So over a week has passed since my last blog. That is one less week of training. Eek!
Let's evaluate the past week then shall we and see how we can build on that. Gym Tuesday, tick. Run Wednesday, tick. Although, I didn't reach the dizzying heights of 10-12miles but just did 5. My legs just weren't on board on Wednesday. It was pretty warm and having something in the evening I needed to get back for meant my head wasn't really in the game either. Still, 5 miles is better than doing nothing at all.
The run over the weekend didn't happen. It could have done and it's my own fault it didn't. My lovely boyfriend did offer to accompany me on his bike (he's not a runner. yet.) but I allowed fear and insecurities to get the better of me. We're not quite at the stage where I'm prepared to let him see me run. It's just not a good sight. Maybe another time. And not knowing the neighbourhood at all I didn't venture out on my own! However, the one positive is that I kept my eating in check, on the whole, and my Easter egg is being guarded for me by said boyfriend until the marathon is over. Hurrah!
But yesterday was the first long run Tree and I had scheduled in together. The aim was 18miles, 2x 9mile laps so we could top up drink half way round. And boy did we need it! The first lap was ok, warm, did lots of talking (in hindsight, probably not a good thing) but had lots to catch up on! The second lap, hmm, well I struggled. It was probably about 12 miles onwards that my legs just started complaining. And I wanted to give up. And did walk a few times. Eventually at 14.5miles I pleaded the case for cutting the run down to 16 miles which we did- and probably just as well. Very very ill when we got back! Not at all pleasant, thought I was going to be sick. Stood up at one point and promptly had to lay down with my legs in the air or I think I would have keeled over. I think I took on enough fluid, but I didn't wear a sunhat until the second lap and it was pretty blistering out there. The worrying thing is it could well be like that on race day, as it was for the London marathon, so we do need to be preparing ourselves for that.
So 26 days to go now. Training this week. well, we have another long run booked in for the same time next bank holiday Monday so it's building up to that. Rest day today, gym tomorrow, hopefully I might be able to fit in 10 miles on Thursday after work. Then I've actually got the weekend free so I will make myself exercise, whether gym or a couple of shorter runs. And maybe a mini carbo load in the lead up to Monday's run again as running 18miles on porridge, a banana and some energy drink is probably insufficient!
I'm still glad we're doing it but I think Tree and I are both finding at the minute that running is an obligation, not an enjoyment. London marathon ballot entry opens (and will probably close) today and I've decided not to try and enter this time. Before I start signing up to more crazy things we'll see how this marathon this year goes and maybe give myself a bit of breathing space for once!
We will finish what we've started- we're both too stubborn not to. But roll on running for fun :)
Tuesday, 26 April 2011
Monday, 18 April 2011
34 days to go :S
The time is edging ever closer. I have spent the last week and a half (since my last post actually) being pretty lazy and finding excuses not to go running. The longer this continues the harder it is to get back on the treadmill so to speak. However, on Sunday I couldn't put it off any longer, knowing that we have little over 3 weeks left of training and only 5 weeks til the actual day. I have done a bit of gym work in that time but not enough to justify the £40 a month it costs me so that is going at the end of the month and running will have to be my new best friend :S
Having spent some of yesterday morning watching the London marathon I had mixed feelings. When I saw the thousands of people lining up and heard some of the stories behind the faces I, like many of you I'm sure, was very inspired and genuinely excited that in 5 short weeks that will be us. However, as I watched the latter stages of the race and saw those same faces filled with pain and self-loathing I'll admit I started to feel a bit nervous.
However I did drag myself out yesterday afternoon. Two laps of a circuit that is just under 9miles. Think I paced it ok, although I was running besides roads and there is always the temptation to run faster lest the car drivers think you're a wuss. Also just about got the fluid intake right which is encouraging. I called via home after the first lap to get more water and then for some reason decided it was easier to just forget that I'd already run 9miles and just pretend my second lap was the only lap. This worked pretty well for the first 5 miles. Then my brain decided to go long term and started thinking about it n terms of the marathon. "If this were race day you'd only have 12 miles to go". Well that's encouraging. But actually, even at 16miles, the thought of doing another 10 wasn't that bad. But then I started to get impatient, as I do, and I just wanted to get home and get finished. The last half a mile was bizarre. I got bored and decided to walk for 30seconds, whereby it felt like my legs belonged to someone else. Then, because my joints and muscles were sore, I upped the pace for a few hundred yards and that felt a lot more comfortable in my natural stride length. But that's not a pace I could maintain for 26miles which is why I've been trying to force myself to go slow, slow, slow! As a reward and a cool down I walked up my road and did have a good stretch when I got in. However, as usual, I didn't stretch before I started and that is something I must address asap as race day we will be stretching first and we need to have practised that. We're still learning!
