Run Forrest Run

Number 4 on my #40before40 was to run 850 miles in 2014.

Flashback a decade and setting this target would have seemed like a dream, rather than a potential reality.

Growing up I'd always I enjoyed watching and taking part in sport: football, tennis, cricket, swimming, hockey, basketball and rugby. 

Although running was one of the sports at school I didn't really take to. I think that point was bought crashing home when I stumbled across the line to finish last in the 800m at school sports day when I was about 15. 

It was a bad performance, although not as bad as when I was entered for the javelin, even though I'd never shown any particular skill in this area.

I was number 13 to throw and as I ran up on a grey, drizzly summer's day, my less than grippy trainers gave way below me and I slipped over. Cue mass howls of laughter from the sidelines as the javelin went about 30 cms over the white line and I landed on my arse.

I somehow kept my feet behind the line and avoided a foul throw, meaning that my misery was compounded and the throw was measured. 

As I entered my 20s, I became less active and, for a number of reasons, developed a pretty poor lifestyle. I was unhealthy and overweight.

When I moved to our old flat to Falmouth when I was 29 I decided that one of my challenges I wanted to achieve before I was 30 (in 2005) was to lose weight and get fit.

So, I started to run.

To begin with I could barely get round Pendennis Point, which is just a couple of miles, but I kept going. I kept setting myself targets and kept, literally, plodding away.

I got to the position where I could run round Pendents Point in one go without walking, so I pushed it a bit further, and then a bit further.

By 2008 I'd run my first half marathon (Truro) and my first marathon (New York). I'd also taken part in two triathlons (Perranporth and Helston).

And like Forrest, I just kept running (also, we don't have a shed, so to get some space from the girls and to clear my head instead of going to the shed, I go running).

At some point in late-ish 2012 I downloaded the Log Your Run app to my phone. I wanted to keep a record of how much running I'd done.

On New Year's Eve 2013 I checked the app and it said I'd run around 800 miles.

"Wow!" I thought to myself. That was great, but I think I can beat that. 

So I set a target of 850 miles, which I thought would be achievable, but also push me a little bit.

Now, on checking the Log Your Run website, I discovered that on New Year's Eve 2013 I'd misread the data on the app. It had showed me the amount of running I'd done since I downloaded the app, not since January 1, 2013.

In fact I'd 'only' done 664.1 miles during 2013.

Running total for 2013

And instead of getting up to 850 miles, I'd recorded 522 miles in 2014.

Running total for 2014

There are a couple of reasons for the drop in miles: I played a lot of football in April and May, which meant I was unable to get out running; and I started having session with a personal trainer, so I often did sets of reps instead of going for a run.

Despite being down on my targets, I'm chuffed with the total for 2014. 

There were some great runs and events thrown in, such as the Classic Quarter (where I beat my 2013 time), Rock Solid (where I came 271st out of 1880 entrants) and the Rok 5k.

I'll just have to see if I can increase the miles to 800 + in 2015!

Rock Solid Race

The first big challenge on my 40 before 40 list has been done. 

Number 8 on my list was compete in a Tough Guy / Tough Mudder event. 

Yesterday I headed up to a very sunny Escot Park just outside Exeter with my support team (Rachel, Olivia and Bryher) to tackle the Rock Solid Race. 

The 10k obstacle race, which I heard several people say was actually 12k, took in mud, water, mud, water, more mud and some bonkers obstacles. 

After a warm up with a military fitness instructor, my wave set off at 1.20pm. 

The obstacles are now a bit of a blur, but we started with haybale hurdles (the big round ones), before heading off into the woods. 

At first I tried to avoid the mud and water, but after five minutes the only thing to do was to embrace it (my white running socks will never be white again ). 

Crawling on your stomach through muddy water and under barbed wire certainly got the adrenalin going, as did diving under a giant inflatable tube in a murky pond. I made the mistake of opening my eyes before surfacing, and can still feel grains of dirt under my eyelids as I type. 

The biggest challenge for me was the vertical cargo net. The height was okay, probably around 15 feet, it was the fear of falling that got me. 

I did it though, but the fear of falling off an obstacle wasn't helped by seeing a guy strapped into a stretcher waiting for an ambulance by one of the eight foot walls.

Tyres, more haybales, more water, wading through waist-deep mud, rope climbs, crawling through mud under a net, tunnels and more walls all were tackled, and enjoyed. 

I even took some strange enjoyment in diving into the skip full of iced water that resulted in the worst ice cream headache ever!

As I came into the final stretch I could see Bryher in the distance running around in her bright red all in one suit, before I saw Rach and Liv. 

This spurred me on for the final push where I jumped over fire, took on volunteers with Gladiator-style pugil sticks before, in true Rocky style, climbing haybale steps to cross the finish line. 

Having checked my time this afternoon I did the race in 1.50:08 and finished 271st out of 1880 finishers. I'm pretty chuffed with that for my first effort. 

I've also raised around £130 for CHICKS so far, which is the reason why I tackled this event. 

As well as my support team, I'd like to say a huge thank you to Felicia Sheingold, who has pushed me to my limits in my training sessions since January. The extra fitness made a huge difference. 

Bring on next year's race!

Post race burger in Exeter. 

 My race number, dog tag medals and Rock Solid T-shirt.