Last year was the inaugural North London Half. (You can read my review here.) It was perfect for me at the time as I lived 2 miles from the start in Mill Hill and had 17 miles to run in prep for Prague marathon. My husband and dog were at mile 11 to cheer me on too, which gave me a boost at the end.
I think most people found the start line in 2015 challenging to get to because this year the race started and ended in Wembley Stadium. I have moved house since, so it took me ages to get to the stadium (between disruptions and a super early start). Once I got there, I saw a few friendly faces (Miss Wheezy and Lauren) and dropped my stuff off in the media area. It was a pain to get to the room as it was deep in the stadium but it was interesting to walk through central command where all the organizer’s and safety services were monitoring the race.
The race started on time but was uphill for at least a mile (this came in handy at the end though). My goal was to finish in 2 hours so I started off pacing with a woman, Catherine, who I met in the press area and aiming to keep to 9 minute miles. Overall, the route was very similar to last year’s. There were some fans cheering at the stadium and near the Tube stations, as well as a few bands along the way, but most of the route was quiet. It was nice to have large roads to run on so it wasn’t too congested with runners. The route featured plenty of (heavily staffed with volunteers) water stations, loos, and Lucazade.
View of the start line as I exited the Tube station
At the halfway point, I stopped on the Allianz Park track for some photos so I finished up the race on my own. I just couldn’t catch up with Catherine! It was cool that at the track side there was a huge video screen that put your name up as you crossed over the timing mat. I missed my name, unfortunately, but love the idea!
Entering Allianz Park, the midway point
Names up on the big screen
Everyone who ran the race will agree the hill at mile 9.5-10.1 was the worst thing ever which I am naming Heartbreak Hill after the one in Boston Marathon. The next few miles were unremarkable as I was simply trying to keep on track with 9 minute miles. The last mile was downhill and I was cutting it close to my cut-off so I kicked it up a notch. I felt like I was close as I passed the Tube station and thought the end would be at the end of the Olympic Way. In doing this and not seeing an end in sight, I had to have a gel in the car park, less than 0.2 miles to the finish because I was about to hit the wall. We entered the stadium on the east end and finished on the turf in the stadium. Fans were allowed into the stadium to watch for free, so it was cool to see some folks sitting and watching (but I wish they were cheering more loudly). And I hit my goal with a finish time of 1:58:47!
Boom! Me and my new bling
After crossing the finish line and getting a million selfies inside the stadium, runners were corralled out and received a navy blue technical shirt, a great goody bag (last year’s had more chocolate) and a foil blankets. This was amazing as it was a bit cold, windy and a little rainy on the day. These blankets would have been a great idea last year!
I went back to media area where I met the 1st & 2nd place men’s winners who are on the Run Fast team and from Kenya. I asked them about the weather and the hills, they said the hills were similar to Kenya. They were really nice and I wish them the best with their running careers.
Trying to get a quick photo but we are too fast. Ha!
A recent study, highlighted in this article, indicated that measuring an activity makes people less motivated to do it. This result wasn’t only with wearing an activity tracker, but with reading and coloring in shapes as well. The point the researchers are trying to make it that if you are doing something just for the sake of doing it, not towards a goal, makes it less enjoyable.
My first activity tracker was a FitBug, which just tracked my steps for the day. I found it really motivating to get more steps in each day. Since then, I have had other step counters, heart rate monitors, and GPS trackers.
Do they make my workouts fun?
I guess that depends on your definition of fun. When my trackers don’t work, or I forget them, I tend to get upset. It is like my workout didn’t even count if I can’t track it somehow. Which is a shame, as my body benefits whether or not I have an official record of the account.
I also get stressed at night if I am a few hundred steps away from my next reward level, but am about to get into bed. I feel compelled to walk around the flat until I have accumulated enough to hit my target. That is not fun for me or my husband.
Remembering to pack a charged activity tracker before a big race and then hoping it doesn’t die on me isn’t fun either.
But the achievement itself can be rewarding (and then be deemed ‘fun’) to some people. My mom found it fun when she learned how to use her iHealth app on her iPhone. It was when she was visiting me in London, but she didn’t bring her FitBit with her. Every night, she would be so pumped to see how many steps she walked around London that day.
