Marathon Pip

Running 26.2 miles for The Benevolant

[marathonpip]

Marathonly Speaking - Part 2

In true Hollywood style - if there is a part one; then there must be a part two.

At the risk of being all emotional and giving an Oscar speech to go with the sequel, I just wanted to summarise what I have learnt in the past four months.

So, in a somewhat dwindling order of importance.

1. The people you meet training for a Marathon will be the most valuable support crew ever.

The four musketeers; the Famous Five; the VLM girls. I spent the past sixteen weeks running with a group of people who witnessed my highs and lows; my jubilation; tears (and toilet breaks). Together we chatted our way up hills; cried our way around the countryside and were each other’s sounding boards; cheerleaders and coaches. On the day itself we didn’t actually run together all the time; but knowing they were there was hugely valuable to me. They taught me a lot about all sorts of things and I hope our friendship continues; even without long Sunday runs.

Which leads me on to...

2. You will learn an awful lot about yourself.

My stats for this year show that I have run over 300 miles and spent nearly 59 hours running. I would never have believed I could have done that only a few years ago. I would never have believed I could run for six hours only a few months ago. I am not a quitter; I have grit and determination..... and a really bad sense of humour.

3. Listen to advice but decide what works for you.

I once compared Marathon training to being pregnant. I hold to that when it comes to advice. People will offer you advice; lots of it. Some of these people have run marathons. Some haven’t. Some haven’t even run at all. They will all have their opinions as to what works; doesn’t work and what should and shouldn’t be done. The difficulty is sifting through this advice and picking and choosing what works for you. It is only after a few weeks of training that you start to get a feel for what you need ... and what you don’t!

4. On the other hand do stick to the old adage - nothing new on race day.

As per an old post this includes training races. Maybe try news gels whilst jogging in a circle around your toilet - that might be the safest bet!

5. Break your shoes in.

Never ever go for a long run in a new pair of shoes. Wear them around the house first; wear them to ParkRun; wear them for a short hop. When you finally wear them for a long run; take blister plasters just in case.

6. Shopping List

It is easy to be seduced into thinking you need loads of new kit; you don’t. However the things in my arsenal were...

- Body Glide/Vaseline - lubrication is your best friend.

-Running Socks - the best you can afford. Yes they will be about £15 a pair. No the 5 for £5 deal will no longer work! Trust me; your feet will thank you.

- Blister plasters. Enough said.

-Sports tape. When things started to twinge it got taped. Simple. It might have been in my head but it still made a difference.

- Good quality shoes; running bra; and wicking clothes. I ran in the same outfit for nearly 4 months. It lasted through a lot of miles and a lot of weather and a lot of washes. Overall it works out at less then 20p a mile and it still has more distance in it. No, not all of it was expensive branded clothing; however it was proper running kit and not generic sportswear.

- Foam/Muscle roller - I bought mine at TK Max but used it after every long run. It now lives beside our sofa for any aching limbs in the family.

-Epsom Salts - heavenly for a bath if the muscles are aching.

And that’s it....

I wish I could give more words of wisdom; more tips and tricks and sage advice, but I can’t and I won’t. What works for one doesn’t work for another and my essential needs could be someone else’s downfall.

So that is it. Farewell from Marathon Pip with the Purple Hair for the moment. I will be back; but it will be over shorter distances and lower intensity.

If you get the chance to run a Marathon - go for it! No it won’t be easy (as the past posts will tell) but it will make a huge difference to you and others in ways you could never dream.

X

[marathonpip]

Marathonly Speaking - Part 1

So, it has been a week. This time 7 days ago I was more or less crossing the finish line (please excuse the vagueness; it is all a blur) after 6 hours, 5 minutes and four seconds of running. A little less if you take off 10 minutes of loo stops and stopping to hug family and friends actually.

But it has taken me a week to come to terms with it all. A week in which I have vascillated between champion highs and tear filled lows. Marathon life has been so key to the past four months; the planning, the preparation, the anticipation; the event - that it seems odd it is now over. It has ruled my life for 16 weeks and now it is no more.

