Whatever the weather

Well, that's week four done. A little earlier than expected because I sacrificed a training run on Wednesday due to the weather being decidedly crap. Mind you, I cant complain as it IS winter and we have been pretty spoiled with a lot of mildness lately so a bit of freezing rain and gusty winds are to be expected and I should man up a bit more! Anyhoo, this week I ended up doing a 40 minute recovery run on Tuesday, then a 30 minute steady run on Thursday evening (instead of Wednesday) missed out the 50 minute speed run/cross training session on Friday and rescheduled my long run (70 mins) for today instead of Sunday.

It didn't go too badly but I can't recommend going out on a crisp sunny day at midday in a Devon coastal resort as I found myself running up behind people and constantly apologising for making them jump! Didn't think I was that scary or that light footed but it seems I must be... 

A picture of some beach huts at the halfway point today

FOOTWEAR UPDATE: The new shoes are breaking in nicely and still feel really comfy so I don't think I'll have any problems with them along the way, but ask me again after 26.2 miles and the answer may be different!

Still can't believe that's a month of training done already, earlier on this week was exactly 3 months to the race but I can safely say I'm a quarter of the way there and happily running a quarter of the distance so that's all good - just got to keep on keeping on....

That's more like it!

Week three of training has now come to an end.  It has been the best week so far, a bit more challenging, as it should be, but I'm finally feeling better about training. I have completed all of my training runs despite the wind and rain (plus an extra one last night to try out my new shoes!). That base fitness is finally returning and i'm finding it a lot easier to settle into a comfortable pace on long runs, even though those local hills are still killers!

At the beginning of the week, it all be became a bit more real when I received the T-Shirt from The Urology Foundation that I shall be running in on the big day!

It does fit, but due to all my festive indulgence it IS a little snug so that spurred me on even more to put a whole lot more effort into training! 

Over the coming weeks, i'll be adding links to my fundraising page and doing a lot more posting on Twitter (@carolinegower) and Instagram (@carolinegower) to raise awareness about the charity and my reason for choosing them to raise funds for.  

Yesterday, I made the plunge and splashed out on a new pair of running shoes, as i'm not entirely sure that my current ones will last the training! After a bit of research I went a local running shop and came away with a pair of Asics Nimbus 16, they were a little pricey but oh so comfy, albeit a bit on the heavy side, but that makes absolutely no difference to someone of my portly build - as anyone who knows me will tell you, speed is not my forte, it's about going the distance. However, hey do really live up to their name and the ride is truly cloud-like. Following a little trot last night and a 60 minute training run this morning, they seem to be up to the job of absorbing the shock of me pounding the pavements!

So, I'll go forth to week four with a solid week of training behind me and dare I say i'm looking forward to it, but as always, still need a bit of motivation....

Excuses, excuses....

Happy New Year!

I'm not going to lie to you, this week I have been bad.  So bad in fact that not only have I not done a single training run (until tonight) I have also been on a mission to demolish ALL of the left over Christmas food to the point that I could now try my hand at a new career as a Jabba the Hut impersonator. I'm ashamed to admit that the lowest point of the week was probably when I used up the remaining double cream in place of milk on bran flakes one morning. *Cringe*

This makes me angry. I have no idea what has driven me to act like this - my motivation just disappeared - maybe it's the festive sugar overload, maybe it's just a bit of SAD creeping in due to lack of daylight.  Whatever it is, it has got to stop.  No more excuses.

So, after missing three 25 minute training runs this week I went out for the 50 minute long run tonight.  Before I set off, I thought, 'ah this will be easy, after all it was only 6 months ago I ran a half marathon so how hard can it be?' I'll tell you how hard it was... it was bloody hard! Following a week of gorging and taking 'carb loading' to the extreme, my body was in protest mode every step of the way, BUT I did complete it and as I limped home, I vowed to get back to the fruit and veg and leave out the fruit and nut from now on.  

Luckily, being so early on in the training I should have time to redeem myself, basically I have no choice but to redeem myself because if I carry on like this it will end badly, hospital in-patient type badly!

Despite all the sitting down I have done lately, week 2 has finished on a high and with a cold realisation that there is absolutely no room for complacency in marathon training.  

On to week 3 keeping in mind this golden rule....



  

Let the Marathon Training Begin!

That time of year has sneaked up on us all again, no not the time where everyone runs around supermarkets like headless chickens panic buying food as the shops will be closed for one day, but the time when spring marathon training programmes begin. (Plus it's the time you poor people get inundated with my blog/therapy posts in your Facebook/Google+ feed - sorry!)

Today marks the official first run of the training.  It has begun (again!) only this year, I plan to make it through to the start line (...and hopefully over the finish line) no matter what. 

As you might know from my previous ramblings on here, I followed the Bupa training programme for the two half marathons I have completed and, as it seems like a sensible plan, I am also following their beginners marathon plan for this event. It is a total of 16 weeks including regular short runs and increasing long runs at weekends. To kick off, this week is a nice easy introduction with three 20 minute runs and a 40 minute long run at the weekend.  As the event is mid-April, this ties in nicely with Christmas week so its not too taxing and I still have a bit of room to enjoy myself yeehah :) 

Tonight is perfect conditions for my inaugural marathon training run, a little bit drizzly with a bit of a breeze - lets hope this is a sign of things to come  - after all, it is winter so I see wind and rain as good conditions as it's a hell of a lot better than snow! 

