Merry Christmas!

Week 1 done! BOOM!

Mon 16th Dec: 6.06 miles, middle 4 at 10 mile pace; 49:27 min; 8:09 min/ mile average pace; 515 kcal
Tues 17th Dec: 5.10 miles easy jog; 43:51 min; 8.34 min/ mile average; 433 kcal
Wed 18th Dec: rest
Thurs 19th Dec: 30 min bike, core work
Fri 20th Dec: 6.98 miles, middle 3 at marathon pace; 63:44 min; 9:08 min/ mile average pace 593 kcal
Sat 21st Dec: 10.00 miles, steady running; 91:54 min; 9.12 min/ mile average pace; 850 kcal
Sun 22nd Dec: 10.02 miles steady running; 90.26 min; 9.00 min/ mile average pace; 851 kcal

All good so far. Worst part was starting core work again, but this looks to be even more important when running longer distances, so better get back on it. Unfortunately I had a cold at the same time - sneezing hurt.

So next week is CHRISTMAS! Merry Christmas one and all!

This is the plan for next week, but obviously it is the season to be jolly....may not go entirely according to plan....

Mon 23rd Dec: 5 miles easy jog
Tues 24th Dec: 7 miles , middle 4 at 10 mile pace
Wed 25th Dec: Christmas Day 
Thurs 26th Dec: 7 miles, middle 3 at marathon pace
Fri 27th Dec: rest
Sat 28th Dec: 90 mins steady
Sun 29th Dec: 90 mins steady

Week 1: the beginning!

Today is the official beginning of my ultra-marathon training...WOOP!

The day dawned bright and warm and clear. No just kidding - it's Chorley in December. It was dark for most of the day, freezing and raining. Mmmmmmmm! 

I think in order to be able to successfully do this, I need to be strict and organised with myself and have a proper schedule to stick to. I did some research on ultra training, and lots of people say that you need to listen to your body and not stick religiously to a schedule, and adapt if it's not working. So, there is a compromise. I have the schedule I think I want to follow from now until April and I will post up here at the beginning of each week my schedule for that week, because once I tell people I'm going to do something, it makes me more likely to do it, to avoid appearing lazy :-) But then at the end of each week I will think about how I'm feeling before I decide on the training for the next week.

This is the first ultra I have done, so I want to record everything I do - all the training, including all the things that work, all the things that don't work, all the good times, and I am sure there will be some hard ones along the way too....

...so......this is the plan for Week 1!

Monday 16th Dec: 6 miles (middle 4 at 10 mile pace)
Tuesday 17th Dec: 5 miles easy jog
Wednesday 18th Dec: rest (for EXAM!)
Thursday 19th Dec: rest, with strength training
Friday 20th Dec: 7 miles (middle 3 at marathon pace)
Saturday 21st Dec: 90 minutes steady running
Sunday 22nd Dec: 90 minutes steady running

My first run this morning was quite unglamorous. Quite excited for the first mile which involved mostly running down a big hill, and was feeling that things felt easy. Reached bottom of hill and it flattened out and got harder, at the same time I was supposed to increase pace. Splashed through puddles along the canal for a while, and worried about all the miles of training ahead if I was finding mile 2 tough....

Miracles and things

Went for a short early morning run this morning along the canal. I was feeling quite stressed so was blasting out a few quick miles whilst listening loudly to Christmas songs “Should auld acquaintance be forgot, and AUUUULD LANG SYNE". Oh yeh! I saw a man running up ahead. He looked a serious runner type in a yellow race t-shirt, shorts (in December, yes) and a bum bag (in runnery-type circles, bum bags take on a whole new meaning from the dubious fashion statement of the 80s. Or was it the 90s? Or the 70s? Anyway. Serious runners who run a long way carry them to carry all sorts of energy and blister/ pain related relief). I called out "hello" as I went past.

“ARE YOU IN A RUNNING CLUB?” was the reply.