So yeah, just under 18miles and it took me a good 3.5hours. So positive that I can run for 3.5 hours but a bit behind the pace we'd like to do on race day. And as much as it is daunting to think we have just 5 weeks to do another 8 miles on top of that, it was only 3 weeks ago that we did the half marathon and we have both stepped it up since then.
So the challenge now is to keep on it. I don't have anymore long runs scheduled on my own but three with Tree. So in between I'll be hoping to do between 7 and 10 miles to keep clocking up the miles. It felt this morning like an old lady had possessed my body and I was wishing I lived in a bungalow. But nothing that a bit of swimming/ aqua aerobics won't sort out! Hoping to be back out pounding the streets on Wednesday and maybe over the weekend if I can find a suitable and safe route in a strange town! Gym/ aerobics Tiesday, swim tonight, rest day Thursday.
Time is of the essence, go go go!
Having spent some of yesterday morning watching the London marathon I had mixed feelings. When I saw the thousands of people lining up and heard some of the stories behind the faces I, like many of you I'm sure, was very inspired and genuinely excited that in 5 short weeks that will be us. However, as I watched the latter stages of the race and saw those same faces filled with pain and self-loathing I'll admit I started to feel a bit nervous.
However I did drag myself out yesterday afternoon. Two laps of a circuit that is just under 9miles. Think I paced it ok, although I was running besides roads and there is always the temptation to run faster lest the car drivers think you're a wuss. Also just about got the fluid intake right which is encouraging. I called via home after the first lap to get more water and then for some reason decided it was easier to just forget that I'd already run 9miles and just pretend my second lap was the only lap. This worked pretty well for the first 5 miles. Then my brain decided to go long term and started thinking about it n terms of the marathon. "If this were race day you'd only have 12 miles to go". Well that's encouraging. But actually, even at 16miles, the thought of doing another 10 wasn't that bad. But then I started to get impatient, as I do, and I just wanted to get home and get finished. The last half a mile was bizarre. I got bored and decided to walk for 30seconds, whereby it felt like my legs belonged to someone else. Then, because my joints and muscles were sore, I upped the pace for a few hundred yards and that felt a lot more comfortable in my natural stride length. But that's not a pace I could maintain for 26miles which is why I've been trying to force myself to go slow, slow, slow! As a reward and a cool down I walked up my road and did have a good stretch when I got in. However, as usual, I didn't stretch before I started and that is something I must address asap as race day we will be stretching first and we need to have practised that. We're still learning!
So yeah, just under 18miles and it took me a good 3.5hours. So positive that I can run for 3.5 hours but a bit behind the pace we'd like to do on race day. And as much as it is daunting to think we have just 5 weeks to do another 8 miles on top of that, it was only 3 weeks ago that we did the half marathon and we have both stepped it up since then.
So the challenge now is to keep on it. I don't have anymore long runs scheduled on my own but three with Tree. So in between I'll be hoping to do between 7 and 10 miles to keep clocking up the miles. It felt this morning like an old lady had possessed my body and I was wishing I lived in a bungalow. But nothing that a bit of swimming/ aqua aerobics won't sort out! Hoping to be back out pounding the streets on Wednesday and maybe over the weekend if I can find a suitable and safe route in a strange town! Gym/ aerobics Tiesday, swim tonight, rest day Thursday.
Time is of the essence, go go go!
Thursday, 7 April 2011
The 3 'P's
Went for a long run last night and discovered the 3 magic Ps- patience, pacing and perseverance. Highly cheesy I realise but it helped keep me focused all the way round!
