This week was a bit of a mess, to be honest. I had a two day 'retreat' with work midweek, which meant in theory I should have run on Monday, but on Monday I had a killer sore throat and so decided to rest to stave off a full on cold, then went off on retreat and found myself so exhausted and sneezy by the time I was heading back home that I cancelled my pilates class for the first time ever (and I LOVE my pilates class) to head to bed early, only to wake up with a full on streaming cold.
I did drag myself out on a miserable 45 minute run, and consoled myself with the thought that maybe this process is more about pushing through the runs you don't want to do, the ones that are hard, than it is about the lovely ones that you glide through... but mostly I just grumped in my head and tried not to become irrationally angry about having a stupid cold and a stupid retreat in the same stupid week.
So to say I wasn't in the best frame of mind for yesterday's long run would be an understatement. Especially as I was about to attempt the longest run I have ever done, i.e. breaking past my 10k comfort zone. And did I mention I have a cold? So before I even had my trainers on, I was priming my husband to deal with the fallout from my inevitable failure. There was no way I was going to be able to run for 75 minutes, more than 10k. It wasn't going to happen.
Except, of course, that in the end it did. It happened more slowly, and with a lot more snotting and coughing than usual, but I still covered 10.5 and a bit km, which is a quarter of a marathon. And while in the immediate aftermath the thought of doing that three more times in succession made me want to cry, in the light of day, and with 13 weeks of training still to go, it feels alright.
Sunday 25 January 2015
Saturday 17 January 2015
NDJ's London Marathon - week 3
I worked out that at a conservative estimate, I spent about 8 hours walking around Dublin (and airports) last weekend, including 3 hours in one go on Saturday morning, so I'm not feeling too bad about having sacrificed a week 2 training run for the trip. Also, Guinness is full of iron and other nutrients, so it was really quite a healthy weekend...
Anyway, on to week 3! This was the week where the overall mileage started to feel a bit more challenging. The individual runs are still within my comfort zone (just!), but before I started this training plan I wouldn't have done two 45 minute runs and a 1 hour run in the same week. But then that's the challenge of moving from being a 5k/10k runner to doing a marathon, and it's not like I didn't know this was going to happen!
I'm starting to settle into a good pattern with my two standard runs - one on Tuesday evening when I get home from work, one late Thursday afternoon because it's my working from home day. Just like last week, the Tuesday night run turned out slower than normal, and I'm becoming increasingly convinced that it's something to do with running in the dark. Thursday's run was faster and easier, getting home just as the sun was going down.
Today's long run was an hour, and it felt pretty good. In fact, I was really tempted to push on a bit further when I was coming to the end, as I knew my legs had more in them, but I made myself a promise that I would stick faithfully to the training plan, so I did. I think I'm feeling the pressure of knowing that the long runs go from minutes to miles in week 6, and I'm worried given my mileage at the moment that it's going to be a really huge leap from running 80 minutes to running 10 miles. Then again, as soon as I stop thinking 10 miles and start thinking 16km I feel a bit better. It's weird, the miles versus km thing - 26.2 miles sounds terrifying, but 42km sounds like, well, four and a bit 10k's. Which for some reason is better.
I've got to start thinking properly about cross-training now. I do one to one pilates with my awesome teacher Angela on a Wednesday night, but otherwise at the moment I haven't been doing anything. I'm well aware I need to get back to strength work, especially upper body, so I'm going to sort out a plan for that this week. Also, I'm very close to fixing the two charities I'm going to run for, so I'll be sorted before we hit three months to go on 26th...
Oh god, three months really doesn't sound like a very long time, does it? I have moments when I really waver about whether I can do this. But I really want to do it, so hopefully that's what will carry me through.
Monday 12 January 2015
NDJ's London Marathon - week 2
I had my first diary challenge this week, because I was spending the weekend in Dublin, and quite apart from not being able to take my kit without paying Ryanair's extortionate baggage fees, I knew perfectly well that I wouldn't get a run in.
So thanks to the wisdom of the internet (Runner's World), I decided to cut one of my shorter runs and bring my long run forward. This meant that after doing my long run last Sunday, I did a standard run on Tuesday and my next long run on Thursday. Luckily because it's still early in the programme, this didn't create too much of a problem, though my legs were feeling tired after the last run.
