Trying new things

I mentioned in a previous post that I was starting yoga last week. I was cautious as it's not fast paced like my usual exercise and I really didn't know what to expect. I'm not at all flexible but I'd been told by friends to just go at my own pace and see how it went. 

I was a little apprehensive about turning up as I'm not usually one for trying new things and meeting new people. I got there in plenty of time to get my mat and pick a spot, there's always that feeling when attending a course for the first time that you're taking someone else's place. Luckily the ladies who were already there were lovely and told me the best place to go.

Our instructor, Fiona, is a really wonderful lady, so chilled out, exactly as I expected. She put on some quiet background music and began with some gentle movements. With each move she gave us ways to make it harder or easier depending on our flexibility and experience. I was actually really proud of myself for being able to get into a lot more of the positions than I thought I would. 
After an hour Fiona finished with some meditation work which was just amazing, completely zoned me out and made me so relaxed. 

That night I had such a good nights sleep and I've signed up for another class this week.

My next 'first' in recent weeks was a spin class. Simon is a massive fan of spin classes and as I'm constantly complaining that his legs are better than mine I thought I'd give this a go. 

I went along and really just thought it would be pedalling fast on a bike. The instructor Chelsea was great, she made she we were all safely on our bikes before switching on the party lights and turning off the real likes, an odd sort of disco but lots of fun. Also great when you start sweating as no one can see how awful you look.

She started us off slowly and increased and decreased the intensity along with some great music to really motivate and push us. Within 5 minutes I was sweating buckets and looking at the clock wondering when it would end - this was a beginners class!
The whole session was done out of the saddle so needless to say my legs were killing by the end of the 40 minutes. She then finished with a warm down and stretching session which I was really grateful for when I woke up the following morning! 

I loved every moment of the class and felt great after. Again I've signed up to another class next week. 

With all these new experiences, it just goes to show that running really isn't my be all and end all! 

Holidays are coming

Simon and I have been talking about a holiday for a little while. Neither of us have been away on a 'sunshine break' for a long time so we thought we'd go away later in the year. 

Both of us have booked the last week in September off work and decided to go from there. Our only criteria is that it's sunny (not too hot as I'm not good in the heat), reasonably quiet and all inclusive. We thought it best to go somewhere in Europe as it's only for a week so best not to spend your entire week travelling. 

We started looking through the usual sites, Thomson, Thomas Cook, Travelzoo and couldn't find anything suitable. Any hotels we did find had really awful reviews on Trip Advisor so it turned us off. We found a really great package on Travelzoo for a week in Malta with lots of upgrades but when we went to book it were told we couldn't have the upgrades and the price was the same! Not as advertised. 

Every lunchtime at work for the past week or so I've spent trawling travel sites to find our holiday. I've taken advise from Sam, Gemma & Alex as they're all well travelled friends and then I've gone off looking at various locations. 

On this search, which by the way continues as I type, I've learnt a number of things I wanted to share with you:

1) Everyone has something to moan about - TripAdvisor is a great tool but nothing is going to be everyone's cup of tea. People moan about the silliest of things "...no English food on the menu..." - you're in a Spanish resort! 

2) Extras - it's all very well looking at holiday prices but I've been shocked at the amount of extras you have to pay out for. No longer do you get baggage or transfers included. 

3) The photos on travel sites really aren't like those in reality. Looking at some of the hotels on travel sites then seeing them in peoples holiday snaps is an eye-opener. 

4) Know your distances - 5km to the nearest beach is quite far if you're a beach fanatic but they really don't look that far when the travel companies add photos of the 'local' beach. 

5) Be careful not to get caught up in deals - sometimes it's cheaper to just look for what you actually want that get into added extras and glamorous sales pitches. 

After remembering I have a rewards discount with Natwest travel, we have now booked our holidays through them with the whole process taking a matter of minutes. We're off to sunny Majorca to a quiet little hotel where we can spend the week relaxing in the sun. Phew what a drama! 

I'd love to hear about your experiences booking holidays and any tips! 

A spot of Afternoon Tea

Last month my very good friend Caroline and myself went to London for a 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory' themed Afternoon Tea. I had booked this as a treat for Caroline's birthday and we'd both been looking forward to it for quite some time. 

The tea was booked for 2pm so we'd both starved ourselves all day to ensure enough room to try everything. 

