Sunny Saturday joy

Today was my first long run since the enforced hiatus due to very annoying kidney trouble.  Fortunately, today in Brighton it's sunny and beautiful.  That plus new trainers made for a most joyous morning.

I also for once took my iPod out with me and the time flew as I ploughed through five episodes of Desert Island Discs.  Ant and Dec, Miranda Hart, Barbara Hulanicki, Zadie Smith and Russell Brand, in case you're interested.  Miranda made me LOL somewhere around Rottingdean when she chose one of my favourite songs of all time - Easy Street from Annie (I'm so cool).  Zadie really cheered me up by picking Madonna and Prince as I approached Hove.

I ran a little less than I should by this point - 18 miles instead of 20.  However, I am hoping this will end up being more productive, as I was a little out of the swing for a while.  Next Saturday I really intend to push myself.

It's always a joy running in Brighton, but especially when it's Saturday morning and the sun is sparkling on the sea.  It was one of those mornings when Brighton feels like the closest thing we have to LA in this country.

Although, had I been in LA, I may not have seen the following to delight and inspire me on my journey:

• A man doing gymnastics on a tightrope.
• Two small dogs having sex outside a caravan.
• A beautiful velvet sofa out on the pavement in a fancy street in Hove, which I would have picked up and carried home if I could.
• A man sitting outside his junk shop enjoying the sunshine, who offered to make me a cup of tea.

Overload

Hi!  How are you all?

As well as being away, I've been laid up with a kidney infection, which forced a hiatus from running.  I don't know if the two were related, but a few people I have spoken to have agreed that marathon training can do some weird/gross/unexpected things to your body.  Thankfully, after a few emergency visits to the doctor and antibiotics, I am now fine.

However, the enforced running hiatus has obviously been a worry.  The whole thing has also made me a bit nervous about the long distances I'm running, and wearing myself down, etc.

Today I went for a run, my first in over a week, with some trepidation.  I set out to a wind-battered Hove seafront and I was pleasantly surprised to find that it was... fine.  I felt pretty strong and enjoyed my plodding along for eight miles.  I need to get back onto the mega distances but this is a good re-start for now.  Once I hit my stride, I didn't really feel like I'd been off it.  I'm pleased about this, as I was worried about my confidence being knocked further.

Phew.  With less than two months to go now, and a lot of sponsorship money racked up, the pressure is growing and I can't cave now!

Any tips for keeping me healthy at this stage?  Any and all gratefully received!

Radio Silence

Apologies for my recent AWOL period.  I have been ill (marathon training does some WEIRD things, man!) and away.  Marathoning and blogging will be continuing!  Thank you all SO much for the sponsorship and support.  Seriously.

Some Company

I have been canvassing the opinions of people I know who have previously trained for marathons or big events (so that I can nick all their expertise, obv).  There is one thing that everyone seems to agree on - it can feel very lonely.

Although I enjoy the solitude of running, this is something that I have started to notice.  On a long run, people smiling and saying 'good morning' can make such a massive difference.  (Conversely, when I am tired and grumpy, someone ignoring my cheery, hopeful 'good morning' can send me into disproportionate paroxysms of utter rage - but that's another story.)

So, a long weeknight run this week.  It was cold, windy and dark in a way that it feels like only the British seaside at at night can be.  I felt as if I was trying to run through an air mattress, which basically meant that I was doing the running man, practically at a standstill, along the seafront for what felt like absolutely bloody hours.

Until a gang of potentially scary teenagers on bikes* came up behind me and then started cycling alongside.

'How long have you been running for?' one asked.

I wasn't sure in which sense he meant this, so I replied 'nine miles'.

'Wow,' he said (I'm not sure if he was taking the piss or not - probably, but I choose to believe not).  Grinning at me over his shoulder as he scampered off,** 'Keep on going - you're doing really well!'

They stayed and cheered me on until they reached their destination - the 24-hour garage, where (if they are anything like I was) they were probably going to buy fags and fizzy drinks.

It was enough to cheer me up for the rest of my run, even when the bastard wind was not only against me but seemed to be blowing me actually backwards.

* I was on a very well-lit and quite busy main road, so it wasn't actually scary.

** I'm not sure that it's physically possible to 'scamper' whilst riding a bicycle, but it seems the fitting word - you get the picture.

The Outdoor Type

I am just back from a weekend away, during which I was outside and running by 7:30am yesterday.  It was gorgeous: clear and sunny, a great route, and it was really nice to run outside of my usual environment.  I plotted a course on Map My Run and explored.

Hurrah for outside.