One year anniversary of my first marathon

Image courtesy of The Irish Times

Happy Halloween everyone! I hope you're either celebrating in style or staying safe in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. Beyond the excitement of trick or treating and pumpkin carving, today is exactly one year since I ran my first marathon in Dublin. I cannot believe it's only been a year; it feels like a lifetime since I pushed myself along for 26.2 miles.

In that year, I have to admit, I really haven't run much at all. The Irishman and I had big plans for keeping up our running and staying in shape but Christmas happened, and then winter hibernation, and then house buying and all of a sudden our Saturday mornings were booked up with life plans rather than long distances. Over the summer I started running to work and then running home every so often – but less often and more not. Moving to our new house a bit farther from my office provided me with a better distance for my runs home from work, more like 4 miles, but I'm still not running home with any great regularity; I hate running with a backpack, I hate having to lock my handbag in my desk, I hate having to plan to bring my gear into work with me. Basically if there's an excuse not to run home, I've made it. And forget running on the weekends: house viewings have morphed into house improvements, and once you've spent about 8 hours painting the last thing you want to do is go out for a run.

I've recognized that I have a sort of mental block on running at the moment – well, for an extended moment – and so I attempted to resume my yoga practice over the summer. I found The Life Centre in Islington and fell in love with Alessandra Pecorella's Tuesday evening class, and really got into it – until we moved. Now a bike ride away instead of a short walk, I again am finding more excuses not to go. I know I need to go; I feel so much better, so much more whole, so much more positive after a class   – yet I CAN'T MAKE MYSELF GO. I do know that I am a goal-oriented person and a contributing factor to this is that I don't have a goal for either yoga or running (besides the nebulous "lose weight"), but I'm also having a hard time setting a goal. Right now my goals are about redecorating and saving up for a new kitchen, not running certain distances or perfecting my headstand practice.

In some ways, my goals have become shared and intertwined with The Irishman. We do so much together that it's sometimes hard to find my own space to pursue my own goals. Previously, us time included running as we trained for the marathon together as a way to spend time with each other. But now we're constantly DIY'ing and cleaning and decorating together to make our home that I think I've sort of forgotten about what drives ME. Moving forward, I need to work on finely tuning that balance of me vs us time and hopefully find a way to get some physical activity into that me part of my life.

But beyond the "I haven't really run a lot in a year", I'm still really proud of myself for running a marathon. It's up there in my most proud moments and even today I pull myself back to the feeling of driving myself over the finish line, or forcing myself to put one foot infront of the other, when I encounter a particularly challenging situation in life or at work. I'll never forget my relief when I made it over the line, and I'll never forget the pride in myself that I felt at that moment. I always imagined that I would cry when I finished but actually, I felt powerful and contented  – like I finally proved something to myself that deep down I always knew but never acknowledged. That's something that I will never ever forget.

Post-marathon running

Editor's note: this post was brought to you by the gentle Twitter insistence of Jumped the Pond and A Hop, Skip and A Jump Over the Pond. Thanks for the idea, ladies!


So it's been exactly 105 days since I ran 26.2 miles. When you think about it like that, it actually wasn't very long ago. But it does feel like it was a lifetime ago, so I'm actually really glad that Anne and Ashley wanted to know what it's like to continue running after running a marathon.

To be honest, it's not much different. It's still the mental battle of getting out of a warm bed, into wick-away clothes that are never 100% comfortable nor smell 100% fresh, and forcing yourself to get out there and put one foot infront of the other. And breathing is still hard, and you still get cramps, and you still get blisters. But the one thing that has changed is my knowledge of what I can do, how far I can push myself. Crossing the 26.2 mile threshold makes you realize that the 3 mile lap "maintenance run" (what I like to call my daily distance) is NOTHING. It's a warm up. And there is NO EXCUSE for not doing it – even if it's hard.

Sometimes when I run, and I'm cranky and don't want to be doing it, I think about the marathon. I think about mile 20 when I really started to feel the distance. I visualize this one turn in the road where I simultaneously started to get sore but felt better because I actually knew where I was in Dublin, and therefore knew I could get to the end if for no other reason than I knew the route. And I think about how tired I was and how I pushed through and how I just need to PUSH THROUGH to FINISH 3 G-D'D MILES ALREADY. And I do. Basically, finishing a marathon has given me mental strength and given my brain a very accurate whip with which to smack my whining self when I err on the side of sloth.

Which I have, because since the marathon I haven't really run much at all. Post-marathon, I had a week off in Prague to recuperate. When I got back to London, I had to jump straight back into work for a few intense weeks and averaged only 2 runs per week throughout November/December. I also haven't really run farther than 4 miles. I need to break it open and do a 10k and then a 10 miler, but something is holding me back (besides my sloth); it's almost as if I achieved this wonderful accomplishment and I don't want to ruin it by trying to replicate it. But that is ridiculous, because every run is different; as a runner, every day you show up with whatever is going on in your body, your brain, and it's up to you to run it out on the track, make the run what you want it to be. So really, I just need to do it. There is no point in putting it off.

