The cold developed, and blossomed, and this has been a very busy week of ministry, as you can imagine. I have only run twice, a total of 8 miles.
My first run, on Wednesday, lasted just over an hour, and although fairly sedate in pace, left me feeling a lot better for having done it. I was past the worst of the headcold, and it hadn't yet got to the annoying cough stage. My second run was at parkrun on Saturday - in truth I felt I could hardly spare the time, but that made it seem all the more important to go. And I was enjoying it, until the last half mile or so, when I noticed a niggling pain in my right calf. It became uncomfortable enough that I had to walk the rest of the way - it didn't hurt when I walked, but did when I tried to run.
So, there we are - I appear to have strained a muscle in my calf, although how I have done so when running very slowly and gently, I can't imagine. It's not painful.... until I try to do something more vigorous than walking. Up and down stairs is slightly uncomfortable, but manageable. The general advice of my running friends is that I'm looking at a couple of weeks' rest from running to allow it to heal, although any activity I can do without pain is OK. But the best training for running is running, so this is all a bit annoying!
Christmas is just 3 days away, my cold has progressed to the annoying chesty cough stage, and I can't run at the moment. Life is full of ups and downs, but all we can do is respond to them as they come. After Christmas, we have a little time to relax, so I'm going to take a break from blogging as well. After all, there won't be any running to report.
So, I hope you all have a wonderful, peaceful Christmas, and a happy and healthy New Year. I'll be back in January - hopefully with better news.
Sunday, 22 December 2013
Saturday, 14 December 2013
Riding the Roller Coaster of Life
My longest run on this easy week was a little over 9 miles and just over 2 hours. I did 3 runs outdoors plus an intervals session on the treadmill, for a total of 18 miles.
That total is a little lower than I had in mind at the start of the week. I dropped a run and had an extra rest day on Tuesday - partly because, as Monday wore on, I began to feel more and more tired, and partly because ministry is just so busy at the moment that I felt I needed to give the time to that. I was a little concerned that after feeling so strong last week, a 'mere' 9 miles should have left me feeling like I needed an extra rest day.
However, by Wednesday evening I realised that the combination of Vicks First Defence and my immune system were losing the battle against that suspicious scratching feeling at the back of my throat. I woke up on Friday morning with a full blown sneezing, coughing, stuffy-nosed cold. This morning I added a gravelly voice to the mix. I was half-tempted to give parkrun a miss this morning, but I was down to volunteer as a pacer. This is someone who deliberately runs to finish in an agreed time (which needs to be comfortable for them), in order to give a lead to a slower runner who is trying to beat that time. I was down to pace 35 minutes, which is just as well, because I would not have run much faster anyway. As it happened, nobody needed my services, but I did it to pace anyway, ran nice even splits with a bit of a speed-up at the end, and finished in 34:37.
After coffee and a shower at the Manor Sports Complex, I queued to post some Christmas parcels before heading over to Chesterfield Road for a coffee morning and a welcome bacon buttie, as I had not had breakfast. Christmas is fast approaching, and my diary this week is fairly insane, with of course a lot of extra services which need preparing. Ordinarily I would also be doing additional visiting as I take communion to housebound members - but it is not wise to visit frail people and cough and sneeze all over them. Instead, I shall phone them all, explain why I will not be seeing them until New Year and hopefully have a good chat.
I'm not sure how much running I shall do this side of Christmas. The standard advice is that, with a head cold, you are OK to run if you feel like doing so, whereas with anything chesty you are better not to. So, at the moment, I could run if I felt like it. I must say, I did feel much better after this morning's run than I did before it! But we shall have to wait and see, because colds are tricky beasts which can change from day to day.
I've written on here before about the importance of having a plan, and just following each step as it comes. The other side of that is that you have to be a bit flexible, because sometimes life gets in the way of your plan. It's important to have a plan but also not to be so totally wedded to it that you attempt to follow it 100% when circumstances make that unwise. Many marathon runners won't be starting their mileage build-up until the New Year anyway, so there is plenty of time. I would ideally like to run that half-marathon distance before Christmas, and complete 110 miles in December - I'm up to 48 so far. But if the combination of work pressure and a small virus mean that can't happen, it's not the end of the world.
One thing that's not going to change, however, is the date of the London Marathon!! 17 weeks tomorrow I shall be toeing the line.... well-prepared, and ready to go. Thank you for your support - it makes a big difference.
Saturday, 7 December 2013
A Journey of a Thousand Miles Begins With a Single Step
So runs the Chinese proverb. Whatever your ambition or goal, it remains a dream until you actually do something about it. And if the whole is too big to contemplate, the thing to do is just to start. Take each step, each day as it comes. When you reach an obstacle, don't give up - work out how to get around it, or over it, or through it. That might mean a delay, or a detour. But then you keep going - that's the only way to reach your destination and realise your dream.
Fundraising this week has taken a breather, but then, there is a certain major Christian festival coming up in just a few weeks time. People have other things on their minds - as do I - so I'm content to let that lie until New Year. The running, however, continues apace. Longest run this week of 3:09, but the terrain (hilly and mostly off-road on rough paths) meant I didn't quite reach the symbolic half marathon distance of 13.1 miles, instead covering a smidge under 13 miles. Total weekly mileage of 30 miles for the first time ever. And (thanks to the automatic record-keeping of my Garmin watch and the fetcheveryone.com website) - the total mileage I have run since April has reached 496. So, with a bit of poetic licence, and apologies to The Proclaimers:
And I have run five hundred miles
And I will run five hundred more
Just to be the one who's run
A thousand miles to raise two grand or more
(or should that be: "... to end up stiff and sore"?)
Yes folks - the way my schedule looks, by the time I start the marathon next April, I will probably have run about a thousand miles. In other words for every mile of the marathon, I'll have run close to 40 miles in training. They say that running shoes should be replaced every 300-500 miles as they lose their cushioning - I bought a new pair in September, which have already done 230 miles, so I'll probably be ready for a new pair in February.
But all that is in the future. You can only train one day at a time - which is the only way you can live life, really. Tomorrow is a rest day from exercise, but on Monday I start another week. This will be an easier one, perhaps a long run of 2 hours/9 miles, and a weekly total in the low to mid twenties. I'm happy to report that I have felt less tired this week, in fact I felt like doing some speed work on Thursday and Friday, and also ran parkrun this morning in my second fastest time ever. So with a week of easy running ahead, I hope to feel full of energy the next time I do a 3 hour run. I will crack half marathon distance before Christmas.
Fundraising this week has taken a breather, but then, there is a certain major Christian festival coming up in just a few weeks time. People have other things on their minds - as do I - so I'm content to let that lie until New Year. The running, however, continues apace. Longest run this week of 3:09, but the terrain (hilly and mostly off-road on rough paths) meant I didn't quite reach the symbolic half marathon distance of 13.1 miles, instead covering a smidge under 13 miles. Total weekly mileage of 30 miles for the first time ever. And (thanks to the automatic record-keeping of my Garmin watch and the fetcheveryone.com website) - the total mileage I have run since April has reached 496. So, with a bit of poetic licence, and apologies to The Proclaimers:
And I have run five hundred miles
And I will run five hundred more
Just to be the one who's run
A thousand miles to raise two grand or more
(or should that be: "... to end up stiff and sore"?)
