There's be no update for a couple of weeks. Sorry about that, but there has been a good reason, there's been no running to report! I've had almost two weeks without running which has meant the panic has set in well. But back to the beginning...
After my last update, Katy and I did another stonking run on Friday lunchtime, clocking up just over 6 miles in just under 60 mins. We were both chuffed and I felt like I had ran well and could feel the improvement. (I should have known better). The next morning I set out on my planned 12 mile route. After a couple of miles my left toe started to ache a bit, so I tried stretching it out (have you ever tried to stretch a toe? Its hard!). I carried on but the pain worsened and by 4 miles I was down to hobbling. I tried walking for a bit, but in the end gave up and called hubby to come and rescue me! He hurried out to get me (baby girl was still in her slippers!) and I gratefully went home. Over the weekend I tried ice and rest, but it was still aching a bit on Monday. So I got an appointment with a physio Jo Murphy and she pointed out that with my feet running in men's shoes was a disaster waiting to happen! (inevitable though, as no ladies shoes to fit my big feet) One set of funky insoles later and I was ready to be back on the road. Because of the toe, I just did an easy 25 mins on the Wednesday, rather than attending my usual efforts session, but this was fine and I felt that I would be back on track in no time....
I was away on Friday at a conference, so no running. However even if I hadn't been away I'm not sure running would have been on the agenda as I started to feel really rotten. And I mean really rotten. Rather than heading out for 12 miles on Saturday I spent almost the entire weekend in bed. Oh the joys of a young child in nursery. This feeling of rottenness did not really go away till the following Friday, I was certainly not up to anything more strenuous that making a cuppa until then! I did manage to get out for about 20 mins on Friday and felt ok for it, although couldn't have managed much more.
On Sunday, however, I did manage to drag myself out and round 13 miles. It was certainly not the best run ever, I was really really slow and my legs felt like lead afterwards. But I felt mentally better for having done that mileage, because the loss of training at this point has been getting to me.
That's the thing here. I miss the running because it makes me feel good, if I'm feeling down there is nothing like a good run to make things feel better. But at this point, with the marathon less than six, yes six weeks away, the loss of two of my long runs really mattered. Instead of being up to 16 miles, I had run no further than 10. That is a big difference when you are only six weeks away from running 26 miles (did I mention it is only six weeks away). So although it was a real effort I am glad I managed to up my mileage a bit. I'm supposed to be running a half marathon next week, but I am undecided as to whether I should or if I would be better off upping my miles for another week. That's my dilemma for this week.
Other things to note. I managed to get out to circuits today, which was a good thing and my legs don't ache too much. It's a good job hubby isn't running the marathon, as this week he is more ill than I was (so no hope of rescue this week then). The fundraising is going well, thanks to everyone who has sponsored me so far (and if you haven't and you would like to there is still time!) and I'm having a tea and cake afternoon in a couple of weeks to raise a bit more. I say really a lot. Oh and the marathon, that is less than six weeks away!!
Monday, 7 March 2011
Wednesday, 16 February 2011
fast, fast, slow
Well training over this past week has been pretty good. Following on from the start of this blog (and possibly still with high levels of oxygen in my blood from being at altitude), I ran a cracking run with Katy, my training buddy (you can read her blog here, she's training for a sprint tri so a totally different aim to me, but we run well together). 5 miles in 50 minutes, 10 minute miles. Given that I had run the same route 2 weeks previously, in 55 minutes, I was really pleased with this time! I know its not that fast for some, but if I could make that my marathon race pace I would be a very happy runner.
The following day I set out for a 10 mile run. Having previously made the mistake of running based on time alone (and coming in with a much lower mileage than I had planned), this time I plotted the route out first. Again, another excellent run. Despite the constant drizzle, I made it round in 1 hour 50 mins, making that 11 minute miles (which I could certainly live with as a marathon race pace!). I'm enjoying the long runs, which I wasn't too sure about as I do them alone (with only my walkman for company), but once I get into them I do lots of thinking about "stuff" and enjoy some me time. Plus I am exploring areas of Norwich I have never been to before which is really interesting (as I enjoy nothing more than nosing at other people's houses).
