The London Marathon: Greatest Show On Earth

On May 10, 2024 By Girl Running CrazyIn General, Marathon ChatLeave a comment

More of my club mates than I can count ran a sub 3 in the 2024 London Marathon. That’s pretty awesome. I ran the London Marathon in 5:16. And that’s OK. In fact, that’s pretty awesome too.

It’s been five years since I last ran a marathon. Five years since I pushed my body and mind to the outer limits of hell. The hell I can’t seem to stay away from. Post covid I developed an accidental triathlon habit and it sucked up all my time and energy. Then I accidentally found myself with a London Marathon entry. Why do I never accidentally find myself on a first class flight to a water bungalow in the Maldives?

I won my London Marathon place in a competition. Unless you qualify with a super fast time it can be pretty impossible to get a place so I understand how ~~freakishly unlucky~~ delightfully lucky this is. The London Marathon is literally the greatest show on earth and I would probably do it every year if I could (despite what February me says, don’t listen to February me, she’s a liar).

So, post Christmas I found myself with a 16 week marathon plan and what felt like a massive task to get myself back to some kind of marathon fitness. It was a process. I made a plan, I pretty much stuck to the plan, I made good decisions, I made bad decisions, I had regular wobbles and doubts, I turned down nights out, I went on nights out I tried not to feel bad about and I genuinely didn’t think I would get to the start line on more than one occasion. But I got to the start line.

Bumped into Kirsty at the start line and was delighted to see a friendly face!

What went right:

Consistency. I ‘only’ ran 3 times a week but I ran 3 times a week consistently.
The long runs. Not necessarily in terms of execution, there were tantrums, it was hard and there was no ‘race pace’, but I did do all the long runs.
Progress. Nothing gives you confidence like seeing progress. I felt stronger as the weeks went by, easy runs were actually easy and I got quicker.
Cross training. I went spinning religously every week to supplement the running and it helped keep my fitness up with less impact on the body.
Cold water therapy. Honestly, the best thing I’ve discovered in years and it could not be better for recovery. I’m totally addicted to Tooting Bec Lido!

Cold water – good for the mind, body and soul!

What went less right:

Life. I have a busy job and friends I’d like not to lose. I went out, I did things and I drank things, doing life doesn’t always work alongside marathon training. That’s OK.
Towpath PTSD. On one of my long runs I took myself along the towpath and it brought back memories of endless miles running up and down and up and down and blaahhhh. I genuinely hated every bloody second of it and I haven’t been back.
A cough. A week before the big day I got one of the worst coughs I’ve ever had. I think I was in denial about how bad it was, but I couldn’t sleep and it hurt to breathe. I even started drinking honey soaked in raw onions to get rid of it… hey, don’t judge a desperate woman on the edge!
The weather. You can’t control the weather but that doesn’t make getting regularly battered by wind and rain any easier.

So, that was done, and sixteen weeks later I was on the start line, absolutely freezing cold, but somewhat grateful it wasn’t looking like a baking hot day. There were more waves this year that I had previously known, and it was congested for quite a long time, but it was easy enough to get into a rhythm. I started too fast, obviously, but the first few miles are pretty much downhill so it’s not all my fault.

This was the fifth time I had run the London Marathon so everything felt comfortingly familiar and I was so bloody happy to be a part of it again. The crowds, the atmosphere, the course, they’re all second to none. It’s absolutely joyous and it makes all the struggles through training worth every second.

The Highs:

Zoe. BEST MARATHON SUPPORTER EVER! Somehow she managed to find me three times and somewhere near the finish I saw her flying over the barrier yelling at me in her Chaser coloured coat. It both amused me no end and got me moving a bit quicker.
Chaser cheer points. Honestly, made me so happy I would have cried if I could have afforded the hydration loss. You guys are the absolute best and I love you all.
The woman spectating who took my hand, put her arm round me, looked me dead in the eye and said ‘you’re smashing it babes, well done!’ No idea what mile that was. Strangers are rather fabulous sometimes.
High-fiving all the kids. If you’ve never done it, do it, the joy on their faces is heart warming.
The friends who saw me and shouted at me even though I missed them, knowing you were there lifted my spirits.
Fulham run club. What a crew! I could still hear them chanting ‘chaser, chaser, chaser’ long after I passed them at mile 23. Grateful a little friendly local rivalry turns into supportive solidarity on the big stage.
The finishing straight – that view of the finishing line is just the BEST.
The friends who scraped me off the finishing line – I appreciate you! ❤ They let me sit down, gave me prosecco, offered me snacks, offered to carry my bags and gently guided me to dinner and home. I didn’t smell good, I didn’t look good and I had no chat. They didn’t care.

Everyone loves Tower Bridge!

The Lows:

The friends I missed; mile 7, mile 11, mile 12, mile 25. It’s hard when you’re looking forward to seeing people and you just can’t see them but I still knew they were there and they were rooting for me. Ashley said she burst into tears when she realised I had gone past and she had missed me but that might be her baby hormones more than my presence!
Missing Anthony Joshua – he was at a Lucozade station and I didn’t know! What a travesty of a missed selfie opportunity. Might not get over it.
The bit before Tower Bridge. Like, what is that, why is that bit so hard?
I didn’t eat enough on the Saturday and I felt it. I winged it rather than carefully measuring everything. That was a stupid mistake and I should know better.
The fact this may be the very last time I get to run London (unless I somehow manage to get a good for age again…but that seems unlikely on every level)

This was a definite low point…

I don’t think there is anything else more raw, more honest, or more humbling than the marathon. There are so many things that happen in life that can be described as ‘lucky’, or a ‘fluke’, or even just ‘right place, right time’, but you don’t get to a marathon finish line by being lucky. You have to put in the work, you have to respect the distance, and there are no short cuts. If you cheat the process the marathon will chew you up and spit you out, hard.

