Race Angels

 

Team Lions at Chorley 10k

Well, what a turn of events this week had. Strangely I felt good on Monday, we went for a lovely bank holiday walk to Worden Park and that's where my week kind of took a nosedive.

Walking home, I said to Mr Coxy, "My entire body is aching. I think I'm going to take a nap when we get home."
Instead of the usual sofa nap I took myself off to bed, I couldn't regulate my temperature. Hot, cold, hot cold.
No, this cannot be happening. I have Chorley 10k at the weekend.

It was happening. After frantically playing at Dr. Google I self diagnosed as having the Flu, and it takes approximately 5 days to get over flu. It was Monday. Perfect. 5 days, Friday. Better for Sunday. 

I was wiped out for the entire week, which left Sunday up in the air. 

By some form of small miracle, I managed to drink enough Lemsip, honey and lemon and cough medicine to feel human by Saturday. Great! Parkrun can happen.
Parkrun was only happening to test myself for Sunday's race. I was content in a slow Parkrun, just to see how my body felt - and how the cough was. 

I actually felt a little bit nervous, but I just needed to listen to my body (which is hilarious, seeing as I'd got a telling off considering I hadn't really functioned this week)

Romping to the finish
(no sprint finish today!) 

This week on the lion's front at Parkrun, it was pretty quiet. I asked Shelby if I could run with her this week and it was a perfect idea. I felt good, and as always, we had some wonderful conversations which made Parkrun - fly by! More on me and Shelby running together later...
George was there to cheer me round, I wasn't after a PB, I just wanted to get around and feel half human. Mission accomplished. Chorley 10k was a go.

Ginny brought the sunshine!

Ginny, as always brought the sunshine to Parkrun this week, and we spied Paul (the brilliant Parkrun photographer) snapping us - so naturally we had to pose for him!

All smiles after 5k!

Chorley 10k

Here it was again. Chorley 10k. I previously hated this route and was filled with quite a bit of trepidation. Yes, I had got around 5k, but now I had to get around double of this. I got up early for porridge and I did not fancy it whatsoever. I forced the majority of the bowl down and a honey and lemon chaser. I did not fancy coffee one bit. 
Jess was already in town so I raced to get ready and head into town. I parked the car up and went to find the Lions stand. Today was a very, very special day. I finally got my yellow top!

I was finally, officially a lion! 🦁

Yellow top on, race number attached, Jess and I made a beeline for the best photo op going...

I need to invest in fake tan if this is to become a frequent thing!

Jess and I met back in January on our very first Lions run. very shy, and very naive on what was ahead of us 5 months down the line. We are now very good friends, who cheer on each other's successes and build each other up to achieve our goals. I'm so glad I met Jess, and having her there on the start line was just what I needed. And we love the camaraderie, fun and adventure that comes along with being a lion. 🦁 

I'm sure this isn't the last you've seen of us yet at a start line together.. 

10.20am and we headed for the race line. Nerves were beginning to get to me. Here we go. I just wanted 1hr 10. I thought this would be realistic considering this week's setback. The gun went off, here we go.. 

Mid run grit

I say I took it slow, as always I set off too quick. Having a downhill section at the start is a little bit dangerous really. But, I felt good. I just needed to see how I was in the park. 
Ackhurst Lodge was my nemesis last year. (I was very untrained last year too) but, when I got to it, it didn't look as steep as I remembered. I'd got this. I ran up the hill!!!! (yes, there is an absolute need for all the exclamation marks - I couldn't believe it myself) 
I ran the most of the first lap with Jess, but, she is marathon training and has a lot of miles in her legs. It is a race, and I hate people waiting for me. I let her go. I was so proud. Jess absolutely smashed it with her pace. Shelby dropped back & supported me round.
I said I was going to go more into Shelby and I running together so here we go.

I was so grateful for us running together, we have the best conversations, and, it helped the drag of Park Road fly by. I felt strong and I felt like we were going at a good pace. 
We hit the second round of Ackhurst, and I focused on my breathing and got round. Once we were outside Astley Hall, about to embark on the path section this is where our race turned. It was no longer our race, and this was okay. Because sometimes, you need to give back to other people. 

Because you really never know the reasons people are on that start line. 

Some people are there to race, some people are there to experience an event. Some people are there to raise money for charities close to their hearts. Some people are there to help to deal with personal reasons. The main thing we have in common. We are all running the same race.

So, going around the path we picked up a runner who, was finding it a little bit tricky, 7k in. We just said "Stick with us, come on, you've got this." 

So in sync

She replied "Oh thank you, I think you're my guardian angels." Shelby replied "We're not your guardian angel, we're your race angels." 
I'd never thought of it like that before. I liked that. A race angel. 

We had some quiet moments, we continued our race, but, at some points we needed to help our fellow runner dig a little deeper. 

We got to the last few metres. Sprint finish? Sprint finish.

Market Walk was full of brilliant crowds this year, and this definitely helped the sprint finish. We did it. The clock said 1hr. 10. Exactly what I wanted. Perfect. However, I had completely forgot again this was the gun time. 

Race time: 1hr. 08. I'd done it. A week of flu, and I'd managed to beat my goal. But this was not my race anymore. What gave me more satisfaction, and what will make me remember this race is the support I was able to give another runner, to get them to complete their race.

our new friend.

Its not for me to divulge on a public forum the reasons for this race for our stranger friend, but what I can say is that there were tears at the end, and it was the most emotional finish I have ever experienced. 

Good medal this year.

I could continue to talk about this race, but I do think that I have gone on a lot this week, especially considering there was very little running this week, but, I think from the anecdotes I have shared that what I put on my Parkrun Report last week, if you see someone struggling, just give them a little word of encouragement. I'm sure you would appreciate it if the shoe was on the other foot, and you might just make someone's race for them. 

Go on, I dare you, speak to someone on your next run. It might just change your life.

Of course, the OG team were here.
(L-R: James, Sammie & Sophie)