My Adventures, The Coach To 5k Course with Grantham Running Club !!! | DanielMarshallAdventures

Over the past Few months I have put up a few posts about Grantham Running club, and i mentioned at the start of the Coach to 5k that i would write about the course as a whole as the finish line, so here we go !!!!

12 weeks a go i started the biggest challenge in my life, 12 weeks a go, I was unfit, and very nervous about the challenge ahead.

I had attempted to Join the running club in 2016, only a few weeks after the coach to 5k has ended and at the time Running was something not on my mind, until I looked on google about things to do In Grantham.

Should i have looked the club up sooner, I can honestly say that everything happens for a reason, and that no i should of not, at the time which I will explain later on.

I had only attended 3 run sessions in 2016 when i decided that i was struggling to much and it was not for me.

As 2017 started it was a year that i needed things to change in my life, diet, fitness, strength and a whole bunch of things.

I noticed the club was putting the course back on, and so i attended my first session,
The idea of it being the group met on a Monday and Wednesday for 12 weeks.

Shock and fear took over my emotions when i arrived at the tennis club as around 80 people turned up. The running sessions was held at the Tennis club, this was great to see 2 businesses networking with each other (:


me being well me, I kept myself to myself as i do not cope well in big groups.
The group got split into people wanting to aim to do 10k and 5k,
The 5k group set out, going through  running furrows which is a pubic foot path, on the right a sports field which i think is owned by a school, to the left, a railway bridge, and as you go down the path, you are surrounded by the lovely nature.
This then opens ups to many streets and heading towards manthorpe.
We was told it would be 2 mins of walking and 1 min of running, just to get everyone used to it.

I think we did around 20-25 mins, we make sure before and after every session to always stretch our muscles, as with any form of exercise you do you always need to warm up and cool down.

And as the weeks got going, we extended the time of running, and the 5k group was split into 3 groups, Group A being the group that wanted to do the 5k as a faster pace.

By week 4 we was doing 20mins of running without a break, and i was starting to really struggle with maintaining my pace.
I would have stages of feeling great followed by sharp pains, that for me going at the pace i was i just could not keep it going, it became go full pelt for a minute and cause more pain or just stop.

Stop not being who i am hehe, for the next few weeks as we reached our first 5k distance, the run leaders were helping me by reminding me to slow down and i started to get used to it.

Penny who helped me in 2016 with the running was someone i kept looking up to for inspiration as she was a amazing run leader, pushing us but also having great laughs and helping us reach our goals.

By week 7 we was already going off road, through narrow paths, uphills and seeing the wonderful views of Grantham, as we set off, around Great Gonerby.

I noticed in our Facebook Group that people was talking about going on their first park,run which is global event, helping encouraging people to enjoy running.
In Grantham there is one held at Belton house most weekends.

It is a 2 lap course which is 5k, so i thought with already reaching 5k i would give it a try.

It was not what i expected, with over 300 runners, and you have no idea how to control your pace with so many people around you, you think your going at the right pace until you reach the second lap and then it hits you.



I told myself i never wanted to do a park run again, well i have now done 4 so yeah that happened lol, ill explain more about why i decided to keep going back later on.

I came back after a horrible park run to do the best running since starting at the club, and i was well happy.

Then i suffered my first, minor leg pain, because i do so much physically activities, it took its tole, and only for a week i had to miss running, tennis and gym, to me this felt like longer as i love everything i do, and missing out and being around people just made it worse.

again i came back even stronger as i went on my second park run and managed to get a time of just under 30 minutes.




But that could not of happen if it was not for some of the amazing runners from the group who i got talked to, who kept pushing me, to keep going.
I feel that the i enjoy sport more when i am being competitive i want to always achieving more and more, and although the park run is tough, i still want to keep going to more because i know if i can control my pacing i can do awesome (:

with only 3 weeks left to the end of the course , we all had some surprises and different challenges.
One of which was the club got invited to go to Ropsley

The idea was to run at a different location but then able to all get together to have a BBQ !!!



The Pub may not be much from the outside but it has a wonderful sitting area inside and a big outside space for when its nice in the summer.



We was told there would be 3 routes we could choose to be in, 5k, 6 miles and 10k i think not sure 100 percent on the route mileage.
Anyway i was over hearing the fun, of what the run leaders were discussing about the routes.
Our run leader, had this big map and was being told go down here, turn left do this and that lol
All i can say is i am not surprise we ended up doing over 5 miles instead of 5k, even i would of been confused where we was going from a map and remembering it off by heart hehe (:

This was the toughest run i had ever faced, in blazing heat about 25 degrees, with no shade, and no wind.