I finished the marathon in 5:16, almost bang on what I expected. If I’m honest, throughout training I didn’t think I was working as hard as I should have but, on reflection, I’d rate my total effort as a 7/10 and I’m OK with that. It was hard, but it certainly didn’t chew me up and spit me out, so I must have done something right. It was my first marathon in 5 years, my first/only in this decade of my life, and I managed to avoid injury. I can be proud of that. Plus, I beat Romesh Ranganathan so, y’know, that’s something innit.

The question isn’t whether or not running a marathon will break you, because that’s all but guaranteed. The question is how soon, and how hard it will break you. Physically, mentally, emotionally. When you’ve literally got nothing left to give, how do you keep giving? How much pain can you endure for how long? And why, why, why do we keep coming back for more?

Can anything else simultaneously make you feel so alive, yet so broken? Can anything else simultaneously make you swear never, ever again whilst planning your next one? I don’t know. But I’m never doing it again. And I’m in the ballot for 2025. Make it make sense.

A Sunny Hampton Court Half

On February 19, 2019 By Girl Running CrazyIn General, Race Reports1 Comment

Around about 8pm on Saturday night, staring at my Chasers race vest on the floor and listening to Taylor Swift (low point, I know) I had a meltdown. I had a meltdown over a half marathon. A distance I used to fly around in a decent time with joyful boundless energy finishing with a skip and a smile (this may not entirely be true…but it’s how I remember it…). In the midst of that meltdown I vowed to finally resurrect that girl from the grave. Might take a while though.

Anyway, the unopened race pack I had left on the side (despite arriving in a timely manner a couple of weeks before) indicated I had been in denial. I also hadn’t really read any of the event emails which turned out to be an error because there was a Park & Ride option I should have signed up to…which had since closed. Luckily street parking was aplenty, just frowned upon (soz).

I went to bed wondering if I could still run 13.1 miles and I woke up thinking I was going to do it anyway. It was an early rise for an 8.30am race start but I actually didn’t mind, waking up on race day is just waking up on race day and 30/40 mins here or there doesn’t really make much difference, it’s always going to be earlier than one would wish to rise on their day off…or in fact ever. It was glouriously sunny (OK, it was dark at 05:50 but it turned into glourious sunshine) and it felt like Spring was on the way.

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The event is well organised and I seamlessly positioned myself towards the back of the start pen after downloading my self-lothing doubts to some Chaser pals. They put me at ease – it’s funny how a sea of blue, green & white bobble hats will do that. I actually felt a bit excited that I was going to run a half marathon and that a half marathon was actually quite a long way and I could totally do it, not do it well, but do it all the same.

The route is quite lovely, especially in the sunshine. It starts at Giggs Hill Green in Thames Ditton and follows the river from about mile 3 taking you past Hampton Court at mile 10. I even remebered to look around and take it all in rather than ploughing on obliviously like I often do.

They say it has PB potential but I’m somewhat doubtful as some of the course is on open roads and the pavements can narrow. Given I’m no where near PB level I cannot confirm or deny PB potential-bility but I can confirm it’s a great event and there are always a few Royal celebs…

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My plan was to run slow and finish the race. Not only did I successfully manage to execute the plan without getting swept up by the people around me, I felt better than anticipated and I actually enjoyed it. Amazing what a bit of sunshine and a palace backdrop will do. Sure, there was some walking near the end, but it was all methodically planned and under control.

Headphones were banned because of the open roads so I had a lot of time alone with my thoughts (and my inside singing voice which, whilst angelic, is somewhat like a broken record). Anyway, a few things occured to me:

I love running
I love running in the sunshine
I love race day
Running makes me feel strong, even if it is slow
I’m still desensitised to distance if I think 9.98 miles to go isn’t very far because ‘it’s less than double figures…’
High-fiving Henry VIII flanked by a couple of his birds doesn’t give you super powers
I STILL haven’t mastered the art of smiling for the photographer
Seriously, there are 103 photos of me, there is only one half decent one

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So, the sub zero frost has subsided, the sun is out, spring is on its way and my happy running mojo is back. The next goal? Knock 15 minutes off my time in May’s Hackney Half…

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Berlin Marathon

On September 20, 2018 By Girl Running CrazyIn General, Marathon Chat, Race Reports2 Comments

Training for the Berlin Marathon was hard. Proper hard. It was literally like starting from rock bottom and building back up to 26.2 miles. My enjoyment was limited but I point blank refused to let another opportunity to run Berlin slip away because it was ‘too hard’. I’m not that kinda girl.

I was supposed to run it last year but luck was against me and a string on injuries put me firmly on the sidelines. I promised myself it would be me next time and I couldn’t let myself down because that would totally suck.

