Twenty six point two

Despite having looked forwards to this Monday morning off for the last couple of months I have definitely got post marathon blues this morning! Today feels very ordinary in comparison to the elation of yesterday and it's odd not having the event looming over me.

Hanging up my current trainers - new ones needed!

So, the important bits (for those you who don't want to read the whole thing) I managed to complete the London Marathon is respectable time of 3:35:06 - a little outside my ultimate goal of 3:30 but this just means I can give it another go! Plus, I exceeded my fundraising target thanks to all the amazing support of friends and family which i'm extremely grateful for.

Thank you from my training partner

 

There were two big highlights of yesterday, firstly seeing my support crew, Charlie's Army, at the 600m to go mark which brought tears to my eyes and gave me the last push to cross the line. Secondly, I am so inspired and humbled by the runners taking part with various disabilities - everything from blindness to amputations - you guys are all absolute hero's and I can't put into words how much I respect I have for you all.

Despite having been really nervous all of last week, I woke up feeling very calm and relaxed. Breakfast was two slices of wholemeal toast, a small bowl of porridge with 2 big cups of tea and Beetroot Juice. After this, I headed off to Victoria Station to catch the train to the Start (Blackheath as I was in Blue). Arriving at Victoria, it was pretty obvious where the train was thanks to the swarm of runners. I managed to get a seat so the 25 minute journey passed in a flash. I arrived nice and early at the start enclosure so made a beeline for the loo's. My attention was caught firstly by the 'female urinals' but after seeing the paper cups being given out I changed course and went for the classic portaloo option!

Looking significantly fresher pre race!

I then made my way to my start pen, warming up enroute - then before I knew it we were off, crossing the line just 3 minutes after the first wave. The route over first 3 miles was very congested and slow - the pace was around 8.5 minutes and getting past people was almost impossible. At around mile three we were joined by the other starters making the route even busier. I was trying to increase my pace as much as possible to recover lost time but it was very challenging simply because of the amount of people.

Time was absolutely flying and before I knew it the Cutty Sark was looming into view just after mile 6. I pushed on, having managed to recover a minute or so but still off the pace I needed for 3:30.  Next came Tower Bridge at mile 12 which was something I had really looked forwards too as all the iconic images of the London Marathon are from here. It didn't disappoint - the atmosphere was just incredible and the noise so loud that it drowned out my music!

 Just the other side, the course doubles back and I was lucky enough to see the Elite Men coming the other way - they are something else! Their pace was unreal but a great boost to keep pushing.

Reaching half way, I was feeling really good! It had gone so quickly and all my fueling and hydration plans were on track. Then I reached mile 16 and at that point I had a little wobble thinking about the last 10 miles I still had to cover but quickly recovered and kept going. At mile 18 another runner asked me how I was doing and I remember saying 'its starting to hurt' to which he replied 'only 8 miles to go, chin up!'. By mile 20 I started getting a pain in my right quad so I decided to stop and stretch briefly to avoid making it worse. After this I noticed my pace start drop and my legs started to feel increasingly heavy but I reached mile 21 and took my final Gel which definitely helped.

By this point I was getting lots of encouragement from the crowd, hearing people shouting your name is such a lift and really helps to keep you going. Despite feeling like I slowed down a lot, I was still managing just over 8 minute miles and the route had thinned out so I was able to overtake more than being overtaken. Then I saw the mile 24 marker and although I knew I wasn't going to come in under 3:30 I knew the end was less than 20 minutes away so really started to push again.

The last couple of miles were my favorite as we ran along South Bank. A group of people with a Megaphone shouted out my name and told me to smile (as I tend to have slightly miserable look about me!) which made me laugh and did put the smile back on my face.

Then Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament came into view just as the course turned right and suddenly it was the final straight of the Mall. As I passed the 600m marker, I saw my support crew at which point I was holding back tears as I started to feel really emotional but was so happy to have seen them! Next thing I knew, I was going under the 365 yards to go bridge and then the finish line was in sight...just before the line I joined hands with a complete stranger and we crossed the line together which I was so happy about as I really liked the 'hand in hand' concept from the first ever London Marathon.

And that was that! The race was over and I fulfilled a life long ambition - I was so happy with my race, time and the overall experience. I made my way down the finish straight collecting my medal (which felt so heavy around my weary neck!) followed by my goody back, on to the meet and greet area to await being collected.



As I was walking I was in a lot of pain - it felt like my muscles were literally screaming at me. At this stage I thought I was going to be in a lot of trouble the next day but after a long walk back to the station (thanks to my brother who took us Via Piccadilly) I was starting to feel much better. Following an amazing feast of burgers, chips and garlic bread I was pretty much back to normal again.

