Heat - Eugh and Last Minute Amendments!

Dilemmas, decisions and discipline needed!

Please excuse the fact that I didn't post an update last night but a faulty laptop and post-weekend away catch up won!

Anyway, it has now been 15 days since my last update and although my legs are beginning to recover nicely, my ability to run fast (by my standards) seems to have gone by the way side.  If I'm truly honest, this is definitely attributable to the fact that my work/family/social life balance have been winning over the training where motivation is concerned.  The training has been happening - just somewhat half-heartedly at times.  I'm still awaiting a much needed massage which I'm hoping is going to happen this week although, my legs feel infinitely better than was the case a fortnight ago.   I think I need to be really disciplined over the next couple of weeks!

SO, I don't have any major excuse for not training and have been trying to stick to some sort of training plan that would both enable my legs to recover and also help to prepare me for my next marathon venture.  In my last post, I said that I would try to spend a week mixing up other cardio-vascular routines with running which actually worked quite well.  Over a period of 5 training sessions, I mixed running with using the step-machine.  So ample time was given to training but running was limited to between 5k and 10km per session:

Monday 18th June - Interval training - 10km treadmill run plus 40 minutes of step machine
Weds 20th - 5 mile run
Thursday 21st - 6 mile run after work plus 40 minutes of step machine
Friday - 10km broken into a 4 mile, 6am session and a 2.25 mile jog after work
Sunday - 5km hill running (on the road) in Derbyshire.  This REALLY hurt but that wasn't down to tired legs, or pushing it too hard but more a case of Southern Jessie tackling the hills.  In total- fractionally under 27 miles.  Nowhere near enough to bank a reasonable marathon time but very well needed plenty of cardio-vascular endurance in there too.

Last week was disappointing in terms of getting the miles in but the effort was there - although the heat wasn't my friend.
A good start to training with 8 comfortable miles on Tuesday.  What was meant to be 18 long miles after work on Thursday (knowing that I was away at the weekend) was a struggle.  I hadn't arranged for a running partner/bike support so figured that the headphones, treadmill and the tv was a sad but acceptable alternative.  That seemed like a good idea until the lack of air-conditioning, lots of bodies and a very hot gym got in the way.  So nigh on 2 hours later, I'd managed plenty of exercise but only around 8 miles of actual running.  So physically hot, that I constantly moved between power walking (sub 12 minute miling), the step machine and actual running (8 minute miling).  To compensate for this, I ran 11 miles from my sister's house on Friday which was a slow, training run.  Having worked quite hard the day before, I couldn't have been much quicker anyway and it was intended to be a training run anyway.    The girls rode their bikes for a short while so that I could jog next to them on Sunday.  In total, around 29 miles this week which is still 5 or so miles fewer than I had planned for.

This brings the first dilemma - I really want to get another slightly longer session in prior to the next marathon but don't want to wait until the weekend as the event is only a week or so away now.  With this in mind, my schedule for the week:

Monday - STRAIGHT after work, 12 miles (ideally more if time permits before collecting the girls)
Tuesday - camping with the school but may be able to squeeze 10km in
Weds - 4 early morning miles, ideally
Thursday - Rest
Friday - 6 miles
Saturday - rest PLUS the Olympic Torch relay passes through Bury St Edmunds (very excited)
Sunday - 6 miles... I hope!

This also leads me to my second dilemma.  I have been working towards my marathon event number 3 of the year.  Fairlands Valley marathon event in Stevenage on 15th July.  This was always going to be difficult event as it's cross-country (which is ok, just a bit daunting) but is also the day after a wedding - my head won't want to know.  I've also just figured out that through a careless lack of planning on my part, I skipped the small print stating that it's not a properly marshalled event and is a bit of an orienteering challenge for the vast majority of the marathon distance (slightly longer than a marathon at 26.4 miles, IF I don't get lost).  This 'orienteering' I'm not up for when running by myself with only a small field of competitors... I'm going to have some experience of this in my ultra-race at the end of the year but not to the extent of this marathon.  That's the sort of thing I'd rather do with a large group of runners and make it a day of fun, just for the sake of it.  Having said that, with Summer being the season of shorter distances, there aren't many local marathons in the offing (plenty abroad - perhaps I should have been more willing to spend out on yet another weekend away and planned for it accordingly).  So, what to do, what to do? 

