Soggy feet

This is a tipsy post so I will try to keep it short and sweet. We are at Butlins in Skegness for the weekend. Things I had never before appreciated about Skeggy are that it's dead flat, and that there is a lot of beach to run on. 

Today's run was 4.5 miles. I headed south down the beach until my feet were sodden and then back, to the far end of Stalag Skeggy, and around to the road entrance. All in all I did 5 miles by accident and I think I could have kept going. I ran all the way other than a couple of minutes where I had to wade through soft sand back to the promenade. 

Today's learnings are that I can keep going quite happily at 4mph for quite a while, that it's lovely to run on wet sand, and that bacon sandwiches are good running fuel!

I took a post run photo of me but it was horrible. So instead, here is the proof that I survived...

Sponsor me. Etc. 

 

Is this...chafing?

I tried the treadmill at the gym again on Monday night. The less said about that, the better. Suffice to say, the prospect of running 4.5 miles (a huge leap from the previous 3.2 mile maximum) in the dark tonight was a little nerve wracking, having only been able to run for 60 seconds at a time on the treadmill.

Running outdoors is entirely different though, and a thousand times more enjoyable. The first mile was pretty hellish as my calves and shins begged for mercy, but I ignored them and eventually they got the hint and agreed to help the rest of my body with what had to be done.

The route I planned had an uphill climb at the start, and another big climb between miles 3 and 4. Such is the joy of living in Saddleworth. I walked the first half mile to warm up, then set off at my usual slow plod - which I have worked out is roughly 6 1/2 hour marathon pace. And, after that first mile, I just kept going. Even up the hill - slow as you like, but I kept going, which I was quite proud of.

It's been quite a stressful day at work and I've been worried about deadlines and all of the things I should be doing, so it was nice to clear my head and just listen to music and concentrate on my breathing. I find counting in-in-out-out helps me keep my breath steady and it seems to shut out that pesky inner voice too. I was also imagining the marathon, thinking about how nice it will be to see my family and friends along the way and how nice it will be to finish it!

One thing I do need to STOP doing is working out what percentage of the way I have covered, and how much longer it's going to take me. That way lies madness. But I do have quite a mathematical brain and this has always been my way of entertaining myself when waiting for time to pass...I can remember getting into some quite complex calculations during choir practice at school!

I can't imagine, though, that at Mile 20 (which based on research I am anticipating having to crawl), I'll be motivated by the thought that I have another 20 odd percent of the course still to go.

Oh, today's other discovery - I had pasta for lunch (I tend to eat my main meal late in the evening) I think it helped. Might have to become a lunch person...

My husband seems to be sponsoring me £1 a mile at the moment, texting every time I come back from a run. I don't think he's considered just how many miles this training is going to take me! If you'd like to join in with a couple of quid here and there, text ZOMB76 £2 (or however much) to 70070.

Oh and chafing. Something's hurting on my upper arm, on the inside. Chafing against shirt or bra perhaps. Needs to be investigated. Watch this space, if you dare....!

Recovery

I'd been pondering how to go from the 5k to the Marathon - initially I thought I'd go through the Zombies 10k program and then their 16 week marathon plan, but I've realised that it's based on time rather than distance and, therefore, makes some hugely inaccurate assumptions about the amount of ground I will cover in an hour!

From here on out, I'm using MyAsics. I've plugged in the date of the marathon, yesterday's 5k time, and my age, and it reckons that it will have me running the marathon in just over 6 hours by April. I'll do as it tells me, and we'll see!

One thing I do like about it is that it tells you what pace you should be taking each run at - some will be fast, some slow, some at race pace. Today was meant to be a slow one and it kept telling me off for being too fast - not often I expect that to happen ;) I also had a Zombies Run episode on in the background to keep progressing with that story, AND an audiobook. Truly, I am app girl, and truly, I'm going to need to carry a spare battery with me on race day.

From now on we work in miles so...I ran 3 miles today, very slowly. I tried to put in a hill but ended up walking most of the way up it (I hate hills). Happily the marathon is mostly flat, unfortunately Saddleworth isn't!

Raised just over £200 in sponsorship so far - THANK YOU to my donors! If you're enjoying reading my blog why not just send a pound? Text ZOMB76 £1 to 70070. Simples!

Full of other fundraising ideas. I'm going to try selling xmas cards and wrapping paper, maybe having a stall at the car boot, and definitely running some sort of online auction or raffle if I can get some donations in. I'm going to be mainly reliant on tapping people up for a few quid, but anything I can add to it will be good. The sooner I can hit the target the better, too - I can concentrate on running rather than stressing about the money.

