Training miles completed this week: 9
Total training miles completed: 232
Training miles left: 0
Training runs left: 0
Hello again. Welcome to my last pre-marathon blog post! It feels a bit surreal writing that to be honest.
I completed my final training run tonight - a steady 3.5 miles (in a torrential downpour) over my old route as a wind down in preparation for Sunday. I managed another 5 miles last Saturday night although the inclines are still causing me some shin-splint esque pain. I'm still hoping that the flatter course will make the difference there (aided by pre-race paracetamol as well I think).
At the start of the week I was considering how it felt to be at the end of my training, to have done my last bit of race preparation, and to be honest, it's quite emotionally overwhelming. I went back and read some of my earlier blog posts from September/October time, and I can't quite believe the progress I've made since then. Going out and completing a mile (with a number of walk breaks thrown in) was a massive achievement back then and now it hardly feels woth going out to do less than 5 miles.
It also feels strange that I've wanted this so much since my Dad ran the marathon in 1988 (ish - I'll confirm that when he finds his medal) and now it's only a few days away. I guess I'll not be focussing on that too much at the start on Sunday - I expect I'll be somewhat over-awed by the occasion and I'll be buzzing from the adrenaline a fair bit. However, I do expect that when I turn down The Mall and finally see the finish line, there's a good chance I'll turn into some sort of blubbering emotional wreck (though I don't want to spoil my finisher's photo so I'll try and hold it together a bit).
I'll take injuries (most notably these shin splint pains that I can't shift) with me to the start line but as I said in one of my first ever blog posts, my aim is to get to the start line intact. Once I've done that I know I can get to the finish one way or another.
I promised you a bit of a Marathon-By-Numbers post last week and so here's what I've come up with:
17626 - my marathon running number. I'll be going from the blue start at Blackheath
30,000 - number of other people also starting at Blackheath on Sunday
232 - number of training miles I've run since 18/10/2011 (just shy of 9 full marathons)
183 - days since my first training run. It's been fully 6 months of training to get me to this point
4,500 - approximate amount of pressure (in tonnes) that I've put through my body whilst training (the "average" person sends 500 tonnes of pressure through their body over the course of a marathon run)
2-3 approximate difference in centimetres in your height between the start and end of the marathon - compression of the discs in your back means you lose about an inch in height over the course. I'm going to test this on Sunday.
72 - the number of people to date that have parted with their money to sponsor me for the marathon
26 - people I've never actually met or spoken to (excluding the realms of the internet) that have sponsored me - thank you
1128 - the amount of money I've raised for Diabetes UK and The Sheffield Children's Hospital Charity to date
10.91 - my average minute mile since I started tracking my time on New Year's Eve
36 - total number of hours I've been out running throughout my training
6 - number of scheduled training runs I've missed in the last 6 months
5.25 - my projected finish time (in hours) for the marathon this weekend
1724 - (at the time of writing) the number of hits the blog has had since it started
I'm not sure what I'll do with this blog when the marathon is all over and done with. I'll obviously be back next week to let you know how it all went, but after that.... I don't know. I'd like to keep writing something, but I don't want to be one of those people that thinks having a blog equates to having a right to force their opinion on everything/anything on the world. I have a Twitter account for that. I'll guess we'll see eh?
I'm travelling down to London on Friday to get to the Expo to register and collect my running number and shoe tag and then I'm meeting up with my closest friends in the evening and we're seeing a show in the West End. Saturday my lovely wife and I are having the laziest day possible (mostly hanging around the cinema in Leicester Square I think) before the race on Sunday. I'll try and fire off a few tweets before the race starts if I can to show the start area and the build up etc (@BroomOwl if you're interested). I'm not planning on doing anything during the race other than texting my family when I'm roughly half way round but I'll let you all know how it went afterwards.
There's not much left to say now I think except a huge thank you to every one of you that's read the blog, sent me words of encouragement or clicked on the fundraising page to donate some money (you can still click on the link to donate if you want to). Reaching my target with a week to spare has been a fantastic achievement and I won't let you all down now. The support you've all shown me over the last few months has been incredible. My Dad and brother-in-law are travelling down on Sunday morning to watch so I'll be looking out for them around Wapping and I'm so grateful they're making the journey down to support me.
I also owe my wife a massive thank you too. Even though she doesn't actually read this blog at all ("it's too long"), she's made a number of sacrifices over the last year or so, and I really honestly couldn't do this without her and I hope she knows how thankful I am for everything she's done.
Thank you everyone. I'll speak to you again from the other side of the finish line.
Take care
Andy
Showing posts with label patience. Show all posts
Showing posts with label patience. Show all posts
Wednesday, 18 April 2012
Wednesday, 11 April 2012
The final countdown
Training miles completed this week: 15
Total training miles completed: 223
Training miles left: 9
Training runs left: 2
Hello again
I'll start with an apology this week. I didn't write a post last week and that was essentially for no other reason than I was sulking a bit about not running.
A day or so after my 20 mile run, I started to feel a bit of pain in my foot so I took a conscious decision to miss a run and let it heal a bit. There's obviously no point running for the sake of it - an injury this close to the marathon needs to be looked after. I thought I could miss one run and be back out to properly start my tapering.
Unfortunately I got a migraine which floored me for about 4 days (I think I've mentioned these before) and so I ended up missing another training slot. That left me feeling a bit downbeat about the whole thing and I didn't feel that blogging any of that negativity would be particularly cathartic. But I'm back now with my penultimate blog before race day.
I've managed 3 runs this week totalling 15 miles which is encouraging. I did 4 miles last Thursday and followed that up with 5 and 6 miles. It's a bit of a twist on the taper plan I had in mind, but I need to bear the injuries in mind and so I've opted for an extra shorter run rather than doing, say, 12 miles and reducing down after that. I just need to make sure my legs still worked and I'm happy to report that they do.
Skipping the two runs last week has meant I've developed a bit of a complex about being underprepared. I'm not sure how much of that is the "to be expected" pre race nerves, and how much of it I really believe. By the time I get on a train to London at the end of next week, I'll have already run 232 miles - equivalent to about 9 full marathons. I'd like to think that stands me in good stead but at the same time I have a nagging doubt that having done no great distance for a few weeks will be a bit of a set-back. Hopefully it's the former.
I think nerves are natural at this stage. I'm venturing into the unknown in more ways than one. Obviously I've never run a marathon before and equally, I'm running on a route I'm wholly unfamiliar with. I've also not run with anyone in this sort of race environment for about 17 years (The Rother Valley 10k for those of you in Sheffield). All this is easily overcome I suppose - I'd just not really considered all these factors until recently.