Beyond all of this zen thinking about running, though, I did pick up a few practical running pointers that worked for me. Hopefully they will be useful for all of you runners out there.

1. Arms at 90°
This is an interesting one because it is a subtle change that makes all the difference. I run like a boxer, arms up, pumping, but held close to the chest. I read an article about running form, which is basically minimizing extraneous movement that causes fatigue while maximizing essential movement. One of the easiest fixes is to maintain arms at 90° angles (rather than my 45° chicken angles) – it makes your arm pumping more efficient and therefore aids in your speed and cuts down on fatigue. It also helps you hold your back up straight and encourages you to drop your shoulders. It really works, and I think gives a side benefit of toning your triceps.

2. Shoulders down
Linked to above, but really important on its own. I have a tendency to hunch – while I'm knitting, while I'm typing, while I'm running when I get tired. And when I hunch, I get bad upper back/neck pains. But remembering to just lower the shoulders helps reset my whole upper body (I usually reset shoulders and take a deep breath, it's a yoga thing) and sort of center myself for continuing. It's a useful tactic for when you get out of breath (top of a hill) or lose your rhythm.

3. Breathe into cramps
Again, another yoga thing. But really, if you get a cramp, it helps to focus on where the pain is, and for a few breaths aim at breathing in and sending the air to the cramp. Cramps are just muscles that somehow have a little kink in them, and breathing into them is like gently working a knot out of thread. Also, I think this visualisation technique takes your mind off of the pain and surprise surprise 2 minutes later it's gone.

4. Continue yoga/aerobics/stretching
All of this talk of yoga brings me to the point that if you do any other sports (swimming, cycling, yoga, aerobics, whatever), you should continue it while running. I used Hal Higdon's training schedule, and he builds in cross-training days which a really key for strengthening your body beyond running. You don't realize how much strength your body needs in its core, its arms, and overall for successful running beyond just leg power. The more of a routine you maintain that you enjoy, the better your running will be. It will also prevent injury.

5. Cut your toenails
Seriously, I don't know how the second toenail on each foot fell off, but it did, and I can only imagine it was compression from my big toe and the nails being too long. But now I have little stubblies and I want them to grow back so I can get a pedicure. First world problems, I know, but seriously if you don't want to have your toenails turn purple and then fall off, keep them trimmed low.

6. You will gain weight
Marathon training keeps you running, and running keeps you eating, and even if you eat like a machine and never indulge in anything fattening, you will still gain weight. A friend of mine went up a trouser size; I felt like I was just a bit bigger overall. It's just a fact that you will build up muscle and muscle weighs more than fat. You'll also drink more water, eat more salt to replace minerals and fluids, and it all makes you bigger. I lost weight after the marathon, and got a lot of compliments on looking skinny about a month after the race - go figure.

7. Learn to use your butt
Hands down, your butt is the most important muscle when running. It powers you up hills, keeps you stable, and I like to think of it as your engine. So don't try to make it smaller – maximise its value! Seriously, when I go up a hill, I visualise my butt driving me up the hill rather than my legs pulling me. It's a subtle change but it means that I beat The Irishman up every hill no matter what. I actually speed up when I go up hills, rather than slow down, and it makes a big difference.

8. Stick to the training plan – all of it
One of the things I really regret about my marathon training was that I was a bit cocky in the beginning and skipped a few 2 and 3 mile runs. I figured, hey, I already run those distances, it won't matter. But it does, because the point is to gradually build up distance each week from a baseline running ability. So if you skip 2 miles here, 3 miles there and then your weekend long run distances increase, you will get injured like I did. In my next race, I will NOT be skipping ANY little distance runs. No sirree!

9. It's quantity not quality
Probably the only time someone will tell you this. But it's true. It's all about logging the distance. Even if it's the hardest run ever and you're going at a snail's pace. Even if you're lethargic and walk after every mile. EVEN IF YOU HAVE A HANGOVER. You have to log the miles, so you know what 8 miles versus 18 feels like, and you build up the confidence in your own ability.

10. Have fun
Seriously, I loved running the marathon. I loved the old ladies shouting my name, the kids giving me jelly babies, all of the drunk people in Halloween costumes cheering for me. I felt like I was running for all of them, because all of them were supporting me. It made every early Saturday training run worth it. Crossing the finish line was the anticlimax because it was the 4.5 hours of running to cheers of encouragement that really mattered the most.