So I stopped and told him that well yes, I was, but it was one in Leeds as that’s where I’m staying most of the time at the moment.

“Oh well, someone has to” he replied (how rude – definitely a Lancashire chap then). “The reason that I shout at girls as they run past me is that I run with Chorley Athletic and Tri Club, and we need more girls to run in the league”. Glad that’s cleared up then.

“How far are you going this morning?” he asked.

I said I was doing a small loop around the canal, and asked where he was off to.

“I’ll tell you a story that will make you keep running” said he.

“Go on” said I.

“I died last year” was the reply.

“Oh” I said (but in my head, I thought... “I could have sworn that I woke up this morning and have had breakfast and even tried doing some revision, I couldn't possibly still be dreaming. Maybe I should poke him to check he’s real. But he’s right next to the canal; that might make him fall in. But then if he’s not real, would it matter if he did fall in? In fact if he’s not real, I probably wouldn't even be able to poke him so it wouldn't matter anyway. What should I DO??????”)

Fortunately, the ghost spoke, and solved my quandary “Yes. I had a cardiac arrest. I was dead, but the doctors managed to bring me back. Everyone tells me that I should take it easy, I've had two heart attacks, but you know what my cardiologist said? That if I hadn't been fit from running, I would not have got back up again to be standing here to tell you that I was dead. So I’ll keep on running, thank you very much.”

“Wow” I said, “What a tale to tell! What a privilege to have met such an inspiring person completely unexpectedly on my Saturday run. Truly amazing!”

“I’m not amazing” he said “there are people who have been through far worse , than me”.

Well OK maybe, I thought, although actually, dying is probably pretty high up on the list of bad stuff that can happen to you. But really, what a guy!

We chatted for a few more minutes, during which time he recommended the ‘Through the Villages’ race which occurs in November each year, which he cheerfully quipped was “8.45 miles of pure hell and makes the Royal Marines cry”. Well then, that’s a glittering recommendation if ever I heard one.

Then I ran home. To be honest I still wasn't utterly sure I was awake and that that conversation had really happened, so I had a cold shower and switched on the old internet to check if there was such as thing as the ‘Through the Villages’ race. 

There is. 2^nd November next year. I’ll be there. 

I guess miracles do happen :-)

Pie

Revision has given way to mince pies and singing Christmas songs....

Ooops. Ah well, it was going to happen at some point.

Also, a great procrastination activity = researching ultra marathon training. This is also hugely useful way to spend/waste time, and this research will no end of help 10 minutes into Thursday's exam when I remember that I can remember nothing about type 2 diabetes, but EVERYTHING about the training program for a 50 mile race.

My ultra-marathon is 123 days away. Is it bad that when counting the weeks on the calendar I could only remember up to 49 in the 7 times table? That is how drained my brain is. I guess. Or I really am thick. 

Anyway. 123 days. That's 17.5 weeks (7 times table is working again). The Runners World Website's training plan says you need 16 weeks to train for your ultra-marathon. So, Saturday next week then is when it all begins: ***Day 1 of training = 21st December!*** To be completely honest, I'm a tiny bit disappointed that this is starting 4 days before Christmas. Mulled wine, wine, mince pies......oh how I will miss you. 

But, following further research, I found that it's important to fit your training program around your life, and it can include treats, so as to increase adherence and enjoyment. I will be sticking with the mince pies then. 

Worried!

....and if you want to go somewhere, go running.... :-)

This week has not been too much fun, I am not liking revising again for my dietetics exams after a few (OK, maybe quite a few) years off! But, as I was reminded, I chose to do this, so shut up complaining and get on with it (ta, Andrew :-D). It's OK, it's true. I guess it's easy sometimes to get so tied up in things you loose sight of the bigger picture.

And, I have another example of how GOOD running is for you.... as the first time I didn't go for a run last week on Friday and stayed inside all day freaking out about type 2 diabetes and heart disease (never mind the nutrition, by blood pressure was way through the ceiling by the evening!) I had my first proper migraine headache! With flashing lights and everything! Excellent.

