My PBs

I decided to create a page specifically for my Personal Best times. Not because I'm a show off, I really don't have anything to show off about... I've created this page to keep a track of my personal achievements to give myself something to aim for. I really believe that you can do anything that you put your mind to, you just have to know what your aiming for...

2 miles -  18 mins (4/4/14)

5k - 32:24 (20/3/14)

4 miles - 43:36  (25/3/14)

10k - 1:22:24 (30/3/14)

Meet the team with 3 days to go!

We only have 3 days to go now until we start our Run To Remember in the memory of PC Nicola Hughes!

Team mix & match have been doing differing levels of training for this challenge, whether that's practice runs, long walks or even aqua aerobics we have all been counting down the days and preparing ourselves for the coming 125 day feat!

Wooooooahhh we're half way there....

Just in case I've not mentioned it enough... I'm running 250 miles for charity as part of the PC Hughes Run To Remember and today is exactly the half way point!

At this point in the challenge we should be up to 126 miles on our count as it is day 63 out of 125! There are however, some people who have already completed all 250 miles (wowsers) and there also some who are a few miles behind.  I (unfortunately) am one of the latter.

I've suffered with my shins since the beginning of the challenge and

100 Happy Days

There are days when you wake up and before you've even left the house, you've burnt the toast, lost your keys and tripped over the dog. That's when you know it's going to be 'one of those days' and so you carry on your day with a certain grumpiness about you. You get splashed by a bus going through a huge puddle on the way to the station, only to miss your train and then get to work late. So that's it, this is officially a rubbish day - roll on tomorrow!

We're all guilty of writing off a day so early into it just because of how it's started, so when I saw the 100 Happy Days challenge on twitter, I wondered if I could actually go a whole 100 days finding something happy about each and every single one of them, without complaint. What's more, if you sign up on their website here you can get a book at the end as a reminder of what makes you happy on a daily basis, no matter how big or small that might be!

I'm currently on day 23 - pop over to twitter @HayleyGradwell to check out my process or search using #100happydays

Want a sneak preview? Here's today's photo..a visit to Bedford to see the in-laws.

Why don't you join in and see if you can stay happy for 100 days? It's so important to take a positive from everyday to keep your spirits high, and if the day starts badly 100 Happy Days will MAKE you turn it around!! 

Stay happy guys x

Great Manchester Run 2014

This weekend was the hottest weekend of the year so far, and what was I doing? Running!! That's right, when everyone else was quite possibly having a beer and some BBQ food on Sunday afternoon, I was raising money for The Christie by running 10k in Manchester City Centre.

I love running. It's an escape when I've had a bad day, an adventure when I run somewhere new and a challenge when I run for a cause. 

The GMR is a massive event, it's the biggest 10k race in the uk attracting over 40,000 participants. Some people use this race to attempt a new personal best, others walk in fancy dress costume for the fun of it, each person takes part for their own specific reason. My reason was to support The Christie, an amazing charity who provide hope and care for those dealing with cancer. You can read more about why I chose to run for The Chrsitie here.

Above all this race is a fun day out for everyone, thousands of people line the streets to cheer on those taking part, there are band stands, DJs, water stations, people giving out sweets and even run through cold showers! It's a great atmosphere, a fantastic way to raise awareness for your chosen charity, and it's a great way to show off Manchester in a good light!! The Great Manchester Run attracts celebrity & elite runners like Bekele too and if you are fast enough you can even set off alongside them!

I've taken part in this race twice before, 9 and 10 years ago. I think my best time then was around 1:22ish... And despite my body being that bit older, this year I ran in 1:12:35. Although it wasn't a PB, I was pretty pleased given the 25 degree heat! 

I have to take my hat off though to 2 ladies I ran alongside on Sunday. My best mate J and my cousin K. 

K was new to running before Christmas. She had signed up for this race and took the training like a bit between her teeth and powered through the winter season running on the streets despite having work and family commitments to juggle too. She has lost weight and due to careful training has avoided injury and managed to complete Sunday's race in 1:19.. Her first for many years.

