Alice's Adventures in Running Land - Blog

I Am Not A 'Good' Runner

6/15/2016

Over the last week I have been unable to avoid the constant social media posts about applying for your London Marathon 'Good For Age' place. 'Are you Good For Age?' it asks. Well no, according to London Marathon guidelines I am not. This led me to thinking a bit more into the 'Good For Age' branding of runners...

When I ran my first marathon I was 23. I was juggling marathon training, fundraising for a £2k charity place, a full time job, a full time masters degree, learning to drive, and various voluntary commitments. I was stepping up from being a 10k runner to a 26.2 mile runner. I was learning with each training week, resisting things most 23 year olds wouldn't event think about, and pushing myself hard. My point is, at 23 when I ran the London Marathon in 4:09:32, I feel this was 'good', not just for my numerical age, but for the point I was in my life.

That is just my example. There will be other runners out there who I am sure have ran marathons under many adverse circumstances, from a variety of backgrounds, and with numerous lifestyle factors going on. They will have recorded times they are (rightly) proud of, but times which are not actually classed as 'good' simply according to the year they were born. Then there is of course the physiological differences between everyone; no 30 year old is physically the same - so what's to say they should all run the same time?

I can see how the system works in certain cases, as some runners will train hard and push the boundaries of their body at a certain age and this is admirable. But should a birthday and a numeric clock time really be correlated? Should it be able to class you as 'good' or essentially 'not good'?

I am striving to run a 'Good For Age' marathon time simply so I can run the London Marathon again; the ballot chances are getting increasingly ridiculous and I have completed the race for charity before, which although rewarding, is stressful meeting fundraising targets. But really shouldn't I just be running to my own 'good' targets?

I know my Manchester Marathon time this year was not 'good' for me - it wasn't what I trained to do, and was not what deep down I know I could have been capable of. We know our own lives, our own limitations, and our own possibilities - so I feel slightly sad that a mass participation event such as the London Marathon should get to classify us. According to the London Marathon for a (now) 24 year old female, I am not a 'good' runner. But as a 24 year old female I am proud of what I have achieved - which surely matters more.

Top 5 Marathon Training Lessons

12/23/2015

This week marks the start of training for marathon number two - Manchester Marathon. I thought it would therefore be a good time to consolidate and remind myself of the five key lessons I took on from my very first experience of training for the London Marathon this year. At London I ran 4:09:32, and am now aiming for a sub 4hr time (ideally closer to 3hrs 45mins!!)

1) Rest Days
Before training for the London Marathon I exercised every day of the week. It was habit, and despite a background in studying sport/sport science I failed to recognise that my body actually needed time to rest in order to adapt to and recover from its training demands. I now have one rest day a week; I look forward to the mental break from having to push myself, and am also able to feel in my body when a break from exercise is needed. I thus fully intend to ensure rest days continue throughout marathon training.

2) Running Pace
For my first attempt at marathon training I was focused on distance - could I actually run for 26.2 miles? In my plan I soon disregarded the recommendations of what pace to run at, or when to include intervals etc., instead focusing on watching my weekly mileage tally up. It worked - I ran non stop for the whole marathon distance, at a very consistent pace, and in a time I am hugely proud of. But I recognise now that training like this did make me very one paced. I lost all my speed during marathon training - a clear impact of doing no real speed work - and any attempt at a shorter distance, such as Park Run, left me feeling sluggish. So this time the brain aching, heart pounding, leg draining intervals and tempo running WILL be included.

3) Foam Roller and Sports Massage
Both of these were factors I had not fully utilised prior to marathon training. I had a foam roller - a start I guess! - but had used it sparingly when I developed IT band pain a few years ago, and it had been sat dormant in the corner of my room since. Foam roller work definitely helped maintain my legs during training and also combatted any slight niggle that tried to develop; so I plan to use my roller daily to keep them in check. It was only when my calves became so tight during marathon training that I actually sought help from a Sports Massage Therapist - and am now converted. I have monthly massages to maintain my muscles and can feel when one is needed. Am I too reliant on them? Maybe, but if it helps then I am not about to stop!

4) Exercise Classes
My weekly exercise routine includes attending Body Pump and Body Attack exercise classes. During training for the London Marathon I kept attending Body Pump twice a week, and intend to do this again for my new plan. I find the strength work is of benefit to my endurance and also helps with injury prevention - plus I love the class too much to sacrifice! Body Attack classes are something I will admit I am struggling to know what to do with. The class is very high intensity and can leave you feeling exhausted, but it does include a lot of plyometric moves and cardiovascular work which is of benefit to running. During London Marathon training the class was not on for a large percentage of my plan due to instructor unavailability, but now it is back. Fitting this class into my plan will be a struggle, and potentially a run may have to be sacrificed for it. I need to weigh up the pros and cons, and whether I want to miss the social side of the class, which is something I really enjoy.

5) Blog
I started blogging at the beginning of my London Marathon training journey to help raise the profile of the charity I was running for, keep people up to date on my training progress, and admittedly to try help attract any potential sponsorship. I have kept the blog going for over a year now and find it a very useful tool for reflecting on my running/training and also for recording special moments and memories that running gives me. Writing and sharing my posts does play a part in my motivation levels, and I also hope that other people may be able to learn or seek comfort in the same feelings/process I am going through. So 'Alice's Adventures in Running Land' will continue towards the Manchester Marathon - and beyond!

Keep On Running...

5/7/2015

With the London Marathon nearing two weeks ago now it is coming to the point where it is time to officially move on... Most people have listened to you recount the race in various levels of detail, friends have asked you how you got on before subtly asking what time you did it in, walking has resumed to normal, and you have inevitably begun to contemplate the next marathon challenge (and if your like me entered the 2016 London Marathon ballot!) But as the cliché goes, all good things come to an end, and whilst the memories and experience of the 26th April 2015 and all the weeks of training beforehand will stay with me for a long, long time I cannot hang onto that day forever - as much as I would like to!

So this week has marked the start of my next training focus - the Liverpool Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon in June. Looking at the plan, 'long runs' seem positively short in comparison to marathon training and the reintroduction of faster runs and workouts comes gives me hope I may be able to regain some of the pace I lost somewhere in the miles of marathon training. I have never completed a half marathon before, only on training runs whilst marathon training, so am not really sure where I am aiming time wise. In London I comfortably ran the half in just over 2hours, so would like to think I could get under that milestone quite easily.

One of my main aims over the next few weeks is however to remain injury free. The stress running a marathon puts on your body should not be ignored, and I must be careful not to go into things too quickly. In certain ways, I want to remain as strict on myself during the rest of 2015 as I have during marathon training; keep up my massage sessions, foam rolling routines, improved diet and actually having rest days! In other ways I really looking forward to being able to relax a little more and enjoy the social events the summer will bring without the thought of a 20 mile run the next day looming over me!

I have also really enjoyed blogging about my experiences training for the London Marathon, it makes me reflect, learn from and often see a bit more sense in what I am doing! I have therefore decided to keep my blog going. So its a case of both 'keep on running' and 'keep on blogging' really!

The London Marathon 2015

4/27/2015

After 16 weeks of dedicated training London Marathon day arrived. Time suddenly felt like it had gone so quickly, it seemed like only a few days ago I was searching for a hotel, planning my tube routes to the start line and generally prepping for race day, and yet now it was actually about to happen.