Upon arrival at One Aldwych we were shown to our very comfortable seats in the lounge area of the hotel. As it was a special treat we both selected the Champagne Cocktail Charlie menu. The staff at the hotel were second to none, polite and interactive with all their customers.
When booking the table I'd mentioned that I had a nut allergy - a lot of restaurants don't give this a second thought - but this hotel was an exception. They had a note of the allergy and checked in with me about the details. The chef had arranged for an alternative to the only item on the menu containing nuts which was really thoughtful. 

Our cocktails arrived to our surprise in a in a smoking tea pot, this was then poured into mini Martini glasses with plenty more of the cocktail left in the pot for a few more glasses each!! Neither of us had seen anything like this before so it really did start the experience in a fantastic way. 

After a short while our savoury items where brought out to us on a small platter, we had a variety of sandwiches to try and warm quiches/pastries which were all divine. Our waitress offered to bring us more of our favourites but we both wanted to save room for the cakes and chocolate treats - we were glad we did.

Next up was an amazing array of warm scones with homemade jams, brioche, candy floss, mango cheesecake, chocolate milk and as you can see from the photo lots more sweet treats. The chef had prepared me some fruit skewers instead of the truffle chocolate that Caroline enjoyed. 

Every element of the tea was cooked to perfection and had so much thought into it. 

Throughout the tea we enjoyed some freshly brewed flavoured teas which were also delicious - although it took a while for both of us to get the hang of straining the tea leaves! 

We were again offered more of our favourites but by this time we were both full and couldn't eat another bite. We were at the hotel for around 2 hours which for an afternoon tea is quite good. 

Both of us had such a wonderful afternoon and would definitely go back. In fact, we're already talking about our next afternoon tea adventure! 

Body Art

You may recall back in July last year I wrote about a tattoo that I really liked the look of and I wanted to signify my strength at coming through some challenging times. 

<Read the previous article>

Well two weeks ago I finally got around to having that tattoo done. 

The design changed slightly from the original but the meaning remains and I now have a constant reminder of the strength that I have and will continue to have. 

The lovely Hayleigh at Lady Pirates in Leigh-on-sea inked this one for me and I just love it. Every now an then I catch a look of it in the mirror and it's there to just tell me, 'I done good, I got through it, I'm still smiling, what amazing support I have around me'. 

What do you think? 

Climbing the O2

For my sisters birthday I brought her a voucher to climb the o2, she'd been saying for a while that she wanted to climb it. When it came to booking her trip, myself, Simon and my sisters fiancé Ash decided to join E-J on the climb so booked ourselves tickets. 

At £33 per person (with discounts available for o2 customers), we all hoped it'd be a amazing and we weren't disappointed. 

When we arrived about 15 minutes before our climb the weather was pretty grim so they delayed us for a short while for the rain to pass. We then made our way, with around 10 others, into a briefing room where they played us a comical information and safety video. 
All the staff at the climb centre were really great, all good fun and friendly. After watching the video we made our way into a giant changing room and got kitted out with our climb suits, shoes and harnesses. The staff checked all of our equipment and tightened us all up. 
We then made our way to the bottom of the o2 to begin the climb. 

We all had photos taken by the official o2 photographer (which are available to purchase at the end). Our guide then attached us onto the safety ropes and off we went. The walkway was a lot steeper than any of us thought so you really need your energy for an experience like this.

It took around 20 minutes to climb to the top and we were all pretty tired when we got there but the views were amazing and we all quickly recovered. 

There are some amazing views of London from the top of the o2 which I didn't expect. The guides are available to take photos and talk to you about the sights. They asked little quizzes asking us where landmarks were which made the trip all the more interesting. 
We saw The Shard, Canary Wharf, Greenwich park and many more of London's iconic buildings. 
There was plenty of time to take photos and lucky for the us the sun came out at the top so we had some clear views. 

We stayed at the top for about 30 minutes before we then started our decent to the bottom. EJ led the way and it was quite a trip, again it's a lot steeper than you think it'll be looking from the bottom. We all very slowly made our way to the bottom where we then de-kitted and made our way to the souvenir shop. 

Overall the whole experience lasted around 90 minutes and from beginning to end was well arranged, fun and definitely something we'll never forget. 

