Virtual London Marathon: My Race, My Way

On October 7, 2020 By Girl Running CrazyIn GeneralLeave a comment

At 5:30 am on Sunday my alarm went off, it was dark and it was raining. Five weeks ago I decided it was a good idea to sign up to the Virtual London Marathon even though the furthest I’ve run this year is around 10 miles. I briefly questioned my life choices and went back to sleep.

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When all the big races started moving to ‘virtual’ events I really didn’t get it – what was the point? You sign up for a race, anywhere in the world, and pay actual money to run the same streets you always do and receive a medal for said event that never really existed in the first place.

However, I do understand the frustration of training for an event that gets cancelled just when you’re ready to roll. And I do understand that these events face financial challenges in the wake of COVID with a lot of the organisation already done and thousands upon thousands of medals and t-shirts already made. I concluded it’s actually quite a nice idea to give people a feeling of togetherness and a feeling of being part of something a little bit different in this weird year we’ve found ourselves in.

I signed up on a whim after the fear of missing out just got too much for my brain to handle. It was the London Marathon in a way that will (hopefully) be a once in a lifetime opportunity to experience. I’m still not sure how I feel about getting a medal and t-shirt for the 40th event that didn’t happen – but I guess it did happen, and I did take part, the same way everyone else did, it’s just that the 40th race was a very different format. And that’s got to be something to remember?

Each virtual event tackles the logistics differently – the London Marathon gave you 24 hours from midnight BST to complete 26.2 miles any way you wanted to. You could run, walk, or even head out multiple times, it was your race, your way, as long as you completed it on two feet before midnight. When you set off you started the timer on the app and it kept running until the 26.2 miles were up so if you did do multiple runs, the clock kept ticking while you were resting.

Anyway, after the alarm went off I convinced myself that if I just had a banana instead of porridge for breakfast I could go back to sleep for another hour and still be out the door at 8…so that’s what I did.

A selfie at every lap

My plan was to run 10 miles and walk 16.2, all on an almost traffic free Tooting Common. It was fabulously quiet as I set off, in the rain, bang on time at 8am – just a few other runners and dog walkers around. In some ways the rain was welcome as it kept the fair weather undesirables indoors…ie out of my way.

With my race bib pinned on front and back (a very welcome surprise in the post) the encouragement I got from everyone else out braving the rain inspired me to exceed expectations and run 12 miles instead of the 10. The uplifting cheers from other people was my favourite part of the day – it reminded what it was like to be in a race. But the worst part? Coming home to race HQ after my longest run in months, soaking wet and freezing cold for a quick change of clothes before having to head back out on ouchy legs for a little 14.2 mile walk. But that’s what I had to do so that’s what I did.

Fellow Chaser Zoe was also out doing laps of the common for her marathon so part two of my plan was to find her so we could finish it together. It really didn’t stop raining and I was super happy I wasn’t out there alone walking in circles – it certainly would have been a lot more miserable without her and other friends who turned up for a lap or two with us!

A distance shared isn’t quite a distance halved but it certainly helped me get the job done. And get the job done we did!

Five things that were brilliant about it:

Race HQ is your home – the start and finish line is your doorstep and it’s also where the hot showers and cuppa teas are – plus you always know where the toilet is so that’s a bonus.
There were friends that came out for a few laps at different intervals – we had singing, dancing, (bad) jokes and even some flashing (true story).
There were more than just a few other people doing the same thing around Tooting Common – it doesn’t make it hurt any less but it does help to know you’re not the only one hurting.
There may not have been the usual race day crowds but every other runner gave us encouragement as they ran past and loads of cars were tooting and beeping.
A marathon is a truly unique and special thing, it’s a feeling that’s hard to explain and one I wasn’t sure I would experience this time – but I did.

The FINAL stretch

Five things that were hard about it:

Race HQ is home – It takes a lot of mental strength getting back out again, I recommend doing it as infrequently as possible!
The weather was grim. It rained…the whole time.
It’s still 26.2 miles which is a long way no matter how you do it (and the app was tracking behind so I ended up doing 27 miles).
You’re 100% self-supported. No water stations, no banana stations, no kids handing out sweets and definitely no beer vans (although in fairness Jane did offer to bring us wine).
You’re not in a controlled environment. That’s fine in the early stages but after 20 miles, around about when everything feels a little bit fuzzy, a dog darting around in front of you or a kid on a scooter threatening to wipe you out is enough to make you want to cry.

