@officialbighalf marks 1 year since I joined @hastingsrunners and ultimately became part of #teamorange with @pb_runneruk

I can’t recommend having a running coach enough… especially if they are as good as Simon! In the last year (like many others in the team) I’ve PBd the 5 and 10k three times each. I finally run a sub 2 hour half (twice) and I’ve run my longest distance in the pier to pier. I know that there is a lot more to come too!

It hasn’t all been easy. There’s been a number of runs and races thrown in there that haven’t gone to plan…We won’t talk about Hastings Half! My plan has been adapted and changed whenever I’ve needed so I can fit it in around being a full time working Mum. I’ve never been made to feel like a failure when things haven’t gone right. We’ve figured it out and started again!

Bigger than times and achievements are the people and the sense of community running in a team offers. We’re all cheering each other on. We know how hard we’ve each worked and we know how much pressure we put on ourselves. We feel each other’s running highs and lows. We all run differently, we all have different targets but we’re all in it together!

So big thanks to Simon for bringing us all together…for making our times quicker and our wardrobes brighter! (I now only shop orange) And to the rest of Team Orange and Hastings Runners for being so welcoming and making running so much more than a hobby! I’ve met so many amazing people whose paths would never otherwise cross with mine. Never underestimate the friendships a chatty Sunday long run might bring you! 💚🖤🍊