So, lesson learned. Always make time for what you love and what makes you happy: family, friends, hobbies, laughing, whatever......life can throw anything it likes at you, but you can control how you react to it!

And apart from that have done some brilliant runs this week, thanks everyone who has been out with me! Sunday morning 10 miles yesterday, all around the reservoirs and Rivington.....beautiful day not like December at all!

Blood pressure back to normal.....

Never give up!

So true! Never ever ever ever ever never give up!!!!

New stuff

I have been absolutely shocking at blogging since I vowed to keep doing it! And, I have really missed it, I felt really homesick just now when I logged back in! So, let that be a lesson to me....

So, since my last whinging blog about everything being over, and the end, and everything was sad and awful, I am feeling back to normal again.

I have tried having a bit of an easy couple of weeks running wise, but I haven't really enjoyed it, so have decided just to keep going. Not going to do any more races this year, but keep up the training and miles....and New Year bring it on!

I have signed up to my first ultra marathon race in April 2014. It's a 50 mile race, on the 12/13th April the weekend before my 30th birthday, so it's at a good time to do something significant I felt! I had a slight panic attack when I got the confirmation of my entry, but that is now under control, and I have convinced myself to look forward to starting training at the beginning of January, when it's all lovely and warm and sunny and dry weather, and I wake up each morning and jump out of bed and into my trainers with a grin. Woop! Seriously, I AM looking forward to it as it's all new for me, have started doing a bit of research into how to train for ultras, and it all looks like quite a lot, and a bit daunting and exciting.

I also did a 10 km race last weekend, the Abby Dash in Leeds, with my new running club Chapel Allerton Runners!!!!

All CARs did amazingly and must have set some kind of record for the number of people setting PBs in a race. I finished in 44.16 which is within 2 minutes of my PB so I am soooo happy too! I thought that with all the marathon training this year I would have lost a lot of speed, indeed some people poo-poo marathon running for making you a slow runner and say it is a waste of time So, now I can say to those people, that is not true! Ha!

I have also started cycling a bit more and doing spinning, in preparation for perhaps doing a triathlon next year. Check out the local terrain (I would like to draw your attention to the hills):

Yorkshire is pretty nice!

Other than that, I've been fully making use of the excuse to eat a lot, under the pretense of 'building myself up'.

Running must continue, to match cake intake....

The end...?

It's been more than a week now since the last marathon.

I haven't felt at all like I thought I would since then. When I stood at the first start line, with to be honest only a vague wisp of a dream that I might make it to the last finishing line, I thought that if I did make it, I would be ecstatic, and probably to tired to feel anything else.

But the year went well, the races were brilliant, and the experiences great. I felt I was improving, and I felt like I was doing something positive, and it sounds silly but I felt my Auntie was still here because I talked about this and about her so much.

So actually, now it's over, I haven't been feeling good about that!

So, to remember all of the good times of the year I collected my medals together....

...and when I look at them I am very proud to have run for my Auntie, and to have raised over £1000 for the Scleroderma Society and the Raynaud's and Scleroderma Association! THANK YOU so much to everyone for your generosity! I never thought we would raise this much money, and it's truly fantastic for these charities who do such great work.

And I have been so touched by everyone's support and interest in my challenge! It was completely unexpected and, wow, it's meant so much :-)

So, I guess I can spend a little more time reflecting on the last year. But then, even though it is over, I hope that it is going to be the opening chapter...... I have started thinking about next year now!

....I will keep you posted. I also think I will keep up with my blog. I'm not really sure it's that interesting to people anymore, but I feel quite attached to it now, a bit like keeping a diary and then stopping, although I guess, maybe that's the point, I should just switch to a diary a this point. But then, I also feel like I should have a blog, what with it being in the 21st century and all, and I don't know what else to write about apart from running! So I'll keep it!

Marathon Number 13....spooky!

