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 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! 

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!  



  

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! 

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

I took a bit of a break over Christmas & New Year from posting, instead focusing on spending time with my family and friends. It was a really lovely time & reminded me once again how lucky I am to have such great people around me. 

One thing I didn't take a break from though was training! 

I've been hard at it and upping my times and distances each week, I even ran on Christmas Day!! It was actually really refreshing to be out nice and early on Christmas morning and meant I was feeling really good (if a little achy) even after stuffing my face with all the usual festive treats. This Christmas was a first for me too, I actually lost weight instead of putting it on. It's all the training, it just seems to fall off, I suppose it's my metabolism.

I've decided to do a different training plan now which fits better for me, it was suggested by Cancer Research UK. I'm now running 4/5 times a week and giving myself a few rest days. This is really working for me as I now feel like I'm actually getting somewhere and giving my body a well deserved rest. 

I'm up to 90 minutes of running on my longest day now which feels so rewarding, I never thought I'd be able to comfortably run for 30 minutes let alone 90 so this is really giving me the boost I need to keep it going. 

With only 96 days until the London Marathon the challenge I've taken on is starting to really kick but I'm still as motivated as ever & am definitely already in better shape than I've ever been. 

So although it's a new year, the training continues, the commitment continues & thanks to some great support, the donations have continued to roll in for my chosen charities! 

2014 - The year I run the London Marathon! 

Run The Right Way

My colleague, Ian, emailed this link to me this morning. Two really interesting videos that could make you run more effectively and the right way! 

It's only 3 minutes long & could make a whole heap of difference to your running. I'll certainly be trying out the different stance on my next run. 

http://sanjayguptamd.blogs.cnn.com/category/cnn-lifestream-video/page/2/#lifestream

What a difference a year makes

A year ago today I went along for my routine smear test with the nurse. Thinking nothing of it at the time, it was about to be the day that set me off on a different course.
Thinking about it today with my stronger, wiser & much more focused hat on, I'm wondering what I'd say to 'me' a year ago. I'd have laughed if you'd told me in a year I would have a place in a marathon & be 4 weeks into training for it. 
I would absolutely tell myself to do what feels right. Something I have learnt over the past year is to have the emotion you feel like having when you feel like it, don't put on a brave face, especially around friends & family, and know that keeping positive & healthy is the best thing you can do. 

A year on and although I am still having to go to the hospital for check-ups & it is always in the back of my mind, I have new things to focus on & I've certainly never been stronger both mentally & physically.
It just goes to show you don't know what's around the corner. 

I recently came across this quote which fits just perfectly...

All Systems GO!!

I got home last night to an amazing letter from Cancer Research UK congratulating me on being accepted for a Charity Bond London Marathon 2014 place through then!! 



After being really emotional and excited for the whole evening, I'm still beaming from ear-to-ear! I just can't believe that after all these months of waiting, I've got my place. I'm also counting myself very lucky as I know hundreds of people apply for these places every year and to be accepted on my first try is really quite something. 

My intention is that unless I receive an offer of a place from Jo's Trust or the public ballot, I will accept this place & raise as much money as I can for CRUK whilst also giving a percentage of the total amount to Jo's. Should I be selected for Jo's, I'll probably be delirious and to honour CRUK's commitment to me I'll reverse this and give a percentage of the Jo's money raised to them. Sound fair?

Thank you for all the messages of congratulations that I've received so far. It's going to be a long road ahead but I'm mentally ready to take on the challenge & I just can't wait to get going. 

Any tips or advise that you can share on your marathon experiences would be very much welcomed. I've already received a lot of great advise from previous runners which I am sure will stand me in good stead of the coming months of training. With plenty of hard work and determination, I'm ready to take on this challenge & cross that finish line having raised a lot of money for great causes. 

Santa Run!

Today I've signed up to take part in a 10KM Santa Run on 8th December in London. I will be running this for Jo's Trust which makes me feel very proud indeed. I was delighted to get Judith, from the charities, email this morning and signed up straight-away. 