It has taken me this amount of time to process it all; to look beyond the immediate concerns of sore legs and feet; a stomach swollen and upset on water and gel and exhaustion that overtakes rational thinking - oh and purple hair!

Everywhere there were messages about the temperature - how this was the hottest London Marathon on record and it was true. The heat was deadening; especially when amplified by the concrete and buildings, radiated by the crowds and it affected my winter trained body in different ways. I drunk more water then I thought possible; found myself sweltering in the heat; having trained in rain, wind and snow and forced me to keep my pace slow.

Nothing can prepare you for the sheer amount of people either. You spend your entire run surrounded with other competitors and they have an effect on your pace if you wish it or not; stopping to walk when you have found a stride; zipping over to friends and family when you have fixed your sights on something else. And then the crowd; cheering; shouting, high fives, food and music all on offer. They are utterly amazing and claustrophobic at the same time.

And finally there is the distance. 26.2 miles is far; really far and it is only when you realise you have been running longer and further then ever before that it hits. When my GPS watch ran out of battery having been tracking working for 6 hours; when my feet had swollen into my shoes - that’s when I realised it was far.

And I raised a kick-arse amount of money for The Benevolent when all is said and done.

But I did it!

And time and effort and toenails and hair colour aside...I achieved what I set out to do.

Run a Marathon and raise money for a charity I really care about! Job done.

[marathonpip]

Marathon Morning

It is a little afte 5 am and a fitful nights sleep and a small thunderstorm race day is here! It seems so surreal to think that in less then 5 hours I will be at the start line of one of the biggest marathons in the world!

The bag is more or less packed, the kit is laid out and the breakfast of champions is being eaten!

I am a whisper away from 2k of my fundraising and there is still time. Please sponsor me as every way penny goes to The Benevolent and the amazing work it is doing! Http://virginmoneygiving.com/MarathonPip

See you on the other side xx

[marathonpip]

Nervous Excited ...Nervous Excited...

Less then 24 hours to go. This time tomorrow, I seriously hope I am at least nearing mile 20 if not further.

It is has been one hell of a journey and I have raised nearly £2,000 for The Benevolent.

This is my race number - please watch me and cheer me on.

[marathonpip]

Tapering and Joggling

So this is it - the countdown is officially underway.  T minus 3 days and counting and it is all seeming a bit unreal at the moment.  I have over £1500 of donations - thank you lovely people for sponsoring me but there is still time if you haven’t already.  

Please click here to donate and make a real difference to people who have spent their whole lives working in the drinks industry and now are in need of help; be it financial, social or emotional.

You can track my progress throughout the day - just download the handy London Marathon App and you can track me through the day. 

So now all that remains is a gentle bit of jogging - or joggling as my husband calls it; a gentle ambling pace for a couple of mile with time to stop and smell the grass growing; remind the body it has legs attached. And then rest and carb load and wait and pray (oh and dye my hair purple and pick up my race number!) but more of that later....

Peace, love and miles of smiles to you all x

[marathonpip]

It Rained and it Rained...

It was the penultimate training run of the season; the last for some of my friends who are taking on the Brighton marathon a week before London. This was it; should be easy; happy - a simple 14 miles to cover as the running distances wind down in what is known as tapering.

The first sign that all was not going to plan was waking up to the sound of rain pattering outside the window. Now I don’t mind it starting to rain whilst I a running; it can be quite refreshing; but it does reek of martyrdom when you voluntarily MAKE yourself go outside in the rain and run.

I did think I had got the weather report wrong when a whole bunch of my runnnning buddies turned up in capri tights and running shorts; where there I was still sporting the same boring running gear I have now been wearing for over 3 months; the only concession being a lighter base layer. Apparently I didn’t get the memo - two weeks time is going to be HOT - 20C type hot; which is slightly daunting as most of our training runs have been in temperatures of around 5C or cooler - heck for a couple of them it has been snowing.

But now that winter has finally given up; it seems that Spring is determined to start; so first rain - lots and then heat.

So off we started; a ten mile run with a four mile extra loop for those of us not quite tapering as much. All went well; until the first water stop when I felt a pain on the side of my left foot. Thankfully I had packed Comped plaster at the last minute; stuck a load on the side of my foot and carried on. It would seem that my new insoles have decided to give start rubbing ; so whilst my knee doesn’t hurt quite so much; my insole is once again cut to shreds.

