Hiya, I’m Gina, not a natural runner but I have grown to love it.
My first ever run was the Preston Guild half marathon in 2012. I was naïve enough to think it was easy, big mistake, that one hurt but I didn’t let it stop me though and I went on to do more half marathons. A year later I did my first marathon in December 2013, which was Lancaster marathon on the 1st December 2013. When people say running is addictive, I didn’t realise just how true that was going to be. I started trying new types of races after that; parkrun, fell races, trail running and mud races.
My goal is to reach the 100 marathon club before I hit 30, I’m 27 now and have done 56 marathons in total. Two of these were ultra’s, both 24 hour track races. The first year I did that was 2015 and I ran a mere 56 miles, the second year in 2016, I ran 65 miles. Somehow I’d increased the distance by 9 miles. It also meant I reached my goal of doing 100k in one go!
As I said, I have done 56 marathons now, I don’t just do many single day ones now its mainly doubles and I’ve done one triple. 2017 brings a quadzilla, 4 in 4 days and a 5 in 5 days on ‘Hell of a Hill’.
As with what success I have had, has come the fails. One particular one was ‘Hell of a Hill’, my first attempt was in 2014 and it was successful, however in 2015 I attempted it a further 3 times, each one a DNF.
I also attempted a navigation 35 mile ultra, now my navigation skills are very poor but to get as lost as I got was comical, that was another DNF as I had missed the check point by the time I found my way back!
I have a few running goals to reach yet and with time they will happen:
– reach the 100 marathon club by my 30th birthday (due when I’m 28 with the rate I’m going)
– a sub 5.30 marathon (5.33 for Edinburgh, damn those 3 minutes!)
– Hell of a Hill, 5 in 5 days
– week at the knees 7 marathons in 7 days, possibly 2018?
I might not be the fastest runner you will meet, I will never win a top spot or get a GFA, but you’ll struggle to find someone else so stubborn and determined. The tortoise eventually finishes the race!