, but my head was pounding by the end of the bout and so I cadged a lift home instead of going to the after bout party.

Can't wait for the next opportunity to watch this sport, it's great fun.