The decision:  As a teacher, my school holds an awesome 'sports day' every year, or rather a sports festival.  As part of that, the lovely Zoe has organised a staff running-relay.  A relay that will see a constant flow of teachers/support staff running around the West Suffolk Athletics track for the full 5.5 hours of the sports day, all in a relay, each running from 5 minutes upwards (most running for approximately 20-30 minutes), all in aid of Sports for Rwanda/Sports Relief.  As an alternative to an orienteering marathon that I'm really not brave enough to run, I am going to run a longer than planned for marathon for the full 5 and a half hours to support the staff in their relay and as a constant challenge for me.  Each lap of the track being 400 metres (1/4 mile) for a full day.  I have no idea how this will pan out for me.  The terrain will be easy (flat, track).  The support will be amazing (900 students and staff in the vicinity plus another member of staff on the track lapping me throughout the day, I hope).  The preparation has been going.... ok.... The only things against me are the lack of SERIOUS distances over the past 3-4 weeks, my legs don't feel as strong as they perhaps should, the weather (in whatever form that may be) and the sheer endurance of pure track running for such a long period of time (I've estimated that I could probably complete between 120-132 laps of the track or 30-33 miles). 

Now that I've made the executive decision for this to be the case (assuming that the weather doesn't defer the sports day until the following week), I'm hugely excited about the whole thing... a real sense of trepidation too but excited all the same.

I just now need to ensure that I train tonight, ease up properly, eat and drink properly over the next couple of weeks and then, well, act like Forrest and run! 

New Shoes, New Routes, New Aches and Pains!

Factoring in the off-road miles.

Well, this is the blog where I should be feeling rather chuffed with myself. This weekend saw the end of 25 weeks of training which means I have well and truly passed the half-way point in my 50 (actually 48 weeks) of training. This should be a good feeling - one where I can tell myself that I have worked really hard to achieve something, despite the many odds of 'my busy life' being against me. In part, of course I feel like this... I'd be mad not to acknowledge the fact that I've reached the hump in terms of my training time. If the truth be known, however, I'm having a week of feeling overwhelmed.

I may have survived the half-way point in terms of time but the real challenges are yet to come. I've still only completed 2 of the scheduled 6 marathons, 2 of the next 4 are off-road and the last is an ultra-race. So many of the first 16 weeks of training were building up to and becoming physically strong enough to cope with the demands of a marathon. My current state of training is about maintaining the momentum, distance and making the transition to factor in more off road running. I had seriously underestimated just how hard this would be and trying to run 20+ milers every 3 weeks as part of my 'training' is now taking its toll on me. I'm seriously struggling to find the time needed to put these distances in and then recover quickly enough to get back on with my life again with legs that are also beginning to command some recovery time. I think that any normal marathon runner would train for and participate in a marathon and then spend the next month or so avoiding running like the plague. For me, this hasn't been the case. Although I've allowed myself some recovery time, the very nature of the my frequency of marathons has meant that the recovery periods are short.

Now that the throws of work have kicked back in, the sleep is also beginning to suffer again.

SO - factoring in the off-road running, severe lack of sleep, sore (sometimes intensely so) legs - especially the Achilles and insufficient recovery time, I'm physically not feeling in a 'good place' this week. BUT it's all self-inflicted and as much as there's a need for this to be addressed, it's my place to address it!

The past week hasn't served me well at all:
10km at Nowton Park on the Monday (11th June)
Thursday saw me run 20.75miles (33.2km) on the treadmill AFTER 9 hours at work, following a 5 hour night's sleep... this felt ok (although I have NEVER ran 3 hours on a treadmill before).
4 miles at Nowton Park on Friday (this was horrid - legs were like lumps of concrete).
I was planning on running 8-9 miles on the Sunday evening but my legs were too sore to even knock out one mile. Instead I went on the stepping machine for 25 minutes and then headed out on my bike for a half-hour burn out.  None of which has been helped by my daughters' hamster dying yesterday.  Two forlorn children; one formal burial and a whole lot of hole digging (for the coffin) has only served to add to the stresses, trials and tribulations of a single, working, running mum's life!

