Lorna SMASHES her first ever half marathon at Silverstone, has fun at the Nike Flyknit Experience and basically just LOVES LOVES LOVES running. Reading this will make you want to lace up your trainers immediately!
Name: Lorna Mann
Age: 29
Marathon history: First marathon – London 2013
Goal: to finish in one piece!
What I learnt this week. Half Marathon races are F.U.N. All that anxiety was worth it. I had the time of my life!!
GO LORNA!!!!!
LOVING Silverstone Half Marathon
I RAN MY FIRST HALF MARATHON RACE! WHOOP! Despite the inevitable tears – pre, during, post race I had a blast. I threw myself into this race and gave it my all. I had some amazing chats with people at the start line, I pushed myself around the course, shared words of encouragement with runners throughout the distance, had a little sing along at mile 9 (thank you darling man who joined in… note to self… singing when you run does freak some people out, no matter how good your playlist is) and had my arse slapped a-plenty (thank you Nike for making awesome awesome leggings). Sunday March 3 will be a day to remember as it made me fall all that more in love with running. I must take this opportunity to say thank you to my wonderful, wonderful trainer James who helped make me strong enough to run this race. I had huge doubts anad thought I’d feel like death when I finished. But the fact that I finished with a HUGE smile on my face and could have kept on going is credit to his knowledge and skills in motivating me and keeping me going.THANK YOU JAMES!
LOVING the Nike Flyknit Experience
Bonkers as it sounds I also ran 8k last night – with Nike for their Flyknit Experience at Somerset House. No matter how much I ached, no matter how heavy my legs felt there was no way I was missing this event. I love night runs, I love London street runs, I LOVE my Flyknits, and Nike and I are definitely more than just good friends. Despite feeling knackered I dressed up, laced up and headed to Somerset House, and I was so glad I did. Nike put together a fantastic mix of people led by the one and only Charlie Dark (founder of the Run Dem Crew) with a guest appearance from Athlete Hannah England. I was in a crowd of strangers and some familiar faces (from the fab NTC Train To Run class at Regents Park) all united by a want to run, and a desire to run in amazingly beautiful trainers. We hit the river accompanied by some brilliant tunes, glowsticks and some entertaining surprises along the way (beatboxers Grace Savage and Bell were so much fun!). We all just wanted to have fun, and fun we had… I finished the night with a huge smile on my face, glowstick in hand and legs heavier than my credit card balance… yup. Running. I love you more than ever.
LOVING bright and cheerful kit
On a completely different note I noticed something while running at Silverstone. The majority of kit is BORING. I was one of a handful of runners that dared to shun the usual black uniform and go BRIGHT. I was in purple, white, pink, you could have spotted me from miles away and I felt great. My race day kit defined me – it gave me a confidence to stand out from the crowd, be proud to look a little bonkers and bring a smile to people’s faces. When I finished two ladies came over and thanked me for giving them something to focus on – “if we saw ‘the girl in the leggings’ we knew we were doing ok”… another kind gentleman commented “it was nice to see someone have fun with their kit for once”… and we won’t go into the over eager runner who thought it completely ok to give me a good old fashioned slap on the arse.
This brings me to my one worry of the week. While running I had a thought. A devastating thought. I’ve nothing to wear on the big day. I’m gearing up for the marathon now in every way I can – training hard, eating well, resting up, and now I’ve started worrying about what I’m going to wear… as that’s just as important to me as the rest of it. I want to stand out. I want to make an impact. I need to stay true to my bonkers way of dressing AND still have my kit do the job… I feel a shopping spree coming on!
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Weekly training stats: Miles/kms covered: 29km/18 miles
On paper this doesn’t look like enough however before Sunday’s race I had been feeling like an utter waste of space this week – sleep deprived, no appetite, so the name of the game was to rest up and SMASH my half marathon… which I’m proud to say I did. Hooray for rest!
Tuesday 26 Feb
60 mins leg training with Personal Trainer James McGill/Gymbox Covent Garden. This involved way more S T R E T C H I N G than usual, which helped calm my nerves oh so slightly.
Wednesday 27 Feb
60 mins hot yoga at Yotopia
Thursday 28 Feb
Another 60 mins of leg work/lower body stretched assisted by Personal Trainer James McGill/Gymbox Covent Garden
Friday 1 March
Rest day
Saturday 2 March
Rest day.
Sunday 3 March
RACE DAY! Today I completed the Silverstone Half Marathon in 2hrs 17mins. I know that isn’t a time that runners brag about but I am so proud of myself… I shaved 25mins off my last half marathon time (which I ran on Saturday 16 Feb), which definitely is something I’m very happy to shout about!
Monday 25 Feb
8k street run with Nike.
Running tracks of the week: Diplo Set It Off. The Rascals, Good Lovin’.
Go Lorna!! so amazing and you look so happy! happier even than when REG took you shoe shopping! can’t wait to see the marathon day kit
xxxx
Congrats Lorna! FINISHING a half marathon is something to brag about!
I ran the Paris half (my 6th or 7th half marathon) in 2:22 at the weekend with a bad cough so you’ve put me to shame. Well done you!
Love, love, love the pink printed nike! A recent purchase? How much?
I managed to clash three shades of pink on my run today – five if you include the piping on my leggings and trainers!
Good luck with the marathon Lorna – I’m doing my first too in Edinburgh at the end of May xxx