Half Marathon.....TICK

Well I bet the suspense is now killing you so apologies for not updating my blog faster :)

Well I finally completed my first (probably of many) half marathon on the 7th March 2010. I can officially tick it off the bucket list and now punish myself further. I came in at a very respectable 1hour 59 mins and 37 seconds which considering a few factors a) It is a renowned tough course with 2 monster hills (if a comrades runner even refuses to run up them you know they must be tough) and generally undulating. It was absolutely stunning though its just a shame I couldn't slow down to enjoy it. b) my leg is still giving me problems and was looking at doing a still respectable 2 hours 5 and c) I'd been boozing a bit the night before.

So what did I learn from this race? Well I think I have my energy gel strategy sorted, 1/2 a gel ever 35/40 mins (or the nearest water station), energy drink beforehand along with a banana 2 hours before. I think I managed to channel my nerves better than any of my previous races and did not go out too fast, I think I have become familiar with my pace and it felt a little faster than normal throughout and I was right!

On top of that I now have a race time so I can start predicting my marathon time and start working on a pace strategy.... geeky stuff....lol! To boost the confidence further I have opted to not run the Lincoln 10k :( and go for the Retford Half Marathon in 2 weeks time. This time round I am hoping to shave a couple of minutes off my time, firstly it is an easier route and secondly and going to stay booze free for this one. I do have to factor in that by that point I will be at the peak of marathon training so it may be a slow run, ran at marathon pace. I'll see how it goes though :)

I really am feeling so proud of myself right now and whilst to some this would be a small achievement (and in comparison to what I am going to achieve) but this was a huge deal for me having tried and failed through injury twice, to train for a half marathon. I proved all those who thought I would never commit wrong! In fact I have never been this committed to anything in my life (except for my marriage perhaps ;)) and the first notch on the running shoe has shown how hard I worked. I'm not fast, I'm not super skinny and I am certainly not a health freak but I am certainly, officially a competitive runner who will only get better and better as my confidence and strength builds....

Now I must rest my weary muscles and prepare for 7 miles tomorrow, perhaps 6 if the legs are still not quite up to it! They have been through a lot so I'll let them off this time!

Now I will show you the less glam side of running by posting a photo of me at mile 11, after the second and biggest climb, I am actually running and most people are pictured walking so whoop to me.... I think i was checking my wedding rings here as bizarrely since losing weight my rings have become loose (I thought you didn't lose weight on fingers but hey ho).

Please note crazy running hair, baggy over used running tights but my awesome GBR running top provided by http://www.globalgear.co.uk/

On yer bike

After a week of struggling with the calf/knee injury I was relieved to have a few days off from the running, the leg got progressively worst throughout the week and by Friday I was distinctly limping.

By yesterday I was living off painkillers and really in a lot of pain. It was getting to the stage where I was becoming concerned. I spent yesterday evening with an ice patch attached to my leg, ibuprofen gel permanently in my possession and my husbands leg massages on demand :)

I was feeling confident that by this morning I'd be fresh as a daisy...ha ha! Today the pain was different, almost a good pain but too painful to walk let alone run. I am hoping the 'good' part is the muscle healing or just my body grateful for a rest. Anyway 16 miles was not even imaginable today.....on foot!

So I dusted off my bike (I quite literally did have to dust my bike...lol) wrapped up, loaded my bike rucksack and went of for a cycle ride. The plan was to spend as much time on the bike as I would've spent running today so my body was still used to the long Sunday workout. I also wanted to cover around 20 miles! Well I was glad to see it was dry but it was astonishingly windy, especially cycling across the flats. On top of that it was incredibly muddy from a distinctly wet week and the Trent could be seen in places it wouldn't usually be :)

It was a tough ride and I pushed it even when the wind wanted me to go backwards. Those who say Nottingham/Lincolnshire is not hilly clearly does not cycle! Half Marathon race on Sunday so this was probably better training than a long run would've been anyway! Hopefully things will be all dandy by then!

SNOW, pfft..... whatever

So last week was kind of non eventful in the running stakes. Had a few runs in very windy and very snowy conditions and started introducing the 6 milers into my training. After my fall the previous weekend I am still struggling with what I thought was a calf injury but now realise its more of a knee injury.... it's all very confusing.

Spent some time icing the offending calf last week after runs but to no avail and after a few days break, by Sunday I was ready to go. I was scheduled in for a 15 miler and woke up an hour earlier than I needed too on Sunday morning as I really was ready to take the run on, so the hydrating, energy loading began and was about to get dress and realised there was a weird glow coming from outside. The sky was perfectly blue, the sun was out, no wonder I was raring to go...... shame there was about 4 inches of fresh snow on the ground and still falling.

Now we all know I love my snow running but one look outside and I realised 15 miles in relatively untouched snow would be very hard work, even for the fittest of the fit so I sat tight and went to back to bed for an hour hoping that when I woke up it'd be raining and melting.....no such luck! One hour later and there was another inch on the ground. If it was that deep near my house (usually a very melted very quick) I shuddered to think how deep it'd be far out in the country where I run to.....

So I sulked for a couple of hours intently watching to see it melted a little and it wouldn't go away so I had some breakfast. What ever the weather had in store now I wouldn't be able to run till at least 2ish..... then finally the sun got warmer and the snow started to melt..... That was it, I set a target, 15 miles in the country was just not possible and too dangerous but maybe I'd do 8 on the roads (laps, Newark is pretty small....boooo). Then the more I sat there waiting for breakfast to digest I thought sod it, I'll do 11 miles! It'll be boring as hell but at least I got out in such adverse conditions.

So I started my run thankful for the painkiller I had before I left to alleviate the knee/calf pain, the first 3 miles were a real slog and the melting snow meant my trainers and feet were drenched and heavy but I kept going. Then I got lost for about a mile at mile 7 (in some nasty estate on the edges of Newark) so I thought, an extra mile will make this 12 miles, I may as well go for a half marathon. I finally found my beacon of hope (Mary Magadalene church spire which can be seen for miles). At that point I found a burst of energy and with the weather now stunning, took the river route back to complete my first lap. At this point I realised I was going to be running over 13 miles and thought sod it, I'll do 14..... And so I did, and I was so chuffed with myself for carrying on when the weather could of been the perfect excuse to have a lazy day. I really paid for it yesterday though (as snowy running really works EVERY muscle twice as hard) and was hunched in an old lady fashion for most the day!lol

So today was a recovery/easy run with the calf still twinging but I still improved on my time and felt quite good. More 6 milers this week then 16 miles on Sunday.......that's quite far!!!!

Something I should share with you all that may disgust you (but I am bizarrely proud of) is my first victim of 'black toenail' a running ailment to be truly proud of and common amongst runners everywhere. The legend say that you get them when you progress from being a recreational runner, to a proper runner....(or some say it's cause your shoes are too small...but ssssh). So my manky gammy toenail is a medal to be proud of, a medal of my hard work and proof I AM a proper runner now!