So around this time last year I was ready to run a marathon. Today I started the couch to 5k after not running (or any exercise) for well over 6 months 😳 I totally lost any motivation over lockdown and only now feel like I can get my head around running again. A bit weird but I have read about this not being uncommon over lockdown.
Anyway, after finally mustering up the energy to drag my fat butt out, there were a few things I came to realise today:
1. The stretchy properties of Lycra are something to behold and a wonder of science.
2. I have put on way more weight than I was prepared to admit.
3. Running for 60 second intervals felt longer than walking for 90 second intervals.
4. I actually did it and it felt pretty good! 😃
So rather than a blog to record my journey to running a marathon, this is now my journey back into running…and who knows, maybe another marathon? 🏃🏻♀️🐐
This was my first run since the Yorkshire marathon and boy did I need it! Big thank you to Ruth who got me splashing through fields and massive puddles 😃
Oh my goodness! I did it! I actually did it! I ran the entire 26.2 miles without stopping (with the exception of a quick wee stop at around mile 8!)
I am a marathoner!
What an amazing day! I can’t tell you how nervous I was in the morning and had to force down a bowl of oats and a slice of toast for breakfast 😬
Perfect weather for running too (at the start but more on that later!) We even managed to find Jo at the start which was lovely!
I’d made the decision to run sans music but had my phone headphones just in case! And with a bottle full of Tailwind and a tummy full of nerves we were off!
In my head I knew I just wanted to run the lot and finish. That was my goal so I started slow and gradually found my pace I was comfortable at. It meant I was passed by Scooby Doo…twice (!) but I was good with that!
In my head I wanted to get to 8 miles. I knew once I got there I ‘only’ had 18 miles to go and I knew I could run 18 miles!
I loved running without music – it meant I could have a chat to others on my way round. I saw plenty of goats too – had to explain I was ingoatnito but was in fact a goat too! 🐐
13 miles felt good! After this point I was over half way and homeward bound!
Some stretches were filled with well wishers encouraging and shouting your name which was such a great feeling. Some bits were quite quiet and these were times when I could just have time to think. There were also quite a few hills. As I was running up one, I declared to the guys walking, ‘This is quite a dewsey! I was told this was supposed to be flat?!’ To which I got the reply, ‘It is for Yorkshire!’ Fair enough! 😂
Once I got to 18 miles my ankle had been hurting for a bit but after 3 or 4 miles it stopped. I think my body stopped protesting as it realised I was just going to ignore it! I saw the 19 mile marker on the other side of the switchback which kept me going. Once I got there, I thought I would keep going to 20 miles and see how I felt there.
The psychological training I had taken from my training guide was invaluable at this point! Checking my phone and reading all my friends’ lovely messages as I ran, as well as seeing the donations coming in for Myton Hospices kept me strong! I’m pretty sure Sarah was giving me a shove too just when I needed it ☺️
At 20 miles I was hurting. I felt really emotional and just wanted to cry but crying and running is a really hard thing to do!
At 21 miles I started the count down by thinking about how far it was on my training runs – 5 miles is a short ‘before work’ run. I can do that. 4 miles is two laps of PR. I can do that. 3 miles is a Sunday Run in the Park. I can do that. Each mile I was ticking off. How do you eat an elephant? 🐘 ( I could have eaten an elephant by then too – I was starving!!)
24 miles felt good but I’m pretty sure they had started to move the mile markers as it seemed to take forever to get to 25 miles then the Holy Grail of 26!
I turned the corner in the last mile, the rain poured down and low and behold, it was a bloody hill! Right at the end!!! Thankfully I’m a Chiltern’s girl so up I ran with a combination of tears, sweat, rain and snot streaming down my face. Thank goodness for all those hilly training runs I used to swear about!
Then there it was! The finish!
I was actually going to do this! Every bit of me hurt but who popped out from the crowd and ran with me to the finish line? Noah! 😍😍😍
I could not stop crying! A little voice said to me, ‘Mummy you’re running fast! I can only just keep up!’ I don’t know if I was or not – probably not but it felt like it!
5 hours 12 minutes and 42 seconds of running and I could stop. I had done it! Every one of those 499 miles of training, early mornings, tough runs, failed runs, frustrating runs, great runs had been worth it!
Check out the calories burned! 😳
Check out the number of steps!