I'm going to have to focus on my pace in the early miles - I don't want to set off too quickly and burn out too soon. I know the first 5 or 6 miles can be done at around a 10 min/mile pace and I should hopefully be able to replicate my 11.5 min mile (ish) time to 20 miles. That gives me a good guide to where I should be and when. As I've stated all along though, as long as I get round before the medals run out (6pm) then I'll be ecstatic.
I'm considering Google-mapping the route before I set off. I'm not sure if that's a bit OTT or whether I'll genuinely feel calmer for having visualised the route at least once before I set off. In all likelihood, I'll probably get bored/frustrated after 2 miles of trying, but it could be worth a shot.
There's been some movement on the fundraising this last 2 weeks which is excellent! Current total is £837.50 which is another £130 since I last blogged. The generosity everyone has shown has been incredible! I do still have some more donations that I've been promised as well so I hope I'll be able to get very close to the £1,000 target. If you're thinking about donating then please know that even a couple of quid will make a difference - you can click on the subtle fundraising link above, or the less subtle one at the end of this post to donate. Again, I can't thank people enough for what they've already done - I couldn't have wished for more.
As always, all money that I raise is being split equally between Diabetes UK and The Sheffield Children's Hospital Charity - two very worthy causes. The Children's Hospital money will be going to help fund a summer camp for children with diabetes which is very worthwhile.
I'll blog next week after my last training run which in itself feels like quite an emotional milestone. I'm going to do a bit of a "Marathon Training by numbers" post which will either be a bit interesting or not half as fun as I thought it would be - who knows?
As with the running, I feel a bit rusty with the blogging so hopefully this has been a moderately interesting post for me to return with. As I say, I'll try and sum everything up next week and perhaps talk about where this blog goes after the marathon is all done, because to be perfectly honest with you, I don't have an answer for that just yet.
Thanks for sticking with me today and if you've been with me since the start, thank you for making it this far. I really appreciate all the support you've all given me.
Take care and have a good week
Andy
Total training miles completed: 223
Training miles left: 9
Training runs left: 2
Hello again
I'll start with an apology this week. I didn't write a post last week and that was essentially for no other reason than I was sulking a bit about not running.
A day or so after my 20 mile run, I started to feel a bit of pain in my foot so I took a conscious decision to miss a run and let it heal a bit. There's obviously no point running for the sake of it - an injury this close to the marathon needs to be looked after. I thought I could miss one run and be back out to properly start my tapering.
Unfortunately I got a migraine which floored me for about 4 days (I think I've mentioned these before) and so I ended up missing another training slot. That left me feeling a bit downbeat about the whole thing and I didn't feel that blogging any of that negativity would be particularly cathartic. But I'm back now with my penultimate blog before race day.
I've managed 3 runs this week totalling 15 miles which is encouraging. I did 4 miles last Thursday and followed that up with 5 and 6 miles. It's a bit of a twist on the taper plan I had in mind, but I need to bear the injuries in mind and so I've opted for an extra shorter run rather than doing, say, 12 miles and reducing down after that. I just need to make sure my legs still worked and I'm happy to report that they do.
Skipping the two runs last week has meant I've developed a bit of a complex about being underprepared. I'm not sure how much of that is the "to be expected" pre race nerves, and how much of it I really believe. By the time I get on a train to London at the end of next week, I'll have already run 232 miles - equivalent to about 9 full marathons. I'd like to think that stands me in good stead but at the same time I have a nagging doubt that having done no great distance for a few weeks will be a bit of a set-back. Hopefully it's the former.
I think nerves are natural at this stage. I'm venturing into the unknown in more ways than one. Obviously I've never run a marathon before and equally, I'm running on a route I'm wholly unfamiliar with. I've also not run with anyone in this sort of race environment for about 17 years (The Rother Valley 10k for those of you in Sheffield). All this is easily overcome I suppose - I'd just not really considered all these factors until recently.
I'm going to have to focus on my pace in the early miles - I don't want to set off too quickly and burn out too soon. I know the first 5 or 6 miles can be done at around a 10 min/mile pace and I should hopefully be able to replicate my 11.5 min mile (ish) time to 20 miles. That gives me a good guide to where I should be and when. As I've stated all along though, as long as I get round before the medals run out (6pm) then I'll be ecstatic.
I'm considering Google-mapping the route before I set off. I'm not sure if that's a bit OTT or whether I'll genuinely feel calmer for having visualised the route at least once before I set off. In all likelihood, I'll probably get bored/frustrated after 2 miles of trying, but it could be worth a shot.
There's been some movement on the fundraising this last 2 weeks which is excellent! Current total is £837.50 which is another £130 since I last blogged. The generosity everyone has shown has been incredible! I do still have some more donations that I've been promised as well so I hope I'll be able to get very close to the £1,000 target. If you're thinking about donating then please know that even a couple of quid will make a difference - you can click on the subtle fundraising link above, or the less subtle one at the end of this post to donate. Again, I can't thank people enough for what they've already done - I couldn't have wished for more.
As always, all money that I raise is being split equally between Diabetes UK and The Sheffield Children's Hospital Charity - two very worthy causes. The Children's Hospital money will be going to help fund a summer camp for children with diabetes which is very worthwhile.
I'll blog next week after my last training run which in itself feels like quite an emotional milestone. I'm going to do a bit of a "Marathon Training by numbers" post which will either be a bit interesting or not half as fun as I thought it would be - who knows?
As with the running, I feel a bit rusty with the blogging so hopefully this has been a moderately interesting post for me to return with. As I say, I'll try and sum everything up next week and perhaps talk about where this blog goes after the marathon is all done, because to be perfectly honest with you, I don't have an answer for that just yet.
Thanks for sticking with me today and if you've been with me since the start, thank you for making it this far. I really appreciate all the support you've all given me.
Take care and have a good week
Andy
You can donate at any time by clicking on this fundraising link
Wednesday, 14 March 2012
Self doubt and inner voices
Training miles completed this week: 22
Total training miles completed: 172
Training miles left: 47 + taper off period
Training runs left: 10
Hello - happy Wednesday
Arduous, brutal, crushing, exhausting, punishing and tortuous. I think I used the word 'grueling' last week to describe how running 16 miles felt. These new words are more appropriate for how 18 miles feels.