Yes folks - the way my schedule looks, by the time I start the marathon next April, I will probably have run about a thousand miles. In other words for every mile of the marathon, I'll have run close to 40 miles in training. They say that running shoes should be replaced every 300-500 miles as they lose their cushioning - I bought a new pair in September, which have already done 230 miles, so I'll probably be ready for a new pair in February.
But all that is in the future. You can only train one day at a time - which is the only way you can live life, really. Tomorrow is a rest day from exercise, but on Monday I start another week. This will be an easier one, perhaps a long run of 2 hours/9 miles, and a weekly total in the low to mid twenties. I'm happy to report that I have felt less tired this week, in fact I felt like doing some speed work on Thursday and Friday, and also ran parkrun this morning in my second fastest time ever. So with a week of easy running ahead, I hope to feel full of energy the next time I do a 3 hour run. I will crack half marathon distance before Christmas.
Saturday, 30 November 2013
Milestones and Motivation
This was a good week of training, with a number of "best yet"s achieved. Longest run to date - 2:45 and 12.2 miles; highest weekly mileage - 28.5; highest monthly mileage - 100 miles in November. On the fundraising side, a couple more donations were made after I posted last week's blog (Thank You!) and the total has now passed £1,200. I also took delivery of my fundraising pack from Cancer Research UK. This includes my running top, sponsor form, information about CRUK's work and plenty of hints and tips about both training and fundraising.
Now you may or may not have noticed this, but for several weeks my confidence about the challenge which still lies ahead has been a bit wobbly. As the long runs continue to increase, and I've dealt with the resulting tiredness, it sometimes seemed as if I would accept any excuse to cut a run short, or to take walk breaks. There have been several weeks when I didn't reach the total number of miles I was aiming for.
I have written on here that this is reasonable, and not a problem -and that's absolutely true. The body takes time to adapt, and it does so while you are resting. While there are rules of thumb about the rate at which runners increase their mileage, the fact is that we are all different; every runner will have an optimum rate of progression, and it's to some extent a matter of trial and error to discover that. The first rule of training is Don't Get Injured - and slowing down and taking extra rest when you need it are vital to avoid getting hurt. All of the above is logical, and true, and I know it. But at the same time, there has been a little voice inside telling me that I'm falling short, that it's too hard, and I'm not going to be able to do it.
Confidence is so important. Someone once said that whether you believe you can, or believe you can't, you are probably right. Clearly there are physical limits to what we can do - for example, I will never run a 4-minute mile, because I'm the wrong sex and too old, even if I had the genetic potential to be an elite runner (which I probably don't). But there *is* a maximum speed I could potentially run at, and how close I get to it depends entirely on how well I train and how hard I try. And that depends on how much I believe I can do it - or want to do it. The running gurus believe that most healthy adults could, if they wanted to and they trained for it, run a marathon. Most people don't want to. And that's fine - there are lots of challenges I have no desire to attempt.
I had thought that I would reach 30 miles per week by the end of November and then maintain at least that through December. I haven't quite managed it. But do you know what? That's only a matter of timescale - I'm going to have a go at it in this coming week, and even if I don't quite manage it, it will only be another week or two before I do. I have felt so much better this week - even after running 12.2 miles on Monday, I ran 5.1 on Wednesday and 5.9 on Thursday, and felt strong and energetic. I am adapting. I am getting fitter.
Confidence is both cause and effect. It is so much easier to make the effort required to do something when you believe you can do it. And having done it, you then *know* you can do it, and believing you can do the next level becomes much easier. Having run 12.2 mile in just under 2 hrs 46 minutes, I have no problem believing that I can run for 3 hours, or that I can run half marathon distance. I intend to do one or ideally both of those on Monday.
In 19 weeks time, I shall be down in London, preparing for the biggest challenge of my life. Or will I? It seems to me that the training is as much of a challenge as the day itself - if not more so. By the time I get to London, a 12 mile run will be an easy workout, and I should have several 20 mile runs under my belt. All the logic and experience and running wisdom says that running the marathon - assuming I'm content to take it slowly - will then be demanding, but perfectly achievable. But getting out there day after day, week after week, as the weather gets cold and wet and dark, and time after time going further than I have ever gone - THAT is a challenge. Once I have done that - and I will - running a marathon will be a breeze.
I hope :)
Now you may or may not have noticed this, but for several weeks my confidence about the challenge which still lies ahead has been a bit wobbly. As the long runs continue to increase, and I've dealt with the resulting tiredness, it sometimes seemed as if I would accept any excuse to cut a run short, or to take walk breaks. There have been several weeks when I didn't reach the total number of miles I was aiming for.
I have written on here that this is reasonable, and not a problem -and that's absolutely true. The body takes time to adapt, and it does so while you are resting. While there are rules of thumb about the rate at which runners increase their mileage, the fact is that we are all different; every runner will have an optimum rate of progression, and it's to some extent a matter of trial and error to discover that. The first rule of training is Don't Get Injured - and slowing down and taking extra rest when you need it are vital to avoid getting hurt. All of the above is logical, and true, and I know it. But at the same time, there has been a little voice inside telling me that I'm falling short, that it's too hard, and I'm not going to be able to do it.
Confidence is so important. Someone once said that whether you believe you can, or believe you can't, you are probably right. Clearly there are physical limits to what we can do - for example, I will never run a 4-minute mile, because I'm the wrong sex and too old, even if I had the genetic potential to be an elite runner (which I probably don't). But there *is* a maximum speed I could potentially run at, and how close I get to it depends entirely on how well I train and how hard I try. And that depends on how much I believe I can do it - or want to do it. The running gurus believe that most healthy adults could, if they wanted to and they trained for it, run a marathon. Most people don't want to. And that's fine - there are lots of challenges I have no desire to attempt.
I had thought that I would reach 30 miles per week by the end of November and then maintain at least that through December. I haven't quite managed it. But do you know what? That's only a matter of timescale - I'm going to have a go at it in this coming week, and even if I don't quite manage it, it will only be another week or two before I do. I have felt so much better this week - even after running 12.2 miles on Monday, I ran 5.1 on Wednesday and 5.9 on Thursday, and felt strong and energetic. I am adapting. I am getting fitter.
Confidence is both cause and effect. It is so much easier to make the effort required to do something when you believe you can do it. And having done it, you then *know* you can do it, and believing you can do the next level becomes much easier. Having run 12.2 mile in just under 2 hrs 46 minutes, I have no problem believing that I can run for 3 hours, or that I can run half marathon distance. I intend to do one or ideally both of those on Monday.
In 19 weeks time, I shall be down in London, preparing for the biggest challenge of my life. Or will I? It seems to me that the training is as much of a challenge as the day itself - if not more so. By the time I get to London, a 12 mile run will be an easy workout, and I should have several 20 mile runs under my belt. All the logic and experience and running wisdom says that running the marathon - assuming I'm content to take it slowly - will then be demanding, but perfectly achievable. But getting out there day after day, week after week, as the weather gets cold and wet and dark, and time after time going further than I have ever gone - THAT is a challenge. Once I have done that - and I will - running a marathon will be a breeze.