Tuesday's run was the best kind of night run - cold and clear, with such a good view of the stars that I practically got a crick in my neck looking up while running (slowly!) at the highest point of my route. Running at night always feels like a secret little world to me, as I run past lighted windows and spot people going about their business inside, then run up the hill and into the proper darkness and the view of the stars. But then when I got home and checked my Nike+, I found out my speed, which had felt no different to last week's runs, was considerably slower. It felt like ending the run on a bad note, which I hated. I don't think it would have bothered me if I'd been running for fun rather than training, and this is something that does worry me a bit. I don't want to lose the pleasure of it.
Thursday's long run was fine, sunshine and drizzle as I ran late afternoon - having just agreed to work from home one day a week - although my legs tired a little sooner than normal. It was a good run, my speed was back to normal, and it felt like I was getting the miles under my belt, in the best sense.
So what else is happening... well, there are two dilemmas I'm chewing on.
Firstly, whether to buy new running shoes. I have very basic Nikes, which I love and have done almost all of my running in, but I'm well aware that they don't do anything fancy, and I worry that I'm missing out on potential benefits, or making things harder than they need to be. On the other hand, if it ain't broke...?
Secondly, I have to choose a charity, or charities, to run for. While I'm really pleased to have a ballot place and therefore a free choice, the sheer range of options is dizzying, and all of them deserving. There are definitely areas that I feel more affinity with than others: mental health, supporting people through sport, women in the developing world, and education, but that barely narrows it down. I know it's in many ways a nice problem to have - and maybe I'm being arrogant to assume anyone will want to give me any money anyway - but I'm really scared of getting it wrong. Though can you get it wrong, if it's giving money to charity? I don't have an answer yet, but I'll need one soon, or there won't be time to raise any cash!
So thanks to the wisdom of the internet (Runner's World), I decided to cut one of my shorter runs and bring my long run forward. This meant that after doing my long run last Sunday, I did a standard run on Tuesday and my next long run on Thursday. Luckily because it's still early in the programme, this didn't create too much of a problem, though my legs were feeling tired after the last run.
Tuesday's run was the best kind of night run - cold and clear, with such a good view of the stars that I practically got a crick in my neck looking up while running (slowly!) at the highest point of my route. Running at night always feels like a secret little world to me, as I run past lighted windows and spot people going about their business inside, then run up the hill and into the proper darkness and the view of the stars. But then when I got home and checked my Nike+, I found out my speed, which had felt no different to last week's runs, was considerably slower. It felt like ending the run on a bad note, which I hated. I don't think it would have bothered me if I'd been running for fun rather than training, and this is something that does worry me a bit. I don't want to lose the pleasure of it.
Thursday's long run was fine, sunshine and drizzle as I ran late afternoon - having just agreed to work from home one day a week - although my legs tired a little sooner than normal. It was a good run, my speed was back to normal, and it felt like I was getting the miles under my belt, in the best sense.
So what else is happening... well, there are two dilemmas I'm chewing on.
Firstly, whether to buy new running shoes. I have very basic Nikes, which I love and have done almost all of my running in, but I'm well aware that they don't do anything fancy, and I worry that I'm missing out on potential benefits, or making things harder than they need to be. On the other hand, if it ain't broke...?
Secondly, I have to choose a charity, or charities, to run for. While I'm really pleased to have a ballot place and therefore a free choice, the sheer range of options is dizzying, and all of them deserving. There are definitely areas that I feel more affinity with than others: mental health, supporting people through sport, women in the developing world, and education, but that barely narrows it down. I know it's in many ways a nice problem to have - and maybe I'm being arrogant to assume anyone will want to give me any money anyway - but I'm really scared of getting it wrong. Though can you get it wrong, if it's giving money to charity? I don't have an answer yet, but I'll need one soon, or there won't be time to raise any cash!
Sunday 4 January 2015
NDJ's London Marathon - week 1
I'm ECW's cousin NDJ, and I'm running the London Marathon on 26 April 2015. So that my regular blog doesn't get filled with marathon talk, she has kindly lent me her Brighton Marathon blog to talk about my upcoming race and the inevitable training!
