22 MARCH 2017 womensrunninguk.co.uk⁄ KEEP RUNNING, MUMMY!
Our resident running mummy, Claire Chamberlain,
reveals why she’s already broken her New Year’s
resolution (oops)...LONDON'S
CALLING
egular readers of my column will know
that, last month, I set myself the New Year
challenge of achieving a 10K PB, something
that hasn’t happened since 2008 BC (Before
Children) – back in the days when a good night’s sleep was
still a given, rather than a (very) occasional luxury.
“Shorter races are the way forwards!” I declared
loudly, stating that I no longer had time to train for long
races and that my new goal was to run faster, not further.
Er, yes. About that... Everyone has that one exception
they are willing to break their own rule for, don’t they?
You see, I got the chance to enter the Virgin Money
London Marathon, and just like that, daydreams of long-
but-rewarding training runs, miles and miles of pavements,
and making it to the start line of one of the greatest races
on the planet started flooding in.
Where I thought I had no extra time to run, I am making
more time. Where I decided training for a marathon would
require energy reserves I just don’t have, I’m making sure
I head to bed early and eat the right foods*, to ensure I
can bound through a mid-week tempo session AND find
it in myself to push the kids on the swings all afternoon.
(*Mostly I will be trying to eat the right foods. Other times,
when I am exhausted and the kids have pushed ALL my
buttons, I will inhale an entire pack of chocolate digestives
while hiding in the kitchen. Washed down with gin). Where
I wasn’t sure I could make motherhood AND marathon
training work, I am damn well going to make it happen.
Because no-one turns down London, do they?
London is special to me. It was my first marathon,
back in 2009, so it will always hold a certain significance.
After all, it was the race that showed me I could achieve
something I’d never realised was possible until that
moment: I could run 26.2 freakin’ miles! And wow, the
memories. I mean, everyone thinks they know the London
Marathon from watching it on TV. But when you’re a part
of it, you get to experience all the incredible hidden gems
it conceals, too. Like the fact running through the streets
south of the river feels like you’re part of a vibrant carnival;
like the fact I got splashed with holy water, as I ran past
a church whose entire congregation was out on the
roadside cheering on the runners; like the fact that, making
the final turn before hitting Tower Bridge, I got hit by a wall
of sound so loud it felt almost physical – the crowd at a
staggering volume.
I am aching to be part of this again; aching to be part
of an event that is filled with such positivity, camaraderie,
generosity, hope, grit, determination and love.So yes, while the training will be tough, and while I
need to somehow muster enough energy each day to
run, as well as make a fish pie/construct a Batmobile out
of a cardboard box/do all the voices while reading The
Gruffalo/diffuse a toddler meltdown/wipe felt pen off the
skirting boards, I am ready to give this my best shot.
After all, this time around, there will be two little people
waiting for me at the finish line – two amazing, funny,
wonderful people who I couldn’t have envisaged in my
wildest dreams back in 2009. What an awesome incentive
to get through those 26.2 miles!
Excitingly, I have also joined Team War Child, so all
that gruelling training and the 26.2 miles on the day itself
will hopefully raise vital funds for a charity that does awe-
inspiring work: helping to protect, educate and stand up for
the rights of children who are caught in some of the most
hostile conflict zones around the world.
So, London: I have my training plan, my support crew
and my cause – get set, because I’m coming for you!R
SUPPORT
TEAM WAR
CHILD
FIND OUT MORE
ABOUT THE CHARITY’S
WORK WITH SOME OF
THE WORLD’S MOST
VULNERABLE CHILDREN
AT WARCHILD.ORG.UK,
OR CHECK OUT CLAIRE’S
FUNDRAISING PAGE AT
VIRGINMONEYGIVING.
COM/
KEEPRUNNINGMUMMYFundraising vests – and
support crew – at the
ready!WR86_022.indd 22 13/01/2017 14:41