My plans for this week are trying to keep active but also to respect the aches and pains a little.
Monday - 10km run and 35 minute stepping machine.
Tuesday - No exercise (work and girls)
Wednesday - 1 hour of tempo training on the treadmill if the legs allow it. Cross training otherwise.
Thursday - Some gentle exercise - maybe a slow (VERY slow) 4 mile jog
Friday - Bury 5 (if the legs can cope)
Saturday/Sunday - I'm away for the weekend but would quite like to try and squeeze in a 10 mile run (somehow).... although this is very much dependent upon the legs!

If all goes well this week and that my legs are able to recover a little, then I'm really looking to up the off-road miles next week but for now, let my legs get through this week first. To say that I'm nervous about a multi-terrain marathon in under 4 weeks is playing it down a little. I'm excited about it and am telling myself just to enjoy the experience but I would always want to do myself proud.  I know that with my legs feeling the stresses of training as has been the case over the past few days, then this is unlikely to be the case. I will, therefore, allow sense and sensibility to prevail when necessary. (Or am I just telling myself that in order to placate myself?)

Anyway - I have new trainers which I'm hoping aren't contributing towards my niggles. I've changed the terrain a little... I'm hoping this won't contribute towards my niggles. I NEED sleep which really won't help the niggles so intend on getting a couple of earlier nights in.... on that note, at nearly 11pm already, I'm risking falling at the first hurdle!

Edinburgh Marathon 2012

Edinburgh Marathon via Garmin Forerunner

Marathon Hurdle Number 2 - Check!

Edinburgh - done and dusted!

Well, a week or so after my last post and 8 days since my second Marathon hurdle of the year - and I still have the 'tan line' medals to prove it!

After my last update where it was evident that my nerves were picking up again, I found myself, yet again, looking for reasons to not take part.  The heat - yes, it was hot but that's no excuse.  The tiredness - yes, I was absolutely shattered but did I ever think that running a marathon at this point in the academic year would be anything different?  Tiredness is no excuse.  My tonsillitis - OK, fair point but I was nowhere near as bad as I could have been and was definitely out of the 'other side' by the time race day came so that's no excuse.  SO, being all out of excuses, I ran on Sunday 27th May as planned and trained for.

After a long drive up with my friend Emma and two of our children on Friday night, the 380 mile journey (not 360 as expected) which saw the most beautiful sunset, not one but TWO speed camera episodes, 3 burger/loo stops, lots of gossip and the entire world put to rights, we finally arrived at our hotel at 12.30am.  I'd love to claim careful planning on my part but it was purely coincidental that our hotel was about 20 seconds from the A1 and extremely close to the finish line - this made life SO easy on Sunday.

Saturday was spent being a lazy tourist in the city - I haven't been to Edinburgh in years and forgot just how beautiful it was.  Although the heat and lack of desire to be a tourist on a mission saw us spend the best part of the day sat by the new parliament building paddling pools and in restaurants although the castle and park were duly visited.  Too hot and sunny to even want to do any more than that, factor in the fact that I was running a marathon the very next day and the urge to be any more active on the Saturday was in serious decline!  I did however run (well, jog) a couple of slow miles early on the Saturday morning which, as expected, added to my nerves as it was already hot, hot, hot!

So, after a lovely day on Saturday, lots of pizza, olives, pasta and water (SO much water, having an aversion to running in the heat, I was taking no risks here.), I managed a reasonably early night.  A good feed up on Sunday morning, a taxi drive to the start with some random fellow marathon runners staying at my hotel, a mocha in a nice little cafe near the start line (I was, unbelievably, early for once in my life) and several loo visits, I was in my starting bay and a bag of nerves but ready to start.  The temperature at this point was a mild 15 degrees. 

The course itself is beautiful: starting in the centre of Edinburgh and moving out and down along the East coast, following a loop back on itself and finishing near Musselburgh Race Course.  I actually quite enjoyed most of the run and made a point to run at a pace that I might perhaps have felt a little fast but I knew that I would suffer in the heat and wanted to get as many miles under my belt before that time.  This was a REALLY good move and was on for a PB until well over 20 miles in.  My 30km split was 2 minutes ahead of the same split in Milan but then the heat really kicked in.  In the early stages along the edge of the coast, it was beautiful, sunny and benefited from the sea breeze.  By 12pm, this was NOT the case and by 1pm, I was desperate for a breeze, some shade and a light shower.  Sadly, nothing other than heat and sun!  I spent very little of the entire run without a bottle in hand and made sure that I took every opportunity to drink before and throughout the event - SUCH a good move as there were an awful lot of people not looking too well at the edge of the course, especially in the last few miles. 

