A-Z Challenge N is for .......

No idea of an appropriate N!

OK so this A-Z Challenge is proving difficult to come up with a daily topic beginning with a particular letter! I am struggling today with the 'N'. If I really put my mind to it I could find a number of things beginning with 'N' to write about but I don't want to as I want to shout from the rooftops about my recent achievement! So I am going with N is for No idea of an N.

What is my recent achievement - Yesterday I ran my first half marathon and I completed it, not on my knees crawling but actually still running and not at the maximum time limit but in 2 hours 35 minutes!

Other than the boys, this has got to be the biggest achievement of my life.

I have never been a runner, at school I was one of those who dreaded cross country, I was always at the back and struggling. I have tried over the years to run and always given up. This time though I set off running and increased by one lamp post at a time per run.

Major pre-run nerves kicked in though as the most I have ever run was about 6 miles and that was 1 month ago. For the last month I have been dogged with colds, sinusitis and tonsillitis so done no running. Pre-registration to pick up your timing chip and t-shirt was on Saturday and t'hubby had to convince me to even go down and register as I was not even going to enter the race on Sunday I felt that disappointed in my training.

Yet here I am, proudly looking at my medal, struggling to walk (and don't even mention lowering myself onto the toilet) and I did it!!!!! I ran the first 8 miles, used my friend who has done countless number of half marathons, full ones and triathlons as my pacer and kept up with her, and then at 8 miles we hit the hill to take us up Arthur's Seat so I walked/ran this and each hill after this did the same. I think I can safely say I ran at least 10.5 miles of the 13 if not more.

Problem now is I am already thinking about the next one, glutton for punishment. I would like to better my time and my training and yes, if I am totally honest I am now thinking that entering and running the London Marathon may not be as out of my reach as I thought it might be (in a few years time!).