I hope :)
Saturday, 23 November 2013
Slow, Slow, Quick Quick, Slow
This was a lighter week in terms of running mileage, with only 17 miles clocked up. I did however do much of that faster than I normally do - more about that later - and also walked the 7.5 miles around Carsington Water with David yesterday. I've done two talks this week (one about training for the marathon, the other about our pilgrimage to the Holy Land earlier this year), and both groups gave a donation to Cancer Research as a thank you. I also picked up some more sponsorship from individuals, and the fundraising total now stands at a magnificent £1,141 - 45% of the way towards my target.
Running pace is a topic of endless fascination for me. If it's of no interest to you, you may prefer to skip the rest of this blog. Most distance runners think about their pace in minutes per mile. The "four minute mile" is famous, but that sort of pace is restricted to elite runners and shorter distances. As a general rule, you can assume that men run faster than women, younger people run faster than older ones, and the longer the distance, the slower the pace. For comparison purposes, here are some world record times and the corresponding paces:
Marathon (men) - 2:03:23 (4:43)
Marathon (women) - 2:15:25 (5:10)
Of course, those are the times for senior athletes, i.e. those aged between 20 and 34 (for women) or 39 (for men). At 35, female athletes are classed as veterans.... but only at 40 for men... funny, that. By the time I run London, I will be 50, so the appropriate comparison is with 50-year-old women:
Marathon 2:31:05 (5:46)
10K 35:05 (5:40)
5K 16:51 (5:26)
My best ever 5K time (so far) is 31.04, which equates to 9:57 per mile, and my best mile within that was run in 9:27. So you see, I am unlikely to be competing in the trials for the 2016 Olympics! But that really doesn't matter - I run for enjoyment, for my health, and now of course, to raise money for Cancer Research.
The other thing to bear in mind is that there is a big difference between training and racing. Most of my runs are considerably slower than my best, which is what is generally advised. Running fast takes too much out of you to do it all the time. I do my long runs at around 13:00 - 13:30 pace and my medium length ones (4-6 miles) at 12:00 - 13:00, depending on the terrain and how fresh or tired I am feeling.
On Monday morning, I was feeling quite fresh but was short of time, so I only ran 3.8 miles, but did so at a pace of 11:54. My 5.2 miles on Thursday were run at 12:42 pace. I went to the gym twice, and both times
did a spell on the treadmill. One of these was an intervals session, where I ran 1 minute bursts at 10:00 pace, with 2 minutes of jogging in between. At Parkrun this morning I was out for a gentle run, and kept company with a lady who is slower than me. The first 3 miles were run in 11:27, 12:02 and 11:56 respectively. But for the last little bit - the final 0.1 miles - I did my best impersonation of a sprint, running at a pace of 7:50. The world record holder does a full 26.2 miles at more than 2 minutes per mile faster than what I managed for a couple of hundred yards....
The rule of thumb is that long runs should be done 90 seconds - 2 minutes per mile slower than your intended marathon pace. This makes perfect sense - a training run is a training run, and at the end of it, I need to get on with my day. A race is a race, and after it there is time to rest and recuperate. Running my long runs at 13:30, it's reasonable to think in terms of 12 minutes per mile as my marathon pace, which would see me finish in 5 hrs 15 minutes. It remains to be seen whether, by April, I will be able to maintain that. My goal, really, is to finish and still feel human.
And, to do that, I need to continue the training. On Monday, I intend to run (slowly!) for 2 hours 40 minutes. I should cover around 12 miles in that time. Before Christmas, I should have run a little over half marathon distance. Little by little, I edge closer. The support and encouragement I get from various quarters is a big help - I can't let you all down now!
Running pace is a topic of endless fascination for me. If it's of no interest to you, you may prefer to skip the rest of this blog. Most distance runners think about their pace in minutes per mile. The "four minute mile" is famous, but that sort of pace is restricted to elite runners and shorter distances. As a general rule, you can assume that men run faster than women, younger people run faster than older ones, and the longer the distance, the slower the pace. For comparison purposes, here are some world record times and the corresponding paces:
Marathon (men) - 2:03:23 (4:43)
Marathon (women) - 2:15:25 (5:10)
Of course, those are the times for senior athletes, i.e. those aged between 20 and 34 (for women) or 39 (for men). At 35, female athletes are classed as veterans.... but only at 40 for men... funny, that. By the time I run London, I will be 50, so the appropriate comparison is with 50-year-old women:
Marathon 2:31:05 (5:46)
10K 35:05 (5:40)
5K 16:51 (5:26)
My best ever 5K time (so far) is 31.04, which equates to 9:57 per mile, and my best mile within that was run in 9:27. So you see, I am unlikely to be competing in the trials for the 2016 Olympics! But that really doesn't matter - I run for enjoyment, for my health, and now of course, to raise money for Cancer Research.
The other thing to bear in mind is that there is a big difference between training and racing. Most of my runs are considerably slower than my best, which is what is generally advised. Running fast takes too much out of you to do it all the time. I do my long runs at around 13:00 - 13:30 pace and my medium length ones (4-6 miles) at 12:00 - 13:00, depending on the terrain and how fresh or tired I am feeling.
On Monday morning, I was feeling quite fresh but was short of time, so I only ran 3.8 miles, but did so at a pace of 11:54. My 5.2 miles on Thursday were run at 12:42 pace. I went to the gym twice, and both times
did a spell on the treadmill. One of these was an intervals session, where I ran 1 minute bursts at 10:00 pace, with 2 minutes of jogging in between. At Parkrun this morning I was out for a gentle run, and kept company with a lady who is slower than me. The first 3 miles were run in 11:27, 12:02 and 11:56 respectively. But for the last little bit - the final 0.1 miles - I did my best impersonation of a sprint, running at a pace of 7:50. The world record holder does a full 26.2 miles at more than 2 minutes per mile faster than what I managed for a couple of hundred yards....
The rule of thumb is that long runs should be done 90 seconds - 2 minutes per mile slower than your intended marathon pace. This makes perfect sense - a training run is a training run, and at the end of it, I need to get on with my day. A race is a race, and after it there is time to rest and recuperate. Running my long runs at 13:30, it's reasonable to think in terms of 12 minutes per mile as my marathon pace, which would see me finish in 5 hrs 15 minutes. It remains to be seen whether, by April, I will be able to maintain that. My goal, really, is to finish and still feel human.
And, to do that, I need to continue the training. On Monday, I intend to run (slowly!) for 2 hours 40 minutes. I should cover around 12 miles in that time. Before Christmas, I should have run a little over half marathon distance. Little by little, I edge closer. The support and encouragement I get from various quarters is a big help - I can't let you all down now!
Saturday, 16 November 2013
Differently Shaped Week
This week I met my long run target of 2 hours 30 minutes, covering 11.2 miles in that time. My total mileage for the week was 24. No more cash raised this week, but I received a phone call from Cancer Research on Friday, asking me how my training and fundraising were going. It is nice to have that support - but it does make it all feel rather real! The first question was, "How do you feel about running a marathon?" My answer was: "Excited and terrified!"