On the bright side, spending last year being a Berlin tourist meant that I could concentrate on all the important things this year such as laying down, eating carbs, napping and eating more carbs. Luckily I found some pals who were up for doing the same and we got an apartment near Hermannplatz in the south of the city.

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The Expo: The Stressful Bit

Arriving on Friday afternoon meant I could head straight to the expo to maximise the opportunity for resting and napping on Saturday. Situated in a disused airport, it was big and busy.

They’re quite hot on ID but, once you pass all the checks, you get given a wristband and sent on a mammouth trek to the opposite side of the airport to get your number. Berlin gives you a choice of opting for a bag drop OR a poncho. If you choose the poncho you can’t drop anything off on the day, but they will give you a poncho at the end of the race which promises to be both warming and multi-faceted. Obviously I wasn’t that silly, but Charlotte and Cathryn seemed to think it was a brilliant idea and couldn’t stop raving about how jealous we would be…

It’s worth noting that if you want a finishers t-shirt you need to pay €30 and buy it in advance. It’s a bit offensive on top of the €108 entry fee and a bit worrying if you’re not entirely sure you’ll finish but, for me, it wasn’t an option, I wanted a finishers t-shirt. I also came away with an event jacket and a pint glass but I didn’t spend much time at the other stalls because I just wanted to get away from all the people.

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Hasenheide Parkrun: The Warm Up Bit

Our apartment was rather conveniently, and maybe a little bit on purpose, located next to Hasenheide Park which is home to one of the 10 parkruns in the whole of Germany.

Hasenheide usually attracts a field of less than 100 but a whopping 517 people turned up to run this weekend. They were awesome. Truly brilliant. Although totally out of their comfort zone, they had put on a host of extra marshals and could not have been more welcoming or excited to have us. Hasenheide was the epitome of running spirit and it was lovely to be a part of.

The course is pretty, especially under the morning German sunshine, winding around the park and including a short, but very sharp hill. I loved it, thanks for having us!

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The rest of the day was spent as planned, sitting, and eating, and napping, and eating and laughing uncontrollably on the carb high. For dinner we headed to a local Italian called Masaniello for a massive bowl of pasta with a side of garlic pizza bread and another side of, ermm, bread. It ticked all the boxes – definitely recommended.

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Berlin Marathon: The Main Event

The marathon starts in Tiergarten Park where you will find some very long and unorganised queues for toilets (not your usual German style), some inconsistent bib checks (it’s easy to jump the fence if you’re so inclined) and some questionable starting corrals. You’re placed into your start zone based on your marathon PB, no matter how old it is, and if it’s your first time you’ll be at the back.

Runners are set off in three waves, 20 minutes apart, which helps with crowding on the course, especially with over 40k runners, and you head straight through the park towards the Victory Column.

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As planned, I started off slow and tried not to get swept along, it wasn’t long before Cathryn trotted past me and it was nice to see a friendly face. The race is well supported with spectators cheering on either side.

The water stations are plentiful and well stocked and they also supply some kind of warm herbal tea (slightly odd when you’re expecting a cold electrolyte drink) and a rather ‘interesting’ beetroot sports drink. I don’t think I liked it but in the latter stages I knocked it back anyway. Needs must.

The miles ticked by and my first focus was to get to the halfway point. My longest training run was only 18.5 miles and I only did that once. It wasn’t my normal prep so I was a bit worried about how I was going to get to the end. However, I knew people at home were tracking me and I kept thinking about the finishers t-shirt and jacket I had already bought…finishing was the only option really.

I kept progressing, half way came and went, and I took my planned walking breaks where I had mentally scheduled them. If you’re going to walk, I really recommend having a structure to it (ie 0.1 mile walk, 0.9 mile run) so you don’t get disheartened, honestly, it works.

I didn’t take the gels they offered (there’s only one gel station), but I did take some pieces of banana towards the end. I’ve never done this before but, as usual, I couldn’t face my last gel so opted for my pre-packed Haribo Smufs and banana. It really seemed to do the trick so I’ll be doing that again!

The last few miles are a bit of a blur, everything hurt and it was hot, but I knew I was going to make it. I took water at each station and plodded on until I finally turned the corner and saw the iconic Brandenburg Gate. From then on I just kept running until I crossed the finish line.

It was a road marathon personal worst time, but I had already accepted that and was more relieved to finally complete my 14th marathon after 2.5 years out of the game.

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After I collected my bag the only thing I could do was plonk myself on the ground and not move. It hurt. I was just going to have to sleep right here. Luckily a super perky Alice came and found me and scraped me off the floor before taking me to the group and bounding off to find me a goody bag which I had missed (where does she get the energy from?!)

We had a successful day all round with everyone finishing the race. Alice and Sam got new PB’s, Ed smashed it as usual, Charlotte and Cathryn ran strong times and were awarded multi faceted ponchos, Ellie completed her 2nd marathon despite struggling with an injury over the last few weeks, and I completed my 2nd Marathon World Major. Most importantly, I think everyone had enjoyed it.

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10 Things I learned from the Berlin Marathon

1. You can’t blame the conditions for your poor performance when Kipchoge decides to totally obliterate the world record by a massive 78 seconds. You also can’t expect the UK to give this any kind of decent news coverage because apparently it’s not significant enough.

Total Ledge

Berlin Marathon

2. If you have any adverse feelings towards beetroot make sure you swerve the bright red sports drink on the course. It won’t end well for anyone.