The Spooky Halloween Challenge...

was a great way to round off 13 in 2013! :-)

It was totally different to anything I've done before, and it ticked a lot of boxes:

1. Muddiest

2. Darkest

3. Latest

4. Spookiest

5. Smallest

6. Best refreshment tent (EVER!!! seriously)

7. Best dressed participants

8. Most laps (31)...

9. And most hills (31)

10. Best decorated...pumpkins, glowsticks, people...

Mildly stressful morning...my head torch broke, and then we got stuck in THREE traffic jams on the M6! Arggggh, I can't miss the last race!

It felt a little surreal at the start, we parked up on a little lane near Telford and walked up a path into the woods in the middle of nowhere to the house where the start was...I admit it, I'm a little unsure of my situation here. Slightly out of my comfort zone. Glad my Dad is here!

Changed into a cat...

and off to the start line...

How good does everyone look!? Both costume wise and athletically wise..there were two marathons today, and lots of people had already done the one this morning. Respect :-) Feeling a bit nervous about coming last as there are only about 30 of us and everyone looks really good! Eek. Turns out everyone is really nice though (as always) so who cares if I do come last.

The start...

...of an amazing race!

Set off at 4 pm, and the course was run on a lap around little country lanes which was just less than a mile, so 31 laps altogether. I hadn't fully appreciated the word 'mud' before this race. I wish I had not worn brand new trainers! Ruined!!! Also lots of pot holes which added an extra level of surprise in the dark. I'd have thought after a few laps I would have remembered where they all were, but no, apparently I'm not that smart.

Did about  8 laps before needed head torch. Fancy dress is a really great way to distract yourself from running, I should totally have tried this before. I spent the first half an hour of darkness trying to figure out the best way to wear head torch plus cat mask at once. Another 3 laps done without realizing!

Very different experience to run in the dark (real dark!) really have to concentrate on where you're putting your feet, I found that the miles went past faster than usual I think because I was focusing so hard on something else.

Because there weren't many of us, sometimes they'd be no one in front or behind, and no one watching. Found it quite a calming feeling to have some time to reflect on the year, watching the rain sparkle through the light from my torch, and following the little glow sticks on the floor of the route, then all of a sudden I'd see a big arc of light in the trees ahead from the next persons head torch. It was a cold, miserable night, but within my little circle of light and thoughts, it felt warm.

Also, my Dad started walking around the course at about half time, so that was great, we kept passing each other for a few laps then! He is 65 in January and has been walking 650 miles in the last year to celebrate, so he blasted out another 5 miles tonight!

Was a bit (very) nervous about all the laps, and running past the start/finish so many times, what if I want to stop?! But turned out to be fun, we had elastic bands to wear on our wrists and take off after each lap. Its pretty therapeutic pinging an elastic band into a bucket every mile. AND it meant we ran past the refreshment tent 31 TIMES!!! Amazing. Seriously I have never seen refreshments like it, and I consider myself experienced in the sampling of all refreshments on offer at races. Sweets, quality street, chocolates, Halloween cakes, crisps, 9-bars, coke, red bull, juice....... turns out the hardest part of the laps was not stopping to eat something else every time.

As I got down to the last few bands I started to have the opposite feeling to what I'd had for the rest of the laps....I didn't want to take them off because I knew I was getting so close to the end of my 13 this year and I didn't want it to be over...

....but, I met some more nice people who have given me more ideas for the future now 13 is done.... these were serious people here today! Who really really run marathons, like, lots of them! The guy who won had just run 37 in 37 days (and had also won the race in the morning!). And I ran with Brian for a while, who was doing his 7th in 7 days, whilst on holiday. What a holiday! And I also met Kate who had done something similar to me last year, 12 in 2012, and who's hooked and had done the two races today, and she said to me when I told her how I felt about finishing, that I mustn't finish, this is the beginning!  

Well, after I chucked elastic band 31 into the bucket, it was back around the course for a few hundred meters, to the 'finishing pumpkin' then back around to the finish. Coolest medal, and a pint glass! All it needs is some beer. 