I managed the distance in a not-utterly-unacceptable time of 3hrs 35minutes - essentially a 12 minute mile average. But the actual run was possibly the most agonising thing I can remember doing. The first 9 miles was OK (1hr 37mins) but the second half was best summed up using one of the words above. I got to about 15 miles before I really felt like it'd beaten me - legs felt heavy, ankle felt stiff, agonising pain in my back and persistent cramping in my calf put me on the verge of tears. I was in no fit state to really measure but I think I ended up running about 100 yards at a time and walking for distances inbetween.
I got in and for the first time actually said "I don't know if I can do this" out loud. Fortunately, my incredibly understanding wife was able to talk some sense into me. The doubt was there for a few minutes though and it didn't feel good.
I'm absolutely under no illusions now about how difficult this is going to be, no misconceptions about how painful it will be or how mentally exhausted I'll be when I get to the end. Making myself run when my mind is telling me I can't is beyond draining. It goes against all sense and logic but I need to keep going now. There are 38 days left until the marathon - that's not long at all and I need to stay focused until then.
Whilst that 18 miles gave me plenty to think about, there were a few positives that came out of it, and they need to be mentioned as much, if not more, than the battle with my demons.
Firstly - I actually finished the distance. I may have walked a lot more than I would have liked, but I did it. If I had to walk another 8 miles then I (probably) could have done. Secondly, where I was convinced last week that I'd possibly brusied the bone in my foot, I managed the whole distance without even so much as a slight jolt of pain from that injury. That's really encouraging. Finally, for all the training I do, I know I can't replicate the actual event itself. I'm hoping the crowds, the change of scenery and running alongside other people is going to give me a boost that I'll be able to put a decent performance in one the day.
For those considering backing me to win it (or to finish inside 5 hours) you might be best advised to keep hold of your money...
I think one of the reasons the run was so tough was that I got my blood sugar levels completely wrong at the weekend. They were at a similar level when I set off to what they were the previous week. But the level didn't drop at all as I expected and I managed the entire run without a single jelly baby to keep me going. Whilst I may have hit the wall at around mile 15, I don't feel like I ever really got into a decent rhythm and I think my sugar levels might have something to do with that. I've got 2 big runs left to try and sort that problem out. Worst case scenario is that I have to test my levels around London, But I'd like to avoid that is possible.
More fundraising money has come in this week which is good news! I've finally got a paper sponsor form to carry around, and my wife is drumming up support in here office as well. Current total is £545 and I'm hoping I can break the £700 barrier before April 22nd. I've given my close friends and family enough time to think about donating and now I'm actively calling that money in so I hope I'll be able to report another increase next week. A number of people that follow me on Twitter have also pledged to donate which is incredibly kind of them.
One of the things that's really struck me is how unwavering the support has been for what I'm doing, particularly from people I've met perhaps once or twice, and in some cases, not at all. Their belief and encouragement has been fantastic, and their willingness to donate money on the scale they have is out of this world. It's that kind of thing that really keeps me going as the end comes into sight.
As always, all money that I raise is being split between Diabetes UK and The Sheffield Children's Hospital Charity - two very worthy causes. The Children's Hospital money will be going to help fund a summer camp for children with diabetes which is very worthwhile
I'd also just like to thank Ellie from Diabetes UK and Tonya from Sheffield Children's for all their help this last week - they do a great job deserve to be well recognised.
16 miles this weekend before a psychologically huge 20 miles the weekend after. I can vaguely remember looking at those distances on the plan back in November and thinking how far away they were and how incredible it was to think I could manage those distances.
The end is in sight now and I'm detemined not to let anyone down.
Thanks for reading - your support is incredible
Take care
Andy
Total training miles completed: 172
Training miles left: 47 + taper off period
Training runs left: 10
Hello - happy Wednesday
Arduous, brutal, crushing, exhausting, punishing and tortuous. I think I used the word 'grueling' last week to describe how running 16 miles felt. These new words are more appropriate for how 18 miles feels.
I managed the distance in a not-utterly-unacceptable time of 3hrs 35minutes - essentially a 12 minute mile average. But the actual run was possibly the most agonising thing I can remember doing. The first 9 miles was OK (1hr 37mins) but the second half was best summed up using one of the words above. I got to about 15 miles before I really felt like it'd beaten me - legs felt heavy, ankle felt stiff, agonising pain in my back and persistent cramping in my calf put me on the verge of tears. I was in no fit state to really measure but I think I ended up running about 100 yards at a time and walking for distances inbetween.
I got in and for the first time actually said "I don't know if I can do this" out loud. Fortunately, my incredibly understanding wife was able to talk some sense into me. The doubt was there for a few minutes though and it didn't feel good.
I'm absolutely under no illusions now about how difficult this is going to be, no misconceptions about how painful it will be or how mentally exhausted I'll be when I get to the end. Making myself run when my mind is telling me I can't is beyond draining. It goes against all sense and logic but I need to keep going now. There are 38 days left until the marathon - that's not long at all and I need to stay focused until then.
Whilst that 18 miles gave me plenty to think about, there were a few positives that came out of it, and they need to be mentioned as much, if not more, than the battle with my demons.
Firstly - I actually finished the distance. I may have walked a lot more than I would have liked, but I did it. If I had to walk another 8 miles then I (probably) could have done. Secondly, where I was convinced last week that I'd possibly brusied the bone in my foot, I managed the whole distance without even so much as a slight jolt of pain from that injury. That's really encouraging. Finally, for all the training I do, I know I can't replicate the actual event itself. I'm hoping the crowds, the change of scenery and running alongside other people is going to give me a boost that I'll be able to put a decent performance in one the day.
For those considering backing me to win it (or to finish inside 5 hours) you might be best advised to keep hold of your money...
I think one of the reasons the run was so tough was that I got my blood sugar levels completely wrong at the weekend. They were at a similar level when I set off to what they were the previous week. But the level didn't drop at all as I expected and I managed the entire run without a single jelly baby to keep me going. Whilst I may have hit the wall at around mile 15, I don't feel like I ever really got into a decent rhythm and I think my sugar levels might have something to do with that. I've got 2 big runs left to try and sort that problem out. Worst case scenario is that I have to test my levels around London, But I'd like to avoid that is possible.
More fundraising money has come in this week which is good news! I've finally got a paper sponsor form to carry around, and my wife is drumming up support in here office as well. Current total is £545 and I'm hoping I can break the £700 barrier before April 22nd. I've given my close friends and family enough time to think about donating and now I'm actively calling that money in so I hope I'll be able to report another increase next week. A number of people that follow me on Twitter have also pledged to donate which is incredibly kind of them.
One of the things that's really struck me is how unwavering the support has been for what I'm doing, particularly from people I've met perhaps once or twice, and in some cases, not at all. Their belief and encouragement has been fantastic, and their willingness to donate money on the scale they have is out of this world. It's that kind of thing that really keeps me going as the end comes into sight.