Now I had actually intended to go running Tuesday night but it was pretty miserable out and I was pretty tired and actually I was more excited by the thought of watching a film, eating chocolate and drinking cider. All of which I accomplished. However, I felt pretty sheepish when I had a text through from Teresa to say that she had just run over 16miles. Right, I'd better pull my socks up then.
The other thing that had weighed on my mind Tuesday was the whole fear of failure thing again. Knowing that we had done 13 miles the week before actually intimidated me rather than encouraged as I was thinking 'what if I set out to do about 11miles and really struggle?'. I was concerned that I would have taken a dip in form and this would discourage me and make the task ahead seem even steeper. So I buried my head in the sand and put off until Wednesday what I should have just done Tuesday.
However, I was in a better frame of mind Wednesday. It was sunny, I had nothing pressing that I had to get back for, and I had just accepted the fact that I was going out for 3 hours running and I just had to get on with it. Which is where the 3 Ps came in. I decided to keep off the roads and just do 3 circuits of my usual route which would be just under 15miles. I had to be patient. Often when I'm running I'm so focused on the next thing that I just want to get round quickly and get home so it's out of the way. Yesterday was about putting in the hours and enjoying the experience. Which, actually, I did!
I've been reading running magazines in the hope it will transform me into an athlete. One of the things in there is to train at a pace 10% slower than what you want to do on the day. So I really tried yesterday. I paced it pretty well, took 2hr 45mins in the end but my legs kept wanting to race away so I was constantly having to slow myself down, remind myself that there was a long way to go etc. The worst bit was on the last lap, because my brain knew that the end was getting quite close it just wanted to get it over with. But I was determined to be keep a steady slow pace and hopefully still have something left in the tank when I got home.
Perseverance. Well it goes without saying that this is important when training for a marathon. Still struggling mentally but I was very challenged by Teresa's efforts to go out and at least break the half marathon mark as a psychological boost. I also did my first run with a sports drink yesterday, the same one as will be available at the marathon, and seemed to get the balance of that and water about right.
So all in all a very encouraging effort! I did physically have something left in the tank when I got back and I did step it up a bit for the last half mile. My knees were pretty sore (and stairs today are proving a challenge!) but that's inevitable I think. And I'll keep on with the strength and conditioning work at the gym to help stabilise my joints and maybe lay off the chocolate and alcohol now and hopefully relieve the burden on my joints a little!
So basically we have a little under 5 weeks of training left then a week and a half of 'tapering'. Hoping to do another couple of runs in the 15-17 mile mark and two around 20 miles plus shorter runs and gym work. I think we're meant to be running about 30miles a week cumulatively at the minute so if anyone wants to join us you're very welcome!
Now I had actually intended to go running Tuesday night but it was pretty miserable out and I was pretty tired and actually I was more excited by the thought of watching a film, eating chocolate and drinking cider. All of which I accomplished. However, I felt pretty sheepish when I had a text through from Teresa to say that she had just run over 16miles. Right, I'd better pull my socks up then.
The other thing that had weighed on my mind Tuesday was the whole fear of failure thing again. Knowing that we had done 13 miles the week before actually intimidated me rather than encouraged as I was thinking 'what if I set out to do about 11miles and really struggle?'. I was concerned that I would have taken a dip in form and this would discourage me and make the task ahead seem even steeper. So I buried my head in the sand and put off until Wednesday what I should have just done Tuesday.
However, I was in a better frame of mind Wednesday. It was sunny, I had nothing pressing that I had to get back for, and I had just accepted the fact that I was going out for 3 hours running and I just had to get on with it. Which is where the 3 Ps came in. I decided to keep off the roads and just do 3 circuits of my usual route which would be just under 15miles. I had to be patient. Often when I'm running I'm so focused on the next thing that I just want to get round quickly and get home so it's out of the way. Yesterday was about putting in the hours and enjoying the experience. Which, actually, I did!
I've been reading running magazines in the hope it will transform me into an athlete. One of the things in there is to train at a pace 10% slower than what you want to do on the day. So I really tried yesterday. I paced it pretty well, took 2hr 45mins in the end but my legs kept wanting to race away so I was constantly having to slow myself down, remind myself that there was a long way to go etc. The worst bit was on the last lap, because my brain knew that the end was getting quite close it just wanted to get it over with. But I was determined to be keep a steady slow pace and hopefully still have something left in the tank when I got home.
