I learnt an important (and some would say obvious) lesson today: never run with a hangover.
It's been a busy week. Normally my social diary is pathetically empty and I have to resort to diarising things like "Tesco shop" or "X Factor" to fill the blank spaces. But for once I've been busy with actual fun outings. So indulge me if it sounds like a whitewhine. "Oh, my social life is so hectic. No one has problems like me."
I've had things on for four evenings in a row - two dinners, a night out at Book Slam (amazing - especially David Nicholls) and, last night, an evening in the pub. Where we saw Emma Watson, who is very pretty indeed in real life.
Anyway. I have been drinking every night and I was really starting to feel it yesterday. I nonetheless got through half a bottle of Shiraz and a vodka tonic and my hangover kicked in at about 10pm. I slept terribly. I woke up several times with a dry mouth and pounding heart. My stomach hurts. My head hurts. You booze, you lose.
And if you try and do a long run after said boozing, you especially lose. I did my longest run to date today - ended up being 6.96 miles (hurrah!) but my god it was painful. And it took a whopping 1hr 35 mins. That is as long as your average feature film. There are probably people somewhere in the world who can get an actual marathon done in that time.
It really was a physical and emotional battle. Even the sight of several cute dogs, usually a demiquaver of cheer in the relentless double semibreve of a long run, did nothing to help lift my spirits. All I could think of was getting home and sitting down with a soothing cup of tea and morphine drip.
The last mile was a joke. The only point at which I managed a proper speed during that mile was when I spotted an odious little creep of a letting agent that I was unlucky enough to have to deal with recently. I took momentary pleasure in the fact that he is growing a moustache, presumably for Movember, and it looks crap. Like someone has spread PVA glue on his top lip and flicked some pubic hairs at it. Anyway, I made that hilarious observation (to myself) then I pegged it in case he recognised me. Once he was out of sight I slumped back into leg-dragging, whimpering inertia.
The point is, I did it, it was NOT FUN, but let's draw a line under it and hope things improve.
Incidentally, I did an hour of yoga when I got home and it felt totally brilliant. I think it's the way forward. It certainly helps with the calf muscle of doom. Will blog about that again another time.
Saturday 26 November 2011
Wednesday 23 November 2011
Woof
Things have been going a bit better again since my last post. I did a very slow and ginger 2 miles (23 mins) on the treadmill on Tuesday and stretched loads afterwards, then let myself have another few days off. I was almost starting to feel back to normal again with not a single ache or pain.
This encouraged me to do 5.3 miles on Sunday, and I'm really glad I did. It took me just over an hour and I ran from home to Battersea Park, did a loop of the park and then home again. It was a weird and gorgeous run. It was really cold and foggy and dark, even at 10am, and the park was pretty empty except for a few other runners and people walking their dogs.
My multi-marathon-running friend has a deep-seated loathing for dogs (which I don't share - I love them and am a perpetual wannabe dognapper) because of the way they like to catch you up and run at your heels. Someone sent me this video the other day, which really made me laugh:
Look at him go!
Having been briefly pursued by a frisky wolfhound (not Fenton) in the park on Sunday, I'm starting to see why she's not keen. I still love em though. One day, when I live in a house with a garden and have some free time (2047), I will own my very own dog and then no doubt I'll be the one you see running after it in the park shouting "JESUS CHRIST!".
This encouraged me to do 5.3 miles on Sunday, and I'm really glad I did. It took me just over an hour and I ran from home to Battersea Park, did a loop of the park and then home again. It was a weird and gorgeous run. It was really cold and foggy and dark, even at 10am, and the park was pretty empty except for a few other runners and people walking their dogs.
My multi-marathon-running friend has a deep-seated loathing for dogs (which I don't share - I love them and am a perpetual wannabe dognapper) because of the way they like to catch you up and run at your heels. Someone sent me this video the other day, which really made me laugh:
Look at him go!
Having been briefly pursued by a frisky wolfhound (not Fenton) in the park on Sunday, I'm starting to see why she's not keen. I still love em though. One day, when I live in a house with a garden and have some free time (2047), I will own my very own dog and then no doubt I'll be the one you see running after it in the park shouting "JESUS CHRIST!".