So I survived the first run, but there are plenty more to go and I think if i'm going to survive the rest i'll need a whole lot of motivation...

Guess who's back?

Oh yes, it's me! You all thought I'd disappeared into the hills of Devon never to return didn't you?  I wouldn't do that, after all, I've got a marathon to train for.  

Ok, so admittedly everything has gone suspiciously quiet since April when I re-entered the 2015 Brighton Marathon after deferring my 2014 place.  In the meantime, I have sneaked in the Torbay Half Marathon (June 2014, see below for photographic evidence of this event - I was there....honest guv!) which I managed to to complete in EXACTLY the same time as the Folkestone Half marathon over a year ago, so despite all the training, I still go at roughly the speed of a snail on a gravel driveway in August but I go the distance - and beat a man in a duck costume by about 10 seconds - and that's still what matters the most! (Going the distance that is, not beating the duck man.)

Before...

....after (with shiny medal and snazzy t shirt - hurrah!)

Duck Man coming in behind me!

Since Torbay, I have been busy doing lots of walking and generally enjoying the gorgeous local countryside and beaches, (see www.instagram.com/carolinegower for lots of pictures) but now as balmy summer is quickly fading into gloomy autumn it's time to get out running again, even if it is in the dark - I have even invested in a sexy hi-vi and a headlight this year.  The next couple of months will be getting back into regular training ready for the onslaught of 16 weeks of marathon training which officially begins on 23rd December so watch this space for more thrilling updates! 

Fresh Start

Firstly, I would like to say a big well done to everyone who attempted and completed the Brighton Marathon last Sunday.  I must say I felt a little disappointed that I had given up my place this year but there's always next year and to be honest, running a full marathon after only 11 months experience of running was probably not the wisest decision in the first place!!

It's been almost 2 months since I last posted on here.  But, in those 2 months I have have upped sticks and moved to the other side of the country, started a new job, been doing many touristy things as well as getting back to cycling and most importantly, running.  

About a month ago, after a few weeks of inactivity on the running front (and gaining about a stone of weight in the process), I decided that I had to get some motivation back so looked for a local half marathon to train for.  I soon discovered the Torbay Half Marathon (www.torbayhalfmarathon.co.uk/), which is nice and local and at the end of June so that would give me a few months to get back into shape.  

Three weeks later, I finally got my act together and started going out for decent runs.  Anyone who doesn't know Devon may not realise just how hilly it is.  Basically, wherever you go in the towns or countryside, there are hills.  Big hills. So when planning a 5k route for example, it's pretty much impossible to avoid the buggers.  From the half-hearted runs I had already attempted, I can honestly say I was dreading the thought of trudging up steep inclines but tackling them head on has proved to be the making of me and has improved my fitness levels quickly.  Last night was a five miler with plenty of hills all the way through and I still managed a power sprint to finish off and this resulted in my first ever true 'runners high' as instead of feeling knackered and ready to drop onto the first available sofa, I felt energised and ecstatically happy and wanted to run another 5 miles!

Another thing that has changed is that I now have a running buddy (the boy) and have found that I can actually manage long distances after a day at work so don't really need to get up at ridiculous o'clock every morning just to go for a run.  It does help though that running at night in a small town in Devon doesn't quite attract the same level of verbal abuse and dodging of missiles as it does in Kent!

So, my new aims for the fresh start are to keep up the training and get through my second half marathon in under 2hrs 30 mins. Oh and finally be able to hang out on the beach in summer without the fear of being harpooned ;) 

A pic of me running on Dartmoor.*
  
*One day.......if I keep doing those hills!!

A little explanation....

It's been a bit quiet on here lately so I think it's time to explain the silence. It pains me to say this but all the motivation, positive talk and 'taking one day at a time' in the world couldn't get me carry on with my marathon training this year so I have deferred my entry to 2015.  

This is not the end though, it is merely a blip, albeit a necessary blip, to get me to where I need to be. as I have learnt a valuable lesson that training for such a big race takes time and dedication and I just haven't had much of either so far this year!  It would have been foolish to carry on with half-arsed training as I would have been in the back of an ambulance by mile 14 and that is not good.

Very soon, I will be moving to a beautiful part of the UK where I plan to be out and about in the countryside/rivers/sea walking, running, cycling, kayak-ing and generally moving towards the happy fit person I was becoming last year rather than the tubby, embarrassing, drunken ijit I have unfortunately slipped back into!


Cycling on Dartmoor.  (If this isn't motivation - I don't know what is!)

First aim is to complete another half marathon in the early summer and maybe join a local running club as I probably need some motivation (and advice) from others to keep going.  

So, there's not much more to say now than watch this space because someday...there WILL be a photo of me crossing the finish line after 26.2 miles!