I'm going to run the marathon!

I DID IT! :)

noreply@blogger.com (Ella) — Thu, 27 Apr 2006 10:29:00 +0000

I did it. I completed the marathon. It was amazing. I LOVED it!!! I want to do it again (but maybe not next year!)

I want to write a full post about the day, but don't have time now. However, wanted to log on to let everyone know I am still alive and mobile (just about, following a partial tear in my achilles, but more of that another time!)

The whole thing took me 5 hours and 25 minutes. I didn't find out my time for a while. But, I ran a good race. My own race. I kept a steady pace throughout, running (jogging) the second half nearly as quickly as the first half. The hardest time for me was between about 17 and 20 miles. After that I ran "as if" I wasn't tired. And it worked. I finished feeling that I had energy to spare!!

The crowds were amazing. So much easier than the long training runs with so many good wishes, so much encouragement all around.

As I said I will write more SOON. As I want to get it all down so that I can remember it forever!

One friend said to me "I could have walked it faster than that!" I think she was joking. But let me just say, put your feet where your mouth is!

Lots of love to everyone who has given me such fantastic support. My next post will be my last!

5 days to go!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Ella) — Tue, 18 Apr 2006 10:40:00 +0000

I can't believe it! Only five days to go! All those months of training that seemed to last so long, now seem to have flown by, and here I am!!
I did an 8 mile run on Sunday, and now I only have 1 x 3 mile run and 1 x 3 mile walk until the 26 MILES.
I am nervous, but also a little bit excited!
I'm not sure about this carb loading stuff. I guess I will just include carbs with all my meals which I do anyway, and maybe eat more complex carbs and savoury stuff rather than simple sugars which go straight out of your system.
I'm not in the mood for chocolate anyway! Overdosed over the Easter Weekend.

The taper

noreply@blogger.com (Ella) — Wed, 12 Apr 2006 09:29:00 +0000

I haven't written for a while, but I have been training!!

This period of time is called the taper. The mileage is decreasing in order to allow the body to rest and recover in preparation for the marathon.

I'm finding it hard actually. I've always found short runs almost as hard as long ones, and doing lots of short runs and struggling is making me wonder how I will do the 26.2 miles.

But negative thinking gets me nowhere. All I can do is trust in the training I have done. And I know that I can be persistent and determined when I need to, particularly when I have support, and I know there will be a lot of support on the day.

I am struggling with a couple of niggling injuries as well as frequent headaches. However, had a remedial massage yesterday and she spent time on all of these areas, so I'm trying to look after myself.

I've decided not to have any more alcohol between now and the marathon. Going to focus on keeping well-hydrated and nourished to give myself the best possible chance.

The Big Day

noreply@blogger.com (Ella) — Tue, 04 Apr 2006 09:23:00 +0000

THE BIG DAY IS SUNDAY APRIL 23RD!!!

The last big week

noreply@blogger.com (Ella) — Wed, 29 Mar 2006 11:24:00 +0000

This is the last full-on week of training. Should be doing 1 x 8 mile run, 2 x 5 mile runs and an 18 miler.

I did about 6.5 miles yesterday, and ran out of time. (After this I did cycle 8.5 miles!)I think I may not run today as my body feels completely exhausted. And I will aim for another 6 on Thursday. I know this is breaking the program, but it is good to be flexible sometimes!!

I will definitely do 18 miles on Saturday.

The following two weeks are much easier, with the long runs less than 10 miles. I'm looking forward to it. The idea is to recover before the big day!!

Fundraising Target

noreply@blogger.com (Ella) — Mon, 27 Mar 2006 15:18:00 +0000

I take it back. I am actually £60.50 away from my target. I was getting ahead of myself there.

A good week

noreply@blogger.com (Ella) — Mon, 27 Mar 2006 10:59:00 +0000

Last week, I kept completely with the program! Which means I did 2 x 5 mile runs, 1 x 8 mile run AND AN 18 MILE RUN!!!

