The Abbey Dash 10K, Leeds

I am one happy mother runner.  Last week I was digging deep to find motivation. This week I find myself on a post-race high following the Abbey Dash at Leeds on Sunday morning. The 10K course took us from the city centre to Kirkstall Abbey and back on mainly flat (ahem!) roads.

I must admit, when my alarm went off at 6:30 am on Sunday, I wondered why I was dragging myself, Hubbie and children from our sleeping beds.  Man up, I muttered to myself.  Thankfully, there wasn't too much grumbling from the family.  The promise of a 'pan au chocolate' in the car spurred them on.  By 8:45, we had arrived in Leeds and spilled out of the car into the freezing cold city centre and hopped about to warm up.  By now, I was eager to get to the race, but there's no such thing as walking briskly with a 4 and a 7 year old. ("Mummy, I brought my binoculars so I can see you, or so I can see some really good runners!  What are those statues?  Why are they on top of the building?  Mummy, look at the hair plane").  We ambled our way up the hill to where the race was scheduled to begin at 9:30.  By the time I joined everyone in the pens, I was buzzing with excitement and couldn't wait to set off.

I like to think of myself as a real runner now, kitted out in my tights, new (ish) trainers and my gore top, but I don't even have a watch!  The battery in my analogue model packed in a few weeks ago and I haven't gotten around to replacing it.  I've been running on instinct rather than relying on stats to get me through.  I rely heavily on my play list also, and know which songs mean I need to up the pace.  It was a fantastic and uplifting surprise for me to crest the last hill and see the finishing line and clock in sight, and to know that I was running towards a PB.  I ran the 10K in 54:24, a time I had not even secretly dreamed I would achieve.  I am so pleased! Yeah!

Regular running has certainly paid off.  The first 10K I ran in September was a struggle, and also a real turning point for me as a runner because it made me realise what I was capable of.  This 10K was a lot easier.  I was fine afterwards; I managed to have a normal day once we returned home, took the dog for a 4K walk, took my daughter to her horse riding lesson, cooked tea, did a load of laundry etc.  And I even baked a celebration cake!

So, what next?  Well, I have been trawling the net looking for my next race.  Not sure yet whether it'll be another 10K or if I'll go for a 13.1 miler......time will tell!