The 40th London Marathon wasn’t the day anyone wanted, or the day anyone planned for, but it was the day we got and it was wonderful to be a part of something a little bit special. Kudos to the VMLM organisers who did everything they could in challenging times to still put on day for people to enjoy.

THE END. Medal: Pending

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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When do you declare Game Over?

On May 27, 2016 By Girl Running CrazyIn General6 Comments

Katherine French. Liverpool Marathon. DNS. That’s what it will say next to my name this weekend. Another marathon, another fail.

After falling some way short of target in London, I wanted to give it another go whilst I was still marathon fit because, quite honestly, the thought of another season training for an Autumn marathon simply makes me want to throw allllll my trainers in the bin and swear a lot. But it’s quite evident that I just don’t have that kind of speed in my legs at the moment. Entering Liverpool and thinking I could smash it really wasn’t my brightest idea.

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It was all a bit too perfect. 5 weeks after London, a large UK marathon, a friend with a flat I could stay in, I’d even managed to wing a lift there and back. But my heart and my body had a full blown argument that only my body could ever win.

I know exactly what would have happened.

Turn up at the start line
Full of hope, but knowing I probably wouldn’t make it
But maybe, just maybe I could make it?
Purposely set off just behind the 3:30 pacer and hang on for dear life
Curse the sodding hills that I was warned about
Fall off the pace
Get angry
Walk
Hate everyone overtaking me
Hate myself for being rubbish
Hate life
Be the the very last person to finish the Liverpool Marathon in the slowest time on record. Ever
Cry
Still not get into Boston
Hate running

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It might sound silly, but I know myself well enough to know that would be the most likely outcome right now. It wasn’t worth it.

Last week someone said to me, in reference to London,

‘Remember when you spent 6 months training for a marathon and then jogged it?!’

Whilst there was obviously an air of jest, it doesn’t change the fact that it is indeed true. I trained really hard for London and still didn’t have what it takes to achieve what I wanted to. I just can’t get that out of my head. When it came to game time, the really serious-poker-face-hardcore bit, I jogged.

It’s definitely game over for this season. But is it game over for good? I don’t know. How do you know? I’m not sure I have any coins left to play again.

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Annoyingly, I had cancelled all my fun weekend plans to go to Liverpool so I’m now plan-less for the Bank Holiday. But instead of killing myself on the streets of Liverpool on Sunday, you’ll find me bumbling along the North Downs Way eating Jenn’s Jelly Babies (and other nutritional snacks), and talking to Barry about alarm clocks (and other important things). I’m much happier about that. I think.

When I finally made the decision to pull out I felt a huge sense of relief, I didn’t have to actually run another marathon! But the dark cloud? That hasn’t shifted yet.

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London Marathon #4: The One That Got Away

On April 27, 2016 By Girl Running CrazyIn General, Marathon Chat, Race Reports8 Comments

I got the feeling early on I wasn’t going to hold the pace. I just knew it. By the time mile 18 rolled around I had reduced myself to a walking break and everything felt a little fuzzy. Despite Chris telling me we could still make it, and quite literally pushing me along, I could feel the A plan, the B plan and the C plan slowly slipping away. The London Marathon dream was over and all I could do was simply finish.

The thing with the marathon is that it is unpredictable, and no matter how experienced you are, and how prepared you are for every eventuality you can control, there is still a lot you can’t control and you have to be a little lucky on the day for everything to go your way.

I’m not sure I could have been much more prepared for my 4th attempt at the London Marathon. I got a lot of things right, I felt good, and I knew I was in good shape, but something just didn’t quite go my way. Instead of bringing home a new shiny PB to be proud of, and the BQ I desperately wanted, I trundled over the finish line in 3 hours 53. Not a bad time I know, but it wasn’t the day I wanted and it wasn’t the race I’d trained for. It was, however, the race I got.