As always, all money that I raise is being split between Diabetes UK and The Sheffield Children's Hospital Charity - two very worthy causes. The Children's Hospital money will be going to help fund a summer camp for children with diabetes which is very worthwhile
I'd also just like to thank Ellie from Diabetes UK and Tonya from Sheffield Children's for all their help this last week - they do a great job deserve to be well recognised.
16 miles this weekend before a psychologically huge 20 miles the weekend after. I can vaguely remember looking at those distances on the plan back in November and thinking how far away they were and how incredible it was to think I could manage those distances.
The end is in sight now and I'm detemined not to let anyone down.
Thanks for reading - your support is incredible
Take care
Andy
Wednesday, 25 January 2012
Easy does it
Training miles completed this week: 10
Total training miles completed: 78.5
Training miles left: 167.5
Training runs left: 26 + taper off period
Hello - Happy Wednesday - thanks for dropping in.
Another 10 miles down this week and I've gone through the first psychological milestone on my plan. I'm very much focussed on taking this one run at a time now and being able to tick the miles off every week is becoming very satisfying.
My weekend run was brought forward slightly to Friday night due to commitments I had at the weekend. I managed the whole distance in 69 minutes and also managed the first 3.3 miles non-stop. Whilst that felt like a good time (for me at least) and it felt really good to do a significant part of the distance in one burst, I realised that I'm starting to let my focus shift from my real goal - to do the marathon.
Don't get me wrong, I understand the importance of knowing how fast I can cover a set distance and knowing my mile split times etc but I feel like I'm starting to convince myself that every run must be better than the last but really that simply isn't true. I do feel very satisfied when I post a good time, but I also know that pushing myself harder each time I step out of the door isn't really going to help in the long term.
My guide time (and I think it'll help if I refer to it as such) is a 12 minute mile average. I've consistently run inside this for a few weeks now which is good over a relatively short distance, but in a month's time I'll be talking about a 14 mile run not 6 miles. Pushing myself over a shorter distance is one thing, but my approach and mindset will need to be completely different for the proper distance runs and I need to concentrate on adjusting my attitude for what's coming up if I want to avoid another injury.
With that in mind my 3.5 mile run tonight was an easy one - I took it at a gentle place, stopped a couple of times (partially due to an annoying stitch - symptoms of wrong food at the wrong time and not enough water I think) and still managed the distance in a respectable 39 minutes. What was most interesting was how the extra rest day affected me. I thought I'd be a lot fresher and find it easy going. In fact this morning I was actively looking forward to getting out there. The reality was slightly different. My ankle started to feel a lot stiffer and harder to run on after a while which was unexpected. I think regular exercise is benefiting it more than I thought and perhaps I need to focus on the steady pace and minimising the impact. Hopefully Saturday morning will be easier going.
As an aside, to give you an idea of what's coming up, in the next 4 weeks, I'll run 61.5 miles with a maximum distance of 14 miles!
My diabetes has been slightly better behaved this week but I remain convinced that my immediate approach to my insulin has to change, as well as how I medicate myself in the run up to the marathon. Yesterday was the first day in a few weeks where I made it from breakfast to lunch without the need for a snack or something to boost my blood sugar mid-morning.
As I think I mentioned last week, I've got a consultant appointment next Wednesday (Feb 1st) which will give me a good chance to sit and talk through all my concerns about training in detail. Hopefully next week I'll be able to elaborate a bit more on what it's going to mean.
It's been a good week on the sponsorship front as well - I've raised another £100 since the last blog taking the current total to £257 - just over a quarter of the way there. I'm very fortunate to have the support of so many generous people. There's 13 more weeks until race day to raise the remaining £743 and I think the fundraising page stays open until the end of July so hopefully I can get close to the target by then. All money raised will be split between Diabetes UK and Sheffield Children's Hospital so if you have £1 to spare, then please consider clicking on the fundraising page link above and donating it.
I talked last week about keeping a better eye on my weight and trying to lose 20lbs over the next few weeks in time for the marathon. As well as feeling and looking fitter, it's a lot of weight I won't have to carry round the course with me so it can only be a good thing. My starting weight a fortnight ago was 199.4lbs. By last Wednesday I was down to 197lbs and tonight I'm at 192.2lbs which is surprising (I've had Chinese and cake this week) but pleasing. It adds a bit of support to my theory of lagged weight loss - expect minimal change next week. I'm doing this weight loss with a couple of friends and having their support has been really great and inspiring so long may this continue :-)
I think I'll come to a close there. It feels like it's been a really good week which is nice to be able to say after so long. I was thinking back to the posts in early September about how positive it felt to finally be able to go out and run a mile (with walk breaks) and now I'll be doing a minimum of 13 miles a week. Progress indeed.
Take care and thanks again for your support
Andy
Total training miles completed: 78.5
Training miles left: 167.5
Training runs left: 26 + taper off period
Hello - Happy Wednesday - thanks for dropping in.
Another 10 miles down this week and I've gone through the first psychological milestone on my plan. I'm very much focussed on taking this one run at a time now and being able to tick the miles off every week is becoming very satisfying.
My weekend run was brought forward slightly to Friday night due to commitments I had at the weekend. I managed the whole distance in 69 minutes and also managed the first 3.3 miles non-stop. Whilst that felt like a good time (for me at least) and it felt really good to do a significant part of the distance in one burst, I realised that I'm starting to let my focus shift from my real goal - to do the marathon.
Don't get me wrong, I understand the importance of knowing how fast I can cover a set distance and knowing my mile split times etc but I feel like I'm starting to convince myself that every run must be better than the last but really that simply isn't true. I do feel very satisfied when I post a good time, but I also know that pushing myself harder each time I step out of the door isn't really going to help in the long term.
My guide time (and I think it'll help if I refer to it as such) is a 12 minute mile average. I've consistently run inside this for a few weeks now which is good over a relatively short distance, but in a month's time I'll be talking about a 14 mile run not 6 miles. Pushing myself over a shorter distance is one thing, but my approach and mindset will need to be completely different for the proper distance runs and I need to concentrate on adjusting my attitude for what's coming up if I want to avoid another injury.
With that in mind my 3.5 mile run tonight was an easy one - I took it at a gentle place, stopped a couple of times (partially due to an annoying stitch - symptoms of wrong food at the wrong time and not enough water I think) and still managed the distance in a respectable 39 minutes. What was most interesting was how the extra rest day affected me. I thought I'd be a lot fresher and find it easy going. In fact this morning I was actively looking forward to getting out there. The reality was slightly different. My ankle started to feel a lot stiffer and harder to run on after a while which was unexpected. I think regular exercise is benefiting it more than I thought and perhaps I need to focus on the steady pace and minimising the impact. Hopefully Saturday morning will be easier going.
