The best inspiration is not to outdo others, but to outdo ourselves

Well, it was with quite some enthusiasm that I lined up at the start of this race on a windy and wet February morning. I know I've been training pretty well and I was hoping for a far better experience than my last running of this race. I've done it twice before, but not at all in the last few years. The first time I did I found it okay, hard and hilly but manageable. The second time it all went very wrong.

Wow! I did it! I actually ran a marathon. The amazing thing is... well, I don't know, everything! The whole thing has been quite an experience, right from way back in November when I first started training. 6 months of commitment and effort to culminate in one day up in my home city with my family watching from the sidelines to cheer me along. Anyway, here it, comes... the Edinburgh Marathon according to Claire!

It was nice to be back for my 6th running of this race. I missed it last year and was very sorry to have broken my run of completing this event. I got myself into Leeds bright and early this morning, something that turned out to be just as well. It was quite a bit busier around the race area than it has been in the past. This appeared to be due to there being road closures in the area for roadworks as well as for the race itself.

I ran this race once before, but in very different circumstances. The last time I tackled it was in 2004, it was my very first half marathon and I'd taken the training very seriously indeed. I've never been that well prepared for any subsequent half and have nearly always ended making excuses to explain my slowness! I'm afraid their will be similar comments being made here. I was doing really well with the initial training for this race, so much so that I was up to 13 miles about a month and a half a go and thought I was on course for a good race.

This is a race that I really like to fit into my calendar. It's nice and handy, there's a good atmosphere and it's one that I can do with April. We didn't manage to fit it in last year because it clashed with one of the Swim Run races, so it was good to see it on a free weekend this time.

I always seem to come to this race hoping that things will go well and then find myself making excuses for not having had the best of performances.  This year turned out to be no different, but I enjoyed participating and it remains a great race which I will look forward to entering again next year.  Things have been stressful and not very good all year at work, this has led to loss o

Abbey Dash 2007

Abbey Dash 2007

Abbey Dash 2007

This race is a bit different to the others I take part in, this one is more of a family affair. In the past I have run it with my Mum and Dad and this was the third consecutive year of running it with my daughter. She was very keen, even three years ago, to take part and to 'run like Mummy', not something many people would aspire to - but then she was only four!

Sleet

Nearly finished

Up the hill

This race is a big 10K race run each year from the centre of Leeds. It is a popular race that can be tricky to get a place in, and with good reason. It is always well organised and for the more fleet of foot, it offers a good change of a PB with a fast, mostly flat out and back course. I have taken part in it a few times now and have always enjoyed the experience.