Anyway, that's just my feelings on running. Everyone who runs a marathon experiences something uniquely different, so I can only encourage you to try it. I've had so many people tell me "OMG I could NEVER do that" but really, you can. Seriously. It's the ultimate battle of mind over matter, and if you're focused and confident enough, your mind will totally win and the matter will follow – for 26.2 miles.

Marathon, one week on...

There was request for some bling... here you go!

I also have a link to some really hideous "official" marathon photos that I really didn't want to share as I look like a running oompa loompa, so please use your imagination. 

It's been over a week since the marathon and I've had a tough reentry to the working world. Two long days already at the office have precluded me from lacing up the runners again, but I did get to a yoga class this evening. It felt really good to stretch everything out, though I did find that I still have some latent soreness and stiffness deep down in my quads and hamstrings. I also think I'm going to lose the second toenail on each foot as well; they are both a purple and looking a bit wonky...

So how does it feel to be a marathon runner? Pretty awesome, to be honest. I got a round of applause at my office's weekly Monday morning meeting and that felt really great. I feel like I have more inner confidence and strength; I find myself straightening up a lot more, giving myself more pep talks, reminding myself that I achieved this incredible feat. 

And I have to keep reminding myself, because the other thing is that it feels like it never happened. Sometimes I mentally review each mile from the race so that I don't forget what it was like to complete a marathon. If I don't, all I remember is this glow of finishing – which isn't such a bad memory, but I am worried it might cloud my judgement if I decide to do another marathon!

Which is the final outcome: I am definitely going to run another marathon. Not tomorrow, not this year or next year. But I would love to run New York or London, and to improve my time. It is such an amazing confidence boost and surreal experience that I know I will have to relive it (once I've fully recovered).

4:33:42

Of pain...
Of anger...
Of sweat...
Of tears...
Of glucose in various forms...
Of snot...
Of cheers...
Of little kids holding out their hands for high-fives...
Of intermittent downpours...
Of hills...
Of Dubliners in Halloween costumes...
Of water intake...
Of blisters...
Of counting the miles...
Of watching the pace runner balloons...
Of readjusting my hairband...
Of questioning what the hell I was doing...
Of making pacts with myself to make it to certain targets...
Of wishing for the finish line...
Of determination.

I still can't quite believe I did it. It was an amazing experience that shocked me by showing me just how strong I am mentally and physically. I totally agree with people who say it is a mental achievement, because though various parts of my body ached at various times in the race, it was mental fortitude that kept me moving. I just knew that if I did stop, I wouldn't start again and I had to make it to the end. Unfortunately The Irishman suffered a cramp in his calf that really slowed him down, and he urged me to go on without him; this was the scariest part as I hadn't ever run that far on my own. But I found it in me to just keep running and even found some sort of latent energy (I credit my larger than normal butt for holding this reservoir) to actually speed up at the end. I sprinted across the finish line in some sort of ethereal state of contentedness, despite being soaked to the bone, satisfied that I had given it my best.

Last night, after warming up with a cup of tea and a bath, I still felt that calm sort of invincibility. Today, my knees and legs feel like they've aged about 35 years in 24 hours and my arms have an odd soreness in the triceps from me pumping them to keep momentum. The slight cold i had earlier in the weekend has firmly taken root in my chest, leaving me sniffling incessantly. But I still feel amazing. I assume this is what childbirth is like - intense pain for an extended period of time that results in you feeling so powerful that you forget just what the pain was like. In any case, I'm hoping the euphoria lasts a bit longer so that I can kick this cold and enjoy the feeling of being part of 1% of the world's population: a marathon runner.

Race Pack Pickup

After sleeping until 11:30 today, The Irishman and I fetched our race packs at the RDS Center, which was also hosting the Over 50s Show and The Ideal Homes Show. So after €6 to park, we entered the hall to find the smell of pasta in the air and lots of eager/nervous runners milling around browsing Power Bars.

After picking up our gear, we drove down to Superquinns and got lots of food. Here's our eating plan:

Today:
- Breakfast: porridge, OJ, coffee
- Lunch: sandwiches at M&S
- Dinner: Thai-style chicken with chilies over brown rice with steam veggies

Tomorrow:
- Breakfast: porridge, OJ, coffee
- Lunch: sandwich out somewhere, depending on what we are up to (possibly going to Avoca Cafe!)
- Dinner: whole wheat pasta with a tomato, bacon, onion (amatriciana) sauce

Race Day:
- Toast, OJ, bananas

And of course, hydrating - constantly.

Wouldn't you know that I woke up with a sore throat this morning so I picked up some cold medicine as well and am embracing serious resting. I'm lying on the sofa, watching Ghostbusters. I may also have eaten a donut. Oops.

In Dublin

Just a quick post to let you all know I've arrived in Dublin and am safely tucked up in The Irishman's family home, about to pass out. I would have posted earlier, but I got a bit tied up at work this week - in Switzerland!

