Some days running is just hard. Generally because you can’t be bothered, the weather’s not great, you’re tired or you’d rather be at home eating pizza and drinking wine. But let’s face it, have you ever come back feeling worse than when you went out? The answer to that is probably 99.9% no. If you dress properly according to the weather, know that you’re more likely to have a better quality sleep and more energy and can feel less guilty indulging in a slice and a glass or two (or 3 or 4….) then surely it’s worth getting your butt out the door? Sometimes I go out before I’ve even woken up properly, although that may not be the best idea. I never said I knew anything about running, I just enjoy the buzz (which you may not feel in your first ever run but it will come).
Some days running 1 mile is a killer. Each time I start back trying to get fit after illness or an injury it’s like starting back at the beginning again. But before you know it, after a few weeks of running it starts to feel relatively ok. When I started back yet again to do this marathon there were days I could barely manage two miles. And I certainly couldn’t call the movements I was making ‘running’. Things change. It takes about 6 weeks to form a habit but once it’s there things…
When I started training I had no idea if my body would cope. I was happy to reach 5k. It wasn’t comfortable but I could do it. So my goal changed. 10k. I had different goals with this. 1. To be able to run 10k without stopping 2. To run 10k in under an hour 3. To be able to run 10k consistently
At this point I began thinking that perhaps I could aim for a half marathon. This would tell me more about whether my body would still cope with distance. I can’ t exactly do the marathon if I can’t get round a half uninjured. So in my first half marathon race in years in April 2017 I made it. However about half way through I felt a few twinges. These continued and the last two miles were not pleasant at all. ‘That’s it’ I thought. Game over. However a quick trip back to physio and it was more about understanding that this was the longest and fastest run my body had been put through. Time to reel it back a little and not run before I could walk.
In October I completed another half. In Aviemore. I’ll be back to tackle that one again!!! A time I was happy with but more importantly, no injury. This sealed the deal. London was definitely on. The aim is to finish it without injury. At the back of my head is that niggling question – will my body get me through an ultra?
Muscle. Mind. Madness. 