Silverstone Half Marathon.

I spent my Mothers Day getting up at seven to prepare myself for the trip to Silverstone for my first competitive race of 2010. At least my husband made me breakfast before I set off, and I got two lovely cards from my son, Tim, one of which was homemade.

I usually travel on my own to competitions so it was a refreshing change to travel with the other members of Harlow Running Club in a coach and it was nice to chat to people I usually don't have the chance to talk to when I'm training. There were two of us wheelchair racers, Dean Harvey being the other one, and we were glad when we arrived and we could sort out our chairs.

I was glad when the race finally began, though I wasn't treating it as a race because I didn't feel fit enough, and I'm a sprinter. The main reason I was there was to try and raise some money for a very worthwhile cause, AbleCild Africa, a charity which supports disabled children in Africa. It's a cause very close to my heart, and as I pushed I kept thinking that no matter what I was suffering, it was nothing in comparison to the struggle those children have. I had to stop once or twice to sort out cramps in my legs but still managed to complete the race in one hour twenty five minutes, a respectable time but also one I know I can improve upon once I get back into full time training. Dean did a great time of one hour,thirty nine minutes, and he was very encouraged by the result.

So,its back to training and on monday I did a good workout on the track. Yesterday I did 10 miles on the road, and today I'm in the gym. I look forward to my first sprint races in May.