I found out Wednesday that I had to make an impromptu client meeting in Zurich today, which meant flying out Thursday night and doing 8 hours of client work today before flying to Dublin. And as there were no direct flights from Zurich to the Dub, it also meant a high intensity, stressful, anxiety-laden cab ride from London City Airport to Stansted Airport so I could make my Ryanair flight. Luckily the gods were all with me: we landed early at City, immigration moved quickly, there was relatively zero traffic getting out of London, and Stansted was virtually deserted - I walked straight up to the Ryanair desk for my passport check, no queues!

As you can imagine, I'm absolutely knackered, so there will be more updates tomorrow. Our marathon adventure kicks in tomorrow with a trip to pick up our race numbers and to Ireland's version of Waitrose / Wegmans for carb-loading supplies. Eeps! Better rest up!!

The only thing that could stop me from running the marathon? Flash floods.

Newsflash: Dublin has been experiencing severe rainfall over the last 48 hours, leading to flash flooding across the city. News reports state that Dublin had a month's worth of rain in 24 hours and the city is in a state of emergency. The video above shows one of the city's biggest malls flood with water through seams in the glass walls, and BBC reports show a bus filling with water as it drives down a city street.

Well, hell, people. Only an act of god could prevent me from running this race and here we have it. There aren't any reports of cancellations or changes yet, but I suspect we'll hear more by the end of the week when the city dries out. I can only hope that if the race does happen, we don't have to run through rain like that!

We're thinking of you, Dub.

One week to go

So, one week from now I will have finished running my first marathon. Shit, people. It's really going to happen. 

This past weekend was all about prep. Yesterday The Irishman and I ironed letters on our race tops (for all of you designers out there, it's a very fun kerning exercise and let me tell you how the last E of my name will forever haunt me, having slipped up a few millimeters when I set them. I can't even look at it) and bought our race gels. We planned out our pre-race nutrition and carb loading schedule. And we ran together, sort of: because my injury, The Irishman and I haven't been on the same running plan since the end of September. He ran 18 and 20 miles on his own, while I stretched it out in the gym doing my physio exercises, and has been tapering down the mileage for the last few weeks. I, on the other hand, am still ramping up the mileage since I effectively lost a month of training. So Saturday I had to face my longest distance run on my own.

I was supposed to run 29 km / 18 miles, and The Irishman joined me for the first 8k – out Regents Canal east to Victoria Park for one – and I continued on by myself. I had my iPod and my running mix, I had my gels, and I had my water, and I was confident. I really did wish for The Irishman to be with me, but I also realized that I had to prove this to myself that I could do this by myself. What if (god forbid, knock on wood, etc) The Irishman got sick? Or injured? I told myself that I had to know I was able to do this on my own.

So I ran. And I felt GOOD. I totally experienced that moment of bliss where my body felt like a machine, moving smoothly without effort. I was wearing the GPS watch (which I hate) and it beeped away merrily telling me I was going at a lovely pace of 6:00, 6:09, 6:15, 6:22 km. I didn't get lost as I passed the Olympic site and headed down to Limehouse Basin. I got past 21 km and I told myself "8 km, I know this distance, I can do this." I took a water/gel walk break for a minute, and kept on going. And then I met the phenomenon called "The Wall" and experienced the first moment in my training when I just couldn't go on. It was frightening, humbling, and mortifying as my body systematically just stopped working. I made a pact with myself that I would make it to the bottom of this hill that leads to my street, and from that moment my brain could only focus on waiting for my designated stop point to appear.

In the end, I only managed 27.58 km / 17.13 miles and felt ashamed that I couldn't push myself that last mile; when I walked through the door, I burst into tears and told The Irishman that I didn't think I could do it. But he told me that he felt the exact same way at the end of both his 18 and 20 mile runs, and we made a pact that no matter what we would stick together for the marathon and make sure we both finished. So even though I proved to myself that yes I can run the long distances on my own, I am very happy and reassured to know that I have my man with me to support me in going the distance next week. Besides, he's the reason I'm in this mess in the first place!

Countdown

5 MORE RUNS.


Commence freakout.

Blood, sweat, and tears

I contemplated taking photos of my wounds for you, but I decided I wanted to keep you as readers.

So, it's finally happened: I fell running on Saturday.

I know these things happen all of the time, even to people like Paula Radcliffe, but you do sort of think "really, I am 30 years old, I can put one foot infront of the other even at high speeds." I mean, how hard can it be? And then it happens and you're so shocked and all you can do is cry.

But I'm getting ahead of myself. The Irishman and I went running Saturday morning, a light 13 miler; I wanted to take it easy and flex my lower shins. It was really more of a test to see how my leg would hold up. It was going really well, though; nice and easy pace, beautiful weather. We were doing a new route west along Regent's Canal – through Camden Lock, past Regent's Park to the south, through Little Venice out to Kensal Rise and back. I've run most of this towpath before, but only in sections, never together, and I encountered one part that literally tripped me up.