3. If you forget to pack any pants and are forced to buy new ones at the expo, you will be at considerable risk of bankruptcy, but you’re highly likely to get a new PB. Sam forgot all his pants. Sam has a new PB.

4. If you fancy running a sub 3 marathon, getting a new PB AND coming home as 6th Brit you should do as Alice does. Alice likes to swop running for pilates, water for Aperol Spritz and excited race morning banter for solo quiet time. If it works, it works…

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5. When you’re faced with a pre-race portaloo without an inch of toilet paper in sight, you can always rely on tearing off strips of your pre-race foil blanket. Almost as genius as actually remembering your own toilet paper right?!

6. If you decide to have a little sit down after 25 miles like Ellie, be prepared for a friendly but persistent German lady called Brenda to repeatedly shout ‘nine’ and drag you on your merry way. We like Brenda. Ellie is undecided.

7. The Berlin Marathon does NOT end and the Brandenburg Gate, there is still 400m to go. If you’ve run this before you will know this. Unless you’re Alice. Who promptly stopped running and stopped her watch whilst wondering why everyone else was still powering past…and she still got a PB!

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8. If you haphazardly opt for the warming and multi-faceted poncho over the traditional and sensible bag drop, be sure you’ve mastered the look of unequivocal joy on the outside to mask your deep, crushing disappointment on the inside. Charlotte is available for advice on how to nail this…

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9. Don’t expect four post marathon runners to agree on a post race cuisine in any less than 58 minutes. Also do not expect Charlotte to even remotely tolerate a vegetarian menu, even if the restaurant has a cute name like ‘Burrito Baby’ and you’ve already conquered the challenge of sitting down. After further debate, we ended up at Jimmy Woo’s.

10. A personal worst marathon time on the clock does not equate to a personal worst marathon experience. Far from it. Marathons are about so much more than just the time, most importantly they’re about the people you share them with. Thanks guys!

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Done is beter than perfect

On August 31, 2018 By Girl Running CrazyIn General3 Comments

I know I’ve been suspiciously quiet for a while now. Being quiet isn’t really my thing. But being completely rubbish at running isn’t really my thing either. At least I’d like to think so.

I’ve been so rubbish that I haven’t really had anything positive to say about any aspect of running at all because the last few months have been physically and mentally painful. It’s physically painful to push your body through runs it doesn’t want to do because you know it’s the only way forwards. And it’s even more painful to tell your running friends you can’t run with them at the moment because you just can’t keep up. They don’t even believe you. And yet it couldn’t be truer. I got beaten in a 5k race last night by a friend who’s half way through growing a baby…and yes, I tried.

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However, I think I’ve started to turn a corner. Not in terms of how my running is progressing, because it barely is, but in terms of my attitude, and that comes down to one thing…I’ve dumped the Garmin.

OK, not LITERALLY, because that would just be ridiculous and it’s pretty, and purple, and it gives me heart palpitations just thinking about it. But I have stopped looking at it and I’ve genuinely stopped caring. Because I’ve found that caring and worrying about my speed is the biggest barrier to getting me in my trainers. So I can’t realy afford to care right now.

I’ve been running for a long time now and during that time I’ve witnessed many friends go through cycles of going from the top of their game to the bottom, and then back to the top again. And the common denominator? Consistency. A consistent and sustained effort to climb back the ladder…slowly.

So that’s what I’ve been trying to do. After coming up with every excuse in the book not to go running (ie, the wolf of Wandsworth is on the loose so it would be too dangerous), I’m finally back in the habit and it’s much less of a chore and more just a part of daily life – mostly because the Berlin Marathon was creeping closer and closer and so it was either fight or flight and I ended up paying so much for the actual flights that fighting was the only option.

I’m literally running the slowest miles I’ve ever run but I am getting fitter. It doesn’t feel like it, it feels bloody horrible, but it wasn’t actually that many weeks ago that my ‘long’ weekend run was 8 miles and last week I ran 18.5 miles, slooooooowly. It was actually supposed to be 20 but much to my frustration and annoyance, it just didn’t happen.

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I’m on track to run a marathon personal worst in two weeks time (except the time I ran around Medoc drunk, but I’m not sure we can count that one) but I’m more interested in the fact that I’m on track to run a marathon full stop. And it’s been a while since I can say that.

Done is better than perfect. A PW is better than a DNF or, worse still, a DNS.

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Tough Mudder: The one I said I’d never do

On May 11, 2018May 11, 2018 By Girl Running CrazyIn General, Race Reports4 Comments

Tough Mudder is one of those events I always swore I would never do. Mostly because the price tag is simply offensive, but also because it’s 10 miles of obstacles…and I am not good at anything that involves upper body strength. However, it also bugged the hell out of me that it’s the one I had never done. So I had to do it.

When my work pals decided to get a team together, I found myself parting with my hard earned cash to roll around in the mud collecting bruises. What else are Bank Holiday weekends for right?

MediaCom Mud Runners: The before photo

It was an early 5am start to head down to Henley for the London West event but the sun was shining, it was going to be a beautiful day and I was in high spirits. Our start time was 9:30 and we were ushered into a holding pen with a fairly small group of people for a little warm up and to get down on our knees to make the Tough Mudder pledge.

The course is 10 miles broken down into two laps. And it’s hilly. Like, proper hilly. In fact, one of the obstacles is Killa Gorilla and is simply running up a very steep hill, and then down again…and repeat. Bad times.