Monday 14 November 2011
The Spectator
I haven't been able to run for a whole week now. After my 4-mile one a week ago today, my right leg seized up somewhat. I've had quite a lot of pain around both my ankles and the back of my right knee in particular.
Various friends recommended that I rest up, so I gave myself a week off. Things have definitely improved. Not quite back to normal yet, but getting there.
I'm going to try a gentle run on the treadmill tomorrow. According to the training plan I should be tackling a 5-miler, but we'll see how it goes. I'll have to do loads of stretching afterwards and maybe whack some ice on my knee if it's bad. We have an in-house physio at work who I can visit if it all gets a bit too much.
In other news, I went to watch my boyfriend run Survival of the Fittest on Saturday. Some pics are below.
It's a 10k run, taking place in and around Battersea Power Station. You have to do various un-fun obstacles along the course, like hauling yourself along scaffolding monkey bars, jumping hay bales and wading through skips full of icy cold muddy water.
It looked horrific. The poor people running it were obviously clinically insane, because all of them were smiling and laughing as they went round, rather than weeping, shaking and faking injury like any normal person would do.
J did it in 54 minutes which seems ridiculously, unfeasibly fast to me. He was in the top 15%, which I guess means most people do it in a more manageable time.
Once he'd crossed the finished line, I made him come with me to the discounted running gear tent, where I celebrated his fantastic achievement by forcing him to wait for me, wrapped in his foil blanket, while I selected some new sporty leggings and a top.
Just need to actually manage another run now!
Various friends recommended that I rest up, so I gave myself a week off. Things have definitely improved. Not quite back to normal yet, but getting there.
I'm going to try a gentle run on the treadmill tomorrow. According to the training plan I should be tackling a 5-miler, but we'll see how it goes. I'll have to do loads of stretching afterwards and maybe whack some ice on my knee if it's bad. We have an in-house physio at work who I can visit if it all gets a bit too much.
In other news, I went to watch my boyfriend run Survival of the Fittest on Saturday. Some pics are below.
It's a 10k run, taking place in and around Battersea Power Station. You have to do various un-fun obstacles along the course, like hauling yourself along scaffolding monkey bars, jumping hay bales and wading through skips full of icy cold muddy water.
It looked horrific. The poor people running it were obviously clinically insane, because all of them were smiling and laughing as they went round, rather than weeping, shaking and faking injury like any normal person would do.
J did it in 54 minutes which seems ridiculously, unfeasibly fast to me. He was in the top 15%, which I guess means most people do it in a more manageable time.
Once he'd crossed the finished line, I made him come with me to the discounted running gear tent, where I celebrated his fantastic achievement by forcing him to wait for me, wrapped in his foil blanket, while I selected some new sporty leggings and a top.
Just need to actually manage another run now!
Tuesday 8 November 2011
Moving on up
The house move is over. Hurrah! The new flat is lovely, as is my new flatmate, and I'm very relieved to have the move over and done with. It is quite a novelty not to have to sleep with earplugs in. I have gone from busy A road lined with glass noise-reflecting office blocks, to quiet square with no through traffic. On my first morning I awoke to hear actual birdsong coming from the tree outside my window. Talk about living the dream.
The move itself was all a bit more stressful than anticipated (let's just say the 3 seater sofa currently sitting on the pavement outside my house most definitely doesn't fit through my front door) so I didn't get round to doing my long run until yesterday.
I did 4 miles ish (no internet at home so couldn't map it accurately) in 50 minutes. I ran from home up to Vauxhall tube station then along the river to Battersea Power station, then home via Larkhall Park. I still had to do a fair bit of walking, but it's definitely getting easier. It was lovely and cold. I wore red and pink striped woolly gloves, which had the double effect of looking ridiculous and keeping me too hot. I need to get some proper ones. And some leggings which aren't made of, essentially, plastic, and therefore wick the sweat away from me rather than clingfilming it to my clammy calves.
I went for lunch today with my friend who is a proper runner and is also doing the London marathon next year. I told him about the ankle pain I'm getting a bit on my right hand side, and he said he thinks I'm (a) not stretching enough and (b) doing too much, too soon. This seems a fair comment. I am stretching like an Olympic gymnast after each run, but I think my training plan may be a bit .... ambitious. For this stage in proceedings, anyway.