Day off tomorrow. I'm going to the pub.

Donate by text...

DONATE BY TEXT! Just text ZOMB76 followed by the amount (eg £5) to 70070.

I know it's early days, but I would love to see some funds starting to come in to motivate me. And you can spread the cost - send some now, then forget all about it and sponsor me again nearer the time. Everybody wins! :)

How to run a marathon. Part 1. Get out of bed.

When I started running on that hot Caribbean beach, I set a goal that by bonfire night, I'd take part in the Parkrun 5k. Today, I did it.

It was a close thing. I hit the snooze button several times before my bossy inner voice pointed out this was no way to train for a marathon! I wolfed down some toast and a banana and set off. 

I was surprised how nervous I felt when I got there. Lots of 'proper' runners in marathon shirts and 10k shirts. People who looked fit. People with calves like iron. When they called the first timers forward I was the only one who really looked like a novice!

And the start. Oh, the start. 150 people who are faster than you disappearing over the horizon. I guess the marathon will be like that times a thousand but it was a little demotivating. As a result I set off far too fast, ran out of breath, and was walking by the first corner. 

There are two hills on the route and I have to confess my strategy ended up being to walk up them each time. The marshalls were great though, and encouraging, especially the one who on my last lap shouted 'you're not last!' at me :) Some of the fast runners shouted encouragement as they lapped me, and an older man who passed me on the final lap tried to take me along with him but I'm afraid he was too fast!

Things I learned today include getting up and eating earlier (I thought I might puke banana half way round), and that I need to work out how to run up hills without my legs feeling like they are on fire. 

Next time I need to stretch more before I start, try to be more consistent with my pace, and try to run those hills! 

I also learned how important it is to remember you're racing against yourself and not against everyone else. I won that race, a new PB of  37.20 even though I was 143rd.  Yay, me!

The face of a woman with another 23 miles to go.

The Treadmill of Doom

Very negative tonight - starting to feel like 'I can't'. So few miles under my belt, and giving up already?

D was late home from work and it was dark and raining outside. So I decided to take the 'easy' route and go on the treadmill at the gym. HUGE mistake. I did the 'right' things and ran on a slight incline, ran at what I think is my normal pace (8kph). I managed 20 minutes but I was DYING. Sweat pouring off me, and I was SO BORED despite my audiobook. Nothing to look at but purple wall. No fresh air, no autumn leaves to crunch through.

So yeah. I'm absolutely not doing that again unless weather dictates that I absolutely have to. I hated it so much that I gave up and spent 10 mins on the bike instead, then messed around a little with weights and foam rollers. Then I felt guilty and ran another 10 minutes (well, I didn't - I ran about 8 of them and stopped to feel sorry for myself in the middle). Then I came home and ate a huge bowl of pasta, which I should probably have had for lunch.

I'm still not eating properly - today I had a bacon sandwich, a chocolate brownie, and a PBJ sandwich. Insufficient and inappropriate for trying to run 5 miles. I need to get that sorted, which for me might take more planning than trying to fit in the actual training.

So it's a bit of a 'fuck it' moment tonight. Wednesday night it's out there in the fresh air. I hope it goes better - two bad runs in a row has left me a bit gloomy.

Bah.

5k Week 7 Run 1

Today was officially a rubbish run. Horrible. I didn't even manage 5k, and I gave up a minute before the end. I was too hot, and too achey, and I wished my bum muscles would leave and go and live with someone else.

This was meant to be an 'easy' run, too - starting to taper down before the first official 5k without stopping at the end of next week. Dammit. I know I can do 5k without stopping, because I already did it, but today was a day where I just started to wonder what the hell I'm doing this for. Nine 5k runs in a row is a big ask.

I know there are going to be plenty of bad days between now and April 23rd so I need to just be kind to myself - at least I went out and did it. Where did it go wrong? Probably dehydrated (drinking last night, long lie in this morning). Not properly nourished (2 slices of toast). Didn't realise what a nice day it is, and went out in my jacket. And, of course, overconfidence - I thought I'd spend the initial 10 minute walk heading up a hill, which probably knackered me before I'd even begun. Also, the hill was paved with loose stones, running down was an ankle threatening nightmare.

Positive thinking, though. At least I did it. The wall planner has arrived today, so I plan to spend the afternoon plotting out the training plan all the way to April. Unfortunately it's not a wipe clean one, but if it at least gets me to Jan 1st I can get a more flexible one from then.

