MONDAY
plan
50 min cycle
100 length swim
Legs a bit tired after the marathon. Left quad niggling. I forced myself to walk normally and took the dog out. Legs eased slowly. Throughout the day I moved around as much as possible. The most uncomfortable thing to do was bending my legs to sit and get up again. After tea I went for a swim with no distance in mind. I did 60 lengths and I felt ok. I spent some time with my bad leg near the pool inlet and it worked like a massage.
Total
1500 m swim
TUESDAY
plan
6 mile easy run
It was the usual Tuesday mad rush, but made slightly easier because my son had walked Jed. The weather was dry but the ground was not so we did a short run and then activities on the field.
We were a coach short so we split into two groups instead of three, we went around the old school x country route which was very wet in parts. I normally bring up the rear but tonight I was way behind any of the youngsters. We did 2 miles and it was hard my legs were really unresponsive.
Straight after juniors I got a lift with other club members to Ilkey for the first club league race. I ran this course 2 years ago, it comprises mainly of a long climb followed by a long descent and then a flat bit. I hung to the back so I didnt get dragged along but soon was passing people, I ran all the way up the hill and was looking forward to the down. I couldnt believe how well I was doing. On the way down my quad felt like a big jelly and felt bruised so I held back a bit.I finished the 4.8 mile course in just over 46 mins. Happy with that. We then had food, Ilkley put on a great spread of sandwiches, chips, jacket potatoes and loads of cake. I ate loads of cake and had 1/2 pt cider before we all piled into the cars to come home.Thanks Andy for the loft.
Totals
6.8 miles run
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/175741992
WEDNESDAY
Plan
Rest
The school running club members have joined with the athletics club so I just supervised.
Straight from school was my sports massage, Libby straightened me out and spent a good few painful minutes on my left quad.http://www.puretreatmentrooms.com/libby_hancocks.html
After tea it was Drama group. The youngsters are practising Shakespeare's Midsummer Nights dream and are really getting to grips with the language, I however am not.
Totals
0 miles
THURSDAY
plan
running club training
There were not many of us but there were more than last week. Ian took us along a public footpath to Galphy Road where we did a pyramid session along the road. The longest interval ended just before the 1 in4 hill. Glad Ian didnt spot it or he'd have had us running up and down that too. Legs felt ok. Quad gave me no bother, thanks Libby.
Total
4.8 miles running
FRIDAY
plan
50 min cycle
swim training
Friday is normally swim day but there was no training this week so I planned a cycle instead. After work Hubby and I walked the 2 miles to the garage to pick up the car. The wind had picked up it was raining and cold. I decided to turbo instead.(wimp)
I put Audiofuels ride with Chrissie on, I didnt have time to finish the session cos tea was ready but I did an hour. It was quite an intense session it more than made up for not being out on the road.
Total
22.5 miles turbo.
SATURDAY
plan
30 min cycle
I marshalled the Harrogate parkrun. Its good to give something back and it was great to see all the runners smiley faces. It was cold so I wrapped up warm and really enjoyed it. One of our juniors cam 17 th over all and his little sister was 7th female. All the Ripon Runners did really well. Thanks Vicky for the lift. The rest of the day was a rest. Eating and drinking and preparing for the marathon.
SUNDAY
Plan
Marathon of the North
I set the alarm early, 5:30, to give me chance to get my brekkie and walk the dog to loosen off my legs a bit before the car journey, it went off giving me a right fright, I had not had a good nights sleep.
Soon it was 7:15 and time to set off, double check bag, go to the loo, and off we go. It was a lovely bright morning, but cold and frosty, we soon forgot that as we drove up the A1 with our sunglasses on and the warmth of the sun through the window. By gum what a shock when I got out of the car at the stadium of light. I decided to remove my thermal top and put on a bin bag instead.
As we walked to the start area we passed into a shady area and it was pretty nippy, but I would risk it, forecast was dry.