My Saturday night pre-race preparation was not the best – my hotel was next to a very busy A-road which meant I found it difficult to get to sleep until the early hours of the morning. That and the fact my phone kept buzzing with people wishing my luck! I had made sure I had got a lot of sleep in throughout the week though so didn’t let this affect me too much, plus the general pre-race adrenaline meant I felt fresh when my alarm did eventually wake me up at 6am. I stayed in Barking so had roughly an hours journey to the start line at Greenwich Park. I caught the tube at 7am, predicting it to be extremely busy and that the journey may take me longer, if not double the time. I was wrong, and a smooth journey saw me arrive at Greenwich Park at 8am – 2 hours until the start! This did give me time to try relax a little, eat my pre-race breakfast, and importantly get a few toilet visits in! The weather at this point was damp and cool – I was grateful to have packed an old jumper and also a poncho to keep me dry and warm – some runners were stood in vest tops for hours and were visibly shivering. I did get a little cold as start time neared, that and a mix of nerves which started to make my body begin to tremble.

Once we were able to join our start pens I began to relax a little with the pure excitement of what I was about to start – the London Marathon – taking over any fear. The anticipation from those around me was clear; we stood quite quietly, everyone going through their own pre-race thought processes, with just the bleeps of the numerous Garmin watches filling the void. As the race began this soon changed – people cheered, jumpers and ponchos were pulled off and thrown purposely to the side - it was time to run. I crossed the start line with a huge smile on my face, my first ever marathon had begun!

The first few kilometres were all about settling into the race. Taking in the sites of other runners, finding out how busy it would be, and beginning to enjoy some of the spectator sites on route. I loved the unofficial parties which were happening from people’s front gardens; DJ’s blaring music from flat balconies; people with buckets of oranges, bags of sweets and sliced banana on trays; deckchairs lining the streets with families and children longing for a high five. The weather was grey but there was no rain and it as just the right temperature – I was warm but not too hot. My watch was telling me I was running slightly ahead of my marathon pace of 5.40 kilometres, but I felt good so did not let it bother me. My first 5km I averaged a pace of 5.37, and the second 5.39. After the 10k point I found a runner to follow who seemed to be running the same pace as me – Katy from Hasting Harriers. I followed her right up until just before Tower Bridge where I knew my first set of supporters were.

My friend had text me to say stick to the left if I wanted the ‘photo of my life' – so leaving Katy I duly did. Running along Tower Bridge was amazing in itself – and I was already smiling as I scanned the supporters looking for my friend’s face. It was not her who I spotted first though, but my other friend who I spied leaning over the barriers and who I had no idea was coming down to support me! Seeing the pair of them and hearing them (literally) scream my name made me feel so overwhelmed and touched – the pictures they took show how just how happy I was. Part of me wanted to stop and go to them, but I knew I needed to keep going. That moment I passed them was so brief - I wish it could have lasted longer – but the feeling it gave me did last for the next few miles. I ran with a huge smile on my face, especially as soon after Tower Bridge came the half way point which I crossed in 2hrs 54 seconds.

Time had seemed to have gone really quickly, I did not feel like I had been running for two hours at all. My body felt good, although my left IT band had been slightly sore since the first km, but the race atmosphere and adrenaline had masked this. Shortly after crossing half way, I came to a point on the route as you head towards the Isle of Dogs where you see the other runners looping back. It was at this point Paula Radcliffe passed me – albeit on the other side of the road – but she still passed me! I remember pointing to her and shouting ‘its Paula!’ like some obsessive fan, but it felt so surreal to be running for a brief moment (kind of) next to the world record holder.

The Isle of Dogs was a tougher part of the race, quieter in supporters and when the second half slog begins to hit you. My 5km splits had slowed by now, roughly 5.46-5.48, but this still was not far of my target time so I was happy. Around this part of the route my left IT band started to get a lot tighter, although it was probably more the fact mentally I was not able to block it out as well. At the 17 mile point my charity vInspired had some supporters out, which lifted me briefly. At 18 miles my knee was very sore though and I had a tough few minutes afterwards were I really had to grimace through the pain. Thankfully my second set of supporters were soon to be spotted – lifting my spirits. My family had told me they were going to be around the Isle of Dogs, so having long since passed this section I thought I had missed them. But no, I spotted and heard them as I turned a corner. Again it was a brief encounter, one which almost doesn’t feel like enough to reward your supporters for standing there for so long, but it certainly helped me.

I hit 34km – the longest training run I had ever completed and entered into the unknown. My legs felt tired now, heavy almost and my pace continued to slow, although only slightly, to around 5.51-5.54 5km splits. It was these sections the crowd really helped me. Some other runners were beginning to really struggle and as I passed them people were shouting ‘looking good Alice’ ‘looking strong Alice’ This gave me confidence and I really dug deep to stay to my pace and not slow any more. The last kilometres did feel really long, with 5km left to go in my head I thought it would feel relatively easy from there – but no. These were the longest 5km of my life! I could even see runners ahead of me in the distance along the embankment and didn’t want to believe I still had to get to where they were! But I kept going and kept to my aim of not allowing myself to slow down.

Turning into the Mall was surreal. I had watched this so many times on TV and dreamed about running down there myself. My friends from Tower Bridge had got to the finish to see me, but I was totally zoned out at this point and didn’t register them, focussed solely on getting to the end. The clock was nearing 4 hours 10 and I thought to myself I must get under those ten minutes, pushing into my lead like legs I made in 4hrs 9minutes and 31 seconds. I crossed the line arms spread pumping the air, even happier than when I started some hours ago.

I stopped running and my legs instantly felt horrible. So sore already and my IT band close to excruciating – they actually hurt less when I was running than to walk. I shuffled/staggered to collect my medal, which the marshal had to put over my head as I physically could not bend to collect it! I shuffled further down to collect my bag, my legs very slowly starting to feel a little more normal then waited to meet my supporters. In this time it is hard to take it all the feelings you have - I think the physical and mental exhaustion is almost too much for your brain to compute. I was proud of myself, proud to have been my charity’s first ever London marathon runner and also a little overwhelmed at having such wonderful friends and family who came out to support, especially when I didn’t even expect to see one of them! The journey back to Lincoln allowed me to reflect a little more, whilst trying to stop my left foot from cramping (seriously what is wrong with my left leg!!) and it was also great hearing the stories of what my friends had seen whilst supporting and their experience of the day.

Today my quads are very sore and my left knee unsurprisingly no better! But as one banner pointed out on route ‘pain is nothing, 26.2 is forever’. I am now a marathon runner, and have achieved my lifetime goal of running London at 23 years old. I have shown to myself what I am capable of both physically and mentally, not just on marathon day, but in the sixteen weeks prior as well. I have also been able to support a wonderful charity and hopefully raised awareness of them further as well.

So my first marathon is over – however I can safely say it will not be my last!

My Training Review: Training Week 16

4/27/2015

MONDAY: A steady 6.5k run to start marathon week. The weather was warm so it was more challenging than it should have been, but still felt very short! Body Pump afterwards.

TUESDAY: Body Attack class - I used this as my last intense/power workout before the marathon.

WEDNESDAY: A 5k run again completed in warm conditions. I felt comfortable though and ran it faster than I probably should have done. It was also scary knowing ths was to be my last run before the actual marathon! Body Pump class after.