I met some of the Chasers at the tube station bright & early on Sunday morning but it wasn’t long before Alex had to leg it back home again to pick up his forgotten timing chip (ohhhh, Alex!!). We arrived in good time and I met Chris who had once again offered to pace me, despite having just run both Manchester and Brighton marathons in the last 2 weeks! Due to my poor pacing skills and self-doubt, I lept at this chance and was really pleased to be able to avoid the official pace groups (which get very busy) and have someone I knew by my side.

It was a perfect day for running, cool, dry and not too sunny. I had 4 plans, the A plan was to finish in under 3:35, the B plan was a guaranteed BQ and the C plan was a GFA, and the D plan was to never run a marathon ever again.

The start was crowded as usual but, as we were in a start pen further back than we wanted, there was a lot of weaving in and out of people and the first mile was slow. I tried not to panic and Chris stopped me tearing off at a silly pace to make up the difference. We soon settled into a good pace around 8mm, the crowds lined the streets, I saw Barry screaming at me at mile 6, and I remembered why I love the London Marathon so much!

Without Chris I most definitely would have ran the first few miles too fast so I just concentrated on following him. The weather stayed perfect and, apart from a brief spot of hail, it was dry and the sun wasn’t too warm when it did come out. Around mile 9/10 I had the distinct feeling I wasn’t going to keep up, I voiced my concerns but Chris wasn’t having any of it and we cracked on.

I saw Mum & Dad on the opposite side of the road around the half way point and my friends Rick & Merissa cheering very loudly. The Chasers were at mile 14.5, I was really looking forward to seeing them but for some reason I didn’t know they were there until we’d past.

By the time we were around mile 18 I had to stop and walk, I felt dizzy and all I remember was Chris saying ‘you’re better than this, come on’. I tried to negotiate some walking breaks and we agreed we’d have one at 20 miles but I didn’t even make it that far until I was walking again.

After that, everything is a bit hazy and it became a cycle of me stopping to walk, Chris giving me some tough love and pushing me on, and each mile rolling by. The Chasers were just after the 20 mile mark and there was no missing them this time, it was just what I needed! Run Dem Crew were at mile 21, who always deliver on support, and Mum & Dad at 22.5. I know there were other people out there shouting at me, sorry if I missed you!

I wasn’t feeling at all good, I felt sick and a bit out of it but I really couldn’t tell you why. Chris dutifully picked up water whenever I wanted it and offered non-stop encouragement, but I knew I wasn’t getting a BQ and was increasingly unlikely to get a PB. I tried to soak in the atmosphere that only the London Marathon offers, look at the sites and do as I was told, the miles were still ticking by.

With just 1km to go I still found myself walking and bumped into fellow Chaser Dorcas, she saw me walking and came back for me. We finished the Frankfurt Marathon in exactly the same time so she said we would finish this one together too! Plodding down the home straight, it was a 3:53 finish, a comfortable sub-4, but no where near what it should have been. I had executed a perfect D plan (no more marathons).

No BQ, no GFA and no PB. Gutted.

All I really wanted was to sit down, but sitting down on the finish line is often frowned upon, so, with Chris holding me up, I shuffled, and shuffled, and eventually made it to my bag and my parents.

Chris was, yet again, a total star. He said all the right things, pushed me when I needed it and was even the water boy! I think I would have easily come in a lot slower without him there, but he didn’t take any of my babbling, nonsensical crap and made sure I didn’t give up, I was all ready to have a little sit down on the side of the road at one point. I’m just sorry I couldn’t quite achieve this time, or do what I said I was going to do, sorry Chris!

I’m obviously disappointed with my performance, but I’m not nearly as upset as I thought I would be. Maybe it’s because I still got to run the London Marathon, and the London Marathon truly is the greatest marathon on earth, and I even got to run it with Chris.

I don’t know what went wrong, I was ready and I was prepared, I even had a personal pacer, but it just wasn’t to be. Right now I’m completely torn between:

Flying to Latvia in a couple of weeks to try again (perfect timing but I don’t speak the language)
Heading to Liverpool at the end of May (much closer, but not so perfect timing and I don’t speak the language)
Heading to Estonia in September for the last chance before Boston opens (more time to recover, but the thought of another marathon season makes me want to throw all my trainers away)
Honestly never running another marathon again (the best idea I’ve ever had but I’m going to need some new friends)

Even I don’t know what I’m going to do next but I’m definitely looking forward to a summer of shorter races and post run ciders in the sunshine!

