We ran around the lake again

Amazingly, we've now completed seven marathons in seven days. Just incredible!

Yesterday, day 6, I had a truly fantastic run - I felt great, didn't have any pain, and I was in a great mood. A totally different experience to the miserable day before, and I finished the marathon in 4:17 - a time that I would never have even considered achieving before starting the 10in10. I was over the moon when I crossed the line and rambled on at length for Martin and his camera - I don't think I came across as the sanest person around ;) But I loved it, and will remember that run.

Today was a bit of a different matter. The seventh marathon of the 10in10, and my 30th marathon in total, and we were blessed with gorgeous sunny weather. Wouldn't want to complain about the weather all the time (I know it might come across that way)...but it might have been a bit too warm! 

I was having another great run though, and got to the half way point faster than the day before, but from about 18 miles it all started to go wrong and I developed crazy amounts of pain in my ankle. One of the physios out on the course iced it for me briefly at about 21 miles, and I went on. I was thinking about the other 10in10 runners who were also out on the course, some of them with much worse injuries than me, and how they were still going and took them as my inspiration, and got the job done in 4.30

I'm just back from physio now and have had a rather striking bit of taping done on my ankle which will hopefully help overnight, and I'll get it taped again in the morning, when we will all take on number eight!! 

An emotional day

Today was really odd. I felt quite a lot of pain this morning in the dodgy knee, but after a bit of stretching and walking about, it soon loosened off. Went down to see the physios and got a great taping job done, and was in a pretty good state of mind to have a decent run.

Once 10am came though, I started feeling a bit weird and didn't really want to chat to anyone. By the time I got to the start line, I didn't really want to run anywhere either. But what other option is there...

Anyway, I started, and my legs hurt and I was tired and grouchy. The painkillers I'd taken didn't seem to make any difference and I didn't seem to be warming up. I got to the water station at 2.5 miles, and still felt rubbish...but what you can do...you've just got to get on with it. I still didn't really want to talk to anyone though :( On I went, and soon the painkillers kicked in...and what a difference it made. Although I wasn't entirely pain free, to be able to run relatively freely was such a welcome change. The weather was lovely too! Neither though improved my mood, and by about 6.5 miles I was running along in tears! Why???? No idea...but I was overcome with emotion about who knows what and spent the rest of the day trying to control myself and just get the job done.

I carried on, still feeling pretty strong, and once I realised that I might be on for a sub 4:30 I decided that was going to be the aim of the day. I managed to finish in 4:27 which is my fastest Windermere marathon, but couldn't even look at anyone when I crossed the line.

Aly, who is so wonderfully intuitive, and knew I'd been having a tough day, steered me away from everyone and got me inside, before I took myself off to another room and burst into tears again! But by now it was all over, and soon enough, with a bit of support, I was ok again and was able to carry on the rest of the day quite normally.

I have to send my apologies to all of the awesome people out on the course today who I barely acknowledged as they tried to cheer me on...I just couldn't deal with any of it, although I kept thinking about how much I'd needed the support on previous day. But now I'm just hoping for a much better day tomorrow...you never know, the sun may shine, my legs might work and I might just be in a good mood too! Here's hoping for a great marathon number six!! 

Oh and if you'd like to help make it an even better day, please do sponsor me at www.justgiving.com/naomi-runs-10in10

What a difference a day makes

For our fourth lap of the lake, we finally had some good weather!! What an absolute godsend it was…it made an world of difference to today’s marathon for me. Although the wind was cold and strong, for the majority of the time I was running, there were patches of blue skies and, unbelievably, sunshine. The feeling of the sun on my skin was wonderful after those long days of rain and made me smile lots of times today! I was so grateful!

As well as the weather, there was great support out on the course again, and it’s amazing just how much the sight of a vehicle surrounded by people in high-vis jackets can cheer you up! I was also incredibly pleased that as I ran up ice-cream mountain for the very first time instead of walking it, the support bus passed me…with Jim leaning out the window cheering me on.That was great timing guys :D

Before we started the run this morning, I was nabbed by Martin for a quick interview about how it was all going…which wasn’t as awful as I expected but is still something I dread. He’s also progressed from just having his camera on the tripod and we now have bike-cam too where he rides alongside for a bit, filming up as we run. When I saw him today on the bike, it was actually really nice to have a bit of company! I’m still too embarrassed to watch any the footage that’s gone up online, but I’m sure that once all this is over I will do…as Aly said today, I’m going to really miss Brathay and the 10in10 and will want to relive it – I totally agree!!

But, I’m getting ahead of myself…we’re not even half way through yet so back to today, the 4th marathon.  I was in a much better place in my mind today than yesterday despite having quite significant pain in my right knee from pretty much half a mile in until the end, by which time it was major pain in my knee, spreading all the way up my thigh, meeting the pain that was spreading down from my hip! Nevertheless, I still managed to enjoy myself although I did struggle with any sort of pace, particularly going down hill which really hurt.I walked a fair bit too which left me with my slowest marathon so far, at about 4.50. But that’s to be expected on day 4, and I’m over the moon that I had another sub 5hr run.

