2010 Progress Entrant - Linda Claxson

Contents:- -Intro- Report -1- -2- -3- -4- -5- -6- -7- -8- -9- -10- -11- -12- -Look Back 1- -13- -14- -15- -16- -17- -Final-

Introduction

I am 38 years old, a wife of 19 years and mother of 18 year old twin girls. At the moment I am a slightly bored, overweight housewife who has pretty much lost all sense of who I am, what I am capable of and what dreams are.

My hobbies are varied and until moving up here to Lybster included showing my Great Dane dogs (Champ shows are just too far away now) and horse riding. I still enjoy my dogs now without being competitive and also enjoy crafts, photography, gardening and reading.

My motivation for the Castle of Mey 10k is fitness preparation for an event called 'Cycle China' which I will be participating in in 2011 and this will be the charity I hope to raise sponsorship and donations for with the Castle of Mey 10k and any future runs in 2010. 'Cycle China 2011' is a charity event raising funds for 'Women for Women', a charity which supports women scientists and clinicians to specialise in conditions affecting women and their babies including miscarriage, infertility, genetic diseases such as cystic fibrosis and muscular dystrophy, cancer and brain damage. The event I will be participating in, in China is a 5 day 450km ride through the Beijing region and this will require a high level of fitness and commitment from me.

My previous running experience began at school where I took part in as many long distance school races as I could and also the 200m races. Unfortunately school is where my athletic days also ended and the Castle of Mey 10k will be my first attempt in over 20 years. Yikes!

My exercise programme at the moment consists of regular walks with my Great Dane and erratic bouts of over doing it or under doing it in my home gym. I've found that without a proper, constructive regime to follow I end up doing what I think is correct and as I have no formal training obviously this isn't proving to be very advantageous. This of course will change once I begin a more formal, tailor made programme that will also help me in my fitness quest for China 2011.

My own personal goal is to complete the Castle of Mey 10k with some degree of dignity intact and without the use of an emergency stretcher. Alongside that goal would be weight loss and the ability and courage to complete similar challenges throughout 2010 and to finally get around to doing something completely for myself. With the full support of both my husband and daughters (who will be cheering me on) I know I can do it!