Brilliant race, big thanks to the organizers and my Dad for coming to cheer me on in the rain :-) 

13. Done!

http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-web/fundraiser/showFundraiserProfilePage.action?userUrl=13in2013

3...2...1....ONE MORE DAY TILL NUMBER 13!!!!!!

My outfit is ready...
I have Glow Sticks...
A glow in the dark top...
And a tail.

I went for the cat in the end. I was all for a witch and have even got a broom and black tutu, but several people pointed out that a big pointed hat and a full size broom might not seem so great after 20 miles. On reflection, I think they are right. So, cat it is. But with addition of the tutu from the £1 shop. Cats can wear tutus, right. 

I'm hoping other people are dressing up. But then it'll be dark, so I guess I might get away with it. 

We don't have to leave till lunch time tomorrow because the start isn't until 4pm, which is weird as we usually get up at the crack of dawn on a marathon day. I'm not sure what to eat! Or When! Should I have a big breakfast still? Or lunch? Or both? I might go for both, to be on the safe side. And tonight too, just to be doubly safe.  

Right, off for noodles! 

x

3...2...1.........3 days till Number 13!

Getting in the Halloween Mood!

Have got the final instructions for the 'Spooky Halloween Challenge Marathon'....very exciting! 31 laps!!! Of 0.85 miles...in the woods...in the dark....

MUST have a head torch, and preferably fancy dress!

Can't wait!

Now for an outfit.....

http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-web/fundraiser/showFundraiserProfilePage.action?userUrl=13in2013

7 days to go....

....until the last marathon! Can't believe it's only a week away now!

I need a Halloween outfit. Have looked at the weather forecast for the next week, and so am thinking of some kind of waterproof bin-bag witches cape sort of style. Glam.  

Kind of a weird feeling training at the minute, I know I still have one more marathon to train for for 13 in 2013, but it feels so near the end that it sort of feels like it's over already and I am just running like normal again. Plus, I always have a few weeks at this time of year when you know winter is about to get here, and it's cold a dark, and you know the next few months are going to be, well, cold and dark, oh and probably wet, or maybe icy, every time you head out the door....

What did one raindrop say to the other? Two's company, three's a cloud.

Ha!

So, highlights of training this week:
1. Have recently started going spinning with some of my coursemates. Loads of fun! Have wanted to try it for ages but always been too scared to go on my own! Really hard work and nice to do something new 
2. OK, more like a lowlight, but it was confirmed that even after almost 2 months in Leeds I am still clueless. Headed out for a run to clear my head of from coursework (argh), just for a few miles, but got lost.....sigh. Still, I managed 10.5 miles so I guess it was good for my training!
3. Great 10 miles this morning at home around all my favourite haunts. So pretty now it's autumn and not even cold or rainy! Feeling good again :-)


http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-web/fundraiser/showFundraiserProfilePage.action?userUrl=13in2013

:-( ........ :-)

Today I am not feeling at one with the world...

So I did some research to cheer my self up...

At least this didn't happen to me today. And he is still smiling. So if he is then I will too.

Taking chances

Sometimes I am scared of doing things, because I don't know what will happen.

But it must be better to try it and know what it's like, instead of always wondering what if.

Probably, it will be the best thing you ever did, and you will wonder why you were ever scared!

And even if not, you will almost certainly learn something that you didn't know before/ meet someone you would never have met/ see something you would never have seen!

If there's one thing I have learnt over the last year, it's to be less scared of things!

:-)

A gazelle or a lion???

I love this quote! Especially on days when I'm not feeling fast...because who cares really how fast you run, all that matters is that you get out there and do it!

Nice running week last week. Some of my new course mates like running too so we went for a run after lectures on Tuesday to explore the canal. Wow, it's really lovely, after less than a mile running from the city center it feels like you are out in the country. Wednesday was running with running club, tough 7 miles fast and hilly but good fun! Then Friday morning did a 10km around the park.

