Is This Marathon Lark Really For Me?

"That was a wee bit more challenging this week. I don't know why exactly.  Maybe ten miles is my natural limit and eleven is pushing it a bit. I did it though. And who'd a thunk it possible just a few weeks ago? I'm not sure what was so tough. I mean, at no point did I really think I was going to quit. I think it was just the thought that each step took me further from home. I wasn't running a circuit so at no point did I turn back on myself. I got the train home..."

That's how I felt immediately after my eleven mile run last Saturday. I was quite achey afterwards, all day and the next, but I was ready to run again by Monday morning, so I can't have been that bad. Tuesday's run was a bit tougher. My legs were tired from the get go, and it took at least three to four miles to get warmed up. However, I was really pleased with my time of 80 minutes.

This week I am aiming for thirteen miles. I need new trainers. And they need to be a six and a half. As I do more than eight miles, my feet start to hurt, and I think it's because they swell up and the shoes aren't big enough. I've also ordered some sports gels, though they won't arrive in time. I should really go shopping this evening for a few to keep me going, as I'm going to be running for about three hours tomorrow. If I bought the shoes as well, I could break them in. But would that be wise on a long run? Which is worse, running in shoes that are definitely too small, or running in new shoes? 

Gutted

I thought I'd avoided the other half's lurgy. I got through a whole week or more of him not being well (he's still not great) with nery a sniffle. Then I got a bit of a sore throat after my run on Saturday.  It got worse yesterday. I debated wherher or not to run this morning, but decided to give it a go. Not a good idea. I feel like shit now. Really sore throat, cough, aches and can't get heat in to me. Blahhhhh! No running for a couple of days and no work. Lots of fluids and sleep I think.

Clearly though, my biggest worry is falling behind with my training. I do have a couple of spare days but I want to stay on top of the mileage. It's a fine line. Do the training, keep up and risk delaying recovery? Or rest, miss a few days, then get back to it, with some catching up to do? I know which makes the most sense but it's hard to follow good sense sometimes.

TEN MILES

Today I'm feeling invincible! I ran ten miles this morning. TEN FREAKIN' MILES. I was worried all week about the fact that it was two miles further than last week. But I did it. And it really wasn't too bad. I'm tired now, but I did it. And that makes me feel that next week's eleven mikes won't be so bad.

I used an audio book and it distracted me. I ran for two hours, sixteen minutes and forty-three seconds. That's going to get longer over the next lot of weeks, and Stranger In A Strange Land is plenty long enough to last a few long Saturday runs.

I used the KT Tape and my knees feel good, even after ten miles. (Did I mention I ran ten miles?) The right one was starting to niggle a bit and the left one always hurts, but having had my knees taped since Wednesday evening, yesterday was the first day since I don't know when that they both felt dead on. I have been more careful about not crossing my legs, just been more careful in general about how I hold my legs, and I've been looking into anti inflammatory foods and eating them, so perhaps that's playing a part.

The hydration pack worked well too. I just half filled it. So that was one litre. I used the tablets too. They are a sport fluid replacement drink. I got them to do a wee bit more than water would. But I've made a mistake. Its a zero calorie one. I actually wanted it to have calories, to replace the energy I'm expending. I'll get something else but it did for this week, and drinking on the run was no problem.

Decisions decesions

I'm half thinking of running tonight after work. It would get the next long run over with, and I'd be able to have a lie in tomorrow. Of course, I could have a lie in if I wanted anyway, but I won't if I still need to run. I will make myself run early.

Pros:

• Run would be done and dusted.
•  Legs are taped up and ready to go. I could get the hydration pack ready too as the sports mix arrived also.
•  The Main Man is off work tomorrow, so we could have a lie in together.
•  Both Saturday and Sunday would be recovery days.

Cons:

• Running in late evening traffic.
• The route would be the ring road and the coast. If I run in the morning, I'd be trying somewhere   different.
• Chances are I'd start off a lot more tired than if I waited till tomorrow, and nearly two and half hours   of running wouldn't be easy, finishing around 8.30pm I think.

