Taper time!

FINALLY! It's time to taper - woohoo! All the weeks of trying to clock up as many miles as possible are over and I can start to ease off, reassured by the fact that I've done (hopefully) enough mileage over the past 4 months to see me through on M-day! It actually feels abit weird to not be thinking about how I can fit in an hour run here, a two hour run there etc etc - maybe I'm actually missing it?!??!

Had a moment of madness the other day.... I saw that the ballot was open for the 2013 London Marathon and I quickly clicked on the link and read all the details.... sounded amazing and I was daydreaming about what it would be like to do such a famous run.... then fortunately before I finished typing in my details I realised that I was clearly losing my mind! Another marathon??!?! Erm I don't think so! Certainly not in April as I will be spending most of January on honeymoon or generally chilling out in post-wedding calmness! But maybe one day.......? Haha what have I turned into?!?!?! Maybe I'm a running addict?!? Will have to wait and see how I feel on 27 May - I bet I'll be glad I managed to resist signing up :)

From fear to nervous excitement?!?!?!

So today I've had a bizarre experience - I actually felt a *little bit excited* about doing the marathon! I think a combination of relief at completing 18 miles (wooooohooooooo) without too much trouble combined with a break in the torrential rain we've had all week and the niggling migraine I've had the last few days, but also watching the London marathon on TV. Seeing all the runners plodding through the streets for their various charities cheered on by the crowds, and the sheer relief and elation on their faces at crossing the finishing line actually made me feel a little bit excited that in 5 weeks time (yikes!) that's (hopefully... fingers crossed, touchwood etc etc) going to be me and my friends! Today was probably the first day I've actually felt a tiny bit confident and reassured that maybe it's possible to do it! Am also hoping that my legs are coming round to the idea too as my knee behaved itself the whole way round today - long may it continue!

I think it is almost definite that I will cry at the end - I'm not really a crying sort of person but I don't do tired very well and I can get quite overwhelmed by things like this! I'm pretty sure I'll soon get over this though when my other half will no doubt tell me I'm being a weirdo! He's also told me not to take too long to do the marathon as he'll have to wait around at the end - haha!

The sponsors keep on coming which is just fab - I think I have over £500 now already if I include the money my family have raised offline by putting the thumb screws on everyone they know - so exciting when I set out hoping to get £200-300, maybe I can push it even higher now if people keep on being so generous!!!

My next task is to sort out my outfit for the day - shorts / cropped leggings / full length running tights is one dilemma, but I also need to find a top and decorate it in some sort of Main project logo if possible! Plus I need to decide whether to stick with my trusty new socks or to go for the fetching knee high compression socks (in pink or black!)?!?!? decisions decisions!!!!

Nice of Ellie Goulding to drop by (via my earphones at the end of the run) to congratulate me on my furthest ever run (18.4 miles) and my longest ever duration of run (2hrs 50 mins!) - am hoping Paula Radcliffe might call in at the end of the marathon.

The impossible seems possible - believe!!!!!

Four seasons

Well that was erm.... interesting! Just been for a 12 mile run that pretty much involved every type of weather possible! I set off in light rain that quickly turned to heavy rain during the first mile (two men on bikes were even hiding under a tree for shelter and looking a little sheepish as I ran past!), then stopped and became rather blustery (saw the same two guys later trying not to fall off their bikes on an exposed part of the route they were sharing with me!), then it was boiling hot to the point I was thinking about what layers were removable, and then finally the last mile I got hail stoned - nice! Just spoke to my marathon partner Kat who tells me that she's just done a 15 mile run in baking sunshine - how does that happen that the north-west is nice weather?!?!? It's never been nice all the times I've visited but she even sent me photographic evidence!

Knee news is abit up and down this week - did 10 miles on Wednesday - hardly any pain at all - today it was fine for the first 4 miles or so then was almost unbearable by the end - damn!!!! Kat is having similar problems though which in a weird way reassures me (sorry Kat!) but it makes it seem more normal and therefore more manageable! Bizarre how my mind works I know but there you go!

On the charity front, I'd like to remind everyone who I'm raising money for and why it's so important to try and support them! The Main Project have recently rebranded with a swanky new website and some new services to support young people with Autism Spectrum Disorder and their families. The clubs and events they run for young people not only give parents a respite break but also help young people to develop their socialising skills and have opportunities to undertake activities that otherwise they would struggle to access. Check out their website / Facebook page etc and if you can spare a quid or two to support this fab charity then it would be much appreciated! You can sponsor me anytime 24/7 at http://www.justgiving.com/SarahWalkerMarathon

Thank you :D

Conspiracy theories

I'm starting to think that the powers that be are trying to tell me that this marathon is a bad idea! Having overcome most of what the fates have had to throw at me so far, I was massively disappointed for my long-lost acquaintance of hay fever to make a surprise reappearance this week after a 10 year absence! Cue lots of lethargy, blocked sinuses, headaches and puffy eyes - great!!