Had a rest over the weekend in Newbury with Caroline, Malcolm and little Penny who is THREE now! Well, not really resting, Playstation party games shooting aliens, and salsa are a pretty good workout :-D

Am trying to remember the gazelle quote as I get ready for a run...the rain is raining hard outside.....winter running is here....

Marathon #12: The Chester Marathon - a great one!

Well, this was the penultimate marathon for 13 in 2013! I still can't believe that I got to this point already.

Was really excited about this one as was going with my Mum and Dad and Andrew, and also I've heard so many good things about it, and they were all proved to be right :-)

Up at 5.30 am on Sunday = ouch! But so worth it to see the sun rise on the way there. Beautiful. Got stuck in a traffic jam on the  way into Chester, marathons seem to be popular - there are about 5000 people running this one! So we had a quick sprint warm up from jumping out of the car to the start....

We started off with the 4 hour pace group. My aim was to do under 4 hours, but in the back of my mind I wanted to maybe go for my fastest time this year, but thought I'd take it easier to begin with and see how it was going at half way.

We started off by running around the race course, obviously as fast as horses, and then up into the old city of Chester round winding streets and beautiful old buildings. Then across the bridge, and off out of the city, and saw my Mum and Dad and Andrew's Mum too who were all there! Yeah!

The rest of the course was through the countryside, all the way to Wales! Really pretty scenery and amazing views. I felt quite stiff and not very fast for the first few miles, but gradually warmed up and started to feel good at about 10 miles or so. 

The support was so amazing! Even in the middle of the countryside we would round a bend and there would be a little crowd of people cheering us on! And people came out of their farm houses to watch too and they were all so friendly and cheering, it was really a wonderful experience :-)

At 17 miles I felt really good so decided to kick for home. Felt really good and focused for the next 5 miles, then began to worry that I might have pushed to soon as a couple of sloping hills came up and I my legs started to feel a bit tired. But, less than 4 miles to go, keep on it!

Got to 24 miles and realized I was comfortably under 4 hours, and that if I kept the pace steady I would make it back in less than 3:48, which is my fastest time this year. So that simultaneously cheered me up and stressed me out at the same time! Nothing like a bit of time pressure.

The last mile was along the river, and saw our supporting crew again (who had apparently spent the morning EATING BACON BUTTIES!!! SO not fair!)

Oh wow, just so many people lining the route on that last mile, I couldn't stop smiling, even though I was feeling really shaky all over including my face, so I probably looked like a right idiot! 

Round the last corner and there was the race course again! Had enough left for a bit of a sprint finish (relatively speaking, of course), and felt amazing to cross that line with the commentator shouting my name in front of all those people! 3:47:12 was my time, so the fastest time in 13 in 2013. Grand, really happy :-)

Andrew did 3:52 which is his second fastest time, and Kath and Bekki from my new running club were also there and did brilliant times too - well done to everyone :-)  !

Cup of tea and salt and vinegar crisps really help to make you feel better. Didn't want to leave at all, I wish we were still there now, it was such a brilliant day, thanks everyone :-D

One more sleep...till Marathon Number 12!

Today has been spent carb loading....

...and warming up with a walk up to Darwin Tower with my Mum and Andrew...

  

 

...very pleasant views.

Now off to have some tea and an early night before early start tomorrow...

...too excited to sleep!

3 days left....till Number 12

It's nearly here! I think running marathons is genuinely addictive, can't wait :-D

So, training finished off for the week now:

Wed 2nd Oct: 7.54 miles, 8.57 min/mile, 67:17 mins, 641 kcal
Thurs 3rd Oct: 2.01 miles, 8:59 min/mile, 18:05 mins, 170 kcal

Nice run in the rain this evening, thanks for that weather.

Now to rest for a couple of days 

This morning at uni we used a program to calculate the energy the we ate in a day from a food diary. Yesterday I ate 1685 kcal in the proportions: 

The alcohol, I would like to point out, was a small glass of red wine, which was taken for medicinal purposes and to aid relaxation after a long day at uni (well, OK, just a day) and a tough run at running club. 