So I'm going to stick with the long run programme - i.e., going up by 1 mile every Sunday - and will try and maintain two short runs during the week. But I might keep my grand Fartlek interval training plans on hold until a bit further along.
The move itself was all a bit more stressful than anticipated (let's just say the 3 seater sofa currently sitting on the pavement outside my house most definitely doesn't fit through my front door) so I didn't get round to doing my long run until yesterday.
I did 4 miles ish (no internet at home so couldn't map it accurately) in 50 minutes. I ran from home up to Vauxhall tube station then along the river to Battersea Power station, then home via Larkhall Park. I still had to do a fair bit of walking, but it's definitely getting easier. It was lovely and cold. I wore red and pink striped woolly gloves, which had the double effect of looking ridiculous and keeping me too hot. I need to get some proper ones. And some leggings which aren't made of, essentially, plastic, and therefore wick the sweat away from me rather than clingfilming it to my clammy calves.
I went for lunch today with my friend who is a proper runner and is also doing the London marathon next year. I told him about the ankle pain I'm getting a bit on my right hand side, and he said he thinks I'm (a) not stretching enough and (b) doing too much, too soon. This seems a fair comment. I am stretching like an Olympic gymnast after each run, but I think my training plan may be a bit .... ambitious. For this stage in proceedings, anyway.
So I'm going to stick with the long run programme - i.e., going up by 1 mile every Sunday - and will try and maintain two short runs during the week. But I might keep my grand Fartlek interval training plans on hold until a bit further along.
Friday 4 November 2011
Farewell to London Bridge
I've managed two runs this week. One on the treadmill on Monday - 3 miles in 37 minutes, and one outside today - 2.8 miles in 30 minutes.
It's been a bit of a busy week. I'm moving house tomorrow. I'm leaving London Bridge, where I've lived for the last four and a bit years. I'm not going far, just 15 mins down the road really. I'm moving to a gorgeous flat, with a very cool friend, and I'm so excited about that.
But I am sad to leave too. I've been really happy here. I love Borough Market, I love the little local park with its gorgeous flowerbeds and Victorian gravestones, and the excellent local library, not to mention the amazing selection of local pubs (The Gladstone, the Market Porter and the Roebuck are my favourites, if you're wondering). I've been here for the vast majority of my time in London. But it's time for a change, and after all, this neighbourhood isn't going anywhere, so I can always come back and visit. Who knows, one day I might win the Euromillions jackpot, which would just about buy me a 2-bed flat round here.
Anyway, I woke up this morning and resolved to go for one final run. It was pouring with rain at that point and I resigned myself to getting wet, but actually by the time I went out the weather had really cleared up and it was a glorious, fresh, cold, sunny run.
I accidentally took a short cut too. Whoops!
I was supposed to do my postponed first interval training session on Wednesday but didn't make it, again. Our gorgeous family cat Jessie had to be put to sleep that morning (aged 18, which I know is a good innings, yaddah yaddah, but it was still horrible) and quite frankly all I wanted to do was go home and have a glass of wine and a bath and a massive cry. I actually think it did me good to have three rest days in a row as I felt on really good running form today. My right calf, which has been bothering me a bit, definitely felt much looser.
Anyway, I'm now sitting here surrounded by crap that I need to bag and box up so that it can be moved tomorrow. And I've got a double bed being delivered in an hour and nowhere to put it. So I'd better crack on. Next run is 4 miles on Sunday, by which time I'll be in the new flat! Hurrah.
But for now - farewell London Bridge. It's been great.
It's been a bit of a busy week. I'm moving house tomorrow. I'm leaving London Bridge, where I've lived for the last four and a bit years. I'm not going far, just 15 mins down the road really. I'm moving to a gorgeous flat, with a very cool friend, and I'm so excited about that.
But I am sad to leave too. I've been really happy here. I love Borough Market, I love the little local park with its gorgeous flowerbeds and Victorian gravestones, and the excellent local library, not to mention the amazing selection of local pubs (The Gladstone, the Market Porter and the Roebuck are my favourites, if you're wondering). I've been here for the vast majority of my time in London. But it's time for a change, and after all, this neighbourhood isn't going anywhere, so I can always come back and visit. Who knows, one day I might win the Euromillions jackpot, which would just about buy me a 2-bed flat round here.
