Rotterdam Marathon April 12th 2015
£968.75 Raised for Lindsey Lodge Hospice in memory of my Auntie Lynn
8 years ago I ran a marathon, so I'm a marathon runner right?
Let me tell you the story of how my crazy mind works.
I want to run a marathon, always had from being in my twenties, maybe even earlier as a kid, but, me, I, Michelle Gammidge ne Everett can't unless there's more of a reason.
Let me explain, my wanting to, is just not a strong enough reason to...
It's not enough.
Now me doing it to raise money, to support someone else, for a person I care about, for their charity, even as an excuse to see a place I want to without it being a holiday, now they are reasons I can fight for in this crazy mind of mine and reason enough to do the training required to do a Marathon.
Is this born from a resonate fear I'm weak willed and I lack the self motivation to do it or does it come from an all to willing desire to be distracted from doing it, hiding behind the more important time and life stresses or the needs of others or is it that I know self worth is fragile and it's always easier to let myself down than others, so I need those things as a support ring to keep me afloat and get where I want to go.....
Well whatever the reason I'm happy to tell you that I've signed up to Prague Marathon on May 7th, because of three reasons
Keith mentioned doing it, he's my friend, he's had a tough few years since I've got to know him and I enjoy running with him, so if he wants some company on this I'm in (not that he asked or maybe even wanted it, I just appeared whether he liked it or not!)
Prague, I want to go, I've always wanted to but Jon isn't a city person and now we have Dylan even less of a reason to go, so if I want to see it, I go alone, find a friend or find a reason... See above
Mike. It's pretty shit when you feel helpless, raising money for MND to find a cure is the least I can do to continually show him we love him, think of him and are willing to do whatever we can in our small circle of influence to raise money and awareness of this god awful disease which affects 1 in 300 people in their lifetime.
Why just run a marathon- 1 thing, when you can make it can have an even greater positive ripple effect, see points 1,2,3 plus guaranteed daily fresh air, exercise, force my foot to get stronger, give me QT time to listen to my books and podcasts, which grow my mind and strengthen my body, all of which give me more purpose and make me happier
So I'm doing Prague marathon but as you can see it's about way more than doing the marathon. I had this huge urge to blog it whilst out on my long run today, Cat's gone on holiday or Coach Cat as I'll keep referring to her here and I want to tell her about my runs and progress it's like an accountability thing, plus its good evaluating and taking stock of things. Keith's gone on holiday too and I'll miss his company on my Tuesday easy run too, so I'm talking to you as if you were them, hope you don't mind, just listen and think of yourselves as doing an act of kindness toward me by doing so.. Marathon Training Blog Week1-3 I hope I can insert photos in here so I can just snap shot the first 4 weeks. Giles sent me the plan, but actually if I'd just been patient Prague Marathon kindly send me what to do every week via email too but the most important thing is I have one I trust and I'm following it. Plus I have people around me that know what they are doing too, hence my 'Marathon Pace 5k ' which Coach Cat made me do at the start of the year, based on that, we got an idea of pace for the various types of runs I have to do... Easy- basically a pace I can run all day at and chat away happily Steady- chats are still possible but only in short sentences Tempo- the thing I need someone in my Foxhole to make me do but that I know is my biggest opportunity. Long Runs- My favourite ... I read this amazing book called the artist way and Julia Cameron, the author encourages you to go on a date with yourself every week and make yourself happy- A long rung with my book in my ears feeling the wind on my face and having the sea or the hills as my companion is the greatest joy for me, it's peace.
The final thing Coach Cat helped me establish was what Time I wanted to do the Marathon in. Last time at Rotterdam I learned what hitting the wall was.... The state of complete glycogen depletion that only has stop and rest or hell, pain and fight through as solutions. I was doing super well and looking at a 4 hour 30 finish but the last 7kms were the slowest most painful of my life and my legs were like that dream where they'd stopped working and needed picking up for every step and when they hit the floor felt like wood and like they'd shatter... 4 hours 50 the result. The lesson of 'hitting the wall' has been well and truly learned from and never been repeated and the story told to many to prevent their pain too- "Just eat, early, often, bite sizes, regularly, especially if you're not hungry" I'd done everything else nutritionally and training wise perfectly to prepare so this rookie error was even more frustrating. Anyway back to Prague... Coach Cat thinks we can aim for 4 hours with a view of being happy to drop to 4 hours 15 and I like that as I'd rather aim for the stars and land on the moon so to speak rather than reach for the moon and fall a bit short or even underachieve if I could have got the star! And so the training began, three weeks ago, with a simple philosophy of following the 'Improvers Training Plan' sent by Giles, with an extra Tempo session, which involved me tagging onto Coach Cat's own personal session and doing what the heck I was told to there, and with the rest of the plan following the pace and distance goals with a simple if I can do a titchy bit more I will.... Trust the Plan Entrust people to help you on the bits you know are your weak points And how's it gone so far, three weeks in. I'm feeling so much faster and stronger all ready My feet are struggling but Jon bought me a massage gun for my birthday and that helps, along with my new insoles to take the impact out and of course the amazing Sam at Ocean Therapy. I hate all my shoes but I'm persevering atm. I have Coach Cat cover from Mat next week who's pacing my 5kms to track the progress and she's left me with my new speed session for the week after and I know even I can manage one speed session by myself (but that won't stop me trying to rope a friend in to ensure I do it) Week 4 here I come Now the other things about this blog.... It's an example of 2 things...
How quick you can do something if you set your mind to it...
How good I am at distracting myself from things I'm supposed to be doing- (writing a blog on my 9 year journey so far being free from being on a diet)
To do myself credit, I am doing bits, let's call it dabbling, but I'm not focused and therefore not achieving anything really... But this I'm proud of and this I'll publish. Sometimes the journey is a straight line but sometimes it's the slower, bendier, windier road, both have advantages and purposes as this blog does. (I've proved I can write one!) Reflecting on my diet free 9 years and my current journey with my different goals including this one, running a marathon, have helped to inspire my Thursday Thoughts, I'm heeding my own advice - after all as David Goggins says and I agree, "if you can't live it you can't speak it". Here's the Thursday Thought overview and links to the You Tube videos, I hope they've helped you be healthier, happier and live life a bit more this month. When I look back at my life on my death bed in all those years time, this, after all is one of the things I want to have achieved and look back on with pride, knowing I've made a difference to the health and wellbeing of people, whilst living my own life true to my words.
Week 1- Limiting Beliefs being honest about what you're holding yourself back from because of fear, procrastination, negative noise - if I'm daring you I'm daring me to be liberated and go be brave and find out.
Week 2- Nobody knows you better than YOU- your strengths, weaknesses, trigger points Time to be honest, own them, remove the risks, temptations and other peoples negativity. Get the help you need and create the environment you need to thrive . None of the people trying to sell their diet books wrapped up a new bow and ribbon can do it for you- just little old amazing, thoroughly unique you.
Week 3- Know and expect there to be wobble days and that's why it's so important to get the right people in your Fox Hole. Having a husband who buys you chocolate when you're trying to lose two stone is not the person who's got your back. Having the husband who refuses to buy you chocolate is.... Achieving goals is not smooth sailing, it's blooming tough at times that's why it's even more rewarding when you get there.
Week 4- Have that greater reason than it just being your goal to do it. You own the positive and negative voices in your head so you need outside influences to help keep you committed, whether that's not letting other people down or committing money you refuse to waste, find it to get you over the initial hard bit.
Thank you for reading and sharing my journey Much love Michelle xx
Some snaps of the company on my runs
Progress not perfection