Since I last wrote, I managed to struggle through a 16 mile run last Sunday - it was frighteningly difficult considering it's still 10 miles short of what I will need to do on M-day itself! A particularly warm day didn't help the hay fever, plus then I managed to time my 2 mile home-leg on the beach with high tide so the sand was squishy underfoot - not good for my tired legs! My catastrophic thoughts of being swept out to sea from being unable to scramble up the sand dunes away from the sea because I was so tired kept me going - I didn't dare stop!!! I found that the last 4-5 miles were so hard going that I lost my usual politeness of getting out of the way of people. No chance passers-by - I can't possibly move to the left or right, or down a curb or onto the verge - anything like that would need more energy and upset my rhythm so you're going to have to get out of my way or else I'll run right over the top of you! It's not often that I feel like I don't want to stop - the temptation is always there to just stop and catch my breath or stretch out abit, but no chance this day. I knew if I stopped I would just have to lay down on that very spot and hope that someone found me before I died of starvation or cold! Slightly melodramatic as I did have my phone on me, so I could've just called someone but you get the idea! By the time I got home, Ste - who had ran the first 6 miles with me and was showered and fed by this point - stood and clapped my stagger into the garden. I must have looked rough because he even got me a glass of water! I also found out from this run that I don't think I can really stomach the carbohydrate energy drinks as I spent most of the last few miles trying not to throw up as a result of my experimentation! Bad times all round but hey ho at least the miles were done.

For added entertainment and to add a new source of worry - the niggle I have been feeling in my knee has gotten much worse. From my descriptions over the phone to my best mate/marathon partner/personal physio, it seems that I have aggravated my ITB which is the strip of muscle down the outside of my knee. So now every time I run for longer than 2-3 miles it hurts. A lot. And then I stop running and it's fine. Erm - what the hell?!?!? Looking on the internet for more info on this (as you do with all medical conditions for reliable advice - lol!) I came across an article about the 5 most common running injuries. Turns out I have 4 of the 5 at the moment to a greater or lesser degree - only one more and I've got the whole set!

I've struggled through three shorter runs this week in order to prepare for a longer one yesterday. The training plan I've been following said I needed to do 15-18 miles but I was anxious after the pain I've been in on shorter runs this week. To cut a long story short (and I'm sure you're sick of my moaning by now!) I  managed 14 miles before I had to admit defeat as my leg was about to give way in a most un-ladylike manner in the streets of saltburn! I'd ran 6-7 miles to redcar (somehow ending up in the starting area of a 10k road race en route!) before being joined by my faithful running partners Ste and Joe for the return leg back to Saltburn. My knee was fine for the first 2 miles but then ached for the rest to the point that by the end my hip, back and ankle were all feeling like they were in cramp - nice! It was so frustrating as my blisters were all fine (vaseline = magic!), I had plenty of energy and didn't feel hungry (porridge for breakfast is the way forward & jelly babies en route to keep me powered up!) and the weather was perfect for running (cool, gentle breeze and the odd bit of drizzle), but my knee just wouldn't comply any longer so I had to give. Very, very annoying and abit worrying with the run only just over 7 weeks away! All the advice for ITB problems is to reduce your mileage or take time off running all together - neither of which I can do so I'm just going to have to plod on and hope for the best! The foam roller Ste got me for my birthday is definitely going to come in handy now!!! Pass the deep heat and the ibuprofen please!

Survival of the fittest

So I survived the ultimate fitness weekend! And what a fab weekend it was! Managed an 11 mile run on the Friday morning before we headed off to Sherwood Forest, of which the first 9 miles went great - sub-8 minute pace, but then the headwind for the last two miles back on the beach was too much for my lungs and legs to take and my pace dropped off dramatically! Was good to get the miles in but possibly wasn't the best preparation for the weekend ahead!!!

