How have four weeks passed already!? It is now just 12 weeks until race day… madness!

MONDAY: Body Pump class

TUESDAY: tonight’s intervals seemed tougher than past weeks, predominantly due the fact I felt under fuelled and lacked a bit of extra energy. Nevertheless 6 miles were completed with 5 x 1km reps at roughly 7.20/7.30 min/mile pace with 200m recoveries in between.

WEDNESDAY: what should have been a welcomed 7 easy paced miles was actually a lot harder in practice. Whilst I managed to rein in my pace a little, averaging 8.40 min/miles, it was tough. The bitter conditions felt like they were eating away at me, and without the distraction of something like intervals my mind was unable to get away from the fact it was cold and miserable! I felt tired as I finished at the gym but completed Body Pump.

THURSDAY: Rest Day

FRIDAY: another 7 miles alternating between slower and quicker miles. I wasn’t really relaxed on this run either; my rest day yesterday had been due to a sore foot and I was thus slightly paranoid that something was going to happen as I ran. Thankfully I survived, alternating between 8.30-8.40 min/miles and faster 7.30-7.40 min/miles.

SATURDAY:  today I had organised a Classathon fundraiser at my gym for my London Marathon charity, Project Africa Athletics (see images). The four hour session included back to back Body Pump, Body Attack, Body Combat and finally Yoga classes. I completed all the classes alongside the company of so many wonderful other people who supported my event. I lost count of how many took part throughout the entire four hour session, but a hardy eleven others also joined me in the full four hour marathon. We challenged ourselves, we laughed (and not just at my appalling flexibility in Yoga!) and we sweated a lot! The day reminded me of why I love group exercise classes so much and also the number of people I have met through taking part in them. After running it’s the next best thing!

From a running perspective 2017 has started well for me, and despite not quite being a month into the year, I have achieved one of my running goals and also have a shiny new PB.

My goal was to finish as first female in a parkrun event. I achieved this feat on New Year’s Day on a venture to Clumber parkrun (more here). This was totally unexpected and was not particularly something I thought I would even achieve in 2017! Although parkrun is not a race and a first finish is just as admirable as every single other finisher, it is something I had set my sights on and am pleased to say I have completed.

My PB also came from parkrun, this time at my home event in Lincoln, with my 5k record now standing at 21:25. Typing these figures I can scarcely believe it is actually me who has run that time. Rewind to this time last year and I was running around the same course in roughly 24:30, dreaming simply of getting back to running a 22 minute time (more here). I never thought it possible to run 21 minutes and I have definitely reaped the rewards of being able to visit parkrun much more regularly during 2016, both physically and mentally.

Both these achievements have been unplanned, and the surprising nature of them probably made them more enjoyable. Looking ahead to the rest of 2017 it is no secret I am on the quest for a sub 4 hour marathon. I am hoping I can be 4th time lucky as I take on the London Marathon in April. Training has started well, but I know there is a long way to go.

​​This year I would also quite like to challenge my 10k PB. This is my longest standing record and was set in 2014. The photos from this event, the Lincoln 10k, make me laugh... I completed the race in gym shoes not running trainers, wearing cheap everyday black Primark socks, a normal non-sports bra and wearing a pair of football shorts I have owned since I was about 15…yet I ran my best time! I have never trained for a 10k specifically; the last few 10k events I have entered have either been whilst I was marathon training, or have fallen just after I have completed a marathon. Whilst I am not going to chase down a 10k PB specifically during 2017, and I only have one 10k entered at present, I would like to think that if I can maintain my recent 5k performances I have my best chance in a while.

Setting goals and targets is important, but I also believe that you should not become preoccupied by them - my real aim in 2017 is just to continue to enjoy running and everything that is brilliant about it!

This week I have enjoyed my running a lot, which is something I think is equally as important as just getting the miles in. I always say to people I enjoy training for marathons almost as much as the day itself – which is a good thing when it virtually takes over my life for sixteen weeks at a time!
 
MONDAY: Body Pump class
 
TUESDAY: today’s interval run felt happily manageable; 6 miles with 3 x 1 mile reps at 10k pace, with 400m recovery in between. My splits were good, well within my target pace, and whilst mile reps can sometimes feel like they go on forever, tonight I felt in control.
 
