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...
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