There's comfort in the thought of doing the faithful old ring road, but the new route appeals too. Blast it, make your mind up Woman!

New stuff!

The hydration pack and KT tape arrived. Knees are duely taped (and look darn silly) and pack has been filled with water and found to be not leaking. It's all good!

First Chaffing Issue....

....if I don't count my right heel being occasionally rubbed raw by my, all-of-a-sudden recalcitrant, shoes. Some days they're fine, others, a nightmare. And my experience is that it's worth spending extra money on those swanky, expensive blister plasters (Compeed) rather than own brand. They stick for days, and really help heal the thing. Plus, they're extra cushiony. All good. They work out at nearly a pound a plaster mind you, so they'd blooming well need to work.

But, as I said, other than my bloody stump of a right heel, my first real chaffing issue is my back. Caused by my sports bra of all things. I have a scab in the middle of my back which stings as I start to sweat (lovely image) and it's caused by the clasp of my bra. Since I'm generously boobed, a supportive bra is essential. For "supportive," think straight jacket. And that's not easy to get on, given my now slightly limited range of motion in my right arm since I broke it four years ago. I have to do the clasps up and put it on like a vest, over my head. Yes, I'm eleven again, trying to work a bra! And it's not easy. It's not such a problem to get off thank goodness. On reflection, I think a new bra might be in order.

What's happened to my photos? They've all gone. Hmmmm. Annoying. I'll leave them up for a bit to see if it's temporary.

This morning I did five miles. It took over an hour. I got up at five and that was loads of time. Next week though, I go to six miles on a Tuesday. This is going to get tight for time if I keep trying for before work. At least I'm getting a bit better at going to bed earlier.

This week's motivation tip

Visualization is the order of the day this week. As I head towards a ten mile run for the first time, I have to come up with a version of my best ever training run, write it down and then become so familiar with it that I can run it, like a video in my head, whenever I need to remember how good running feels. My problem is that I just can't think of one that's vivid enough. I've enjoyed plenty of runs, but the details are all very sketchy. I mean, I can't remember sights and smells. I think I will have to go for an amalgamation of the good bits of various runs, some from my current, marathon running incarnation as a runner and some from my previous weight loss running days.

The second visualization is to be of what will happen and how I will feel when I cross the finish line of the marathon, who will be there, what we'll say to each other and what I will do. That one is easier as I've already been doing it on a fairly regular basis, nearly always the same, with very few variations.

Training run scenario:
"I leave the house in early morning. It's just starting to get light. I'm not self conscious of running in the daylight. It's a Spring morning, before 6am, mild weather despite not being full light yet and as the Sun rises, it becomes clear that there's not a cloud in the sky. I'm in no hurry. No work to go to. I feel light and relaxed as I run down the street from my front door. As I get to the main road, I feel comfortable and am looking forward to the 5k ahead. It's the week after my first ever sub thirty minute Parkrun. I did that with a pacemaker and I want to see if I can do it by myself. I set off strong and although I know it will be an effort, I did it a couple of days ago, so I know, am confident, that I can so it again.
      There's a light breeze, preventing me from getting too warm. My feet are striking the pavement firmly but softly, if that makes sense, knowing where they're going but not jarring. I run past the shops, 1.5k in. Feeling fresh still. It's lighter now and as I turn the corner off the road, I can see and smell the sea. The Sun is orange as it comes out of the sea and I head up the slight incline that I hate towards the house on the Esplanade, except today it's no problem and I run along the road, no cars at this early hour, and three kilometers done. More than halfway there.
      Past the yacht club, the sounds of loose ropes and things making that tinging noise in the breeze. Starting to feel the effort now but knowing there's less than 2k to go and legs are in a good rhythm. I run on, the marina is in sight. Sweating now despite the breeze but feeling as if I could run for another half an hour. The final push up the hill to my street is not a chore because I'm so concerned with the time I've done. Just one more wee tenth of a km to go! Hit the stop button. 28.45! Feeling wrecked. But bloody brilliant!"

That'll do nicely. Now to read it a million times and learn if off by heart. I will do the next one tomorrow