I worked out my dates last night (this is starting to sound a lot like when I was pregnant, there was a wall planner involved in that adventure too!). The 16 weeks of 'official' marathon training would mean a 1st January start which is quite nice. I have time before that to finish this 5k plan and also do a 10k plan. Overall, there's three weeks of wriggle room - for sickness, injury and exhaustion. I don't quite know how to play that, though. I don't want to be ready for the marathon 3 weeks before the marathon, but at the same time I don't want to use up the three weeks of slack before 1st January and then find I get an injury and can't catch up again.

Perhaps I just keep going, hopefully finish the 10k by mid December, and start the marathon training a little early, in the full expectation that there will be days where I just can't move. This is where a flexible wall planner come into play! If it's all going well, but I have a tough week, I can just repeat that week before I push myself further?

Practicalities need looking at too. I seem to have struck lucky and found a sports bra that I can tolerate so I need to buy lots of those. And start looking after them too - I keep having to take pliers to the hooks because the washing machine is mangling them. Handwashing is in my future.

All in all this is a long and boring update, sorry. Perhaps, though, when I find a 15 mile run a bit tough, looking back on this will remind me how far I have (hopefully!) come.

Sign on the dotted line

Today, I officially committed to run the 2017 London Marathon in support of Spinal Research.

Today, I may finally have proved my dear friends right in that I am in equal measure stubborn, headstrong, and in need of psychiatric support.

Today, I'm starting this blog to document my 'journey' from zero to hero, from couch to The Mall, from chubby engineer to toned and honed athlete (yeah right). Alternatively to middle aged woman with no toenails and a limp. Only time will tell.

It's kind of a secret at the moment - a couple of friends know, but I'm not shouting too loudly about it, because I think maybe I'm scared that I can't do it. I only started running in August, and I haven't said too much about it on social media for similar reasons.

I'll do a post on the 'why' another day, and why spinal research means so much to me. Today I just want to give a brief history of my running 'career', and progress so far. Because, you see - I HATE RUNNING. I think it's stupid. I don't understand why, for a single second, anyone would do it.

Really. I was never good at sport at school. My feet turn in a bit. I have a big bum and big boobs and everything jiggles. I like reading books and drinking gin and being warm and dry. Sport wise, I did do a couple of 100 mile bike rides about 13 years ago, but I was living in California and it was sunny and warm and I had a group of friends around me who kind of carried me along with them. Also I was younger. But that's it. I used to swim, too. My style in both was less speed, and more the ability to endure, plenty of stamina.

A couple of my close friends are runners, though. One 're-started' his training this time last year to run the Manchester 10k. Another runs to maintain his sanity. I've found myself interested in how and why they do it, how fast they go, the events they run. So when I found myself in the Carribean this summer, with jetlag and warmth and a beautiful beach in front of me, I decided to see what they were on about.

I'd tried the NHS C25K app a couple of years ago in the gym and hated it. The music is godawful and it's so repetitive. A little Googling took me instead to the Zombies, Run! 5k app. It's an 8 week training program, with a different story on every run, AND you can set up your own playlist. The nerd in me was sold.

On that first run, I seem to remember I only had to jog slowly in 15 second bursts. At the end of it, I thought I was going to die. I was exhausted, and sore.  Only a little of my discomfort could be blamed on the humidity and heat, what with it being 6am. But over that holiday I managed 4 'runs', and got into the story, and that was enough to keep me going when I got back.

Yes, when I say 'run'...my running is barely faster than my fast walking. I won't beat anyone in a race. If someone wants to chase me they won't have to break a sweat. Even a 'shambler' zom would have me for breakfast. What HAS happened, though, is that over the space of 2 months I seem to have developed the ability to run for 20 minutes at a time. Two nights ago, I ran 5k without stopping for the first time, in 39.42. This would have seemed impossible a few weeks ago.

I still hate running, but something in my head has clicked on. I love the Zombies app and storyline, and I'm sort of enthused that everyone who I've mentioned that I was even THINKING about running a marathon to, has told me I'm bonkers. Proving people wrong is my motivation... :|

I have a fundraising page already. I'm not planning to really promote it until after Christmas because I don't want to bore everyone to death, but if you're reading this, and you can spare even £1 to cheer me on in these early days, I would really appreciate it.

If you're also running the marathon, or if you're a Zombies runner who would like to like to connect on Zombielink, leave me a message. The more support and encouragement, the better!

Oh, today's run - around Dovestone with the dog, Week 6 Run 3 of Z5k (I had a couple of weeks out with an injured knee), 5.34km in the POURING rain. Yuck. I live in Saddleworth, though, so it's only going to get worse in the coming months...