As an aside, to give you an idea of what's coming up, in the next 4 weeks, I'll run 61.5 miles with a maximum distance of 14 miles!
My diabetes has been slightly better behaved this week but I remain convinced that my immediate approach to my insulin has to change, as well as how I medicate myself in the run up to the marathon. Yesterday was the first day in a few weeks where I made it from breakfast to lunch without the need for a snack or something to boost my blood sugar mid-morning.
As I think I mentioned last week, I've got a consultant appointment next Wednesday (Feb 1st) which will give me a good chance to sit and talk through all my concerns about training in detail. Hopefully next week I'll be able to elaborate a bit more on what it's going to mean.
It's been a good week on the sponsorship front as well - I've raised another £100 since the last blog taking the current total to £257 - just over a quarter of the way there. I'm very fortunate to have the support of so many generous people. There's 13 more weeks until race day to raise the remaining £743 and I think the fundraising page stays open until the end of July so hopefully I can get close to the target by then. All money raised will be split between Diabetes UK and Sheffield Children's Hospital so if you have £1 to spare, then please consider clicking on the fundraising page link above and donating it.
I talked last week about keeping a better eye on my weight and trying to lose 20lbs over the next few weeks in time for the marathon. As well as feeling and looking fitter, it's a lot of weight I won't have to carry round the course with me so it can only be a good thing. My starting weight a fortnight ago was 199.4lbs. By last Wednesday I was down to 197lbs and tonight I'm at 192.2lbs which is surprising (I've had Chinese and cake this week) but pleasing. It adds a bit of support to my theory of lagged weight loss - expect minimal change next week. I'm doing this weight loss with a couple of friends and having their support has been really great and inspiring so long may this continue :-)
I think I'll come to a close there. It feels like it's been a really good week which is nice to be able to say after so long. I was thinking back to the posts in early September about how positive it felt to finally be able to go out and run a mile (with walk breaks) and now I'll be doing a minimum of 13 miles a week. Progress indeed.
Take care and thanks again for your support
Andy
Tuesday, 27 December 2011
2011 - A Review
Hello.
I hope you all had a lovely Christmas. And allow me to wish you an early 'Happy New Year' as well.
This is almost certainly going to be a longer post than normal so bear with it a bit. I'm going to do my usual stuff about running and all that but finish off with a bit of a review of 2011 and a look forward to next year.
I mentioned in my last blog that I had three runs left before New Year. Sadly that didn't quite turn out to be true. I was all geared up to go running on Christmas Eve morning but I'd been feeling a bit more of an ache in my foot than was 'normal' so I decided to give it a miss. I beat myself up about it for the rest of the day, but I think it was the right thing to do. It seems like there's no point doing all the hard work just to be belligerent and run when I don't think my body can take it.
I did, however, get up at 6:45 this morning and managed 4 miles in a respectable 46 minutes. The route is below, although I can't stress enough how steep two hills are over this distance. Fortunately, these coincided with a couple of walk breaks so that was quite good...
It was nice to see the sun rising as I made it to the top of the first hill. It was also nice to think I only had a mile left by that point as well. Running on the flat feels really good and I managed a bit of downhill running as well today which felt OK. I suppose training on the slopes of Sheffield can only be beneficial for the relatively flat course in London.
I'm starting to feel the after effects a bit more now and I'll have an ache and a bit of pain for a few days after each run now where before that wasn't the case. With that in mind, I've decided to cut back down to 2 runs a week for a little while and see if that helps. It'll make training a bit more difficult but as I've said a few times already, it was never going to be easy.
I've negotiated Christmas Day and Boxing Day meals relatively unscathed diabetes wise which is really promising as well. It's fair to say that December hasn't been as controlled as other months, but I feel like my understanding has been refreshed and that in itself means I can get through more difficult periods like Christmas without feeling like I'm spiralling out of control.
I've done pretty well to resist the various cakes, chocolates and biscuits that are laying around the house (to a certain degree at least). I think my experiences with my diet and migraines over the last week or two is a bit of a factor in that as much as the diabetes, and, when all's said and done, I don't have the same appetite I used to have when I could eat plates of food without thinking. I guess the diet and exercise has paid off quite a bit.
I had a bit of a difficult moment on Boxing Day when all the family went to my sister's house for lunch. I'd just done my insulin injection (into my stomach as usual) when my daughter asked me what I was doing. I told her that daddy had to do some medicine (which I've told her before). But then she lifted her top up and started copying me saying "I do medicine".
I think I mentioned a while back when I was talking about my sponsorship and things about how I constantly have a worry that I've passed on my diabetes to her. When she started mimicking my actions, it was quite difficult to take. I'm now torn between doing my shot away from her so she can't see, or carry on as everything is "normal" - which of course it is for me. I guess that's something I'll deal with over the next few weeks.
So - what has 2011 mean for me? I've been thinking about some of the major things that have happened this year and while it's impossible to remember or mention everything, here are a few that have stood out for me:
- We finally moved house to be back closer to our family. We sold pretty much a year ago and finally moved at the beginning of March
- Celebrated my daughter's first birthday (and now her second is on the horizon already), the old saying about how time flies never seems more true than when you're watching your kids grow up
- I had my first casino experience when I went to Las Vegas in September. I've wanted to go for so long and it exceeded my expectations more than I thought possible
- I've made a lot of trips to see my beloved Sheffield Wednesday this season - one of the perks of being back home
- I've made a lot of new friends and contacts on Twitter which is really good
- I've got my physical condition back under control after a good three years of disregarding what I should be doing
- I've started running again after almost 4 years back when I thought it would never actually be possible again. I know that sounds melodramatic but it's the honest truth
And now there's 2012 to look forward to:
- My daughter's second birthday
- Running/walking/crawling round the London marathon course and hopefully making my magic £1,000 fundraising target
- A trip to the Olympics in London over the summer
- Hopefully a couple of long weekends away somewhere
- A friend's wedding in Poland on my birthday
- Get good enough at photography to get one picture published somewhere
- Keep running and training for the Sheffield Half Marathon in 2013 (my nemesis)
- Do my best to focus on expanding my company
- Stay involved with the community through sponsorship and donations
- Try and turn some online friendships into real life ones (if anyone online wants to of course)
- See at least 12 gigs (one a month seems a reasonable goal)
- Carry on my blog in some form or another after the marathon
You can follow me on Twitter (@BroomOwl) or drop me an email (broomowl@gmail.com) if you fancy a chat.