Then there's J, after battling her long standing knee injuries she took up running only 9 weeks ago as a complete novice. She signed up for her first 5k race in July this year to give herself ample time for training but became so structured and determined that she decided to jump in the deep end and give the 10k a crack! She completed it in 1:28 with only a few steps of walk along the way.... After only 9 weeks of running!! 

These two lovely ladies are proof that all you need is determination and motivation to be able to achieve your goals. Whether it's weight loss, improved fitness or beating your own time record, anything is possible if you want it enough. So if you have been thinking about dusting off your trainers and showing the local park what you are made of... I hope they have given you the inspiration to do just that!!

Well done to everyone who ran this weekend x

Good Day, Bad Day & So on..

This is how my running seems to be going.

I'll set out for a jog on day 1 with no particular goal or time constraints, feeling great.. Cover 5k with (relative) ease and have no complaints from my legs... But then, on day 2 it will all go to pot! 

Day 2 can start with such a positive feeling following the success of day 1, yet 15 minutes into it I can be struggling to fight off a stitch, or worse still shin pain!

I am really eager to join a running group and have even chosen the one I want to join, but the shortest distance they cover is 5k, so I really need to feel confident that I could run that week in week out without any issues. If every week was a day 1 run, I'd be laughing... But what happens if I turn up and it's a day 2 day? 

I wonder if I need to change my training plan or whether its all pscological??

Did anyone else have these types of issues when they first started out?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

I ran 250 miles to remember...

Those who have been following my running will be pleased to know I finally finished my Run To Remember challenge in memory of PC Nicola Hughes on April 4th 2014.

Over 125 Days I pledged to run 250 miles, despite commitments, the weather or my injuries! You can read more about the challenge here, and my ongoing progress here. 

Having to run so often was at times monotonous so keep myself motivated I would set mini goals, whether it was to run a particular distance, or to run at a certain pace. I must admit, I became a little obsessed with my 'Personal Bests' and so I've created a page here on my blog to share them with you, in the hope that I can continue to challenge myself with the support of my readers too!

The final 2 miles were run at Manchesters' SportCity Athletics Track where hundreds of participants from all over the country came together to make it a spectacular event.  I raised over £200 and would like to thank each and every person who donated - the challenge was tough and I must admit, I was glad to see the end of.. and so were my shins!!

I learnt so much from this challenge. Firstly, anything is possible. Even when you think you can't - you can. It takes guts & determination but if you want something enough, you will achieve it. 

Also, you can find friendship and support in the most unlikely places. When I first signed up for this challenge I was on my own, but when Bryn Hughes started a Run To Remember group on social media, he didn't just create a huge support network where 1800 runners from all over the country shared their motivation, he created the Run To Remember Family.

Run To Remember motivated those who would normally never run anything other than a bath. It introduced people to a new, healthier and fitter way of life.. and I would like to think that all of those who took on this challenge, feel happier than they did in December. Not only because exercise is good for us, but because we DID IT!

Here are some photos of a very emotional end to a very challenging, and heart-felt Run To Remember for PC Nicola Hughes.

The R2R Family!

    Team Mix & Match!

Thanks to all those who came to cheer us on

I dedicated my Run To Remember Medal to my favourite running pal... Dora. 250 miles is a long way for these little legs!

 I DID IT!!!

 LETS CELEBRATE!!

Running To Remember: The final stretch.

When my Run To Remember Challenge began on December 1st 2013, I (perhaps like some others?) thought that running 'only' 2 miles each day was going to be relatively easy.  In fact I thought it was so easy that I immediately started to run more than 2 miles everyday.. Sometimes 2.5 and sometimes just over 3. Perhaps that's where I went wrong?

I was only 2-3 weeks into the challenge when my shins completely gave up. The pain I had in my legs when I ran was so unbearable it made me cry. I cried for the pain and I cried because I thought I would be unable to finish the challenge - a heart wrenching thought when I am 1 of 1800 runners nationwide running for a cause I feel strongly about.