Right before the Little Venice area, there is a section of canal that is sometimes locked – it is a permanent boat mooring and the residents have some cool little art installations. They also have electricity supply points at the edge of the canal. These electricity points have cables that run to the side of the towpath which aren't buried but covered with concrete, resulting in a series of about 15-20 low-rise hurdles we had to clear. I've found a picture of the offending obstacles.

Image courtesy of Towpath Treks

See that white horizontal strip on the right, leading up to the red things? That's the jump. And you can see many of them moving up along the path. Anyway.

I had passed what I thought was the last of the bollards and was taking a drink from my water bottle, and trying to close the top when all of a sudden I found myself on the ground on all fours. Stunned, I sat down and just started sobbing. I think I said something to the effect of "I don't want to run the marathon" in between all of the tears. The Irishman got me up and moved me to a bench, and poured water over my  wounds to clear away the dirt. When I calmed down, I had 2 skinned knees, a broken thumbnail on my left hand, deep scratches on my knuckles on my left hand, and deep wounds on the palms of both hands. 

Eventually I got up and calmed down and got my breath back (you can't imagine how hard it is to run when you're crying, your throat closes up and you can't breathe and it's just a nightmare), and I continued on the run. We finished 13 miles with me much worse for wear, as not only was I bleeding but I also have some serious bruises on my knees and hands below the scrapes. 

A lot of Neosporin and Band-Aids later, I am feeling better about this whole running thing but at that moment I really hated it. I have 5 more runs to do after today before I run The Race, and I need to restore my love of the effort in order to reap the reward. But Saturday I was so not interested AT ALL. My only consolation is that "this happens to everyone" and it really does. 

There's no good time to run a marathon.

It's getting cold here in London, and worse than the cold is the rapidly shortening days. Barely light when I wake up, it starts getting dark around 6 and it's pitch black by the time I'm heading out for my evening run. I'm finding it hard to motivate myself, either to run or to go to the gym to do my physio stretches. How quickly the tables turn... just a month ago I was gagging to go running, and now I'm finding it hard not to flop on the sofa for the evening.

I was thinking this morning how I really should have entered a marathon at a different point in the year to make the training easier. But I came to the conclusion that really, there is no good time to train to run 26.2 miles. Here's why.

Most training programmes are 18 weeks long. It makes sense, as you're really only supposed to increase your mileage by 10% per week or else risk injury (ie, my earlier post). It takes you that long just to get up to those longer distances which are important for physical endurance but probably more for mental reassurance that you can actually do it. But there are only 52 weeks in a year, which means that marathon training will typically take up over 1/3rd of a year. That's a big commitment.

As well as the time and energy, 1/3rd of the year naturally spans more than one season and can even go on to span 3 seasons. So you may start your marathon training at the beginning of the summer (like I did) and then go on finish it right before winter hits. The Irishman ran the London marathon a few years ago and started his training right after Christmas, which meant for a large amount of time he was running through the snow. While London has more temperate climate than, say, America's Northeast, it's still no fun training during extreme temperatures or in the dark at 4pm. And if you enter a marathon to take advantage of a good training period, you run the risk of actually running in 90 deg F weather.

So basically, the entire marathon process, when you really think about it, is absurd. Why am I even doing this? WHY HAVE I GIVEN UP MY ENTIRE SUMMER OF DRINKING ROSÉ IN PUB GARDENS TO RUN LONG DISTANCES, GET INJURED, AND SPEND £100 ON PHYSIO IN ORDER TO BE FIT ENOUGH TO DO THIS RACE?

I need to eat a cookie to feel better. I'll run it off later.

Editors note: running posts only for a while

Photo from Flickr courtesy of Cuegalos

Well, it was bound to happen: this blog is officially, temporarily, going to only be about running for a while. It's exactly 3 weeks until the marathon and the highlights of this past weekend was buying a new sports bra (it was 25% off!) and doing an 8 mile run at my marathon pace. Big doings, folks. I can only imagine that the next few weeks will be more of the same.

I hope you'll stick with me through the next 3 weeks, if only so that you can be rewarded by lovely Prague photos and tips. I promise that come November there will be nary a post about running. Until then, maybe you will be inspired to run as well? If so, GREAT! If not, I don't blame you. It's a masochistic sport.

Either way you roll - runner or not, reader or not - I hope you enjoy the autumnal season. Go gourd shopping with a vengeance and get some Indian corn to hang on your door, and enjoy the end of the golden sunshine while crunching on leaves.

PS Why do I always find pictures of runners on the beach? I NEVER run on the beach!

Can a girl survive with only 4 pairs of shoes? The answer is, apparently, yes.