THURSDAY and FRIDAY: Rest Days - for once, and as quite a shock to myself, I didn't find it too challenging to rest for two consecutive days! I had a lot of things on during both days work and volunteering wise which helped. However I think it was mainly the sense of guilt I would have felt if I had actually DID exercise which held me back - a compete reversal of the guilt I would normally feel if I did not do anything!

SATURDAY: Saturday was spent travelling to London, going to the Expo to collect my race number (see picture), checking into my hotel and generally preparing for Sunday! This whole process started to make the marathon feel very real and the excitement/nerves started to fully hit.

SUNDAY: London Marathon Day! Full blog to follow - but in short an unforgettable experience, so many emotions its almost hard to take it all in and actually reflect upon it. Extremely happy with my time of 4hrs 9 minutes and certainly the start of more marathons to follow!

10 Things Marathon Training Has Taught Me...

4/21/2015

I am not sure yet whether I will enjoy running a marathon... I will soon be finding out though! But what I am sure is that I have enjoyed marathon training.

I have seen a few quotes online and on various social media streams which states 'marathon training will take over you life' or 'marathon training will change you life' and whilst I agree it has, I don't agree this is a bad thing. Over the past sixteen weeks when I have been in full marathon training mode I have learnt a number of things which have really enhanced my marathon training experience and in their own unique way have added to my enjoyment levels of it all:

1) You can never have enough running gear
Seven pairs of running shorts and seven tank tops is perfectly acceptable when you are running so much (well in my mind anyway!) Plus I definitely did need that new running jumper, and that headband, oh and those gloves... A sale in Intersport will never be as exciting unless you are marathon training.

2) It's ok to run slow
Marathon training has definitely taught me you do not need to record a PB on every single training run, let alone every single race. Running longer and slower has allowed me to explore more of my hometown, take in the scenes and enjoy my surroundings - which is a lot harder to do if you are fixated by your Garmin!

3) There is more to eat in life than just beige food
Before marathon training my diet was literally beige, both in colour and taste. My food was plain and basic. However through absorbing all the nutrition advice Runner's World can possibly offer I have since been adding actual flavours to my foods! I am proud to say there are now a number of herbs, spices and seeds sitting happily in my food cupboard.

4) Training is better with friends
My friends have helped make my marathon training experience so much more enjoyable and also bearable. People who will listen to me recount both the achievements and struggles of my weeks of running, sympathise with the aches and pains in my legs, and offer that needed encouragement at just the right time. A text on a Sunday morning asking how your long run went as you lay collapsed on the sofa somehow instantly makes your body feel a little bit better!

5) You develop a love/hate relationship with your Garmin watch
An item so essential when training for a marathon but also so frustrating. Those seemingly endless minutes stood in the cold waiting for it to 'find location' at the start of a run. Then at the end of a run wishing those last few metres would count down quicker as you run up and down the same piece of your street. Then there are those extremely annoying times when you go to run and realise the thing you depend on so greatly isn't even charged...

6) There is no such thing as bad running weather
Gale force winds, sleet, ice, heavy rain... all conditions I would have never even dreamed of choosing to run outside in before marathon training. But I have happily embraced them and the individual challenges they chose to throw at you.

7) The treadmill is actually the dreadmill
Before marathon training I spent the majority of my time running on a treadmill. Now I can just about bring myself to do 5k on there. Staring at the same view, or watching some mindless TV gameshow literally does not even come close to the enjoyment I now get from running outside. Beforehand a lot of the reason I resorted to the treadmill was confidence, I didn't like people seeing me out running, but marathon training has made me feel proud to be out on the streets!

8) Sports massage is a pain worth bearing
Before marathon training the idea of having someone manipulate my body and squeeze my muscles to the point of extreme pain was definitely not something I wanted to do. But I plucked up the courage to invest in sessions during my training - which was a decision made probably more to do with the fact my calves were so painful more than my mind telling me it was a good idea! But I am so pleased I took the step and am now converted.

9) Skinny jeans are a struggle
The largest change I have seen in my body from marathon training is in my calves. They have definitely got bigger. Either that or the legs of my skinny jeans have all shrunk in the wash! Pulling jeans on over my calves literally requires me to sit down and is certainly not a graceful act!

10) Sweaty selfies
You don't have to look good in every single photo you take of yourself! I feel proud looking back at my - often very unflattering - sweaty post run selfies, as they all document the effort I have put in during marathon training to help me make it to race day.

My Training Review: Training Week 15

4/19/2015

MONDAY: the start of the big taper week. Although it has felt very strange not running as much or as far as I have been in past weeks, the fact I have been consciously taking it easy on my shin has meant that the difference has not felt quite as noticeable (although still quite scary at times!) After the Brighton 10k on Sunday I rested my shin today and crossed trained for an hour to replicate the 8k run I was scheduled to complete, followed by Body Pump. In Pump I avoided doing the lunge track, as this action tends to put a lot of pressure on my shin, and did squats all the way through instead.

TUESDAY: Body Attack class, my shin was comfortable throughout and although lunges were involved, I took them very easily!

WEDNESDAY: again I opted to cross train for an hour before Body Pump, as opposed to running the 8k planned, as I was really aware I did not want to put unnecessary strain on my shin. This was mentally tough as the weather was beautiful outside and I wanted nothing more than to run! I was proud I stuck to my plan though, keeping to my aim of making sensible choices in the days leading up to the marathon.

THURSDAY: today I tentatively ran outside - I felt so nervous and it was only 8k! I just didn't want to be in pain! Luckily my shin felt a lot better - rewind to last Thursday when I was in such pain and sat depressed on the sofa! I am not complacent at all though, it still did not feel perfect but I was happy. The 8k distance felt very short, and I would have liked to have ran further, but I reined in my ambition and finished at the gym to do some stretching and foam roller work.

FRIDAY: Rest Day

SATURDAY: a steady 5k run on the treadmill with an incline. I also gave my legs a little 20 min spin on the bike with very little resistance just to keep them ticking over (and also to watch the end of the FA Cup football on the TV screen!) Core, stretching and foam roller work afterwards.

SUNDAY: the last long run (see above image) - although 20k felt really short in comparison to previous weeks! I tried to keep to my marathon pace throughout and averaged at 5.42 kilometre splits, which is not too far away from my target of 5.40 km. At first I had that wave of panic hit me 'how on earth am I going to run this marathon!', then I settled into the run and felt good. My troublesome left shin caused me no problems, although I did not dare run without the strapping on. My left IT band however felt a little tight, but not painful - come on left leg we can do this - 1 week to go!!

Brighton 10k

4/13/2015

Doing the Brighton 10k two weeks before the London Marathon was not really ever part of the training plan – however when I describe the circumstances through which I got my place you will see why I felt I could not miss out!

Earlier on this year I entered a competition on Instagram which required you to post a running related picture with a certain hashtag. The winner would receive two places to the Brighton Marathon or the Brighton 10k, free travel, free accommodation and two full sets of running gear and shoes from Saucony… so quite a haul! I entered, posting a picture of me and my friend doing the Color Run in Brighton last year, and as you have probably guessed, I won!