By mile 21, nausea had kicked in and the pace slowed.  My earlier average of 8.25-8.40 minutes/mile changed slowed to 9 minute miles and at one point, I'm sure I clocked a 9.30 mile.  The typical mind over matter and literally 'talking myself through' the steps, the 400 metre marks (1/4 of a mile, 1 lap of the track) throughout the last 3 miles was SO hard.... and then, suddenly, I saw the 26 mile marker.  Lord only knows how but I then sped up.  My elation was so great I think that I managed to speed up to an 8 minute/mile average for this last section.  The little video of the finish clip that I have actually shows me speeding up and overtaking.  (To be fair, I was probably running so very slowly but others were running slower still.  I'm more than willing to admit just how deceptive the video actually looks.)

My final finishing time: 3:49:43  Exactly 95 seconds slower than Milan but given the conditions, I'm really pleased with this.  A part of me is berating myself for not going faster but sore hips kicked in at 18 miles and I genuinely couldn't have done any better.  Hence, I'm trying to focus on the fact that I did as well as I did.

My placing:  I was the 1991st finisher in Milan of approximately 6000 finishers.  In Edinburgh, approximately 23000 runners, I was the 1992nd finisher.  On that basis, I'm all the more proud of my time.

My highlight however was being passed by runners from Norfolk Harriers and Wymondham running club in the early stages but passing ALL of them again in the last 5-6 miles of the course.  Good to see other local East Anglia runners in the event but better to have beaten them (forever the competitor)!

Even happier when I arrived back in Suffolk after the long, stiff and tiring 380 mile journey home again.

So, the last week has seen me recovering from sore hips and tight hamstrings.  A lovely massage from Sheryl and I'm ready to go again.  I only ran 8 miles last week and have been deliberately lazy.  This week picks up the miles again a little but I don't really want to run any more than about 20 miles in total (including the Stowmarket 5 on Friday night) and then the serious training kicks in again next week.  The Stevenage marathon is in 6 weeks from now and is also partially cross-country/trail running.  My training plan will have to take this into account but more to follow on that one!

Nerves.com

A BRIEF update before Edinburgh!

Well, given my update which was fewer than two weeks ago - when I was having a particularly low period, it's nice to feel as if I'm coming out of the other side.  Although, if the truth be known, for the majority of the past fortnight, I've been on a slight wind down.  Perhaps my ease of mind is attributable to that.

So, the sun is shining, the weather is warming up, Summer appears to have begun (Whatever happened to Spring? It seems that Winter has morphed into Summer with no dividing season.) and the build up of excitement, anticipation, trepidation and nerves for Edinburgh has begun.

27,000 runners, one of whom will be me!  I genuinely don't know whether to actually get excited and try to feed off the elation that I felt after completing my Milan marathon OR whether to suffer with my nerves.  I'm trying to opt for the former but this heat and sunshine (bearing in my mind my intense dislike of running in the heat) coupled with the onset of a sore throat (I'm recognising the symptoms of tonsillitis - sincerely hoping otherwise) isn't serving my confidence particularly well.

Furthermore, and I hate to admit it, but the 'body' that I had been commenting upon in recent posts is reverting back to normality again.  The muscle tone is very much in abundance (I LOVE my abs!) but a month of sleep deprivation has seriously increased my need for substinence and, in particular, I've been relying on sugar and chocolate to get me by... this, it now seems, is the devil's food!  So, even though it may only be a couple of pounds, these are another couple of pounds that I have to carry with me on Sunday.  Let's equate this (being the mathematician that I am) - you just trying carrying around a bag of potatoes whilst running a marathon!  Oh yes, it is a big deal!

Anyway, the 360 mile drive to Edinburgh takes place tomorrow - Eugh!  My friend Emma and two of our daughters (my supporting entourage so to speak) and lots of love and support from my friends and family, are going to help me get through the drive there, the drive back and a little run on Sunday.

