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RACE NUMBER 41490
TIME 5:01:26
Average Pace 11.29/mile
Click here to read my Race Report >>
A BIG THANK-YOU to each and everyone who has sponsored me so far. I AM STILL RAISING MONEY AND ACCEPTING DONATIONS TO AT LEAST ACHIEVE MY TARGET OF £1600 - I know its a tough time with the credit crunch and all, and we're all feeling the pinch. Every donation is much appreciated. Those of you who are yet to donate - BE BOLD - click here to DONATE NOW >>
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1 day to go
Here we are then, less than 24 hours to go.
This week Wednesday I did a brief 40 minutes 4 miles to keep the lungs working and the legs moving. I kept wanting to do more - Have I done enough for the big day ? Will I be ok for the last 5 or 6 miles the unknown territory ? Have I done too much and won't have enough left in the tank ? - too many questions and no answers till after the event. This morning Saturday i've just taken the sites of the local park in twice around and done a good yoga session to calm the mind and stretch everything I possibly can ! So now it's pasta time and liquid time and rest time and leave mum alone kids time!!
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Pre-race stretch out marathon |
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Yesterday I had a shock of shocks and for a while the world stood still. I hadn't received by post the form but the NAS had given me my race number etc. so on arrival to the Excel Centre to receive my number and chip I had to see the help desk and then the worst I could have heard COMPUTER SAYS NO!! I was informed i'd been withdrawn, that's right withdrawn. I assured the woman I hadn't withdrawn and this was a mistake, a BIG MISTAKE and supplied my gold bond details and ID which was scurrried out to the office behind and after a sickening 5minutes which seemed at the very least a lifetime I was greeted with a smile and 'you've been reinstated, you're ok to run'. Oh the joy, my heart and breathing returned to normal. I actually wouldn't have left without that answer.
Well, no more to say than check back tomorrow or Monday and by then i'll know the answers to the questions !! |
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3 days to go
Just a few days to go before the big day now! I’m feeling excited and nervous, but really looking forward to it. I had been feeling really exhausted with doing the long runs and had wondered whether I would have any energy left when the day finally came, but luckily I’m feeling more refreshed with doing less mileage.
Last weekend I did a ten mile run and tonight I did about four miles at an easy pace.
It’s hard to believe that I’ll be running in THE London Marathon on Sunday - and that I’ve done all the training.
I’m hoping that I’ve done enough to get me to the finish line on two feet, because if not it’ll have to be on all fours!
People keep telling me the adrenaline will get me through - make mine a double! |
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14 days to go
I've just done my LAST, EVER long run of 18 miles - Yippee!! I even managed a discernible sprint at the end just about visible to the naked eye - only just though. I thought to myself "I'm never, ever, EVER going to do a three hour plus run again (apart from on the big day of course)" so I just tried to enjoy myself.
In the last couple of weeks I also repeated my 20 mile (approx) run which took about 3 hours 50 minutes and included a bit of hill running in Greenwich park. I had brought my new MP3 player along to take my mind off the pain in the last few miles, the thought being that I''ll save it untill I really need it. When that moment came with 2 miles to go, I put the ear phones on ready to lose myself in the music and - splutter, splutter, - silence - Nnooo!! Nothing!! I'm glad there was no-one around to hear the air turn blue!
Anyhow, I've done my maintenance runs inbetween long runs and am happy, happy, happy that the end is in sight. No more getting back from long runs, feeling totally spent and hearing those dreaded words "Mum, we're starving! What's for lunch?!" Favourite answer - "Oh shut up and get in the oven!" |
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27 days to go
Well, I’ve done several runs now since last writing. After the 18 mile approx (three hours fifteen minutes) run in which I nearly died, the next long run which was a three hour one, was much better. I found it helped to trick my mind into thinking that I hadn’t done the first hour which was a run into Greenwich and around the park and then back up to Surrey Quays. Then I did my regular route following the Thames path to London Bridge and back which is about two hours. I think the trick worked really well and I felt okay at the end which I was really pleased about.