The 18 miler didn't feel nearly as bad as the 16 miler that got me so despondent a couple of weeks ago.

I ran on Saturday morning - good timing, because as soon as I stopped running it started raining and didn't stop for the rest of the weekend.

The run was quite a good sightseeing tour. I ran to Regent's Park, and did a lap, then on to Hyde Park, and did a lap. Managed to get lost in both parks, which added a few miles and meant I ran out of miles, and couldn't do a lap of St. James'. From Hyde Park I ran through central London and back to my mate's in Kings Cross. (Getting lost again in Leicester Square!) There were lots of crowds to negotiate - good practice for marathon day!!

I am very pleased with myself, and have more confidence that completing the marathon is a possibility.

I have also reached my fund-raising target!!! So, I have increased it. Would love to make it to £2000!!

Is it Spring at last?

noreply@blogger.com (Ella) — Wed, 22 Mar 2006 12:58:00 +0000

I left the flat at 630am for my 8 mile run. It was LIGHT, and actually quite WARM. Birds were singing. A few flowers were coming out. Is it Spring at last?? I hope so. This has felt like a very cold, long winter, and apparently it has been the coldest March on record. Not a good year to be in training for the marathon, perhaps!!

So, I ran 8 miles. Struggled for the first few but it got easier after that. Since stopping I have noticed a pain in my lower calf on my left leg. I am not sure what sort of a pain it is, or if it is something I should worry about. I hope not. Hopefully the student sports masseur will sort me out on Friday!

I hope I'm back on track

noreply@blogger.com (Ella) — Mon, 20 Mar 2006 15:44:00 +0000

On Saturday I did a long run. I cut off 2 miles, as my knee/ankle started hurting, so "only" did 14. However, it felt long enough to count as a long run, and some of my confidence returned.

This morning I did a five mile run. I'm actually hoping it was more than five miles as it took me an hour and five minutes. At that rate I will be running through the night on marathon day.

However, until I checked my time at the end, the run felt good. I started slowly and then picked my pace up. I didn't have any pain in my knee or my ankle today. The only problem was sore muscles around my shins, but this was totally bearable and a result of running lots of hills on Saturday (I think).

I am doing the exercises the physiotherapist gave me. One involves lying on a hard tennis ball (a ball for dogs) for one minute on the band of tissue between my knee and thigh. This is fairly painful, and apparently tricks the tissue into relaxing. Not much fun, but I think I can feel it working. The other good news is that I am going to be getting weekly sports massage from a student of the physio I saw, FOR FREE!! And she will be coming to my work to do it. Ideal.

I am getting very nervous about the marathon. Every time I think about the big day, the butterflies start fluttering!

I got back out there

noreply@blogger.com (Ella) — Fri, 17 Mar 2006 18:39:00 +0000

It was so hard to motivate myself to start running again. But I did it today. Although I didn't manage to go before work, I brought my kit with me and went out this afternoon.

I was quite nervous. I didn't know how my knee would hold up, and I think my confidence has been knocked.

I started off quite badly. My right ankle felt stiff and sore and my motivation was low. Things improved once I got to the Heath. I ran on track and grass which is kinder than pavements, and the Heath always manages to raise my spirits. A breather from "London".

By 20 minutes into the run I had found my rhythm. I ran for about five miles and had no problems with my knee at all. So I am all set for a long run tomorrow. I am not sure yet if I will do 16 miles or not. I will do what I can, and I will not beat myself up about it! If I can do the distance, great, but if not, it is better that I recover than wreck my knee and my chances of taking part on the 23rd.

Sports Massage

noreply@blogger.com (Ella) — Thu, 16 Mar 2006 12:17:00 +0000

Saw a lovely physiotherapist today who diagnosed my problem (Runner's Knee in layperson's terms) and gave me a great massage and a couple of exercises to do every day that should help.