I genuinely hope that I can do myself proud and have been really careful over the past couple of weeks in terms of my training - not too much, not too hard (with the exception of a fast 5 miler at the start of last week) and an increase in fluid (sometimes, must try harder).  A well needed sports massage tonight from the lovely Sheryl should, I hope, prepare me nicely.  Given the heat, if I can finish in sub 4 hours, I'll be satisfied.  Deep down however, I know that I would really like to match if not better my previous marathon time of 3hr 48.  Either way, let's just get marathon milesetone 2 out of the way!

Until my next update - wish me luck! xx

Numbers, numbers and more numbers.

Fractions, Decimals and Percentages - and lots of miles!

Well, that's week 20 over and done with... and what a beautiful, sunny way to end another week of training.  So lovely.

It's been a funny couple of weeks as we're now heading into the exam season at work so the pressures of supporting students, setting and marking mock exams and keeping up to date with the 'day job' has been unreal.  Consequently, sleep deprivation has kicked in and late nights of marking has become the norm.  At least it's only for a short period but for now, tiredness is outweighing most things.  Furthermore, trying to combine this with the children and the training has not been an easy task.  The thought of trying to knock out yet another 10km or even a ten miler... and longer, after the 3rd consecutive night of sub 5 hours sleep is becoming less appealing.

I guess this is one of the 'lows' in terms of actually enjoying the training.  Rather than finding it as an escapism that I enjoy so much, it has, on occasion, felt more like a burden over the past couple of weeks.  The constant juggling of things in order to squeeze yet another hour of running into my day and then being too tired and hence not recovering quick enough between runs is no fun.  I know that I love running.  I know that I wouldn't set myself this year of training at this level if I wasn't inspired in some way or other.  I know that challenge of seeing the running agenda through is what is driving me but today, when I'm tired and still have sore calves from the last run, I find myself questioning everything.  SO, in order to 'get over myself' (a phrase used on the school field, that I never tire of hearing), I've now booked myself into the next marathon. 

So, Edinburgh in only two weeks from now which is suddenly looming and 7 weeks after that, it's the Fairlands Valley Stevenage marathon - a touch more local!

Training has been reasonable over the past fortnight but with the demands of work being so great, my mileage has been restricted more than I would have liked.  Certainly fewer miles than I would have preferred but enough to get by.

Over the past couple of weeks, I have found myself increasing the mileage after the 2 recovery weeks post Milan.   I've really been mixing up the treadmill training and road running just for a bit of diversity but also to take off the pressure on my legs a little.  I wouldn't be in the least bit surprised to learn that they're still in the recovery process and are now fighting against the increase in tempo and endurance.  Anyway, more importantly are the random thoughts that go through my head when running.  I suspect it's the mathematician in me but every aspect of any run is broken down into fractions, decimals and percentages.  How far have I gone in percentages?  How many laps of the track is this intended run equivalent too?  How many have I completed?  (20 laps for 5 miles - always a nice feeling once I've completed 3 miles and only have the equivalent of 8 laps remaining.)

So, my training for the weeks that has gone by has seen an up in the mileage including routine 5 milers or 10km straight after work where possible and a 21 mile VERY SLOW training run that saw me leave Bury and head around some of the lovely surrounding Suffolk villages.  An extra special thanks must go to Nicki for her bike support.  Where I was hot, she was quietly freezing but still coaxed me through the last hill on Moreton Hall when my legs were battling mile 21 (one street lamp at a time, of which I believe there were around 10 to get me up that hill).  I had hoped to complete 40 miles for each of the past two weeks but this week has only seen me total 32.  The plus side is that the longer distances that were planned have been finished including a 24km run today (That's equivalent to 60 laps and about 15 miles... other geeky statistics: each 1.2km (3 laps) made up 5% of the run; 240m being 1%.  Like I said, fractions, decimals and percentages.) and a mini bike ride with the children thereafter.  I had spent the morning dreading this afternoon's run but once it begun, I found it enjoyable and a well needed reminder that the training isn't always the doom and gloom as has been the case over the last couple of weeks.

Given that Edinburgh is only two weeks away, this increase in tempo for the shorter runs and distance in the longer runs are now going to subside again whilst I prepare myself for Marathon number 2 of 2012.  Next week therefore will see a dip in training again (and hopefully a well needed massage at some point too) with a few shorter runs and a 10 miler mid week but nothing more than 22 miles in total.  The following week will see a maximum of ten miles in total... at a VERY SLOW pace, prior to race day in Scotland.

