Silverstone Half Marathon

As part of my marathon training, I was meant to enter the Silverstone Half Marathon which took place on the 6 March, but, me being me, I never actually got round to applying for a place. I have read and heard that the half marathon is an important part of the build up to the “big day” for various reasons, but for me, I really wanted to do it to get used to running in a crowd. I don’t really “do” running with other people, I run with my music and I like my own space. So I was annoyed at myself for not getting more organised.
A friend of mine was entered to do it by her husband, she rang me to tell me that any sponsor money she raised she would add to my fundraising. Which is fantastic! I did have a little giggle to myself when I told people that Melissa was running for me in the Silverstone Half Marathon, not too sure what people thought of that to be honest…but, probably along the lines of, is she running the marathon for you too? Anyway, Sunday arrived and I managed to lose a few of the children; one going shopping with friends, another staying at home to do “coursework”  a small one, taking part in a sports festival, and the other one at a friend’s house…so, I headed to Silverstone with the three youngest boys.. It was a lovely afternoon, sunny, slightly breezy and also pretty terrifying. I was, for the first time ever, watching proper runners, doing proper running, in real life! We shouted people on, we watched Katie Price and her minders and we were totally caught up in the whole atmosphere…It was an amazing experience…and, having been in the local newspaper that weekend, people recognised me as the “mum running the marathon, with the tattoo”!!
I had also arranged to meet up with an old school friend, who ran the marathon last year. He has been a godsend to me (he’s the one I email at one in the morning saying “I can’t do this”) After goodness knows how many text messages, I finally located him, and recognised him straight away…needless to say, he did tell me that he wouldn’t have recognised me in a million years…great! Seven kids later…obviously, I have aged well! *cough* It was lovely to see him, and he spent the time nagging…(oops) reassuring me, that all will be fine, and I should stop stressing…so, I have taken his advice on board, spent most of the week in my trainers and have stopped stressing so much,  I have been putting the miles in instead….

A great big thank you to Mel,  xxx

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