So this weekend saw me travel down to Brighton with my friend ready to tackle the 10k. We opted for this distance as I did not fancy trying two marathons in the space of three weeks, plus really wanted London to be my first marathon; and it was unrealistic for my friend to train for a marathon from the time we found out we had the places.

We arrived in Brighton on Saturday afternoon, collected our race packs from the marathon exhibition, checked into our lovely seafront hotel and sampled the pool and spa area. We then found an Italian restaurant which surprisingly did not have too long a wait for a table despite the hundreds of marathon runners seeking a pre-race pasta tea. The 10k race started at 8.30am on Sunday morning, and after four hours of travelling, we headed for an early night.

Sunday morning came and after neither of us slept that well, it definitely felt early. We left the hotel at 7.15am and despite the early morning sea air feeling especially fresh it was clear it was going to be a beautiful day. The 10k started away from the sea front, with the route winding its way down through the town and eventually finishing along by the beach. Standing at the start line I didn’t feel especially nervous. With the shin troubles I had been having all week I was just pleased to be able to run and had not really given my time much thought. I told myself not to push it, overdoing it this close to London would simply be unforgivable, and was really just hoping to be sub 50 minutes again - nothing spectacular but something I could mentally cope with!

The start of the race was crowded, there was no time based start areas, so I had to weave my way to get some clear running space. Once I achieved this the rest of the route and the run in general was wonderful. This was the first time I had ever completed a race outside of Lincoln (which wasn’t a ‘fun run’) and I enjoyed being surprised by the course. My legs felt a lot stronger than the Lincoln 10k and I maintained a good steady pace up until the 8km point, at which I got a little excited and thought I may just be able to record a 48 minute time. The last 2km though, when that power push was required, was when my legs failed me, reminding me that they are actually quite tired after nearly 16 weeks of longer marathon training runs. I crossed the line in 49.31 – twenty seconds faster than the Lincoln 10k, which meant in relative marathon training terms I was pleased!

The Brighton Marathon started shortly after the 10k, so after the race we headed back to our hotel, grabbed ourselves a window seat at breakfast (the bonus of the 10k starting so early meant it was only about 10am at this point!) and were able to watch the marathon runners go past the mid-way point. It was also scary that during the time we sat there we saw the elite men and women run past mile thirteen and then also go past again as they looped back towards the finish line – their pace almost unbelievable.

After checking out the hotel we headed back to the beach race village. By now it was a truly wonderful day and we planted ourselves on the beach, under the blue skies and sunshine, and in front of the giant screen that had been erected to watch the marathon coverage. We sat there for the next few hours, totally engrossed in the race. Watching the finishers filled me with so many emotions when thinking about my own marathon, excitement, fear, pride, nerves… all which reminded me exactly why I cannot wait to have the chance to complete one.

My Training Review: Training Week 14

4/13/2015

MONDAY: this week has been an absolute rollercoaster of emotions (although I hate using such a cliché phrase) and definitely the most testing of all my marathon training weeks so far. I started off the week with an 8km run. My IT band on my left leg was tight and my left shin was also painful. It was not enjoyable and I was glad it was only 8k! I went to Body Pump afterwards, but the level of pain in my leg had scared me a little.

TUESDAY: a foam roller session and ice seemed to have sorted out my tight IT Band but my shin had been causing me bother all day just from walking. Needless to say I approached my Body Attack class in the evening with some caution. My shin felt ok though throughout and this gave me some hope the pain was nothing major.

WEDNESDAY: a 9.5km run before Body Pump. I ran this reasonably fast, just below marathon pace, as I had limited time available before my class. My shin felt slightly uncomfortable but no where near the pain I had been experiencing at the start of the week. Again, this gave me a level of optimism.

THURSDAY: today my optimism came crashing down. I ran 11.5km but hated it. The weather was very warm and caught me out, so that made it tough to begin with. My shin also hurt me a lot, which made me feel extremely down and extremely scared. As I sat that evening on the sofa with frozen vegetables covering my legs (see image top right which epitomises my depression) I honestly felt like all my weeks of marathon training had been wasted. I was angry with myself thinking I must have done something wrong in my training, and scared at the prospect of not being able to run. It was only the support and wise words of my friends that picked me up from my state of despair. They made me realise that I had done all the hard work during training so far, and that I AM prepared for the marathon. I now just need to make sure I get to the start line, maintain my fitness during the taper, and most importantly listen to my body!

FRIDAY: today I was supposed to complete my long run due to weekend commitments (see Sunday). However paying attention to my body and making sensible choices, I decided to cross train instead. My long run would have taken me about 2 hours, so I opted for two hours on the cross trainer…! The first hour went past reasonably quick, the second was more of a chore, but my shin was rested and I got 2 hours on my legs in the bank (see image middle right which I felt the need to take just for proof!).

SATURDAY: Rest Day. I managed to speak to my sports therapist and get her to quickly look at my shin. Her diagnosis was that there had been some form of trauma in the area, a twist or something similar, and recommend continuing with ice, ibroprofen, and also trying to tape the site (see image). I also asked the question every runner hates ‘can I still run?’. The answer… yes… but I need to be very careful and rest/cross train when possible.

SUNDAY: the news I received on Saturday meant I actually could enjoy my running today, which was the Brighton 10k. I lost focus on this event all week with my shin issues, I had won my place at the race via a competition, so was in the mind set I may not even run it. But I did, and loved it! I will write a full blog on this later in the week, but the day was just what I needed after my experiences this week and reminded me why I love running so much!

Bank Holiday Blues

4/6/2015

I can honestly say this Bank Holiday/Easter weekend has been the toughest of all the weekends during my marathon training programme. Who planned the marathon to be so close to this! All I have wanted to do is eat lots of chocolate and drinks lots of alcohol...!

I am not a big drinker, I enjoy a sociable drink with friends every now and again, and before marathon training probably had a classic 'binge drinking' night out maybe once every couple of months, or if it was a birthday or similar occasion. Likewise with food, I eat healthily the majority of the time anyway, enjoying the odd sweet treat (usually chocolate, often Malteasers or Dairy Milk Daim!) now and again. But all this aside, I found this weekend a massive struggle.

Since January I have probably had about three glasses of wine (all at social meals) and three ciders (post Lincoln 10k), and I have been relatively luckily that no occasions, parties or events have occurred which I have been invited to and then had to awkwardly fit running around or attend feeling wracked with guilt. I am also luckily to have a very understanding and supportive friend around me who has not peer pressured me into a spontaneous Saturday night trip into town!

But a four day Bank Holiday weekend has proved slightly different. My social media streams have been filled with people either drinking with friends or getting glammed up for a big night out, as well as posting copious amounts of Easter theme chocolate treats! Although at 23 I would still be classed by many as 'young', I am a bit old before my time - within my house I have the nickname of 'Nan' which gives you some idea of my role! But I suddenly felt the desire to act my age and just hit the town - which for someone who has been so committed to marathon training for the past months was a bit of a shock.

However my commitment did not wain and I managed to find a (sort of) happy medium to get through the weekend. Friday I spent the evening with friends, sipping pineapple juice whilst they enjoyed wine, but did allow myself to have a chippy tea and some sweet treats so not to be totally removed from any form of fun!

