Blenheim Palace Half Marathon

Since the Kent Marathon four weeks ago, my running has been ticking over, but I've been enjoying a bit of a rest to be honest, and not being "in training" but I still headed out this morning to take part in the inaugural Blenheim Palace Half Marathon - which is an fundraising event put on by the British Heart Foundation, which is the charity I'm raising money for through my running at the moment - any sponsorship would be very welcome, and you can donate directly the BHF via this link: www.justgiving.com/naomi-runs

We've been having the most ridiculously unseasonal hot weather recently, and Sunday was boiling hot with not a cloud in sight - the bright blue skies set off the Palace and the beautiful grounds to perfection, and the entire route of the race was gorgeous - picture postcard, England at it's best.

Unfortunately, running in that heat is not much fun, and the race itself was poorly organised (see my review below from the Runners World website) and I didn't enjoy it very much at all.  What added to my bad day was that my Garmin (fully charged up) suddenly gave up on me and would only show a blank screen while I was waiting for the race to start, and in a fit of annoyance and frustration at how incredibly unreliable it always is, I'm ashamed to say I threw it away! Doh!   

As always with my races, the first 6 miles were the worst...although this really felt like the hardest 6 miles I've run recently. It was a pretty undulating route, and without my watch I don't know what pace I was doing, but I think I probably went off too hard.  The heat was the killer though.  But, as always, I kept on going, and although at one point had to go and lean against a tree in a bit of shade until the pounding in my head had eased a bit, I managed a relatively respectable 2hrs 4 mins. 

My mum, brother and boyfriend all came to support me too, which was really lovely (and unusual) and after the race we went for a pub lunch and the memory of the misery of the run soon abated!

So, I'll go out for a couple of runs over the next few days, but am off on holiday this Friday - three weeks in Madagascar! I'm so excited about it!  I get back on 27th October, and then at the beginning of November I'm going to start training again - I had my rejection magazine from London, so the next marathon is Brighton in April, and then my 50 mile ultra in July! 

2011 BHF Blenheim Palace Half Marathon Overall score 40% Would you do it again? No Details: Scenery 100% PB potential 60% Atmosphere 40% Organisation 40% Value 40% Beginner-friendliness 60% In short: Disappointing. In full: The amazing location and beautiful scenery couldn't make up (for me) for the negative elements of this race. Being held for 20 minutes to start late in the blazing sun didn't help, and then around the course there was little atmosphere or support, very few marshals and pretty much all of them (except the lady at the lap 1/lap 2 split who I do remember) seemed disinterested/bored, and although it probably didn't annoy most people, not having mile markers (only km markers) really threw me. I don't think there was enough water for such an incredibly hot day. The end of the race seemed a bit shambolic, the goody bag pointless & the chocolate bar was a bad choice - needed some crisps/banana to replenish all those sweated out salt & minerals! The medal (and lanyard) are exactly the same as one I got for doing a BHF 10km earlier in the year. What a shame - this was my tenth half marathon, my family came to watch, and I was expecting it to be a fantastic day, unfortunately it really wasn't. Date of review: October 3, 2011

My most important race

Nearly two weeks ago, I ran the marathon that I've been building up to over the last few months and I've not told you about it yet, I'm clearly a bad blogger ;) It was the most fantastic race, the one that I think means the most to me out of all my races so far, and I've tried to write this blog post about it lots of times, but just couldn't find the words. But, I need to share with you what happened, and whether these are the right words or not, I need to start writing again.  So, I'm afraid this is a bit long and rambling, but bear with me!

There were two reasons why this was such a momentous race for me.  

Firstly, I didn't stop. 

I just kept on running.  

Now that may sound like common sense but in every marathon I've run, I have always got too tired or felt too much pain, and decided I had to stop to stretch, to get my breath back, or to walk for a bit. This time, that didn't happen. Admittedly I walked through a couple of the water stations which had cups (so I could get some fluid down my throat, not down my top!) but didn't go to all of them, and for the first time, I was really conscious of a physiological strength that I seemed to have found from somewhere that meant that even when it got hard, I kept on running. I did have one trick though, which I think helped - I used the counting to 300 method that I've read about a bit - apparently Paula Radcliffe does this, and it definitely helped to keep me focused up some of the hills and I'll keep trying it when things get hard in future races. But anyway, the not stopping was a big deal for me and as I passed other, obviously seasoned, marathon runners, and many guys, I really did feel like I deserved to be a part of this race. 

The second reason this was a momentous race for me, was my finish time, which is of course directly related to the not stopping.

