Marathon - not a tall order

Apparently due to heavily pounding the pavement for 26 miles marathon runners lose a centremetre in height by the time they reach the finishing line.  Don't worry it is only temporary.

Keep on running

On my 18 mile run - and yes, I will be banging on about this mileage for a while - I started by listening to the Flaming Lips and Polyphonic Spree.  The epic choral rock music seems to ease me into a rhythm which I do find difficult to get into at the beginning of a long run.  

I was just about ready to find some jangly pop on my Ipod when I met up with another runner on Tower Bridge and we ran together for a while, swapping tips and idling away a few miles. When we separated I hit play again and went back to the Polyphonic Spree.  I needed something else but couldn't be bothered faffing around concentrating on finding music when I needed to find my own running cadence.

Three miles later I was suffering and on a much needed walking break I hit shuffle. Luckily, the Klaxon's It's Not Over Yet didn't pop up, which has done in the past, but more irrelevant tunes from Oasis, Kate Nash and Kaiser Chiefs lifted my spirits.  Then with a mile to go Queen's Don't Stop Me Now took me to a different level.

I chuckled at the reference to keeping going and got into the beat. I then listened to see if not only Freddie's music could give me a boost but if his lyrics cold too.   

How could you not start swaggering, even if your legs are like jelly, your stomach's cramping up and there's a blister growing with every footstep on the inside off your right foot, to words such as...I'm a shooting star leaping through the skies like a tiger defying the laws of gravity?

Or I'm burning through the skies two hundred degrees that's why they call me Mr Fahrenheit?

Or I'm a rocket ship on my way to Mars...satellite out of control?

None of it seems to make much sense now but on the run I was motivated.

I'm not a sex machine so I won't write those lyrics in the vague hope that I don't look sadder than anyone getting excited about a Queen song could.  Or anyone who at the end of the song who quickly took his Ipod out of his pocket and made it play again.  

I'm now going to devise a set list of songs that will instantly give me a jolt if I'm flagging through the latter stages of the marathon. Some will be cool tunes including Stone Roses, Courteeners and a lot of Oasis's first album.  But I'm guessing most won't. Somebody should stop me at some point though, I could get carried away.

Tip Number 2

I read a while ago that you should cut your toe nails two weeks before a marathon.  After yesterday's 18 mile run my middle toe on my right foot has a bruised nail.  It's two weeks before the marathon.  I've just cut my toe nails.

Over 18

I've just come back from running from Stockwell up to the Tower of London, through the City, on to the Strand, through Piccadilly, Westminster and then Chelsea, into Battersea Park and round it, over Chelsea Bridge, up to Vauxhall Bridge, and then home.

I8 miles.

Thanks must go to Claire who I met on Tower Bridge.  The 7 or so miles we ran together really helped ease the boredom and forget the fact my legs were getting very painful.

Although, as we departed 11 miles in, I slightly lost my pace but still got back home in around 3 hours.

More later.  Especially on the track which got me through my last mile.  

A few tips

I met two marathon veterans and another marathon virgin today.  We were being taken around a Barnardo's service to show what the money we raise will go on.  After a brief photo shoot for the local paper we sat down and must have bored the guy who took us round to tears.  

There are two and a bit weeks to go until the Flora London Marathon.  We have done as much as we can in preparation and with one more long run for me, and shorter ones for the others we sat down and discussed our injuries, sweets to eat on the big day, and tips we've either read about or picked up on the way.

Here are a few:

Put vaseline on every body part that will be rubbed.  Dive into the bottle and come out of the marathon without too many blisters.

Don't wear new shorts on the day.

Soak in the crowd around Tower Bridge.  They will give you an extra mile.

Chat to people you're running with.  A few laughs at the end will help make the last few miles a little easier.

Pack a bag long before the day so you don't forget anything or worry about it.

Print your name on your vest so the crowd can shout.

Walk in the middle of the road, if you're going to walk and need to be on your own, otherwise the crowd will be shouting at you to encourage you to run again and you might not be ready.

Expect the last few miles to hurt.  It will.

Enjoy it. This was said in the most enthusiastic-almost-shouting-voice with enthusiatic-enthusiasm.

Bank Holiday

Not only have I been worrying about my foot recently  but I've had a cold this week and have not been able to go out for a run since Saturday. So apart from the training with Daley Thompson (which I'll write up later) it's not been a great week.

On Saturday I decided a little bug wasn't going to beat me.  I was in Cardiff and a friend from Bolton was down visiting his sister so we went for a five miler.  I coughed and spluttered my way around Cardiff Bay and even though it was extremely windy, he - pun intended - breezed it.  As we got home, I put the kettle on and sipped on my Lemsip.  He went off to play squash with his sister's boyfriend.  I just shivered around the house and crawled back into bed.  

It's now Bank Holiday Monday and straight after we got back to London from a 3 hour trip from Cardiff I've just completed a morale boosting 6 miles.  Apart from a miscommunication with my wife which left me out in the cold for an hour it was great.