Wish me luck!

Week 19 beckons.

Getting back into the swing of things.... Or rather trying to!

So, having missed a week of blogging it, this is me TRYING to get back into being motivated for my year of endurance running.  To be fair, I REALLY needed the wind down post marathon week and subsequent break from blogging, break from thinking about intensive training and some recovery time.  As you're aware from my last post, I was extremely pleased with my time and worked hard to achieve what was a great time for me but less than mediocre for many.  What I hadn't anticipated what the physical and mental aftermath in the days following my first marathon of the year.

Absolute exhaustion ensued.  I had hoped to jog for a couple of miles 2 days after the marathon but simply slept instead.  The sheer elation of my achievement settled into some sort of dullness of questioning whether I should have been able to do better or even if I would be able to replicate it again in Edinburgh at the end of May.  The (expected) constant fighting against a cold, sore throat and irritating cough from where my immune system had been left drained and now exposed.  I think the adrenalin in the build up to and exertion on the day of the marathon leaves you feeling somewhat mixed afterwards.  My memory of running London in 2005 or rather FINISHING my marathon in 2005, served to remind me that I now owed my family and friends some of 'Sarah' again as the training commitment often put those that I love the most, second.  It is only now that I'm having this same realisation, this same feeling of owing those around me my time, that the impact of demands on my time for another 30 or so weeks is hitting home.

On the plus side, it has become a real talking point for my daughters amongst some of their friends.  Sharing the Milan experience with them has given them a sense of pride, some understanding of the demands of running a marathon and an appreciation of setting a challenge for yourself and working hard to achieve it.  So, even if my children aren't always getting their mum at her best this year, they are getting a role model in some guise or other.  At least, that's what I'm telling myself when, yet again, I apologise to them for being cranky!

Anyway, talking through my running for the past two weeks:
In the week directly following my marathon, I took it very easy.  Having been too tired (stiff, sore, walking tenderly and feeling as if I'd morphed into a 95 year old woman) to run for the first few days, I jogged/slowly ran 5km on the Friday evening.  My left calf and Achilles were VERY sore and tight.  I repeated this on the Saturday and although I sensed the same aches and pains as I had on Friday, they were nowhere as intense.  I then ran 4 fast miles (30 mins 24 sec) on Sunday with not a single niggle.  I was REALLY pleased with this!  The following week was still very much a recovery week but also striking a balance with the ongoing training.  So, a steady 10km on Tuesday, a steady 10 miles on Thursday and a 5 mile run tonight (Sunday).  Do note that tonight's run was the first non-treadmill run since the marathon.  (Well, other than 3km of start/stop jogging in the rain with my youngest on her bike yesterday but I'm not convinced that it counts).  So, I have managed over 20 miles this week but, unlike the treadmill miles, the road run tonight felt tough.  This comes after a few days of birthday celebrations with my youngest who has now turned 6 and has partied harder than most adults I know!  (NB - now that she's 6, my plan is to encourage her to attend the Junior Pacer sessions wherever possible.  Work permitting.)

This IS the week where the miles really kick back in though so I'm hoping that a well needed sports massage will be on the cards sometime very soon.  My plan for the week:
Monday - 4 FAST treadmill miles straight after work
Tuesday - 5-6 easy miles
Wednesday - track session I hope! 
Thursday - Rest
Friday - 5km jog/rest
Saturday - 22 mile (at 9.15min/mile)... any offers of cycle support would be really appreciated here!
Sunday - I have the children all day with me so another rest day.  Depending upon how far I run on Wednesday, I should certainly clock up nearer 40 miles this week (more if Wednesday becomes a slightly longer run).  Bring it on!

One more thing, I have made a conscious decision to take my blogging down to once per fortnight.  Mostly due to simply needing some sleep and having missed a week, appreciating the earlier night I got on a Sunday.  Secondly, I now feel that my 'blurb' can be more condensed now that my training has become more habitual (never really easy) than it was earlier in the year.  THIS is of course subject to change.  For now, let me just get back into the swing of things as I now begin week 19 of training. :o)