*You can find more information about climbing the o2 here.* 

What next?

It's been really difficult thinking of something to write on this blog. 

The running has pretty much run it's course, I can't seem to get back into it. I didn't end up running the Southend Half Marathon, it seemed like too much of a task and I wasn't at all prepared for it. 
I was talking to a colleague at the weekend about why I've stopped running and he suggested I'd reached my challenge so what else. He is so right, my challenge wasn't just the marathon but raising the money for charity so now that's done, it's odd to think about running being motivating. 

I have joined the local gym which I'm going to 2/3 times a week and I've got back into swimming so I'm keeping myself generally fit still. I start a weekly yoga class tomorrow which a friend recommended to help me chill out a little. I'm really looking forward to that. 

On the health front, things are looking up and becoming clearer. I've been back to the hospital for another scan this week and they are keeping a very close eye on me which reassuring. I'll know more about next steps at my next scan in 2 months but in the meantime, I'm trying to eat healthy and keep well. 

I'm wondering what to talk about on this blog next so I'm planning a bit of a revamp. This is going to more of a general musings rather than running, running and more running!! 

Now I need to find a new challenge...

Getting back to it

In the two weeks since the Marathon I have mainly been giving my body a long overdue break. I left it about a week before I did my first run and stuck to just 5km (although even that was a struggle!). All the aches and pains that I hadn't felt after the marathon suddenly appeared for that first run back. I was aching for days after. Having taken another few days off training and conscious that the Southend Half Marathon which I'm signed up for is only 6 weeks away, this week I've found my mojo and tried to get back to it. 

Tuesday's run was a little easier that the previous week although it is still slightly stiff, I guess only time will tell. With the marathon glow starting to dim I'm not having to really find the determination to keep up the running. 

My diet is also terrible at the moment and having eaten pretty much everything in sight since marathon day this week it's been back to the healthy eating with plenty of water, fruit and veg to get my fitness back and my body in shape. 

I've been amazed at just how quickly the fitness levels can drop so I'm hoping that I gain them back just as quickly. Only time and hard work will tell! 

One quote I read the day after the marathon and has stuck in my mind over the past few weeks is this...

Marathon Highlights - Chapter 3!

After I'd emerged like a weary traveller out of the dust to meet my family at Horse-guards parade, we had all the compulsory photos with me and the medal. I've never seen my family so proud of me, it really was a look I'll never forget. 

As my mum was too unwell to make it to race day, she was the first person I wanted to call when I finished but with all the phone networks down it was really hard to get through. When Caroline finally got some signal on her phone so I could call home, I wept down the phone to mum, I kept saying, 'I've done it, I've finished'. She was crying too and she so wanted to be there. 

When the tears had dried up, we all went along to Rainforest Cafe to meet up with the rest of the supporters and enjoy a well deserved burger and vodka! Thankfully my good friend Gemma was on hand to help me get dressed, sort out my hair and make-up and generally make me look more presentable than I did when I finished! Unfortunately Rainforest Cafe wasn't great (that's another story) but I was on another planet so just tried to eat whatever I could and catch up with friends. 

I got a second wind and I was really to take on the night. A few of us then went onto Leicester Square to enjoy a few more drinks. Whilst everyone else was complaining of being tired, I was ready to make it into a big night out. A number of vodkas & sambuca shots later and we all went off back to our hotel. 

I sat up talking to Simon (he really has to put up with a lot!) for hours as I couldn't sleep, I was buzzing and on a complete high. 

The next day we enjoyed a lovely breakfast before setting off home (still with my medal around my neck!). 

All I wanted to do was see my mum. When I saw her we both cried and I had the best hug, nothing better than a hug from mum! We then enjoyed lunch with my sister and I managed to eat the biggest ice cream I could get my hands on. 

I stopped of at my grandparents to show off my medal to them too which I was really proud to do. 

The rest of the day was spent at the osteopath trying to put my muscles back in place. 

Two days later and I was able to walk again and all the pain of the marathon has disappeared to leave just a happy sense of achievement. One of the first things I said after finishing was 'never again', although it was the best thing I've ever done it was also the hardest. But two weeks on and I've entered the ballot for 2015 and I'm only 6 weeks away from completing the Southend Half Marathon. Looks like I've really got the running bug now. 

