Planning

Trying to plan out a final long run route, the easiest solution is to do a repeat of a 10 miler, the last ten miles are going to be hard work in terms of visual interest but if running along the Wye then at least it will be flat which maybe is more important, also there's no chance of getting lost and adding extra miles by accident as I have a habit of doing! Forecast is not good again and think my luck may finally be over in terms of being able to dodge the bad weather. After this weekend though is the taper, 2 weekends of 15 then 10 then...gulp...it's the big one!!

PB - yippee!!!

Today was the Forest of Dean half marathon, with all the training I've been doing I was expecting a faster time than Cardiff although I also knew how tired I've been feeling.

Sooo excited as smashed the Cardiff time of 2:23 by 7 minutes, my time was 2:16:40 so very very happy. This sets me up quite nicely now for 4 weeks time.

Weather was beautiful today, yet again I cheated the yucky forecast! Going to celebrate with an ice pack on my knee whilst relaxing on the sofa:-)))

THIGHS!!

I am still in a world of pain today!

My thighs are screaming at me every time I get up and move, think the key is not to sit around for too long that way they won't have time to seize up. Therefore a very easy 3 miles is planned for tomorrow just to get them moving again. It's the Forest of Dean Half Marathon on Sunday so need to be fit again for that, have a target time but I'm not saying it out loud:-)

Week off then a Beautiful, Torturous Race

What a week, after my pathetic 7 miles last weekend I felt completely tired out. I'd had a lovely weekend with Doe and Matt and enjoyed an easy walk up Garway Hill on the Saturday, on Sunday morning however I ached all over. On Monday I still ached and had the shivers and generally felt yucky, even worse I had the tingle of a start of a cold sore which by Tuesday had spread over my entire top lip and a little on the bottom, very attractive. I booked a sports massage for Tuesday night which I knew was going to hurt, I was actually quite surprised and although there were moments of pain it was not so bad. Josie had said that my legs would ache the next day which they didn't really although they felt bruised to touch. I'd decided to give my legs a weeks break and do no training before my 20 mile race at Rhayader. The forecast for the race was not good, plenty of rain with the wind picking up, thankfully it stayed dry the entire race and wow, it was stunning. There's a killer hill about 3 miles in up the mountain road (the name says it all!) and this hill lasts for a good few miles. I plodded all the way up not stopping once and managed to keep plodding with no walk breaks, I was overtaken by a few people several times as when they started to walk I continued to plod it was a real game of cat and mouse all the way up. All my hill training is beginning to pay off, worryingly it is the flats that cause me the biggest issues. Once at the top you are rewarded with the view and a good downhill section. At this point I ran with a lovely Chepstow Harrier runner known as Zoom, I think her name was Susie. I lost her on the flatas she flew off, but there were some very friendly local runners who kept telling me what I had in store before the end of the race which was very helpful. At mile 18 my ankle started to hurt, to the point that I had to walk briefly, I wished then that I had some cold spray as I think that would have gained me a couple of minutes. I finished in 3:55:11 which was 5 minutes over what I wanted but is a good boost for the marathon. Most importantly I didn't hit the wall.

This morning, I can't walk and have just had to crawl down the stairs. My right knee does not feel good, think this will be another week of taking it easy before the Forest of Dean half! It was my birthday on Friday too so might actually treat myself to a glass of wine today:-)

Not feeling it today...but not going to worry

I knew from mile 1 today that my long run wasn't going to happen. For a start it felt alien to be doing it on a Friday trying to cram it into daylight hours and I had not eaten properly during the day. Firstly my left shin felt tight which made my running gait feel odd but more importantly I felt some pain in my right knee which has been my fear throughout all my training, it wasn't prolonged pain but a short stabbing sensation. So after 7 miles I called it a day, it took me an hour and 25 mins just to do that! Tomorrow I have my best friend Dolores and her hubby Matt coming to stay, hence the need for the run today. We'll be doing a lovely walk tomorrow so I'm hoping that will count as time on feet:-)

Before last weekends great 18.8 miles I would have been seriously fretting about no LSR but I think maybe my legs need a slight rest before next weeks 20 mile race.

I've just watched Eddie Izzard's documentary episode 2 and find him so inspiring, I know I can do this the only real pressure is target time.

So, I'm going to enjoy this weekend, even treat myself to a couple of drinks. If I can get out for a quick 5 miles on Sunday then that would be good but if I don't it is not the end of the world.

From Tortoise to Hare!

I have to share this with someone! Tonight despite my longing for the sofa and general tiredness I ran really well. With my long runs averaging 12 minute miles I've been really slowing down, until tonight! 3.6 miles in 34 mins, av of 9:29 min miles, wooo hoooo!!! Of course I was nearly dying at the end and very nearly tasted dinner again but I did it. In fact I think if I hadn't have eaten so late I might have knocked another half minute off my time. Just need to ice pack my knee now.

The Marathon and beyond...

Someone asked me last week, what happens after the marathon, once I've crossed the finish line and I've returned home.

I must admit this whole experience has taken over my life, as hard as the training is I'm loving it, the long run on a Sunday round beautiful scenery is not a chore even if I do curse the last mile or so. The marathon finds it's way into every thought I have and creeps into most my conversations, I really will miss this experience. Then of course there's the guilt free eating, who cares about a doughnut when you've just burnt off 1500 calories in one morning:-) I guess I'll just have to find another challenge, maybe the Snowdon Marathon or a 30 mile Ultra.

There is just one thing I won't miss and that's tired Mondays, I don't normally have aching limbs but I am definitely Zombie like and I'm struggling to stay awake through Glee!

Nearly 19 miles run, who would have thought it!

I am feeling rather self satisfied today, although it was a hard slog I managed 18.8 miles averaging 12 minute miles which is my best performance yet for a long run. Really chuffed and the route was beautiful with near perfect weather.

Feeling loads better now about the 20 mile race in 2 weeks time, hoping to do it in just over 4 hours.

Off to cook well deserved sausage and mash now.

Sleep deprivation

Yesterday was my works sales conference, I was very good with my alcohol consumption, whilst all around me seemed to be getting more merry I refrained thinking of my training run today. However, I can't be that smug as although I might have hit the soft drinks I didn't go to bed until 3 and then didn't sleep well so only had about 5 hours and am now feeling rather tired and the thought of doing a 6 mile run now does not thrill me. Thankfully I did do 5.6 on Wednesday so I guess I could skip it but something tells me that is not the right attitude. The weather is perfect outside so maybe a compromise run would work. Just a short one round the block about 3 miles but have a hard hill to compensate. Right, better get changed before I sink further into the sofa. With 18 miles planned for Sunday I hopefully would have run 30 miles this week, that's more like it. Stop typing get running!!!