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

6 weeks to go!

Today was my penultimate 20+ training run and it felt great! It really does wonders for your motivation to feel progress over such a short period of time - each week I can feel that i'm getting fitter and stronger.

From first stepping out this morning, I felt pretty good as I had rested all day Friday. The first 4 miles breezed as I then reached the new section I have added to my route which is pretty hilly. Last week one of the hills left me feeling completely out of breath but this week I felt noticeably stronger going up (this is what i'm talking about regarding progress!). I kept going to mile 10 where I stopped for my first Gel - although I didn't feel as I particularly needed it, I had been running for almost 80 mins so didn't want to risk my supplies getting too low.

On average your muscles can store enough Glycogen to keep you fuelled for 90 mins - you do not want to get to empty as this is what we call hitting the wall and means you don't have the energy to move. Once you reach empty it takes considerably longer to refuel than it does to refuel with a little left in the tank so always stay on the side of caution.

I kept moving onto the next section of hills by which time the sun had come out, giving me a little extra push. From mile 15, the route flattens back out which is great for increasing pace. I stopped for my second Gel then pushed on to the end, arriving home in 2:34:15 and clocking up just over 20 miles. Today was the first day during my cool down walk I didn't have shaky legs which is another sign of how far I've come!

My boyfriend, or Delia as i'm now calling him, spent his morning baking homemade jam tarts which after running 20 miles and being in a major calorie deficit, I was only happy to indulge in! Check them out -

The weeks are absolutely flying by at the moment - I cannot believe there is only 6 weeks to go until i'll be lining up on the London Marathon start line! The week ahead is a low mileage one as I have the Reading half on Sunday. I will be aiming to beat my PB that  I set at Brighton 3 weeks ago but it's going to be tough as Brighton was a really strong run. From there, I have one last big of miles then start to taper ahead of the big day. With the mileage falling, I will be focused on increasing intensity as much as possible to ensure I'm in the best possible shape for the 26th April.

6 weeks and counting guys...

Happy feet - the Lacing techniques you need to know

We all know how important it is to get the right pair of trainers but how many of you have given any thought to the way in which you lace them up? I'll be honest, until yesterday I didn't - I went with what came out the box without a second thought.

However after having experienced some discomfort on the top of my right foot for a couple of weeks now, I decided to look into this a little further. I quickly discovered the pain I was experiencing is called extensor tendonitis which is inflammation of  the extensor tendons (these run across the top of your feet and are used to straighten your toes) - one of the causes being lacing your shoes too tightly. I have high arched feet which makes me a classic case for this type of pain but after some further research I found an easy solution - Lacing techniques!

For me, I needed to reduce the pressure on the top of my arch by removing the laces from the middle of my shoe. This technique is called laddering;

I ran like this for the first time today and felt no discomfort what-so-ever (yay!). The plan is to stick with this style until the swelling and tenderness has gone entirely, then I will revisit laces thereafter.

Turns out there are a number of lacing styles depending on your foot type and symptoms - I found this great overview of the different styles available;

 

Source - http://www.fshn.hs.iastate.edu/necp/WebContent/Exercise%20Cancer%20Handout.pdf

I hope this helps you on your way to Happy Feet x

Shoes, glorious shoes!

As a distance runner, I tend to go through trainers rather quickly. The general guidelines suggest you change each pair after 500 miles which for me, is every three to four months. I have been waiting as long as possible to upgrade my current pair as a) I love them and b) I want them to be as fresh as possible for the Marathon. This week however I was forced into upgrading as I had run through the outer sole entirely. Its not all bad news who doesn't love new shoes!

These have got a lot miles to cover including 2 half
marathons and a full marathon in the next 9 weeks!

These trainers are so great that you don't need to break them in slowly - I received mine this morning and will be running the Brighton Half Marathon them tomorrow. I have been running in the Brooks Adrenaline GTS range for the last couple of years and I absolutely love them. Since owning these, I have been completely injury free so now when I need a new pair I just default to this style.

I'm forefoot runner, which means I strike the ground with ball of my foot as opposed to the my heel. I also underpronate which means the outer side of my foot hits the ground at an increased angle. All of my trainers end up in the exact same state - take a look;

I'm heavier on my right side owing to an old injury hence
the increased wear this side.

Trainers can be expensive, so a little tip - each year the manufacturers update the range and usually the price. If you are a comfortable with a particular model then simply buy the older style once the new one is out as the price drops significantly. For example, the new Adrenaline GTS 15's came out at the end of last year and are around the £110 mark. You can pick up a pair of 14's for about £50.

As a runner, the most important bit of kit you own is your trainers, which is great news as its a perfect excuse to indulge that shoe habit. Buying trainers shouldn't be entered into with the one-size-fits-all approach as each pair of feet is unique. The main factors to consider when selecting right pair for you are biomechanics, weight, run surface and the shape of your feet. The first time you buy a pair it's well worth going to them fitted professionally as all of the above will be assessed so you can be confident you'll end up with the right pair for you.

Running in the right pair means you will find your runs much more enjoyable as you'll be comfortable and supported but more importantly are less to pick up an injury. Check out these guides for more info
Choosing the right pair of trainers
Understanding Pronation