Hey London. I’m Ready!

On April 20, 2016 By Girl Running CrazyIn General, Marathon Chat9 Comments

On Saturday morning I smashed my Parkrun PB, knocking 19 seconds off my previous best and a whopping 1 minute 13 seconds of my PB this year! My PB now stands at 21:50, it’s the confidence booster I desperately needed AND one of my 2016 goals achieved!

I didn’t do it alone though. One of the best things about being a Chaser is the support you get from others and I was lucky to have not 1, but 2 Chasers pacing me round Dulwich Park. I wanted a sub 22, but I didn’t know if I could do it, I really didn’t, and I was a bit worried Rob and Nick would be annoyed if they had gone out of my way to help me and I failed. A sub 22 always seemed so out of reach.

With some strong words from Gemma beforehand, I set off determined to block out everything around me other than what the guys were telling me, they knew exactly which line to take, I drafted when it was breezy and I kept on their heels. I always, always set off too fast so it felt surprisingly comfortable until the last half a mile or so…I thought I was slowing down a lot but I didn’t want to look at the pace. When we hit the last 200m both Rob and Nick were shouting ‘come on, come on’ and I thought I’d missed it, I could barely believe it when I saw the time, it was a comfortable sub 22!

I am absolutely elated with my new PB and hugely grateful to Rob and Nick for helping me achieve it, thank you!

As an aside, I think it’s incredibly sad, and shameful, that Stoke council have voted to charge runners for Little Stoke Parkrun because, apparantly, they need to replace the path (a path that is no doubt used by a whole range of people throughout the week, not just Parkrunners). In a society where we should be actively encouraging people to eat less and move move, Parkrun has been instrumental in getting a huge number of people off the sofa and into their trainers. It really has revoluntioned Saturday mornings and this is a massive blow to the Parkrun community who’s ethos has always been about providing free, safe events that are accessible to all.

If you want to support Little Stoke, you can sign the petition here #LoveParkrun

Of course, I know that a 5k PB doesn’t mean a marathon PB, but it has made me realise I can achieve things I thought were beyond me, especially with a little help.

It’s the final few days before London and I’ve been testing the carb-depletion diet. The science behind it is, by spending a few days eating a low carb diet, you deplete your muscles of their glycogen stores so when you begin the carb loading process they can store more glycogen than they could before, and more glycogen in the muscles means more fuel on race day.

I’ve read mixed reviews, and I don’t know if it will make a difference, but some people swear by it and I had nothing to lose by giving it a go, marginal gains and all that. Honestly, I can’t wait for all the carbs on Thursday though, there’s only so much fish, chicken, avocado, eggs and courgettes you can eat and I’m not really a ‘no-bread sandwich and hold the fries’ kind of girl!

Looking back over my training plans I’ve had some really strong runs, I know I’m in good shape and I know I can do it. I just have to actually do it. Plus, if I needed any more motivation, I have a bet with my friend Martin that I can beat him with a 55 minute handicap. Loser buys the drinks all night. I don’t want to be the loser.

I’m ready for you London, I’m ready.

When the taper brings nothing but self-doubt

On April 11, 2016 By Girl Running CrazyIn General, Marathon Chat4 Comments

There’s less than 2 weeks to go until the London Marathon. The day when the last 18 weeks of training are put to the test, the day when you realise if all the hard work and sacrifice was worth it, the day when you bask in glory…or crash and burn in a devastating fall from grace, the day when everyone else knows whether you succeeded, or whether you failed…

There’s less than 2 weeks to go until the London Marathon and that means it’s time for the taper to slowly chip away at every ounce of confidence you ever had.

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The taper’s a funny thing, you spend all winter looking forward to those 2/3 weeks at the end of your plan when the intensity drops back and the long runs look easy, but when it gets here it’s not quite as much fun as you thought. By the time the taper arrives you know it’s too late to change anything, there’s absolutely nothing more you can do to make yourself fitter, stronger, or faster except wind down, rest and eat well. It’s terrifying!

