breakthrough

If this the runner’s high, I think it should probably be a class A drug! Just done the BEST run ever on the treadmill.

Started with a five minute gentle jog, then I did run 2 minutes, walk 1 minute for almost an hour on 1% incline, finishing with a couple of minutes run on a 5% incline. It was amazing. I’ve been reading about running styles and I had a feeling that if I could get out of the heelstriking habit I’d be able to solve the whole pain in the shins, legs giving up before I ran out of breath problem.

I ran the whole thing landing on my forefoot, and I felt a million times lighter, which isn’t bad going for someone who is about as far from a runner in physique as it’s possible to be. I’ve noticed before when Jessica runs she sort of floats along (Jessica is now going to comment and say something disparaging about herself, I predict) and I think that’s partly down to the fact that she is a forefoot runner. Oh, and partly down to the fact that she probably weighs about half what I do.
This is all a bit inarticulate because I’m so excited about how easy it was tonight compared to any other run, and because it was so good I want to bounce up and down squeaking with glee. That doesn’t translate very well to the written word though, so just imagine it.

when I’m not running

or looking after children, or drinking cups of tea and avoiding running, or trying to persuade people to come here and read my blog, or to sponsor me…

I am one of the 63336.

Our first ever tv advert aired today. It’s very exciting. Now I’m off to hit the treadmill, because it’s 3C out there and I am a girly wuss who should be ashamed to call myself Scottish and I don’t like the cold.

13.6 miles

This week, not today. But I had you going for a minute there, didn’t I?

Today: 3.7 miles

In public.

With running trousers on.

In the middle of the day.

Today was groundbreaking stuff. I ran with Paula, who is sneakily fitter than she lets on, due to her strange habit of using the time when her smallest one is at preschool with my smallest one to go and do Body Combat classes at the gym. I on the other hand prefer to relax in the nearest coffee shop and eat a bacon sandwich on the pretext of doing the Christmas shopping.  I can write this safe in the knowledge that Mr Marathonmummy never reads my blog, probably because he has to live with my incessant witterings on a daily basis, and has done for nearly 15 years.

Anyway, back to running. So up the hill we went, walking because we were warming up and not because the hill is hideous at all. Run run run, walk walk walk, run run run, walk walk walk. Onto the main road which has a footpath but also has lorries and things driving past at 60mph. Note to self: slightly short, loose fitting t-shirt + backdraft from lorries = bit of an eyeful for the following cars. I ended up having to jog along holding the hem of my top to avoid scaring the drivers. Run run, walkwalkwalkwalkwalkwalkchatchat, oops this isn’t marathon trainingrunrunrun, up a hill (vomit), down a hill (clever trick from P: lengthen stride slightly to avoid hideous jarring feeling, and it works), run run run. Passed whilst running by someone we know, so we have proof it really happened, then home for water, stretching, cups of tea and oh the absolute bliss of a hot bath in the middle of the day. Thank goodness for preschoolers who still have an afternoon nap.

Paula: Right, shall we run when we get to that post?

Me: Yes, good idea.

(post passes>

Paula: We’re still not running, have you noticed?

Me: But we’re thinking about running. That counts, doesn’t it?

So this week’s mileage is 13.6. Hooray for me, and for lovely running chums, and for all the moral support from people telling me they think I must be mad but well done.

not so rubbish

Did an hour on the treadmill this afternoon (whilst watching Strictly It Takes Two, which is second only to Strictly on my favourite things to watch whilst torturing myself list). First half an hour I used the snazzy newly-discovered heart-rate-related programme, whereby I told the machine how old I was and it told me my maximum heart rate for fitness (140) and for fatburning (120+). It then took me on an exciting journey of hilly walking which kept my heartrate at 140 for half an hour (I’m hurting already, so will be expecting to have a bum like Beyonce by next April) and then I did half an hour alternating brisk walking of the help-this-is-torture variety, gentle jogging of the oh-this-is-nice variety and running at 6mph which is a 10 minute mile and which currently makes me want to vomit, so all in all it’s not my favourite mode of transport. I’m getting fitter though, I can feel it. After an hour I was tempted to carry on – it’s like a drug. I think I may be in the zone at last! Now all I have to do is manage to run 26.2 miles without falling over, and make a fortune on my justgiving page for Heart Research UK.

well, that was rubbish

Just finished 1.5 (I know, it’s not very far) excruciatingly slow, painful, leaden-legged miles on the treadmill. Even watching Strictly didn’t make it any better. I hope it’s two steps forward, one step back and that tomorrow will be better. It can’t get much worse. Sigh. This marathon business is such a huge commitment, in terms of time and effort; I know it’s worth it and it’s for a good cause, but there are days when I just think I’m insane. I guess that’s normal, isn’t it?  I’m off to cheer myself up with a cup of tea and some chocolate.