WEDNESDAY: I wanted to be disciplined on today’s run and complete a steady 6 miles at my plan’s suggested pace of 8:30 min/miles. I was however scuppered by a dead Garmin watch, and with no time to charge it, I had to run to feel. Whilst sometimes the freedom of running without a watch can be liberating, tonight I was a little frustrated. I still got a good run in, but the lack of numerical feedback was a slight anomaly in an otherwise good week. Body Pump afterwards.
 
THURSDAY: my first ever attempt at a progression run over another 6 mile distance. I really wanted to get this right and managed to nail it with splits of 8:43, 8:09, 7:58, 7:55, 7:34 and 7:10. It wasn’t ideal; I struggled to keep my pace in check in the early miles and had planned to run a lot slower at the start. When I recorded a near 8 minute second mile I swore to myself and thought I had blown it. From then on I really had to dig deep to keep my splits sub 8 minutes. The last mile was mad, I ran like someone possessed, tearing along until I could triumphantly slam stop on my watch!
 
FRIDAY: Rest Day

SATURDAY: a trip to Lincoln parkrun which saw me leave with a surprise new PB of 21:25. I was shocked, I had not expected it at all, and even when I was running I did not even contemplate I might be heading towards a PB. ​Having reflected afterwards why this week had been any different I believe there is a good correlation between when I run well during the week and my subsequent parkrun performance. Thursday’s progression run had given me confidence to push my legs and trust they could perform when tired, and I guess this extra belief was in my mind as I completed my 3.1 miles whether I was fully aware of it or not. My first PB of 2017 and also another record breaking attendance for the Lincoln parkrun event - a staggering 452 runners. 
 
SUNDAY: following on from yesterday’s good run, today was another happy experience. Stepping out the house my mobile phone told me it was – 6 degrees; I was wearing my tiniest running shorts and even my hard-core legs squirmed a little as I ran to meet my friend for a 14 miler. The winter morning did not stop us though; we explored a new running route which led us through some beautiful scenery which was being enhanced further by the icy conditions (see images). Breaking away from familiar pathways made the distance seem even more enjoyable and is definitely something I would recommend to keep long runs feeling fresh. We finished with an average pace of 8:40 min/miles; I had not been paying much attention to our pace throughout and this was another happy surprise. Today didn’t feel like training, it felt like a day just to be happy to be running. ​

Before you get excited this definitely does not mean I am running the Boston Marathon! As much as I would like to be able to say I have ran an elusive BQ (Boston Qualifying) time - I definitely have not.
The fact you have to qualify in order to claim a space on the Boston Marathon start line means that the event has become an ultimate achievement for many runners. I have become one of these runners.
 
However, whilst my legs are not quite quick enough yet, I am fortune that my running buddy and good friend has secured a spot on the start of this somewhat prestigious race. I have cheered on my friend from afar before as she completed the New York Marathon, and watching a tiny dot trace around a map on a mobile phone was so nerve wracking (more here)! Whilst actually spectating a race can often be equally as anxious with an equivalent amount of time spent staring at a tracker, when the opportunity came up to travel to Boston to watch my friend complete marathon I took it.
 
So I am Boston bound. I will be in the final taper week of my own London Marathon training at the time so will be able to enjoy a few leisurely runs around the city, which always gives you a good chance to explore. 

I have also entered the Boston 5k which takes place two days prior to the marathon. The route sees you cross the finish line of the marathon, so if my legs never quite manage a BQ at least I can say I have crossed that line (minus a few miles!)

​The Boston Marathon is special and even if you do not aspire to run it, its history itself is inspiring. Recently I have watched the documentary 'Free to Run' recommended by a friend. There are some small sections in French which are not subtitled, but aside from that it’s a fascinating insight into running. The documentary includes a section on the Boston Marathon and the story of Katherine Switzer. In 1967 Katherine famously became the first woman to run the Boston Marathon, challenging the all-male tradition of the event.  To celebrate the 50th Anniversary of her historic run, Katherine will be running the Boston Marathon again in 2017. So this means I will have two inspiring female runners to cheer around the streets of Boston! Hopefully one day I can also be one of the many women to have conquered the course. 