Mojito shoe by Julian Hakes from Dezeen

I love shoes. I love them with all of my soul. I own many pairs. Truth: I don't know how many pairs I actually own. The Irishman will say here "too many" and I will disagree. A lady can never have too many shoes.

Or can she?

Ever since The Incident, aka my injury, I've restrained myself from wearing heels. We all know and disregard the fact that high heels are really bad for your joints and overall locomotion, but in this case since I really want to run this marathon I figured it was best to just lay off the stilettos until after the race. But that left me with the following footwear options:
- Marimekko Converse low tops
- Liberty print Nike high tops
- black ballet flats
- boat shoes

And you know what? It's been okay.

I mean, don't doubt that there haven't been moments that I didn't wish to reach for my snakeskin peep toes. Or my taupe platform stilettos. Or my black heeled ankle boots. But I've been good. And my outfits haven't really been compromised. Sure my legs would have looked longer with a bit of height but in this case, my running dreams were more important than impressing my colleagues.

So I'm feeling quite smug about this feat (pun absolutely intended!) at the moment, but seriously? I cannot WAIT to raid my own shoe cupboard the minute I can walk properly again after the marathon. I think it might feel a little bit like Christmas Day without the looming credit card bills.

Back on track

A little overexposed photography to prove to you all how London has returned to its regularly scheduled weather programming. It's still warmer than average but the breeze carries a chill and when I woke up this morning I had to close the windows (after admiring the scent of woodsmoke). We're supposed to get down into single-digits-Celsius by the end of the week, and I'm secretly pleased as it means I don't have to put together mish-moshed outfits out of the 3 pieces of summer-weight clothing still in my wardrobe.

I'm also back on my running track. Physio Chris cleared me to get back into my marathon training with the following rules: no hills, no cambers, no pavement, and SLOW. I did my first run in 3.5 weeks on Sunday and despite the heat did 4 miles in my normal pace (it was odd, however, to be sweating profusely while crunching through piles of fallen leaves). I felt pretty good post-run, so I'm feeling positive about the race again. But I definitely am listening to my body a lot more, gauging my pain levels and trying to understand where I can push myself and how hard. It's been a learning experience for me, this voyage; yet another sign that I am a mere mortal (with biomechanical issues!) and that "running a marathon" is a lot more of a mental exercise than just running 26.2 miles. 

So now that the universe has been righted and the weather is headed in a more normal direction and I have resumed my running regime (albeit, slightly reduced), I feel like I can confidently look forward to such seasonal delights as crisp apples, fresh breezes, and bundling up against wind and chill. I WANT to hide my freshly tanned legs under tights, so bring on autumn and bring on Dublin Marathon - less than 4 weeks to go!

Physio followup

I tried to find a decent picture of physio exercises but they were all either obscene or strange. My physio is neither, but I do have some odd stretches to do.

Friday night I rocked up to physio and was like, dude. Fix me. And he did - sorta. After listening to my painful tale of woe, he told me to put some shorts on and proceeded to rotate my ankles, legs, and feet in various ways. Then I ran on the treadmill for a bit and he pronounced me as having legs that inwardly pronate too much and something to the effect of having not enough rotation in the hips. I know this from yoga (I'm flexible but not in the hip flexors) but I had no idea that it could impact my running! But it is, as my internal rotation issues are causing strain on my to the tune of very bad shin splints.

To make a long story short, I will run the marathon (woot) but I have to do a lot of stretches and exercises to build up the muscles in my calves and thighs (to offset the weakness of my hips) and also to increase the flexibility in my hips. I also need to simulate running as much as possible, which means like 30 mins at least per day on the elliptical (called "the cross trainer" here in the UK). So I have now taken to spending over an hour in the gym per day. Groan.

I apparently get to start running this weekend if all goes well. I had to buy orthotics (!) to put in my runners for more support, and Physio Chris tells me my training plan is bollocks (how dare he say such things about Hal Higdon). But if he gets me running and I can do the marathon without seriously injuring myself, then he will be my knight in shining Theraband armor.

I'm injured

Photo courtesy of Flickr by Trevor Haldenby

I haven't blogged since it happened. I'm trying to ignore it, ostrich-style, head in the sand.

Training was going really well. I did 15 miles the Saturday before last and it felt good - hard, but good. I was ready to stop at the end but if someone told me I had to keep going, I could have. I had a massive blister at the front of my left heel, but considered it a badge of honor. I was ready to go!

I skipped my Tuesday run because of an evening event (only 3 miles, no biggie) and did just shy of 7 on Wednesday. It was hard, and I could feel it, but I figured I was rusty after not moving for a few days. I had some shin splints but I get them fairly regularly so I wasn't overly concerned. And my blister hurt but, whatever. I was more concerned that it felt like I was running on the seam of my shoe, and that was what caused my blister rather than anything else.

