Run De Torres Run

My name is Sharon De Torres (Lil DT) and I'm running 2012km in 1 year by day 1 of the London Olympics (27th July 2012). The distance will include my first marathon - London Marathon, April 2012. Am running for Cancer Research Uk for my mum who is a cancer survivor. Thought I'd start this blog as a running diary, raise awareness and drum up some extra support on the way. So, here goes... Follow @LilDT1

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1st ever session with a professional running coach tomorrow. Haven't run much recently so hope I don't embarrass myself too much. Am looking fwd to someone actually advising me on the way I run. Report to follow soon....

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Medals from the races I included in my 2012km Gold Challenge where I ran this distance in 1 year leading up to the London Olympics. Fundraising for Cancer Research UK

http://www.justgiving.com/sharondetorres2012/

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Drum roll please.... I completed my 2012km Gold Challenge last night. Managed it in 1 year. Finished my last run at 7.30pm last night so just about had time to get changed & settle in with a curry to watch the Opening Ceremony (how great was that?!).

This is me with my medals from the races I included in my challenge. This includes my 1st ever marathon - London :)

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Olympic Torch comes through Crystal Palace Park and the National Sports Centre. Torchbearers incuded Marlon Devonish. I was close enough to touch him. So exciting. GO TEAM GB :)

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Denise Lewis visited my office today to talk about her journey to Olympic Gold. She was so inspirational. Quite the ambassador for British athletics and our olympics.

I was lucky enough to be able to talk to her personally at the end too. Such a lovely lady! I'm even more excited about the olympics now :)

BTW - that's her gold medal from the Sydney Olympics. Its very heavy!

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Did the Bupa 10k, Central London today. Far too hot for my liking (26C) but managed to make it round in 58:40. Another 10km in the bag for my 2012Km Gold Challenge for Cancer research UK.

A good race with slick organising etc. Mo Farah was back to defend his title at this race. I saw him fly past at about 7.5km and I was just at 2.5km!

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I'm currently in Eagan, Minnesota for work for a couple of weeks but managed to squeeze in a weekend break to NYC with my parents.

As I'm still working on my 2012km Gold Challenge for Cancer Research I have been clocking up some mileage on this trip too. Tomorrow I get to run in Central Park, NYC. This is what the park looks like from the top of the Rockefeller Center.

How iconic is running in Central Park?? So excited :)

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Completed the London Marathon. Time 4:49. An experience I will not forget #vlm

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1 day to go

Tomorrow I'll be running my first ever marathon - London. I'm actually quite excited. Thought I'd be nervous as hell by now but I'm not nervous at all. Really looking forward to the whole experience. Everyone is saying, there's no better year than this year to do it what with the Olympics etc.

I'm running for Cancer Research. And the marathon mileage will go towards the 2012km Gold Challenge I'm doing. Here's my fundraising video:

http://vimeo.com/40620816

Here's my justgiving page if you would like to support:

http://www.justgiving.com/sharondetorres2012/

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I never win things so totally forgot I'd entered a competition to attend an event called 'Breakfast with Champions'. For once, I actually won. And the prize was awesome.

20 or so prize winners were lucky enough to get themselves up at some ungodly hour this morning (I was up at 5:20am) to get to the event start by 6.45am, Bloomsbury, Central London. We were there to meet, run and talk to Paula Radcliffe and Shelly Woods. 

After a short warm up we went for a short run with Paula and Shelly. The GMTV cameras were rolling the whole time so we got our few minutes of fame on breakfast TV today.

After the run we had breakfast in the local Holiday Inn. I carb loaded on pastries and croissants! Then Paula spent forever signing autographs and posing for pics with us. She would have continued for longer except they wanted a short Q&A session too.

I asked what would their biggest tip be for first time marathoners. Paula's tip was to wear clothing, shoes that you're used to running in. No new stuff. Shelly's tip was to have a good meal filled with slow release energy the night before.

Aside from that, I could only sting together a few words when Paula was signing my number. All I could muster was 'Hi Paula, you're amazing'. Seriously, I couldn't come up with something better than that?!

We were all in awe of Paula. I thought she came across really well. Both Paula and Shelly are lovely people and true inspirations. My london marathon nerves have gone (for today at least).

Today's event was such a great experience:)

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Current marathon world record holder Patrick Makau at the London Marathon Expo today. You could feel the whole crowd just be in awe when he was talking. Wow!

And tomorrow, I get to run with Paula Radcliffe. What an honour:)

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Newham 10K, April 15th - my last prep race before the Big One on 22nd April (London Marathon).

I did this race last year and enjoyed it so much I decided to run it again this year. Last year's time was 1:00:48 and this year I manage to smash my PB and get a 51:56. Even better - Tessa Sanderson high-5'd me as I crossed the finish line. Stoked :)

Was great to run with friends in this race too :)

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100m sprint, Olympic Park, Gold Challenge Stadium Day. 1st April

I was honoured to be amongst the 1000 or so lucky people who got to race 100m (or 4 x 100m) at the Olympic Park as a test event for the Olympics. And a special thank-you to those of us taking part in the Gold Challenge.

The Olympic Park is huge! The venues look complete from the outside. I must say the whole site is amazing. Bodes well for the Games in the summer :)

As well as the very special buzz from being one of the first inside the Olympic Park and using the track. It was great to meet some of the other Cancer Research fundraisers who are all doing really well with their own Gold Challenges and fundraising. One girl is doing 20 Olympic sports. A couple of chaps are taking on endurance challenges like me but are including their first triathlons. Iron man level I might add! Amazing, amazing...

If you have been following this blog you will know I'm doing the 2012km Gold Challenge for Cancer Research. The plan is to complete running that distance by day 1 of the Olympics (27th July). I am on track to complete the distance and have been fundraising along the way.

My mileage will come from training and races including my first marathon - London Marathon, 22nd April. I've collected some race medals so far during my challenge. All are special in their own way. I think the 100m medal from the Gold Challenge Day will have to rank amongst the most special for me :)

http://www.goldchallenge.org/stadium

http://vimeo.com/36449448

http://www.justgiving.com/sharondetorres2012/

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Another medal to add to the collection - 100m Sprint, Olympic Stadium as part of the Gold Challenge Day.

Was so awesome to meet the other Cancer Research fundraisers and be in the Olympic Park. The venues look amazing. 

100m at the start line looks pretty long. Then its all over in seconds. Was amazing :)

http://www.goldchallenge.org/stadium

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Sprinting 100m in the Olympic Stadium today in the Gold Challenge Stadium Day....

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Better :)

Finally shaking this cold and as able to run with everyone else at Crystal Palace Fun Runners tonight. Yay!!

This is my final week of full training before taper for London Marathon. Final push people. Bring it :)

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Sick :(

I rarely get sick but I got sick this week. Although there's 18 miles on the schedule this weekend, I'm not going to run. I can barely breath with this cold! Really don't need this 4 weeks till the marathon.