Fingers crossed some friends & family will also be joining me as it'd be great to run along-side them but even doing it on my own I'll be really satified knowing I'm raising more money and awareness for my chosen charity. 

If you'd like to run with me, please sign up here, places are limited so the sooner the better, then let me know when you're done & I'll sort out regular catch-ups leading up to the run. 

I was hoping by now to be on my first half marathon but with the knee problems, my progress has slowed down. All being well, I can now start to really pick it up and especially with runs like this in the pipeline it'll really spur me on. And it's only another month until the ballot places for the London Marathon are announced so let's hope that is good news for me. 

If you would like to sponsor me for any of the run's and challenges I'm doing over the coming year, please use the link on my blog to donate as much as you can. 

Insanity!

After what feels like months on a diet, I really let myself go over my birthday celebrations, although thankfully I only managed to put on 1lb and a little bit of body fat so overall I was quite pleased. 

With only 5 weeks to go until my friend, Grace's wedding I'm now back on the healthy eating, albeit giving the shakes a miss & just sticking to Special K & less carbs. The running is now in full swing too and with my weekly Tuesday runs with Alex to look forward too it's all keeping me active. 

I was also looking for something else to do to get my body looking toned and I'd heard a lot of people talk about 'Insanity'. It's a 60-day workout developed by Shaun T who says he will 

"...help you find out what happens when you get your mind out of the way and push your body to an intensity level you thought was reserved for elite athletes." 

I've since found out a few friends have tried some of his workouts and not necessarily done the whole 60-days. Well not one to do things by halves I checked it out this morning to see how this might work for me (my mum is also keen to try something new and it's always great to have a fitness buddy so I've also roped her in!). Shaun T acts as your personal trainers throughout the 60-days and according to their website - Beachbody - will push you past your limits with 10 workout discs packed with plyometric drills on top of nonstop intervals of strength, power, resistance, and ab and core training moves. There is no equipment or weights needed & you can do this in the comfort of your own home. Along with your 10 DVDs you also receive a 60 day wall calendar which shows you which workout to do each day, a quick start guide, a nutrition plan and you are able to go online for support along the way. 

The cost is a bit more than I'd normally pay for a fitness regime but it's certainly cheaper than the gym and if you're really keen you can do the workout over and over! 

I'm really excited to get started, although not sure I'll be saying that after a few days. The before shots will be taken tonight & hopefully I'll survive to let you know how I get on & who know's in 60 days time, I might have those long awaited abs! 

No more diet...

...well not for this week anyway. 

I'm sure I've mentioned it once or twice but it's my birthday this weekend. It was always my intention to diet until my birthday then stop. I know that I've lost a lot of the weight I set out too and overall I'm feeling happy with how I am now looking but should I go back to how I was eating 8 weeks ago? It just doesn't seem right for some reason & I certainly don't want to put the weight all back on. 

From this Friday I can eat whatever I feel like over the weekend, it is my 30th after all. Then I have a big night out with friends next Saturday so plenty of bad food & lots of alcohol then but then what? 

It feels wrong to go back to what I used to eat. I'm thinking that this diet has almost become second nature, more of a way of eating & less a diet. 
Now that I'm at the weight I set out, I'll probably not take it as seriously but whilst I'm enjoying the Slim Fast diet now, I think it'll continue.

The 2 litres of water is absolutely something I'd like to carry on, maybe not being as strict with myself over it but I already can tell my body is feeling healthier for it. 
My general feeling is that I'll see how I go, if I fancy cereal I'll have it, if not it'll be the shakes. If I want to treat myself to a nicer dinner, I can but won't go crazy. As my running is also increasing in distance and intensity I don't think the odd cake will kill me either. 

I actually don't fancy too much of what I used to have, a lot of this diet is about moderation. I have the Lindt Lindor chocolates, one or two of those a day won't make me obese so why not treat myself to them, just no need to eat a whole family bag of revels in one sitting (I actually could but I won't!)! 

 

I'd be interested to hear if any of you have also been on a diet and how you incorporated it into your life after the actual diet ended. Or do people just stay on one lifelong diet? That seems a little dull. 

