When i’m running I often try and figure out the fraction i’ve completed and how far I have to go until the next round number. As well as distracting me from how knackering the running is, this also gives me lots of encouraging little milestones to aim for. If i’m doing a 5 mile run then 10% is 0.8km. I used to run 1.5km for the Eastern Counties competition when I was at school in Colchester, which I normally hit around the 7 minutes mark and this is only a little bit under the 25% mark so thats two goals in quick succession. 33% soon follows but then it always feels like a struggle to get to the halfway point. The bit between 50% and 66% was always where I ended up quitting when I was trying the 10km in 45mins. After this the goals come in rapid succession: 75%, 80%, 90% and then the woman in the iPod counts off the last 400m in 100m intervals. Somedays I count the whole run in 400m intervals just because thats how long the track at CRGS was, or if i’m really struggling i’ll even count 100m and pretend i’m doing a bleep test – or at least some weird variant with really long turnarounds where the bleep never get closer together and where I always win.
Raising the money has been turned out pretty much the same. The £1000 mark is about 80% of what I need to raise – and that means the point where its starting to hurt but you know you’re going to get there. On the weekend we had a family Easter get-together at Chris and Maddy’s newly extended house and they put £20 into the kitty – i’m basically rubbish at asking people for money so i’m very lucky so many people give without prompting! This was also true in the gym this morning when one of the trainers approached me whilst I was on the treadmill to give me a cash filled envelope “from the girl on the treadmill at the other end of the row”. It turned out to be from Jerry, who is probably the only person who spends more time running in that gym than I do. We’re both down there most morning and after chatting to her today she gave me her number and we’re going to arrange going out for a run together maybe this weekend. Then Mum phoned up tonight to let me know that her, dad and my Nan in Wales are going to be sending me a huge £100 which pushed me over the £1000 mark! Mum and Dad will both be there on the day as well to cheer me on as well – and i’ll try and give Nan a wave if I see a camera!
So I need about £200 more and there are under two weeks to go. There are still loads of people that have said they’ll give and just as many that I haven’t heard from yet – but its getting really close to the end now so if you’ve thought about giving but haven’t got round to it yet then please do! Its for a great cause!