After intense Physio and a LOT of rest I was able to start going out again to slowly jog no more than 1 mile every 3 days.. And even then my Physio was against it. But at that point I was SO far behind on my miles I HAD to carry on. Giving up was not an option. 

Some days were better than others. I've signed up for smaller challenges and earned medals whilst donating my own money to other charities.

I've shaved my 5k personal best from 38 minutes to 32 minutes, my fastest mile has gone from 12 mins to 9 and my furthest run distance (without any stops) is 4 miles, up from 1! But some days the twinge of pain would return and even after all the Physio - I have since been unable to run every day. :(  I have had no option but to complete some of my miles by walking them. I'm gutted to have had to do this, as the idea was to run to remember, not walk. But rather than stop all together, I've carried on - just slower. 

There have been days where I've felt poorly, days that the weather has been awful, and days where I've simply had time to do nothing else around my shifts than go out and cover more miles. But that's what I've done. 

Run To Remember has been the longest challenge I've ever commited to. 250 days is a long time, and running/walking has pretty much taken over my life and right now I am struggling through to the end. I know there are runners who have already smashed the 250 mile target, and so I feel like a bit of a 'let down' that I'm struggling even whilst walking, but thankfully there have been days where I haven't been alone. Some days I've persuaded my OH to walk with me, and some days my mate J has suggested long walks together to encourage me to cover more miles. (Thank you!)

I am now 12 days away from the final finish line & I have all sorts of mixed feelings. 

I'm still sad that I cannot run everyday.

I'm happy that I CAN at least run though - that's more than some people can say so I am grateful for that.

I'm nervous about fitting in the rest of my miles.. I still need to cover 50 miles in 12 days, that's 4.16 every single day..the pressure really is on. 

I'm glad that the end is almost here, my knees are starting to take a bashing and my legs feel tired all the time.

I'm excited for the final 2 miles..I wonder what it will feel like when I reach that long awaited goal?

Most of all I am proud. I'm proud of myself for sticking with it when I had a reason to stop. I'm proud of all the other runners who have battled through an array of problems themselves and still carried on. I'm proud to be part of the Run To Remember family who have grown fond of each other throughout the challenge, and of course I am proud to do what I said I would when you all pledged your money towards the PC Hughes Memorial Fund.

Thank you all for your sponsorship, it makes it all worthwhile, knowing that you believe in me and my capability to cover 250 miles, and that you feel strongly enough about the charity to give your hard earned cash.

Many of the R2R runners from all over the country are coming together to run the final 2 miles in unison on April 4th in Manchester at the Sport City Athletics track at 12pm. (M11 3FF) If you would like to come along and show your support, you are more than welcome! Please let me know if you are interested.. It will be an emotionally charged afternoon I'm sure!

What have you done today to make you feel proud?

Day 13 of R2R - A Shin Dig

You may have read my post Good Day Bad Day about how different one run can be from the next, especially when you are suffering with shin pain, unfortunately for me, this has only got worse!

I’m not one to moan, but I do feel like sharing my experiences in the hope that you lovely readers will provide me with hints/tips to help me through my journey of dealing with shin splints, or take something from the information I share if you suffer too.

As you can imagine I've read many conflicting stories from ‘googling’ my symptoms and I pretty much self diagnosed Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome (MTSS). I eventually booked an appointment to see a Physiotherapist at David Roberts Physiotherapy in Middleton where he confirmed my suspicions. Of course he told me to rest...which I cannot possibly do. I still have 224 miles to go! So after a very painful sports massage I left the clinic feeling slightly more positive. Although I was told this wasn't going to go away overnight, especially (if I didn't rest up), I feel like I now have some help at hand from someone who understands.

I will share with you the advice he gave me:

Stretch – This is more important than you think!