It's moments like the photo below, showing off my medal to my wonderful cousin Amelia that made every bit of blood, sweat and tears worth it. 

Until 2015!!

Marathon Highlights - Chapter 2!

Having slept surprisingly well considering the vast amount of butterflies in my belly I enjoyed my usual breakfast of muesli and fruit. The sick feeling of what was ahead of me for the day hit me as I was getting changed into my running clothes realising that the next time I'd remove the clothes, or peel them off as was more the case, would be after I'd completed the marathon and had that medal around my neck. 

I set off on the tube to Greenwich park where I met Vanessa and we tried to find our starting pen. Nothing could have prepared me for the sheer amount of people there were. 

Ness and I were both really nervous but very excited, the heat wasn't helping our preparations, with that amount of people all in one place added to it seemingly being the hottest day of the year, we were both roasting before we had even started!

As we shuffled towards the start time all the runners started to wish each other Good Luck which felt like being part of one big family. Crossing the start line was really strange, it was quite quiet with people just getting into their zone. The first 7 miles passed in the blink of an eye. Although my pace was much slower than I had hoped we just seemed to be counting down the miles. The support along every step of the route really was amazing and there is nothing better when you're feeling tired than a stranger calling out your name and pushing you on. 

I had a number of supporters along the route and it was just the best to see them, emotions certainly got the better of me and I cried with every set of friends or family I saw. They were mainly decked out in bright orange caps with my nickname - Gingey - printed on them so they were certainly easy to spot! 

The biggest emotional outburst was saved for seeing my Dad, sister, brother-in-law and boyfriend. I was starting to feel really tired at around mile 14 and I hadn't seen them so was feeling a little flat, Ness was really supporting me but she was also carrying a stitch which she was trying to run through so both of us needed to see someone we knew. Then out of nowhere I saw their faces, of course they were all too busy looking at other people so didn't even know it was me until I jumped on them all in tears of joys. This really did give me such a boost though and I just knew after I saw them that I could carry on. 

The biggest cheer of the day definitely came from Auntie Debbie, Uncle Pete and Amelia, I saw them at around mile 20/21 so on the 'Home-straight' but was really struggling to keep my legs moving especially with cramp in my left groin. They gave the final boost that I needed for that final moment. 

The final 4 miles were without a doubt the worst for me, Ness has got her mo-jo back so practically dragged me along with her. Having said that two of my favourite moments were in the last few miles. Firstly, a pub by Tower Hill started playing one of my favourite songs 'Sex on Fire' so Ness and I were running along singing and really geeing up the crowd. Then just before Mile 25 there was a tunnel where no supporters could go, it was playing out really loud music and all the runners sang along to 'Happy' clapping along to all the good bits and seeing lots of motivational messages on balloons. What a moment! 

Big Ben was in sight and we knew when we got there we'd just cruise on through. One final sight of my supporters and giant cheers and that was it, Ness and I sang, danced and ran our way to the finish line. Nothing could prepare me for the feeling as I came past Buckingham Palace and down the Mall to see the finish line. 

In (a slightly disappointing) 05:45:30 I completed the Virgin London Marathon 2014 and I'd achieved something that most people never would or could. I was completely exhausted, drained and emotional and at the same time or a massive high but I had that medal and I'd done it! 

Marathon Highlights - Chapter 1!

It's been two weeks since I completed the London Marathon, yes I completed it! The last few weeks really have passed in a complete haze but I am now back to my normal self & have gone down a little from cloud 9. 

With so much to say about the whole marathon experience, I thought I'd do a few posts over the next few days just to give you a flavour of it all. 

My marathon weekend started off on Friday when myself, fellow marathon runner Vanessa and my best friend Sam went along to the ExCel to collect runner numbers and chips. This was a part I'd really been looking forward to, that sense of pride picking up your numbers, meeting fellow runners and being part of the whole buzz surrounding the marathon. I was also really looking forward to meeting the ladies from CRUK who had a stand there. 

Sadly apart from having our photos taken in the cool photo booth at the end the rest of the experience was a bit of an anticlimax! 
When I picked up my number it felt like somewhat of a formality. The stands around the exhibition were all trying to sell you there products or get you booked onto another marathon in another country. Mine and Vanessa's standard reply to these requests was "Err can we try and run this one first!".