Anyway, I woke up this morning and resolved to go for one final run. It was pouring with rain at that point and I resigned myself to getting wet, but actually by the time I went out the weather had really cleared up and it was a glorious, fresh, cold, sunny run.
I accidentally took a short cut too. Whoops!
I was supposed to do my postponed first interval training session on Wednesday but didn't make it, again. Our gorgeous family cat Jessie had to be put to sleep that morning (aged 18, which I know is a good innings, yaddah yaddah, but it was still horrible) and quite frankly all I wanted to do was go home and have a glass of wine and a bath and a massive cry. I actually think it did me good to have three rest days in a row as I felt on really good running form today. My right calf, which has been bothering me a bit, definitely felt much looser.
Anyway, I'm now sitting here surrounded by crap that I need to bag and box up so that it can be moved tomorrow. And I've got a double bed being delivered in an hour and nowhere to put it. So I'd better crack on. Next run is 4 miles on Sunday, by which time I'll be in the new flat! Hurrah.
But for now - farewell London Bridge. It's been great.
Saturday 29 October 2011
First outdoors run
I just did my first outdoor run. Well, my first outdoor training run. I have run outside before - in fact I've run the route I did today before. It's just more heavily laden with meaning now that I'm training for an actual marathon.
I ran from my house in Borough down to Bermondsey, along Bermondsey Street up to Tooley Street, down the river past Tower Bridge to Shad Thames and then back along the river to London Bridge, then home.
I covered 2.9 miles in 38 minutes. What's interesting (to me, I mean ... "interesting" is perhaps over-doing it a bit) is that I walked a lot today, but still did the same distance in exactly the same time as on the treadmill. This suggests that I'm running faster outside than I do on the treadmill, but get tired more easily and therefore need to walk more. I'm going to try and keep upping my treadmill speed next week.
It was a lovely day for a run. Clear skies and sunshine with a strong breeze. I'm really glad I went. But even as I was turning my face gratefully towards the sun, I felt a chill of foreboding for those February days when it doesn't stop pissing it down, and I'm going to be heading out for a 16 mile run. Eeek.
I ran from my house in Borough down to Bermondsey, along Bermondsey Street up to Tooley Street, down the river past Tower Bridge to Shad Thames and then back along the river to London Bridge, then home.
I covered 2.9 miles in 38 minutes. What's interesting (to me, I mean ... "interesting" is perhaps over-doing it a bit) is that I walked a lot today, but still did the same distance in exactly the same time as on the treadmill. This suggests that I'm running faster outside than I do on the treadmill, but get tired more easily and therefore need to walk more. I'm going to try and keep upping my treadmill speed next week.
It was a lovely day for a run. Clear skies and sunshine with a strong breeze. I'm really glad I went. But even as I was turning my face gratefully towards the sun, I felt a chill of foreboding for those February days when it doesn't stop pissing it down, and I'm going to be heading out for a 16 mile run. Eeek.
Thursday 27 October 2011
Meh
It wasn't a great run today. 4.8km in about 40 minutes, but I took pauses and walked a lot of it.
The ingredients of a good run were there. I was running in my friend's swanky gym, with the promise of a jacuzzi session afterwards. I'd eaten a good lunch (fish pie and peas, fact fans). I was listening to my POWER PLAYLIST.
But I still have this cold and I think my body just couldn't manage to be perky. My right ankle was hurting a bit too. Is there a stretch you can do for that?
Still, I did my 4.8km and I feel better for it. Really tired now so I'm going to sign off and get some sleep. Next run = 4.8km again, on Saturday, and this time it'll be al fresco...
The ingredients of a good run were there. I was running in my friend's swanky gym, with the promise of a jacuzzi session afterwards. I'd eaten a good lunch (fish pie and peas, fact fans). I was listening to my POWER PLAYLIST.
But I still have this cold and I think my body just couldn't manage to be perky. My right ankle was hurting a bit too. Is there a stretch you can do for that?
Still, I did my 4.8km and I feel better for it. Really tired now so I'm going to sign off and get some sleep. Next run = 4.8km again, on Saturday, and this time it'll be al fresco...
