Taking part in the Llandudno 10k race are Ellesmere runners, from left, Tanya Wilson, Will Morris, Sue Austin and Melvyn Austin.

The ups and downs of training for a marathon were brought home to me in so many ways this week, writes blogger Sue Austin.

It was an emotional rollercoaster which started with a really bad training run and the great British weather but finished on an amazing high. It began with my long run – when I wanted to spend at least two hours on my feet and hopefully cover 11-12 miles.

But from the moment I dragged myself out of bed to eat my porridge my heart wasn’t in it. Sub zero temperatures made my gloved fingers and un-hatted ears sting and after a coupleof miles I stopped at the public toilets, just for a warm!

Having chosen my favourite run I did manage the two hours, but spent most of the time questioning what I was doing and how on earth I could up my training by another 10 miles. I turned for home two miles before I had intended but then was so cross with myself for giving up I ran at least half a mile past home and back.

Mo Hill, a highly experienced Shropshire athlete who runs Shrewsbury’s Up and Running store says everyone will get bad training runs.

“Focus on your goal. Think about crossing that finish line, the reason you are out on yet another training run,” he said.

“And don’t beat yourself up if occasionally you don’t reach your target distance. Better to be fit and well but not quite reaching your final goal in training than over train and risk an injury.”

The weather then put paid to outdoor training for a couple of days. Usually a real kid when snow falls and one of the first out with my camera – or sledge – my heart sank as instead I saw only icy pavements. I was so grateful for the Lakelands sports centre gym where I could do my shorter, interval running.

I did get a picturesque towpath run on freshly falling snow at dusk, and our group Friday night run suffering from the after affects of a headache from hell.

So out of sorts was I that I almost dropped out the Llandudno Nick Beer memorial 10k race on Sunday.

Overhearing runners at the start decribe the first 5k as horrendous I wished I had. But, after the first kilometres I realised that providing I kept taking small steps, I was overtaking people, and that our regular Friday night hill training was paying off.

You may wonder how anyone can enjoy a 5k hill climb, most of it in biting wind and a heavy snowfall, but I truly did. The scenery was spectacular and the feeling as I started extending my stride on the down hill was great.

It was surpassed only in the last 200 metres. I had given everything and it was as much as I good do to keep going along Llandudno’s prom. Then I heard hubbie and other Ellesmere runners yelling my name and heard the race commentator telling us we had 45 seconds to get in under the hour.

Apparently I took off like a whippet – all I remember is shutting my eyes and going for it, opening them just in time to see the finish clock still on 59 minutes. 

The icing on the cake was seeing running partner Di and family who had come to Wales to surprise us on the finish line. A hot shower then a great meal in a fish and chip cafe for nine of us was a great end to an difficult week.