Saturday night my friend's sister came to visit and we took her for drinks in town, so at least I had an opportunity to get a bit dressed up and not be photographed in running gear for once this year (see photos). Again I stuck to pineapple juice - I am actually surprised I have not turned into a pineapple the amount I consumed! Sunday was the night where everyone seemed to be doing something - the excitement of having no work on a Monday proving too much to handle. After my long run in the morning I was quite bored by the late afternoon/evening (too much time off work already!), as was my friend. Any other year we would have probably joined the masses and donned our heels and dresses ready for a night out, but I restrained. Instead I opted for a night of watching Casualty on the BBC iPlayer (I was not joking when I said I was old before my time...!)

So my Bank Holiday has not been what it could have been, but I am proud my commitment to the marathon has held strong. With three weeks to go I would have probably been extremely annoyed with myself today if I had let it slip! I am now just looking forward to the big celebration I am going to have post marathon - when I will definitely have something to celebrate!

My Training Review: Training Week 13

4/5/2015

MONDAY: had slight IT Band pain following my long run yesterday so was glad it was only a 9.5km run to start the week. I even debated dropping my weights a little on the squat and lunge track in my Body Pump class... but didn't!

TUESDAY: Body Attack class, which I loved doing again. Had no IT Band pain which was pleasing!

WEDNESDAY: 12km before Body Pump. Despite my joy yesterday at my IT Band pain disappearing, today my run featured a sharp, pin point pain in my left calf combined with pain in my left shin - delightful! I managed to maintain marathon pace throughout the run though, despite the extremely strong winds.

THURSDAY: my left leg did not feel good today, so decided to switch my planned run to Friday. Instead I opted for the gym where I focussed on doing some of the rehabilitation exercises my sports therapist recommended for my legs, as well as some core and foam roller work.

FRIDAY: Bank Holiday meant I went out in the morning for a 9.5km run. My left calf felt fine, and my shin was uncomfortable but not painful. On stopping my shin was sore though and this worried me. I spent the evening with frozen vegetables on my shin as well as applying lots of Deep Freeze - kill or cure! I was not in a good mood that evening either as I was starting to get annoyed with myself as to why this slight niggle has happened now with the marathon so close. So apologies are due to anyone who was near me that evening!

SATURDAY: in an attempt to protect my shin I ran my 5km on the treadmill with a good incline. I didn't enjoy the run at all, probably because it was on the treadmill, but also as I was nervous about my shin feeling worse. Luckily it didn't, it just felt uncomfortable again. I completed my session with some core work and my rehab exercises again.

SUNDAY: an Easter Sunday 20 miles. This felt long today, although I did enjoy the spring weather (see above image). Shin was uncomfortable again at times but not painful. I wanted more than any other week to make the run beneficial though as Saturday night I had gone with my friend and her sister for 'a few drinks' in Lincoln. However I stuck to pineapple juice all evening knowing I had 20 miles to complete today, when all I wanted to do was enjoy an alcoholic beverage or two! Again, thanks are due to my friends that evening for understanding my abstinence - its for a worthy cause!

The Final Countdown...

4/2/2015

April is upon us which means its London Marathon month! As I write this there are just 24 days to go until race day...

I literally cannot believe how quickly time has gone. I can remember sitting writing my training plan into my specially purchased running diary (yes I am that sad!) and thinking the marathon seemed such a long time away. But almost 16 weeks and nearly a quarter of the year has flown by and the final countdown has begun.

My feelings at this landmark are mainly a sense of pride. I am feeling extremely proud of myself for how well I have adapted to marathon training and my commitment to it. To be honest I always knew I would be committed to the running/exercise element of the programme, ask anyone who knows me and they will soon tell you I am a self confessed 'fitness freak' who rarely misses a run, gym session or exercise class. This has been proven through the fact I have not missed a single planned run to date. But the way I have dedicated my time to the training and the things I have given up to ensure I could fit in my runs or to make sure they were most beneficial cannot be ignored. Although I was very fit and a keen runner before starting marathon training the furthest I had ever ran was probably around 14/15km, and I had never trained for anything more than a 10k race. To think my Sunday long run used to be a 10k and now I am out enjoying pounding the streets for hours actually amazes me!

I am also proud of how I have been looking after my body a lot better during training. Yes I have sacrificed a suggested rest day on my training programme in order to keep doing a Body Attack class at the gym - which is definitely NOT rest! And yes I have also been doing Body Pump classes at least twice a week on top of all my running.

But I have been taking the time to stretch, foam roller and have invested in sports massages throughout my training. Plus I have actually had one rest day a week, whereas before marathon training I would easily exercise seven days a week. I have also made changes to my diet, ensuring I eat well and adding things such as flaxseed, chi seeds and turmeric to my food - whether this has had any benefits I don’t know, but I have tried and Holland and Barrett have gained another new customer!

Despite all my achievements over the past months, it scares me how it all could be lost in these next 24 days if I get injured in anyway. Today my left calf has a very tight spot in the middle and my left shin is also sore, I have not come this far to get injured now! So needless to say the Deep Freeze gel and frozen peas are being well utilised. 24 days to go and I am more determined than ever to make it to that start line.

My Training Review: Training Week 12

3/29/2015

MONDAY: started the week with an 11k run completed at roughly marathon pace. After the Lincoln 10k on Sunday my legs didn't feel as tired as normal on my Monday run, hence the faster speed. However my quads were sore - perhaps due to the different nature of running with the 10k requiring me to try and run more powerfully....just guessing! Body Pump afterwards.

TUESDAY: today Body Attack came back into my life after months of the instructor being away. The high intensity cardio class is the only time when burpees, let only burpee tuck jumps, actually feel strangely enjoyable and I loved having it back! I feared I may struggle as again the explosive nature of the workout is something I have not really been used to during marathon training, but it was no where near as bad as I feared and I coped well.

WEDNESDAY: another 11km run before Body Pump, again keeping to around marathon pace. Legs still a little sore, but to be honest I am used to pain by now!

THURSDAY: tempo running on the treadmill - the only time when I can actually bring myself to use the machine now! I completed 7km of 3 minutes marathon pace followed by 3 minutes at threshold pace. I then gave my legs a little spin on the bike just to loosen them up a bit followed by some stretching, foam roller work and core exercises.

FRIDAY: Rest Day - I had my second sports massage today and I am pleased to say there is no where near as much bruising as there was after my first visit, literally not even comparable! Hopefully this a sign of how much better condition my legs are in than before my previous visit to the therapist. The therapist worked on my glutes and hamstrings a lot as these had felt a quite uncomfortable over the past few weeks - I even feared I may have piriformis syndrome! Luckily I do not, just tight glutes caused from squatting - not even running!

SATURDAY: a steady 5km run followed by stretching and core exercises.

SUNDAY: long run day, and today it was long - 34km - again beating my furthest ever distance ran (see above very unflattering post run selfie!). My parents were visiting me today so I had to go out early. This meant a 4.45am alarm in order to have my breakfast at 5am, to run at 7am. - which with the clocks going forward felt like 6am! I am not used to this at all and it made me really appreciate how luckily I am to have almost total control of my marathon training. I don't have a family, children or partner to try and fit running around - just me! However I really enjoyed running early, it felt as if the streets were mine and it was so peaceful. The run didn't even seem as long as previous long runs and I had no real pain anywhere in my legs, just tiredness creeping in toward the end. My total time was 3 hours 27 minutes - with 8km left to go to reach marathon distance!