Straights that seemed like a mirage that went on forever, massive uphill parts, all of us was really struggling,
Most of our groups set off at their normal pace thinking it would be ok as we was going to do 5k well at one point if we had not turned out some signs we would of done 10 miles lol.





Trust me when i say that from that picture it may look nice but its such a demanding course.
The countryside itself yes is amazing.
I was glad i went for the experience, and the atmosphere of talking to people.
I was to tired to even think about food with not feeling great either because of the sun, some of the runners can do great in the sun and love in but nope not me anything over 20 and i really struggle.

I managed to get a drink and sit down, while everyone was getting food and it was really tempting as there was burgers, sausages chips and much more.





I would like to go again maybe once i know i can run in the heat and that i have got at least 10k under my belt !!!

Which leads me onto my next challenge the coach to 5k and 10k was invited to do one of the running club sessions starting from the normal location of the meres leisure centre in Grantham.
The task was to run Through the canal and see how far you could reach within 20 minutes and then beat it next month.

This was even more important to me then Ropsley as this was my revenge course.
I had run down the canal 2 times before last year when i had joined the club and struggled.
So I needed to know how much progress i had made since then.

Half way through as with some of the run sessions i got a bit of pain but shock it off and was like even if it hurts i am doing this, and in 20mins i managed to reach 3k.

I was drained when our runner leader which was led by penny for the session said come on your running it back !!!!

I was like your kidding right, nope you can do this Daniel and you know what because she kept me talking most of the way and pushing me to keep going, i some how ran faster on the way back.

which meant not only did i get much further then i did last year, but i ran 7k in total !!!!

the first time ever minus the over 5 mile run which i did a lot of stops and walking on.

entering the last week, penny was not letting it off so easy as we ended up doing another 7k run.
This time Through even more narrows paths, more steep hills, and in very tricky hot weather.

Overall with struggling a little i just managed to keep pushing and complete the run, with some great laughs and adventures along the way !!!



Half way through the run our run leader took some amazing pictures that are now wonderful memories of the adventures of the running.




 I think even though i have 2 more pictures to show that i am in, and you would think that the one upcoming would be the one to remember, be more important. i think i love this picture the most because, it was a picture i look ok in lol, but also it was such a wonderful adventure day, Proving that we can all run more then just 5k !!! (:

So the last run of the course was up, and it had already been a hot week, with the last run being around 25 degrees, Taking more off road routes, I really struggled with this run the most, to say a few days before that i ran 7k and i could not even manage 3k, it really surprise you how much the heat can affect your performance.
Although it was another great run, with of course another epic photo of  some of the runners (:



 Onward to the weekend which saw the running club come Together, at the Tennis club once again for the Graduation of the runners taking part in the coach to 5k, and 10k, a epic BBQ and our very own Grantham Running club Shirts !!!!

I turned up wanting to look smart as i feel important events like that you just need to be hehe,
The tennis club staff were at hand, Inc The Manger Sarah Patton who also completed the coach to 5k, so well done for someone who on multiple times said she Didnt want to go hehe, but she did and achieved, showing shes not only a great tennis player, manager but a runner (:

The tennis club also arranged ratchet and balls for the kids that came along with their parents.
on a day where i am dressed not for tennis, and a day to rest and enjoy myself, i could not tear myselt away from Joining in (:
Playing against some of the run leaders and kids, making sure everyone got a go, but also being a little bit competitive wanting to show how good my tennis was haha (:

After a bit of tennis we all went over to the best Hog Roast in the world, stacks of meat, served to everyone, and it tasted epic, is all i can say.


I did not want to be cheeky and ask for more so i only had one lot.
It was not to long before i left everyone chatting and enjoying the food while yes i went to play more tennis ahh me hey what you going to do (:




here is just a selection of runners enjoying their food (:





After a hour we all got called as it was time for our shirts (:
A speech was said which the only thing missing was a mic so we could all hear it properly.
Names were read out, and everyone getting claps for achieving the course.

A bunch of people could not attend due to different reasons, which other people collected on their behalf to give to them at a later date (:

It was time for the group photo, and the thing about things like that is I wouldn't say hate being in photos but i get really shy, i also do not know how to act.
A few people went to hid in the back of the group so i followed but nope the run leader i look up to was not having none of that (:
I got made to be at the front and to be a part of the photo which in the end i am glad i was as i now have something to look back on, instead of being a group photo with me not in it lol.