Again, I hope you all have a great New Year's Eve, whatever you've got planned and I hope 2012 brings you joy and happiness.
Thanks for reading, take care
Andy
Tuesday, 20 December 2011
So this is Christmas...
The eagle-eyed amongst you have probably spotted that I've been naming most of my recent blog posts after 'appropriate' song lyrics so this title should come as little surprise.
This is the penultimate post of 2011 so I'll be firmly on topic for today. Next week's will be a bit of a mix of training progress and a 2011 review/2012 preview.
I'm a bit sketchy on my dates this week (blame the impending chaos of Christmas) but I think I've run twice since I last updated this - 6 miles in total. I had a mostly very pleasant 2.5 mile jog round Centre Parcs (Sherwood Forest) on Saturday morning. It would have been completely pleasant had I not accidentally run through a bush at the side of the road and cut my face. Whilst this is apparently amusing, I didn't see the funny side at the time.
Tonight I've done 3.5 miles (a new best distance) in 39 minutes which is just inside a 12 minute mile time. Here's the route:
I managed my most sustained period of running to date as well which was pleasing. I managed all the way from the start marker (above) to practically the Crown & Cushion pub. It's not that far (just over a mile) but it represents a lot to me which is good. Being able to take that impact without needing a break is good and hopefully over the next few weeks I'll be able to improve on that.
I've got 3 runs left before January and I'm hoping I can get a decent 4 mile run in before New Year. My fundraising page tells me I've got 123 days to go before the marathon. I truly believe that if I keep chipping away at it, I'll get there no problem!
Being diabetic this week has been....challenging. As you probably know we had a long weekend at Centre Parcs this weekend. That basically involved eating out for 3 meals a day for the better part of 4 days. It also meant more indulgences that a) I'm used to and b) should have. I roughly managed my blood sugar OK. By that I mean I probably did as best I could given how difficult it was to find time to test my blood and make an educated guess about what I was eating. I managed a horrifying 20mmol on the Saturday morning, and swung the other way to 2.7mmol on Sunday night.
As I've probably mentioned a few times, it can be quite frustrating when you're not exercising the amount of control you should be and that was certainly true this weekend. I also 'confirmed' something that I've suspected for a little while, which is that a bad diet, even for a short time, leads to migraines. I was in tears with pain on Sunday night which is probably the worst I've been for a long time. I also know that once it's started, it's a good 3 or 4 days before it subsides properly. It's just even more of an incentive to eat properly I guess. Apologies for that segue...
I shall sign off there for this week. To summarise, running - good, diabetes - OK, diet - causes migraines.
Thanks ever so much for all your support and kind words since I started this blog, you're all incredible and I truly thank you for all your encouragement. Hopefully I'll do you all proud next year. Remember you can donate (or invite others to) at the fundraising link above. I know the charities don't affect a lot of you personally and I wouldn't dream of asking you to support something you didn't want to. But if you know anyone who might like to then please feel free to share the link to the blog.
I hope you all have a fantastic Christmas and a good break from work if you're taking one.
Merry Christmas
Andy
This is the penultimate post of 2011 so I'll be firmly on topic for today. Next week's will be a bit of a mix of training progress and a 2011 review/2012 preview.
I'm a bit sketchy on my dates this week (blame the impending chaos of Christmas) but I think I've run twice since I last updated this - 6 miles in total. I had a mostly very pleasant 2.5 mile jog round Centre Parcs (Sherwood Forest) on Saturday morning. It would have been completely pleasant had I not accidentally run through a bush at the side of the road and cut my face. Whilst this is apparently amusing, I didn't see the funny side at the time.
Tonight I've done 3.5 miles (a new best distance) in 39 minutes which is just inside a 12 minute mile time. Here's the route:
I managed my most sustained period of running to date as well which was pleasing. I managed all the way from the start marker (above) to practically the Crown & Cushion pub. It's not that far (just over a mile) but it represents a lot to me which is good. Being able to take that impact without needing a break is good and hopefully over the next few weeks I'll be able to improve on that.
I've got 3 runs left before January and I'm hoping I can get a decent 4 mile run in before New Year. My fundraising page tells me I've got 123 days to go before the marathon. I truly believe that if I keep chipping away at it, I'll get there no problem!
Being diabetic this week has been....challenging. As you probably know we had a long weekend at Centre Parcs this weekend. That basically involved eating out for 3 meals a day for the better part of 4 days. It also meant more indulgences that a) I'm used to and b) should have. I roughly managed my blood sugar OK. By that I mean I probably did as best I could given how difficult it was to find time to test my blood and make an educated guess about what I was eating. I managed a horrifying 20mmol on the Saturday morning, and swung the other way to 2.7mmol on Sunday night.
As I've probably mentioned a few times, it can be quite frustrating when you're not exercising the amount of control you should be and that was certainly true this weekend. I also 'confirmed' something that I've suspected for a little while, which is that a bad diet, even for a short time, leads to migraines. I was in tears with pain on Sunday night which is probably the worst I've been for a long time. I also know that once it's started, it's a good 3 or 4 days before it subsides properly. It's just even more of an incentive to eat properly I guess. Apologies for that segue...
I shall sign off there for this week. To summarise, running - good, diabetes - OK, diet - causes migraines.
Thanks ever so much for all your support and kind words since I started this blog, you're all incredible and I truly thank you for all your encouragement. Hopefully I'll do you all proud next year. Remember you can donate (or invite others to) at the fundraising link above. I know the charities don't affect a lot of you personally and I wouldn't dream of asking you to support something you didn't want to. But if you know anyone who might like to then please feel free to share the link to the blog.
I hope you all have a fantastic Christmas and a good break from work if you're taking one.
Merry Christmas
Andy
Wednesday, 23 November 2011
Push things forward
Good evening
Firstly, apologies for this being a bit late. I was feeling somewhat dreadful yesterday and wasn't feeling up to doing anything. I hope you'll forgive the tardiness on this occasion.
Secondly, I just wanted to mention a few people who I've talked to this week. Firstly, congrats to @actualdancrosby who, by his own admission could run very far at all early on in the year, completed a 10K run at the weekend in a respectable time. Secondly, @Simple_John1 who mentioned to me this week that despite no interest in running or diabetes, he still takes the time to read this every week. That gives me a decent indication that there's some substance in what I'm writing which is nice to know.