​Week two of training saw the revelation that on Thursday it was in fact 100 days until the London Marathon itself. This sounded scarily close! I trust my training programme and the sixteen week approach I like to adopt for marathons, however there was still a little bubble of panic which rose inside me upon reading this!

MONDAY: from now on Mondays should always be a rest day according to my plan. For me they are always running rest days, but I still like to sneak into a Body Pump class at my gym!

TUESDAY: a muddly 4.5m interval run with lots of short, sharp reps. I find this type of training run a bit disjointed, especially as the evening darkness prevents me from running on my more favourable riverside track, which usually helps limit further interruptions such as road crossings. I ran my 12 x 200m intervals at 5k pace with 200m recovery periods in between, it felt hard but not as lung busting as some interval workouts can be.

WEDNESDAY: some seriously strong headwinds helped me slow my pace on a steady 5 mile loop. Why does the wind always seem to be blowing in your face when you are running uphill?! Body Pump afterwards

THURSDAY: 5 miles of tempo running, with the three middle miles between 8 min/mile and sub 8min/mile pace. It was bitterly cold out and I felt it took my legs a bit of time to get fully going, but when they did I enjoyed pushing the tempo pace.

FRIDAY: Rest Day

SATURDAY: a much more satisfying trip to Lincoln parkrun this week. I ran more positively; my body and mind felt in sync almost and I didn’t feel the need to keep glancing at my watch, which is always a good sign for me at parkrun. My time reflected an improved performance, back in the sub 22 minute zone with a time of 21:49. 

Moreover, it was also a great day for our Lincoln event as the record attendance number was beaten with a whopping 426 people completing their Saturday morning 5k – amazing! I then went for my third Body Pump stint of the week.
​
SUNDAY:  on a soggy, grey morning I weaved a quiet 12 miles through the countryside (see image) – it seemed no one else dared brave the elements. Despite the minimal distractions I didn’t really keep my pace in check, and at first I ran a lot quicker than the suggested 9min/mile pace of my plan – at one point I logged an 8 minute/mile! In the end I reined my pace in a bit, finishing with an average of 8.37 min/miles. It was a solid base run, I felt satisfied after but not knackered. Next week mileage starts to creep up a little and I am definitely ready for the challenge. ​

​BBC Breakfast ran a story this week about harassment females receive whilst out running (see: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-38568166). This is not the first time a story like this has made the news; Lindsey Swift's open letter to a white van driver who heckled her whilst she was out running in 2015 (see: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-34278988) received a lot of media attention.
 
Seeing the BBC Breakfast feature and when reading through the responses people posted on social media it was apparent that countless women could add stories and examples of the abuse they had received whilst out on a run, with men also not escaping the insults. This made me angry. There were lots of examples provided by runners of comments being shouted from vehicle drivers. I sympathise as I absolutely hate it when this happens to me. Usually it is some direct or indirect reference to what I am wearing, which they can't seem to see is perfectly acceptable running attire. The worst example was when a man shouted I was a 'slut' from his van window, I presume simply for the fact I was wearing running shorts. It was not so much the comment that angered me, but the fact it was in front of many other pedestrians and young children, which made me feel embarrassed.
 
Thankfully I do not take comments like this to heart - why should I feel like I can't wear running shorts? What makes me upset is that this type of harassment will understandably affect other people. The thought that these disrespectful comments could prevent someone from taking a positive step to improve their physical and mental wellbeing is very sad. Anyone choosing to put time and effort into something worthwhile – running or any form of activity - should be encouraged, not abused. 

Here we go… my journey to the London Marathon has begun. This week’s mileage has not felt too indifferent to some of my recent running weeks, if anything pace demands have been a bit slower than I am used to. In week one this was not really a shock though, although the reappearance of intervals was a bit of a jolt to the system!

MONDAY: a short, easy 3 mile run to kick off training. It was extremely icy underfoot, I nearly slipped numerous times, and the ice patches were very difficult to spot. The conditions helped me dramatically slow my pace down though and keep some discipline.

TUESDAY: hello intervals…you’ve not been missed. This was not a particularly hard interval session with 5 miles including 4 x 800m, but having avoided running intervals for a while I seemed to have forgotten how tough they can be. I pushed hard on the intervals, probably going too quickly, running more like 5k pace than my plan’s suggested 10k pacing. There will be bigger tests to come.