My goal for this week is: 

Tuesday 6 miles

Wednesday 3 fast miles

Thursday 6 miles

Friday rest

Saturday 18 miles.

I know.  18 miles! But if all goes to plan it'll not just help the glycogen and endurance, but give me the much needed confidence boost two weeks before the big day.

Boo Hoo

I ran last night and the end reaction was quite different to last time I ran. 4.5 miles in and approaching the home straight the little twinges in my foot turned into psychological and physical aches and my brain started asking questions like could you do another 21.5 miles on this foot?

The answer? I don't think so, I'm not sure.  Actually probably not.

I don't want to say the dreaded N word at the moment but for the first time in my training I'm not optimistic  about my chances.  I'll be seeing a physio tomorrow and get some answers about what I should do.  

34144

I got my Flora London Marathon running number today.  It's the one above.  Look out for it if you're in London or watching telly on April 13th. It'll be in front of a sweaty, balding man. 

I also got a London Marathon magazine which I read in one go.  I now know that Tower Bridge isn't great for spectators to stand on to watch the runners, to drink half a pint of water half an hour before I begin to run and that there are an awful lot of charities wanting people to run for them. An awful lot. But only one really.

Woo Hoo

This has nothing to do with Blur's breakthrough song in the US.  Well, it shouldn't, but as soon as I finished my come back three miles I couldn't help myself but to just shout. And I now can't get the 2 minute 22 second guitar blast written to prove to the world, the US and Damon Albarn himself that he could get a hit over the pond out of my head.

OK, I may have been writing about my come back last week too, but I honestly believe this could be it.  Last week's false start was probably because I rushed the second run.  I won't be running again now until Wednesday or Thursday. And the prescribed Ibuprofen will be taken three times a day for the full week.

The feeling of getting back on the Southbank, running past the Tate Modern, London Eye then Westminster on the sound of six boings from the big boy Ben himself was incredible.

I know I'm still not fully fit, and currently worrying about the slight niggle my foot wants me to know about while writing this, but a big 'ole WOO HOO is still reverberating around my neighbourhood and nervous system about the fact that I got through my first run in a rather depressing week. 

Looking good, feeling great?

I think this picture should put anybody off attempting marathon training if they have any doubts.  It was taken straight after a Sunday run of 15 miles, which seems to be the downfall of my training so far.  

Now, I know I've just recently had a birthday - thanks for all the cards and presents by the way, and if you didn't send anything, don't worry, seriously, don't worry at all, it's not a problem, not at all...it's not - but I only turned 33 not 50 as someone said I looked in this photo yesterday. 

Anyway, since last Sunday's 4 mile run I went on a 5 miler the day after and only got 2 miles in when the pain, which I have been banging on about since the 15 miler, in my right foot returned. I limped to the nearest tube station and went home.  After a shower I went straight to the GP who didn't seem to know anything about feet and looked shocked when she saw that mine didn't look exactly the same as each other - and she couldn't work out if this was due to my injury or just the way I am.  I was prescribed anti-inflamatories and a mild depression has ensued.

I've been swimming this week which I used to love but I am beginning to associate with injury now.  I have taken the Ibuprofen in between wandering around and wondering if every slight twitch in my foot is it not heeling or just plain and simple paranoia.  

Last night I was chatting to a few people at a party. One had had an injury which he said made his right arm look like he had two elbows.  He continued to weight train through some pain until he decided to go to his doctor and was prescribed anti-inflamatories. Like me, he was sceptical but was back training with a non deformed arm two weeks later.  There was also a runner who has changed the way he runs over the last 6 months to reduce future injury.  He seems to think I'll be fine if I just take things easy with steady runs every other day over the next week. 

Talking to these people has really pepped me up.  Soon I'll be running 15 miles and more again, I'm sure. But looking at the photo again, do I really want to? 

The boy is back...and not for turning

After a bizarre moment on leaving a Mother's Day morning tea at The Ritz, when we saw Baroness Thatcher and her son (Maggie and Mark to some), where the three most dominant females forces in my lifetime, my wife, mother and the ex-Prime Minister all rubbed shoulders, I finally got back running after ten days off. I knew it was going to be an auspicious day today.

I've been swimming three times during the last week to keep up a certain fitness, eating the same amount of calories - just because I like to, and just been itching to get back and pound the pavement.

I'm pleased to report the foot which was giving me grief seems fine and although the pace wasn't exactly up there with previous 4 milers, it feels like I've never been away. 

Tomorrow it'll be a five miler and a build up until running 10 - 15 miles on the weekend.  Even though I've been eager to get back I bet by Wednesday I'll be fed up again with going out in the cold and rain.  The grass is always greener isn't it.

Anyway back to Mothers Day I wonder if Maggie and Mark had sarnies and scones like us. Bet they didn't.