This week has been a little tough, but what's a little tough in the grand scheme of things. A problem is a challenge, and a challenge is an opportunity! Someone important must have said that once.
That said I have been feeling rather rough due to a course of antibiotics, so an enforced entire week of tapering (feeling sorry for myself, plus 2 x 30 minute runs, during which I felt even more sorry for myself) has just happened. So I'm feeling a little unsure of myself ahead of tomorrow, but who knows, I'm not normally very good at tapering, so maybe it'll even help? I've also tried to teach myself some Pilates moves, which has been resoundingly unsuccessful. I am weak to the core! Must try harder.
Following the cake fueled high of the Belvoir marathon, I have just made some banana and chocolate flapjacks to take tomorrow.
My Mum and sister are coming to watch, which has increased participation in the Smallest Marathon by 200%! I will look out for them at mile 3 by Barnes Bridge, mile 12 in Richmond Park (on 'a road' by 'a stream' - so hopefully), and the end, should I make it that far.
Starting at 10am and this is my route....see you after!
http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=5846520
xxx
Friday, 15 March 2013
Sunday, 10 March 2013
Running week.....
Monday 4th March: Rest
Tuesday 5th March: 45 min (SR)
Wednesday 6th March: rest
Thursday 7th March: 1 hr 10 min (ER)
Friday 8th March: 40 min (FR)
Saturday 9th March: 2 hours (ER)
Sunday 10th March: 30 min (ER)
Bit tired this week! But into taper week now for Saturday :-)
Tuesday 5th March: 45 min (SR)
Wednesday 6th March: rest
Thursday 7th March: 1 hr 10 min (ER)
Friday 8th March: 40 min (FR)
Saturday 9th March: 2 hours (ER)
Sunday 10th March: 30 min (ER)
Bit tired this week! But into taper week now for Saturday :-)
Friday, 8 March 2013
How to do a good interval session....
....run through the common at 8pm in the gloomy mist with the rain dripping from the branches and the twigs snapping in the dark atmosphericness created by the broken steetlamps. Smart idea. Parents, look away. On the plus side, I ran fast.
Sunday, 3 March 2013
Recovery week
Sunday 24th Feb: 30 min (ER)
Monday 25th Feb: rest
Tuesday 26th Feb: 30 min (ER)
Wednesday 27th Feb: rest
Thursday 28th Feb: 35 min (ER)
Friday 1st March: 1 hour (ER)
Saturday 2nd March: 1.15 min (ER)
Sunday 3rd March: rest
I'm basing my running around a Hal Higdon program, so essentially the week before each marathon is a taper week, and the week after each marathon is a recovery week, and any other weeks you have in between those are where you can do some 'proper' training.
Was apprehensive that the 'recovery week' still involved 5 runs...but I've felt really good this week. I tried running the day after the race, which I've never done before, previously have always rested for 2-3 days afterwards. I didn't find it difficult to run the day after, just a bit of tightness in my hamstrings, and I guess as I was able to run the rest of the week feeling OK then it might have helped, so will try it again.
The first time I felt tired was yesterday, when I needed to do a 1-2 hour session. The program says what you do for 1-2 hours is up to you, run/walk/cross-train, but I have decided to run. Felt completely exhausted both mentally and physically, which disappointed me as I had been feeling so good up till now. But you have to expect to have some bad days, and not become downcast. So today is a rest day, and if I'm not feeling back on form tomorrow I'll take an extra one next week. From experience it's important to listen to your body as well as what your schedule says, and so hopefully I'll be back on track for Tuesday.
Monday 25th Feb: rest
Tuesday 26th Feb: 30 min (ER)
Wednesday 27th Feb: rest
Thursday 28th Feb: 35 min (ER)
Friday 1st March: 1 hour (ER)
Saturday 2nd March: 1.15 min (ER)
Sunday 3rd March: rest
I'm basing my running around a Hal Higdon program, so essentially the week before each marathon is a taper week, and the week after each marathon is a recovery week, and any other weeks you have in between those are where you can do some 'proper' training.
Was apprehensive that the 'recovery week' still involved 5 runs...but I've felt really good this week. I tried running the day after the race, which I've never done before, previously have always rested for 2-3 days afterwards. I didn't find it difficult to run the day after, just a bit of tightness in my hamstrings, and I guess as I was able to run the rest of the week feeling OK then it might have helped, so will try it again.
The first time I felt tired was yesterday, when I needed to do a 1-2 hour session. The program says what you do for 1-2 hours is up to you, run/walk/cross-train, but I have decided to run. Felt completely exhausted both mentally and physically, which disappointed me as I had been feeling so good up till now. But you have to expect to have some bad days, and not become downcast. So today is a rest day, and if I'm not feeling back on form tomorrow I'll take an extra one next week. From experience it's important to listen to your body as well as what your schedule says, and so hopefully I'll be back on track for Tuesday.
Monday, 25 February 2013
Marathon #1 The Belvoir Challenge!
http://www.belvoirchallenge.co.uk/
The weekend got off to the best start - thank you to all my colleagues at work who made me a good luck running card, my first running card!
Then hopped on to the train up to Grantham with Andrew to meet my folks, for pre-race delicious pasta FEAST.
6.15 alarm. On a Saturday! Ouch. Time for breakfast. Wheatabix/banana/honey and a chilli hot cross bun (not sure how I feel about that). Fueled up and ready to go. Race starts in Harby, a tiny village in Leicestershire. Car parking spaces are running out, so quite a trek back to the village school where the race starts. It's definitely snowing. Don't panic. Register and get a little tag with my race number, yellow for 26 milers and green for the 15 milers. Andrew is running the 15 miles (in his first ever race!) and my Mum and Dad are walking the 15 miles for a training walk as they prepare for their 100km walk in the summer (mental!). Almost time for the start. Freezing cold. I've got hand warmers that I've never used before in a run....so pleased I remembered them! Off goes the gun and everyone cheers, here's to the 2013 Belvoir Challenge!