There was a feeling that today wasn’t about pushing it. We have nothing to prove anymore; nothing more to gain by pushing ourselves further; so we walked up hills and paced ourselves down the paths; all the while the rain relentless; dripping off our faces. The only trouble is that you go to wipe it off and realise it has mixed with sweat and is all salty - yuck!

As I am now sporting a collection of blisters; missing toenails and dodgy knees I didn’t push myself today and found that a run/walk pace meant I covered the mile without feeling dead by the end.

Another 13 miles in the bag - marathon training no. 16 completed - this time in 2 weeks it will all be over!

I am running the London Marathon for The Benevolent-the Drinks Trade Charity. This is a huge undertaking that has seen me run more then 250 miles in training since the start of the year!

I have also got blisters on both feet, lost two toenails and have a dodgy knee - but hey!

Please support me by sponsoring me at http://virginmoneygiving.com/MarathonPip

[marathonpip]

It’s Getting Real!

The promised email came through on Thursday.  Registration form and final instructions and most importantly my race number!  This is it; I am a registered bona fide London Marathon Participant.  No longer am I Pip Mortimer instead I am 54**6  (sorry not going to be giving that out on social media just yet!)

This arrival triggered a massive range of emotions as reality decided to check it.  The only thing I can compare it to is giving birth - everything that you have worked and waited for is finally going to happen (and yes it is going to hurt before you reach the conclusion).  Therefore there was elation that the moment was approaching; fear at the thought that all the training was finally going to result in something; sheer terror that I have to run 26.2 miles - training or not!

But the positives continued to flood in - my fund raising has finally crossed the £1000 mark (including Gift Aid) and I have started to sort out my knee problems with the aid of a fairly aggressive pair of insoles that are pushing my feet outwards and hopefully not letting my knee collapse in.

As we hit the Easter Weekend I decided not to join the long run on Sunday and instead did the same as last week by running ParkRun and then running on home - a distance of 9 miles in total.  The amazing thing was that no one questioned if I could do it; no one seemed surprised or questioned the distance.  

Maybe, just maybe I am ready - as long as I can avoid eating my own body weight in chocolate this Easter.

[marathonpip]

Tired after 21

So yesterday was a milestone for me. I ran twenty-one miles; the furthest I have ever moved on my own two feet at any one time.

This was a local race aimed at the spring marathon crowd and the entrants took over the small sleepy village of Cranleigh early in the morning (even earlier considering the clocks has gone forward).

There is always a difference between a locally organised race and the large professional outings. This fell into the former; so between mile markers and water stops it was like going for a run in the country - with 600 other people!

The first loop was 10 miles and easily achievable; with a small amount of prudence by walking up any really steep hills. My knee starting nagging at 10 miles and by 15 was sore. It took serious effort of will to run past the optional finish at 15 and continue for a further 10K.

The one amazingly crazy thing that happens in most of the races I do is that you end up bonding with people you are running with; often for only a few minutes or miles, but the companionship shown is enough to lift you when the road seems endless and your legs just want to disintegrate under you. As a results I ended up running for 3 miles with two lovely people whose cheery encouragement help me dig deep and push on. I doubt I will ever see them again; but for half an hour they were my favourite friends.

And so 4 hours after I started; with my knee screaming and my calves seizing I crossed the finish line - and even got a medal for my efforts. The adrenaline had me laughing and crying at the same time and my legs felt as if they could barely support me weight.

Four hours of intense exercise on a Stomach filled with gels, jelly babies and water left me feeling sick and I hobbled the quarter of a mile back to the car.

But this it IT. This is the longest pre marathon training run I am doing. Now I start a subtle wind down; reducing the miles to a manageable 10 before the big day. And having 21 under my belt; I am sure I can succeed with 26; even if I have to crawl the last few miles.

I am running the London Marathon on behalf of The Benevolent- The Drinks Trade Charity. Please support me in this venture by sponsoring me by visiting www.virginmoneygiving.com/MarathonPip .