The Lincoln 10k 2015

3/23/2015

Sunday saw the arrival of the much anticipated Lincoln 10k. I love the race, which takes place in my home city. The route is good and the support from the public is fantastic. I am always nervous before a race but this year I felt more anxious than ever. From recent attempts at running relatively fast and my performance at Park Run in the past few weeks I knew marathon training had taken a lot of speed out of my legs so really was not sure how the race would go.

I have run the Lincoln 10k for the past two years. In 2013 I entered last minute and was pleased to finish in 52.32, with little focussed training. In 2014 I set out to run a sub 50 minute time and actually trained with the race in mind - I was ecstatic to finish in 47.40 and as the 75th woman overall. So for 2015 I had set my sights on a sub 45 minute finish... that was until I found out I had a marathon place!

My hope for this year had therefore initially adjusted to being somewhere close to my 2014 time, in the last few days I had begun to think even this was a little optimistic after a few marathon training runs in which my 10k was looking around the 55 minute mark! Unfortunately the Lincoln 10k fell in the section of my training plan in which mileage is at its peak, so tired legs and tight muscles are also at their peak - although I must not complain really as marathon wise I am really pleased with how my training is going.

Race day morning arrived and I left my house with the mind-set that if I could run sub 50 I would be happy – not pleased – but happy! Anything over 50 minutes I would not be happy with! The day was perfect for running, a gentle breeze in the air, blue skies and sunshine. My two friends were also taking part in the 10k so it was lovely to be able to share the race build up with them, as in previous years I have stood nervously alone in the mass of runners at the start line. As the starting gun went off they soon both disappeared amongst the sea of lycra, I knew they would both finish before me and I was very much willing them both to record good times, so was strangely pleased to see them go!

This left me and my race. The first 5km I felt good, I kept a good pace of around 4.50 each km and for a few moments I felt like I could possibly get near to the 48 minute mark. However in the last 5km the power seemed to go from my legs rapidly, they were not especially tired, just each stride felt like it was not really getting my anywhere - my missing speed haunting me again! I soon lost those crucial seconds and the last 2km – which are completed over a long, gentle incline – saw my times creep over to 5.10 and 5.15 km splits.

Looking at my watch I knew I was in for a 49 minute ‘something’ finish if I could just push through to the finish, which luckily I did, crossing the line in 49.50. A ‘happy’ outcome.

My friends both did fantastic – a hugely deserved 44.54 and a 46.57 respectively. Being able to celebrate their achievements definitely helped me feel less disappointed with my own performance than I may have done if I had run alone. I saw a quote on Instagram a few days before the 10k which I kept in the forefront of my mind: ‘celebrate finish lines not finish times’ and after the race we certainly did. I immensely appreciated spending the rest of the day in good company, eating good food and enjoying a few alcoholic drinks. This was the first time I had really had chance to relax a little since starting marathon training and it felt like such a reward.

Taken as a whole the Lincoln 10k 2015 will go down as my favourite run to date. Considering my time and the fact I personally set no records or PBs, just shows you how much enjoyment running can bring without having to focus purely on results.

My Training Review: Training Week 11

3/22/2015

MONDAY: a surprisingly comfortable 11km run after my mammoth Sunday run. I tried to keep to a recovery run pace, but struggled to go too slow due to the fact my legs felt quite good! Body Pump class afterwards.

TUESDAY: DOMS hit today! My legs felt tired and with the Lincoln 10k in mind (let alone the marathon!) I didn't want to push them, so had a rest day.

WEDNESDAY: another 11km before my Body Pump class. I attempted to run at a good speed and recorded an average of just under my target marathon pace of 5.40 minute kilometres. My legs still felt tired though!

THURSDAY: I completed a tempo run on the treadmill using some ideas I gained from my #extramile ambassador training session with Martin Yelling a couple of weeks back. After a warm up I ran 4 sets of 3 minutes at marathon pace, followed by 3 minutes running at threshold pace. I really enjoyed pushing my legs to go fast after the longer, slower runs of the past few weeks.

FRIDAY: a gentle 13km run to keep the legs ticking over - but with Sunday's Lincoln 10k still firmly in mind!

SATURDAY: Rest Day - two in one week, a complete revelation for me and probably the first time this has happened in a long, long time!

SUNDAY: Lincoln 10k! I will write a full blog post on this later this week, but overall a wonderful day with friends, food and drink (see above pre race selfie with my running girlies)! My time... 49.50, which I am happy with. Deep down I was hoping to be a bit closer to my time in 2014 when I ran 47.40 -- but knew this was asking a lot as my speed has dropped dramatically during marathon training, my legs are tired as I am in a high mileage part of my training plan, and I was also training solely for the 10k last year. But nevertheless, sub 50 is acceptable in my mind - especially as in recent weeks when I have tried to run faster I have been recording around 55 minutes for a 10km!

The London Marathon Top

3/19/2015

I was delighted to come home this week to find a parcel waiting for me containing my London Marathon running top! I love the top for three reasons:

1) It proudly shows who I am running the London Marathon for - vInspired
vInspired support so many young people across the UK develop their own skills through volunteering whilst also helping to make vital changes in their local area. I have personally had support from the charity and know how beneficial this process is on both the young person and the community in which they volunteer.

2) Its got my name on
I have read in so many blogs and articles how motivating it can be to have spectators shout out your name when running the Marathon, I also think its quite a good way to be able to strike up conversation with fellow runners!

3) Its purple
I love purple exercise wear. Sometimes I am guilty of leaving for a run looking a little too purple! The fact that vInspired's colour scheme is purple therefore suits me perfectly. I now just need to decided which of my numerous pairs of purple running shorts match best!

My only slight worry is the fact I will be running in a t-shirt... I am used to wearing vest tops as I tend to get hot very easily whilst running. So on Marathon day if you see a purple, sweaty mess running by with 'Alice' on their top you will definitely know its me!

My Training Review: Training Week 10

3/15/2015

MONDAY: a steady 11km recovery run to kick off the week. I say 'recovery run' - I still ran it too fast to be strictly classed 'recovery', but I managed to maintain a steady, gentle pace throughout. This was probably helped but the strong head wind on a number of sections of my route! Body Pump class afterwards.

TUESDAY: today I could feel in my legs the effect of my long run on Sunday. They felt generally tight so I decided to have a rest from running and cross train. I completed a 10km cycle at the gym focusing on low resistance, fast cadence; followed by stretching, foam roller work and some core exercises.

WEDNESDAY: this was probably the worst run of my training so far, my legs felt good, however the rest of my body did not! I managed 8km but it was not comfortable at all. I felt nauseous within the first few km, then was hit by stomach cramps. If I wasn't so far from home I would have stopped and walked back, but it was quicker to run! I ended up heading to my gym as I intended to end there for Body Pump. I nearly didn't stay for the class though - which shows you how I was feeling, as I hardly ever miss Pump! - but I did and felt a bit better for it. Not a good session!

THURSDAY: I was determined to make up for Wednesday's rubbish run today and completed a thoroughly enjoyable 12km at marathon pace - how two days can differ so dramatically I don't know! Bootcamp at the gym afterwards.

FRIDAY: Rest Day - this was a struggle as it was the first time in a long while I didn't actually have anything on to distract me from wanted to run or go to the gym!

