Race For Life 2012 - 5km.

On Sunday 1st of July, with the worst hangover ever and about 1 hours sleep, I did the 5km Race For Life (equivalent to 3 miles)! It was held at Hudson's Field in Salisbury. I was number 928. The message on my back was "I race for life for all those affected by cancer" - I have 1 or 2 people in my family that is affected by it personally, but I wanted to do it for everybody.

I signed up for this back when I decided to take up running/jogging back in April (blog post here). I have been a bit naughty and not trained overly much, but I decided to attempt jogging the whole thing anyway. The longest time I had ever jogged for before this, without stopping and dying in a heap on the floor, was 13 minutes. I have done the Race For Life a couple times actually, a few years back, but I always walked them - never jogged. My quickest time back then, that I remember, was just over 45 minutes, I think. I was just too big, unfit and self-concious to even think about jogging it. But look at me now!

Thousands of people turned up - it was like a sea of pink everywhere you looked! The only bit I don't like about the Race For Life is reading all the sweet messages on the back of people's tops.. I don't not like it because I don't think they should do it - of course they should, but it just gets me really upset. The sweetest, saddest message I read was on the back of a man's back. He had dressed up, jokingly, like a woman - wearing a pink wig, tights and skirt/shorts. His message said "I race for life for my wife, my friend, my soul mate. R.I.P". I'm so glad he didn't see me! I was almost in tears! I am far too over-emotional.

On completion of the race I was given a little goody bag, which had some coupons in and a mini box of Dorset cereals breakfast stuff in - which I'm sure I will eventually try. I was also given a Race For Life 2012 medal, which I can now add to all my others ones from previous years.










This years' medal I am way more proud of though. I probably raised a lot less money than I usually do (not many people would sponsor me because they sponsored me for the skydive I did in May) but I managed to jog the WHOLE race, non-stop - even up all the stupid amounts of hills they decided to include in the course!!! I started the race at 1 minute 33 secs (as joggers were in the middle so we had to wait for all the runners to go through the start first) and I crossed the finish line at 34 minutes 02 secs - which, if you do the math, is a total of 32 minutes 29 secs!! When I got there in the morning I was so convinced I was going to have to take a break every 5 minutes, but no. I did it all non-stop! I even managed to get the tiny amount of energy I had left to sprint across the finish line! 5km is such a massive distance for me compared to my usual 'jog to the park and back again'! I just can't believe I pushed myself to do it! I am actually so proud of myself!

I am definitely signing up for next years' Race For Life and I am going to be aiming to SMASH my personal best of 32 minutes 29 secs! I'd love to get it under half an hour if I can.. But we'll see. ;)

Well done to all the girlies all over the country that took part in the Race For Life this year and raised money for this brilliant cause! You should all be so proud of yourselves! :)