[marathonpip]

Painful Patella

Well, after another week of not running and sitting around with ice on my knee (cold and somewhat boring), I finally found a reason for my reoccurring knee pain. A lengthy consultation and a series of exercises gave me a diagnosis of patella tracking issues.

I know that this sounds like it should be some spicer version of a Spanish dish; but apparently it is the kneecap not tracking (or keeping to the groove of) the knee behind. It is not a constant pain; but a repetitive motion over a lot of miles cause inflammation. Stop for a drink and a breather and the whole lot swells - bingo - the pain of last week.

So what is the cure? Will I even make it to the start line of the Virgin London Marathon? If I do will I make it to the finish line?

Well as in many cases it is down to poor body mechanics. As a society we are so use to treating our ailments in isolation; that it is easy to forget that everything is connected and one part of your body having a weakness can impact everything else. In my case short weak hip flexors mean my knee is having to work twice as hard as it is not getting the support from other muscles.

So what is the solution? Well a series of exercises to try and strengthen, orthopaedics in my shoes to try and stop my exceedingly flat feet collapsing in with each stride; temporarily reduce the mileage....run on softer surfaces...Is this what I want to be hearing with T minus 5 weeks?

So much as I didn’t want to; prudence was decided on and the 18 mile Sunday run was not a goer. Instead, I made a plan to run from my house to my local ParkRun which had temporarily moved its location from the park a couple of miles down the road to its winter location about 6 miles away. However the ‘Beast from the East’ blew in overnight and at 7 AM the thought of getting up and running for an hour to the run was not appealing.

Instead I caught a lift, ran the course and then with the fine sleet turning to snow I headed for home. Mindful of the advice that running on hard surfaces was not the best I decided to take a shortcut through a field - realising as I was about halfway across that it was rather slushy and whilst I might not hurt my knee; I was in serious danger of twisting an ankle instead.

By the time I reached six miles my knee decided to make itself known; the snow was coming down think and fast and I was getting very cold.

Nearly nine miles later I stumbled home very cold and tired.

Please make this madness worthwhile. I am running the London Marathon for The Benevolent and hoping to raise £5000 for people who have worked in the UK Drinks Trade and are now in difficulty - financial, physical, emotional, social. I still have a way to go, so please every pound helps!

To sponsor me please click HERE to go to my fundraising page

[marathonpip]

Knees up Mother Brown Long Run number 11 and I was determined that this would be good - despite 16 miles and some SERIOUS hills. Started at a good pace, made sure I didn’t push myself too much and then...11 miles in - with less then 10k to the finish; my knee locked up. The first thought is that I was being silly; it was just a twinge , I could run through it. But a mile more and it was really painful; my running style changing to a bit of a Quasimodo limp. The final approach back into town was running down the hill into town; a path that is normally great fun. It was too painful and so just shy of 14 miles and 2 miles from the end I bailed. A week of rest and ice will hopefully see me back next week. In the meantime - Happy Mothers Day. I am running the London Marathon for The Benevolent-The Drinks Trade Charity. They support anyone in need who has worked in the drinks trade. Please support me. Virginmoneygiving.com/MarathonPip

[marathonpip]

Walking on Water - It all comes crashing down!! I experienced something new on last week’s run. Hitting the wall and hitting it hard and painfully. After the difficulties I experienced in the Brighton half, I wasn’t looking forward to the 15 miles of Sunday, but somehow my head decided that my legs couldn’t do it. 5 miles in I started to be convinced I couldn’t do it; 7 miles in my ham string started hurting and 8 miles in I doubled over and sobbed my heart out; convinced that I couldn’t run a single step ever again! But determination, sheer stubbornness and the power of friendship convinced me to keep going; running and walking alternately to cover the remaining miles; supported by my friends. The mental part of running a marathon is as hard as the pain of physical training. So far; in the 9 weeks of this new year I have covered over 180 miles of training; spent 35 hours running (yes a solid day and a half of running!) and am already on my second pair of trainers. To say it has all become something of a chore is a bit of an understatement. But now there are 43 days to go - another 120 miles of training and then the race itself. Please support me as I run the London Marathon for The Benevolent. This is my first Marathon and I wish to raise £5000. Please sponsor me at my Virgin Money Giving Page - Marathon Pip.

