Tuesday 7 January 2014

The highs and lows of marathon training

Do you keep a training diary? I never have before, but I am trying my best to stick to my marathon schedule and I’m finding it helpful to tick off sessions as I go along. I am hoping that, as long as all goes to plan, I will be able to look back during Taper Time and feel prepared based on all of the sessions I’ve completed. I’m using a highly sophisticated recording method, involving the most technical of tools – smiley faces.

Unfortunately I succumbed to a tummy bug just before Christmas which scuppered training for about a week but gradually the smiley faces are beginning to dominate again and I feel that at the moment training is on track. I had a really positive 10 mile run on Sunday and I’m feeling confident about the distance increasing. This may all change, but I’m aiming to stay positive for as long as possible.

Other highlights so far have included the purchase of The Marathon Trainers (but they are too shiny and new to have actually been taken outside yet), my first attempt at taking a gel being successful (i.e. not resulting in a visit from the Gingerbread Man) and the increase in training providing perfect justification for new lycra. Let’s hope the run of smiley faces continues.

Wednesday 1 January 2014

Double parkrunning

How did you welcome in the new year?

I had a lovely chilled evening at home, just about stayed awake to hear the fireworks and then woke up with a 7am alarm to head to Huntingdon parkrun. This was the first of a special New Year double and pleasingly 153 other people had decided that charging/slipping/ambling their way around a very muddy 5K course at 9am was an excellent way to start 2014! A quick change of leggings, socks and trainers and we were back in the car heading down the A1 for the second half of the morning's parkrunning.

287 runners had woken up by 10.30 and were ready to tackle Peterborough's course. The weather had worsened slightly by this point, but the course was significantly easier - all on Tarmac paths and completely flat apart from a bridge. I was just under 5 minutes quicker than I had been at Huntingdon but by the end my legs were reminding me that it might have been last year, but they had run a PB yesterday and wanted a rest.  Luckily rest and sustenance came in the form of Eggs Benedict at a friend's house afterwards together with lots of running chat and free flowing tea.

The rest of the day has been spent relaxing on the sofa - later I'm going to do a spot of yoga to get #21daysofyoga started and then just to balance things out, I'm making a pie.



Thanks go to all my running buddies for making this a great start to the year but final word to all of the volunteers for making the runs possible - you guys rock.