Back in September last year I was sat watching the Great North Run and had some strange idea about running it myself. Now considering I had only started running in January in the gym this was quite a leap forward. I was enjoying parkrun and was starting to feel progress with running club and this would give me something to aim for. I then decided that maybe I should put a half marathon in before hand so I wasn't going there feeling too much pressure about the distance and could enjoy the day. That's where the Leeds half marathon came into it.
December the 2nd 2012 I signed up for the Leeds half, which wasn't until 12th May 2013. Plenty of time to get myself fit and ready....well it should have been. The first part of 2013 started quite well, I was enjoying my running, most weeks I would be at running club and some weeks it would be 2 nights and most weeks I'd get to do parkrun when Tina wasn't working. I was also taking part in the cross country events which was helping with my fitness. I knew I would lose a couple of weeks at the start of April with the birth of my second little boy but was confident I'd get a few long runs in during April. Easter Saturday I ran a PB at Leeds parkrun and all was looking good and I was delighted when Easter Sunday Sam Ryan Edwards was born.
From this day to the start of the Leeds half I didn't get half as many runs in as expected. I had one of those months where I couldn't get over a cough and a cold. I had a couple of weeks of a head cold but I had over 4 weeks with a chesty cough (plus pulled a muscle in my chest through coughing) which wouldn't clear and I ran with this a couple of times when maybe I shouldn't (since been told if its above the neck you can run, below i.e. chest then don't). In April I managed 3 outings at running club of which the last was a steady run round a park with 3 others who were coming back from injury and became known as cripples in the park! I was gutted that I had to pull out of a 10k run at Harewood, it was my own choice but there was no way I would get round. On the 4th May I made it to Bradford parkrun and coughed my way round and tried again on the Monday to do 5k and felt drained. I wasn't enjoying my running now and was putting pressure on myself to get right for the coming weekend. A few people tried to make me feel better and pointed out that there would be other runs and the Leeds half would be there next year. I knew they were right but I had my parents and sister coming up to see Sam and they had already said they would come to watch and I really wanted to do it.
On the Wednesday before I went to a flat 5k race, when I say flat I mean Yorkshire flat which means its flat apart from the hill you go down then back up. Again I was coughing too much and had no energy. I spent the next few days taking everything and anything I could to try and clear my chest. Soon the morning of the event came and that's when the best medicine of all kicked in...Adrenaline. I was pleased I managed to eat in the morning and I headed down to the Edge in Leeds to meet up with fellow Hyde Park Harriers getting ready. I actually felt fairly relaxed talking to others and we had some pre run fun with photos.
We joined the thousands making their way to the start, I had two possible running partners for the day. Manesha from running club or Emma from parkrun. I'd meet up with Manesha at the Edge and thankfully we managed to meet up with Emma before the start after it had seemed we may have to meet up in the first mile. 9.30am ticked round and we crossed the start line about 5 minutes after this. In the first steady mile the group of Hyde Park Harriers that I had been around started to spread out and I was pleased to see that Manesha was heading away from Emma and myself. Pleased as I had been worried I would hold her back and as Emma was still struggling with a cold as well we were happy to keep each others pace. Our aim for the day was to get round, no walking if we could manage it and hopefully beat the sweeper car at 3 hours!
The first two miles past and we were feeling happy with our pace and neither of us seemed to be struggling with our chests which was a relief. The first 3 miles were fairly flat and it was in this section I saw my family cheering us on (Tina, Liam and Sam, My parents and sister and Tina's parents) and all was good.
Mile 3 to 4 are the first really tough ones as we climbed up Stonegate road, we made sure we backed off our pace and to be honest we weren't taking too much notice of our mile splits. Plenty of people were out watching, we took the chance to swap sides of the road so we could take the benefit of the guy who was out with the hose as it was starting to warm up now. The first water station was just after the worst of the climb and most of that went down our backs. At the top of this road I was chuffed to see my family again and a little lad handing out egg jelly sweets which was well received. The next section we started to drop down the ring road before the last big climb up along the ring road to Lawnswood roundabout. There had already been HPH supports on route but there was a few up here just where it was needed. This climb, I think, was the toughest as it seemed to go on and on. Once past the roundabout we knew we were past half way but I was already starting to feel the top of my legs getting stiff as my stride got very short. The next couple of miles were downhill and we both tried to work on this and soon I was past the furthest I had run. It was around the 8 mile mark that I decided it was time we had the jelly beans I was carrying. We both had a few and then the rest ended up all over the road as I failed to get them back in my pocket!!
We now found ourselves on Abbey road which is around mile 9. From now all the way into the finish is mainly one long flat road, part of which I had done on the Abbey Dash back in November. I was really starting to struggle now, even though it was flat my stride was so small and my legs were so stiff and we just didn't seem to be getting any further down the road, at mile 10 I tried to think it was just a parkrun to go but this didn't really help and my language was starting to get colourful. Emma and myself were still working well off each other but didn't have any extra to give as we made our way closer to the finish. We weren't sure if what we were doing could be classed as running but it wasn't walking and we were both happy with the fact our health was holding out. There was a big cheering squad on Kirkstall road which perked me up a bit and my family had made it to their 3rd spot as well which was an impressive effort.
Finally we were back in the city centre and turned the corner to enter the final straight, gutted to see it was up hill but delighted to see the clock was showing around 2 hours 35. This was better then we could have dreamt and I would have loved a little sprint finish but I was only just moving now. We crossed the line together having got round all 13.1 miles, without walking, in 2 hours 31. With the health issues the previous month I was very very happy and couldn't have done it with out my excellent running buddy Emma. I managed to find Manesha and was delighted to hear she had finished nearly 10 minutes ahead of me, so proud of her and I must admit we both felt a bit emotional as we walked together after.
I've had time to take in the day now. I felt the pain that afternoon and stairs were a big issue the following Monday. It took me until the following Saturday to try running again but I rate this right up there with my rallying achievements if not higher as this is more of a personal achievement. I broke down a few personal barriers I have built up over the past few years mainly the nerves and putting too much pressure on myself. I signed up for next years run the next day as hopefully if I'm healthy in the run up I have a PB target to get. The medal stayed round my neck the rest of Sunday and I love the finishers t-shirt!
Special thank you to my family for getting around so much, Emma for running with me, Manesha for all the encouragement and also to the amazing Hyde Park Harriers running club both for the fellow runners who were full of support but more so the supporters out on the route who were truly amazing, they seemed to be spaced out just where you needed them. Thank you all.
'There ain't no barriers to the Hyde Park Harriers.'
Thank You to all the photographers - My dad, Jaz, Anne Akers, Dave McGuire, Kathryn Hogg.