[marathonpip]

Hard Half

Today was literally a ‘halfway’ point - two months to go until D-Day and what better way to celebrate then by running a half marathon? The chosen course was to revisit Brighton which I had run for the first time the year before.

It was a day of beautiful sunshine and freezing temperatures - huge kudos to those running in shorts and vests; for 6 of the 13 miles were straight into the wind. This did mean another 7 were quite warm and sheltered however; so it did call for hat on, hat off, type moments.

I approached the day with very few nerves; after all 13.5 is nothing compared to 18 miles last week. Unfortunately as we all know assumption is the mother of all f ups and this was in the queue.

Firstly; after the leg bending effort of last week I was determined to try some fuel and a session at a local running shop gave me a smorgasbord to try. Now the advice is to not try anything new on race day - which I don’t plan to; totally forgetting that it was a race day today. Okay not THE race day; but a medal winning, 10,000 runner race all the same. And one of the gels did not agree with me - at all - and there was a distinct lack of portaloos. Thankfully I did not recreate Paula Radcliffe seminal loo stop; however it didn’t make for a comfortable last three miles.

Secondly; I dismissed this as a race based on distance; forgetting about the pure logistics of running a massive race; compared to running out with a small group on a Sunday morning. There are the thousands of other people; filling the road - some running much better then you; some the same; some struggling - but off them contributing to how and where you run. The road is not yours during a large race and several times I had to do interesting footwork to avoid kerbs, cambers; cat eyes and other obstacles in the way.

But it is worth it now - another medal for the board and another run ticked off as we creep every closer to the end of April.

I am running the London Marathon for The Benevolent - The Drinks Trade Charity. Please sponsor me and help raise £5000 for this amazing charity that helps people working in the drinks trade who have fallen on hard times.

[marathonpip]

18 miles and counting

I have now run further than I have run in my entire life! 

The Musketeers were depleted in their number as injury and half marathons reduced our numbers to two, but we started out determined.

Unfortunately the weather was not as glorious as it was on Saturday, but still mild enough to shed the customary hat, gloves and layers that have been obligatory so far.

So we started running and running and more running.  Up hills, down hills; past pubs and along roads with the usual stops for refuel and water along the way.  The route took us through some glorious Surrey and Sussex countryside and down some rather busy byways.

It was a gruelling run that demanded and pushed both to and past comfortable limits.  Tempers were pushed and we ended up growling at cars and cursing the hills that hurt our legs.

By the end, it was a run - walk - run - walk accompanied by a medley of songs to raise our flagging spirits.

And finally, three hours and forty minutes after we started we stumbled to the finish line.  

With huge thanks to my lovely running buddy Meg for her encouragement (and singing).  One more step along the road we go....!

[marathonpip]

On top of the world, looking down on creation......

Another Sunday and another run.  Thankfully the weather improved from the wind and rain that lashed the windows on Saturday and instead the sun shone; the flowers had started to bloom and it could even be called warm...

Over 16 miles this week and my knee was not happy, probably because my new pair of shoes had given me a massive blister.

However; what got me through was the band of merry women that I am running with.  We are now 7 weeks into our training and we have shared the miles, the moans, the high hills and the lows as we have run around the highways and byways of Sussex.

Which made me think of changing the lyrics to a song - (with apologies to The Carpenters...)

I am at the top of the hill

Lookin’, down on creation

And the only explanation I can find

Are the friends that I’ve found

Every since I’ve run around

Your help has put me at the top of the hill!

I am running the 2018 London Marathon for The Benevolent  This is my first 26.2 mile race and I am aiming to raise £5,000.  Please support me http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/MarathonPip

[marathonpip]

No Pain, No Gain

It has been over two weeks since I last posted about my running exploits and things are beginning to hurt.  Not that they haven’t already been aching, but this is long-term; in for the distance.  The long run mileage is increasing with 12 hilly miles; followed by 14.5 - we are now in serious marathon training country - distance is all.

