A marathon tale

Well, it was always going to be slow and it was always going to hurt, and I was and it did!

It was a tale of two halves really, my injury had meant that a sub 5 was out of the question and a sub 6 was going to be only a vague possibility. I started out with the intention of run/walk on a 2:1 ratio and to be fair, that's what I stuck to. I had worked out that an average pace of just under 14and half minute milingwould get me in just under 6 hours.
I did the first 10k rather faster than that and even though run walking I was averaging just over 12 minute miling. Part of this is me being unable to pace myself properly and part of it was some anxiety over my support crew waiting around for me. I was trotting along and a couple of times, I realised that I was just not enjoying this at all. I spoke to no one and focused on getting to 17 miles to see friends and family.
From 16 miles on it really started to hurt, however, I was more than halfway to the finish line and was going to get in before the 8 hour cut off. I made it to mile 17 and there they were, relaxed and enjoying themselves, my friends and family. I told them that I was going to walk most of the rest of the way, I was hurting all over and tired and was likely to take another 3 hours, so they had time to do whatever they wanted to.
Lots of hugs kisses and jelly babies set me on my way again.
I was more relaxed now that I  was not so concerned about the family and set of at a good walking pace. I did run some, but not a lot. I started to take notice of the people around me and the incredible supporters who were sticking it out and encouraging us slower people all the way.
The first half of the race took me 2 hours 49 minutes
I saw some real heroes out there, people who were doggedly pushing through despite obvious disability and some very tired looking people. I was moved to tears by some of the sights I saw.
By the second half of a marathon runners are with the same dozen or so people and it can get quite friendly at the back there. There is only the competition with yourself to keep going, and that is helped along with the fantastic support from fellow marathoners and the supporters along the course.
I saw a woman who had some sort of spine problem, she looked as if she had been a runner in her time, but she had been forced into a bent over posture with this condition. I saw an elderly gentleman bent over in pain struggling one painful step at a time along the finish straight. And many many more. However it was the service men who reduced me to tears. There were half a dozen or so, injured soldiers running for Help for Heroes. many of them had amputated legs some had lost an arm. One of the young men - he must have been only in his twenties was in so much pain. He had lost an arm and a leg and was struggling with pain and exhaustion, but he and his comrades were going to finish by damn. I did manage to run with them for a while, but cramped calves brought me to a grinding halt. They finished just a couple of minutes in front of me and I was privileged to shake the hand of that hero, I wish him well for his future, that guts and determination will stand him in good stead for the rest of his life.
I completed in the end in 6 hours and 28 minutes.
Not everyone would contemplate doing a marathon to celebrate their 60th birthday, but believe me, it was the best birthday I could have had.
I have no photograph for this post at the moment, I'm sure I'll come across some of me out on the course somewhere, I'll publish it when I find a suitable one.

Back again

Well, for all my good intentions, it's been a while since I posted on here. Over two months, and there was me going to post every week regardless.
To be fair, I was offline for much of that time while having yet more building work done. It's not yet complete, who knows now when it will be. It is soo stressful not being able to relax in your own home. The work we have to do has slowed up somewhat, because HWMBT is not well. In fact, he is very very not well. That leaves much of the work to me, which is really hard to fit in around a busy busy job and trying to get this marathon training done.
That's another thing, the marathon training. That has come to a grinding halt because of inury. There is only myself to blame for ignoring the niggle. So here I am sitting at the 'puter with a bag of frozen forest fruits bandaged to my left leg (I didn't have peas, but these will do the job just as well I would think). This means a walking VLM for me, as long as I can get some quality 'time on feet' between now and then. Not easy with all that is going on here and trying to be there for family as well - childminding and transporting to be done.
I really shouldn't be complaining, I have lots of positives in my life. So many good and supportive friends, a job that I have the enthusiasm and energy for. A good (and rather overwhelming) happening there, I've procured a job as a 'lecturer practitioner' no less! I'm proud, flattered, and a little 'who me?' about it. But I'm sooo enjoying being on university campus again.
One of the memorable highlights of the past couple of months has been the graduation of my eldest son from Cranwell RAF college. He's been in the RAF for quite sometime now, and has applied for officer training on more than one occasion. He eventually got accepted, but the training didn't take a smooth path. Like me, he ignored a niggle, it became an injury and he had to be 'recoursed' in order to recover. He is such a stubborn lad, that he just tried to push his way past the pain to achieve the required fitness standard. That stubborness however, paid off and he graduated on the 4th February. The photo I've chosen for this entry shows the range of emotions that we all felt. Pride, relief, happy, 'WOW'!!! and more - ok, it's enhanced with lots of lovely champagne, but I'm sure you'll see what I mean.