I'm sure I'll be writing more about how I get on but for now I'm going to enjoy the weekend ahead and especially my trip to Prezzo with the girls from work on Friday! Pizza & Rose here we come!  

A Cheat Day...

What a great day of the week Friday is, this week has really flown by for me so it's great to know the weekend is in sight.

I'm off to France for the day tomorrow with my family so there will be lots of temptation to eat bad things. After 6 weeks of being good with my food choices, I'm allowing myself one cheat day but will still be remembering the following....

Have a great weekend, whatever you are up too. 

Motivated Monday!

Preventing Running Injuries

Yesterday I posted 'Common Running Injuries' so today I thought I'd share some tips on treating those injuries and most importantly preventing them in the first place. 

Here are my top tips!
Warm up and cool down

It’s essential to warm up properly before you start running. Five to ten minutes of brisk walking or gentle jogging before you start will warm your muscles up and help prevent injury. To cool down, carry on running at an easier pace or walk for five to ten minutes. This will help your body recover after your run. 

When I first started running I never done this and soon learnt that was a bad idea. I was getting really sore muscles and everything felt very tight. 
Wear the right shoes

As I mentioned in a previous post this really is my key to a pleasant running experience. It’s so important to buy the correct running shoes, and it’s best to go to a running shop to get fitted. 
Build up slowly

Don’t be tempted to increase the intensity or distance of your running too quickly. Do a similar run at least three or four times before you increase your pace or distance.

It took be such a long time to build up to 10K but now I'm adding a few KM each week and feeling much better for it.
Stay motivated

As I know very well, being injured can be very frustrating. When I first started running and got minor injuries I was tempted to just give up. But by giving myself goals, 5k charity run, this really boosted me to get back out there. In general I find that if you have something to work towards, it really helps. 

Always remember at the first sign of any running related injury...

Common Running Injuries

Having recently suffered a running injury in the form of a metatarsal fracture, I felt it was a good idea to familiarise myself with other injuries that runners can suffer from and identify the best ways to avoid these stopping me from running. 

Below I've listed some common running injuries. 

• Heal Pain - Similar to my injury, this will rear itself with pain or swelling in the heel or bottom of the foot, normally occurring if you suddenly start doing a lot more running, if you run uphill or if your shoes aren't supportive enough or are worn out. You won’t be able to run with heel pain. If you treat the pain early enough, it will normally go away in two to three weeks, after which you should be able to start running again.
  Top Tip - Freeze a small bottle of water, then place it on the floor and roll it back and forth under your foot for about 20 minutes. 
• Muscle Strains - The most common strains due to running are in the hamstring muscles or calf muscles. Strains often affect new runners, whose muscles are not used to running. You won’t be able to run with a muscle strain. Most strains can be treated at home. Stop running immediately and apply ice to the painful area for around 20 minutes a few times a day. Keeping your leg elevated and supported with a pillow will help reduce swelling. 
• Shin Pain - This occurs on the front of the leg, below the knee. It’s often referred to as shin splints. Runners are often aware of a dull pain in the shin but carry on running. Pain can be relieved by applying ice to the area regularly for the first few days. Shin pain is likely to stop you running altogether. 
• Knee Pain (Runner's Knee) - This can have many causes, such as swelling under the kneecap. The pain may be dull or it could be sharp and severe. To help knee pain at home, apply ice to the knee and stretch. Hold ice (try a bag of frozen peas wrapped in a damp tea towel) on the painful area for around 20 minutes a few times a day. If the pain is severe or the knee is swollen, see your GP straight away. Don’t run if you have pain in your knee.
• Achilles Pain - The Achilles tendon is the tough, rubbery cord at the back of the ankle that links the muscle to the bone. Regular running can cause wear and tear to the tendon over time. To treat Achilles pain at home, apply ice to the area if you can feel a lump there. You can also gently massage the area with your fingers. You could also try using heel wedges in your shoes. A sharp pain will stop you running altogether. Even if the pain is not severe, it’s a good idea to rest until the pain goes, and get it checked if it doesn't go away.