I am a scientist by training, so I like data. I like watching my progress over time and seeing an improvement in my splits and overall efforts. It is fun when I log a PB or 50,000+ steps in a day (hint: running 26.2 miles helps) as I feel like I have accomplished something. That, to me, is fun (especially when my tracked activities give me rewards on Bounts (referral code: Millington1695) or with Health Rewards). I am a competitive person, so beating myself is a good goal to work towards with the data I accumulate.
The tracker might also make me workout harder, for example if I use my heart rate data in real time. I will know when I should push myself a bit more, which might not seem fun as it will be hard work, but it will pay off in the end (as soon as those endorphins start flowing).
Overall, activity trackers help me enjoy my workouts. This result is a combination of earning rewards, bring competitive by nature, and seeing an improvement in my performance. But I think this is an individualistic trait that might not resonate with everyone. My ethos is to find something you enjoy and keep doing it to make being healthy fun. I recommend giving an activity tracker a try to see if you find it helps you be move more. There are many free apps you can download if you want to try before you buy. Having it on your phone might be limiting though so consider if carrying a phone versus wearing a bracelet would capture the same data.
Are you an activity tracker convert? Or is your’s sitting in a drawer somewhere? Did you find exercise more or less fun after wearing a tracker?
Spring has finally arrived in London and I am so excited. With the warmer weather, there comes varying trail conditions, rainy pavements, and occasionally the icy morning.
When I ran the Mill Hill Marathon, I wore my trail shoes. Unfortunately, they are not waterproof but I did treat them with a spray when they were fresh out of the box. They offered a bit more grip on the rocky paths, but no shoes would have been a match for the ankle-deep mud puddles.
Nice layer of mud on my shoes.
Having grown up in a place that gets four proper seasons, I have come to appreciate functional footwear over fashion. (This could also be because London’s cobbled streets are too much for my heel collection.) With all the walking I do in between public transport and running errands, I choose comfy shoes and prefer waterproof ones when the weather is poor (which seems to be often in London).
For example, I wear wool-lined wellies when out walking Oldland in the woods. It helps keep my feet warm and my jeans mostly mud-free. These walks are only 30-45 minutes and on flat terrain.
If I am out running on the pavement (‘sidewalk’ for you Americans) on a sunny day, my running shoes cushion my body as the miles add up.
After a run commute, on the Tube.
Right now, I am looking for comfy (and stylish) walking sandals for my upcoming trip to Cairo. We will be walking in the city (and I think the desert near the pyramids) for 4 days, which means I need shoes that are cushioned and won’t give me blisters. I have some Keens, but they are a bit chunky. My feet are quite narrow, meaning it is hard to find sandals that fit my feet. I have a month before I go though, so I will keep looking around.
It is really important to choose the right shoes for the activity you are going to do so you can focus on enjoying your time rather than worrying about your feet being blistered or sore. Hi-Tec have made this handy infographic to help you choose a new pair of walking boots. It is time to get out of winter hibernation mode and start being active outside. Get the right kit, and get out there!
Before we knew what was coming. Photo by Owen Fern
My second marathon ended up being nearly six hours of running up and down hills, through smelly ankle deep mud, and around neighbourhoods in Totterirdge and Barnet. Trust me, I earned that medal!
I took a taxi to the start line, which gave me an hour to get organized. My co-worker, Lucy had signed up with me and we have been training together on our lunch breaks. I gave Lucy a gel before the race and packed 4 in my Fleetfoot 3 Max waist bag, along with my phone. I sipper my The Protein Works iSurge as pre- drink while I waited and just before we headed out the door, my Energy Bits. I tried the iSurge once before but at a more diluted concentration. I was worried it would be raise my heartbeat but I didn’t feel out of control (if that makes sense) at the recommended concentration. Overall, I averaged 1-2 gels per lap with Haribos and squash at check points. Somehow, we didn’t warm up properly as we were worried about what to wear and how challenging the course would be.
Here is a very brief recap of the race: Lap 1- Sunshine, laughter, and a quick realization that this was going to be a tough race. Hill climb within first 10 minutes on a small gravel path.