The obstacles are a mix of having to climb over things of various heights, often involving people lifting you up, running up things, water based challenges and rolling around in the mud (in Devil’s Beard you literally get on the floor and roll down a hill under a net).

My favourites were the water based obstacles:

Block Ness Monster: Jumping into cold, muddy water you have to grab and hold a large rotating block to get over the other side…before moving onto the next block

Shawshanked: Pulling yourself backwards up a dark tube, you reach the top and have to fall backwards into a water pit below. Loved it!

This isn’t anyone I know but perfectly depicts why I loved the water challenges!

Cage Crawl: You float under a cage elevated just above water and pull yourself along. Just don’t freak because there’s no way out until you get to the end!

Arctic Enema: A simple slide down a tube into an ice bath that takes your breath away. It doesn’t end there cause you then have to fully immerse yourself again under a beam to get out. It’s a tad chilly

My least favourites were the ones with high walls, they had a narrow edge at the top and you were totally reliant on other people to get you up there. However, Everest was quite fun where you had to run at a curved wall with people at the top to pull you over, and the Pyramid Scheme was also good where you made a human pyramid to get to the top of a high ledge.

The Best Bits

The atmosphere and camaraderie. It was second to none
Team spirit – not just from my own team but from every single person out there who worked together to help each other out
The water challenges. I loved them all!
The photos are free to download…but only if you’re lucky enough to be snapped
The hills. Love to hate ’em…but I know they did my fitness the world of good
The pledge
Getting a piggy back from Lucy in the ‘Hero Carry’!
The weather. We were so lucky to have such a warm day, I think it would have been miserable being in and out of muddy water in the cold!

The Worst Bits

The big price tag #1: You’re looking at £100 – £140 for the ‘full’ 10 mile version
The big price tag #2: It cost me £15 just to park my car in a field. IN A FIELD
The big price tag #3: £3 for the bag drop. Fair enough, it went to charity, but surely TM could have siphoned off some of the entry fee for the charity?!
The lack of water stations: Even without the hot weather there weren’t nearly enough stations. I lost count of the number of people I saw suffering from cramp – this was inevitably down to dehydration
Some obstacle duplication: Not the end of the world, but it would have been nice if they were all unique
The lack of photographers
The climbing / high wall challenges: OK, this is just me because I can’t do them and am totally reliant on people helping me over (sorry guys!)
The hills: Did I miss the warning about ALL THE HILLS?!
It totes ruins your nails 🙄

The Ugly bits

The scrapes
The bruises
The DOMs. I opted for rolling rather than walking the next day
…but I wouldn’t expect anything less and I’d have felt cheated if these things hadn’t happened!

MediaCom Mud Runners: The after photo

It’s fair to say that Tough Mudder exceeded my expectations in a lot of ways. It’s a lot of fun and it’s totally do-able if you don’t mind some hard graft and getting bashed around in the mud. Importantly, it genuinely is a really inclusive event that brings out the best in human spirit, everyone is willing to lend a hand…literally.

Is it worth the price tag though? I’d have to say no…but it’s not far off. If you love this kind of thing it’s very much worth getting your mates together and having a go. I mean, no one messes with people wearing this little outfit now do they?!

Why it sucks to be a non-marathon running marathon runner during marathon season

On April 11, 2018 By Girl Running CrazyIn General, Marathon Chat4 Comments

Sooooo, it’s that time of year again. London, Boston, Manchester, Paris, Brighton, Rome, Hamburg… All the big cities are hosting their annual Spring marathons with hundreds of thousands of people putting months of hard graft to the test and crossing those finish lines with pride and glee. Wonderful.

And it truly is a wonderful, magical and pretty remarkable thing. But not being one of them? Without any particular good reason (I can’t blame a broken foot this year). Well, that totally sucks. It sucks on every level.

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1. You just can’t escape it

No matter how hard you try, if you have friends that are runners, it’s everywhere. I even tried deleting my Facebook account. But then there was Instagram…and Strava…and Twitter…and, well. the news and, errrm,, the actual outdoors.

I’ve already switched it back on again. So that went well.

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2. The FOMO is real

It’s difficult to put into words, and to get any normal person to understand, why exactly it pains you so much to miss out on putting your body through the wars and your mind through hell just to run 26.2 miles. For fun. So just take my word for it.

There is no greater pain that being on the spectator side of those barriers.

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3. You feel like the laziest person on earth

It doesn’t really matter how much exercise you do, even if you workout out daily, if you’re not running 20 miles on a Sunday when everyone else in the whole world is, then you feel like the Mayor of Slobtown.

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4. It makes you grumpy and unreasonable

Yes, more grumpy than usual. Yes more unreasonable than usual. No, I can’t control it. Yes, I’m sorry. No, I don’t wanna talk about it.

It’s best to just stay away from me really.

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5. You’re just another muggle

This one is probably the worst for me. Marathon running is magical. It’s magical because it’s made of a unique combination of a strong body, a strong(er) mind, and a lot of bloody hard work that only comes with resilience, dedication and willpower . It’s impossible to understand unless you’ve been there. And when you’re not there, you’re just a regular ol nothing-special kinda muggle on the sidelines. And that sucks.