I went into this race feeling very positive - I knew I had trained hard, that I hadn't been injured for ages, that I'd lost weight - and so I knew I should do well.  I ran my last marathon four months ago in 4hrs 47mins and I really believed that this time I would be able to finish in under four and a half hours.  I was really, really hopeful and knew I'd be incredibly happy with breaking that time.  So, I started the race with a plan - a pace plan - I knew how fast I wanted my average pace to be to make my time.  But I just felt much stronger and after the first half a mile or so just decided to go for it at a faster pace - to run how I felt comfortable.  I thought if I was flagging trying to keep to that pace later, I could readjust at half way - but I kept going and amazingly managed to maintain a really consistent pace throughout.  Although it turned pretty sunny towards the end (I finished with bad sunburn), and along last section of the course there wasn't really any local support, and hardly any runners, my nutrition worked (some lucozade sport over the first 13 miles, and then a cereal bar at 17 miles), my legs worked, but most of all, my mind kept me going and I amazingly finished in the grand time of...wait for it, drum roll please.... 

4 hours 9 minutes and 12 seconds.

This is a massive 38 minutes faster than my last PB!! I can't explain just quite how elated I was, and still am, at running that time!! Finishing in 4hrs 9mins turns me into someone I never dreamed I could be - a sub 4 hour marathon runner. That goal is now realistic and at my next marathon in April, that's what I'm going to aim for.  Sub 4.  I can't believe that's even a possibility, but it really is.

Now, I know that thousands of people run sub 4hrs, and to be considered a decent marathon runner by many runners, I'd have to break the Boston qualifying time (for 2012, for a women of my age, that's 3hrs 40mins) but for me, sub 4hrs is just fantastic.  My previous marathon times are below, and they were all really hard work, which maybe helps show why this is such a big deal for me..... 

2008: 5:00:12

2010: 5:41:46

2011: 4:55:17

2011: 4:47:55

  

So, that's my marathon report.  I know it's not a usual one in that the organisation, location, course and crowds haven't really been talked about, so I should just add that I am tremendously grateful to the Thanet RoadRunners and the fantastic marshals for putting on a race that obviously really suited me and that I hugely enjoyed.  I will definitely be back next year to try it again. I was very lucky too that I was able to drive home straight after the race, and although I had some mild aches and pains the next day, it wasn't anything that noticeable, and I was fine by Wednesday when I went for another run - I'm sure that not having any injury or particular pain (other than the obligatory loss of a toenail) has helped make me feel even more positive about the whole experience!!

Anyway, I'm back into the training now, and getting ready for my next race: the Blenheim Park Half Marathon at the beginning of October.  It's a fundraiser for the British Heart Foundation, so hopefully I'll be able to break my 2hrs target that I still have for the half, and raise a couple of hundred quid at the same time.

I really do love running.  A marathon course is definitely where I belong.

The big race is in just 10 days

So, on Sunday 4th September, I'm running the Kent Coastal Marathon which is organised by the Thanet Road Runners. It'll be my 5th marathon (my 3rd 26.2 this year) and I'm really excited about it!  I think I am better trained for this one than I've been for the others, I'm lighter than I've been for years, and am really looking forward to seeing how I do, and how differently I perform having trained more than in the past.  I'm in the middle of my taper now, but not taking that as an excuse to slack off which I have done in the past. 

We're going on a mini-holiday tomorrow, to visit family, with a couple of days in Liverpool and then three days in beautiful Whitby, in Yorkshire.  I'll run 6 miles tomorrow morning before we leave, and then, for the first time ever on a holiday, I'm going to take my trainers with me...I want to get a 10 miler in on Sunday!  I'm looking forward to that - we'll be in Whitby on Sunday, so am planning to find myself a lovely coastal route for my run which will be part training, part exploring.  Just hope the people we're staying with don't mind me disappearing for a few hours!

The only thing that's really worrying me about the race though is my footwear and my feet.  I'm really not happy with my trainers and haven't been since I bought them - I carried on wearing my old ones for ages until they fell apart, and then foolishly just put up with the new ones not being that comfortable. I'd planned to buy some replacements, and specifically wanted to get a different pair in time to break them in before this marathon, but typically haven't managed it yet.

After last night's run though I've had some very strange pain under my big toe joint and really don't think I can put off getting some new trainers that fit me better although after reading this interesting article, about this type of pain in the big toe, which actually seems to be in my sesamoid bones shown in the picture, I think this particuarly problem might be to do with having worn 3 inch heels all day for the first time in ages earlier this week!  Anyway, I have 30 miles left to run before next Sunday, and although that's not ideal, it's just about time to get new shoes ready for the marathon and will hopefully be a psychological boost too, as I'll stop worrying about them.

So, my lunch break from work today will be trainer shopping :D Here's hoping I can find my perfect shoe that will help me run a PB race!