I had morning appointments on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, and fitting in my long run before them would have meant getting up very early and running in the dark. I'm dedicated - but we all have our limits! There is a distinct lack of street lighting around Blidworth, which would mean a choice between wearing a head torch or running laps of the mining estate. On balance, I elected to leave my long run until Thursday. My run on Monday in particular was a joy. Although I had run quite briskly at parkrun on Saturday, I felt quite fresh. It was a glorious morning for running - bright, crisp and dry. I ran just under 6 miles, thoroughly enjoyed it, and felt invigorated afterwards.
For my long run, I did a circular route taking in Rainworth, the MARR road, Harlow Wood, Thieves Wood, Ravenshead and Ricket Lane. This involved a certain amount of mud, and also getting slightly lost, as I don't know the paths through Harlow Wood terribly well - but I knew I was never far from civilisation, and if I kept going in one direction for long enough, I would hit a road. In the event, I came out onto the A60 at the point I had intended to, but just didn't take the most direct route to get there.
As well as being the cornerstone of endurance training, long runs are important opportunities to try out the kit you intend to wear on race day. A garment which appears to fit perfectly well on a 5 mile run, can turn out to have edges or seams which, given long enough, will chafe to the point of bleeding. Race day is not the time to try out new things! Running 26 miles without taking on water or calories is not recommended - but you need to practice drinking and find out what foodstuffs you can tolerate. Some runners suffer from cramps and the delightfully named "runner's trots" if they eat the wrong thing. Many runners use carbohydrate gels, which are quickly absorbed - but there's no reason why you can't just use ordinary food. So, I have started to experiment. This week I consumed a packet of yogurt-coated raisins, and they seemed to do the trick nicely, with no unfortunate side effects.
I deliberately paced my long run slightly slower than last week, averaging 13:30 minutes per mile. This hides a lot of variability - I was practically whizzing along the MARR road at around 12 minutes per mile, and while avoiding tree roots and boggy bits in Harlow Wood, slowed to over 16 minutes per mile. I don't attempt to run while eating - so I had a few short walking breaks.
I was - of course - tired after this run, and had a good (and long!) night's sleep on Thursday. But I had very little stiffness the following day, which I take to be a good sign. I had volunteered to be the Tail Runner at parkrun this morning, which means deliberately running at the back of the pack, to make sure everyone gets round safely. This morning I accompanied a lady who was running for only the second time, and encouraged her to run for a greater proportion of the time, as she knocked 45 seconds off her time.
Having done my long run so late in the week, I won't be doing one on Monday - I shall leave it till the week after. So, in this coming week, I will run 4 times, aiming to cover over 20-25 miles in total. Then the following week, I'll continue the build-up with a long run of 2 hrs 40 minutes, and hopefully getting my total into the upper twenties.
When I think back to 6 months ago - I was just preparing to run my first race, a 10K trail race at Clumber Park, which took place on 18th May. At that point, the furthest I had run was a little over 5 miles, and the 6.1 miles of the race was an endurance challenge. Now, 6.1 miles is a comfortable mid-week run. How times change!
I had morning appointments on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, and fitting in my long run before them would have meant getting up very early and running in the dark. I'm dedicated - but we all have our limits! There is a distinct lack of street lighting around Blidworth, which would mean a choice between wearing a head torch or running laps of the mining estate. On balance, I elected to leave my long run until Thursday. My run on Monday in particular was a joy. Although I had run quite briskly at parkrun on Saturday, I felt quite fresh. It was a glorious morning for running - bright, crisp and dry. I ran just under 6 miles, thoroughly enjoyed it, and felt invigorated afterwards.
For my long run, I did a circular route taking in Rainworth, the MARR road, Harlow Wood, Thieves Wood, Ravenshead and Ricket Lane. This involved a certain amount of mud, and also getting slightly lost, as I don't know the paths through Harlow Wood terribly well - but I knew I was never far from civilisation, and if I kept going in one direction for long enough, I would hit a road. In the event, I came out onto the A60 at the point I had intended to, but just didn't take the most direct route to get there.
As well as being the cornerstone of endurance training, long runs are important opportunities to try out the kit you intend to wear on race day. A garment which appears to fit perfectly well on a 5 mile run, can turn out to have edges or seams which, given long enough, will chafe to the point of bleeding. Race day is not the time to try out new things! Running 26 miles without taking on water or calories is not recommended - but you need to practice drinking and find out what foodstuffs you can tolerate. Some runners suffer from cramps and the delightfully named "runner's trots" if they eat the wrong thing. Many runners use carbohydrate gels, which are quickly absorbed - but there's no reason why you can't just use ordinary food. So, I have started to experiment. This week I consumed a packet of yogurt-coated raisins, and they seemed to do the trick nicely, with no unfortunate side effects.
I deliberately paced my long run slightly slower than last week, averaging 13:30 minutes per mile. This hides a lot of variability - I was practically whizzing along the MARR road at around 12 minutes per mile, and while avoiding tree roots and boggy bits in Harlow Wood, slowed to over 16 minutes per mile. I don't attempt to run while eating - so I had a few short walking breaks.
I was - of course - tired after this run, and had a good (and long!) night's sleep on Thursday. But I had very little stiffness the following day, which I take to be a good sign. I had volunteered to be the Tail Runner at parkrun this morning, which means deliberately running at the back of the pack, to make sure everyone gets round safely. This morning I accompanied a lady who was running for only the second time, and encouraged her to run for a greater proportion of the time, as she knocked 45 seconds off her time.
Having done my long run so late in the week, I won't be doing one on Monday - I shall leave it till the week after. So, in this coming week, I will run 4 times, aiming to cover over 20-25 miles in total. Then the following week, I'll continue the build-up with a long run of 2 hrs 40 minutes, and hopefully getting my total into the upper twenties.
When I think back to 6 months ago - I was just preparing to run my first race, a 10K trail race at Clumber Park, which took place on 18th May. At that point, the furthest I had run was a little over 5 miles, and the 6.1 miles of the race was an endurance challenge. Now, 6.1 miles is a comfortable mid-week run. How times change!
Saturday, 9 November 2013
Physio and Parkrun
This week's longest run on Monday lasted 2 hrs 20 minutes, and covered 10.6 miles. My total mileage for the week was 24, and I did a treadmill test yesterday which revealed a further increase in the pace I can maintain for a given heart rate. Fundraising received a massive boost this week - not only did two people succumb to my brazen plea for donations last week to get me over the £500 line (thank you!), but the Phoenix Community Outreach Project made a donation of £500 towards my effort. Together with a donation I received at a church event today, the total now stands at a magnificent £1021.
On Monday afternoon I went to see a sports physio. The biggest factor in training is - well - being able to train consistently and regularly. And that means staying fit enough to run. I asked the physio to advise on my ankle, which is still not back to 100%, and also to undertake some preventive maintenance on the various bits which niggle and ache. He did some ultrasound treatment on my ankle - to break down scar tissue - and gave me some exercises to strengthen it. I also have stretches to do for my hamstrings, which are extremely tight, some exercises for my shoulder, and advice about use of the foam roller. I'm supposed to do the hamstring stretches 6 times a day.... I'm doing what I can.
Oh, and he recommended a different sort of support to wear on my ankle when running, and that I should put my foot in a bucket of iced water for 10-15 minutes when I get in. Mmm...... not tried that yet.....