SATURDAY: I ran on the treadmill for the first time in a long while today. With the Lincoln 10k Race looming next weekend I wanted to test my legs a bit. I ran 5km at a fast pace and recorded a time of 23.59 - two minutes faster than my Park Run a couple of weeks ago! Not sure if I can keep that up over 10km....but we shall soon find out!

SUNDAY: As my long run next week is being replaced by the Lincoln 10k I upped the mileage for today's run. I covered 30km in total (see above photo) - beating my longest run record. The run certainly felt long, and my legs were very tired towards the end. Mentally I felt strong though and pushed myself on. The most wonderful thing was however that for the first time in a long, long time I had no pain whatsoever in my calves!

#ExtraMile Ambassador Training Day

3/12/2015

Last Saturday was the #extramile Ambassador Training Day (see past blog posts for more information) which saw me travel down to London to meet fellow marathon runners, gain expert advice from professional running coach Martin Yelling, and train on St Mary's University running track. Sounds great doesn't it... and it certainly was!

Friday after work I set off for London and proudly navigated my way across the city and the tube network to Teddington near Twickenham - this was the first time I had ever been in London on my own! I met two of the other #extramile ambassadors and we went for food - a meal where it was actually acceptable to talk non stop about running for once!

I awoke next morning to glorious sunny weather - I always seem to get sunshine when I visit London so hopefully that's a good omen for the marathon! We walked to St Mary's University and I must admit I was feeling a little nervous about the forthcoming training session. I had not ran on a track since school, and one really bad experience of tripping and falling in the final of the 200m on sports day always haunts me! But my nerves soon eased as we met with the other ambassadors and with Martin Yelling and we began to talk marathon talk.

As a first time marathon runner it was great to hear tips about training, gain reassurance in what I had already been doing, and also get some specific London Marathon focussed advice. In the track session we focussed on pacing, which I have gradually begun to realise is not my strong point! We looked at our target marathon pace in order to reach our goal finish time and used this in an interval running session. We completed 3 sets of 3 minutes running at marathon pace, followed by 3 minutes running at threshold pace (90% effort). It was tough on my legs, especially as I am not used to running on a track (which, much to my delight with my troublesome calves, I was told at the start can really make this muscle group ache!)

The track session really made me realise that I had been neglecting to focus on interval/tempo/threshold running within my training so far - which may be why I appear to have lost so much speed over the past few weeks. So this was one of the biggest things I took away as well as a message which Martin gave us to the words of: 'training sessions should have a focus - but not all of them, don't forget to enjoy running still!'

To me this is really important - although training gives us focus, we must not forget why we are training, the joy of running! And after all my weeks of marathon training I fully intend to cross the finish line in April with a massive smile across my face.

My Training Review: Training Week 9

3/8/2015

MONDAY: a 9.5km run to start the week, tried to keep it at recovery pace. Legs didn't feel too tired after Sunday. Body Pump class afterwards.

TUESDAY: I had slight IT band pain today after yesterday's run, so chose to have a break from running and cross train instead, as well as applying lots of ice to the area! I did a 10km cycle on the bike at the gym focusing on fast cadence with slight hill inclines. I finished with a good stretch and foam roller session.

WEDNESDAY: my legs felt very tight on today's run, from my hamstrings right down to my calves. I made it through the 11.5km though and then onto Body Pump.

THURSDAY: I split my run into two, 10km run first followed by Bootcamp, then a 2km run afterwards. I chose a new route for the 10km element of the run with a few less inclines to give my legs a bit of a break. I actually ran without any form of calf pain for the first time in a long while too!

FRIDAY: Rest Day - and travel down to London ready for the #extramile ambassadors training day.

SATURDAY: today was the #extramile training session with Martin Yelling - I will write a full blog on this soon - but overall a thoroughly enjoyable day. On the track we focussed on pacing, practicing our marathon pace and also experimenting with threshold running (running at 90% effort).

SUNDAY: mastered my longest ever run today, 27km. I tried to keep my pace in check, so I actually did a 'long slow run' for once! I kept a consistent pace throughout and after my initial calf pain wore off, my legs felt strong and only tired towards the very end. I also seemed to get my nutrition aspect better as I wasn't starving hungry towards the end!

The Lincoln 10k

3/6/2015

This week I received my race number for the Lincoln 10k road race, which is taking place two weeks on Sunday. Upon opening the envelope and pulling out the paper number, which was proudly bearing my name, I felt very, very nervous - maybe even more so than how I am currently feeling about the marathon!

I have ran the Lincoln 10k for the past two years. in 2013 I entered rather last minute after being told by numerous people I should and was pleased to finish in 52.32, with little focussed training. In 2014 I set out to run a sub 50 minute time and actually trained with the race in mind - I was ecstatic to finish in 47.40 and as the 75th woman overall. So for 2015 I had set my sights on a sub 45 minute finish... that was until I found out I had a marathon place!

Needless to say I have not been at all focussed on the 10k, and it has crept up on me very quickly! Although I have completely disregarded running a sub 45 minute race, I am nervous as I still really want to beat my time from 2014!

My fear is that I have not been feeling very fast of late, and the speed in my legs seems to have been wiped out from the many, many miles I have been running. I should just accept that the marathon is my focus and let the Lincoln 10k be just another training session in my marathon plan. I am just not sure if my mind is ready to do that!

My Training Review: Training Week 8

3/1/2015

MONDAY: Monday marked the half way point of my 16 week marathon training plan - which was a scary realisation! Scary in that eight weeks have already flown by, and also scary in that the marathon will soon be upon me! I started the week with a 8.5km outdoor recovery run after Sunday's long run. My legs felt really, really tired and it was odd sensation at first running when it felt like they really didn't want to! I felt better afterwards though and did my Body Pump class at the gym.

TUESDAY: Rest Day - I had a training session for a course I am currently undertaking after work, which meant I didn't finish until late, so decided to have my rest day today. I was still feeling a little tired in general after Sunday's long run so I also felt the break would do me good.

WEDNESDAY: An 11km outdoor run finishing at the gym in time for Body Pump. My calves were initially a little tight which caused them to feel slightly uncomfortable to run on, but the feeling eased - or I simply got used to it!

THURSDAY: Back to the tempo running this week and the first time I have attempted to do a tempo run not on a treadmill. I found it difficult to stick precisely to the suggested distances for the different running speeds without the treadmill to guide me, but it felt more natural and also nice to push the pace over a shorter distance (6.5km). I finished at the gym for another Bootcamp session.

FRIDAY: I contemplated having another rest day today, but wanted to do some good stretching as I had really neglected to do any throughout the week after my runs. So I went to the gym and did a light 10km cycle on the bike, followed by a lengthy stretch and foam roller session.

SATURDAY: My second venture to Park Run today! Again an enjoyable experience, especially being able to go with friends. My time for the 5km distance was slightly disappointing - 26mins - and I felt like my legs just didn't want to go fast - the distance felt like nothing at least! Prior to marathon training I had been running around 23 minute 5k distances, so I am learning to have to adjust my expectations without getting too disheartened!

SUNDAY: This week's long run saw me complete another half marathon distance. The weather was not up to the standard of the last few weeks, and I battled against some VERY strong winds in places mixed with a steady rain (the above image does not do it justice!). Despite the conditions I enjoyed the run, I made sure I stuck to a steady, slower pace and finished in just over 2 hours - which I was happy with considering at times it felt like I wasn't moving against the wind! Oh, and it will come as no shock to hear that my calves were tight to start with...!