I'm writing this evening having just got back from a 2 mile run. Circumstance has meant that I've done it not too long after having had dinner so I laboured round with a bit of a stitch again. It's certainly not something I'll be making a habit of.
I also had a sly look at my time tonight which I haven't really done so far. I ran 12 minute miles which I guess isn't too bad considering. That'd be a marathon time of 5hrs 12 if I can maintain that. I'd like to think I can get down to 11 minute miles by April but that's an aside. Finishing is my goal.
I'm getting towards the stage where I need to be doing some more intensive training so I'm thinking about trying for 3 runs in a week and entering a 10K or something in the new year. More on that next time I think.
Having felt a bit under the weather and such I've been tempted to resort to a bit of comfort eating (made all the more tempting having made gingerbread with my daughter at the weekend). I've coped pretty well with that all things considered. I've mostly resisted the callings of biscuits and sidestepped a tricky situation with a Kit Kat on Tuesday. I also seem to have reduced the number of hypos I have which is a good thing. Being able to stay in the 5 to 8mmol range is pretty good. I'll have a better idea of how well it's been going after my clinic appointment in December.
Finally, I wanted to have a brief mention of one of my charities. Whilst I'm sure you can all see my reasons for running for Diabetes UK (@DiabetesUK) but I felt like I should explain my reasons for supporting The Children's Hospital Charity (@tchcharity).
I suppose my reasons are two-fold. Firstly, becoming a parent has made me appreciate all the work that children's charities do a whole lot more than I ever did. Secondly, before my daughter was born, the doctor told me that because I have diabetes, there's about a 17% chance that she will get it as well. And that's something I find very hard to deal with - I have pangs of guilt that I could labour her with this condition which seems so unfair. The money I raise for TCH will go towards a diabetes camp they have for children. I think I've mentioned before that I can't imagine a child having to cope with this condition while they're growing up and the work that TCH do feels so incredibly worthwhile.
Once again, thanks again for stopping by and reading - I do appreciate you taking the time to read. I find it very motivating and it keeps me going when it's a bit cold and blustery outside. You can find me on Twitter (@BroomOwl) or on broomowl@gmail.com if you fancy a chat.
Take care and I'll speak to you again soon
Andy
Firstly, apologies for this being a bit late. I was feeling somewhat dreadful yesterday and wasn't feeling up to doing anything. I hope you'll forgive the tardiness on this occasion.
Secondly, I just wanted to mention a few people who I've talked to this week. Firstly, congrats to @actualdancrosby who, by his own admission could run very far at all early on in the year, completed a 10K run at the weekend in a respectable time. Secondly, @Simple_John1 who mentioned to me this week that despite no interest in running or diabetes, he still takes the time to read this every week. That gives me a decent indication that there's some substance in what I'm writing which is nice to know.
I'm writing this evening having just got back from a 2 mile run. Circumstance has meant that I've done it not too long after having had dinner so I laboured round with a bit of a stitch again. It's certainly not something I'll be making a habit of.
I also had a sly look at my time tonight which I haven't really done so far. I ran 12 minute miles which I guess isn't too bad considering. That'd be a marathon time of 5hrs 12 if I can maintain that. I'd like to think I can get down to 11 minute miles by April but that's an aside. Finishing is my goal.
I'm getting towards the stage where I need to be doing some more intensive training so I'm thinking about trying for 3 runs in a week and entering a 10K or something in the new year. More on that next time I think.
Having felt a bit under the weather and such I've been tempted to resort to a bit of comfort eating (made all the more tempting having made gingerbread with my daughter at the weekend). I've coped pretty well with that all things considered. I've mostly resisted the callings of biscuits and sidestepped a tricky situation with a Kit Kat on Tuesday. I also seem to have reduced the number of hypos I have which is a good thing. Being able to stay in the 5 to 8mmol range is pretty good. I'll have a better idea of how well it's been going after my clinic appointment in December.
Finally, I wanted to have a brief mention of one of my charities. Whilst I'm sure you can all see my reasons for running for Diabetes UK (@DiabetesUK) but I felt like I should explain my reasons for supporting The Children's Hospital Charity (@tchcharity).
I suppose my reasons are two-fold. Firstly, becoming a parent has made me appreciate all the work that children's charities do a whole lot more than I ever did. Secondly, before my daughter was born, the doctor told me that because I have diabetes, there's about a 17% chance that she will get it as well. And that's something I find very hard to deal with - I have pangs of guilt that I could labour her with this condition which seems so unfair. The money I raise for TCH will go towards a diabetes camp they have for children. I think I've mentioned before that I can't imagine a child having to cope with this condition while they're growing up and the work that TCH do feels so incredibly worthwhile.
Once again, thanks again for stopping by and reading - I do appreciate you taking the time to read. I find it very motivating and it keeps me going when it's a bit cold and blustery outside. You can find me on Twitter (@BroomOwl) or on broomowl@gmail.com if you fancy a chat.
Take care and I'll speak to you again soon
Andy
Tuesday, 18 October 2011
Something to write home about
Hello again
Today marked an important step on the long road to London. I went for a run!!
I say run. In fairness it was more of run/walk (as advised by the physio) but I still got my running gear on and went out in the wind and the rain and did some running. And while it was only just over a mile - going out and doing it was psychologically big for me
The question now is whether or not going out was a good idea. The physio and I agreed it should be if I took it steady. And I definitely did. I've got a bit of a dull ache at the moment but I get that from time to time. I'm not naive enough to think it's unrelated but I'm equally not going to be so pessimistic to think that it will be a problem. I had a similar pain after each physio appointment so I'm going to continue to focus on the positives.
I won't be doing any more jogging until the weekend now (at the earliest) so hopefully I can continue with the exercises to loosen the joint and things will get gradually easier.
Diet-wise I've been plodding along. It's been one of those funny weeks where we've had friends visiting and things so I've not been able to be as strict as I normally would be (I even chanced a sliver of lemon meringue pie at my mum's the other night) but I've been steadfastly sticking to the salads during the week.
I haven't weighed myself yet but I imagine I'll be hovering around where I have been for the last two weeks. I'm feeling good and I think that's one of the most important things to consider. I'll lose more weight as I gradually increase the training over the next few months.
Finally, a quick diabetes update. Things are feeling like they're returning to normal now. Blood sugar levels are generally in the 4-7 area although the feeling of being on a tightrope is still there. Even after all these years I'm still amazed by how even slight changes in routine can have such an affect on my blood sugar levels.
I sometimes get the feeling that I'll never be able to control that mystery factor and every now and again, I'll get an unexpected reading. I think that's just part of my life and not panicking when it happens is the best thing I can do.