My Wednesday and Thursday runs were between 4 and 4.5 miles, and run at a slower pace than the equivalent 3 weeks ago. This left me feeling considerably less tired, which has to be a good thing. I think I may do better to go a bit slower on my long run, though - because my shorter runs were slower than my long run, and that's the wrong way round! However, it did mean that by this morning I was feeling pretty strong when I arrived for parkrun.
Parkrun is an absolutely wonderful idea - a free-to-enter timed 5K run, organised by volunteers, which takes place in parks up and down the country every Saturday morning. The Mansfield run takes place in the Manor Sports Complex in Mansfield Woodhouse and I've taken part every Saturday that I wasn't otherwise engaged since I discovered it in April. It is a fantastic atmosphere - very inclusive and encouraging, and it sometimes seems that the slowest runners get the biggest cheers. Although I do most of my running alone - and I like it that way - parkrun gives me a social aspect to my running which I really enjoy.
This morning was perfect weather for running it was cold, but dry and bright. I did a progressive run - aiming to do each mile slightly faster than the last. I ended up with a time of 32:19, which is the fastest I have run since I set my best time of 31:04 back in July. Mind you, as the evening wears on, I am remembering something I had forgotten about since the sprained ankle forced me to slow down: running faster is harder work, and therefore leaves you feeling stiffer! I am more stiff after this morning's 5K (3.1 miles) than after my 10.6 mile long run on Monday.
I mentioned last week that I was going to start introducing some faster running. Running parkrun at pace is one way of doing that. Another would be to do a Fartlek session. Fartlek is a Swedish word meaning "speed play", and all it involves is changing the speed at which you run, but in an unstructured way. For example, you might be running along at a gentle pace, spot a tree about 200 yards ahead, and decide to run fast until you reach it. Then you slow down, until you feel like going hard again. I intend to do a maximum of one faster session each week.
Well, that's it for this week. Thanks for reading, and all the encouragement and support you give me in person.
On Monday afternoon I went to see a sports physio. The biggest factor in training is - well - being able to train consistently and regularly. And that means staying fit enough to run. I asked the physio to advise on my ankle, which is still not back to 100%, and also to undertake some preventive maintenance on the various bits which niggle and ache. He did some ultrasound treatment on my ankle - to break down scar tissue - and gave me some exercises to strengthen it. I also have stretches to do for my hamstrings, which are extremely tight, some exercises for my shoulder, and advice about use of the foam roller. I'm supposed to do the hamstring stretches 6 times a day.... I'm doing what I can.
Oh, and he recommended a different sort of support to wear on my ankle when running, and that I should put my foot in a bucket of iced water for 10-15 minutes when I get in. Mmm...... not tried that yet.....
My Wednesday and Thursday runs were between 4 and 4.5 miles, and run at a slower pace than the equivalent 3 weeks ago. This left me feeling considerably less tired, which has to be a good thing. I think I may do better to go a bit slower on my long run, though - because my shorter runs were slower than my long run, and that's the wrong way round! However, it did mean that by this morning I was feeling pretty strong when I arrived for parkrun.
Parkrun is an absolutely wonderful idea - a free-to-enter timed 5K run, organised by volunteers, which takes place in parks up and down the country every Saturday morning. The Mansfield run takes place in the Manor Sports Complex in Mansfield Woodhouse and I've taken part every Saturday that I wasn't otherwise engaged since I discovered it in April. It is a fantastic atmosphere - very inclusive and encouraging, and it sometimes seems that the slowest runners get the biggest cheers. Although I do most of my running alone - and I like it that way - parkrun gives me a social aspect to my running which I really enjoy.
This morning was perfect weather for running it was cold, but dry and bright. I did a progressive run - aiming to do each mile slightly faster than the last. I ended up with a time of 32:19, which is the fastest I have run since I set my best time of 31:04 back in July. Mind you, as the evening wears on, I am remembering something I had forgotten about since the sprained ankle forced me to slow down: running faster is harder work, and therefore leaves you feeling stiffer! I am more stiff after this morning's 5K (3.1 miles) than after my 10.6 mile long run on Monday.
I mentioned last week that I was going to start introducing some faster running. Running parkrun at pace is one way of doing that. Another would be to do a Fartlek session. Fartlek is a Swedish word meaning "speed play", and all it involves is changing the speed at which you run, but in an unstructured way. For example, you might be running along at a gentle pace, spot a tree about 200 yards ahead, and decide to run fast until you reach it. Then you slow down, until you feel like going hard again. I intend to do a maximum of one faster session each week.
Well, that's it for this week. Thanks for reading, and all the encouragement and support you give me in person.
Friday, 1 November 2013
Cross Training
Executive summary: over the past not-quite two weeks, I have been running 5 times, and covered a total of 22 miles. That's less than I did in one week previously. However, this is not a concern, for two reasons. Firstly, as mentioned previously, periods of effort need to be interspersed with periods of rest or lower amounts of effort. And secondly, I have been doing a lot of cross-training.
Cross-training is any sort of physical activity other than the main thing you are training for. So in my case, cross-training is any exercise other than running. Every time I go to the gym and lift weights, do planks or squats, I am cross-training. But over the past week or so I have been cross-training in the Lake District.
We have spent a week at a B&B in Keswick, and each day apart from one, we went for a walk. Our shortest walk was 5 miles (and 2 hours), the longest 8.5 miles (and 5 hours). Now, the Lake District has 2 key characteristics: it is hilly, and it is wet. Hilly: our walk up Grizedale Pike involved about 750m of ascent. Wet: we have the gear, but on 2 occasions, everything got wet. And I do mean everything :) But as some of my running friends remind me - skin is waterproof, and after a hot shower and some restorative cake, we were none the worse for our experiences.
Hill walking is helpful for several reasons. It is endurance training, but the hills are also good for leg strength, and the uneven terrain challenges your stability and balance. And if it challenges you, it strengthens you. Plus, of course, there are fantastic views - at least when the cloud clears :)
This morning, I went out for a gentle 5 miles, gearing up for a return to full-on training next week. I ran a total of 80 miles during October, and am targeting 100 miles during November. I will be pushing up the duration of my longest run - going by time, now, rather than distance - but I should still be running over 10 miles several times during the month. I'm also going to start introducing a bit of faster running - more about that next time.
And the fundraising.... well a friend has said she is going to hold an At Home in the Spring, and divide the proceeds between my efforts and Framework, a charity working with homeless people in Nottinghamshire. I've also had an offer to publicise my challenge at events at a church in our circuit. But in terms of actual donations.... no change since last time. Anyone fancy getting me over that £500 barrier with a £4 donation?
Have a good week, everyone. I'll be back next weekend, hopefully with another 25 miles or so under my belt.
Cross-training is any sort of physical activity other than the main thing you are training for. So in my case, cross-training is any exercise other than running. Every time I go to the gym and lift weights, do planks or squats, I am cross-training. But over the past week or so I have been cross-training in the Lake District.
We have spent a week at a B&B in Keswick, and each day apart from one, we went for a walk. Our shortest walk was 5 miles (and 2 hours), the longest 8.5 miles (and 5 hours). Now, the Lake District has 2 key characteristics: it is hilly, and it is wet. Hilly: our walk up Grizedale Pike involved about 750m of ascent. Wet: we have the gear, but on 2 occasions, everything got wet. And I do mean everything :) But as some of my running friends remind me - skin is waterproof, and after a hot shower and some restorative cake, we were none the worse for our experiences.