What do you need to know about me? I'm a 34 year old university manager, with a sideline in writing and photography, and I've been running for just over a year, but haven't tackled a race of more than 10k before, so this is pretty epic! I usually run about three times a week, two evening runs of around 5k and a longer run up to 10k at the weekend. I'm now following a 17 week training programme, which is probably quite similar to most 'beginners' marathon training programmes, which keeps it at three runs a week: two medium runs that include intervals, hills, etc, and one longer run at the weekend.
What else? Well, I got my marathon place through the ballot, which was a huge shock given it's the first time I've entered, and everyone else I know had at least three tries before being successful. My initial reaction was excitement mixed with terror, and I'm still feeling the same way! I am planning to run for a charity (or possibly two) but I still haven't decided which.
Anyway, you'll hear more over the next 16 weeks, but for now, here's the rundown on the first week of training...
Tuesday was my first official training run, and after a week off running which included Christmas, you can probably imagine I wasn't feeling my freshest or fittest. On the plus side, I was able to run in daylight, which was a lovely novelty after running mostly on dark evenings over the last couple of months, although frost underfoot made it a little dicey in places. The plan only had me running 20 minutes, with 10 minute walks either side, which is less than I would usually do, but I have vowed to follow the plan to the letter, so there we go. Actually it was lucky - I could really feel the Christmas weight slung round my waist like a bumbag full of wine and cheese! I wouldn't say I enjoyed it, but it felt good to be back out in the fresh air, and to get the First Official Training Run done!
Normally I would do my second run on a Thursday, but as I was nursing a mild NYE hangover and suffering from lack of sleep, I postponed it till Friday, then did my third, longer, run today. Both runs were glorious - cold, clear weather, steady pace, finishing still feeling strong enough that I could have run further.
I'm under no illusion that at the moment the training is easy because the distances are still safely within my comfort zone. I know it will get harder, and that once I'm back at work this week, juggling the time will get tougher too. But at the moment I'm still feeling optimistic, so long may it continue!
What do you need to know about me? I'm a 34 year old university manager, with a sideline in writing and photography, and I've been running for just over a year, but haven't tackled a race of more than 10k before, so this is pretty epic! I usually run about three times a week, two evening runs of around 5k and a longer run up to 10k at the weekend. I'm now following a 17 week training programme, which is probably quite similar to most 'beginners' marathon training programmes, which keeps it at three runs a week: two medium runs that include intervals, hills, etc, and one longer run at the weekend.
What else? Well, I got my marathon place through the ballot, which was a huge shock given it's the first time I've entered, and everyone else I know had at least three tries before being successful. My initial reaction was excitement mixed with terror, and I'm still feeling the same way! I am planning to run for a charity (or possibly two) but I still haven't decided which.
Anyway, you'll hear more over the next 16 weeks, but for now, here's the rundown on the first week of training...
Tuesday was my first official training run, and after a week off running which included Christmas, you can probably imagine I wasn't feeling my freshest or fittest. On the plus side, I was able to run in daylight, which was a lovely novelty after running mostly on dark evenings over the last couple of months, although frost underfoot made it a little dicey in places. The plan only had me running 20 minutes, with 10 minute walks either side, which is less than I would usually do, but I have vowed to follow the plan to the letter, so there we go. Actually it was lucky - I could really feel the Christmas weight slung round my waist like a bumbag full of wine and cheese! I wouldn't say I enjoyed it, but it felt good to be back out in the fresh air, and to get the First Official Training Run done!
Normally I would do my second run on a Thursday, but as I was nursing a mild NYE hangover and suffering from lack of sleep, I postponed it till Friday, then did my third, longer, run today. Both runs were glorious - cold, clear weather, steady pace, finishing still feeling strong enough that I could have run further.
I'm under no illusion that at the moment the training is easy because the distances are still safely within my comfort zone. I know it will get harder, and that once I'm back at work this week, juggling the time will get tougher too. But at the moment I'm still feeling optimistic, so long may it continue!
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