Face a wall and place your foot flat on the floor with your toes about 2 inches from it. Bend your leg forward to touch the wall with your kneecap until you feel the muscle along the inner side of your tibia begin to stretch, and hold. If you don’t feel the stretch, move your toes slightly further from the wall and repeat. Do this with both legs. Not just before and after your run, but anytime you can, to loosen up this muscle; which (from looking at many lovely diagrams) I think is the bottom section of the soleus muscle you can see before it tucks behind the main calf muscle (gastrocnemius muscle) – please correct me if I’m wrong here..

This is the section of muscle that pains me the most when I run. It’s now an immediate pain from my first stride which intensifies as I go until my legs go lead-like and I feel like I'm running flat footed due to the inability to move my foot up and down at the ankle. Not good.

Ice – My new best friend.

As soon as you get back from your run, get out the ice. Be it an ice pack or the frozen peas in a tea towel, it doesn't matter. Get that straight onto the area of pain to reduce the inflammation, leave for 10-15 mins, then remove for 10 mins before repeating... for as long as is required. In fact, my physio has advised me to do this as often as I possibly can – even when I’m not on a run day. Ice is amazing. Ice works. I love ice!

I've never been that worried about my pace or race times but I’m not going to pretend that I’m not bothered about the effect my shin splints have on my speed. I used to run at just under 12 minutes a mile when I first took up the hobby, and I shaved at least a minute off that time. But now, I’m lucky if I finish 2 miles in under 27 minutes.. and as time goes on, I seem to be getting slower. But I will keep going – I will Run/Hobble To Remember PC Hughes and PC Bone, even if I end up crawling by April 4th.

Have you suffered from shin pain? If so...how did you cope??

R2R: And so it begins...

Look mum, I’m on the telly!

Our Run To Remember is now underway following a ‘team start’ at Dove Stones Reservoir in Saddleworth on December 1st. There were approximately 20 runners who gathered with PC Hughes’ father Bryn, and her brother Sam, to complete the 2.6 mile loop together to mark the start of this incredible journey we are all on. There are now over 1700 runners from forces across the whole country, and many gathered in their own force areas to start this challenge together.

GMP’s ACC Garry Sherwan was there to proudly set us off from the start line, where we were filmed by both ITV and BBC news reporters. The route at Dove Stones is pretty level and with stunning views over the water it was actually a pleasure to complete – even with a stonking hangover from last nights’ Discount Halloween Party!

Morale was high, adrenaline was pumping and team spirit spurred us on when we felt tired. We even made the BBC & ITV evening news on TV...although I don’t think this was my finest hour, puffing and panting looking rather beetroot-like!

Check out the ITV Video here!

Here you can see the beautiful scenery and some of the camera crew before the run.

Team Mix & Match – Raring to go!

My 250 miles can be completed in any format. 2 miles every day for 125 days, or bank more miles to allow myself rest days. Here are my runs so far:

Day 1: 2.64 miles

Day 2: 3.11 miles

Day 3: 2.78 miles

Day 4: Rest Day

Day 5: 2.67 miles

Day 6: 2.2 miles

Day 7: 4.93 miles

Total so far: 18.33 miles. Great! I've already got 2 Rest Days banked for next week - Bring it on!!

If you are taking part in the PC Hughes’ Run To Remember, give me a shout by leaving a comment below.

To sponsor me and my colleagues please please visit www.justgiving.com/mixandmatch

Thank you!

Run To Remember: 250 Miles, 125 Days!

Could you run 2 miles?

Could you run 2 miles every day a week?

Could you run 2 miles every day for a month?

Could you run 2 miles every single day for 125 days?

You may remember my post 1 Year On.. which was dedicated to PC's Fiona Bone & Nicola Hughes and mentions some of the fundraising events I have been involved in since their tragic deaths ,well this blog post is to introduce another one...

The PC Hughes Run To Remember is a challenge open to all Police Officers, PCSO's & Staff to run 250 miles in 125 days starting on the 1 December 2013. That's an average of 2 miles a day, every single day (yes that includes Christmas & New Year) for 125 days... which is until April 4th 2014.

