Ooh time to write, the luxury of having grandparents visit
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Week 8 of marathon training complete and how do I feel.... Surprisingly good.
When I first started my major concern was my foot. I had such a pain, it was so bad when I had been sat watching TV or got up for a wee in the night, so basically a time when it hadn't been used, omg it wouldn't work, I had to hobble like a 90 year old and going up the stairs putting weight on it, was near impossible it just felt like it would give way. Anyway as the miles have increased, the pain and hobbling has disappeared. How funny is that, by doing the thing I was scared to do because I feared it would make it worse, it's stopped hurting! I think there's a message there- we stop ourselves starting things for so many reasons when just doing it is absolutely what we need. This procrastination stops us doing the hardest bit and reaping the rewards, well see what we can do if we just get out of our own way! How often is the act of starting harder than the actual thing and those things that are hard generally bring us the best times, memories and bring out the best version of ourselves.
Doing hard things is what we are supposed to do and it's comfort that is the real killer. Staying in our comfort zones, erodes our confidence, muscles, mental and physical health, self belief and generally makes our world that bit smaller. We are built of tough stuff, we can and we should!
The other big surprise is how self motivated I've been with Tempo Training. Since Cat went on holiday at the end of January I've pretty much done most sessions by myself and really pushed it, to the point I think I've surpassed not only mine but Cat's expectations and a few more of my friends and family too. Most fundamentally I've enjoyed doing them, well all that is until yesterday's, which was a very tough session. In fact they've got tougher generally this week as the easterlies have been blowing and I've had to do them by myself, it's been cold and hard but still enjoyable until Friday's which was 10 sets, there's something about running reps! They suck! It was 10 min easy then 90 secs fast 90 secs jog and 10 mins easy... So the Easy bits were fine but 10 sets of anything is a lot... Add the Easterly, 2 degree temp and no sunshine... It sucked ... Oh plus I'm tired and premenstrual !!!
But all that moaning aside, I've just managed 15 miles today, at a faster pace than I managed 13 miles last week, so trusting the process doing that bit more as a true 2%er, it is working and I now believe I can get close to 4 hours.
So.....What's the plan now, well I know I need to be proactive....
Book Sam for a sports massage as niggles will creep in
A coach Cat catch up complete with peanut butter fudge as we have 2 weeks skiing at Easter and I need to make sure I adjust my plan to stay on top of everything.
Back to Tempo with Cat to push me to that next level, especially support with through the ones with lots of reps.
Honour my rest days, I've been doing 1 x extra session of tempo per week and running 2k junior park run with Dylan on another rest day so only truly resting for 1 day.... With the distances and intensity only going one way I have to work hard and smart and that includes resting.
Prioritising sleep above all else.... Wine is not my friend I actually think I'm allergic... I've only drank twice in the last 8 weeks but boy do I suffer, and I'm only talking max 3 small glasses of wine. I'll wake up at 12 and struggle to sleep again until 4am and wake up so unrested, losing the following day and still not feeling myself again up to 48 hours later... Wine is out for good now... Bring on the non alcohol beer!
Yoga and stretching, I do it most days if not everyday, little and often with the massage on my feet whilst I'm watching that hour of tele, but with the tempo session I'm going to drop I'm going to replace it with a bit of resistance band work to strengthen the glutes and follow it up with a proper 30 minute Yoga for Runners session.
That's enough focus points, in fact the most important thing to do is carry on the way I am, doing what I do, eating well, staying motivated, staying committed to the plan and disciplined when it comes to doing my best and pushing myself by doing that little bit more. Ooh and set up that just giving page, in fact that's what I'm going to do now.... After all along with seeing the beautiful city of Prague from the running it perspective, I'm doing this for Mike to let him know he's my hero, every step I run, is one Mike would do if he could and I must never take for granted the privilege I have to be able to run, when others like our dear friend Mike would do anything to be able to run again. MND is a cruel underfunded disease that has no cure and effects one in 300 people over the course of their lifespan.... It locks you in and erodes your body and everyone with it suffers silently. The other thing always on our minds are the amazing Angels who look after them like our Debbie, Mike's wife. Unfortunately love can't cure it, if it could Mike would be cured as Debs's love is relentless and it does helps. My running Prague and Jon doing his challenge, raising as much money and awareness as we can and reminding Debs and Mike how much we love them both so dearly, makes the pain and training worth it. Thanks for reading