After spending around 30 minutes wondering around, I met the ladies at CRUK, unfortunately this felt a little flat too, I'm not sure if my expectations were too high but it really lacked the exciting atmosphere I hoped for. 

Saturday was mostly a day of getting my belongings packed into the plastic bag provided by the Marathon organisers and getting myself up to London where I was staying for the night. Before I left I had a carb packed dinner with Simon, my boyfriend. 

Throughout the whole day I was feeling quite emotional, all the build up and saying goodbye to people who although I'd see them the next day it felt like a lifetime. 

After getting very emotional & leaving Simon at the station to set off for a night in London with my belongings in their plastic bags, I must have looked like such a sorry sight, I got some of the best news of the whole 10 months. 

My fundraising total had tipped over £5000!!! 

It was the most amazing feeling to know that my friends, family, colleagues & complete strangers had contributed all that money to support such wonderful charities - Cancer Research UK & Jo's Cervical Cancer Trust. 

With tears in my eyes, calling all my friends and family to tell them the amazing news, I just felt the biggest sense of achievement. I'd set a goal and I'd reached it. Now all I had to do was run 26.2 miles! 

The Big Day

I'm just 2 days away from the end of my 11 month journey from beginner jogger to marathon runner!!

This past week has left me feeling so emotional (having spoken with other marathon runners they are also in the same boat - thank goodness it's not just me!!).

I started this week feeling really un confident & saying things like "I can't do this" "I'm not strong enough"! But in true style my amazing network got me through it with lots of positive thoughts & boosting my fundraising pot. It didn't help that I had more hospitals scans on Monday so was feeling fragile from that & got some unexpected news (more on that in a later post)

Now with 2 days to go I'm only £200 off target and feeling excited and nervous about the Big Day! 

I've done the training so it all relies on my mental strength throughout the race now. I have quite a few wonderful supporters coming along to cheer me through so that is going to be a huge motivation as I pound the streets of London. 

I'm still feeling apprehensive about getting to the start on my own but I've decided it's all part of the experience so I just need to chill out & go with the flow! 

My friend Ness is also running so I've got fingers crossed we can find each other & start together. 

Unfortunately one of my biggest supporters, my mum, is recovering from an emergency operation so won't make it to see me, when I realised this last week, I was devastated & I think that brought on a lot of the emotion but now I've just got to go out there & make her proud! I'll do my best to get on TV so she can see me that way & with the wonders of technology I'll be able to FaceTime her at the end with that medal around my neck! 

If I don't get another chance before Sunday I want to say thank you so much to everyone who has followed by journey, to everyone who has donated to my fundraising & helped two amazing charities, to everyone who is coming along on Sunday to cheer me on and finally thank you to my family, boyfriend & best friends for sticking by me, supporting me, encouraging me & putting up with me over these last few months. Marathon training takes over your life & no one knows more about this than those special people in my life! 

http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/ClareSmith8

Tapering

I've been tapering my training for about a week now & with 10 days to go I'm starting to feel quite underprepared for the big day!! 

Having followed by plan to the letter for the past 5 months I'm now adding more runs in to give me that confidence that I can do this. It helps mentally that I have run 20 miles & I keep that in the back of my mind but when I'm doing 40-50 minute runs at the moment it doesn't feel enough. 

I'm also really conscious of how I'm feeling in these final days, picking up on any aches & pains. Touch wood, fingers crossed & all that I've been fine & my injuries all happened earlier in my training.

Emotionally I'm drained & I'm physically quite exhausted which worries me for the day.  

I've asked followers on twitter & a lot of people are in the same boat so this really does help. I'm so glad I've had the support of the twitter community to answer questions about the tapering. It's not something I've ever done before so it's good to get advise from fellow runners. 

Sadly some of the people I've 'virtually' had this journey with have had to pull out last minute due to injury. It's such a shame & leaves me feeling quite emotional for them. I know they'll get another chance but on the day I'll be running for all of them too. 

As a first time marathon runner I really have no idea what to expect & now as the day gets closer I've resided to my plan being to enjoy it & use it as an experience. 

I'd love to hear some other fellow runners final week stories...

What a difference a year makes!

Just came across this Facebook status of mine from a year ago today! I can't believe I hadn't even thought about running seriously then & now I'm about to run 26.2miles of the London Marathon!! 

