I’m on my own!

Ballot results were sent this week and all of my friends that entered did not receive a ballot place… which means I’m running this beast on my own! That’s ok; I don’t think you can ever run this marathon on your own, what with the family and friends supporting you and then the thousands of strangers in the crowd. I’ve been told that the crowd will carry me through it. In the commiseration magazine there is an article about some of the signs from this year’s marathon; they include:

“If you think you’re tired, my arms are knackered”

“Just think, you paid to do this”

“Pain. It’s just a French word for Bread”

“I don’t know you but I am proud of you”

I am very much looking forward to some of the signs next year, they will be a very nice distraction!

I completed a long run last week; 14 miles, which is over half way so I’m super pleased. I didn’t feel too tired and could have carried on but I have a plan so I am trying to stick to that!

This week has been a bit odd, I haven’t felt the best having a few personal issues and that is actually when running comes in very handy, it’s not only been an incredible advantage for my physical health but also my mental health too. I use running to clear my head when the world all gets too much, I don’t have major problems, I cannot claim to suffer from anxiety / depression and I can only imagine how hard a mental illness is to live with, I see a lot of it at work but sometimes I do struggle, I feel stagnant sometimes with my life, do not get me wrong I LOVE my life. I have an incredible better other half, I love my job and this year we bought our first home but sometimes, when I cannot see any progression I get frustrated, it is minor in comparison to everyone else’s problems I know. This week is was my friend getting engaged, and although incredibly happy for her I do not hide the fact I am incredibly jealous but my other half and I have always said we would wait to be in a better financial position, but now and again I struggle with this; I want to be married to him so much! Like I said, nothing compared to real life problems!

Anyway, this week I was feeling low, so I NEEDED to run, and I loved it. I put my phone on silent, I tracked my run but didn’t have pace updates, I just put my music on and ran, I felt free and it did clear my head enough to realise I was being a little bit ridiculous! My friend has told me that when she feels like this her husband tells her to ‘just enjoy the ride’ and that is what I am going to do!

My knee has bit hurting a bit this week so I’m taking it easy, I am not going to push myself and I’m learning that that is ok (although I will still do my 10 miles this week, to prove Darran wrong – to explain he said I couldn’t run 10 miles every week this year, because of illness or life getting in the way etc (so of course I’m running 10 miles every week, no matter what! I’ve had to get up at 4am just to fit my runs in and I’ve run with a very bruised rib – that was a very slow run!! )

So this blog’s motto is that it’s ok not to be ok all of the time!

To end with my favourite sign from the article and one of favourite phrases

“When you can’t run with your legs – run with your heart”

xx

Holland Steps, Long Runs and Dizzy Showers

Two weeks since I found out I was in the Marathon!
I am still completely overwhelmed and keep crying but I don’t know if that will stop; this is going to be such a big thing for me, not only to run the marathon but (fingers crossed I get there) to raise so much money for a charity that’s means a great deal to me…

SO this week… Head in the running game, we went away to Holland for a few days and not long after we arrived I went for a run! Whoop! Conscious to get my chunky legs moving I climbed 507 steps and ran back down again. Recently I have been running with a colleague at work and we go up a few tough hills but I have started to now notice that my pace is improving so maybe hills are good for you! With this in mind I headed up the steps! O My Word it was tough! But a quick cheeky 2.5 miles but my legs and mind at rest J (Not to mention my partner, Darran, thought it was a good idea to climb the steps the next day! HE didn’t do the 24 hours prior; I don’t think he could have done them twice!)

So back from Holland and today I planned a long run; we have friends who live 5 miles away which I thought was perfect for a run there and back with a quick cuppa in the middle. I am in the middle of some night shifts so by the time I got up and sorted it was 4.30pm; I dragged Darran along, cycling alongside me at a very slow pace! I messaged my friends who informed me they weren’t at home but in the pub not far from their house – turns out to be almost an extra 2 miles; so my long 10 mile run turned into a 14 mile run, My longest run to date

This week I have devised a plan and tried to look at my pacing to aim for around the 4 hour mark, although this is somewhat fastest than my current pace but that’s what training is for! 😬 SO my race pace should be 9.10 and my first mile was BANG on! My second mile not so much, went a lot slower but at the almost half way stage (the pub), 6.5 miles my pace was 9.16 minute miles (not bad considering the horrible hills).

At the pub however I discovered a very bad blister on my little toe L Almost an hour later I started my run back…. A lot more downhills but heavy legs and a rubbing little toe! At 13 miles I was struggling but my pace was still good at around 9.15 – 9.30 and only a mile to go.

At 13.6 miles my phone died L I ran home emotional and re charged my phone when it told me I had run 13.8 miles, hence I proceeded to run up and down the garden in my bare feet to get to 14 miles. It meant my pace wasn’t recorded properly but I did it! Longest Run Yet!

I then tried foam rolling – That bloody hurt but I didn’t do it for very long; because of the pain but my muscles do not feel so bad now so I think it helped – to be attempted again!

For the two hours that followed I felt awful; dizzy, sick, tired – Darran had to help me out the shower because I thought I was going to faint! It didn’t help that I didn’t have long to go to work; must improve my recovery techniques!

Feeling slightly better now, keeping hydrated, knees hurt a bit but for me that’s not unusual

Got a busy work week so two runs planned with my colleague and then another long run attempt the week after! I’ll let you know how that goes!

In other news I have sent sooooo many emails requesting raffle prizes; the fundraising is stressing me out more than the running! I can’t imagine ever getting to £3000 but I know my family will try their hardest and help me in every way they can which I’m extremely grateful for. Fingers crossed I have some replies this week 🤞

I’m in! 😬🏃🏻‍♀️❤️

So, 10 hours after receiving the email that I have been accepted to run the London Marathon 2018 on behalf of The British Heart Foundation and I am already completely overwhelmed!
At first, when I read the email, I was excited! Incredibly so, people wait years to get this opportunity and I’ve got mine.

But then it hit me, 26.2 Miles, £3000 to raise for an incredible charity; what if I can’t run, what if I don’t raise that amount, what if I can’t do it?

I’ve already cried three times and it’s been less than 12 hours! Plus I haven’t even started training! Not officially!

Given all of that at the moment I just feel I sense of pride! I am going to be running for such an important charity to me. I’ll go into it in a later post when I feel less emotional!

The Thomas family already have ideas flowing with plans taking shape to try and raise as much money as possible. If they can help me I can certainly give it my all for them.

All I have to do is run right… just keep running! 🏃🏻‍♀️❤️😬