I've got a follow up appointment with the diabetes nurse on Friday morning. I've probably not done everything she asked me to do but I think it's difficult to try and prescribe a method of living your life to someone else. But perhaps that's for another blog.
If you fancy a chat then you can find me on Twitter (@BroomOwl) or drop me a mail on broomowl@gmail.com You'll be pleased to hear that BlackBerry have sorted themselves out so I'll have no problems getting back to you.
Thanks for reading - I know a lot of you make the effort to have a look and I really do appreciate it.
Take care
Andy
Today marked an important step on the long road to London. I went for a run!!
I say run. In fairness it was more of run/walk (as advised by the physio) but I still got my running gear on and went out in the wind and the rain and did some running. And while it was only just over a mile - going out and doing it was psychologically big for me
The route - cheers GoogleI
I won't be doing any more jogging until the weekend now (at the earliest) so hopefully I can continue with the exercises to loosen the joint and things will get gradually easier.
Diet-wise I've been plodding along. It's been one of those funny weeks where we've had friends visiting and things so I've not been able to be as strict as I normally would be (I even chanced a sliver of lemon meringue pie at my mum's the other night) but I've been steadfastly sticking to the salads during the week.
I haven't weighed myself yet but I imagine I'll be hovering around where I have been for the last two weeks. I'm feeling good and I think that's one of the most important things to consider. I'll lose more weight as I gradually increase the training over the next few months.
Finally, a quick diabetes update. Things are feeling like they're returning to normal now. Blood sugar levels are generally in the 4-7 area although the feeling of being on a tightrope is still there. Even after all these years I'm still amazed by how even slight changes in routine can have such an affect on my blood sugar levels.
I sometimes get the feeling that I'll never be able to control that mystery factor and every now and again, I'll get an unexpected reading. I think that's just part of my life and not panicking when it happens is the best thing I can do.
I've got a follow up appointment with the diabetes nurse on Friday morning. I've probably not done everything she asked me to do but I think it's difficult to try and prescribe a method of living your life to someone else. But perhaps that's for another blog.
If you fancy a chat then you can find me on Twitter (@BroomOwl) or drop me a mail on broomowl@gmail.com You'll be pleased to hear that BlackBerry have sorted themselves out so I'll have no problems getting back to you.
Thanks for reading - I know a lot of you make the effort to have a look and I really do appreciate it.
Take care
Andy
Wednesday, 12 October 2011
Walking a tightrope
The title of this post relates to an idea I’d had a few days ago that I thought might be interesting to talk about. Since then a few things have happened so this may turn out to be a ‘double feature’ blog post. I’ll do my best to be succinct where possible.
It struck me recently that being diabetic is very much like walking a tightrope. I talked briefly about blood sugar levels last time and since then I’ve been giving it a fair bit of thought.
I’ve noticed that since I came back from holiday that even the slightest miscalculation with my insulin dose would lead to a high blood sugar reading which has made me feel like I’m wobbling (to continue the analogy). I think I’d perhaps forgotten how much hard work it was to really stay on top of the condition and as soon as the wobbles crept back in I started to feel angry and frustrated. Of course that doesn’t help and I think over the last 48 hours or so, I feel like I’ve regained the control I had pre-Las Vegas.
Perhaps I shouldn’t have been so naïve about how long it would take to readjust my diet, insulin and blood sugar control (even after just 5 days away). I think the tightrope analogy works because adjusting from a minor blip (blood being 9.2mmol when you’re aiming for 7.5 say) is an easier adjustment than trying to correct yourself from a real wobble (e.g. 14mmol). You end up over or under-compensating and it takes a lot more resolve to stay balanced.
I’ve been a bit harsh on my diet as a result of that this week. I did some baking with my daughter last weekend, getting her to help make some wholemeal scones. We used a rabbit shaped cutter which kept her interested but now they have to be referred to as ‘bunny cakes’.
I treated myself to a couple of these after my stir fry the other night and ended up with the 14mmol reading I talked about above which shocked me quite a bit. As a result I’ve cut down on carbs more than I already had done. I still have my stir fry, but I’ll either have noodles with it or I’ll have a bunny-cake afterwards – not both.
I think part of that dietary strictness has evolved from last week’s lack of weight loss which disappointed me more than I probably let on. I’ve also been feeling ‘fat’ this week too (not helped by a 3 day weekend and a pie at football on Saturday) so I’ve really been trying to reign in unnecessary calories.
Moving away from the diabetes/diet and into the training, I had physio again on Tuesday and I’m happy to be able to report that it’s reasonably good news.
She was pleased that I’ve had no real discomfort in my foot for the last two and a bit weeks (save the time spent flying) and apparently the movement in the joint is better than it was when I first went back in August.
We then had a fairly frank chat about training and she’s advised me to up my swimming a bit for the next few weeks but then I should be OK to start some light run/walk training! This is obviously good news although I’m mindful of being in this position 12 months ago so I’ll definitely be taking it steady.
For those of you who haven’t done the London Marathon (and I’m not totally sure of my reader demographic yet so forgive me), what happens when you get a place is that they send you a magazine with lots of tips and advice, including example training plans based on your target.
The most basic one is “If your goal is just to get to the finish line”. To be honest, my immediate goal is just to get to the start line but in any case, that’s the plan I’m going for. Since the injury, I’ve revised my ambitions for the marathon quite a bit. I’d always wanted to beat my dad’s time and my sister’s time but I think that’s beyond me now. Getting round will be more than enough for me.
At any rate, the plan they give you is a 13 week training plan that you should have completed about 4 weeks before marathon day (April 22nd 2012). But that plan assumes you can do 30 minutes of easy running, with the odd walk break in there if you need it, and suggests a 4-8 week “base training” programme before you jump into the main plan. A quick bit of calendar-maths means that I’d need to start that 8 week base programme in 2 weeks time so the physio’s advice was welcomed with open arms.
So all in all, it’s looking cautiously positive. No more formal physio for the time being – just a call in a month to see how things are going.
I’ve talked a lot today so I’ll end it there I think. Thanks for sticking with it all the way to the end.
As always, if you want to get in touch for a chat about the themes of this blog or anything else, then you can always drop me a line on broomowl@gmail.com or find me on Twitter (@BroomOwl). Sadly I’m one of the ‘millions’ being affected by the BlackBerry problems (though I’m in the minority that aren’t claiming it to be life-threatening) so my online life is a bit limited at the moment so if you do get in touch, and I take a while to get back to you, I’m not ignoring you, I probably just haven’t got your message.
Thanks for reading
Andy
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