Got to Run Mum

Well… where to start… I had booked the Brighton Marathon in the post- marathon euphoria after London. With the London Marathon medal still hanging from my neck and my legs still showcasing the ‘hobble down stairs’ strut, I eagerly booked up marathon number three, dreaming of finish lines, crowds cheering me on and times smashed… I have a real ‘love/hate’ relationship with marathon running… I absolutely despise marathon running for a large chunk of the run- usually miles 17-23… but the feeling after soon makes me forget the pain, mental torture and tears…I vowed that this would be the marathon to really prove to myself that I can ‘run’ a marathon. In both my previous efforts I’ve struggled to keep running and had to walk at times to get through it, last year was due to injury… Not my fault but still left me with unfinished marathon business. This would be the event that I could finally smash my marathon demons. Training proved to be tricky, my husband had bagged himself a ...

So, 2018. Here we are. Somehow you are flying by already. I thought I’d take time for a little catch up, now that we are solidly into 2018… February already?!! I have become the cliché! January 1st arrived and I joined a gym. Since taking up running I’ve been quite smug about not needing to be a gym member. ‘I get all the cardio I need through running.’… ‘I do my own strength training at home.’ ...Why would I need to join a gym? And yet, I haven’t seen any major progress in my running for a long time, my jeans are all feeling a little... well... a lot more snug (darn you Christmas!) and my strength training now pretty much consists of a couple of squats and stretches whilst watching Eastenders. So when one of those new, cheap and cheerful, no contract, 24- hour gyms opened on my doorstep, I thought maybe, just maybe I could benefit from a helping hand. I’ve now been a member for just over a month, though two weeks of that was spent booking and then ca...

I had a grumpy end of August and September with running. An awful chest infection just wouldn't shift, even after two rounds of antibiotics, and I had to cancel my planned two half marathons. I was gutted. I had looked forward to the Richmond Running Festival and the Kingston Half Marathon since booking them in the midst of post marathon booking fever way back in April. (Does anyone else have to book multiple races after a big event?) I had to drop out of both events, reluctantly I have to add. But seeing as I couldn't walk without becoming a spluttering mess, it was probably the wise choice. I stumbled upon the River Thames Half Marathon whilst eagerly searching for a replacement race before the year was out... How have I not heard of it before? I live a ten minute drive from Walton and love running along the river. Plus, this one I could rope my husband into doing too; he spent most of his youth drunkenly stumbling along the river so it would be a trip down memory lane. I s...

Drumroll please... I have been shortlisted for the Women's Running Magazine Big Marathon Challenge team. I am pretty stunned to say the least. If I make the final three then I'll be on my way to competing in the Manchester Marathon, receiving top notch training and full kit courtesy of Asics. I'm in amazing company, the women are all pretty inspirational and each have their own reasons for wanting to run as part of the team. So, what's mine? I have tackled two marathons but feel I succumbed to the dreaded wall in each one. That little devil on my shoulder won each time and to finish the thing I had to switch to a walk/run strategy. Physically, I know each time I could have run the whole thing. But that little voice, that seed of doubt in my head took over. I know I can do it. I know I can finish a marathon, running the whole way... I also know there is no shame in using a run/ walk strategy, many runners do it and it's still a huge achievement to complete a mara...

As I sit writing this, I am currently resting my poor hamstrings on an ice pack and contemplating how long it will take me to remove myself from the sofa and get up the stairs. Stairs and marathons… OUCH! After the knee issues that prevented me from training properly for last year’s marathon, I was determined to tackle this one and smash it. And most of my training went really well. I entered my taper weeks feeling confident and strong. Then the hamstring… A nice easy 8 miles. I felt a niggle at 6 miles. I stretched my leg and carried on. Eek. Suddenly, I couldn’t run. I limped home, despairing that my dreams of a second, more successful marathon experience were scuppered. Physio confirmed that I’d need to rest until the marathon day if I’d stand a chance of running the thing. That was a blow to my mental state. I felt in panic mode for the rest of the taper, fearing that my fitness would be lost by the big day. I decided to forget about finish times and concentrate on enjoy...

It’s been such a long time since I last posted that I’m not all that sure where I left you last… I have five days to go till the London Marathon… Yes, I really was crazy enough to sign up again. Thankfully I made it through most of the training injury free- till last Sunday. A pulled hamstring has meant no running since. Very scary so close to the big day. But on the plus side it made me re-evaluate my ‘why’, my ‘reason to run’. I began my running journey as a means to fundraise. I’m very proud to say that in the last three years, I’ve helped to raise nearly £10,000 for children’s cancer charities. I’m not sure when or if I’ll ever stop fundraising completely… however I do feel the time is right to take a break. This leaves me with a huge sense of guilt. There will never be enough I can do for the cause. But I have to be honest with myself, I am not Superwoman, I do have limits. If truth be told, I am exhausted. I have kept myself ridiculously busy since our cancer journey beg...

The Body I Own. I have been bitten, caught the bug. I am now one of those annoying people on your facebook and twitter feeds that posts sweat-soaked selfies and gloat about miles ran before you bothered to get out of bed. I am just a little smug. That'll be the endorphins. I've embraced the world of fitness, of healthy eating, of HIIT, of chia seeds and quinoa (pronounced keen-wa, thank you Google!), of obstacle racing and marathon training and seeking out thrills to test the limits of my body. What a twat, I hear you say. Who cares that I hit a sub 30 5k (eh?!) and it made me fist-pump whilst out on the streets of Feltham. I'm currently loving my new found passion for fitness and relishing the appreciation it's given me for my body. The only one I have. The body that gave me two beautiful children and has seen me through a marathon and more. I apologise that my recent joy for healthy living may irk you somewhat, but I can't promise you it'll end any time ...