On Saturday I went for a Parkrun PB, I actually wanted more than a PB, I wanted a confidence boosting 21:59. Having gone to bed early, and dragging myself out in the pouring rain on a Saturday morning, I fell off the pace quickly and finished in a disappointing 22:23. Rubbish.

However, it was my 2nd best Parkrun time ever, and this time last year I could only dream of anything starting with a 22, surely that’s a positive thing and a sign that the hard work is paying off? So, this Saturday I’ll be trying again, one last shot at sub 22 before judgement day.

It’s difficult not to question every decision I’ve made over the last few weeks. Should I have picked up the pace a bit more in my long runs? Could I have tried just a bit harder in the Hampton Court half? Should I have pushed through the last 2k at track last week when my legs didn’t work rather than bowing out? Did I run too fast at tempo? Was 3 x 20 milers enough? Could I have done more, run further, tried harder???

Once you throw in the phantom injuries, imaginary niggles and overwhelming paranoia you realise the taper is anything but fun. You’re convinced you’re going to get sick from the snotty nosed teenager that just sneezed on you, or you’re going to accidentally fall off a bridge into the Thames and break your leg, or Snoopy, the crazy dog who lives down the road, is going to bite your arm off and tear you limb from limb. Convinced. (Snoopy really is a nutter you know).

I really don’t know what race day will bring this time. I do know that I’ve run more miles (yes, I’ve counted), and put in more effort (yes, I’ve calculated) than I have for any other marathon, but I really don’t know if I’ve done enough. I do know that I’m not ready for this taper, not ready at all.

And I don’t know if I can do it.

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Hampton Court Half & Project Boston

On February 23, 2016February 23, 2016 By Girl Running CrazyIn Race ReportsLeave a comment

On Sunday I ran the Hampton Court Half Marathon. I always think a half during marathon training gives you a real indication of how it’s going, it lets you know if you’re on track to hit your target, or if you need to re-evaluate your goal. For this reason I was nervous, more nervous than I had been about a race for a while.

In October I ran a 1:50 and a 1:49 half but, according to the McMillan race calculator, I needed to be running 1:42:30 to get a comfortable BQ in the marathon. It felt like a lot to shave off…

It was a pretty early start to get over to Esher for an 8:30am race start but I was pleased to bump into some other Chasers. They operated a wave start system but, rather than using coloured zones and policing it, people could start where they wanted so it wasn’t ideal. It also started late, 16 minutes late to be exact, which was quite frustrating when you’re stood in the cold in just a vest. Apparently there were issues with the park & ride system where they wanted people to pay £6 and get on a bus to the start – I ignored this and parked near the start for free, looks like that was a good idea all round. Definitely room for improvement on the organisational front.

I made the bold decision to start with the 1:40 pacer, or rather hang just behind the 1:40 pacer and see what happened. The plan was to hang onto him for as long as I could, but I didn’t want to let go until at least 7 miles…ideally.

The route was on a lot of pavements along open roads which I think made it difficult for the pacer to keep an even pace, add in weaving around people who had started in the wrong place and I felt like I was all over the place! Every time we sped up I thought I was going to lose him, then we settled down again and it felt comfortable. This went on until around 6.5 miles when he started to disappear as we ran along the river.

Annoyingly I had forgotten to turn the mile alerts back on my watch after my last track session so I didn’t really know how much time I was losing, but I felt like I was plodding. Often during the back half of a race I mentally give up, I allow myself to slow down and tell myself I don’t care about the clock, but that didn’t happen, I just kept pushing as much as I could.

The last mile seemed to drag but eventually the crowds thickened and I crossed the line in 1:44:01…90 seconds off the pace but slightly better than I thought towards the end. I wasn’t entirely sure how I felt about it, I’m still not.

The route itself wasn’t particularly scenic, apart from a small section where we ran past Hampton Court, it was quite dull. It was fast and flat with great PB potential, but it took you on a lot of pavements along open roads which wasn’t ideal, together with the disappointing start I think the only reason I would do it again would be for convenience rather than anything else. That said, you got a great medal and the goody bag was well stocked!