I had an excellent physio session this evening, and I think they’ve worked out what’s wrong with my hip too, which has been problematic since before I arrived at Brathay, so hopefully tomorrow wont be quite as painful as it was today.  But who knows. I brought some pretty strong painkillers with me so might have to start popping some pills out on the course. But whatever it takes…all I need to concentrate on is getting to the start line each morning, as once you’re on your way around the lake, nothing would stop you finishing!

The 10in10 gets tougher

As we all sit in the bar together at the end of what has been a tough day, I feel I should tell you all about running my third marathon of the ten...about the atrocious weather, forgetting to charge my garmin last night and so having to unexpectedly run without it, and the particularly pertinent fact the I also forgot to take my coat to give me any level of protection against that relentless rain! For me it was a VERY miserable run...it was hard work and I really struggled. 

But what I'm actually going to tell you about is how awesome the support has been today. The whole of the Brathay 10in10 support team seemed to be out on the road...and it was wonderful. Every water station was manned, and everyone out on that course played their own part in getting me through the run today. I think I chatted to most people a bit, and made sure everyone knew how sorry I was feeling for myself and how tough I was finding it. They all said the right things, cheered me on, and got me back on the road though, as they do for every one of us taking part in this insane challenge.  At one point, about 16 miles I think, I only half-jokingly asked Karen if she'd give me a lift back to Brathay in the car! She declined and sent me on my way ;) 

For the latter part of the run, me, Kaz and Eli were often in sight of each other, and occasionally met up at water stations too. I think that helped as well - although we're running individually, it really is a team event and seeing them was a motivator to keep going! 

Once I crossed the line (about 4.40 I think) I was feeling thoroughly annoyed with myself for not taking the Garmin, or the coat, and was generally pretty fed up with the never ending rain!! I was cold, tired, my legs were hurting more than they have in ages, I never wanted to see another hill...and I don't think I came across as too cheery for Martin and his camera! I did feel pretty emotional though at having got Day 3 done, and had hugs from the others who were there which made a real difference.


After finishing, I got incredibly cold, very very quickly. Between Aly, Marcus, and some of the other physio team they got me sorted out with hot soup and extra coats, and then Chris came and sat with me and had a chat for a while so I could get everything off my chest, before I got sent for my ice-bath. Apparently hypothermia isn't a valid excuse for avoiding it! ;) I was so cold I was shivering before I got in so it felt warmer than the other two days...as unpleasant as ever though! But afterwards I got showered and changed and soon felt back to normal - thoroughly happy to have completed number three, and determined to make sure that marathon number four is much less unpleasant. 


A big thank-you to the support team and the other runners for getting me through today day, and for the physio team for hopefully sorting out my dodgy legs in preparation for tomorrow.

The insanity has started

Yesterday, I arrived at Brathay, got settled into my little room in our cabin in the woods and tried to prepare myself for today...the first day of the Brathay 10in10!! We all got a briefing, set about preparing our bottles and gels for the aid stations, and generally tried to relax in the bar and forget about what was to come! I left the bar pretty early and once I was all sorted, settled into my bunk bed with the laptop to watch half of a movie before going to sleep at about 10.30pm.

I can't believe I'm actually here - it's an amazing place, and even more beautiful than I remember. As I type this, all 15 of us have completed the first of our marathons, and lots of us are sat in the bar area at Brathay tapping away on our laptops and it's quite surreal to think this will be my life for the next week and a half, shared with this absolutely awesome and inspiring group of people.

If I hadn't really thought about it before, today it's really hit me just how privileged I am to be able to do this - to  have the money, and the understanding and support of my family, to allow me to leave everything behind and totally indulge my passion for running. Although that's not to say that's the only motive for being here - obviously this is primarily a fundraising event - and today has also made me think about the children who Brathay support and to be honest I think for the first time I'm realising just what an important charity this is and how life changing it can be for the children to have the opportunity to be helped by Brathay...something that the money we'll have raised doing the 10in10 will make possible for even more disadvantaged young people. If you have already sponsored me, or plan to, thank-you so much!! www.justgiving.com/naomi-runs-10in10

But anyway...I ran the marathon today in 4:38. I was aiming for a nice easy 5 hours but I was near enough to be happy with the pace I had and the amount of walking that I did...and that 20 minutes I saved will, without a doubt, be absorbed later in the week as my pace slows down even more! It's not got any flatter up here, but the run went well and it was definitely much easier than when I last ran it in January...well, easier probably isn't the word...less frightening would be more accurate! ;) It was a bit chilly and raining for most of the day but it was only light and the wind had dropped so near enough perfect for running.

We're all just about the head for dinner, and then this evening I have a session with the physio, before finishing the movie from last night, and then having what I expect will be another early night to give my body the best chance of recovery for the morning!