Hill walking is helpful for several reasons. It is endurance training, but the hills are also good for leg strength, and the uneven terrain challenges your stability and balance. And if it challenges you, it strengthens you. Plus, of course, there are fantastic views - at least when the cloud clears :)
This morning, I went out for a gentle 5 miles, gearing up for a return to full-on training next week. I ran a total of 80 miles during October, and am targeting 100 miles during November. I will be pushing up the duration of my longest run - going by time, now, rather than distance - but I should still be running over 10 miles several times during the month. I'm also going to start introducing a bit of faster running - more about that next time.
And the fundraising.... well a friend has said she is going to hold an At Home in the Spring, and divide the proceeds between my efforts and Framework, a charity working with homeless people in Nottinghamshire. I've also had an offer to publicise my challenge at events at a church in our circuit. But in terms of actual donations.... no change since last time. Anyone fancy getting me over that £500 barrier with a £4 donation?
Have a good week, everyone. I'll be back next weekend, hopefully with another 25 miles or so under my belt.
Saturday, 19 October 2013
October Buildup Week 3 - Phew!
This was my toughest week yet - and it feels like it. On Monday, I ran 10 miles for the first time. I broke it down into sections, focussed on the bit I was actually doing, and finished feeling pretty good. I also got exceedingly wet, as the weather veered between spitting, sustained drizzle and heavy downpour. But as my friends tell me, skin is waterproof. So, allegedly, is my running jacket - not that you could tell, because when I took it off, the layer underneath was just as wet as the outside.
For the week as a whole, my target was to run 25 miles. I actually ran 26, because my ability at estimating mileage when planning routes is pretty poor! On the fundraising front, I am now just £4 short of reaching £500. Could you make my day by getting me over that line? You could donate online via the link on the right, or give using your mobile phone: send a text to 70070 with the message:
BGLM50 £4
... and that would be the job done!! Thank you so much if you feel able to do that.
Now, although the 10 mile run went well, I discovered over the following few days just how much it had taken out of me. I ran on Wednesday and Thursday, doing five and a bit miles each time. And I felt increasingly tired, especially on Thursday. This afternoon (Saturday) as I did my final run of the week, I felt a bit better, but not exactly fresh. So all things considered, I am VERY glad that I had already planned the next two weeks to be easier, and I do NOT need to go out and run 10 miles on Monday morning... This is the first time since I started running that I would say it has taken me more than a day or two to feel fully recovered from a run.
As I mentioned in last week's blog, training is a balance between effort and rest. When you run further or faster than you are used to, you give your body a stimulus. When you rest, it adapts to that stimulus becoming stronger, faster, more efficient at running. If you don't give it enough rest, it can't adapt, and if you don't give it enough stimulus, it doesn't need to. The skill is to do enough to stimulate those adaptations, while still having enough rest. This week, I could have done with a little more rest.
So, for the next couple of weeks I am going to be keeping my runs a bit shorter, to give myself a bit of a break - ready to come back for a further foray into the world of the 10 mile+ run. Onwards and upwards... gradually!
Thanks for reading, and for the encouragement which many of you have given me. It really makes a difference.
For the week as a whole, my target was to run 25 miles. I actually ran 26, because my ability at estimating mileage when planning routes is pretty poor! On the fundraising front, I am now just £4 short of reaching £500. Could you make my day by getting me over that line? You could donate online via the link on the right, or give using your mobile phone: send a text to 70070 with the message:
BGLM50 £4
... and that would be the job done!! Thank you so much if you feel able to do that.
Now, although the 10 mile run went well, I discovered over the following few days just how much it had taken out of me. I ran on Wednesday and Thursday, doing five and a bit miles each time. And I felt increasingly tired, especially on Thursday. This afternoon (Saturday) as I did my final run of the week, I felt a bit better, but not exactly fresh. So all things considered, I am VERY glad that I had already planned the next two weeks to be easier, and I do NOT need to go out and run 10 miles on Monday morning... This is the first time since I started running that I would say it has taken me more than a day or two to feel fully recovered from a run.
As I mentioned in last week's blog, training is a balance between effort and rest. When you run further or faster than you are used to, you give your body a stimulus. When you rest, it adapts to that stimulus becoming stronger, faster, more efficient at running. If you don't give it enough rest, it can't adapt, and if you don't give it enough stimulus, it doesn't need to. The skill is to do enough to stimulate those adaptations, while still having enough rest. This week, I could have done with a little more rest.
So, for the next couple of weeks I am going to be keeping my runs a bit shorter, to give myself a bit of a break - ready to come back for a further foray into the world of the 10 mile+ run. Onwards and upwards... gradually!
Thanks for reading, and for the encouragement which many of you have given me. It really makes a difference.
Sunday, 13 October 2013
October Buildup Week 2 - Mind, Body and Spirit
First, the summary. This week I ran a total of 23 miles, with my long run being 9.2 miles. On the fundraising front, I've now reached £391, which is 15% of my target, and a community group has expressed interest in holding an event to help me. All good so far!!
You may have seen the "Mind, Body, Spirit" sections in bookshops, and I've been musing this week about how a marathon is a challenge in all three of those areas. Of the three, I think the body is probably the easiest to deal with. You need to run regularly, with adequate rest in between - because it while you are resting that your body is adapting and growing stronger. You need to increase the distance you run gradually, paying attention to any physical niggles or signs of overtiredness, as these may mean you are trying to do too much too soon. You need to eat sensibly. And that's pretty much it. Of course if you have aspirations to be Mo Farah or Paula Radcliffe, looking for a fast time and peak performance, you will need to be much more structured, with scientifically-devised speed sessions and so forth. But for the average recreational runner, what I've described, done for long enough, will get you round a marathon in one piece.
Or rather, it will get you into the physical shape to get round a marathon in one piece. But, in order to keep going for 26.2 miles, you need a lot of mental strength, as indeed you do to do the training necessary to get you into a physical condition to attempt it. You need the resolve to get out of bed when you'd rather stay in it. You need the determination to keep running, when you are tired and would rather stop. You need to believe that you are capable of doing this, because the moment you start to think you are not capable, you are likely to give up.
As I prepared for my long run on Monday morning, I was intimidated by the thought of running 9 miles. When you say it quickly, it doesn't seem too bad - but when you stop and think, you realise it is a very long way to run!! A seed of doubt crept into my mind. But then I used some of the mental strategies I have learned to get me through it. I thought about why I had started out on this challenge; I thought about the people with cancer who had motivated me; I thought about the changes in my quality of life through losing weight and become fitter, and how much I want that to continue; I thought about how I always feel good after a run, even if I don't feel good at the start. That got me out of the door!
