It's October and it's 29 degrees!!!!

I made a schoolgirl error Friday by not getting the run done and then again by getting up late which meant the last part of my run was in 29 degree heat. Boy that was exhausting. The first 10 miles went like a dream averaging at about 9:45 pace which is fantastic for me but then a combination of the heat and running out of fuel took it's toll and I did the 12.1 miles in 2hrs and 1min which I'm still dead chuffed with for a training run.

It did make me realise I need to stock up the gels, I can't do it without them. The most exciting thing is that a sub 2:10 half is now a real possibility, need to start taking my vitamins to guard against a cold!

I'm going to go to circuit training again tomorrow night, even though it actually killed me last Monday and took until Friday to get full use of my arms. I think doing the core work and sprints will help me achieve my goal. Bring on the pain!!!!

New starts and a new marathon

Well it's been nearly a year since I last blogged and I think it's about time I started again. So much has happened I felt tempted to change the title but I'm still on the marathon trail so it is still apt.

My second attempt landed up being slightly quicker at 5:23 but I still crashed and burned at the half way mark. I've done much procrastinating over why and when it went wrong. Maybe it was the overly hilly training for a flat race, maybe it was the pressure I put myself under or maybe it was the 5 o/c breakfast that left me starving during the race. Whatever it was hasn't put me off a third attempt but this time I have changed location. So next May I'll be flying up to Edinburgh to take part in what is described as "The fastest Marathon in the UK" surely I can break a sub 5 hours there!

There have been a few changes since last year but will move onto that later, for now this is just a quick update to say I'm back!!

Elan Valley - weather forecast not the best!

Last year I did this beautiful race and the rain was biblical, it was a real slog of a run and although the hills were not long there were a couple of short sharp inclines to puff you out. All week the forecast has been for a cloudy but dry day and I thought I would get to see the stunning scenery without the need for wiper blades. Sadly we couldn't possibly be that lucky so the forecast is for heavy rain. Must remember a change of clothes for the journey home.

I'm looking to knock 7 minutes of last years time - fingers crossed.

My marathon training programme officially starts with this race just 149 days to go!!

I'm back again!

A couple of weeks ago the postman delivered 2 Virgin London Marathon magazines, both had landed from page up (thus not showing who they were addressed too). One magazine said congratulations, the other said commiserations. You see when applying online I had jokingly said to my hubby, shall I apply for you too? His reply was yes and so after asking several more times to make sure I had put in his application.

I'm not the luckiest person (the hideous cold on the marathon weekend is a case in point) and so I presumed the worst. I turned over the commiserations magazine first to expose the addressee and through half closed eyes made out Mr. I quickly turned over the congratulations version and clutched it to chest...I'm in!!!!!

Please don't feel any sympathy for my hubby, he has not run one yard since applying and his relief was palpable!

Last SundayI ran the Cardiff (not quite a) half in a PB, even with the correct distance I still would have shaved about 4 minutes off my Forest of Dean time and more than 10 off last years Cardiff Half. Hopefully that will land me in good stead for 2011.

I've sorted my training programme and picked my races, this year I will be doing more miles, 3 20+ runs and it will all be starting from mid November, sub5 hours here I come!

2011

How could I have possibly forgotten...my name is in the ballot for next year. Luckily I entered first thing in the morning as it closed in record time:-)

I'm back!!!

I can't believe it's been more than 2 weeks since that amazing day. Since then I've done 4 runs and although my first run back resulted in a PB for the route, all the rest have been a struggle. Everyone keeps saying my body is still tired, I hope so because I feel like I'm going backwards at the moment!

That said, I'm quite glad I didn't call this blog the London marathon jaunt as I'm now contemplating doing my second one in September, possibly the Robin Hood marathon. I'm giving my body a slight rest this month but will decide by early June.

The thought of doing summer training is quite appealing, loads more incentive to run during the week nights than the cold dark evenings. That said I've quite enjoyed taking it easy, I didn't run at all this weekend as wasn't feeling great Sunday morning had set the alarm though so snuggled up on the sofa and catched up on some tv, it was bliss! Now I just need to concentrate on work for awhile, just wish I could get as enthusiastic about that, I wish I was one of those people who enjoyed getting up for work and does anyone actually know that person!!

