Week Seven - Blister Club

Nineeee weeks to go!

We're really moving now. Week seven now, things are getting serious. Sunday Run Day is 12 miles this week, then 14 next week and 16 the week after. 

(Holy moly)

Now we're approaching being just two months out, it doesn't feel so far away all of a sudden and I am able to begin firming up plans for the weekend. The working plan is currently as follows...

• Head down to London on Friday night on the train
• Go to the London Marathon Expo at the ExCel to pick up all my gear, race number, etc. I may even have a session with a physio to patch my legs together as best as they're going to get
• Drink loads of water
• Have a pasta/carbs party somewhere in London in the evening
• Drink some more water
• Have a terrible sleep
• Up early doors, force myself to see off some Weetabix and a banana
• Get to the start line
• Run
• Run
• Run
• Finish
• Cry
• Eat and drink everything
• Have a shower and come home

As you can see, it's a fool proof plan. 

I am so very lucky to be building my own support team who are going to be with me for the weekend and strategically placed around the course to chuck jelly babies at me and keep me going.

If you fancy joining the party, the more the merrier, I'd love to have you there.

In other news, the great people at Cancer Research have sent me a nice sponsorship pack. I'm thinking about doing a cake sale at work and the sweepstake thing too (3hr 48 is where the money is kids). It's nice that it's starting to feel real now and isn't just my life being consumed by running in the dark and the cold.

Inspired by this, I have opened up the Just Giving page and have set the target at £1,000. As always, no pressure at all on this... if you want to donate then I love you. If you want to donate but things are tight, don't worry, there is still ages to go, and if you don't want to donate, well... you can just chuck me a pack of jelly babies instead.

Every little helps.

The page can be found here.

Run #18 - Tuesday 14th February

Happy Valentines day kids, fairly slow recovery five miles (8.52's). Dead interesting how the other week I only had to do seven miles on Sunday and then was able to bomb round on Tuesday. Do ten miles the other day and it's a whole different ball game. Makes sense I suppose. 

#Recovery

Run #19 - Friday 17th February

Well, Run Club was down to two this week as an unnamed member decided he fancied a lie in instead. Life is all about choices boys and girls, and it seemed a day with the kids during their half time was deemed a higher priority - crazy, I know. Anyway, this run was groundbreaking for me as it is the first run ever that I have just merrily chatted all the way round. Until now, I have steadfastly refused the concept of conversation on a run - mainly because I thought I'd not be able to breathe. Turns out I can breathe and it's actually a really good distraction. Before I knew it we were 45 minutes in and nearly home. Great days. 

It also meant I could say 'slow down knobhead!' so it didn't descend in to the seven minute mile madness of last week. A good 8.13 miles at 8.09's which was fine for such a distance. 

Generally the body is holding up pretty well, I've got a developing blister situation but got some of them magic Compeed thingy's so hoping that boxes that one off.

Oh, and absolute incredible timing in the god awful showers meant there was no one else in them. JACKPOT. 

It was like being at home.

Run #20 - Sunday 19th February

So today marks the start of the big 'uns, and at 12 miles, this is the longest distance I have ran since 25th June last year. One of the most complicated things for this distance is working out a bloody route, but mapmyrun.com has saved the day. Some strong negotiation skills with Mum and Dad to drop me off and pick me up 12 miles later and we're away.

I was really determined to make an effort on the pace today, I can't be burning up eight minute miles for the long runs otherwise I'll just fall apart, so I targeted 8.20-8.30's and it went really well - only the last frigging mile out of that time frame, and it was an 8.18!

*monkey hands over eyes emoji*

I actually think it is easier to get my head in the right place for longer runs - you've got to run for ages, shut up, ignore the distance and just keep going. Having a good playlist helps of course, and now I know I can hold a conversation whilst running I have taken to SINGING out loud. Which is quite good fun and keeps the spirits up when tanking up some ridiculous hill. 

WE CAN'T GO ON TOGETHER, WITH SUSPICIOUS MINDS

(SUSPICIOUS MINDSSSSSS!)

Now, I gotta tell you kids. Training for this and the fun of Run Club... it isn't all glamour, you know. I alluded to a blister situation on Friday. I want you to come on this journey with me, I really do, but with all the highs there are some... well, trickier moments. 

Soz.

I'm pretty sure a) I need some new socks and b) I'm running out of skin to go through. But it is ok, week seven is in the bag, 135 miles in to the training plan and only nine weeks to go!

14 big bad miles await next Sunday, where the hell am I going to go for that?