It's safe to say my achievement so far has just hit me!! Wow! 

I'm utterly proud & emotional now. If nothing else with get me over that finish line then this certainly will! 

- A very happy runner today! 

23 days to go!

I decided this morning to donate another £26.20 to my fundraising as I felt really positive on my run this morning & pushed myself with my pace too. I was also nominated by a friend for a 'no make up selfie' which women are doing to raise funds for CRUK so this was for my donation towards that also. 

When I went along to my donations page a few things struck me...

Only 23 days to go!!

This really stood out for me this morning, it's no time at all & I remember when it was 123 days! Time really does fly! I'm almost a little sad that in 24 days time this journey will be over. 

Over £4000!!

The amount of money that people have kindly donated is just wonderful. It still amazes & humbles me that my friends, family and even people I've never met have been so generous. 

Although I'm still £1000 off target, I'm really looking forward to the final push for fundraising over the next 3 weeks & with every donation that comes in, it really does make me feel great & motivate me to run longer & faster. 

Thank you again to everyone who continues to support me. I don't know how I'd do it without you all. 

20 mile run on the agenda for Saturday then it's all downhill for a few weeks of tapering & resting before the big day! 

x

Call my name!

My running vest from CRUK arrived a few months ago & I had put it away & almost forgotten about it. Then with all the excitement over the past few weeks of the Marathon edging closer I decided to get it out & iron on my name! 

I'd got lots of advice over the past year and one of the main things people had told me is to ensure my name is on my top as it's a massive boost to have the crowd cheering your name. 

For this reason I decided to also have my nickname on my vest, I thought it'd be good fun, something for my massive group of supporters & fun for the crows too. So I now have Clare on the front & Gingey on the back!!

Yesterday I wore the vest (under my jacket!) for the first time, to ensure it didn't itch or snag & just knowing I was wearing it really gave me an extra boost! I'm so proud to wear this vest and support this amazing charity & I can't wait to wear it on the day. 

To hear complete strangers say my name, and nickname, will be just amazing. 

So if you see me 4 weeks today pounding the streets of London then give me a big cheer! It'll make the world of difference to me! 

36036!

Along with my final instructions for the London Marathon by post this weekend I've also had my running number! 

I'm delighted that mine is easy to remember so I can share it with all my supporters! 

Now I just can't wait to get to the ExCel & pick up all my paperwork! It's all getting very real! 

Final instructions!

Well this arrived in today's post & I'm so excited to get reading! I'm off out for my 20 miler this afternoon then it'll be a long bath & read up on my final instructions! 

The nerves & buzz is starting to kick in as I approach sub 4 weeks!! 

Runners chat

Since my marathon journey began I've been talking about it on twitter a lot & thanks to some lovely replies to my tweets I found out about #ukrunchat. 

It's a brilliant community of runners around the UK, people who run short distances to marathons, it really does cover so many people & different walks of life. 

Now everytime I mention running I include this # & I am guaranteed some lovely replies or sound advice. 

When I was injured it was great to put out there how I was feeling & for people to then reply who had been in similar situations. It's really motivating too as there are so many people in the same boat as me. 

Many first time marathon runners who all want to share their stories so we can help each other through. 

Once a week there is the chance to submit questions which then get retweeted out to everyone so you can help each other through. 

It's especially been supportive the closer to the marathon I'm getting. Everyone is starting to get really tired & achy which a lot of my friends may not understand but the runners in the community really do. 

Although I'll be running the marathon alone I do feel like running is a great community to a part off & although I'll probably never meet some of these people, hearing about their motivations & getting their advice really does help. 

The clock is ticking

With only 7 weeks (and 4 days) until the London Marathon, it's starting to really creep up on me & with all the plans for my supporters in place (more of that soon), it's now just a case of getting myself 'match ready'! Sounds so simple. 

The injury to my foot is now, fingers crossed, firmly in the past so for the past week it's been a case of upping my times & distances. This has been going well and I've been trying to really make the most of my rest days. 

Since I started full on marathon training, I've been seeing an osteopath every fortnight, he has been doing an amazing job of getting my limbs ready for the 26.2 miles & giving me some great advise especially when I had the injuries, this has left me feeling much more positive.

I was back to 2 hours+ last Sunday which really gave me the confidence to get another hour at least on the clock within the next 5 weeks before the tapering begins.