The race was, well....all cross country, up and down hills, muddy, icy, over stiles, through hedges, over fences, through bogs..... but WHAT A RACE!!! For the marathon there were 4 checkpoints during the route, each with cake, CAKE!!! Having never tried cake as a nutrition strategy during a run before (although very experienced with pre and post run cake consumption) I took a gamble and tried it, well it would have been rude not to. I recommend it unreservedly. What a great idea! An opinion shared by those around me, in fact it was the most popular topic of conversation to strike up when coming upon another runner.
Aside from the cake, the race was fantastic, beautiful views made the hills worth it, great company in the other participants, excellent organisation and amazing volunteers always with a smile and encouragement at the checkpoints. Very very different to any other race I've done, but without a doubt up there with my favourites:
Came in at 4:16:49 and 4th lady. Can't believe it! Really happy with how I did, and very excited for the next 12......
Andrew finished in 2:13 and 63rd place - awesome work! And I past my Mum and Dad about 3 miles from the end, was a great boost to see them...they finished in 4:35 - they always amaze me with how fast they can keep walking for so long - well done folks!
Here's to the next one......
Tuesday, 19 February 2013
Running update.....
Apologies for poor attention to blogging....here's what I've been up to the past couple of weeks!
Mon 4th Feb: 45 min ER
Tues 5th Feb: 1 hr 10 min ER
Wed 6th Feb: rest
Thurs 7th Feb: rest
Fri 8th Feb: 55 min ER
Sat 9th Feb: rest
Sun 10th Feb: 3 hr LR
Mon 11th Feb: rest
Tues 12th Feb: rest
Wed 13th Feb: 45 min hard run
Thurs 14th Feb: 45 min SR
Fri 15th Feb: 45 hard run
Sat 16th Feb: 15.5 miles
Sun 17th Feb: 45 min ER
Mon 20th Feb: 30 min ER
Tues 19th Feb: rest
It's mostly gone well, although week of 4th seemed more difficult than usual, but was busy at work and other things on my mind. LR on 10th was particularly tough, mostly because of the cold and it rained the entire time, and I stopped after 2 hours to discover jelly baby supplies were squashed and wet at the bottom of my rucksack. Gross. But, what if it rains on race day? I must be prepared! No wimping out! This winter has not been short on opportunities for character building runs ;-)
The last week has been a whole lot better. More runs, and been doing some shorter faster ones, plus an EPIC long run on Saturday along the Thames from Putney to Richmond, through Richmond Park and Wimbledon Common. Thanks Andrew for showing me the way! :-) This is my new favourite run!
So, four days till race #1!
Mon 4th Feb: 45 min ER
Tues 5th Feb: 1 hr 10 min ER
Wed 6th Feb: rest
Thurs 7th Feb: rest
Fri 8th Feb: 55 min ER
Sat 9th Feb: rest
Sun 10th Feb: 3 hr LR
Mon 11th Feb: rest
Tues 12th Feb: rest
Wed 13th Feb: 45 min hard run
Thurs 14th Feb: 45 min SR
Fri 15th Feb: 45 hard run
Sat 16th Feb: 15.5 miles
Sun 17th Feb: 45 min ER
Mon 20th Feb: 30 min ER
Tues 19th Feb: rest
It's mostly gone well, although week of 4th seemed more difficult than usual, but was busy at work and other things on my mind. LR on 10th was particularly tough, mostly because of the cold and it rained the entire time, and I stopped after 2 hours to discover jelly baby supplies were squashed and wet at the bottom of my rucksack. Gross. But, what if it rains on race day? I must be prepared! No wimping out! This winter has not been short on opportunities for character building runs ;-)
The last week has been a whole lot better. More runs, and been doing some shorter faster ones, plus an EPIC long run on Saturday along the Thames from Putney to Richmond, through Richmond Park and Wimbledon Common. Thanks Andrew for showing me the way! :-) This is my new favourite run!
So, four days till race #1!
Sunday, 3 February 2013
3.15 hours running and roast chicken and apple crumble.....
...I don't think there is a better way to spend a Saturday.
The big run went well. Feeling good about it all. Getting in lots of running and feeling fine, not tired at all yet and feel better than when I was running less. Feeling more positive also now February is here = SPRING and warmer weather and lighter mornings and evenings....FED UP of running all the time in the dark!
This week I also learnt Haribo jelly babies and fruit pastels do the job as well as Bassets jelly babies. I am no longer a jelly baby snob.
Training this week:
Monday 28th: 45 minutes ER
Tuesday 29th: 1 hr 10 min SR
Wednesday 30th: Rest
Thursday 31st: 1 hr 10 min ER
Friday 1st : Rest
Saturday 2nd: 3 hr 15 min LR
Sunday 3rd: 40 min ER
The big run went well. Feeling good about it all. Getting in lots of running and feeling fine, not tired at all yet and feel better than when I was running less. Feeling more positive also now February is here = SPRING and warmer weather and lighter mornings and evenings....FED UP of running all the time in the dark!
This week I also learnt Haribo jelly babies and fruit pastels do the job as well as Bassets jelly babies. I am no longer a jelly baby snob.
Training this week:
Monday 28th: 45 minutes ER
Tuesday 29th: 1 hr 10 min SR
Wednesday 30th: Rest
Thursday 31st: 1 hr 10 min ER
Friday 1st : Rest
Saturday 2nd: 3 hr 15 min LR
Sunday 3rd: 40 min ER
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