I was so happy to see David! The tears started again and I was blubbing like a baby but I was so happy! There is absolutely no way I could have done this without his support and that of all my friends and family. Thank you everyone! 😘
I think the smile on my face says it all! The foil is quite a look too! (That is alcohol free lager btw!)
So, as I’m sat on the sofa sipping a glass of red with my ankle on ice and taped up and parts of my body aching that I didn’t know could ache, what are the top five things I’ve learnt from running a marathon?
1. It’s a long way. No really, it is.
2. You ache like you wouldn’t believe. Stairs are not an option.
3. If you are injured, rest!
4. Pickled onion Monster Munch are the best post marathon snack.
5. You need to train just as much for the psychological part as well as the physical part. That’s what will get you through.
So, the final question would have to be: would I ever run a marathon again?
This is it then. Training is now done. No more early morning 5 milers or squeezing 8 milers in after work. No more long runs or planning crazy routes trying to work out distances, fuelling options and finding ways of staying hydrated. All the hard work has been done…for now!
Officially, I’m supposed to do another 8 miles tomorrow, 5 on Tuesday and 3 on Thursday but my foot hurts. I reckon I’ve done enough to get to the end so I’m stopping here, full on resting so I’m ready to enjoy next weekend.
Of course I can’t not mention this achievement today! A sub 2 hour marathon is mind blowing history in the making! Today, I have been totally inspired by this man:
It’s made me reflect on how I have also been totally surprised and amazed by what I have achieved on my own journey. As Kipchoge’s coach pointed out today, everyone’s achievements are all relative. Kipchoge is clearly a super elite athlete but is still finding ways to challenge himself and push away barriers. That determination and curiosity has to be admired. I don’t think I could even call myself an athlete, but I have still challenged myself and pushed away my own barriers and limitations that I had placed upon myself. The only way to find out if I could run a marathon was to train for one and do it – and next weekend, I will find out!
Quite a life lesson right there about what can be achieved with determination. I hope it will inspire Noah to find his own challenges that push away his self-imposed limitations – because like it or not, we all have them.
#nohumanislimited
Now, bring on the deep heat.
Until next weekend, Cheers!
Stats so far:
Number of times run this week: 2
Furthest distance run so far: 18.11 miles
Total distance run last week: 8.65 miles
Total distance run so far in training: 499.52 miles (How much do I want to run 0.48 miles right now?!!!)
I’m feeling it today. I ache. My feet ache, my legs ache, my back aches and I’m tired 😓
As I was running tonight, it actually felt good as I’ve given myself two rest days but trying to fit everything around a full time job has been really hard and I think it’s all catching up on me. I found myself thinking tonight that this marathon can’t come round soon enough now.
Bloody good job I didn’t get into the London Marathon! I was gutted when I realised I had a ‘sorry you’re not in’ top (which is actually really nice!)
After sleeping on it, I’ve realised I need to have a rest before my next one. (I can’t believe I’m thinking about my next challenge already 🤪)
One and a half weeks to go…I know I’ll enjoy it when I get there!
In the meantime, if you’re reading this, please feel free to donate if you would like to. I’ve nearly hit my target already and it’d be great to beat it! Just see the link below 👇
So decision has been made. With two decent 16 milers and an 18 miler run under my belt, I’m not going for another 18 mile run. I’m going to carry on following my plan and so I’m now starting my taper! It couldn’t come soon enough really. Someone told me at the beginning that running the marathon was the easy bit – it’s the training that’s a killer (and they weren’t wrong!)
Anyway, back to tapering. The decision to just keep to my plan was based on:
My body is protesting. Foot aches. Luckily, it’s probably not the dreaded plantar fasciitis but an inflamed posterior tibialis. Now taped up with strict instructions not to do any back to back runs, do lots of stretching and icing after a run.
My left leg has decided to ache today. What’s that all about? Haven’t run for two days and it’s been absolutely fine! I wake up on the day of the run and it hurts 🙄
A DNF is infinitely better than a DNS so I’m not going to push it but manage it as best I can to just get to the start line! 🤞
Apparently, just as long as your body can cope with running for 3 1/2 hours then you have a good chance of finishing. At the moment that is my only goal…to finish!
So, tapering has started, once again in more ways than one! Touch of de ja vu if you ask me: Tape-ering!
A big thank you to the lovely Louise from Louise’s foot clinic for some very sound advice and great taping to get me there in three weeks time!
Now, just a matter of a 9 miler today…wish me luck 🤪
Dodgy Knees and Blisters 