The last long run of three hours forty five minutes was with my neighbour again. She'd got much faster and fitter which meant that in the last hour and a half I didn’t see her for dust - just the soles of her trainers disappearing into the distance. At one stage near the end of my run - my legs and hips were so stiff I felt like one of the wooden top puppets (I’m going back a few decades there) I did catch myself thinking "why, oh why, oh why, did I say I’d run the marathon?"
This weekend I’m doing a three and a half hour run (hopefully). I usually run without music but I’m entering the digital age and buying an Mp3 player hoping that the music will help to distract me from the pain - burning calves syndrome!!
It's countdown time to the big day - i’m getting nervous - very nervous. |
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2 months 7 days to go
I went out running on a cold, sunny morning. It was one of those days when it felt good to be out in the fresh air. I felt fit and fantastic - did a one hour session of some sprinting and some steady running. Two days later after a busy day - thought of every excuse not to go out - Too tired, too dark, too hard, too cold, not enough time, etc. In the end I did go out, grumbling to myself all the way. Came back to children grumbling about dinner being late, but feeling pleased with myself that I’d gone.
I’ve done a few two hour plus runs now - the longest was two hours twenty six minutes so feeling more confident that it’s possible to improve my running and feeling quite happy (and a touch smug maybe) that if there’s such a thing as a ‘two hour jolly’ club - I could be a member! Whoopee!
Wow - that really hurt! Did a run of three hours and ten minutes covering over seventeen miles! I think I was only able to push myself that far because I was running with a neighbour that had already run a marathon - the New York, last October. She’s also doing the Paris ‘thon in April. I felt good around the two hour mark, when after a toilet break and stretch we decided to push a bit further. Around two hours forty minutes it started to hurt. And then fifteen minutes after that it started to hurt badly.
I used every bit of willpower I had to finish because near the end there was nothing left in the tank. The burning sensation in my calves really caught me by surprise when I stopped running - it was like they were on fire. I tried to hold it together till I got home when really I was trying hard not to yelp and hop around like an idiot. When I got home (around the corner) I staggered upstairs and flung myself into bed, wrapped myself in the duvet and put my legs up against the wall. My last thought as I tried to sink into oblivion was - “Actually I don’t want to do the Marathon anymore”.
Two days later I felt surprisingly okay - no obvious aches and pains. Did an hour’s run through Greenwich Park.
Two days after that - did another run of one hour seventeen minutes. Felt like a huge elephant on two wooden legs the whole way. Caught myself looking down to check whether my legs were actually attached to my body and were actually running - as I couldn’t really feel them they were so knackered. I’m guessing that I must be suffering the after affects of the long run. At this stage I can’t bear the thought of doing another long run. It just doesn’t seem possible to run twenty six bloody miles!
HELP!!! |
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3 months 2 days to go
Update on the last couple of weeks - Training has been a bit patchy, but I feel pleased with what I’ve achieved so far. My aim is to run three to four times a week – one of which will be a long run at the weekend which I plan to extend weekly or fortnightly. The reality so far is that I’ve run between 2 to 3 times per week, which hopefully I’ll improve on as I get more into the training.
During the last couple of weeks I’ve done some shorter runs of between 45 and 55 minutes including one very challenging hill running session of 55 minutes where I really pushed myself. Last weekend I did a 2 hour 15 mins jog along the Thames pathway. I hadn’t actually planned such a long run but had got lost on the way and thought I might as well keep going. This weekend, having had a really stressful previous day - I decided to run it out, and did another 2 hour 15 mins run - this time with bouts of faster running throughout. I felt a bit stiff and achy the rest of the day following that run, but pretty much okay the next day - so hopefully my fitness level is increasing.
Having run a half marathon last October, I feel like the hard work up to now has been training to get back to my previous level of fitness. The big challenge ahead will be extending my runs to 2 and a half hours and beyond. The challenge always is just getting my butt out the door! |
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3 months 19 days to go
Yippee!! I finally kick started my training regime for 2009 with a 50 minute jog to ease me back into my schedule and to get me on target for the big day, Xmas, New Year, Colds and Flu has side-lined me for the last month. Today was cold, very cold so I waited for the sun to show its face before I showed mine and it wasn't so bad after all.
The next couple of weeks should see me getting back to full fitness and for the 2 hour 'jolly' as they call it - i'll let you know when I do and who are they !! |
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