Commonwealth Running Association Participants by pam_and_chris

Hello all!! Well, it looks like we've been very bad bloggers of late! In fairness, Chris has been extremely busy with all the new hospital moves, working every hour of every day (or so it feels like). Hopefully life for him will resume some normality soon - as long as that pesky swine flu doesn't kick off too much more!!

As far as my excuse? Well just not been able to be up to too much of late, but will try to do a quick recap of the summer so far!

CoM 10km: Chris put in a stellar performace, beating his High Legh and GMR times and even looked good doing it (although admittedly, I am bit biased!). Laura, Paul and Mick all had great races, too and it was brilliant to be there. Me, MotherH, MartinH and Sharryn did some top-notch spectating as well!

Trailwalker: Oh dear. Most of you (facebookers anyway) know the story. Fruitcakes finished (huzzah). I did not. 70km, burst blood blister, immense agony, 4 am, sobbing and medics. Bad times. 'Nuff said. On the plus side, made a couple absolutely stirling friends for life (they know who they are).

Because of trailwalker, it's taken ages for me to be able to do pretty much anything. Was completely off my feet for a couple of weeks (felt like months...or years).

Alex Park 5km August: First run since the trailwalker toe of doom incident. Great to see Sharryn again at AP where we first met before she jetted off to Jordan. Met up with loads of good realbuzzy friends (and a few new ones). Special thanks to Laura and Wendy for running (/walking) round with me. I really needed the comradarie and support that day and it meant more to me than you probably realise - thank you! And of course, thanks to JamieB for being the little voice on my shoulder (quite literally) telling me to overtake people!

MotherH: a wonderful lady who I admire very, very much and has been quite instrumental in getting my trainers on me and getting me out the door to run this last week or two. I've done a couple of 3-milers with her (Chris joined us for one on Sunday this past weekend) and she is unwaveringly lovely and patient with me regaining my fitness and moaning about the horrid state of trailwalker toe. THANK YOU!!

Finally, I managed to resume regular service as far as going to the gym and got there this morning before work for 25 minutes on the cross trainer and 25 minutes on the treadmill. Even turned the speed up toward the end. It felt great to be able to get back into my normal routine of working out, it's been about 4 weeks since I've been able to go due to trailwalker tapering and then trailwalker injury recovery and I've really missed those endorphins!!!

That's about it for us. See? Not been up to too much, so not so much with the blogging. We have both signed up for High Legh 2010. Doubt we'll do a 10km before then but we'll definitely try to get to all the Alex Park runs before the end of the year, maybe a Park Run or two in Heaton Park and of course, as many Santa Run's as possible!! We ended up with four santa suits and 6 hats last year, I want to see if we can beat that this year!! I'm going to try really hard to keep up the blogging STARTING....NOW!!, but with about 12 months to get my PhD finished, written up and submitted, time may not always be on my side. I will always follow and comment when I can and of course, see most of you on FB (and at races when possible)!!!

Love and big hugs from Team C.R.A.P.
xx

Hello all

Chris here - just realised that we hadn't posted since GMR which was like ages ago! We've both been really busy (Pam with her PhD and travelling all over the place to conferences like the superstar she is, and little old me working with the hospital move team relocating Children's Hospitals in Manchester) and admittedly hadn't really been bobbing out much for running.

I mean, we've been doing a little bit here and there, but nothing serious. I've really wanted to do the City of Manchester run (despite it being the wrong colour of Manc) but was worried that I wouldn't be able to train. So I figured that, move schedule dependent, I would skip CoM and do Birchwood again if I could (mainly cos it ends right where Pam & I met!)

Over the weekend the Fruitcakes came over for a big training work. Lexi (the non-RB FC) damaged her foot so we have our fingers, toes and eyes crossed for her. Saturday was Pam's birthday so the girlies all watched the Sex and the City movie while I waited on, serving wine and nibbles in a very grown-up slumber party. I retreated to Facebook and got gassing with Mick, who gently encouraged me into doing the CoM.

So I now have precisely 13 days to train and get a base level of fitness back up for the race. Did 7k tonight in just under 40 mins, very hot and it nearly killed me. Actually, the distance was probably quicker as I had to stop twice for shoelace tying (something I never have to do) and once to not get run over.

Going to hit the Wii Fit tomorow to build some muscles (and practice swiveling my hips!) and another run on Weds. Wondering if it's possible to train up in a fortnight, and hoping I don't actually do okay as it may throw the weeks of training I usually do out of the window!

More than anything, just happy to have an excuse to go running. Cheers Mick! Think I need to have goals to aim for - guess I need to ensure I keep finding 10ks to do!!!!

Choo choo!

