Santa Run

Team O'Neil - demonstrating how hot you can look in a Santa Suit!

IT'S OFFICIALLY CHRISTMAS!!!!!! Well according to the 2000 Santas who congregated at Battersea Park yesterday morning for the 6km Santa Run - Ho, Ho, Ho.

Team O'Neil were on good form and it was brilliant fun - All thanks to SUPERtrainer Sarah for getting everyone signed up at the last minute. I have to add that Sarah's mum is OFFICIALLY awesome - she still demonstrates handstands to her PE classes, despite approaching 60 - LOVE IT!!

Personally this has been my favourite race of the year:

a) It was 4km shorter than the rest so go figure!!
b) It's the only race to date that I've run non-stop from start to finish - TOTALLY THRILLED BY THIS (see c)
c) I pulled it off despite doing no training whatsoever.
d) It was a hoot - fancy dress races from here on out I think. (I am a little sad that I didn't spot naked Santa - fortunately John has photographic evidence!!)

Have to say that I don't recommend not training for races - by the second lap I could REALLY feel my abs working and the last 1km was hard work - so much so that I didn't care that a twelve year boy pipped me at the post just as we were coming to the finish line, there was no sprint finish in me.

Also I should say that I was running quite slowly (as Helen and I were completing our first lap - the winner was finishing the race - we were neck and neck for about 3 seconds!! Plus there were people walking/ running who finished ahead of me.)  Despite this I'm REALLY, REALLY pleased with my 42 minute time. Boy my legs were sore for the rest of the day - 8pm bedtime!! But it's great to know that I can run that far and that giving up at 1km on Wednesday was down to mental ineptitude not physical ability.

The best thing about racing is that it bouys you up for the next one. I now can't wait to get training again (5km tomorrow!!) and generally seeing if I can go faster/ run for longer - even if this means wearing my santa suit for ALL my winter training sessions - HO, HO. HO xx

p.s. It was really brilliant to see some familiar Commando Challengers again - racing with and supporting Team O'Neil. Special mention to our delectable mascot - at 11 months he's toddling and could easily outrun me - IF he wasn't so distracted by piles of leaves!!  Also THANK YOU Vix for the MOST AMAZING mini mince pies EVERRRR - worth running 6km just for one of these!! MEGAthanks also to Vix and Helen who've also enthusiastically agreed to be LOVEHEARTS in FEB - yay!!! - a VERY SUCCESSFUL morning on all accounts!

p.p.s Now off to do my Xmas shopping since I'm no longer in denial that Christmas is imminent!!