Above is what I looked like before my 9 mile run today fresh and good to go after two days rest, can't lie, was feeling quite tired, and two days rest was just what I needed, but no rest for the wicked and today it was time to get running again. Below is a picture of myself and my furry visitor who has been coming to my house for the last two years, he is a bit of a local tart and will visit anyone who lets him in,I feel sorry for whoever moves in this house after my sister and I move out, they will get quite a shock when he waltzes in like he owns the place! I am so not an animal person but as you can see he has won me over hook, like and sinker, the lovely thing about a visiting cat, is there is no litter tray, and I can kick him out whenever I want.
So as you can see I was ready and very able before the run, stepped out the house and it was pissing down with rain, no time to worry about it, just got my head down and got on with it, started off well, but by two miles in I had a wicked stitch that moved around for most of the run, which was very annoying, I have not been as plagued by stitches as I was last year, tried had to work through it, breathing it out, ignoring it, cussing and berating it, but it kept me company practically all the way. With 9 miles to run it was bearable, that's the nice thing about running so much and for so many miles there is a confidence even if things are not going 100 percent that I will and can finish.
Whilst running I was listening to Marathon Talk which is a marathon and running podcast and today was all about visualisation and techniques to help you as you run and they were like imagine your an animal like a gazelle or a cheetah, well in my mind all I could truly see was a sloth, oh well, never mind. Today the show was almost 2 hours long and was meant to keep us runners company on our long run, now my long runs are 4 hours plus, so the show only just kept me company for my 9 miler which was just over 2 hours, goes to show how slow I am. O.K positive thinking goes to show how fast some other people are, like the gazelles and cheetahs I was talking about.
Here is the link if your interested, it has been packed full of great tips and interviews, advice and motivation http://www.marathontalk.com/
AFTER
Here I am after the run, can't lie I was so glad to see the sofa, once I kicked the cat off, I was completely socked a mix of sweat and rain, not very attractive but that's running, you don't always look your best when your doing it but the benefits will show themselves in good time.
Slow and easy 6 miler on Saturday, and a another half marathon on Sunday, the Dorney lake pace your race, run, and that is it for the this week, then next week is the challenge the monster week, of 40 miles in total, two 5 milers a 10 miler and what will be my longest run to date this year a 20 miler. The other half will be accompanying me on the bike and is working out a route for us to take. In a perverse way I am looking forward to it, as once that is over I have done all my big training and will start to taper (for you non-runners, training mileage goes down to give the body a chance to rest before the race, so you arrive at the start line in peak condition).
I have been blessed because for all the drama, achilles problems, e.t.c, teaching, performing, holding down a relationship,spending time with friends and caring for my sister, her level of care has gone up recently, due to a number of different reasons, one of which is the house we live in becoming more and more unsuitable, the other day she fell as I was trying to get her from a chair into her wheelchair, the irony of the situation was we were getting ready to leave the house to view a property with disabled access meaning she'd be able to stay in her wheelchair all the time, eliminating the possibility of falling. I really think it's only the extra strength and muscle gained from the running that enabled me to get her up off the floor, I still don't know how I done it, to be honest. I have managed to keep to my training shedule, yes I have been obsessive, but it's worked for me and wherever and whenever I can fit a run in I do, and everyone knows thats my sacred time. I really don't know how people with kids and even busier lives cope, maybe that just shows how nutty we runners are!
Thats me for now, need to go to bed now, got a full days teaching tomorrow, 14/15 year old boy's, relationships, contraception e.t.c, so you know I need my beauty sleep.
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