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Putting my jealousy aside, I wish nothing but the best of luck and positive, strong thoughts to everyone running over the next few weeks and, if you’re running London, I’ll be in the usual Chaser spot with a can of cider throwing jelly babies at you. You’re welcome.

I want to be special again by the end of the year. And I’m going all out for Berlin in September because, this time, I do have something to prove. In fact I have everything to prove.

But only to myself.

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Runners Connect: An online running coach

On April 4, 2018 By Girl Running CrazyIn General, Reviews2 Comments

When I joined the Clapham Chasers five years ago, I quickly developed a network of friends who love running, and talking about running, as much as I do, and who know the science bit behind making you a faster and more efficient runner. They also like a drink (or seven) so it worked out rather well really.

I’ve been lucky to have people around me who have been incredibly supportive through the highs and the lows, by putting training plans together for me and pacing me to PB’s. However, I can’t help but feel like a burden and, more often than not, I feel like I let them down when I miss my goals (which happens A LOT).

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Recently, I’ve been introduced to Runners Connect who offer runners bespoke online coaching programmes within a community of people who simply love to run. Based on the principle that runners tend to do their best when supported by others, they created a community that connects people with other runners across the globe, to motivate and inspire, however you may be feeling.

How does it work?

Founded in 2011, Runners Connect have a team of expert coaches that help you to train smarter, stay healthy and run faster based on your current running ability and your goals.

There are three options you can choose to get you started:

Just a schedule
- This is the basic package that gives you a customised training schedule without the coaching support, or community access
Team coaching
- The next level up, this offers a custom training plan, plus access to a supportive community and team of coaches to get feedback, answer questions, and help you adjust your schedule
1 on 1 coaching
- This is the premium and most comprehensive package that allows you to work exclusively with one of the coaches. Your coach will write your training plan in 3-4 week blocks which is adjusted based on your feedback

Once you’ve chosen your package, you’re asked to give as much information as possible about your running history, experience, current level of fitness and your goals. The more you can tell them, the better your experience will be. I’ve already learned it’s best to be honest about your current training if you want to get the most out of it, they really don’t judge you at all!

Basically, don’t claim to be like this…

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…if you’re currently running more like this….like me

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Your training plan is built around your preferences, lifestyle, and other commitments. So, if you prefer your long run on a Friday, and you always do weight training on a Monday, your coach will build this into your plan. This is my favourite aspect because my life doesn’t always work to a schedule and I really need that flexibility without feeling like I’m having to compromise.

When you log into your account you’re taken to your dashboard where you’re given your training plan for the week and can upload your activity either manually, or by linking to Strava. You also have the option to add comments if you were feeling good/tired/strong etc which gives the coaches some added insight into how your training is going.

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There’s clear guidance on the pace you should be targeting depending on what type of run is scheduled for the day such as ‘easy’ or general’, and why you should be running at that pace. You also get regular contact from your coach and they soon get in touch if you haven’t been logging your runs to make sure everything is OK (so, no hiding…)

Depending on your membership, you also get access to a ‘newsfeed’ which allows you to see what your fellow runners are up to and what they’re thinking & feeling so you can share your experiences and support each other.

It’s worth having a good look round the site too as there are lots of blog articles and podcasts to listen to on all things running!

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If you’ve found yourself in a bit of a training rut, or are unsure as to how to get fitter or faster or achieve your goals, I can recommend giving this a try. I always find that a good motivational technique for me is to tell other people what my goals are, that way I’m more accountable, and Runners Connect is a great way to do this within a supportive environment.

No matter what your current fitness level is or what you want to achieve, they have the right people to help you get there. I’ve been impressed!

I was invited to try Runners Connect as a guest, as always, all views are my own.

London’s Big Half: The ‘time on feet’ one

On March 6, 2018 By Girl Running CrazyIn General, Race Reports2 Comments

In fact, we’ll call it the LOT of time on feet one. But that’s OK. It’s allllll just part of playing the long game….the really long game.

After the Beast from the East hit London last week it was touch and go whether the first ever Big Half would actually go ahead, but a combination of slick organisation and snow-thaw meant it was full steam ahead.

London a few days earlier

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Sunday morning was actually beautifully sunny when I headed to the start at Tower Hill, positively warm in fact after the arctic blast. As the race is point to point, finishing in front of Cutty Sark in Greenwich, all baggage had to be dropped off by 8.25. I was in a later start wave than usual which meant I had over an hour to wait in my race gear before running. I took advantage of a sunny London whilst I waited, I mean, who would even know we were blanked in snow just a couple of days before?!

The Big Half is run by London Marathon Events, so organisation was pretty smooth with the 15,000 runners setting off across 8 waves at 5 minute intervals. I started at around 9.30.

Tower of London

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I’ve had the Big Half in the diary for some time now, but I still managed to go into it undercooked (by which I actually mean totes raw…) with my longest run in preparation clocking in at 7.3 miles. Not my usual preparation by a long shot. However, the route looked awesome and I really wanted that medal to add to my collection so bowing out was never an option.

In stark contrast to my usual race day strategy (ie suicide pace until I vomit), I took the more sensible* approach of not really giving a damn. Genuinely, I had no expectations other than to get to the finish and it was really refreshing. I wasn’t nervous, I wasn’t worried, and I didn’t have a target pace.

*As sensible as running a half marathon on no training can be. Don’t try this at home kids.