Then I was underway, on a circular route up through Rainworth, along the MARR road, down the A60 and back along Ricket Lane. As I ran, I alternately focussed on what I was doing - my breathing, my posture, relaxing my upper body, noticing where I was running - and distracted myself by thinking about other things. I reminded myself how I was getting fitter and stronger by doing this. I told myself how important it was to meet the challenges I set myself, because by doing that I increase my expectation that I can do so again in the future. I counted my footsteps and recited mantras in time with them - things like "I love to run", "Strong light legs" and "I'm getting fitter, I'm getting stronger". I imagined running the marathon - approaching Buckingham Palace, the deafening noise of the crowd as I turn into the Mall, the surge of speed that I would somehow manage to find over the last few hundred yards.
And, I prayed. I prayed for the people I know affected by cancer. I prayed for the people at my churches, especially those going through tough times. I prayed about some of the tricky or demanding things happening in my ministry at the moment. I remembered a few scripture verses which seem to be relevant. First of all, there's St Paul, writing from his prison cell to the church at Philippi: "I can do all things through him who gives me strength" (Phil 4:13). Then there's a line from the Psalms, perhaps more relevant to those of my running friends who go in for assault courses - but still a good sentiment for encouraging me to attempt something which seems insurmountable: "With my God I can scale a wall" (Ps 18:29).
And finally, there's my favourite, which I have dubbed The Runner's Prayer. It comes from the book of Job, and it's not a prayer at all - it is something said to Job by one of his so-called comforters. But when I say this verse, I address it to God: "Your words have supported those who were stumbling, and you have made firm the feeble knees." (Job 4:4)
My knees - along with other parts of my body - are sometimes feeble, as indeed is my willpower. But I believe that I can do this, and that I will end it stronger than I started. And in a mere 26 weeks, I will be running the marathon!
You may have seen the "Mind, Body, Spirit" sections in bookshops, and I've been musing this week about how a marathon is a challenge in all three of those areas. Of the three, I think the body is probably the easiest to deal with. You need to run regularly, with adequate rest in between - because it while you are resting that your body is adapting and growing stronger. You need to increase the distance you run gradually, paying attention to any physical niggles or signs of overtiredness, as these may mean you are trying to do too much too soon. You need to eat sensibly. And that's pretty much it. Of course if you have aspirations to be Mo Farah or Paula Radcliffe, looking for a fast time and peak performance, you will need to be much more structured, with scientifically-devised speed sessions and so forth. But for the average recreational runner, what I've described, done for long enough, will get you round a marathon in one piece.
Or rather, it will get you into the physical shape to get round a marathon in one piece. But, in order to keep going for 26.2 miles, you need a lot of mental strength, as indeed you do to do the training necessary to get you into a physical condition to attempt it. You need the resolve to get out of bed when you'd rather stay in it. You need the determination to keep running, when you are tired and would rather stop. You need to believe that you are capable of doing this, because the moment you start to think you are not capable, you are likely to give up.
As I prepared for my long run on Monday morning, I was intimidated by the thought of running 9 miles. When you say it quickly, it doesn't seem too bad - but when you stop and think, you realise it is a very long way to run!! A seed of doubt crept into my mind. But then I used some of the mental strategies I have learned to get me through it. I thought about why I had started out on this challenge; I thought about the people with cancer who had motivated me; I thought about the changes in my quality of life through losing weight and become fitter, and how much I want that to continue; I thought about how I always feel good after a run, even if I don't feel good at the start. That got me out of the door!
Then I was underway, on a circular route up through Rainworth, along the MARR road, down the A60 and back along Ricket Lane. As I ran, I alternately focussed on what I was doing - my breathing, my posture, relaxing my upper body, noticing where I was running - and distracted myself by thinking about other things. I reminded myself how I was getting fitter and stronger by doing this. I told myself how important it was to meet the challenges I set myself, because by doing that I increase my expectation that I can do so again in the future. I counted my footsteps and recited mantras in time with them - things like "I love to run", "Strong light legs" and "I'm getting fitter, I'm getting stronger". I imagined running the marathon - approaching Buckingham Palace, the deafening noise of the crowd as I turn into the Mall, the surge of speed that I would somehow manage to find over the last few hundred yards.
And, I prayed. I prayed for the people I know affected by cancer. I prayed for the people at my churches, especially those going through tough times. I prayed about some of the tricky or demanding things happening in my ministry at the moment. I remembered a few scripture verses which seem to be relevant. First of all, there's St Paul, writing from his prison cell to the church at Philippi: "I can do all things through him who gives me strength" (Phil 4:13). Then there's a line from the Psalms, perhaps more relevant to those of my running friends who go in for assault courses - but still a good sentiment for encouraging me to attempt something which seems insurmountable: "With my God I can scale a wall" (Ps 18:29).
And finally, there's my favourite, which I have dubbed The Runner's Prayer. It comes from the book of Job, and it's not a prayer at all - it is something said to Job by one of his so-called comforters. But when I say this verse, I address it to God: "Your words have supported those who were stumbling, and you have made firm the feeble knees." (Job 4:4)
My knees - along with other parts of my body - are sometimes feeble, as indeed is my willpower. But I believe that I can do this, and that I will end it stronger than I started. And in a mere 26 weeks, I will be running the marathon!
Saturday, 5 October 2013
October Buildup Week 1
Here is a phrase you may just get tired of - this week I did my longest run so far, and my highest total mileage. Monday's long run was 8.1 miles, and my total for the week was 21.5 miles.
I did my four runs out of doors, as usual, plus a bit of extra running on the treadmill at the gym. There are several reasons why I might run on the treadmill: if I need just an extra mile or two to hit a weekly target; to do a speed intervals session; in the depths of winter, if running outside is impossible; and my reason for doing it this week - some sort of test.
I mentioned in my first blog that I'm using a heart rate monitor to control my level of effort - to make sure that my "easy" runs really are easy. In theory, as I get fitter I should be able to run faster for the same level of effort. A month ago I did a test on the treadmill, to find out what speed I could run at while staying just under a particular heart rate - 70% of my working range (140 beats per minute) and 75% (146 beats per minute). I repeated the test yesterday, and am happy to report that in both cases I can go about 5% faster at the same heart rate.
The lower my heart rate at any given speed, the longer I will be able to maintain that speed for. And 26.2 miles is a very long way!! There is a lot of training still to do, but all evidence of progress is welcome. Here's another piece - this morning's run was 4.3 miles, and that doesn't seem a long way to me any more.
The fundraising has also got off to a flying start, with close to £300 raised already. With 27 weeks to go to the marathon, things are looking good. Thanks for reading, and thanks for your support.
I did my four runs out of doors, as usual, plus a bit of extra running on the treadmill at the gym. There are several reasons why I might run on the treadmill: if I need just an extra mile or two to hit a weekly target; to do a speed intervals session; in the depths of winter, if running outside is impossible; and my reason for doing it this week - some sort of test.
I mentioned in my first blog that I'm using a heart rate monitor to control my level of effort - to make sure that my "easy" runs really are easy. In theory, as I get fitter I should be able to run faster for the same level of effort. A month ago I did a test on the treadmill, to find out what speed I could run at while staying just under a particular heart rate - 70% of my working range (140 beats per minute) and 75% (146 beats per minute). I repeated the test yesterday, and am happy to report that in both cases I can go about 5% faster at the same heart rate.
The lower my heart rate at any given speed, the longer I will be able to maintain that speed for. And 26.2 miles is a very long way!! There is a lot of training still to do, but all evidence of progress is welcome. Here's another piece - this morning's run was 4.3 miles, and that doesn't seem a long way to me any more.