This is definitely not my marathon pace band,
more like Mo Farahs!!

The next area to look at is my pace for marathon day, because I run varying distances & times at the moment, it's really difficult to work out my current pace. I've been playing around with different times and I really do go from anything around 5:58km p/h to 6:20 dependant on the distance. 

It's been recommended I have a pace calculator around my wrist with my ideal pace times so I've looked at some templates and printed a few off to try out over the coming weeks.

To be honest, I think I'll just end up running my own race but it's good to try these things out beforehand just in case.

There really is so much to think about that I never even realised. 

My tip of the week came from my osteopath who suggested taking a black bin bag to the marathon start with me just in case it rains then I can stay dry at the start & dispose of it before I begin. This is something I wouldn't even consider!  



  

Today's Mantra

More waiting, more worry

After another 4 weeks of waiting on results I finally heard from the hospital on Friday. It wasn't the news I was hoping for. My case has been referred again to the board of consultants & they'll be discussing my results at their monthly meeting on Thursday. It's an odd feeling knowing that something is out of your hands & that whilst you're sat at work going about my daily routine there are strangers in a room at Southend Hospital discussing what will be happening for my imminent future. 
I'd be lying if I said I wasn't really worried and hadn't had a few sleepless nights in recent days plus I'm letting the slightest thing get on top of me. I have to keep reminding myself that I'm in really good hands & I that I'm actually very lucky. 

Onwards to the marathon training & with my fundraising now being over £3200 every pound that comes in really does spur me on. So anyone who may be reading this who has donated, thank you, it means so much to me & the charities. 

Touch wood my foot injury is now starting to ease off a little & after doing as I've been told and getting back into the training slowly, I'm now starting to get back on track. Tomorrow I'm aiming for 75 minutes as a short run & if I can accomplish that without stopping or having any pain in the foot then I'll be delighted & really feel like the marathon can be achieved! I'll have my full running confidence back. 

A bad day at the office

I've read on a number of running forums that most runners have a really bad training run before a big event, well mine was today! 

I've been feeling pretty exhausted over the past few weeks from a mixture of worry about results from the hospital, too many early morning runs, arranging fundraising events & generally doing too much with very little down time, so when the alarm went off this morning I just wasn't feeling it.

 

My good friend Dan was texting me about to do his insanity workout & he encouraged me to just go out there & run! 

I got dressed & ready to go feeling much more positive. My training plan wanted a 120 minute run which is a time I've completed a couple of times now so it wasn't like I had to really push myself to the limit - I thought! 

The weather has been horrendous lately with storms & as I run alone the seafront, it's very open to the elements & today's nemesis was wind!! 

We've been battered by these winds for days now & it's getting harder to run in them, today was no exception & worst than any of the other days. I was running into the wind & it might as well have been making me run backwards, it was awful & I used up so much energy just trying to put one foot in front of the other. 

About an hour into the run I became really emotional, all the negative thoughts in my head telling me I couldn't do it and the panic about the marathon being in only 9 weeks had literally hit me like a truck. I just sobbed. 

I kept running but with the wind, the emotion & the pain in my foot (which is always looming) I just couldn't continue. I stopped to catch my breath and stretch out my foot & that seemed to help for a few minutes. 

I decided to start heading for home & the though of a nice warm bath got me through another 30 minutes of very slow running. 

That was me done, 1hour30minutes & I couldn't do another step. It really was the worst run I've done both physically & emotionally. 

I got home feeling very deflated & frustrated with myself. 

It's left me feeling pretty low all day & thinking about what I could have done differently. 

I guess I have to put it down to experience & know that if I've hit a rock bottom run it can only get better. 

I have the osteopath tomorrow so fingers crossed the foot will be fixed & I can get back on it from Tuesday! 

Only 9 weeks to go & I really need to make them count! 

Another milestone

I've been beaming from ear to ear all day after completely half marathon distance on my training run this morning! I managed to complete it in 2hours 9 minutes which I was really pleased with. 

This is the longest I've ever run and if anyone had told me a year ago I'd be running anywhere near that amount I'd have laughed.

I have a foot injury too so that made the run all the more difficult & I've been struggling with my legs hurting since I finished the run but the main thing is I completed it! 

Plenty of stretching & ice being applied now! 