An #Extra Training Session

2/26/2015

You may have seen the London Marathon #extramile campaign on social media channels or visited the extramile website (www.extramile.co.uk). You may have also read my previous blog post about the campaign and how much I am enjoying being able to share my marathon journey with fellow runners and anyone else who may be interested! Well thanks to my regular Twitter updates, and frequent (often very unflattering) running related Instagram images, I have been chosen as an #extramile ambassador – basically recognised as someone who spends lot of time on social media talking about running!

The wonderfully unexpected bonus of this accolade is that I have been invited to attend a training day in London next weekend with other selected #extramile London Marathon ambassadors. On Friday 6th March I will be making the long commute down to London, then across the city to Lensbury Hotel in Twickenham. Here I shall meet the other ambassadors over dinner – which I am sure will be fuelled with high levels of running and training related conversation, as well as fuelling us for the forthcoming training happening the next day.

On Saturday 7th we shall be spending the day with Martin Yelling. Martin is a former international runner, elite multisport athlete and Hawaii Ironman finisher who has coached runners from novices through to champions. Martin is also the founder of the UK's number one running podcast - Marathon Talk- and owner of Yelling Performance, as well as regularly contributing to running, health and fitness publications. His wife is also Liz, Yelling, 2 x Olympic marathon runner, so basically he knows his stuff!

Martin will be giving us a pre training talk, leading is through a track based marathon training session, and also taking part in a question and answer session. I am very excited to be able to learn from what Martin has to say, and hopefully pick up some advice and be able to answer those niggling questions I have in my mind. The track based session actually scares me a little! I don't think I have run on a track since high school so it feels a little out of my comfort zone! I am ready for the challenge anyway!

Then it will be back to Lincoln for me ready for a lovely long run on the Sunday – which hopefully I will be feeling even more inspired than usual to complete!

My Training Review: Training Week 7

2/22/2015

MONDAY: I finished work later than normal which meant I had to quickly squeeze in a run before my Body Pump class. I managed a relatively fast 7km which was fairly tough after yesterday's half marathon but a run nevertheless!

TUESDAY: today was my Sports Massage (see below blog post) so I was advised not to run afterwards. I went to the gym instead and did a light cycle on the bike for 10km and an arm weights session.

WEDNESDAY: a 10km run before Body Pump. I discovered today why I was advised not to run on Tuesday as the pain from the bruising on my legs literally made me feel sick whilst I was running! The pain was a strange sensation, almost like a constant impact repeatedly hitting against my skin - so it wasn't the most enjoyable run I have to say!

THURSDAY: no Body Attack class so I completed a Bootcamp session at my gym. I have never done anything like this before and I enjoyed it for a change. It was a bit like a circuits class (although outdoors) with different stations including tyres, ropes, and running with weighted rucksack.

FRIDAY: rightly or wrongly (I have read mixed reviews about doing this) but I completed a longer run this evening to make up for missed distance earlier on in the week. I covered 14km at around marathon pace, my legs were a little painful at the start but I got used to the feeling and felt strong.

SATURDAY: a 5k run on the treadmill followed by some core exercises and a good stretching session in preparation for Sunday's long run.

SUNDAY: 24km today - beating my longest run to date. I ran 15.5km with my friend on another new route which I again really enjoyed. I felt comfortable for the majority of this distance then my legs suddenly started to tire over the last 3/4km. I had drink break and a bit of a stretch at my friend's house before heading out to complete the remaining distance. This was hard, and I had the feeling of no energy in my legs and it was real effort to keep going. I am proud I kept running until the 24km mark, despite it feeling extremely slow and plodding! I was also very, very hungry during the last few kilometres so need to review my nutrition pre run for future weeks. But at least I have learnt something to take forward!

My First Sports Massage

2/17/2015

Another week and another first for me... my first sports massage! After the calf pain of last week I took the plunge and booked my first massage session in. Deep down I knew what to expect, and had been appropriately warned by others who had a massage before, but I will admit nothing quite prepares you for the pain!

It is a 'good' pain in the sense you know it is benefitting you, and I guess that's what makes it bearable! The tights spots which are firmly manipulated, although make your fists clench in pain, are being loosened for the better. From the massage session I found out that my hamstrings are extremely tight - which I sort of expected as my flexibility is also extremely poor! The sports therapist also found that I had some scar tissue on my left calf which looked like had remained from an impact injury (I have no idea what from!). This meant the fibres were misaligned, and some severe pressure was applied to realign the fibres - which hurt a LOT!

Post massage my legs can only be described as tender. They feel like they are bruised everywhere - and it’s probably because they are – see images on the left! I met my sports therapist later at the gym and she commented how they were the worse bruises she had ever seen post massage! I do bruise easily but must admit I was a little shocked. Despite the pain and the bruising I would definitely go back again and I would like to try and make it part of my running/training routine. I will just make sure I don’t schedule anything in for the next day that involves having my legs on show!

My Training Review: Training Week 6

2/15/2015

MONDAY: started the week with a steady outdoor run of 9km. I tried to use this as a bit of a recovery run following Sunday's long run, not sure I quite succeeded as I still ended up running at around, or slightly quicker than marathon pace. My legs didn't feel too bad though, my calves were initially tight but loosened as the run progresses. Body Pump afterwards.

TUESDAY: I really struggled with my run today. I attempted to run 8km on the treadmill but made it to 6km before making myself stop as the pain in my calves was intense and I didn't want to risk any injury. I did make up the remaining 2km on the cross trainer which luckily didn't cause my calves any form of discomfort. From this experience I have now booked in my first ever sports massage for next week!

WEDNESDAY: in complete contrast to the day before I loved my 9km run today! It was one of those days when you know that all you need to do is go for a run to make yourself feel better.. and it worked! My legs felt tired but there was none of the pain I experienced on Tuesday - thankfully! Body Pump after.

THURSDAY: my seemingly cursed Body Attack class was not on again, so I did a circuits class which was mainly weights based with some lovely burpee, skipping and squat jump stations thrown in for good measure.

FRIDAY: Rest Day - filled my evening by experimenting with baking some protein flapjacks (see photo) with my friend! I found the easiest recipe I could and one which involved us buying the fewest ingredients. The flapjacks were made from a mix of oats, coconut oil, peanut butter, banana, raisins and almonds and I am pleased to say turned out ok - although we did run out of banana for the second batch, which meant they were very peanut buttery!

SATURDAY: Park Run (see below blog post)

SUNDAY: I conquered a half marathon today (21km), and perhaps what was most pleasing after my troubles earlier in the week was that my calves didn't feel tight! At the start of the run my legs did feel really tired and I was fearing the next few hours were going to be a complete struggle, but I soon got into my stride and enjoyed another beautiful morning of running - I was actually a little hot in sunny parts (as the above sweaty post run snap shows)! When I reached the 14km mark my pace noticeable dropped but by the end I didn't feel completely exhausted and could have gone on further if required. I aimed to stick to my marathon pace throughout however on reviewing my watch afterwards I set off too fast for the first few kilometres so need to work on keeping a consistent pace. My time overall was 2hrs 3mins - which seems on track for my target of a 4hour marathon....