Friday 21 October 2011
Morning vs night time
I did another two miles on Wednesday (23 minutes) and two today (22 minutes). So I'm getting ever so slightly quicker.
Kind of like the way the continents are moving towards each other ever so slightly faster than they used to.
I've done two pre-work runs this week, and one, today, after work. I don't know what I prefer.
Going before work gives me a sense of achievement before 9.30am, not something I often have (in general, not just in the mornings). It means I can go off and scoff peanut butter on toast for breakfast with a clear conscience. On the downside, it turns my face the colour and texture of corned beef hash until about lunchtime.
Running after work I generally have a bit more energy. I'm more up for it. And the gym is emptier, so less chance of bumping into my colleagues. But it also means I immediately have a 30-minute walk home along the river in the dark, groping for my pepper spray and keeping on the alert for muggers and rapists.
Ups and downs, I guess.
Kind of like the way the continents are moving towards each other ever so slightly faster than they used to.
I've done two pre-work runs this week, and one, today, after work. I don't know what I prefer.
Going before work gives me a sense of achievement before 9.30am, not something I often have (in general, not just in the mornings). It means I can go off and scoff peanut butter on toast for breakfast with a clear conscience. On the downside, it turns my face the colour and texture of corned beef hash until about lunchtime.
Running after work I generally have a bit more energy. I'm more up for it. And the gym is emptier, so less chance of bumping into my colleagues. But it also means I immediately have a 30-minute walk home along the river in the dark, groping for my pepper spray and keeping on the alert for muggers and rapists.
Ups and downs, I guess.
Wednesday 19 October 2011
POWER PLAYLIST time
OK, it's time to make a POWER PLAYLIST.
I really like music. I know that's a somewhat anodyne statement, like saying you like sunshine or chocolate. Woah there, trailblazer.
But I do, I've got a Spotify Premium subscription and everything. There aren't many situations in life for which I don't run to Spotify and create a new playlist. Parties! Bedtime! Popping to Topshop to take back that hat that looked really good in the changing room but feels stupid once you get home! There's a playlist for every mood.
So today I made my running playlist (and tested a small portion of it out on a run, by the way - 2 miles in 23 minutes).
It goes like this:
*Pass Out - Tinie Tempah
One - Swedish House Mafia (guess who still hasn't gotten over her holiday in Ibiza this summer)
Yeah - Boys Noize
Firework - Katy Perry (I'm not proud of myself)
Judas - Lady Gaga
Only Girl in the World - Rihanna
*Lose Yourself - Eminem
I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor - Arctic Monkeys
Stronger - Kanye West
The Kids Aren't Alright - The Offspring
*Flux - Bloc Party
*Rockafeller Skank - Fatboy Slim
Kids in America - Kim Wilde
Born to Run - Bruce Springsteen
Who's That Chick - David Guetta
Like a G6 - fuck knows, some one hit wonder
Run to You - Bryan Adams
Lust for Life - Iggy Pop
*Derezzed - Daft Punk (this is AMAZING, I need to find a longer mix of it)
Rock That Body - Black Eyed Peas
Sky and Sand - Paul Kalkbrenner
Yeah, Techno! soulwax Mix
Boom Boom Pow - Black Eyed Peas
I'm Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How to Dance With You - Black Kids
Ghosts N stuff - Deadmau5
Riverside - CDM Project apparently, who knew?
Our Velocity - Maximo Park
*Moar Ghosts N Stuff - Deadmau5
*I Need Air - Magnetic Man
a whole load more Black Eyed Peas tracks I can't be arsed to type out
Hey Ya! - Outkast
*Rock Star - NERD (Jason Nevins remix - this is important, the original is NOT a good song to run to. It's a bit like when Fatboy Slim remixed Brim Full of Asha by Cornershop and it suddenly became a great song)
Doctor Pressure - Mylo
That's Not My Name - Ting Tings
Fruit Machine - Ting Tings
Bounce - Calvin Harris feat Kelis
We are the People - Empire of the Sun (Wawa Club remix)
Lights On - Katy B feat Ms Dynamite
Let's face it, that's way more music than I currently need on a single run. I've asterisked (not Obelixed) the ones that I really like to run to. Any suggestions for other good songs are welcome. No Radiohead/similar please. This is music to make you run really really fast, not to make you reach for the diazepam.
