Monday 24 September 2007

Progress

Determination set in yesterday. Im so far behind in my schedule that its becoming ridiculous, so I went down to Chichester hoping that a change of scenery would help. I was determined to run/walk til I couldnt and then walk until I couldnt-the aim being to clock as many miles as was physically possible, with no pressure of time. My chest is still rather bad, and i havent been to the gym all week, so I had to slow my pace just to breathe. But i did manage to run/walk 9.5 miles and then I walked until I had clocked a total of 12. I secretly think that this will be the plan from now on. Run/walk til I cant go on like that, and then walk the rest of the distance, and with any luck, the walking will provide adequate rest for me to at least run some of the way once I hit Trinity College. Starting to regret my decision to take part, and im not getting the support I hoped for. Ive had set back after set back, and this latest bit of ill health isnt helping. Nor was the row that reduced me to tears on the phone with C. He thinks I should just be able to run now, and not run/walk. I tried to explain this wasnt realistic for me, but he wasnt having any of it, and the call just left me feeling dejected. I so wanted to be able to enjoy this, but i think i will just be lucky to survive.

Monday 17 September 2007

Under the weather

Went to the Doctors this morning. Woke up feeling really rotten. Ive had a cold-courtesy of my son- for a while, and coz im asthmatic I thought it best to get my chest checked. Confirmed my own feeling that I do indeed have a chest infection, but its viral so no medication. Lemsip and rest I was told, so no gym today. Feel groggy, my chest and head sore from all the coughing, and my throat is sore too. Would go back to bed, but my son is off school too so no can do I am afraid.
Come back in two weeks if it hasnt cleared, I was told. It better have cleared by then I thought!

Sunday 16 September 2007

Pain

Only managed a mile today because of crippling pains in my legs. I have always had problems with my legs and have days when I am in absolute agony and cant walk. I have so far managed this pain with ibuprofen which I take before I go out for a run. Sometimes I run out, but go out for a run anyway, and I have good days when I can run a few miles and bad days when I cant even manage a mile. Today was a bad day. I cursed myself for lack of preparation, and for allowing an incident earlier this morning to allow me to get demoralised, but it is getting hard, and the knowledge that the marathon is only a matter of weeks away, and no longer a matter of months. I am trying to take positive steps to counter act the negative phases of the training, and hopefully use these bad experiences as a form of rehersal for the marathon itself. Now I know I MUST take ibuprofen, that I cant do without it, because if I injure myself now, Im up the proverbial creek without a paddle, I can prepare. Likewise with the other things that have caused problems so far. If I over reherse these things in my mind, hopefully any negative experiences on the day can be turned into positive results. And if worse comes to worse, I can always walk!

Sunday 9 September 2007

Struggling

Didnt have a very good run today. Slightly worried that the bad runs out number the good ones at the moment. But have noticed that certain times of the month are better than others for running. Didnt get much sleep last night, so that cant have helped. Having said that, I did managed to do 9.29 miles. Ought to have clocked 13 miles at least by now, but I just cant overcome the barrier to achieve this. Humidity today didnt exactly help matters either. Considering going for an early morning run on Wednesday because my son is staying at my parents house on Tuesday night while I go to lectures at Uni, but since my lecture doesnt end until 9.30 it rather depends on how much sleep I get. The more miles I do, the more sleep I seem to need, especially since im not getting much sleep during the week at the moment. Hope this will improve soon.
With the marathon next month, this challenge seems to be getting harder not easier. The only improvement I have noticed is in terms of recovery. Only a couple of weeks ago, I would be in agony after a run, and hardly able to walk in the afternoon. Now, I hardly have any pain after a run, and today, I have zero pain. So at least I have one positive thing to reflect on!

Saturday 8 September 2007

New Tattoo


As promised here is a picture of my new tattoo. The translation is: "To dare is to do".

Friday 7 September 2007

Another end to a busy week

Ok so its Friday. Had intended to get to the gym three times this week, since son went back to school on Tuesday. Of course that wasnt to be. Family commitments meant I didnt get to run on Sunday, and I was hoping therefore to get a chance to run during the week, but with SALTEX, an annual trade show, to attend for work, university term starting on Monday, and a big job this week, I just havent been able to find the time to do everything. Managed to get in the gym on Wednesday, and (famous last words about to be typed!) I am hoping to get into the gym tomorrow and run on Sunday. But of course theres shoes to be bought tomorrow, so thats a trip to Portmouth, and as anyone who knows my son will tell you, that will almost certainly take all day. Sunday does look promising for a run tho, followed by swimming with my son, and if I can find the money down the back of the sofa, there may be pizza too!

Some jobs that did get done this week however, included getting out (finally!) a press release to my trade magazine and the local paper, in a bid to drum up some support.
You can take a look at it here:
http://www.pitchcare.com/magazine/article/4517#2712

Saturday 1 September 2007

Apologies for the delay....

Internet went down at my Mums again-this time boot sector virus causing computer to crash was to blame....
so I have two fantastic achievements to report and news of my tattoo....
On Sunday 21st I set out for my 11 mile run. Having had a couple of bad runs in recent weeks I was a bit nervous, but I had a new gadget (my mum bought me a garmin forerunner 101 coz she knew i wanted one-google maps only so acurate-but was too skint to buy one!) so I tried my best to stay focused. Mile six and my dad stopped as he passed me in my car and asked had I had enough and did I want a lift home. "No" i just about managed thou the temptation was great, and set off again. At mile 9 my sister then tooted as she passed, turned around in the local farm shop and called me over. I jogged over and she too offered me a lift home! Now I appreciate their concern for my health, I informed her, and the offer of a lift if I was unwell, but being red in the face is OK!! I am not about to collapse!
Hit 11 mile mark in 2:52:57

On Bank Holiday Monday family plans meant that I didnt have enough time to complete a 13 mile run as per my schedule, so rather than put it off (we all know what happens when i do!) or not run at all, I opted for a time goal rather than my usual distance goal, and set out with a 10k in mind, hoping to beat my previous time of 1:40. I struggled most of the way round, with pain in my right calf, a niggle in my back and lack of focus, but I got home, and called C with my time straight away, I was that chuffed....
I'd completed the 10K in 1:31!

I put my success down to experimenting with gels and energy bars!

Thursday I went to see some friends at my local tattoo/piercing studio where I have been going exclusively for my piercings for 5 years. It was the first time I was going to get a tattoo there, having previously gone elsewhere because for the first 4 and a half years they did not have a resident artist. I told A that I wanted to get the tattoo as part of my ritual for gettting ready for next months marathon, and explained that I also wanted a butterfly underneath, so we could work out placing, but couldnt afford to get both done together. A suggested that it would be good to wait for the buttefly anyway, and to get that done as a sign of completion after the event. So that is the new plan!
Im very pleased with the end result, and feel so much more ready than I did before.
Watch this space for a pic-at the moment my camera has no batteries!
LOL