Aches, pains, tears and...fridges!

This post was always going to be difficult as it signals the end of the journey (it sounds a bit like the X Factor now!) it's hard to put into words the experience and for all those of you who watch the marathon and get a lump in your throat and for just a second you think I wonder what it would be like then I have one thing to say to you, JUST DO IT!!!!

My weekend did not go to plan, firstly my cold turned into the worst I've had for years, on Saturday I could barely speak and my throat was killing me, worst still hubby had a stomach bug which for awhile we thought would stop him from coming along to see any of it. Step in my wonderful best friend Dolores who dropped everything and drove up to London and was tested by my lack of preparation, turned out we couldn't park near the hotel as her car would have had to stay there until 7 Sunday evening, cue drive to London City airport to park the car and trip on the DLR. We were cooking pasta at 9:30 although I guess it stopped the nerves. Amazingly I managed to get off to sleep okay, then my throat woke up at 3 and I think I probably managed about one more hours of sleep.

The nerves started to kick in when trying to force down breakfast, I think I managed half a bowl of porridge and an english muffin, sadly this was probably undone by my nervy stomach. Heading out the hotel I was attacked by the tear monster, they came from nowhere and reappeared again when Dolores said goodbye to me at the start. As per the recommendation on the runners world site, after dropping off my kit bag I headed straight for the toilet queue which after walking to the far end of the start really wasn't too bad, once I'd been I got straight back in the queue again (I still had to squat in a bush though near mile 10 surrounded by other ladies bottoms - very weird!).

The start line was full of nervous chatter, lots of comments along the lines of "what have we done?!", it took nearly 25 minutes to cross the start but from then on I wasn't really held up, I kept to my target pace until about mile 10 however I knew it couldn't last. My cold was really zapping all my energy and it was at this point that I knew my dream of a sub 5hour marathon was over. My knees started to hurt near the half way point so I stopped and asked one of the lovely St Johns ambulance people for some cold spray, it helped and kept me going until mile 17 where I knew the Runners World supporters were set up and once there I just fell into the arms of this amazing lady and burst into tears. I stayed there for about 5 minutes calming myself down and munching on the banana bread I'd left with them at the expo.

Then it was all about seeing friends and family at mile 19, I think I probably looked quite manic heading down Canary Wharf as I was just desperate to see them all, again once found I just burst into tears and let out this almost asthmatic sounding noise trying to speak whilst crying. Mum brought me back down to earth though by saying "go on stop chatting to us and run". Must admit I just needed a slight rest but on mothers orders off I ran. Mile 20 was okay, mile 21 hard, 22 harder still. Mile 23 your head says just 2 more miles however my legs were screaming "no more!". I think they made a mistake with the signs at 25 as that was definitely longer than 1.2 miles to the end! When I saw the sign saying 800 metres left, all I could think was - that's twice round a running track, I can't do that! Sadly I passed all those amazing landmarks without even really noticing them, running down the mall I heard Heaths voice scream out, he had made it down there in time to see me finish. I think I know what it would be like to find an oasis in the desert when dying of thirst because seeing that finish line was just an unbelievable feeling, crossing it was even better, having the medal put over my head was (just like the advert says) priceless!

It was quite simply the hardest thing I have ever done in my life, but having so many strangers shouting out my name, willing me on is an indescribable feeling. So many funny comments with reference to my outfit and a very sweet little girl telling me "come on Sally, I KNOW you can do it". People out on the streets handing out sweets, bands playing, stereos blasting out uplifting songs, steel drums playing the Chariots of Fire music, I passed a man with a fridge on his back, a rhino, a tiger, the angel of the north, a giraffe and an amputee who's support runner was carrying a spare leg in his rucksack. This is what is so unique about the London Marathon, it is why I'm writing this with a tear in my eye and is why I will get over the disappointment of 5 hours and 32 minutes.

This week is indeed very strange, it's all over and I'm a little bit lost, shattered and ache so much! The ballot for next year opens on May 4th, I'll be putting my name down - anyone going to join me?