Introducing myself, running and cycling

So you find me 5 months into 2015 with an impending huge challenge of 153km/95miles and 7,892ft/2,405m climbing on 7th June. Just 10 days away.

I will use this first blog to bring you up to speed and tell you a bit about me and my journey.  I am going to keep this blog focused as the title suggests but I like to talk so I wouldn't be surprised if it get's side tracked at times. This is also my first ever so bear with me if you catch me rambling.

I grew up on a farm as a tomboy and love being outdoors and I have always been a sporty person, playing pretty much everything and anything (football, hockey, tennis, rugby ... everything) and I also have a 2:1 BSc in Sports Therapy (sports physiology, biomechanics and injury treatment and rehabilitation etc). I love a challenge and competition and love encouraging others to get involved.

I have been running for a few years now but cycling has taken over more so recently. I invested in a road bike (a 2011 Specialized Allez Comp) in 2012 when I was employed in my first non-profit job as an events manager at Access Sport, mainly to organise the now London Cyclosportive (previously Ride Around London), a job that I hugely enjoyed and introduced me to road cycling and sportives. I also became a Breeze Champion through British Cycling, however I am yet to (although planned) really commit to this.  I didn't come to find the love for cycling until 2014, after I met Owain late in 2013. Now with someone to share my rides with and a little (understatement) competition with, Owain has become one of my most dearest friends, we have been on quite a journey so far, running and riding our way to fitness, (injury), segments (Strava), medals, memories and of course friends. 

Me on my bike earlier in the year, making the most of the sun being out!

We went out for the first of many rides in January 2014 and I found myself walking up our local 'Bonfire Hill'. Nearly a year an a half on, I haven't found myself walking up any hills since! In fact last time we did Bonfire, even after Owain drafted me up to it and overtook me early on and got 30-40m ahead, I pressed on staying in the saddle, I overtook him on the kick and can now say I absolutely thrive on hills.  This is no reflection on O, he is and continues to be an incredible inspiration, it is just a reflection on how proud I am with my training. When I first went out with O my ambition was to just keep up with him and so this was a huge milestone for me.  

It's not just about cycling of course. I am a runner; a parkrunner too. Getting into to full swing of parkrunning from August 2014 and I love it! It is great that whether just one of us can go or all of my friends and family can join, we have a great time either running or volunteering.

All of us at Tilgate parkrun in August last year. One of our first.

So with the running and cycling and a conversation that I am almost sure happened in a pub, I signed up to do my first half marathon, the Heartbreaker Half back in Feb 2015 and Dragon Medio Fondo ride as afore mentioned. I was questioning Owain's ambitions for 12 medals in 12months when he spoke of them last year but it seems I have caught the bug for a bit of race bling myself and am 8 medals in already his year with at least another 9 more in the diary.

I should also point out I am getting married to my lovely fiancé Jules in 4 weeks so it is all go!

Jules and I after our Southampton ABP 10k (I was meant to do the half but broken toe prevented this-not an exciting mechanism of injury in afraid).

My friends mean everything to me and I love sharing the company of others for riding, running, swimming or whatever. I am a busy person and nothing makes me happier than filling my time with as much as I can with others who I love as well as making others happy. 

Owain and I after finishing the LCS in May 2015 medium route (65miles/105km) at Herne Hill Velo. One of my best days cycling to date.

So the Dragon is in 10 days. Based on completing the 65mile London Cycle Sportive back in early May in 5:30(ish) I am confident that we will complete the Dragon and not be last hopefully in I estimate 7:45-8:30 though the target is to just complete the distance. But also confident that it will be tough and we will both be broken after it! There is some serious hills that we just don't have here in the south which has me nervous. A bit more training would have helped my confidence and a bit less eating too (recent 5kg weight gain!). I would have loved to have done a 75-100mile training ride as planned by now but with running events, injury and wedding organising it just hasn't happened.  I have a strong mind when it comes to exercise and thrive for a challenge so I am sure if the fitness doesn't get me through, my mind will. 

It will be fun for sure! Up to a 9 or so hour day out in the saddle with O. In Wales. With 2,405m of hills. Ten days away. Yea no bother. Thank goodness for our support crew!

This isn't a full reflection on my running and cycling being my life though it is not hard to notice that it is a huge part nowadays. Jules and Leyla (Owain's wife) play a huge part in all this too as some of my nearest and dearest, and of course putting up with Owain and I. I am blessed with wonderful friends and family who I am sure I will introduce you too later on too. 

I am a proud runner and cyclist. Join me! Cycle, run, jog or walk, crawl if you have to. Do what ever makes you happy as often as you can. I exercise for fun, friends, health, happiness, sanity, for the love of the activity, oh and did I mention biscuits!