There was no circuits for me this week, as a work trip meant I was in Cambridge all day on Monday. The training programme I'm following allows for an easy jog or rest on Mondays, which I always take as circuit training, so a day off is not a problem. Today was my efforts session, where I am always the slowest of the group. I excelled myself today, however, not managing to keep up with a single other member of the group the entire way round. 2 mins tempo plus 1 min rest, 10 times, over 5km (3miles) I was exhausted by the end! I also felt a little frustrated, as I was beginning to believe the efforts were making a difference, and to feel so slow was irritating. However, I calculated that I averaged 9min 20sec miles, and I walked some of the recovery sections, maybe it wasn't so bad after all! We shall see how I get on with my longer runs at the end of the week. Hopefully the good pace I managed last week can be sustained (and if not there is always next week.....)
The following day I set out for a 10 mile run. Having previously made the mistake of running based on time alone (and coming in with a much lower mileage than I had planned), this time I plotted the route out first. Again, another excellent run. Despite the constant drizzle, I made it round in 1 hour 50 mins, making that 11 minute miles (which I could certainly live with as a marathon race pace!). I'm enjoying the long runs, which I wasn't too sure about as I do them alone (with only my walkman for company), but once I get into them I do lots of thinking about "stuff" and enjoy some me time. Plus I am exploring areas of Norwich I have never been to before which is really interesting (as I enjoy nothing more than nosing at other people's houses).
There was no circuits for me this week, as a work trip meant I was in Cambridge all day on Monday. The training programme I'm following allows for an easy jog or rest on Mondays, which I always take as circuit training, so a day off is not a problem. Today was my efforts session, where I am always the slowest of the group. I excelled myself today, however, not managing to keep up with a single other member of the group the entire way round. 2 mins tempo plus 1 min rest, 10 times, over 5km (3miles) I was exhausted by the end! I also felt a little frustrated, as I was beginning to believe the efforts were making a difference, and to feel so slow was irritating. However, I calculated that I averaged 9min 20sec miles, and I walked some of the recovery sections, maybe it wasn't so bad after all! We shall see how I get on with my longer runs at the end of the week. Hopefully the good pace I managed last week can be sustained (and if not there is always next week.....)
Wednesday, 9 February 2011
New Blog
So, I'm running the 2011 London Marathon. This blog will hopefully detail my training and the progress I am making on the run up to the big day (no pun intended!). I've never written a blog before, so this is a bit of an experiment, but hopefully it will encourage me to keep up my training if I'm sharing it with the world! I'll try and update this about once a week.
The decision to run the Marathon was not taken lightly. I was inspired to run the marathon for Iain Rennie (the palliative care charity which helped my family and I care for my Mum in her home in the last weeks of her life), after a friend ran the great south run for Macmillan a few weeks after her Dad died. I thought I could do something like that for Iain Rennie, and the marathon seemed like the obvious challenge, as it is something I had tentatively thought about over the years but never done anything about.
I have been a runner for a few years, after I took it up to lose weight. In 2007 I ran a half marathon, but never followed it up with another or any other challenge. Having a baby kind of put a stop to that for a bit! Running the marathon is a step up from anything I've done previously, it is a real challenge for me.
My training programme is based around four sessions a week: three running sessions, including one "effort" session and one long run, plus a circuit training session. So far I've managed to stick to most of these, although last week was spent "cross training" in the snow!
So far this week circuit training went as normal, while today's effort session was tough! Four hills, followed by 2 and a quarter miles at tempo, then another 3 hills! I'm pleased to be taking part in the efforts, which are arranged by a group of very fit runners, but I often feel like curling up under my desk and sleeping for the rest of the afternoon afterwards! Oh well, it must be good for me, right?
The decision to run the Marathon was not taken lightly. I was inspired to run the marathon for Iain Rennie (the palliative care charity which helped my family and I care for my Mum in her home in the last weeks of her life), after a friend ran the great south run for Macmillan a few weeks after her Dad died. I thought I could do something like that for Iain Rennie, and the marathon seemed like the obvious challenge, as it is something I had tentatively thought about over the years but never done anything about.
I have been a runner for a few years, after I took it up to lose weight. In 2007 I ran a half marathon, but never followed it up with another or any other challenge. Having a baby kind of put a stop to that for a bit! Running the marathon is a step up from anything I've done previously, it is a real challenge for me.
My training programme is based around four sessions a week: three running sessions, including one "effort" session and one long run, plus a circuit training session. So far I've managed to stick to most of these, although last week was spent "cross training" in the snow!
So far this week circuit training went as normal, while today's effort session was tough! Four hills, followed by 2 and a quarter miles at tempo, then another 3 hills! I'm pleased to be taking part in the efforts, which are arranged by a group of very fit runners, but I often feel like curling up under my desk and sleeping for the rest of the afternoon afterwards! Oh well, it must be good for me, right?
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