But, what I was most surprised at, is how little I ate. Technically I shouldn't start carb loading until today which is 3 days before the race, but it's always important to eat poperly, especially on running days. I know the analysis isn't 100% accurate, so I could have under/overestimated how much I ate a bit. 

I also calculated that my BMR is 1200 kcal / day, so that's how much energy the body needs just to do all the stuff it does to keep you working (like all the heart beats, and the breathing, and all the chemical reactions that go on inside you), and that is calculated as if you were lying down and doing nothing all day. So, then you also have to add on top of that the energy you need for all the activities you do in the day..... 

So, 1200 plus the kcal I burnt at running club (which is 641) = 1841 kcal that I used (and that's without energy used for walking around all the general things you do in a day, which would make that figure higher) which is more than I ate (1685).

Blah blah blah, booooooring! Well, skip all that, and basically I ate less than I used, which is pretty useless a few days before a long run, when you are supposed to have filled up your energy stores to get you through. So today and tomorrow and Saturday I need to be more careful and eat properly, I think that is the message.

So, I'm off to eat my second dinner......

Mixed weather and mixed feelings

Have been feeling a bit under the weather for the last couple of days. Had the afternoon off from lectures so was going to go home and get a hot water bottle and a duvet and sit and do some work and feel sorry for myself for the afternoon. After finishing my first essay assignment (woop!) I got bored and decided to go out for a run to see if it helped. This morning it felt really cold, so I geared up in winter running stuff, but it turned out to be waaaay too hot, I am so confused by the weather right now! 

Is it still summer....

...or is it autumn now...

?!?!?!

Who knows.

Well, it hasn't really helped, but the cold/headache had better be gone by Sunday for MARATHON NUMBER 12 :-D

Been feeling pretty good since the last race, up till now, so have got a few more good runs in:

Sun 22nd September: 3.15 miles, 34:17 mins, 10:51 min/mile, 268 kcal
Mon 23rd September: rest 
Tues 24th September: 5.01 miles, 41:58 mins, 8:22 min/mile, 426 kcal
Wed 25th September: 6.8 miles , 62:00 mins, 9:09 min/mile, 578 kcal
Thurs 26th September: rest
Fri 27th September: 5 miles, 53:08 mins, 10:37 min/mile, 425 kcal
Sat 28th September: 3.32 miles, 26:37 min, 8:00 min/mile, 282 kcal
Sun 29th September: 4 miles, 35:42 mins, 9:14 min/mile, 328 kcal
Mon 30th September: rest
Tues 1st October: 5 miles, 44:04 mins, 8:40 min/mile, 432 kcal

I'm looking forward to Sunday, but it weird to think that it's the second to last one. When I think back to January and how apprehensive I was about starting the marathons, and I didn't think I would be able to do them all, I thought something like this was something other people could do and it was something that I could only read about and wish that I could do it too, and I never really thought about getting to the end of them all. And now I'm almost there and I've almost done something that I thought I couldn't, and it has been such an amazing journey, I don't want it to end. It feels like my Auntie is still here because she is the reason that I started this, and every run feels like she is here because really it's for her, and I'm scared that once it stops then it will feel like she is really gone, even though that sounds stupid now I've written it down. So, I really have mixed feelings about being at this point, I'm pleased, but I'm sad at the same time.

That's OK though. I think it's OK to feel sad as long as you recognize it and think about how you can use the emotion in a positive way. The idea of running further than I ever thought I could doesn't seem intimidating anymore, and now instead of being scared that I can't do something, I want to try it and see if I can. So, even though it's near the end of 13 in 2013, 2014 is coming up.....I'm thinking of the next thing...any ideas???? :-)

Marathon #11: Birmingham Canal Canter Marathon

Number 11 is done! What a great day, one of the best so far. I hadn't really done too much training this week as have been a bit distracted by other things, and hadn't really thought too much about the run either (other than the well advertised cake refreshments, of course), I was more looking forward to seeing my Mum and Dad and Andrew.  Once I got home though, and my parents had printed all the information and directions for the route and we started talking about it, I soon got focused and excited!