Starting further back in the field meant I couldn’t start too fast even if I wanted to, so I just jogged, and looked around, and high-fived some kids, and jogged some more. The only real plan I had was to switch a a purposeful run / walk strategy when I needed to. And I was totally OK with that.

Cutty Sark

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The route is actually pretty cool and takes in a lot of the same roads as the London Marathon. Running on closed roads, it starts near Tower Bridge by the Tower of London, and goes east to Canary Wharf before doubling back to cross Tower Bridge and follow the river and finish in Greenwich.

Given my lack of training, I only expected to get to about 5 miles before running out of run-love but I surprised myself by making it to nearer 9 (small wins right?!). I learned a long time ago that the key to a run/walk strategy is to make a deal with yourself and stick to it, without that deal it all goes to s**t (trust me!). My deal was to run for five minutes and walk for one, which I honoured until the last mile when I was struggling and all I really wanted was for it all to be over and a Lucozade.

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Running down the home straight did nothing but remind me why I love this stupid, wonderful, heart breaking, glouroius and painful hobby of mine. With the crowds lining the street either side, the commentator cheering people by name, runners giving it their all in the final push and the finish line in sight, I was in a happy place.

There it was. The first race of 2018. Done and did. And I had absolutely qualms about my time.

Generally I though this was a well organised race with huge potential to become a solid fixture in the race calendar, attracting a strong field of all abilities. Finishers got a fun medal, which I really like, a technical t-shirt, and a goody bag of drinks and snacks. My only negative comment is that it was a nightmare to get on the DLR to get home because you had to cross the race course to get to it…maybe a consideration for next year.

It wasn’t pretty (my run, not the course), it wasn’t fast, and it wasn’t even in the same league as my PB, but it was a half marathon. And it was my first half marathon in 18 months. And I loved it. And, more importantly, I loved the people that were running around me, the people that got out there and did it, the people that were supporting each other on the way round, the people that reminded me that us runners stick together. You guys are just brilliant.

Thanks Big Half, you were special.

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Cycling Skillz

On January 24, 2018 By Girl Running CrazyIn Cycling, GeneralLeave a comment

I haven’t been on my bike since September. I had full intentions of a leisurely New Years Eve ride with some of the Chaser girls but I discovered I had a puncture (I tried for an hour to get the bloody tyre off but it wouldn’t budge) so I didn’t make it.

The problem is, the more time I spend not riding, the more I find my confidence drops and my bike seems like a big scary monster.

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On Saturday, I went to a Surrey League ‘Race Preparation Training Session’. In all honesty I had absolutely no idea what I was in for but it was positioned as being suitable for all levels and a session to improve group riding skills so I thought it would be perfect, especially as it took place on a circuit with no cars. Despite being ‘suitable for all levels’, I was by far the most novice rider in our group as I made my way to Ardingly with some of the most speedy and experienced Chasers on earth. The very thought of this made me so nervous that I almost didn’t turn up, but I reasoned with myself that the best way to gain cycling confidence is to surround myself with confident cyclists and, anyway, they’re all lovely people so there was nothing to be scared of.

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I almost fell at the first hurdle when I arrived at the train station and discovered I had another sodding puncture (and yes, I rode the 2 miles from home on a flat without noticing…) I knew I couldn’t fix it on my own so was very grateful when Warbo said he would fix it on the train, it was as good as new by the time we got off (THANK YOU).

The next ‘hurdle’ was the 4 mile ride from the station to Ardingly showground. How exactly do you keep up with the most experienced and speedy Chasers on earth when they’re riding at ‘an easy pace’, in the rain? Well. You don’t. But, as I said, they’re a lovely bunch so they didn’t leave me behind (THANK YOU!)

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When we arrived (soaking wet and freezing cold I might add) I was surprised at how few women there were, maybe about 8 of 45-ish, I always thought cycling was a much more mixed sport but it would appear not. The first thing I learned was that there’s a difference between a cycling ‘sportive’ and ‘race’. A sportive is a mass participation cycling event which, although use timing chips, is a non-competitive event and attracts riders of all levels. A race on the other hand, is exactly that, a race, and requires you to be a member of the British Cycling Federation as well as attending two of these Race Preparation Sessions. For the record, I have no intention of competing in a race anytime soon.

The session, which was run by cycling coach Paul Butler, was split into two sessions with an indoor theory bit and an outdoor practical bit. It was still raining and it was still cold. It did not being rainy or cold allllll day. Luckily Anna gave me a spare pair of tootsie covers (is that what they’re called?) which kept my tootsies warm and my shoes clean (THANK YOU!)

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Cornering

After going through the basics and importance of a good warm up, we learnt about cornering, when to break, the correct position of your pedals and where your body weight should be. Out on the road, we went in a rectangular circuit (well, a circle would be no good for cornering would it…) and practised taking the corners, more in the correct position that at any speed, on the drop bars (I rode the drop bars and didn’t fall off!)

One Handed Riding

I still haven’t mastered the art of drinking and cycling at the same time, and signalling right is somewhat an issue, so when we were told to pair up and ride with one hand on someone elses shoulder I wasn’t overjoyed. Luckily Ruth was a rock and we got through it without me hurting anyone!