I'm a 10%'er

I started Weight Watchers 10 weeks ago (have a look here for my first post about it) on their ProPoints plan.  I promised I wouldn't make this a weight-loss blog, and I haven't...in fact, I think I've barely mentioned Weight Watchers since then.  However, indulge me today, because I'm very, very pleased with my progress after today's weigh-in.

Today, I reached my first major milestone.
I've lost 18lbs which equates to just over 10% of my starting bodyweight! 

I'm absolutely over the moon - despite all my years of relentless yo-yo dieting, and more recently, my marathon training, I have never been on such a successful plan that has worked for me so well.  I haven't felt deprived or hungry, I've eaten pretty much the food I want (although have made alcohol for special occasions only...it really is empty calories) and have just made intelligent choices, completely re-evaluated the amount I eat, and changed my portion sizes - it sounds horribly clichéd, but it's not about being on a diet, it's about changing my whole attitude and approach to food.  I've had a few bad days and blow outs, have eaten chocolate, birthday cake and doughnuts, and haven't stopped eating out in restaurants, but the way the programme is devised, that doesn't screw it up, and it's easy to make it all part of the week's food points - it's all about balance!

With all the running I do (over 70 miles over the last fortnight) it is so easy for me to overindulge, which is what I've always done in the past - taken the exercise as an excuse to eat what I want and to eat far too much of it.  With the Weight Watchers plan, you can personalise it so much that I have been able to eat exactly the right amount of food to keep me losing weight, but still able to fuel myself and feel satisfied.   I can't believe it's working so well! :D

Anyway, enough of my gushing...my next big milestone will be losing 25lbs, and after that, it will be reaching my goal weight!  Not sure how long it's going to take me,  but after being on the plan for 10 weeks, I know that I have the commitment and the tools to achieve this, and I know it's going to work.  I have never felt like this before, and it's absolutely amazing.  The only downside though is that practically none of my clothes fit anymore and I'm going to have to go shopping, and contrary to the norm...I'm one girl who hates shopping unless it's for trainers and lycra!

I may be socially inept but I still want to belong...

A couple of weeks ago I posted about my first visit to, and run with, my local running club, the Billericay Striders.  I said how wonderful it all was, and how I was definitely going to return, and I wanted to join the club.  It's three weeks later now, and I haven't been back.

I get home from work too late to ever be able to go out with them on a weekday training run, and it seems that I am too lazy to get up early enough to go out on a Sunday morning...although I know in my heart that this is not the real problem.  The real issue is that although I really enjoyed my run with the Striders, and the other members were really very welcoming, the prospect of going back and having to make small-talk with people I don't really know does fill me with dread.  I know it's the only way to make friends, you know, talking to people, but as bizarre as it may sound to a more sociable person, for me it is very stressful and I always find it difficult - I frequently avoid situations where I have to talk to "new people", in fact whenever I can think up an excuse!

So, I have ruled out going back to the Striders.  After 3 weeks, it has become too much of a big deal in my head, and as much as I want to, I know myself well enough to know that I'm not ready to go to a "real " running club on a regular basis...at least this year....

However, my Purple Patch membership has now expired, and I don't want to renew with them as I don't feel I've really had much benefit from being a member - there wasn't really any contact from them, and most of the races they put on are on the other side of the country.  So, I started doing a lot of research online about other virtual clubs, and what other options I had as someone who didn't necessarily want to regularly run with a group, but did want to belong to a club, so I could remain affiliated, and also have a sense of camaraderie with other runners at races. I still want to be part of a group, even if I can't quite be an active member.  In the end, I came up with joining the Sepentine Running Club who are based in central London.

Serpentine is a massive club, with over 2,000 members.  Although they started as a running club, they now cater for triathletes too, and have many different training sessions across the disciplines.  I always see members from Serpentine at the races I do (never saw another Purple Patch member from one month to the next) which would definitely make me feel more connected, and might even help me talk to other people at events.  Another bonus was that they have midweek runs twenty minutes away from my office, and particularly important for me, they have a fantastic internet presence, with a comprehensive website, online groups (which is a form of communication I can manage) and lots of email contact.  They also offer extras like discounts at London sports shops... they seem to be able to offer me much more than Purple Patch did, or Billericay Striders could, and I have the added option of going running with them after work or at weekends, if I ever decide I'm ready for it.

So, I've now joined them, and just waiting for my membership pack which will be arriving this week.  The next step will then be going along to one of their after work meets, just to pick up my kit, which I'll manage without worrying about it too much - I have a reason for being there, something specific to talk about, easy!  There's no pressure to go back, but I will be a bona fide member, so if I ever feel like it, I can go and run with them...one day...hopefully....maybe!