All sponsors welcome!

I'm running the 2010 Ignis Asset Management Women's 10k and attempting to raise money for Alzheimers Scotland.
I care for my elderly mother who has Alzheimers and receives support from Alzheimers Scotland who provide day care facilities for her. Without this support I would struggle to continue my work as a nursey nurse, and also support my family. I am also looking to raise awareness for this disease that affects many people and their families.
I was proud to be nominated by my son for the Evening Times Face of the Race 2010 and was lucky enough to be one of the winners! My role has been to promote the race and to inspire others to sign up! This has also given me a boost for my fund raising.
It's a busy life bringing up five kids and supporting my mother but I know what she done for me bringing up a family of six so it's a labour of love. She's a great character and Alzheimers is such a sad disease.
Any donations would be greatly appreciated. http://www.justgiving.com/angiemcqueen
Angie McQueen



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Under 3 weeks to go!

Well what an eventful few weeks I’ve had! First, we had such a great time at the Glasgow Running Network 5k at the end of March, it was a great atmosphere and a really good training exercise for the 10k. However, not long afterwards, my family and I were struck down with a sickness bug which was just horrible and hindered the good progress I’d been making with training. Once we were over that things got a little better and I got out running again. I am so determined to do this, I was even running to and from my Weight Watchers class - now that’s dedication isn’t!
So, training is going well again and I was pleased to find out that the other Face of the Race girls and myself were due to get fully kitted out with running gear as part of winning the competition! We went to Run 4 It on Bothwell Street in Glasgow and Pamela from the shop was great! We definitely got the special treatment and got to pick some Gore training kit and a pair of Ascics trainers, so now I am fully kitted out with the best kit I really need to pull out all the stops ha ha.

My son Paul and I did over 5k the other day and I was so pleased with my time, I managed it in 29 minutes so I know I am definitely progressing. Roll on 9th May!

I have also now started the ball rolling with my sponsorship and aim to raise funds for Altzheimer Scotland who do a fantastic job, the money will go direct to my local centre who have helped my mum who suffers from altzheimers and my family a great deal.

Well that’s me for now, good luck to all the other ladies and speak soon,

Angie x

26 Days!

The day is drawing ever closer!

My countdown app is telling me today that I only have 26 days till the big day, I can't believe how the time has flown by. I am so excited, constantly checking Facebook for updates, worrying about what I should wear! The list goes on :D

I ran my first Parkrun at Strathclyde park on Saturday and was very chuffed to take 3 minutes of my last 5K time four months ago. It was great fun, so much better running in nice spring/summer weather.

Back to fashion - I have a new pair of trainers and do not know when to break them in or in fact wear them at all! If I get a bad time, the trainers will of course get the blame. But if I don't wear them, then I shall never know?? So many decisions!

Anyway, as the countdown has begun, I better get my skates on (or trainers!) and start building up more distance.

Good luck everyone, hope you are managing to make decisions better than me!

Balfron 10K - 25 April

Hello.

This has been voted the top 10K in Scotland by readers of Runners World Magazine (they must mean after the Glasgow Women's 10K)... the Balfron 10K is 2 weeks before our event so have just entered to see how I am getting on.

More at the link, sounds a fun one: http://www.balfron10k.org.uk/

Pippa x

PB or not PB

I've been in a right cream puff today.

I'd gone along to the 5k parkrun at Pollok Park again this morning, (following last Saturday which was the first I'd run it since December), fully pumped up, psyched, stoked, or whatever else is the latest americanism all the kids are using these days. Anyway, to cut to the chase, I was aiming to beat my time of last week (34:52), or even better, to beat my parkrun Personal Best of 34:27.

It was another beautiful morning, and even though the pavements were still glistening wet the sun was well and truly out. By the time I'd met my friend at the entrance to the park I was even, drum roll, pleasantly warm. Warm enough to run without my jacket, another first this year.

Having Nessa there was a great boost to my spirits, and being able to keep pace with her for the first km or so would get me off to a good start (one thing I thought let me down last week was starting too slow and never really breaking out of that pace). Conditions were perfect, and it was time to get down to business.

Although Nessa and I parted ways before the first km was reached, it was okay as I found a friendly spot in a pack of half a dozen or so women near the back of the race who were all about the same pace as me. There was the usual overtaking/being overtaken as various of us would stop to walk, then start up running again when we'd caught our breath. I was just grateful to be amongst company than to be running on my own with 30 seconds between me and the next person in front.

I must admit to tiring a few times during the run but overall I was pleased with my efforts as my legs felt stronger going up the inclines and steep hills than last week and I was convinced that my pace while not cheetah-like was at least one species up from a sloth.

But alas, my hopes for a good race time were dashed upon seeing that my nikeplus showed 35 mins as I crossed the finish line. Unable to reconcile such a disappointing time with how good I had felt during the run, I fantasised that perhaps I had gained extra time somehow, and that the parkrun timer would record my run as a personal record breaking -34 mins.

But unless the regenerated Doctor Who, tiring of his new assistant already, had swung the TARDIS by Pollok today to pick me up and help him fight the evil forces of the galaxy, I couldn't think of any other circumstance whereby the space-time continuum would show the parkrun timer to be 2 minutes out from my nikeplus. (Though even as I write this I suspect that the Daleks were somehow behind my poor performance today, all part of their despicable plan to destroy the human race one parkrunner at a time...)

Meanwhile back in the real world, I know I'm never going to come first at parkrun, or any race I enter where there is more than one participant, so if I can't beat anyone else I would at least like to beat myself! Talk about scunnered. But somehow even though I still can't run faster than I did last August, I just can't entertain the idea of giving up on running. Cos each time I tie up my trainers and head out for another run, I cling to the hope that this will be the day I achieve a personal best. And I suppose to keep on trying and not give up is the best I can do.

Who am I trying to kid, coming over all philosophical...I still want to see that darn 'PB' alongside my name at next week's parkrun! And if I don't, i'll scweam and scweam and scweam and scweam!

OH MY GOODNESS.....

Hello there

I am so glad I got to do the 5k on Sunday.....it was much harder than I thought!! As im not a runner I thought my fitness levels were good as I go to classes regularly and I use the treadmill but it was totally different running outside......

I have walked/jogged a 5K's before and even the 10K when I was pregnant with Max so I dont know why its so hard now?? This will be the first time trying to run it but as Laura says....its the distance I am wanting to complete so If I need to walk or jog...so long as I finish it and raise money for my charity I will be happy.....I think I will really need to train outside from now on....hopefully I can do this as we have a few weeks left.

This morning I put my car in for an MOT in Bishopbriggs and jogged/ran/walked from there home. I did this in half an hour. Again I will need help with my breathing I think?? Any suggestions??

I will need to find out my time for my 5K at Bellahouston and I will try and beat this time for my 5K funrun.....or at least not be ready to collapse this time!!!!!