I said good bye to hubby and joined the other runners, then I saw Dennis coming towards me, another Ripon Runner, we had a chat and separated after wishing each other a good race, Dennis is way quicker than me. As the runners started to gather and split, yellow numbers in the start pens for the Marathon and red numbers outside for the 10km to be started later on. I started to feel sick, What would happen? Could I really run 2 marathons so close together? We had a few moments applause in honour of Claire Squires http://www.justgiving.com/Claire-Squires2 The fundraising marathon runner who sadly died at VLM.
Then we were off, there were not many of us so it didn't take long to cross the line, then we stopped as the course narrowed and we bottlenecked momentarily. I had decided to set off in the under 4:30 group and see what happened. My game plan was run reasonably hard and fast for as long as I could and then just survive, I hoped to get to at least 16 miles before I started to slow.
I soon settled to a decent pace and within a couple of miles I was within a group all running a similar pace, in particular there were 4 Sunderland Strollers, making it look easy and a man I later found out was called Eric, I ran predominantly with Eric, at around 7 miles he dipped out for the loo, I carried on, the course here was by the beach and had a couple of sharp rises and corners, suddenly my right hamstring started to pull, I tried to ignore it, but I was slowing and the Sunderland strollers pulled away. It took a few miles to settle but I was aware of my leg with every step, just before 10 miles Eric re appeared at my side, "well done for catching back up" I said, "Took a few miles" said he. I told him my leg was sore and pointed ahead to where we were, but we stayed together for a few more miles, it was his first marathon and he wanted to do 4:30 I told him he would have to go off as I was struggling at 14 miles, I didn't want his time spoiled because he was pacing with me. It got harder from there on, it seemed to take longer and longer to reach each mile marker. I took water from every station and at some I took the energy drink supplied by Asda, I didn't like it much, it was like neat squash, very sweet and thick. The water was in pouches, we had these last week too. on a couple of occasions I squirted to hard and the water went down the wrong way causing me to cough.
As I approached the town and the bridge again there was hubby, a welcome site, keep going he said you could get a pb, "I'm struggling now" I said, the course went back to the stadium of Light and as I passed people were finishing, I still had 12 km to go, feeling a little deflated I headed out towards the course and again there was hubby cheering me on. This route was slightly familiar to me from running the Great North 10km 2 years ago. The course now felt hard, I was running away from the finish, just over an hour and it would all be over. as I was approaching 21 miles I saw Dennis running for home, he looked comfortable.
Each mile now got tougher it was taking all my will power not to walk, as I slowly passed walkers I told myself that it was faster than walking, still going forwards, It,ll soon be over. I had a caffeine gel in my pocket to boost me the last few miles, but I didn't dare take it as I knew I was struggling and my heart-rate monitor was not working so I had no idea what my heart rate was. so I didn't dare I stuck to the yucky Asda drink.
My legs were shot,my hamstring was aching, my feet ached and my shoulders were sunburnt. The course was not mountainous but it was far from flat, undulating with lots of twists and turns, I wish this one had been the first of the two marathons, still I was getting their slowly but surely the finish was getting closer.The turning point was a blessing it boosted me for a while the spectators and marshals were amazing with there well wishes. I could see the bridge ahead to the left, another boost. Eventually I made it back to where I last saw hubby and made a right turn away from the bridge towards the stadium, nearly their everyone was saying, I knew there was a humpback bridge to get over first, I remember it from that 10 km 2 years ago but then it would be about 400 meters more. I was right soon enough I took a left turn and struggled up the bridge and wobbled down the other side, nearly there, keep going, there were tears in my eyes, fortunately hidden by my sunglasses, and there it was The finish I raised my arms and crossed over to the other side.
There was hubby waiting, I could hardly breathe and I hurt, I really hurt. I felt sick from the sugar and sore from the sun, but I couldn't stop grinning Id done it and in my second best marathon time of 4:32:07 I ran it all.
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/175742073
Weekly totals
Quite an emotional read Lena, I felt as if I was there with you. Well done for getting through the marathon, I'm sure that's just how I'll feel at Windermere in a couple of weeks :)
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