Thursday I went out with The Irishman for 4 miles and it was really painful. I did the 4 miles but the blister, the calves, the shins, they all hurt - especially my left leg. It made me doubtful for the first time in my training that I was going okay. I rested Friday and skipped 16 miles on Saturday, opting for swimming at the gym instead (btw, swimming is hard work!).

I went to Niketown with my runners and discussed what was happening: they had me try a few shoes and run on the treadmill to diagnose my stride. Turns out, to make a long story short, I'm a neutral runner (not needing any correction) in a very firm and tough stability shoe - therefore overcorrecting my stride that doesn't need any correction and possibly forcing me to run differently. They wanted me to buy another pair of shoes but my left calf hurt so much running on the treadmill that I couldn't focus on the bloody shoes.

So I rested Sunday and Monday, and will rest for the rest of the week. I have been icing my calf and doing a lot of web research, tentatively self-diagnosing myself with a strained calf. I have a few suspicious black and blues turning green around my calf and ankle which I think have to do with the stretched muscle bleeding and pooling at pressure points. Great.

Clearly I am overreacting at this point. I've been alternating between despair and making pacts to sell unborn children for my calf to recover. A friend recommended a physio who herself is a marathon runner, so I'm going to gingerly do a few miles Thursday or Friday and then book into see her. I have 7 weeks to get back to fighting form on my calf and I'm not quite desparate, but at this point I've invested so much into this race that if I DON'T get better and can't run I'm not quite sure I'll be able to console myself.

Do any of you runner readers out there have any tips beyond the RICE technique?

Irish Rugby Weekend

My latest sojourn in a string of weekends away was back to The Irishman's hometown of Dublin for a weekend of running (natch) and rugby. The new Aviva Stadium opened last year and The Irishman hasn't had a chance to go inside until now. Luckily for him, his dad is a senior member of the IRFU and so walking in the door there isn't exactly difficult for us. So we took advantage of the perk, something we rarely do, and flew over to see his parents and attend a pre-match lunch, the France v Ireland World Cup friendly match, and post-match drinks. You know, as you do. There is something slightly ridiculous about walking into a stadium to watch a sporting event in high heels, but nevermind – it was part of the fun. 

I actually really enjoyed the match, I think possibly because it was a nail biter and you can't really avoid getting swept up in the excitement when a full stadium roars around you. We were pretty close to the pitch and therefore nearly IN the action. I think it's much better when you can see the players' faces from your seat, but The Irishman said he would have preferred to be up higher to see more of the field. Whatever.

At the after match drinks reception, I took the opportunity to introduce myself to my favorite (re: crush) team member who gallantly agreed to a photo with me.

It's a crap picture because the boys were not too keen on actually taking the photo for me, but nonetheless I TOUCHED ROB KEARNEY. Enough said.

Post drinks, we headed into town for dinner and drinks with The Irishman's brother and cousins – with a quick detour to practice our scrums:

And, in addition to all of this excitement, we ran a half marathon route in 2:14:44s. Phew. Note to self: wearing heels for eight hours post run is NOT smart (despite pretty sexy).

And, we're off!

Image courtesy of ThundaFunda

Tonight, The Irishman and I are on a 5:30 train up to the Lake District. We're visiting friends of his who live in Australia at their family's vacation home. I mentioned to a colleague that I was going to Mr Darcy's country (you know, where Elizabeth Bennett visit's Mr Darcy's estate after she realizes she loves him in Pride & Prejudice) but I was gently told that is, in fact, the Peak District. I actually have no idea where I'm going, but it's a 3 hour trip on Virgin Trains to Windermere so my iPad is loaded up with several copies of The New Yorker and episodes of The Killing to keep me entertained.

Given all of the craziness that's been taking place in London and the rest of the UK's urban centres, we're both really glad to be getting out of Dodge, as it were, and escaping to someplace more tranquil. However while we're up there, we are supposed to complete a 12 mile run. Eeps! I'll let you know how it goes, and share some of my own photos (they won't be this beautiful) when we get back Monday evening.

Hope you have a lovely weekend yourself, wherever you are, and if you're in a riot-affected area that you as well get a chance to finally truly relax.

Thoughts on marathon training - 1/3rd of the way through

Image courtesy of Flickr, by Daniele Sartori 

Six weeks into my Hal Higdon marathon training schedule and I'm finding my life slowly consumed by either the actual ACT of running or the planning for the act of running. So I thought I'd give you my initial thoughts on the pros and cons of training for completing a 26.2 mile race, in case you ever thought you'd want to give it a go yourself.

PROS

1. My arms look amazing.
You'd think running was all about the legs but you'd be wrong. A lot of it is upper body, and your arms help propel you forward as you lag in energy. As a result, my arms are nearly as toned as when I was religiously practicing yoga x2 a week.