Week Three

Well, that's week three over and done with, and finished on a positive note as well! I should have run on Wednesday, but this cold and ear infection has been hanging around so I waited until Thursday. I had a very very good run on the dreadmill and did the speedwork more or less as per schedule. Friday was not such a good one, I went out with the girls and struggled all the way. Rest day Saturday then the LSR on Sunday.
I've been following a thread on Runners World http://www.runnersworld.co.uk/forum/forummessages.asp?UTN=151449&URN=11&SP=&V=1&cp=34&dt=4&lastunread=1&lastviewed=8282443#lvm which is giving some excellent advice. Now, I've not been taking water or any energy suppliments on my runs that are 10 miles or less. After reading this thread and following the advice, I took some water and a gel with me. I was able to top up the water and I took the gel at the 4 mile (halfway) mark. What a difference, not only did I finish the run feeling ok, I came home and did some sewing and knitting as well as the usual cooking etc. Most importantly, I got up this morning feeling full of energy and raring to go. Which I did. to an RPM class, where I've not had the mojo to go to for months. So, a good run, a not so good run (understandable the day after speed work), and a fantastic run. Onward we go.

I was thinking when I was pootling along yesterday about the marathon, the London Marathon in particular. I suppose it's on lots of peoples 'Bucket List' to do. Some will, many won't. But it's good to have goals and aspirations, my 'Bucket List' gets longer as I get older and learn of more things I would like to do before shuffling off this mortal coil. Mostly the usual things, like swim with dolphins do a parachute jump, cuddle a tiger (I just love the cuddly look of a tiger). I did have the opportunity last spring to tick one thing off my ever increasing list and that is to walk on the Great Wall of China. I have no idea why I have always wanted to do this, just that I don't remember a time when I first thought of it. The experience was indescribable. the group I was with were lucky enough to be taken to a remote part of the wall and to walk along about 3 miles or so. When I say 'walk along', it was a little more complex than that. Enough to say, I had my Garmin with me, it told me that we had climbed nearly 1000ft in a mile and a half!
Here is one of my favourite photos of that time, it gives an idea of the vastness of that structure and how much work and planning it must have taken. Bear in mind that we are miles and miles from the nearest civilisation

Week Two

Not as good a week as I'd hoped training wise. The snow and ice have played havoc with most peoples running plans.
I did run out on Friday though - outside, in company, no snow, no ice, no wind and no rain. It had been raining hard in the morning, but I was determined that I was meeting the group comewhat may. We had a lovely run - just 3½ miles but so rewarding.
My LSR had to be abandoned today though, I have a cough and a ear infection that would have made it silly and a little irresponsible to go. I've factored in an extra rest day and hope I can at least do SOMEthing tomorrow.

I have however done lots of shopping, the kind of shopping that lots of people love and I definitely DON'T. I needed some clothes for my son graduating from Cranwell RAF college in just over 2 weeks time. Eventually I have something smart for the daytime and posh for the evening time.

I met my friend this morning for our Sunday morning chat'n'stroll with the muppets (two black labs). It was a lovely fresh bright winter morning with a hint of a promise of spring in the air. We take advantage of the winter months and let the dogs run on the beach - come May, they will be banned until the winter months again. I love the beach in the winter, it's as it's supposed to be, with the waves crashing and beating on the shore and no crowds of sunworshipers to spoil the landscape. This may sound a little churlish, but in my world, beaches are for strolling on throwing sticks for the dogs - and even having a good gallop along on a fresh horse (I've done that in my time and there is no experience like it). The sunworshipers can have their beach in the heat of the summer though as I like to wander in the green cool forest at that time.

This morning, we were not the only ones enjoying the relative peace of a winter beach as you can see from the photo. Not my idea of fun, and you may not be able to see it in the picture, but the guys in the canoes were relishing the challenge of beating the wall of surf and making it to the calmer waters beyond the breakers.

here we go again

Well, it's about time I resurrected this blog. I pulled it down some time ago for reasons I won't go into now.
I'm woefully bad at keeping it up, but this time I will do my best.

I'm going to be doing the London Marathon again this year (note the 'doing' rather than the 'running'). I really would like to make a good show of it this year and finish in style. After all it's on my birthday - my 60th birthday no less.
I'm going to be using this blog to track my training - not so much the number crunching of miles clocked up or minute miles averaged - more the experience of the whole thing.
There will be good times and not so good times. There will be 'course I can do it times' and 'what the hell am I doing times'. I know this from past experience.
I also know from past experience that crossing that finish line is like nothing else in the world. This is the same for those who cross it in just over 2 hours and those who cross it in 7 hours or more (some take days!). All are experiencing an achievement that is second to none.

Of course, I have started on a 'not so good' note, in that running outside has been impossible because of the snow and ice. This has driven me to the dreadmill and probably contributed to the cold that has poleaxed me over the weekend. No matter, it can only get better as they say.

Some of my 'blogging' friends have been posting pics of their various achievments/experiences. I shall also try to do so. They won't always be running related but I shall do my best to keep you entertained.

Here is one I took back in the summer on my way home from Ilfracombe on the Waverly

This was such a peaceful end to a beautiful summer day, I like to look at such pics in the dead of winter, it reminds me that we are heading toward those lazy hazy days again.

Take care

xxx