I also bought this handy gizmo to hold my iPhone so that I can take it out running and not have to hold it in my sweaty mitts.
I really like music. I know that's a somewhat anodyne statement, like saying you like sunshine or chocolate. Woah there, trailblazer.
But I do, I've got a Spotify Premium subscription and everything. There aren't many situations in life for which I don't run to Spotify and create a new playlist. Parties! Bedtime! Popping to Topshop to take back that hat that looked really good in the changing room but feels stupid once you get home! There's a playlist for every mood.
So today I made my running playlist (and tested a small portion of it out on a run, by the way - 2 miles in 23 minutes).
It goes like this:
*Pass Out - Tinie Tempah
One - Swedish House Mafia (guess who still hasn't gotten over her holiday in Ibiza this summer)
Yeah - Boys Noize
Firework - Katy Perry (I'm not proud of myself)
Judas - Lady Gaga
Only Girl in the World - Rihanna
*Lose Yourself - Eminem
I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor - Arctic Monkeys
Stronger - Kanye West
The Kids Aren't Alright - The Offspring
*Flux - Bloc Party
*Rockafeller Skank - Fatboy Slim
Kids in America - Kim Wilde
Born to Run - Bruce Springsteen
Who's That Chick - David Guetta
Like a G6 - fuck knows, some one hit wonder
Run to You - Bryan Adams
Lust for Life - Iggy Pop
*Derezzed - Daft Punk (this is AMAZING, I need to find a longer mix of it)
Rock That Body - Black Eyed Peas
Sky and Sand - Paul Kalkbrenner
Yeah, Techno! soulwax Mix
Boom Boom Pow - Black Eyed Peas
I'm Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How to Dance With You - Black Kids
Ghosts N stuff - Deadmau5
Riverside - CDM Project apparently, who knew?
Our Velocity - Maximo Park
*Moar Ghosts N Stuff - Deadmau5
*I Need Air - Magnetic Man
a whole load more Black Eyed Peas tracks I can't be arsed to type out
Hey Ya! - Outkast
*Rock Star - NERD (Jason Nevins remix - this is important, the original is NOT a good song to run to. It's a bit like when Fatboy Slim remixed Brim Full of Asha by Cornershop and it suddenly became a great song)
Doctor Pressure - Mylo
That's Not My Name - Ting Tings
Fruit Machine - Ting Tings
Bounce - Calvin Harris feat Kelis
We are the People - Empire of the Sun (Wawa Club remix)
Lights On - Katy B feat Ms Dynamite
Let's face it, that's way more music than I currently need on a single run. I've asterisked (not Obelixed) the ones that I really like to run to. Any suggestions for other good songs are welcome. No Radiohead/similar please. This is music to make you run really really fast, not to make you reach for the diazepam.
I also bought this handy gizmo to hold my iPhone so that I can take it out running and not have to hold it in my sweaty mitts.
Monday 17 October 2011
Watch out Paula
So I did my first run today. It felt pretty good. I did 2 miles (3.2km) in 25 minutes and 25 seconds.
I know what you're thinking: WOW. Just wow. At that speed, I'll be breaking the six hour mark. Ok, it's a tad slower than I'd imagined. I probably need to speed it up a bit. Not yet, but eventually.
One thing someone told me yesterday is that when you run on a treadmill, you have to set an incline. If you leave it at 0%, it's basically just like skipping downhill. You have to put it up to 1 or 2%.
So that's what I did today. It wasn't terrible. Not as easy, sure, but not dreadful. Not like hiking up a hill. Just a little bit harder. More like running outside in the real world.
I think I'm going to try and do my Sunday runs (the longer ones) outside each week to get a realistic idea of what it's like running outside. I'll stick to the treadmill for my weekday ones.
And I need to work on a POWER PLAYLIST. Running to music makes a massive difference. You should have seen me when Tinie Tempah came on my iPod - I mean, wow! I was able to run ... ever so slightly less slowly.
One down, 89 to go.
I know what you're thinking: WOW. Just wow. At that speed, I'll be breaking the six hour mark. Ok, it's a tad slower than I'd imagined. I probably need to speed it up a bit. Not yet, but eventually.
One thing someone told me yesterday is that when you run on a treadmill, you have to set an incline. If you leave it at 0%, it's basically just like skipping downhill. You have to put it up to 1 or 2%.