2. My abs are starting to look amazing.
See above, same thing - your core holds you up and you naturally tone your abs as you run, stabilizing your body and linking the top and bottom. But it's slower than the arms so I'm hoping I see more soon!

3. All of the cellulite I never admitted to having is gone.
No joke. The backs of my thighs are smooth and sleek all the way up to my bum. Now I don't have to admit it to myself at all, at least until post marathon when I stop running and the cottage cheese returns.

4. I have so much more energy.
I am much more alert at work these days, and no longer have sluggish slumps. And if I manage to drag myself out of bed to run before work, the energy levels are even higher. I may need to just permanently become a morning running person (... or not).

5. I am hungry all of the time.
As a foodie, there is nothing worse than not being hungry. Or feeling so full you might burst. Or, the worst situation, having to decline something delicious to fit into a dress (corollary: eat lots of delicious things and then NOT fit into a dress). Anyway, when you run 4x a week, you need to eat. A lot. I've noticed that if I eat just a salad for lunch, my run that evening will be harder than if I eat meat. I find I wake up ravenous. Don't get me wrong, cake does not help - nor do you lose weight if you keep on the desserts (I still have a little roll because I refuse to cut out ice cream) but running a lot really forces you into shifting your eating to fueling.

CONS

1. My feet are disgusting.
For real. Peeling, blisters, callouses... apparently, your feet build up callouses to protect fragile skin, so I shouldn't even get a pedicure because it will expose sensitive skin to trauma. I am going to treat myself to one in a few weeks, before I go to France for my friend's wedding, and then no more until post-race.

2. I sweat more.
It's a fact that the better your fitness level, the more readily you sweat. So the more I run, the more quickly my body starts sweating when I'm warm. So this past week when temperatures were around 30°C (86ish in F), I was sweaty all of the time. Ew.

3. We do a lot more clothes washes.

I only have 1 sports bra, and only a handful of running tops and shorts. And because of #2, they start to smell pretty quickly. So we have to wash them nearly every day, which means our washing machine is constantly running. This must be what it is like to have a child.

4. My skin is not so great.
#2 also means my face is sweaty a lot and i noticed I am getting a lot more little breakouts. My clay mask of choice isn't up to the job, I fear, and so I think I might have to look into something a bit stronger. Until then, I'm reminded of my 13 year old self.

5. Training is boring.
This is probably the worst. When you run 4 times a week, your 3 days off (and as Hal says, it's not 3 days off because 1 of those days is cross training so really you only have 2 days of rest) are spent enjoying not running. But you can't drink too much because you're always about to go running again. So Friday nights are dry, because first thing Saturday you're up and running your long run. Evening drinks during the week aren't much better because even short distances are hampered if you've had a few pints. And everyone knows that going to the pub and not drinking is lame. If you do, you end up talking about running the whole time. Boring. So I've become that person who is holier than thou and doesn't go out. It's really miserable when the days are long and nights are warm and all you want to do is sit in the garden of a pub and drink rosé. Sigh. We have a lot of plans on the weekends throughout August, traveling and seeing friends, and then September and October will be hibernating/running/detox months. Boring.

So there you go. Now you know the benefits and risks of taking the marathon plunge. I'll let you know if there are any new ones when I'm 2/3rds of the way through around the middle of September.

Marathon playlist

The Irishman sent me this a few days back and it made me giggle, so I thought I'd share:

But it also made me realize that I have to start planning my marathon mix soon. I'm gonna need at least 6 hours of upbeat hits to get me through 26.2 miles – but at least making the playlist is much easier than it was back the day!

My current running playlist is literally my iPhone set to shuffle, which means that for every Beyonce and Katy Perry song I get two ballads or slowjams. I only remember this as I'm huffing and puffing up a hill while simultaneously trying to jump to the next song in the queue. Infuriating!

The list I'm planning in my head is basically all of my favorite "hit" songs from the last decade: 

Beyonce Single Ladies, Girls Rule the World, Independent Women, Irreplacable

Rihanna Umbrellas, Only Girl in the World

Katy Perry Teenage Dream, ET, California Girls

Jay-Z 99 Problems, New York State of Mind

MIA Galang

Take That Circus, Smile

Cee-Lo Forget You

Tinchy Stryder Take Me Back

Lady Gaga Poker Face, Bad Romance, Boys Boys Boys, Paparazzi, Alejandro (f it, I'll just include both of her albums)

Amy Winehouse Valerie

etc... 

Plus some dance remixes (Pump Up the Jam will feature) and some rock songs as well (Bruce Springsteen and Bon Jovi, Jerz represent). 

Now that I've outed myself as a closet bad music junkie, are there any other songs that my fellow runners out there would need on a playlist for inspiration? All suggestions welcome!