WEDNESDAY: another run completed a bit too quickly with 4 miles logged at roughly 8 minute/mile pace, when I was really aiming for 8.30 minute/miles. It has been hard at times to adapt my pace this week, but I am very confident marathon mind-set, plus undoubted marathon fatigue, will soon help with that. I attended my usual Body Pump class afterwards for the first time since a festive break;  it hurt... a lot! 

THURSDAY: a steadier 4 miles at 8.25 minute/mile pace after a Sports Massage earlier in the day. After being manipulated and prodded I then subjected my legs to the Baltic conditions, donning my shorts to run in despite the minus 2 degree temperatures!

FRIDAY: Rest Day

SATURDAY: the first Lincoln parkrun of 2017. It felt tough today; so much so that I even found myself questioning what lap I was on as I pushed my legs around. Sadly I had only completed lap one at this point and still had two more to go...! I did not finish with a bad time, 22:04, but after a few weeks of running sub 22 mins it is funny how your goalposts shift a little. It was however fabulous to see so many runners attend the Lincoln event in what was a record breaking weekend for parkrun attendances across the whole of the UK.

SUNDAY: on a surprisingly mild morning I enjoyed an 11.5 mile run with my friend tackling a few of our ‘favourite ’hills. The run was further and faster (average 8.48 min/mile) than the 8 miles at 9min/mile pace my plan prescribed, but when you enjoy a run does it really matter? My plan is there as a guide for me; it is an ambitious plan and I know in weeks to come it will test me hugely. The main thing is I want to enjoy my training, so a few tweaks and changes along the way are not something I am going to panic about. Onto week two.  ​

parkrun on a Sunday!? 2017 started slightly unconventionally for me with a New Year’s Day trip to Clumber parkrun. Thanks to the wonderful commitment of hundreds of volunteers across the UK, many parkrun events were held outside of the usual Saturday morning routine in order to kick start the year. My friend and I headed to Clumber parkrun, our first visit to the event which is held on a National Trust country park. When we planned the trip we probably didn’t envisage the weather being quite so soggy; the rain was lashing, the skies were grey, and it was crisply chilly - but skin is waterproof after all!   

Being a parkrun tourist always fills me a little nervous excitement. You are not really sure what the course will throw at you, unlike when you run the more familiar route of your hometown event. As the Clumber parkrun director gave us a warm welcome he cheerily pre-warned us to expect mud, bumps, tree stumps and puddles. He was not wrong!

Despite the dampness and a number of runners undoubtedly suffering from lack of sleep and slightly raised alcohol intake levels, a crowd of over 200 hardly souls lined the start. Not knowing what to expect, I ran hard from the start; the course was two laps, so I thought if I struggled on the first I could adapt my strategy for the second. The route was as perfectly described by the run director; I splashed through puddles like a child, squelched across mud desperately trying to remain upright, and tried to skilfully navigate the unpredictable terrain.  It was a wonderful challenge.

'Crimbo Limbo', 'Betwixtmas'...call it what you like, but the few days in-between Christmas and New Year tend to be a bit of a muddle when secretly most of us crave some form of routine. This week has been very un-routined for me, which usually I would hate, but I have actually found it quite refreshing from an exercise perspective. I have also somehow managed to accumulate a lot of miles despite having more rest days than usual!

MONDAY: Rest Day

TUESDAY: five early morning miles with my sister dodging icy pavements around my hometown in Suffolk. I usually struggle to run in the morning without any breakfast but I think I was running on stored fuel from the previous few days of festivities!

WEDNESDAY: Rest Day

THURSDAY: a familiar six mile route back in Lincoln chasing the setting sun and another incoming harsh frost.

FRIDAY: I had intended to try a longer run today but on a truly miserable morning with frost, icy winds and a lingering freezing fog I just could not face it! I pushed for a reasonably quick six and a half miles out and back along the nearby river. With an icy cold headwind on the return leg it felt a lot harder than my average pace of 8.19 min/mile suggests. The horrible conditions did not seem to bother the camera friendly feline friend I made en route however (see image)!