I am feeling a little more motivated again. Since Sunday I haven't been running, and have been feeling like I don't ever want to run again. Having a bit of TLC and friendly, professional advice has helped.

Will definitely go on a run tomorrow morning before work. She suggested running on tarmac rather than pavement as much as possible, but there are some safety issues around running in parks, so it is tricky.

I need to get back out there before I slow down to a complete stop.

Injury Update

noreply@blogger.com (Ella) — Tue, 14 Mar 2006 11:58:00 +0000

Since my knee is still not right, I made a trip to my GP surgery today. He thinks the pain is probably the result of the kneecap moving slightly out of position. Something to do with the muscle. Actually, I've forgotten what he said, but he basically advised
* Exercises to strengthen the quads
* A visit to a physiotherapist
Unfortunately, the physiotherapist at the surgery has no appointments until after the marathon, so I will need to look to my wallet!
In the meantime, I'm going to go carefully. I will try a short run tomorrow and see how it goes, but I may do some alternative exercise this week instead.

Possible Injury

noreply@blogger.com (Ella) — Mon, 13 Mar 2006 10:20:00 +0000

I did run 16 miles yesterday. I made it, but it was a massive struggle. It felt about twice as hard as last week's 16 miler.

I went to Richmond Park again. I was planning on doing 2 laps like last time. However, the first lap was so hard (I felt stiff, my right leg hurt, an old man overtook me, I felt like I was taking a real pounding) that I couldn't face doing it again. The motivation just wasn't there. I decided to start running back to Brixton (where I was staying for the weekend) instead. This somehow felt less soul-destroying, as at least I was on my way home.

I think this was a good idea. However, by this time I was in quite a lot of pain, and I felt like I weighed about twice my normal body weight. A weird feeling. My pace felt incredibly slow. I had to work really hard with the positive self-talk to keep myself going. At times I wasn't even sure if I should keep going, as I could tell there was something not right with my right leg.

It feels like maybe my right knee is twisted. I'm not exactly sure. Running downhill or going downstairs is the worst. When I was running yesterday it didn't hurt all the time, but sometimes a sharp pain would seem to travel from my knee down to my ankle and up to my thigh when my foot hit the ground.

When I finished the 16 miles I had a decent stretch and rewarded myself with hot chocolate and a sandwich before taking the bus the rest of the way back to Brixton. When I got off the bus I could hardly walk, it was so painful. It didn't help that it was freezing cold and my sweat seemed to have turned to ice. My teeth were chattering. I made it back to Rebekah's but I felt like crying.

A warm bath helped, and a sleep on the sofa. But I was still incredibly stiff and found it hard to walk. And this is just 16 miles!

Today I am still stiff, but can walk without pain. My right leg seems just about OK but I think I had better seek out a sports injury specialist. It would be awful to get floored by an injury at this stage. Although the thought of the marathon is very daunting following yesterday's difficulties, the though of all this training for nothing is worse.

Ouch!

noreply@blogger.com (Ella) — Fri, 10 Mar 2006 17:11:00 +0000

Some runs just seem to hurt a lot more than others. I put today's pain down to yesterday's extra speed! My right calf was complaining loudly for most of the eight miles. I don't think the hills helped. My route took me around Hampstead and Highgate, so it was hard-going. I was running for an hour and thirty five minutes, so maybe I ran a little more than eight miles. Now I need to concentrate on resting in preparation for Sunday's 16 miler.

Picking up the Pace

noreply@blogger.com (Ella) — Fri, 10 Mar 2006 09:30:00 +0000

Went out with the running club last night. It is only a 3 mile route, so I made it my aim to keep up with the leaders! There is a big hill on the run. By the time I got to the top I was finding it almost impossible to get my breath, but my recovery was quick, and I managed to carry on. It was a good feeling to really push myself. I ran a lot faster than I usually do. I ran the 3 miles in 27 mins and 22 seconds. It is weird that putting a lot more effort into the speed doesn't seem to make that much difference in the time. I suppose it would over a longer distance. I made sure to have a good stretch afterwards as I think running faster used different muscles, or certainly used them in a different way. But what do I know! 8 miles later today. I'm hoping not to be as stiff as last week.

