17/03/2026
Sunday was hard.
I let my cousin talk me into a 20-mile race, I started way too fast, and completely burnt out.
For six long miles, I was in dead last.
When you’re at the back of the pack, your mind tells you how rubbish you really are, and I felt bad for all the lovely Marshalls who were having to wait for me to go by, before they could get out of the freezing wind and rain. (Thank you volunteers, you're heroe's ♡)
Even though I dug deep to overtake three people on the last mile, I crossed the finish line feeling like a failure in every way possible, as you can see by my finishers photo!
When later I opened Strava I was shocked to discover that while I was suffering, I had accumulated 51 achievements!
I had actually set new Personal Bests for
• The Mile & 5km
• 10km & 20km
• The Half Marathon
• 30km & the full 20 Miles
I hadn't just beaten my old self, I had destroyed my previous 20-mile time from February 10th by exactly 30 minutes.
It’s a massive reminder that our mental health can be hijacked by comparison.
I was so busy looking at the backs of other runners that I didn't realise I was currently the fastest version of myself, only 4 months after life saving surgery.
Don't let a finishing position drown out your progress.
The weight of your hardest day is often the very thing forging your greatest strength. Persist; the breakthrough is closer than the breakdown.
Never give up!
Achy legs is the side effect from my "running therapy".
My recovery is always with Marjoram essential oil & Muscle Melt to help ease the physical pain, the oils in it will thankfully also help me combat this cold I have acquired ♡ xXx
https://www.suncloudtherapy.co.uk/product/muscle-melt/