So that's what I did today. It wasn't terrible. Not as easy, sure, but not dreadful. Not like hiking up a hill. Just a little bit harder. More like running outside in the real world.
I think I'm going to try and do my Sunday runs (the longer ones) outside each week to get a realistic idea of what it's like running outside. I'll stick to the treadmill for my weekday ones.
And I need to work on a POWER PLAYLIST. Running to music makes a massive difference. You should have seen me when Tinie Tempah came on my iPod - I mean, wow! I was able to run ... ever so slightly less slowly.
One down, 89 to go.
Sunday 16 October 2011
Getting my shit together
OK, so first things first.
Trainers - check. I've got quite decent trainers, actually. They're a couple of years old, but not exactly well-used. I got them in one of those fancy running shops where they film you on a treadmill and watch whether you over/under pronate, i.e. roll your feet in or out.
Sports bra - check. Essential. It's bright pink, it's from M&S. It holds my boobs still while the rest of me continues to jiggle.
Other sports gear - check. Kind of. Running in H&M leggings is fine, right? So what if you can see my pants through them a bit. I've got nice pants. I've got a great collection of baggy T shirts, mainly collected at gigs or stolen from my brother. I've got a long sleeve sports-type top, from the days when I had a brief flirtation with cycling to work.
Might need to get some gloves for the winter.
Treadmill - check. Free (teeny tiny) gym at work. Woop.
Roads - check. Central London conveniently has much tarmac to pound.
Training plan - hmmmmmm.
Googling has come up with lots of suggestions. One search result is a forum where a hapless would-be marathonner asks, "is it possible to train for a marathon in six months?"
Answers spread across huge range, from "I wouldn't say it's a great plan" to "you're an idiot". Not one single positive response.
What do you know, random running forum.
Back to the search. Here we go. This looks promising.
http://www.sport-fitness-advisor.com/marathon-training-schedule.html
Lots of advice and what looks like a realistic plan. And I've even got a week to spare - result!
OK, first run tomorrow, 2 miles. I can definitely do that.
Trainers - check. I've got quite decent trainers, actually. They're a couple of years old, but not exactly well-used. I got them in one of those fancy running shops where they film you on a treadmill and watch whether you over/under pronate, i.e. roll your feet in or out.
Sports bra - check. Essential. It's bright pink, it's from M&S. It holds my boobs still while the rest of me continues to jiggle.
Other sports gear - check. Kind of. Running in H&M leggings is fine, right? So what if you can see my pants through them a bit. I've got nice pants. I've got a great collection of baggy T shirts, mainly collected at gigs or stolen from my brother. I've got a long sleeve sports-type top, from the days when I had a brief flirtation with cycling to work.
Might need to get some gloves for the winter.
Treadmill - check. Free (teeny tiny) gym at work. Woop.
Roads - check. Central London conveniently has much tarmac to pound.
Training plan - hmmmmmm.
Googling has come up with lots of suggestions. One search result is a forum where a hapless would-be marathonner asks, "is it possible to train for a marathon in six months?"
Answers spread across huge range, from "I wouldn't say it's a great plan" to "you're an idiot". Not one single positive response.
What do you know, random running forum.
Back to the search. Here we go. This looks promising.
http://www.sport-fitness-advisor.com/marathon-training-schedule.html
Lots of advice and what looks like a realistic plan. And I've even got a week to spare - result!
OK, first run tomorrow, 2 miles. I can definitely do that.
Saturday 15 October 2011
How I found myself signing up
About two weeks ago, an email came round at work.
"We have 10 places to run the London Marathon 2012! You'll be running for Shelter. Reply to this email to request a place!"
I gave it about 3.2 seconds' thought. Not exclusive thought either - I was also thinking a number of other things, like "my leg is itchy" and "I fancy a Snickers". And I hit reply.
"Yes please, I'd like a place."
That's all I said. And in those fateful six words, I sealed my fate.
You can imagine my surprise when a few days later I got an email back.
"Congratulations! Your place in the London Marathon 2012 is confirmed."
I sat staring blankly at the screen for a moment.
This was my thought process:
Is this Spam? Have I actually signed up for something? Oh shit. What the fuck am I going to do now?