Weight Loss

noreply@blogger.com (Ella) — Thu, 09 Mar 2006 10:58:00 +0000

I am finding that one of the most common questions people ask me when talking about running the marathon is whether I have lost weight. We certainly live in a weight-obsessed society. Unfortunately I am part of it, and am disappointed not to see the pounds dropping off. However, there are so many other questions that could be asked - how do you motivate yourself? What do you enjoy about running? Are you noticing any changes in your mood or mindset? . . . but people hardly ever ask these things. I am trying to focus on all of these aspects myself, and have noticed several things about putting myself through this training program.
* Taking it step by step really does work
* I can do a lot more than I think I can. Realising this is relevant to my life outside of running.
* Positive thinking really does work. My energy levels are affected by my thought patterns. Negative thoughts are a big depleter of physical as well as mental energy
* Physical exercise definitely lifts the mood, but doing too much exercise with insufficient recovery can lead to a big dip. Recovery and self-care is important to sustain the feelings of well being.
* Support is so important. I can support myself as well as I can but the support of others really helps too. Sometimes when I don't feel like running, or am running out of energy on the run, I think of all the people who have sponsored me and imagine them cheering me on. On the day, I am hoping lots of those lovely supporters will be there.

I ran five miles yesterday, and it was relatively easy and enjoyable despite the rain. I'm looking forward to running club tonight, and challenging myself to increase my pace and see how it goes!

16 Miles: an epic adventure

noreply@blogger.com (Ella) — Mon, 06 Mar 2006 13:11:00 +0000

Sunday's run really did take up the whole day, as well as having an effect on the previous night when I went out for my sister's and mate's birthday and kept the alcohol to one bottle of strawberry beer(yum)because I wanted to be well hydrated.

On Sunday I left the house by 10am to go to Hermione's house in Tooting Bec. Arrived there at 12 midday and set about mixing up my Lucozade sport, applying vaseline and adjusting clothing. It was then a 20 minute or so walk to Streatham Hill, and a train to Clapham Junction then Richmond. Except we didn't get off at Richmond because we thought we would be clever and get off at North Sheen (closer to the park), but somehow ended up in the wrong place.

The station we got off at was called St. Margaret's - a very small station with no taxi rank and very few buses. When we called the taxi number advertised at the station, the operator did not even know where St. Margaret's was. After many frustrating phone calls etc. we got a bus to Richmond and a cab to the park, finally setting off running at about 3pm (5 hours after I left the house!!

All went well from then on. Herms ran with me for the first lap and it made a real difference to have company. I couldn't get quite so much of a rhythm but it was really great to have someone to chat to, taking my mind off the pain. And the park is beautiful. It was lovely to feel that I was running in nature, through woods, past ponds etc. Unfortunately we didn't see any deer. We did got lost at one point and end up climbing up a near vertical slope and over a fence to get back on to the path, but it all added to the sense of adventure!

After the first lap I left Hermione with her book and embarked on my solo lap. I am amazed that I can honestly say it was not too bad! I enjoyed the light. The sun was just going down and the sky was many beautiful colours. There were a few clouds, meaning that the sun was coming through in rays, making lovely patterns. It beat running on the roads. And I finished feeling strong, with energy to spare!

Afterwards, I stayed at Hermione's and had a lovely warm bath while she cooked for me. A perfect way to recover. I was so exhausted that I was fast asleep by 1015pm.

Every step hurt

noreply@blogger.com (Ella) — Fri, 03 Mar 2006 17:34:00 +0000

I did a seven mile run today. Aerobically I was fine, but my legs were so stiff and sore that every step hurt - my ankles and thighs particularly. I have a feeling I didn't stretch for long enough after the run yesterday.