Ready, set, go! Photo by Owen Fern
Lap 2- My friend, Pattie, who lived locally, came and kept us company. We discussed running the Loch Ness Marathon for 2017. Unfortunately, Pattie could not be convinced to join us for lap 3
Lap 3- Lucy’s calves started hurting her and she got a stitch, so we slowed down. My left piriformis and hamstrings were starting to play up a bit too so I didn’t mind. It was a dark place mentally but we got out on the other side. James, his brother, and his brother’s girlfriend were at the check point with more gels and Lucozade. I didn’t plan very well and we needed some electrolyte replacement.
Lap 4- The last one brought us to a happy place mentally but Lucy still struggled with her calves. We met a stallion meters from the finish line who was checking out his new neighbourhood. Rather than a sprint finish, I had to stop to say hello so as to not spook him. Lucy did the same but then his trainer got a bit chatty. But we both finished in under 6 hours.
In the end, we endured. Probably one of the hardest races I will ever do, and it was lonely too. With only about 70 runners, we quickly spread out. The route was a lap without any hairpin turns to see oncoming runners. There were various signs marking the trail, but I got distracted by dogs twice and would have gotten lost if I was on my own. Luckily, Lucy was paying attention. We did get lost once while chatting with Pattie, which lead to a short detour in a residential area. This probably added a half mile to the 26.6 mile course. At one point , I was so delusional I considered aiming for 30 miles so I could call myself an ultra runner but I quickly came to my senses.
Thank you everyone for you tweets & well wishes. I finished just under 6 hours. It was muddy, hilly & beautiful pic.twitter.com/g5nPuSuuaQ
Thanks to my friends for braving the hail, snow, and rain to watch me run by once or twice: Jamie, Miranda, Matt, Pattie (she came back after a hot shower), James, Michael and Lee. The group of runners and organizer’s were smiling and friendly the entire day. This community spirit was fantastic. If they re-route the race to be flat next year, I might consider signing up. If you like trail running, I would definitely recommend this race. The first finisher crossed the finish line in 3:29 so it is not for the faint-hearted.
I was back to work the next day and am still struggling on stairs 2 days later. I have 2 spinning sessions his week and will volunteer at Park Run on Saturday. I will try to get a longer run on Sunday as the North London Half is not far off and I haven’t run much because of my cold (which still lingers). No rest for the weary.
Well this is it. My marathon is Sunday. And I have had a cold since two weekends ago. I woke up with cold, ran 12 miles to work and sniffled my way through the week. Friday, Lucy and I did a slow 4 miles in the sun as she has also been sick. Everyone is at work really, so I guess it was hard to avoid. We put in the miles and are not expecting any PB’s so if there is any race to get sick for, this is the one.
I was too sick to teach spin last week but gave it a go last night. Coughing and sniffling, of course. I have been using my resistance bands to help strengthen my glutes and hips, so not all has been lost. My left piriformis is still acting up but I don’t if this is from the extra resistance band exercises or something else. But I don’t have free time that aligns with my massage therapist. And now the right side has given some indication that it isn’t happy either. I must get more serious about strength training before Berlin! My only guess is that my piriformis is compensating for something that isn’t strong enough.
Not much to do this week but fuel and rest. My plan has me running 10 miles over 3 days but I am going to skip these. I am off also off Diet Coke and cookies this week. The plan is to keep this up through April as I have a photo shoot for new head shots and am not happy with how I look. When I did Whole30 while marathon training last year, I slimmed down. I am sure some of that was due to a reduction in bloating and lots down to not eating crap. I need to remember how strong and healthy I felt during that time and draw on that when I feel like eating something that isn’t good for me.
If I don’t stumble upon a London Marathon place, I start Ride London training in April and Berlin marathon training in May. It is going to be a busy year!
If you want to cheer me on or pace me for a lap, the Mill Hill Marathon is Sunday at 9.00am starting at Camdenians Sports Club. It is a fundraiser for Marie Curie so if you are impressed with how far I am running, feel free to donate on the organizer’s website here.
We are meant to wear yellow shirts, so I got my nails did. 🙂
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Cookie settingsACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies
Privacy Overview
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
Recent Comments