The event is organised by the Long Distance Walkers Association, and I've never done one of their events before. So the routes are organised for walkers, but often they let you run them as well if you want, and there are different distances you can do, so today there was 18 miles (which my Mum and Dad walked, and Andrew ran) or 26.2 miles (me), which was the 18 mile route (a big loop), with a few extra loops added on. I was a bit worried that most people would be walking and not many running, and as the route isn't really marked you need to navigate it yourself, although you do get given instructions, so I was worried that considering I have got lost on a couple of (well!) marked runs already, that this might not end well!

My fears were unfounded though, as there were loads of people running, hurrah! So at 9.30 am we all set off. For the first few miles it was quite busy and it was a great group of people to run with, a lot of camaraderie and joking going on. The first few miles were also pretty complicated, navigating wise, so it was good to be in a big group together to figure it out!

After a few miles the 18 mile and 26 mile routes split, and as I was at the front, we mostly ended up going in the wrong direction for our distance, oops. After turning around and successfully making it through the next couple more miles we finally made it onto the canal towpath for an easy few miles. Checkpoint 1 was at about 7 miles and I ran into (literally) my parents just before it! Checkpoint 1 was also in a pub, I've never been IN a pub on a race before! It improves it, I have to say.

There was porridge and cereal and all manner of breakfast goodies to be had, but I wasn't hungry so grabbed some squash and sweets and headed off apprehensively on my own. After a mile or so I saw a familiar looking figure in the distance. It was a guy called Brian Mills, who I have spotted on a few of my runs this year. He is a bit of a legend in the running world; he is going for the record of the first person from the UK to run 1000 (!!!) marathons. I think this was his 926^th and he’d already run over 40 this year so  I felt a bit stupid telling him about my 13, which he’d probably done by the end of January, but he was very nice about it, and a really interesting guy.

Checkpoint 2 at 13 miles (halfway!) was sandwiches and pineapple. Then I saw on the instructions that it was only 4 more miles to Checkpoint 3 which was the cake competition, so decided to push on again by myself. Feeling a bit more confident about running by myself, having made it to half way without any major navigational errors.  

The next part was more through the middle of Birmingham, through the Gas Street Basin, which felt a bit precarious on my own, but there were some walkers about which gave me confidence and I made it through! 

My Dad, near the Gas Street Basin

The next part confused me as there were runners coming in the opposite direction, but it turned out they were just a lot better than me, and were heading back from the part I was about to do. Sigh. The next part, around the Soho Loop, was completely terrifying and I thought I was actually going to die like in a horror film at any point, running along the back of creepy derelict warehouses, complete with a cast of weird people at various points. Then Checkpoint 3 appeared; wooop, cake time! I decided to go for a double hit of sugar and caffeine with a chocolate and coffee cake, nom nom!

The next part went back to the Gas Street Basin and through some more dodgy parts through tunnels, but then I caught up with another runner and we ran the rest of the way together. Two more checkpoints to go, one including trifle. Trifle!!!

The sun came out for the last few miles, and I finished in 4:44 in the sunshine :-)  Dead pleased with that. I really enjoyed it a lot, very different to the big city runs, but I enjoyed it even more. Really felt like I’d achieved something by navigating it myself, and as I wasn't at all bothered about what time I did, I just chilled out really and stopped at the checkpoints and if I was unsure where I was, and I met some really lovely people along the way and had some interesting conversations which have made me think about what I'm going to do after 13 in 2013 is over....

Afterwards there were baked potatoes, tea, bananas and custard. I will definitely do some more of these, great fun!

Andrew did the 18 miles in 2:35 and my parents in 5:40. Bravo!