Overall In my Opinion you just could not meet a more wonderful and caring community in Grantham.
Its amazing to see how much dedication and hard work, the club has put into, Building a community.
How its evolved over the years, and how little it costs to join a club,
Some may say why would i pay just to run with a group of people !!!???

I can tell you now, it will change your life forever being with the running club, sure you could run by yourself, and with headphones in, but being involved in something much bigger, its just such achievement for 24 pounds a year, you get to run on a weekly basis around Grantham, exploring, being a adventurous and outgoing person.

You get to have discounts on Races to compete in, the club also hosts many events across the year, like BBQ, Bowling and much more.
The experience of meeting new people and making friends is its own reward.

I could honestly say that i could not manage what i have done without the club, without the runners in the groups, the run leaders and the fun times.

For 24 pounds a year, you can not find anything in Grantham, for less with such benefits to your health its truly outstanding !!!


I enjoy ever moment that i am now continuing  with the club on my next adventure which is making my way to 10k (:

What breaks us only makes us stronger and at times i really struggled with the running, and i will probably struggle even more, but that is the whole part of the journey no matter what sport or physical activities you do, if you are not willing to push yourself to always achieve better in life then you are not trying hard enough.
Its the same with my tennis and gym, at points i wanted to give up, and heck i almost did, but because i had been open with my issues, and started to build a community around me.
They had my back and helped me snap out of worrying so much.

My next Targets for the running is to not only reach 10k but work on my speed with the park runs and aiming by next year to get myself under the 25 min mark !!!!

So i leave you with a collection of bonus pictures and the advice of  Weather your worried about your health or even running do not be, ok do not jump into trying to do 5k if you have not run much like i did last year, but if a running club near you does the same and has a course to work on getting in shape, and working your way to running more then what are you waiting for get out that door and have the most epic adventure of your life !!!!!!! hehe
This has been my adventure of the last 12 weeks thank you Grantham running Club, and the local community, and thank you readers for reading this very long post (:

Bonus pics !!!!!!!!!!!













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http://www.granthamrunningclub.co.uk/

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The Toughest Physical week Ahead | DanielMarshallAdventures

I was planning on right a big blog post in a few weeks to describe The Journey with Grantham Running club.

But with so much going on i thought i would explain a few things.

It all started last week really, I had been Training at the gym with my friends for about 6 months now, every month a new training scheme would be in place and our goals would get higher.
Before i started doing a lot of running, my goal was to increase my strength, which was working, but because i was putting my body under so much stress, having tennis and running often the next day, i found myself not having the drive or even the strength to lift what i could.
About 3 weeks a go my friend said he was trying this challenge, which meant using a few different equipment and also pushing everything up, I decided to go along with the challenge and that is when i Decided the workout load was to much and something needed to change.
I sat and worked out the best days i could go, and what equipment i liked using but also how it was going to benefit me.

The one thing i am still rubbish at is names of the gym stuff, so i think not 100 percent sure but the machine i love using is called the dip assist.
I think its the one i love the most out of everything i can use at the gym, and because my grip on things still is not there, like pulling yourself up or hanging onto something for a while, its like a middle ground for me.
What it does is you have a seat sort of thing you kneel on, which is set not to move until you use your body strength to move down.
you grip 2 handle bars and the main focus is on your upper arms using them to bring yourself to the top and back down again.
I normally set out to do 10 lifts, 4 times, and after i have used to my hands do go numb for about a minute but you can certainly feel the difference in your arms.
So the routine i set myself is 3-4 sessions a week, at half a hour, and sometimes 2 sessions a day, but only once or twice a week.
Doing a small bit of cardio, and leg strength just to keep on top of them, as they are used for running.
Rowing, for 5 mins, and then different weight equipment for arms etc.
I do give it my all in that time, and do challenge myself to push the weight up every week.
Rome was not built in a day and sometimes people said oh look already how much muscle i have gained.
Then for it to go a week later, at the moment My muscles have become bigger then in the last 6 months of training and hope to keep on top of it.


The true fact is, i only now have the drive, and knowledge on what i must achieve, thanks to my friends, When i Joined i had not much clue how to use anything yet alone push myself to improve,
i do miss hanging out with them but we all create our own paths and sometimes, what method of improving one self may not work for another you have to create your on path.
Every time i go now i seem very happy, even having a laugh with the awesome team at Feel Good Fitness, and again that is one part that makes me keep going is the hard work the staff put into the place, the challenges, and getting new protein shakes in hehe (:

Phew!! i feel like that was a blog post on its on lol.