I picked up a new water belt at a local running shop yesterday which came in so handy. It has four small bottles attached so I can carry water & sports drinks with me at the same time, making a huge difference! It was really nice to have my hands free from carrying a bottle too. 

The best is elasticated so doesn't move around like most running belts as you're on the move. 

My latest running aid is banana chips! I now take a packet on every long run. I have a couple before I set off as I find it hard to eat anything much before a long run. Then after around an hour I eat a couple more & again just before 2 hours to give me that final boost! I suppose it's each to their own & now I've found this works for me I haven't looked back! 

I'd love to hear your running tips for hydration & boosting your run! 

Morning view

When I went out for my morning run today the sun was just coming up so I stopped for a few minutes to take in the view! 

Sometimes I feel very lucky to be able to run with such lovely scenes & it makes me feel really inspired & motivated! 

A thought

Motivation

Titanium by David Guetta was on the radio this morning and the words really stuck with me so I've made it my new Powersong for the end of my long training runs. 
These words in particular are going to spur me on

I think I've mentioned before that my other Powersong is Firework by Katy Perry. Would be interested to hear what your motivational songs are. 

Back to the plan

Last Thursday I returned to the hospital for another colposcopy, this time they took four biopsies which I wasn't expecting and knocked me for six, both physically and mentally. It's now the usual drill, wait four weeks for the results. 

Throughout the recovery my main concern - as well as my health - was getting back to my marathon training. Missing days of training can really affect your plan and although I'm a few days ahead of where I should be I really didn't want to suddenly be on the back foot. 

After resting - as much as is possible for me to rest - for a couple of days, I got back out running this morning. It was just great to be back! 

The weather is quite cold at the moment but despite that and the fog, I just focused on the bigger picture and ploughed on through. 

I'm suffering a little now from the pain but knowing I've got back to it is a huge boost. And keeping in mind that I'm healthy and will be back out there pounding the pavements tomorrow is also keeping me motivated. 

It does make me really admire people with more serious injuries and health problems that also train for and finish marathons, how do they even do that?

 

I heard from a colleague at the weekend that he trained for a marathon in 2 weeks!! I've been training already for four months and feel no where near ready! (He did say he couldn't walk for weeks after though so guess that's not a good idea!) 

The other real bonus and motivation for me this week has been reaching my £3000 target! 

We raised £1500 at a work fundraising day on Saturday and with the money already donated I am delighted that the target has been reached. 

Never one to shy away from a challenge, I've now decided to increase the target to £5000! With 11 weeks to go until the marathon I know it's achievable & can't wait to hand over cheques for so much money to my two charities! 

Thank you to everyone who continues to keep me motivated & committed to raising money for amazing causes. 

A tough week

The week I've been pretty much dreading for the past few months has arrived. On Thursday I'll be heading back to the hospital for my next colposcopy and to start another couple of weeks of waiting for results. 
People have asked me if it gets any easier, my answer 'No'. If anything because you know what to expect it's actually harder. The procedure isn't the nicest of things to go through but worst than that is the waiting. Your future is in the hands of someone in a lab somewhere who you will never meet! That is the scary part for me. 
Having said that, I've kept myself healthy & fit for the past couple of months so there is nothing more I can do than that, it's all out of my hands. 

This week my wonderful friend Caroline is the chosen one holding my hand through it all, it helps so much to have someone with you so take note, if you ever need to go through something like this, never try to soldier on alone, it does not help anyone, least of all you! Caroline, as with most of my friends, has been an absolute tower of strength for me throughout all of this and that really goes a long way to helping me keep my chin up, stay positive and smile on through it. 

I'll be resting up for a few days after the colposcopy so the training will need to ease a little, I've re-arranged my schedule for this week so that I am still running the same distance just on different days and thankfully I've saved my rest days for Friday & Saturday. Sunday will be a tough run as it's 1 hour 50 minutes but I'll be taking things slow and only doing as much as I can.  
If you are friends with me on Facebook, please 'like' my Nike+ update on Sunday morning, that's when I'll be needing all the cheers and support I can get. 

What is really motivating me throughout all of this though is that I am supporting two amazing charities and that by me putting myself out there, my kind friends, family, colleagues and even complete strangers are donating to something I feel very passionate about. 

Thank you all so much!