It was difficult to enjoy the run because of the physical pain, but it was a great route. I ran to Regent's Park, and then around the perimeter. Ran past London zoo, but only saw a few cows!

Oh well, at least I kept going and made it back. I am going to have a lovely long soak in a hot bath when I get home. I need to be well recovered for Sunday's mammoth effort.

Toe nails

noreply@blogger.com (Ella) — Fri, 03 Mar 2006 17:32:00 +0000

One piece of not so inspirational information I received yesterday, was that it is fairly common for people's toe nails to go black, and then drop off a couple of weeks after the marathon. Yuk.

And my toes were a little bit tender after the 14 mile run at the weekend.

Running Club

noreply@blogger.com (Ella) — Fri, 03 Mar 2006 09:35:00 +0000

I went to the running club at my gym last night. I felt full of energy again, and the run improved my mood massively. It was good to run with other people for a change, at a slightly faster pace than usual. And I had a chat with someone who did the New York Marathon a couple of years ago, which all helps with the motivation. I'm quite looking forward to the run in Richmond Park this weekend. I might try a bit of carb loading on Saturday. I might not have much choice actually; due to a friend visiting, a long-standing arrangement and a friend's birthday I am going out for breakfast, lunch and dinner tomorrow. My wallet will not be happy.

Exhaustion??

noreply@blogger.com (Ella) — Tue, 28 Feb 2006 09:34:00 +0000

I am feeling unwell. I don't know if I have caught something or if it is the effects of Sunday's run. Shall I list my symptoms??!! OK then ...
Light-headed
Nauseous
Needing loads of sleep
That's it really!
I've been trying to drink lots of water, eat lots of carbs, get lots of sleep . . . but I'm still feeling rough today. Can't face even a 4 mile run so have postponed it until tomorrow.

14 MILES!!

noreply@blogger.com (Ella) — Mon, 27 Feb 2006 11:35:00 +0000

I did it! I ran 14 miles!! It was HARD but not as hard as last week, not at all. I managed to stay positive. I kept well hydrated by buying drinks from shops on the way and filling up my water bottle. I managed to keep going right until the end. My pedometer actually said I had run 15 miles. It too me 2 hours and 46 minutes!! I am amazed that I ran so far. I feel quite proud.

Don't eat fruit before you go running

noreply@blogger.com (Ella) — Mon, 27 Feb 2006 11:16:00 +0000

I ran six miles on Friday after work. I had left over 2 hours since lunch, but I had also eaten a pear about half an hour before I went. I was told afterwards that this was a really bad idea. I certainly suffered for it, and would advise everyone to avoid fruit before running. Apparently it is the acid in your stomach that does it. I was very nearly sick, got a terrible stitch, and had to keep stopping. So that is one lesson I have learnt.

Running my own race

noreply@blogger.com (Ella) — Wed, 22 Feb 2006 12:45:00 +0000

I can't wait for the Spring to come. Today was biting cold. I ran 4 miles and it took me 35 minutes. I am still feeling disappointed with my pace. However, I need to work on accepting where I am at right now, and running at the pace that is right for me, not constantly trying to be somewhere different. When I do this, I feel so much happier!!

What a difference a bra makes!

noreply@blogger.com (Ella) — Wed, 22 Feb 2006 12:38:00 +0000

Still on the same theme, but a happier story to tell. I wore my iron bra (good name, Chalky) to the gym last night, and managed to run on the treadmill without losing my balance!

I was trying to do a speed session. Alternating running pretty slowly with one minute bursts of speed. However, the machine kept telling me my heart rate was high so I got worried and slowed it right down. Don't want to keel over at this point.

It turns out that the machines are rather anxious and prone to panic. Mr Gym Instructor said to ignore them. Speedy running here I come.