Friday night we went to the welcome class - an hour of zumba and bookia to get the blood pumping! Saturday we were up and out early to do bootcamp - a real beasting involving running through the woods stopping off periodically to do triceps dips and press ups, followed by a series of torturous squats, jumps, runs, planks and other painful exercises to burn those calories! Favourites included wheelbarrow races with your partner (although my partner was too wriggly and I couldn't keep hold!) and resistance running where we had to run away from our partner whilst they pulled back on a resistance band around our waists! By the time that was over I was exhausted but it was straight off to running club for some hill work and sprints! We then got a short break to devour some lunch before hammering the hilarious Kardy's dance party (check it out here - absolutely brilliant fun), an adrenaline pumping Body Combat session by 'grand master' Justin Riley, and a choon-filled zumba old-school class! No rest for the wicked though as we then had to quickly get home and get reem-ed up for the TOWIE party! It took a few glasses of wine and shots of jaegermeiser to be brave enough to leave the villa in my outfit so we were quite merry by the time we arrived at the party! It doesn't take much to get you tipsy when you've been exercising all day believe me!

Fortunately I didn't go too wild and managed to get up the next morning without too much trouble to fill up on bacon and sausage sandwiches ready to take on the days classes! Managed to fit in zumba, body attack (yes it is as bad as it sounds!), zumba toning and zumba party with a quick swim in-between whilst I skived off hula fitness (decided I didn't quite have the coordination for it!). By the end of Sunday we were starving and aching from head to toe but smiling from ear to ear! I've honestly not laughed so much for a long time, and the atmosphere was just fab - totally addictive! Was relieved to not come away with any injuries and still being able to actually walk as I need to keep on running this week! The weather is lush too so that will make it abit easier to get out there this week (I hope!). Need to do a 15-16 miler at the weekend.... hoping the increased fitness from this weekend will help me through it and all the long runs that are to come!

Change of tactics!

Well this is turning into somewhat of a roller coaster ride! There's more highs and lows in this marathon training than in Jack Bauer's typical day! The plan seemed to be going OK last week and I decided to mix it up abit with an off-road almost trail-type run last week along the cliff tops, dragging the lads along for company. There were some pretty scary points where the path got too close to sheer drops to the sea and the rocks below for my liking but on the plus side it made you not dare stop and also kept the pace up!!!!

Sadly, from the next day onwards I felt horrendous. Two nights missed sleep due to coughing my head off didn't help me to feel any better when I was already feeling pretty lousy. So the 15 mile run didn't happen - bad times! I was still up for giving it a go the night before until my better half pointed out that I looked and sounded terrible and that I must be pretty stupid for even thinking about it. When I woke up on the saturday morning I could barely get out of bed and walk downstairs, never mind run for 2-3 hours so I gratefully wimped out and laid on the sofa instead. It's thoroughly annoying, not to mention anxiety provoking, that my immune system keep rebelling against everything I'm throwing at my body at the moment. I know I'm doing too much but there's nothing I can give up and so I'll just have to keep going! So - I'm changing tactics! Going to try and be nice to my immune system and I've been out and invested in some multi-vitamins and a whole load of fruit to try and refuel my body! I know that I'm not alone in my trials and tribulations though as my friend's bodies are also rebelling in the same way - poor Emma is struggling with her rebellious leg again and is starting to worry she might not be able to do the marathon. I really hope she can because I know how badly she wants to and I have every confidence she can do, as long as her leg starts to comply!!!!

Went for my first run for a WEEK (yikes) last night and it wasn't too bad although the cough immediately returned (booo). Going to try and get a longish run in tomorrow before heading off to Centre Parcs for 'The Ultimate Fitness Weekend' where basically I'm going to torture my body into submission with zumba, body combat, boot camp, running, cx works and god knows what else!!! Hmmm - Better pass the vitamins - I don't think my body is going to be friends with me come Monday morning!!!

Lesson learnt!!

So I've learnt some important lessons today: firstly, to not put off doing my washing as this will end up in me having to go for a 13 mile run in socks that give me a blister at 4 miles (ouch!) and secondly, don't go on said run without a drink as this would just be stupid. Needless to say today's long run was hard work and my feet are not happy with me (the left one seems particularly furious!) and I've got a banging headache from the dehydration. Ooops! I guess it's better to make these mistakes now than in 11 weeks time though! The pain was slightly eased by the final leg of my run being on the pier (cue an interesting GPS map of the run which makes me look like I can walk on water!)....

... the reason the pier cheered me up so much was because of the latest addition to it! Incase you didn't know, Saltburn has its very own "guerrilla knitter"who goes around "yarn bombing" various places / objects in the town. I often go past the teddy bears having a picnic on the promenade and it always makes me smile! The latest addition to the pier is nothing short of epic... if you haven't seen it already you NEED to go and see if for yourself, no photo can do it justice! Just make sure you wear sensible socks and take a drink :)

This week I've got two 4 mile runs and a 7 mile run to fit in mid-week, and a 15 mile run to do at the weekend - the furthest I've ran so far - yikes! Hope my feet forgive me by then! Better go and fill up on vast quantities of chocolate to help build up my energy stores for the week ahead :)