Thursday, 4 May 2017

Grantham Running Club, Park Run & Mind over Marathon program | DanielMarshallAdventures















About 6 weeks a go I wrote a blog post about The coach to 5k With Grantham Running Club.
I was going to write another one, but at the end of the course to reflect how it went.

I have decided that because its going so much better then i ever expected to do a update but to also talk about mental health, and the mind of marathon program.

The start of the course, saw us do 2 mins of running, followed by a minute walk and this was repeated, 5 times over.

Each week, we ran longer, faster, and taking different routes around Grantham.

Some weeks would be uphill, on mud, through small paths, to test your endurance, your breathing control, how you cope going uphill etc.

Depending, if you was to enter a race of somekind, it does not mean that it would be all flat line.
So instead of turning up and struggling, this course helps you learn how to tackle it.

The first 3 weeks, we ran no longer then 5mins at a time, and after the session, i felt amazing to the point i did more, going back home.

after a few weeks the 5k group split into 3 groups, group a which were for people who could do the runs at a faster pace, and the other groups doing a slightly less pace.

We all run differently, and there is no shame in that, some weeks you will feel you can run faster and some you cant, you have to go at your own pace.

Every single person in all 3 groups aims to reach the point of getting to 5k,

On the forth week i was starting to struggle in the faster group, getting a lot of pains, but my feet was also hurting.

I was told that because i do tennis 3-4 times a week, and on days where i also do the running, that i could be doing to much, that my body is telling me to rest.

Going to the gym, was also not helping with my shoulders either, as again i was doing 3-4 times a week.

So while i do the running, i have cut down a day both the gym and the tennis.
I love all 3 things but in life you have to make sacrifices.
otherwise you end up burning yourself out, and doing more harm then good (:

This then ties into the mind of marathon program.
we have our own facebook group where we can comment, things etc.
I noticed someone from the group posted about the program.
It follows a group of people who suffer from mental health, weather that is depression, anxiety and other things.
And helping them each week, to run, to aim to enter the marathon.





Because although, your problems will not magically disappear any form of sport helps with your health, makes you feel happier,it a way to connect with people that can become your friends.
As i mentioned in other blog posts, which we will take depression for example.
It not only affects your brain but your body, saying to yourself or someone saying to you, get over it, just do it, really is the worst thing you can ever say.


If it was that easy, then people would not suffer from it.
For me there are days where, i wont leave the house, i get frustrated and often sit crying for hours because i want to get out, but my body cant even move, it takes all my energy just to get moving so that i can have something to eat.

So do go from that to running, its an incredible achievement.
Its already not a easy task but for the person who suffers from mental health problems it can feel even worse.
After watching this program, it really made me push more with the running, i went to the session feeling like a new person, and i was.

Week 5 saw a massive jump from 8mins of running non stop to 20 mins without a walking period.
Somehow like many of the others in the group, we managed it, it was tough it was brutal, it hurt but after doing it, you feel over the moon, happy, you come away better then when you arrived,

After searching on goggle about the program, i have seen responses saying its helped them talk about their mental health issues.
I wish more people would, its not nothing to feel bad about, plus more people who do not suffer from a problem at the moment need to understand, how those who do, how it affects them.

Their is a lack of funding for mental health, there is a lack of understanding, and doctors need to educate themselves and not to tell people just to get over it !!!!

I explained in a video which you can see here



About how although, i have had the community help me and i have had such wonderful experiences in the last year, its all been me who has gone out their to get them.
I am the one who come out of the comfort zone, to connect with people, to help people.
I am the one who has the drive, out of this world, drive that i say to myself i have to do this.

It has not been easy and often have major set backs, in confidence, feeling i am not worth it, that i can not do it, and that i should give up on everything.
But what breaks us only makes us stronger, and in so many times in my life that has been true.

Its took over a year to get to where i am, the person i am but i am happy with how i have opened up.

I work on my strength and my cardio, to be better in body and mind.
just a few days a go i went to Feel good Fitness Gym in Grantham, went on the watt bike classes that i had not been on in a few days and came away with this result.



 I did do a bit of arm weights, and leg stuff before going on the class so this is my overall result of the time i started to the end.

The class it hard, but the competition side of me comes out, pushing myself to do well.

Going back to the running, 03-05-17 was the biggest test in my life.

Group A was told that, we are going to be going uphill a lot, and instead of 22 mins, its now going to be 30mins.

Not only was the time of running a lot longer, but with the challenge of battling to go uphill.
I struggled a few times because when going off road through woods and it being uphill, your feet all of a sudden feel like a ton, your putting the same effort in but going a lot slower.

My chest was hurting but i pushed through it, and as soon as we was on flatline again i was back at 100 percent.

Some of us also did more mins, worth of running as what we do as a group is, those who are at the front of the pack, after about 10mins in you loop back to the back, so it gives chance for others to catch up and show support.
What this means for the front runners is you cover more ground, because your having to go back to where the others are.

and because somehow, which i still dont believe myself, that the past 3 sessions i have been able to keep upfront, the session the other day, i ended up doing 35mins.
This meant that although we are only half way through the course we almost managed to reach the 5k mark already.
as seen from this image, of a runners watch, which i was next to this person most of the time so i did the same amount.



I felt over the moon when i got back, and saw this posted as i had no idea is was so close to 5k,
it was not only an achievement for many others but for me, as last year when i joined the club, i could not manage 3k,

My latest challenge is a park run event this Saturday In Grantham.
Parkrun is a organisation with events all around the world.
They are free events where you run a course, with loads of people, at the end you get your result, so that you can see how well you have done, and aim to beat it the next time you go.
In Grantham these events are every Saturday, so if i can do it and like it, i will aim to go on more.

If you suffer from mental health then please get in touch, as i like to help and listen, we all stand a better chance of helping each other.
The people who do suffer with this will always understand each other better then those who dont.

I want to thank Grantham Running club for this amazing experience, they are a amazing club, which is only 24 pounds a year to join !!!!!
running, is amazing, it makes you feel alive, and its always better to run with people then by yourself (:

Thank you for reading and i do hope that this post can really help people, try something different and show that your a lot stronger then you think, its all in your brain, and it does not matter how long it takes to do a small thing, at least you have done it !!!! (:

you can follow me on social media with the links below
My social links
https://www.facebook.com/dmpphotographyuk/
  https://twitter.com/DanMediaP
https://twitter.com/DMPWORLDMUSIC
https://twitter.com/DanielMVlogs
https://www.instagram.com/dmpadventures/
http://dannytheexplorer.tumblr.com/
http://dmpuk.weebly.com/














 







No comments:

Post a Comment