Moving on, I am missing some bits out because i want to put them in on the progress post about GRC

Tennis is next on the list, Twice i was looking forward to my first team match at Grantham Tennis Club and both times i have had a call saying its cancelled, so now hopefully this Thursday coming i can play the match.
So I decided to head down the next day and play the social matches they have on at the club.
4 matches i had and in one of them, were 2 amazing top class players, with the fastest serve i have ever seen, and just amazing team work,
I drive myself to get better and better with playing people who are better then me, some people it makes them feel worse about their game but me, i am like if they can do it so can i.
which in another game i had, a chap did a amazing low cross court shot, which i really ran for and was like here have the same shot back !!! hehe.

The last game i took easy, and I had myself another Park Run the next day.
So its still the same day as the park run i am writing this (:
This one i made sure, i got plenty of sleep the night before, made sure to do lots of stretches before the run started, and i honestly felt like this was the one that i would do great as i felt my physical best.

Now for people who have never ran a timed event before with at least 300 people will say its no different to running the same distance with a small group of people just having a jog around the countryside.
You would be so, so wrong,  The brain is the most Frustrating part of it all.
Put me on the countryside run doing 5k, without seeing the course set out in front of you, and talking with people, i do awesome at, put at a place where is a lap event and you can see the course in front of you, wooo, does it mess with you.

The course at belton house, is a 5k run which is 2 laps, it has 4 long straights, 3-4 smaller sections, with is very uneven, and much narrow so fighting for space with the other runners, and then a loop section which is like the final part of the lap, which you think is small, and then suddenly you get half way round and start to struggle.

I Hated the run the first time i ever did it, and swore i would never do it again, 3 runs later and here i am.

So i set off, trying to pace myself, which is very hard, when you a selection of extremely good runners going miles ahead of you, your first instance is to match their pace but telling your brain, no is a battle.

I got half way around the first lap, and noticed a fellow member of the tennis club ahead, and stupidly decided to try and match their pace, worked well up, even slighting passing by, until i started the second lap and hitting massive pain barriers.
I stopped about 5 times, for at least what felt like over a minute each time.
The first turn really caught me as the grass was really thick, my feet felt heavy like i had weights on them, and the more i tried to run through it, the heavier it felt.
After stopping at that section, for a rest, i struggled to keep going, but did as i wanted to finish the park run.
I had in the back of my mind that it felt i was in more pain and doing much worse then my first ever park run.

The last turn was coming up and i gave it everything.
I was shocked when i got home to only be 27 seconds behind my PB of the second time i did the run,
and i clocked in at 30.27.
It made me think, i must have been going at some pace to allow for all the stops i took, and if i did not stop, i know that time would of been around 27.
which just shows, when your in pain, seconds, feel like minutes.

Your brain starts telling yourself your a failure and that you would do worse when in fact i did awesome (:



Feeling Drained and my feet hurting, i got a bite to eat and soaked my feet.
after about a hour oddly i felt great again, so i went out for another social at the tennis club, a few hours later, and had some more great games (:

So now the rest of the week incs, the final 2 sessions of the coach to 5k with the running club, going to gym i think twice this week, maybe 3, doing some more tennis, ready for the match on Thursday, and then on Saturday is our kind of Graduation of the running course.
The final like get together sort of thing was meant to be the 24th but turns out there was no parkrun on that day, as it was going to be park run then BBQ in the evening.
Now its like a park run to end the running course on a high sort of thing, with the BBQ being the weekened after.

So to me this week is a very demanding week, some of the previous run sessions i have struggled with because both of the shoulders were hurting due to playing tennis either the day before or the same day, and when your serving you can pull those muscles when running.
so me being me i like to give the tennis and running my all, even more so with completing the course, so i hope my body pushes through it and i end up enjoying the week.

Being active has certainly made me feel better mentally and physically, i could never expect to be able to keep up with the running, as normally i am a quick runner, but after about 2 mins, that is it, i cant run anymore, so its been great to get over the fear of that and to be as active as i am.
Although i love what i do when i am on the computer, like editing photos, writing these blog posts etc, i still find the place that makes me feel like i am going to be low, cry and not want to do anything is home.
I could not be where i am today without my friends, They give me drive to do well, being a part of these events and meeting amazing people gives me the drive, seeing people do well also has the same impact but its also nice to help back (:

At some point i really want to ask someone in the gym, if they can film me working out so i can show you lot, what its like.

This year so far has gone way past what i wanted and so much more and i hope it can carry on and i can keep making friends.