Call me crazy, but I am a proud member of Team 'Mix and Match' which consists of 2 Police Officers, 2 Police Staff & 1 PCSO, and we are running (along side many others) for GMP!

The name mix and match reflects our 'mini team' members,as  some are runners, some are not, and I am probably somewhere in-between, so this is no 'walk in the park' for us! (And I must admit - I am pretty nervous!!) Our aim is raise £500 towards the PC Hughes Memorial Fund, which supports the following 3 charities: COPS, Victim Support & NW Police Benevolent Fund.

So I am asking you now very nicely indeedy if you PLEASE wouldn't mind sponsoring us? It really doesn't matter how big or small the donation, because pennies make pounds, and pounds make a difference!

If you would like to sponsor Team Mix & Match, please click here for our Just Giving page. I will be keeping you all posted right here on our progress as we undertake the challenge!

Thank You x

Race For Life - Heaton Park 2013

When a couple of my friends told me they were taking part in the Race For Life to raise money for Cancer Research UK it hit a nerve of my own.

There are so many people who are affected by cancer and unfortunately some of those have been people that I love. Some have fought it, some sadly did not & some are still battling it out.

These people are an inspiration to me. They teach you that life is what you make it and with that inspiration I signed up to run the 5k race and raised over £150 for the cause.

The day was on the hottest weekend of the year so far and it was challenging to keep hydrated. But I was determined to run this race, and I wanted to do it in under 45 minutes. 

Here I am at just under 4k, where Naomi & our friend Emma had stood to cheer me along! It was just what I needed, a buzz to spur me on as the last kilometre was the hardest as it was mainly uphill!

A couple of months ago I could barely run 200 metres without being out of breath with legs full of lactic acid. Today I finished 5000 in 36 minutes. 

No matter what the goal, you CAN do it. 

Me, my medal, my little pal Dora & my message to cancer.

What have you done today to make you feel proud?

All the gear, no idea.

So, pay day arrived & I decided treat myself to some new running gear, and since I'm new to this running lark I decided Sports Direct would be a good place to start as their prices are cheap and their stuff seems pretty good.

I bought some shorts and some 3/4 length tights, along with a bright yellow top. The best thing about the bottoms is the little zip pockets on the bag, how exciting - no more 'phone in bra' issues! Obviously taking my phone is essential for Map My Walk purposes (See previous post!) as well as poo bags (For the dog, obvs) and the house key... so the mini pocket is just the right size.

All dressed up in Karrimor I set out to put my stuff to the test.

Light, cool & comfortable. Excellent. Just what I was hoping for. So I ran, and ran, and ran... until I hit 10k.

10k! I have never run 10k before without stopping.. and although it took 1hr 23mins it was a great feeling of  achievement. And I even got negative splits!

Thanks Karrimor & Thanks Sports Direct.

The Competition

I love walking and I love a bit of healthy competition. So when my mum decided to challenge me to a monthly mileage competition using the 'Map My Walk' app, it was game on.

We started at the beginning of May 2013 and if I'm honest I thought it would be quite literally a 'walk in the park' for me, after all I have a dog and she doesn't, so I was bound to win, right?

Not necessarily. Mum might not walk as often as I do, but when she starts she doesn't bloody stop! It was May 31st and I was 2.3 miles beind her total with a work shift that wasn't due to end until 2100hrs.

I finished work with the idea of going for a run when I got home but as I walked through the door my partner was just serving up spaghetti and meatballs (and since my shifts don't always allow for such pleasures I wasn't about to pass this one up!)

After all there is always June wasn't there?

Wrong. I ate my meatballs threw on my trainers, grabbed the dog lead and off we went (Dora & I) at 21:40 to run 3.35 miles and claim victory for month 1 in the closing stages of the competition with a total mileage of 38.43 against her 37.38. Close call eh?

I bet she thought she had that one in the bag? Lol.