Remember with all of these treatments - 

*Never place ice directly on your skin.*

As I found out being injured can dent your motivation, whatever your injury, it’s important to listen to your body. Don’t run if you’re in pain and only start running again when you've recovered sufficiently. I learnt this the hard way! 

Perfect Photo!

Saw this image today and just had to share, perfect for where I am with my fitness journey at the moment! 

The Perfect Body

I've been on a diet for the past 5 weeks. Myself & my friend Gemma decided to do the Juice Plus Complete diet, this consists of 2 diet shakes per day to replace two meals, a 600 calorie meal & fruit or veg for snacks. Oh and the small matter of 2 litres of water per day! 

Both of us have naturally had our good & bad days but I think we're looking really good on it. I know we've both lost weight & with the exercise we're doing as well have really toned up. 

The water element, although sometimes a hard task to consume, has really made me feel good, its helped my digestion, my skin & I'm sure so much more. It's also aided my running, I have far less stitches which I was really suffering with previously so that's a massive bonus. Even after the diet has finished this is something I'll continue. 

So in the quest to get that longed for 'Perfect Body', my latest problem is I'm losing a lot of weight from my upper body and actually starting to look a little scrawny. I'm a runner so all of my exercise has been on my lower body - which is where I wanted to lose the weight & is coming along slowly - but it seems to be falling off the top. 

I really didn't need to make my chest any smaller but they've practically vanished! I know every girls worst nightmare! 

The only upper body exercises I do are press ups & sit ups & not even many of those. Gemma & I were talking yesterday & we wondered why this is the case? Does anyone else have a similar situation? How to I get some arm definition back without piling on the pounds? 

This really is baffling! 

For those people starting a diet like this I would absolutely suggest starting with a friend. Both Gemma & I had our individual goals in sight, she is heading off to Ibiza & I have my 30th birthday coming up. Looking back now there is no way I could have kept to it & achieved my goals without her support & reassurance throughout. It's been hard work but with only another 2 weeks to go for my, I'm feeling happier with my figure, confident & excited to wear some different clothes! 

Running Essentials

These are a few running essentials that’s found are key to my running experience over the years. 

Firstly a lose t-shirt, you’re going to get sweaty and anything too clingy is just going to be uncomfortable so make sure you wear something that feels good.

Running trousers/bottoms, I’ve tried running in lose shorts or trousers and it’s just not great, try some capri pants instead. (They also hold in all of your wobbly bits!). 

A hat especially in the sunshine is a must. You can get especially made running caps like the one shown & they really do help to keep you cool. 

And now for my absolute running must-have, running socks. I always used to wear normal cotton socks then wondered why I was getting blisters. When I tried running socks, it really was like a different run. They hold your feet in your trainers so no knocking about, they are firm so no slipping down your foot whilst you’re running and you can get them with different support patches depending on where you need the protection. 

Give them a go! 

Diet Disappointment

I’ve been on a Juice+ Complete diet for the past 4 weeks. This consists of a protein shake for breakfast with rice milk, fruit snack, another shake for lunch, raw veg snack in PM, less than 600 calorie meal containing no carbs & drinking 2/3 litres of water per day.
I’ve also been running except the last 10 days when I was unable to due to injury. I took some before photos & weighed myself using the boots BMI machine.
So today was the 4 week deadline.
I took my next phase photos & compared them to my initial ones, in my eyes no change although I can see a lose around the chest (I’ve barely got any so this is not an area I wanted to lose it!).
I thought I’d check out the weight situation anyway & see so off to Boots I went before work.
I’ve lost 7lbs & 10% of my body fat. This wasn’t as much as I would have liked especially because I’ve really been trying so much.
So I have another 3 weeks to go until my birthday & I’ll be continuing the Juice+ for two weeks then doing a final week of slim fast. I’d really like to have lost a stone in total so need to work really hard for the next 3 weeks.
Thankfully I’m back running so that will certainly help.
I’ve got a very small dress to wear as one of my birthday outfits so have to get toned to wear that for sure!

Watch this space & feel free to spur me on in anyway.

Last Night

This is mainly what I was up to last night! Nice bit of running followed by a protein shake. Phew!