2 day 10k

(longest run ever? ha ha)

I’m back home now with what I now know is called DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness, aka my legs are killing me). We did the same 5k route yesterday morning, but ate something an hour beforehand – and managed to do it a couple of minutes faster! Yay us. We even did a couple of 30 second faster bits (runs, not jogs) and we both agreed it was so lovely to have moral support. Can’t wait to see Jessica, and do some running with her too!

Getting out in the fresh air makes me realise that whilst the treadmill is great, there’s far more pleasure in being outside in the countryside, even when it’s raining like it did yesterday. 

 

3.21 miles (that’s 5.16km, metric fans)

It’s so much more fun running with Z – we ended up doubled up with laughter so many times on our run this morning.

Once I finally prised her out of bed and into her running clothes, we set off on my planned 3 mile route. Slight technical hitch: managed to get lost within about five minutes. We decided that with our innate sense of direction (!) we’d manage to find our way back, and so we set off down Mystery Road A. Running on the road is loads nicer than running on the treadmill – fresh air, birds singing, maniac car drivers trying to run you over…

(run, run, run)

Z: We need to think of a playlist

R: ‘I Hate Myself and Want to Die’ by Nirvana?

(run, run)

Z: Whose idea was this marathon? Oh yes, yours. Did I mention how much I hate you?

(run, run, run – slightly lost by this point)

‘I think I’ll get a fake tan before the marathon…’ (bar of chocolate for first reader to guess which sister said that)

(run, run)

R: Where the f*ck IS this hotel?

Z: It’s got to be here somewhere, keep running…

(run, run, hooray, hotel in sight – why did we pick one with a drive half a mile long?)

Z: You know, we’re Those People that you see when you’re on a weekend break, and you think ‘who on earth goes running when they’re on holiday?’

Due to slight timing issues (aka my sister NOT GETTING OUT OF BED) we had to eat breakfast in the hotel restaurant in running clothes and looking rather pink of face. Then thanks to the marvellousness of Map My Run we managed to work out where we’d been (nowhere near the route I’d planned, but never mind) and it was 3.21 miles, and we ran/walked the whole thing

Next stop, the gym, the swimming pool and (hooray) the sauna. Then wine, crisps and lying on the bed watching Strictly.

Big thanks to Mr Marathonmummy, currently at home doing the swimming/ballet/birthday party Saturday experience with our four children, and to our lovely mum, who is looking after my niece for Z, and being a supernana!

 

 

the training weekend

It’s 8am and I’m sitting in our lovely hotel room, in running clothes, drinking coffee and ready to go. Zoë on the other hand is still asleep (even since we were children, I’ve been up at dawn and she’s been a night owl). I’ve been on to Map My Run and found a 3 mile route for us to do before breakfast. Last night we sat and worked out our training schedule – we’ve definitely caught the running bug: there’s something wrong with us being excited about running on Boxing Day when everyone else is lying around eating turkey leftovers and stuffing themselves with chocolate. Now the next thing I need to do is get our running plan on here, so I can tick off the days as we do them (and use the failsafe fear-of-ritual-humiliation method to guarantee we get on with it).

More from bootcamp later, just as soon as we get back from our run.

hooray

1.5 miles of run 2 mins/walk 2 mins on 1% incline.
You may scoff, but it’s been months since I felt well, and today I felt strong, and I ran with good form, and my breathing was even. I followed the advice I’ve been given by Zoë, who is lucky to have a personal trainer as one of her best friends, and I made sure I wasn’t bouncing, or leaning forward too much, or taking big steps, or any of the other great treadmill sins. 

Anyway, there we are. I’m back. And this time, fortified by more vitamins and healthy foods than a racehorse (but slightly less sleek and fast) I’m going to carry on training till I reach April. Five months, six days and 19 hours to go. Swine flu, sacro iliac injuries, chest infections, begone! I have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep.

hello

It’s going to be Christmas soon, hooray. In celebration I bought a lovely new mug today, and some cinnamon spice scented candles. But that’s not news of running, is it? The good news is the cough is nearly gone, I walked the dog the other day and my legs didn’t wobble once, and thanks to the lovely people at our local health food shop I’m feeling almost completely better. I do rattle when I walk slightly, due to the fact that I’m currently taking vitamins, supplements, probiotics, Manuka honey and Floradix, all washed down with Berocca. The children are really impressed that I can swallow nine tablets in one go. So anyway, I’ve rested, I’ve looked after myself, I’ve thought zen thoughts, and now I’m ready to go. Off to train with Zoe this weekend, so look out Berkshire countryside, Glenn’s girls are on the rampage.