Luckily this morning I'm feeling pretty fresh - I can definitely feel I have done a run but i'm not in pain which is a bonus. I'm already starting to think about what's next but I have promised to not sign up for anything for a least a week.

I'm planning on taking the next few days nice and easy to make sure I don't do any damage to my muscles but after that it will be back to business as usual! It seems very strange that my journey to complete the marathon is over but I have sneaky feeling this won't be my last so stay tuned ;)

 

1 week to go

The big day is almost within touching distance - this time next week i'll be in London in Carb heaven!

This last week the miles dropped from a total of 50 down to 30 and I have been feeling much fresher as a result. My long run today was a steady 10 miles which felt great. The sun was shining and there was a nice breeze (which turned into a strong wind from time to time). The sun being out did mean I was feeling more dehydrated than usual and needing to drink more and often than what I was used too but all good prep for the big day.

I ran today in what I plan to wear on the 26th to make sure everything is comfortable to avoid any nasty surprises on the day!

I will be keeping a close eye on the weather for the 26th to ensure I have the right strategy from the start. Weather can impact everything from outfit to hydration and fueling and so is essential that you prepare accordingly.

The week ahead, miles are really low - I think I will do a a max of 12. I will also be limiting other training to bare minimum to make sure that i'm in the best possible shape on the start line.

I'm planning to go to the exhibition to pick up my number and race kit on Thursday. I'm looking forwards to checking it all out, in particular the new gear! I think i've earned some new kit following all the effort i've put in over the last four months (not for the day itself though of course).

Diet wise I will be on high carbs throughout the week - making the most of them since I will be moving to carb cycling diet post event.

I'm really excited but also nervous and a little anxious mainly about the time i've set myself - I have to keep reminding myself that time isn't everything and to make the most of the experience which could well be once in a lifetime!

The countdown is on!

530 miles...

This is how many miles I've clocked up training for the London Marathon so far - having just done a quick Google this is roughly the distance from London to Aberdeen which is CRAZY!

With two weeks to go i'm starting to taper my training so my legs are in good shape for the big day. This morning I did a solid 15 miles which felt good despite the wind and rain (I am not going to miss this!) and came home dead on 1:55.

Puppy is so heavy now - its a workout just lifting
him up!

The next couple of weeks will continue to consist of interval training and steady runs but the distance will drop hopefully leaving me feel fresher than I do currently. I've been feeling super tired for the last month or so (going to bed at 8:30pm has happened) which I think is a side effect of all the training.

I have started to work on my training plans post marathon which i'm really excited about, especially to get back in the gym and start building some muscle again! Plus i'm going to completely overhaul my diet plan which has changed drastically from where it was pre training. I will of course be sharing this once its finished and keep you updated with my progress from Cardio Queen to Gym Bunny. Running will absolutely still be a part of my plan as I love it but I will be more focused on shorter distances in preparation for the 2 10k's I have over the summer.

In other news this week, I got discharged from the Osteo I had been seeing for my back and neck which means I'm fixed again! it definitely feels good to be running without the distraction of a painful neck and crunchy back. Turns out, my back problems stem from my old hip injury, meaning the way I carrying myself as a result is causing the symptoms. I hope to get that worked out post marathon but now isn't the time for that!

Short and sweet update this week - happy Saturday x

Making it count

I have so far managed to neglect to mention one of my main motivations for running 26.2 miles in April - Charity! I was lucky enough to get a Ballot place for London however I have chosen to run as part of ABF The Soldiers Charity team in order to fundraise for this amazing cause.



Meet my Mascot - Zeus! Lifting him is becoming a
workout in itself!

From previous experience, when the going gets tough it's a huge motivation to me to know that people have got behind me by supporting my chosen Charity and is inspiration I need to dig deep and keep pushing.

Here's more on this wonderful charity from themeselves - ABF The Soldiers’ Charity are for soldiers, for life. We provide financial assistance to all soldiers and their families when in need. Even when a soldier leaves the Army they are still part of our family and eligible for our help. The scope of our work is huge. Half of our money is given direct to individuals to help in areas such as debt relief, mobility assistance, education bursaries, carehome fees and respite breaks. The other half is given as grants to other charities.

Your money can make a huge difference to those that dedicate their lives to keeping us safe so this is a great opportunity to give back to them. If you would like to make a contribution, then simply click here

I would like to say a HUGE thank you to everyone that has donated so far, it really does mean so much to me.

This weekend I am running the Brighton Half Marathon, the first of two training races in preparation for the big day. This will be my first Half of the year and i'm really hoping to get a PB following all the miles I've been putting in - wish me luck!