Because I am putting so much stress on my body and it is taking such a pounding of miles on the tarmac; prevention and maintenance are essential. I am currently getting through what seems like miles of sports tape; strapping up my knee and ankles to provide support during the hours of running and not exacerbate old injuries. 

When I get home on a Sunday; despite the desire to flop down and sleep; I do a series of stretches to try and keep the muscles from cramping; before attacking them with the ‘torture tool’ (as my son calls it).  This contraption resembles a rolling pin with three spikey balls in the middle and when rolled over the glutes; IT bands and calves it loosens the tight muscles and promotes healing.  It also makes me wince, shout and use some very colourful language.   

To add to the pain; the next step is to stand in the bath and pour alternating cold and warm water over my legs to try and stop any niggling injuries before a soak in a bath with epsom salts.  

Once a month I am going for an MOT massage at my friendly osteopath which just keeps everything well oiled and moving - but again is not the most comfortable of events; less lotus flowers and calming music and more squealing as a tender spot is hit.

But when it all seems impossible.  When them miles seem unachievable I have to remind myself why I am doing.  I am running 26.2 miles for The Benevolent  This charity supports anyone who works or has worked in the UK Drinks Trade and needs help - be it physical, social, mental or economic.  

I wish to raise £5000 by running the London Marathon on April 22nd, 2018.  I have never run a marathon before so this is a huge challenge for me.  Please support my efforts and the wonderful work this charity does by making a donation - please click here

[marathonpip]

It’s Snow Joke

Another Sunday and another long run.  I felt more prepared this week; sorted the distance out; was trying a new nutrition plan (okay consuming jelly babies at regular intervals) and had been pounded into submission by my friendly Osteopath so was raring to go.

And then the weather took a turn....

Last week it was actually warm; the sun was shining, the birds were singing and you could almost believe that Spring was just around the corner.  Such a contrast to this week with its leaden skies and icy rain pouring down.

However, that didn’t stop the intrepid Marathon Training Team from Horsham Joggers.  It was a fourteen-mile route (well just under but so hilly that it apparently gave the same workout).  Six miles in and we climbed up the rolling hills of the Weald and the rain turned to snow, cold and wet as it fell; freezing fingers and numbing toes.

The only reassurance we could give ourselves as we ran through the inclement weather was that the chance of it snowing on the 22nd April in London are hopefully fairly slim....!

I am running the 2018 London Marathon for The Benevolent  This is my first 26.2 mile race and I am aiming to raise £5,000.  Please support me http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/MarathonPip

[marathonpip]

So Selfish....?

“Training for a Marathon is so selfish,” was the comment bandied around at the end of our 13 mile ‘long run’ on Sunday.  There were six of us left, collapsed on the edge of the pavement outside the leisure centre, aching limbs and sweaty faces on all of us.  

Naturally, I felt myself quiver with a shot of anger - selfish, how could this be selfish?  I had just run (okay run and walked a bit) for 13 miles; training for the London Marathon to fundraise for The Benevolent.  This wasn’t selfish, this was so altruistic that I should be put forward for a medal.

But as I calmed down; as my aching limbs revived and my head cleared, I could see the point of the comment.  It is true; there is no room to do this half-heartedly.  Running a marathon requires time and dedication - hours of it.  Apart from the sheer time spent running several days a week, there is also the physical and mental recovery; the hours spent having limbs massaged back into action; the afternoons that are given over to ‘recovering’ (and not doing anything else at home) - yes the training is selfish.

So, although I am running this marathon for a good cause - a shout out also needs to go out to all the people who are affected by this selfish form of altruism. My family; who I abandon three or four times a week; the support crew at Horsham Joggers who give up their time to plan the routes and meet us with snacks and drinks during and after the run and to the more established joggers who pace us round; offering advice and words of encouragement.  To my wider family and friends who have basically been told that there is no chance of meeting up in the near future at the weekends (unless they wish to jog alongside me).

So here is a shout out to selfishness and the selfish support crew.  Please make their sacrifice (and mine) worthwhile.

I am running the London Marathon for The Benevolent.  This is 26.2 miles and I wish to raise £5,000.  Please sponsor me at  http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/MarathonPip