The fundraising has also got off to a flying start, with close to £300 raised already. With 27 weeks to go to the marathon, things are looking good. Thanks for reading, and thanks for your support.
Monday, 30 September 2013
Monday Morning LSR
The cornerstone of marathon training is the Long Slow Run, or LSR. "Long" is a relative term - it means significantly longer than the other runs you are doing at that time, and ideally needs to build to being 20 miles, or even more, before your marathon.
Most runners do their long runs on Sunday mornings - but that's really not an option for me! As long as I don't have any meetings or appointments, I do my long runs on Monday mornings. This morning I did my long run along the Southwell trail, parking my car at Farnsfield. This has the advantage of being relatively flat, although there is actually a small incline (downwards) from Farnsfield towards Southwell, and obviously uphill on the way back. I used my GPS watch to tell me when I had done four miles, then turned round and came back. This way - there is no chance of wimping out and cutting the distance short, and also no way I could get lost!! I actually did an extra couple of hundred yards up the road before I went back to the car, to make sure I would do the full 8 miles. I did 8.1 miles in 1 hour 44 minutes - this matches the longest run I had done at the start of August, before I sprained my ankle.
In the event, although I did feel a bit tired around 5-6 miles, I actually did the second half slightly faster than the first. This is a good sign, and also an indicator that I am ready to up the distance further. At the point when I started to feel tired, I imagined myself in the last couple of miles of the marathon, with the crowds cheering and encouraging me on - and that made me speed up without really trying to.
And I want to thank you, my supporters for the encouragement I've already received. There have been a number of donations already, and including the fee I have paid to register, I am already 7% of the way to my target of raising £2,500 for Cancer Research. A good start - and I'll continue to build from here. Thank you again.
Most runners do their long runs on Sunday mornings - but that's really not an option for me! As long as I don't have any meetings or appointments, I do my long runs on Monday mornings. This morning I did my long run along the Southwell trail, parking my car at Farnsfield. This has the advantage of being relatively flat, although there is actually a small incline (downwards) from Farnsfield towards Southwell, and obviously uphill on the way back. I used my GPS watch to tell me when I had done four miles, then turned round and came back. This way - there is no chance of wimping out and cutting the distance short, and also no way I could get lost!! I actually did an extra couple of hundred yards up the road before I went back to the car, to make sure I would do the full 8 miles. I did 8.1 miles in 1 hour 44 minutes - this matches the longest run I had done at the start of August, before I sprained my ankle.
In the event, although I did feel a bit tired around 5-6 miles, I actually did the second half slightly faster than the first. This is a good sign, and also an indicator that I am ready to up the distance further. At the point when I started to feel tired, I imagined myself in the last couple of miles of the marathon, with the crowds cheering and encouraging me on - and that made me speed up without really trying to.
And I want to thank you, my supporters for the encouragement I've already received. There have been a number of donations already, and including the fee I have paid to register, I am already 7% of the way to my target of raising £2,500 for Cancer Research. A good start - and I'll continue to build from here. Thank you again.
Friday, 27 September 2013
And so it begins
A couple of weeks ago, I heard that Cancer Research UK have offered me a Golden Bond place to run the London Marathon in 2014. This is something I have wanted to do for nearly 30 years - but for most of that time, that ambition was laughable. I was severely obese - 22 stone at my heaviest. Well, that's all changed. I'm not skinny, by any means - but I am considerably lighter, fitter, and I'm running!!
So, today I heard that I had not got a place in the ballot for the London Marathon 2014 - so that means, I do need to take up the Golden Bond place I have been offered. And that means I have to raise the £2,500 I said I could. That's where you come in!
This blog is going to be a record of my training, and of my fundraising. Cancer Research was my choice of charity, for several reasons: the fact that both my Mum and one of my sisters are currently undergoing treatment for cancer; and all the funerals I've taken for people who didn't make it. With every mile I run in training - and there will be a lot of them - and with every step of the 26.2 miles on 13th April 2014, I will be thinking about the people we've lost, and the people we hope to save.
I started running regularly on 1st April this year!! Last week I ran 20 miles, spread over 4 sessions, with a longest run of 6.7 miles. I had previously done an 8 mile run at the start of August but then I went and sprained my ankle, so had to rest and work my way up again.
So, here's the plan: Run 4 times a week, 2 sessions in the gym for strength and core training, with a bit of plyometrics and high intensity intervals mixed in. Build up my longest run to 14 miles, and my total weekly mileage to about 30 by the end of the year. Just about all of the running will be done at a very gentle pace - I'm using a heart rate monitor to ensure I'm going slow enough. This will train the muscles in my legs to be more efficient at working aerobically, which is what you need for an endurance event like a marathon. I will build my mileage each week for 3 weeks, then take a week (or maybe 2) easier, to give my body time to rest and adapt. Then in January, I'll assess where I'm up to. I'll still need to build up my longer runs, but depending on how it's going, I may start doing some speed work as well.
I have a shedload of books about running... and I'll probably chop and change my training plan, because that's what I'm like. But I'll keep you updated with that - I'll blog at least once a week and tell you how the training is going. Oh, and the fundraising too... if you'd like to help with that, you could text BGLM50 £5 to 70070 or donate online here
Thanks for reading. This is going to be quite a journey - thanks for sharing it with me.
So, today I heard that I had not got a place in the ballot for the London Marathon 2014 - so that means, I do need to take up the Golden Bond place I have been offered. And that means I have to raise the £2,500 I said I could. That's where you come in!
This blog is going to be a record of my training, and of my fundraising. Cancer Research was my choice of charity, for several reasons: the fact that both my Mum and one of my sisters are currently undergoing treatment for cancer; and all the funerals I've taken for people who didn't make it. With every mile I run in training - and there will be a lot of them - and with every step of the 26.2 miles on 13th April 2014, I will be thinking about the people we've lost, and the people we hope to save.
I started running regularly on 1st April this year!! Last week I ran 20 miles, spread over 4 sessions, with a longest run of 6.7 miles. I had previously done an 8 mile run at the start of August but then I went and sprained my ankle, so had to rest and work my way up again.
So, here's the plan: Run 4 times a week, 2 sessions in the gym for strength and core training, with a bit of plyometrics and high intensity intervals mixed in. Build up my longest run to 14 miles, and my total weekly mileage to about 30 by the end of the year. Just about all of the running will be done at a very gentle pace - I'm using a heart rate monitor to ensure I'm going slow enough. This will train the muscles in my legs to be more efficient at working aerobically, which is what you need for an endurance event like a marathon. I will build my mileage each week for 3 weeks, then take a week (or maybe 2) easier, to give my body time to rest and adapt. Then in January, I'll assess where I'm up to. I'll still need to build up my longer runs, but depending on how it's going, I may start doing some speed work as well.
I have a shedload of books about running... and I'll probably chop and change my training plan, because that's what I'm like. But I'll keep you updated with that - I'll blog at least once a week and tell you how the training is going. Oh, and the fundraising too... if you'd like to help with that, you could text BGLM50 £5 to 70070 or donate online here
Thanks for reading. This is going to be quite a journey - thanks for sharing it with me.
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