Question for Chalky

Where do you go to add a website link. Just went through all the bits but couldn't find it!

I LOVE TO RUN!

The book I am using to get me through the marathon, aims to prepare you mentally as well as physically. One of the exercise this week was to write a paragraph full of positive, affirmative statements about running the marathon. Here is mine! If you tend to have an allergic reaction to self-help, affirmations and positive thinking, look away now!

I AM GOING TO RUN THE MARATHON. I LOVE TO RUN, AND I DO IT FOUR TIMES A WEEK. MY LEGS ARE SO STRONG - THEY TAKE ME WHERE I WANT TO GO. I ALWAYS HAVE ENOUGH ENERGY. WHEN I RUN IT IS AS IF THE WIND IS AT MY BACK AND I COULD GO ON FOREVER. I ALWAYS FINISH MY RUNS, AND I LOVE THE FEELING OF SATISFACTION THIS GIVES ME. I CAN'T WAIT TO RUN THE MARATHON!

So, I am supposed to read this every morning and before I go on every run, until I know it off by heart and can use it as fuel to keep me going!

Goodbye Chorleywood

I stayed at my parents' last night. Next week they are moving from the family home that I have lived in since I was ten, so I went to see the house for the last time and say goodbye.

Unfortunately, most of the beds have gone already so I had to sleep on the sofa, and was kept up for a lot of the night by this cough I can't get rid of. So, I only just managed to drag myself up today, and out into the winter morning.

I'm glad I did though. It felt good to be doing a tour of Chorleywood now my parents are moving away from there, and reminisce a little. And it is so much nicer in the (almost) countryside, and away from traffic fumes. I went across the common, and the floor was so springy it was a bit like being on a trampoline!

I ran five miles. The same five miles I ran towards the beginning of my training. I could see a massive difference in my fitness and in my enjoyment of the run.

Today I am going to make a GP appointment as I can't seem to shake this cold off. Just need to check it is OK for me to be running, that I don't have a chest infection etc. But I think it is probably just the time of year, and hopefully a good night's sleep tonight will sort me out!

I've reached £800 on my sponsorship, so I'm getting there!!!

Exhaustion

Ran 4 miles this morning, based on a piece of string and a cycle map. It took me 45 minutes, so I'm hoping it was a little more than 4 miles. But maybe I should stop getting quite so hung up about mileage, and focus on the positives i.e. that I am definitely getting fitter and increasing my distance at a steady rate. I also think that the mornings are starting to get lighter, which is good news because the training schedule is increasing in intensity (and therefore time spent training increases and I have to get up earlier!) over the coming weeks.

I am so tired though. Absolutely exhausted. The combination of time of the month, the end of a cold and all this running! I need to find some more energy from somewhere!

The furthest yet

I did a 10 mile run (roughly) on Sunday. Whether or not it was ten miles, it was definitely the furthest I have ever run. I was running for 1 hour and 35 minutes. It was a good run too. I managed to find some green areas quite close to where I live, alongside a river, which beats traffic fumes! So, I'm feeling more positive than I have been, and felt pretty proud of myself. I felt like stopping at times but managed to keep going, even pushing myself to a "sprint finish" (poetic licence) at the end. Had a lovely stretch afterwards and a long, hot bath. Consequently, I am able to walk today, which is a bonus!

Running nowhere fast

I went to the gym Friday night and ran on the treadmill. I HATED it!! Running on the treadmill is so boring. I didn't have earphones so couldn't listen to music, and the 5K I ran seemed to go on forever. I think I need to work on the visualisation tecniques suggested in my training manual. Then I could have pretended I was running somewhere beautiful and inspiring with the wind at my back and crowds cheering me on. As it was, I just listened to my own moaning and negativity. I am now pretty much convinced my pedometer is being generous with the mileage.