Peloton

Next we had to form a peloton and the rider at the back had to make their way through the middle of the group to the front, not round the outside, straight through the middle. This was my least favourite bit of the day, shouting at people that I was coming through whilst trying not to knock myself or anyone else off their bike AND trying and ride fast enough to get to the front was a tad stressful. I was happy when that bit was over. Plus I could no longer feel my fingers.

Chain Gang & Paceline

After another short theory bit we were back out practising how to ride in chain gangs and pacelines in small groups. After a few hiccups (such as Dude A who insisted we had the push the pace so the group fell apart, and Dude B who rode straight into a cone…) we totally nailed this part.

The Puncture Crew

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Despite the rain, the wet muddy lycra, the mud on my face, and the frozen limbs, I had a really good day out. I learned A LOT, gained some confidence, and had fun. Even though I have no intention of participating in a race, this is a really worthwhile session for anyone looking to improve their group riding skills, if nothing else it will make you safer.

Also, I don’t want to show off or anything, but I can pretty much ride like this now…but I wouldn’t…cause that would be silly…and the very opposite of safe.

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Reading Half Training Day

On January 9, 2018September 18, 2019 By Girl Running CrazyIn General, ReviewsLeave a comment

Saturday morning was COLD, the kind of cold that made me ignore the offensively early weekend alarm and roll over. But it was also the morning of the Reading Half Training Day so I HAD to get up. Unfortunately my unscheduled alarm-ignoring meant I didn’t have time for porridge and had to make do with breakfast in the car…

We started the morning off with an overview of the day ahead and the race itself, which will be on the 18th March. The Reading Half has been going since 1983 and has since evolved to a rather prestigious race that attracts a wide field of athletes with a pretty magnificent finish in the Madejski Stadium. I haven’t run this one before so I’m really excited to be part of it this year, especially now I know about the secret wine and beer hydration’ station at 8.5 miles (unofficial, obvs). Hey, I ran a marathon drunk so a swig or two of wine will do me no harm whatsoever!

Selfie with the Townsend Twins

Then came the fun bit, a 30 minute strength and cardio workout with the Townsend Twins, who are the official warm up partners for the Reading Half. After loosening up, we were put through our paces with several rounds of exercises including squat jumps, lunges, ski jumps, dead lifts, planks, V sit-ups (yes, ouch), glute bridges, cycle sit-ups and back extensions. It actually got pretty sweaty…and we hadn’t even been for a run yet.

Glute Bridges

After re-hydrating, we then had a session with Ali, one of the official Reading Half pacers, who took us through all the key elements of pacing your perfect race. He had lots of top tips to remember on the day:

Plan ahead and be prepared, especially on race day. You don’t want to turn up late and not know where the toilets are (for the record, it’s unacceptable to pee in the bushes…)
Don’t panic at the start off the race and let adrenaline take over, you’ll only bonk before you finish. Easier said than done that one!
Don’t weave in and out of people, it just wastes energy. I’m definitely guilty of this and it makes a real difference when I have the self control not to do it.
Break the race down into bite-size chunks, instead of thinking of it as one long 13.1 mile run, think of it in sections
- Miles 1-3 – get yourself settled into the race
- Miles 3-11 – keep checking in on yourself to see how you’re feeling and adjust your pace and/or goal accordingly
- Miles 11-13.1 – take it home and bask in the glory

If you’re interested, Reading will be offering pacers at 5 minute intervals from 1:20 all the way up to 2:30 so make sure you latch on to one of them and let them do all the hard work for you (OK, almost all of the hard work, I mean, they don’t offer piggybacks).

Cold, cold cold!

Then it was time to run! After a warm up in the very chilly but sunny air, we were off on a 3 mile loop that took us through the start of the race course in Green Park, and round to the Madejski Stadium where we would be finishing on the track. Unfortunately it was match day, so we couldn’t go in, but we could loiter suspiciously and peak through the gates imagining ourselves crossing the finish line to the roar of the crowds in the stadium!

Blue skies at the Madejski Stadium

Back at base, it was onto the serious business of warm up exercises and post-run stretching. You know, all the things we know we should do but tend to skimp on, or is that just me?? There were a few key things I took from this session:

Before you run:

Loosen tight hamstrings with The Slump Test (a new one on me!):
- Sit on the edge of a table with your legs hanging off and hands behind your back
- Slump your back so you fall slightly forwards with your head down
- With a flexed foot, kick your leg vigorously upwards
- Keep going until they feel looser!

Looks a little odd but it works!

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Another one for the hammys – Heel Kicks. A good way to do this is to stand arms length from a wall and kick vigourously towards the bum with your knees in line
Activate the glutes, yes, every time. Donkey kicks are great for this

After you run:

Make sure you stretch the calves, hamstrings and quads!

We finished with a Q&A and more info on the day itself. In addition to the unofficial beer stop, there will be water stations supplied in pouches every 3 miles. I LOVE the pouches because they are much easier to carry and are less of an injury risk if you accidentally step on one.

Green Park’s Foudry Brook

I thought the Reading Half Training Day was brilliant for both new and experienced runners and I definitely learnt a thing or two about warming up properly!

The Reading Half Marathon is on 18th March and there are still spaces available here if you would like to come and join us. There’s also a January competition to win some running goodies, including some wireless headphones, a foam roller, a Ron Hill LED light High 5 recovery pack, so make sure you enter!

Note: I will be taking part in the Reading Half as a race ambassador, all views are my own.