I hope you enjoyed this post, as much as i did writing it (:
if you are a part of a club, let me know,  if you do running and have entered bigger events like 10k + whats its like, is it much harder etc.

Any questions please contact me on social media, as i mentioned in my last post i am getting a lot of spam, i am also getting a lot of people, commenting 10 times over inc nasty comments, which are being monitored so please the best form of communication between you lot commenting and me replying is either Facebook or twitter links below (:

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The Biggest Test In my life 2017 Rotary Swimmarathon | DanielMarshallAdventures

So I have been Going to Grantham Tennis Club every week for the last 15 + weeks.
Meeting new people, Building my Confidence, learning new tennis skills and having fun.

On Wednesday one of the members of staff asked if anyone wanted to be a part of a swimming competition.
The video you can see is of last years competition.
I felt like i wanted to give it a go and so i put my name down.

When I arrived just before 2pm On 04-02-17 I was overwhelmed and shocked to see so many people.
I was early so was not sure what was going off so i asked someone who said i have to wait for my captain to arrive and register us.
It was then i started to panic, i felt a pain in my chest as i then knew it was much bigger then i expected.

2 teams were representing Grantham Tennis club, me and 5 other people i think it was and the junior team.

we got changed, and out to the pool we went. My heart racing as i could see loads of people watching in the crowd and seeing all the teams that were there.

My anxiety was off the roof and i did not feel right being there, we got 2 lots of pictures took and i almost said look i can not do this, but tried to shut that feeling off.

We barley got time to talk and arrange things when a countdown was being called for us to get ready to start.

The first person was off and one of the other team members said this is a hour event you know.
I felt my heart race as i said you got to be joking.

I had not been swimming in over a year and whenever i did go it was just for fun.
This was it the test of a lifetime so far.
Everything i had been working on at the gym, my stamina, speed, strength was about to be put to the test.

The only thoughts in my head was i struggle at the best of time with running, how am i going to manage 1 hour of swimming relays as well as not letting the team down.

The objective was to swim to the other side tag a memeber to swim back and wait for someone to do the same to you.

The team with the most relays after a hour wins.

I shut all my feeling off took a deep breath and was ready to pounce on my first go.

Half a hour had passed when my body was falling me, pains in my chest, out of breath i was really struggling.

I did not want to let my team down and it could not end here for me after all the hard work and training i had put in at the gym over the last few months.

I pushed passed the pain for 10 more minutes.
You think oh a hour is not a lot but when you are doing a full length of the swimming pool swim every 1-2 minutes it starts to affects your body and take its toll.

With 20 minutes left i had to let my team members know i was taking a break and someone had to go in for me.

I had pulled a few muscles and swallowed a fair bit of water.
I am not amazing at swimming, i often can not get my head above the water hence the swallowing water.

Attention you have 10 minutes Remanding the announcer said.
Right Daniel get your act Together i said to myself this is it.
I pulled, i twisted i gave it my all, even though i was in so much pain.

overall we finished about 4 or 5 i am not sure, and that was out of 8 teams just on one day.
More teams had entered after us and even the day before.

I got out of the water, feeling very dizzy, my hearing mostly gone and just wanted to get home and relax.

I staggered home and as i reached a kfc which is near me i said to myself, go get yourself a drink.
I instead pushed through the pain to get home, relax and order a takeaway instead.

I had pains in my chest for a few hours but overall that day is a day i will remember for a very long time.

My will power is the only thing that kept me going and not my fitness.
It was a experience that i never expected, a experience that testing me and pushed my limits to beyond what i thought i could achieve.

Some of you might be reading this and go i bet i could do that it sounds so easy swimming for a hour.
Pff,, please, ok go do it then you will find your confidence high to start with but you will feel it half way into the event.

Its in a way a endurance race, ok speed counts to get the most relays but if you have never swam the full length of a pool there and back over 20-30 times in one hour, it can really trip you up.

I am not sure when and where the pictures of the event will be up but if i find them i will update this post so you can see.

I also Believe much like the last years video, there will be a video for this year.
As while swimming they were filming, in fact me being the clumsy idiot i am will be on there.
I was swimming back to tag my team mate as he took off quicker then expected and we bumped into each other, right at the time one of the people were filming, ahh silly me (:

I do Thank Grantham Tennis Club for letting me try it out, but i think if i ever did enter again next year i need to be ready, i need the fitness and the strength to be more up for it.

This is why i have been training so hard so that in April i can re join Grantham Running Club (:

I hope you Enjoyed This post, let me know if you have ever entered a competition of any sport, how did you find it, did you win or your team, what was the most challenging part of it all !!!

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