HEATHER'S MARATHON UPDATE

11th March 2010

22nd Jan
Missed a mid week run today because all the treadmills at the gym are busy. Folk must be taking their New Year resolutions very seriously.

24th Jan
No snow! I can do my ‘long run’ outside and at the weekend for the first time! It is grey, damp and dismal but I get out there.

25th Jan
Don’t feel too good.

26th Jan
I have the cold. A head cold but I don’t feel well. Decide not to run. It doesn’t snow but it pours comes to mind!

2 Feb
Feeling better and plan a lunchtime run. Open the curtains in the morning and it has been snowing again. Am I really meant to run this marathon? Sun comes out during the morning and the snow disappears by lunchtime so am out plodding the pavements again.

4 Feb
Note in my log that I keep letting myself off the hook doing ‘intervals’ or any kind of speed work. I know I will pay for this on the 25th April.

I continue to go to Pilates twice a week as I have done for years. Louise, who takes the class, knows I have a place in the marathon and is really supportive and encouraging. Is it just my imagination that we seem to be focussing on leg work? I tell her that all the marathon schedules suggest some light cross-training on non-running days. Not in her classes she tells me!

Manage to keep to my running schedule at lunchtimes and weekends.

20th Feb
Would you believe it has been snowing again? My usual long run route is quite slippy and I am not sure what to do. Realise that some of the route that has been in the sun is clear of snow so decide to walk the slippy bits and run the clear bits until I have covered the distance. Good plan except it seems to be the ‘hilly’ (slight exaggeration) bits that are clear and the flat bits that are slippy. However stick with the plan and complete the route. Might have walked more than I have run?
Despite the fact I dodge the fast interval runs , I also struggle to keep my long slow runs slow enough. At least this session won’t be at a lactate pace!

21st Feb

My legs absolutely ache. Never this bad after I have run. I guess I use a completely different set of muscles to walk.

Once my legs recover I am back on the schedule. Now having to take some half days annual leave when the scheduled lunchtime run doesn’t fit my lunchbreak.

I have booked my flights and hotel so somewhere in my head I believe I am running the marathon but I am heading for uncharted waters - my weekly and long run mileage is about to be more than I have ever done before.

7th March
Manage my first 16 mile run.

8th March
Legs don’t ache!

Looking back over my log I see that I have been making some progress over the weeks. I begin to be encouraged by the thought that maybe I could just break 5 hours if I can keep this going. Then I discover that the fastest time in the London Marathon for a pantomime horse is 4hours 37 minutes.

Oh well. Somewhere between the pantomime horse and the guy in the diving suit if I stick in with my training...