Obviously, I'll have to back out.
I mean, I'm not what you'd call the athletic type. I'm not fat, exactly, just a bit .... rounded. Sort of soft and squidgy. Rubenesque. I was one of those kids at school that loitered at the edge of the hockey pitch during PE and couldn't wait for it to be over.
I do go to the gym a bit. I can run, a bit. I did a 5k a couple of years ago. And I once jogged for an hour!
... that's not going to be quite enough, is it. A marathon takes more like five hours.
I can't possibly do it. No way.
I mean, ok, it is technically possible that I could do it. People do run marathons. All the time! There are probably people running a marathon right now. And some of those people probably thought they'd never be able to do it.
It'd just be a horrible experience. Not the marathon itself - that would probably be quite cool. You get to run the route of the Olympic marathon, after all. Finishing in the stadium. I've watched London before and it looks quite cool. There's loads of supporters in London. All my friends could come and watch.
But the training would be horrible. Having to be so ... healthy. All that exercise!
I'd probably lose a bit of weight, though. You can probably eat anything you want in the world when you're training for a marathon. Like bacon sandwiches, and McDonald's, and those green pistachio macarons from Paul. Mmmmm. And the calories would just melt away, what with all the running.
And if I'm going to do it, now's the time. I'm 28, I'm in ok shape.
And it'll show my Dad a thing or two. He used to run marathons all the time. I remember all the medals that used to be on display in our downstairs loo (until the day Mum put them in the attic). He was pretty darn proud of himself. He'd probably be quite proud of me too if I do it.
And it's still six months away. That's ages! I've got ages. Aaaaaaaaages.
Ok, let's do it.
And I wrote back: "Great! Thanks very much." And I filled in the registration form online and got my confirmation.
Done. I'm running the marathon. SHIT.
"We have 10 places to run the London Marathon 2012! You'll be running for Shelter. Reply to this email to request a place!"
I gave it about 3.2 seconds' thought. Not exclusive thought either - I was also thinking a number of other things, like "my leg is itchy" and "I fancy a Snickers". And I hit reply.
"Yes please, I'd like a place."
That's all I said. And in those fateful six words, I sealed my fate.
You can imagine my surprise when a few days later I got an email back.
"Congratulations! Your place in the London Marathon 2012 is confirmed."
I sat staring blankly at the screen for a moment.
This was my thought process:
Is this Spam? Have I actually signed up for something? Oh shit. What the fuck am I going to do now?
Obviously, I'll have to back out.
I mean, I'm not what you'd call the athletic type. I'm not fat, exactly, just a bit .... rounded. Sort of soft and squidgy. Rubenesque. I was one of those kids at school that loitered at the edge of the hockey pitch during PE and couldn't wait for it to be over.
I do go to the gym a bit. I can run, a bit. I did a 5k a couple of years ago. And I once jogged for an hour!
... that's not going to be quite enough, is it. A marathon takes more like five hours.
I can't possibly do it. No way.
I mean, ok, it is technically possible that I could do it. People do run marathons. All the time! There are probably people running a marathon right now. And some of those people probably thought they'd never be able to do it.
It'd just be a horrible experience. Not the marathon itself - that would probably be quite cool. You get to run the route of the Olympic marathon, after all. Finishing in the stadium. I've watched London before and it looks quite cool. There's loads of supporters in London. All my friends could come and watch.
But the training would be horrible. Having to be so ... healthy. All that exercise!
I'd probably lose a bit of weight, though. You can probably eat anything you want in the world when you're training for a marathon. Like bacon sandwiches, and McDonald's, and those green pistachio macarons from Paul. Mmmmm. And the calories would just melt away, what with all the running.
And if I'm going to do it, now's the time. I'm 28, I'm in ok shape.
And it'll show my Dad a thing or two. He used to run marathons all the time. I remember all the medals that used to be on display in our downstairs loo (until the day Mum put them in the attic). He was pretty darn proud of himself. He'd probably be quite proud of me too if I do it.
And it's still six months away. That's ages! I've got ages. Aaaaaaaaages.
Ok, let's do it.
And I wrote back: "Great! Thanks very much." And I filled in the registration form online and got my confirmation.
Done. I'm running the marathon. SHIT.
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