Perseverance. Well it goes without saying that this is important when training for a marathon. Still struggling mentally but I was very challenged by Teresa's efforts to go out and at least break the half marathon mark as a psychological boost. I also did my first run with a sports drink yesterday, the same one as will be available at the marathon, and seemed to get the balance of that and water about right.
So all in all a very encouraging effort! I did physically have something left in the tank when I got back and I did step it up a bit for the last half mile. My knees were pretty sore (and stairs today are proving a challenge!) but that's inevitable I think. And I'll keep on with the strength and conditioning work at the gym to help stabilise my joints and maybe lay off the chocolate and alcohol now and hopefully relieve the burden on my joints a little!
So basically we have a little under 5 weeks of training left then a week and a half of 'tapering'. Hoping to do another couple of runs in the 15-17 mile mark and two around 20 miles plus shorter runs and gym work. I think we're meant to be running about 30miles a week cumulatively at the minute so if anyone wants to join us you're very welcome!
Monday, 4 April 2011
My life is ridiculous!
So I've learnt the hard way the last couple of days that my life is far too busy right now to concentrate properly on training for a marathon. Therefore this weekend I have taken a scythe to my diary and cut anything that I consider to be non-essential. This was actually quite a wrench for me as I enjoy being busy and I like being able to help people but for the next 7 weeks I will be exercising the use of the word 'NO' as well as everything else.
The particular problem this weekend was 2 bar shifts on Friday and Saturday evening, on top of a long week, that just wiped me out. I had planned a long run on Saturday and ended up just doing an hour's gym along with an afternoon nap. And my second attempt at a long run yesterday turned into 5 miles, which lung wise felt good but leg wise there was nothing in the tank, so this has now been deferred to tomorrow when I will be doing just under 12 miles come rain or shine. Probably rain, it is April after all :S
But I have learned at the best time (with five hard training weeks still to go) that in order to be putting in the hours for these long runs it isn't sufficient just to eat a lot, but sleep and rest is absolutely vital. It's only a few weeks of my life after all so this must take priority now. At least the mind is willing at the moment and the motivation is definitely there. Just this morning I have eaten a very sensible banana instead of the cookies I actually wanted! So another minor victory.
Physically I am ok. My knees are taking a while to recover after the half and it's probably a good job I have just done short runs this week to allow them a bit more time. I'm doing quite well in striking a balance between pushing my body and accepting that pain is inevitable, and knowing when to give myself a break.
So, 48 days to go (oh that doesn't sound very long!), full steam ahead until our last big run on Tuesday 10th May, then a couple of weeks of 'tapering' shorter runs ready for the full 26.2 miles. Yippee!
The particular problem this weekend was 2 bar shifts on Friday and Saturday evening, on top of a long week, that just wiped me out. I had planned a long run on Saturday and ended up just doing an hour's gym along with an afternoon nap. And my second attempt at a long run yesterday turned into 5 miles, which lung wise felt good but leg wise there was nothing in the tank, so this has now been deferred to tomorrow when I will be doing just under 12 miles come rain or shine. Probably rain, it is April after all :S
But I have learned at the best time (with five hard training weeks still to go) that in order to be putting in the hours for these long runs it isn't sufficient just to eat a lot, but sleep and rest is absolutely vital. It's only a few weeks of my life after all so this must take priority now. At least the mind is willing at the moment and the motivation is definitely there. Just this morning I have eaten a very sensible banana instead of the cookies I actually wanted! So another minor victory.
Physically I am ok. My knees are taking a while to recover after the half and it's probably a good job I have just done short runs this week to allow them a bit more time. I'm doing quite well in striking a balance between pushing my body and accepting that pain is inevitable, and knowing when to give myself a break.
So, 48 days to go (oh that doesn't sound very long!), full steam ahead until our last big run on Tuesday 10th May, then a couple of weeks of 'tapering' shorter runs ready for the full 26.2 miles. Yippee!
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