C (P says hi)

Well, what can we say? A fab day, as it always is at GMR! Arrived to find Shazzoah there ready and waiting. We bumped into AndyB + the steve's, etc on the way into the charity village and then soon everyone was arriving. JamieB, Laura (and then Andy), Mick+DD, Jonners, Terrie and family, Kitten&co, Kraftykat and kelvin (did I miss anyone?!?! I hope not!!). It was such an exciting day finding and waving at everyone all over the place, I actually ended up accidentily waving at and saying hello to Billy Mitchell from Eastenders at the Alzheimer's Soc charity tent. oops. He looked scared and Chris delighted in telling everyone what I'd done. Perhaps it's time to spend less time watching 'Enders when you think you actually KNOW the people on it...  Also breifly saw MotherH and some of the H family members that we met at the bbq saturday night before the race.

Anyhoo - assembly time seemed to come round very soon and we lined up with JamieB. It was brilliant, he was getting the crowd going (well - trying to!!) and flirting with all the lady celebs! So much fun and I think we would have missed Mick if not for Jamie! We did cut RIGHT across the road to get to Mick but it had to be done!! A hug and a hello and we were off again! We had a great time running with Jamie for the first few KM and then he was off. Sorry we didn't catch you again matey but we did see MiniB+family by the Audi garage, so assumed you were feeling good and off for a good run!

Tough run for us mentally (and felt a lot more crowded a bit more pushy than last year) today but made better with the high-fiving and encouraging other runners. Some friends were watching at the Imperial War Museum (about 5.5km) and it was fantastic to see them and run over (across the road again in the other direction) for high-fives and hugs! Passed the Children's Hospital bus (Chris' charity and where he works) and he ran over in front of all of them and bigged them up BIG style - they went CRAZY screaming and banging their drums. It was brilliant. We slowed for a little while, the wind was tough. Kept an eye on the other side of the road and saw the brilliant ladies Shazz and Terrie and high-fived over the barrier and shouted a couple of words encouragment. Soon (but didn't feel soon enough) we got to 9km. We got a lovely big cheer from Alison (kraftykat) and Kelvin and managed a little wave back - thank you for the support, it was lovely! That last km seemed to go on forever but we got there in the end, crossed the line hand in hand and a bit emotional at 59:19. Pleased to bits with that, were aiming for under the hour - job done!

Bumped into kitten just past t-shirt collection and then collected Babykitten and bf before heading back to G-Mex. Hung out for a bit, said our goodbyes and then went back to the finish to cheer on some runners. Saw one of the H family go past and shouted but don't know if he heard us. Stayed and cheered people in (in the pouring rain at this point) until we saw MotherH finish in her soaking wet costume!! She was looking great though and glided past us with a big smile! Went back up to the G-Mex to meet up with her and the rest of the crew (Martin, Dangerous Dunc and other H's) to say well done and good bye. Speaking of which - just saw the bbc footage of Dunc and Martin in the bras - very nice boys!!

Gave MotherH and Martin a big hug goodbye after MotherH arrived and then we got some massages from some ex-marines at the Children's Hospital stall before heading to the pub for lunch. All in all a great day. We will be back next year and hope you all will be, too!!

Well done to everyone at GMR today and to Andy and anyone else racing!!! (and to everyone else just out there, buzzing and being part of the community!!)

Big Love from Mancunia!
(((HUGS)))

Pam and Chris (Pam and Chris!!!)
xx

Hi everyone!

I know we don't seem to be blogging loads lately, I think it's just one of those things, try to get on here as much as we can and keep up with everyone but feel so busy, can't always manage a post ourselves!!

Anyhoo - we had a good weekend, I (Pam...thought I would reclaim blogland - lol!!!) managed some successful trailwalker fundraising by doing a weight watchers bake sale. It was great and made a lot more than I had expected, they really are a very supportive bunch there (including our own MotherH!!). Thank you!!

On Sunday me and Chris decided to do a 10km run, one last one before GMR. Chris was determined to get to the end under the hour and we did manage it (58:19) even though I threw a little strop at about 6km and actually stopped (seriously!). Not sure why but I found it really, really, really tough mentally. Chris got me through it well and he was fresh as a daisy at the end (thanks Chris - you were a great pace bunny!). We have decided to GMR together, as it is an extra-special race in our little hearts and we're going to aim for under the hour. Meeting on G-MEx steps is a good plan for us, we'll probably be there 8-8:30ish, depending on gmpte/Stagecoach!

I went to the gym this morning to try to regain a little confidence after Sunday's bad run. It actually went pretty well. Did 5km on the treadmill in 31 minutes (which is a good treddie result for me - I am usually MILES slower on the treadmill!). Feeling good now, just hoping it lasts till Sunday. I think we'll aim to do a run tomorrow night, then rest and get hyped!!! Can't wait to see everyone who is running it this year there and also anyone who might be coming along to MotherH and Martin's (and the rest of the H family's) do for Simon on Saturday. A lovely way to spend the day before GMR - thank you.

Take care everyone, hope everyone is well and having a great week!!!
Big hugs from the P (and hi from the C of course!)