In summary

The Good:

I’m pretty sure Hampton Court was my second fastest half marathon ever
I finished in the top 8% of women
I couldn’t have given it anymore. I honestly never stopped pushing which shows my mental strength is back on track
It was windy in the 2nd half…that may have made me a bit slower…
There are still 9 whole weeks until the London Marathon
My Run Britain handicap is heading in the right direction
I’m not giving up yet and, if all else fails, I’m bang on track for a PB

The Bad:

The splits aren’t great – I fell off the pace and it hurt
I was about 90 seconds away from where I needed to be to be on track for a BQ. That’s actually quite a lot
It’s only 7 weeks until the taper…

The Ugly:

The outlook for project Boston is looking distinctly grey and cloudy
I know I won’t be happy simply with a PB in London

Project Boston – to be continued…

On the plus side, I think I made back my race entry fee in Vita Coco, my favourite!

Marathon Training: Feeling Good

On January 22, 2016 By Girl Running CrazyIn General2 Comments

It’s been about 2 months since I fell out of love with running and I would rather have stuck a pencil in my eye than put my trainers on and jog round London. However, I’ve always been a bit fickle and since then, I seem to have remembered exactly why I love running so much and I even rather enjoyed my run commute despite the -5 degrees temperature this week!

I think it was a slightly hazy time somewhere between the 4^th and 5^th cocktail at the Chaser Christmas party when I fell in love with running again. It was at this time when the ballot was drawn for the Chasers club places in the London Marathon and my name was the first name out! Of course, I missed the actual event having been in the toilet/at the bar/chatting about life with complete strangers/some or all of the above, which I was pretty gutted about, but I was SO EXCITED to get a place!

Since then, I’ve been firmly back in training for the last 5 weeks and, in a surprising turn of events, it actually seems to be going well… I’m not entirely sure what’s happened to me, or if I’ve simply been spurred on by the pretty punchy target I’ve set myself, but I’ve been running better than I have for a long time and it feels great!

New Year’s Day double Parkrun crew. A very muddy Wimbledon followed by a chilly Fulham!

Generally, I’ve learned that really high mileage plans don’t work for me. I’ve tried it, I got tired, I got injured, I resented having to go for a run, and, importantly, I did not run well on marathon day. 5 runs a week is enough for me, it allow me to run 40+ miles, do all my key sessions, a recovery run, and I still have time for a spinning class or 2 and my favourite Tuesday morning yoga class. I’m definitely not planning any 70 mile weeks any time soon!

Running just seems to be a bit easier at the moment, I’ve been doing my track sessions at an even, or progressive, pace without vomiting on the 400m line and I’ll even admit to possibly, maybe, enjoying it this week which I don’t think has ever happened before!

Tempo sessions have also been going well (ie I finish them without feeling like I’m going to drop dead) and I’m so happy to be running with Ruth again. Ruth and I used to run together a lot when we were training for the Rome Marathon, then she got quicker and I got slower and she became a little dot on the horizon. Ruth is still speedier than me but I enjoy chasing her, and the other speedy girls Jenna and Kristy, round a cold dark Battersea Park. Throw in some long runs at a pace I’m happy with and I’m actually feeling quite positive.

All I have to do now is keep it up for the next 13 weeks without getting injured, errrrm, should be fine if I go to yoga every week right…??

I hope your Spring marathon training is going well too!

Post long run coffee last Sunday

2016: Goals

On December 31, 2015 By Girl Running CrazyIn General7 Comments

I don’t really believe in new years resolutions, if you want to change something just do it, you don’t need to wait until the 1st January. That said, I think it’s important to set goals and challenge yourself. Sharing goals is a bit scary, whilst it doesn’t necessarily matter if you don’t achieve them, I think it does matter if you don’t give them an honest effort. So, as we’re about to head into a new year, these are my 2016 goals…

1. Run 3.30 – 3.35 in the London Marathon

Yep, I said it, my Spring marathon goal is a PB, a GFA and a BQ, all the acronyms! My current PB is 3:47 so I’m looking to knock about 15 minutes off it which I don’t think will come easily. I know there are a lot of people who think I can’t do this one, but I’m going to give it everything I’ve got and I believe I can do it, you’ve got to at least believe in yourself right?

I want to go to Boston. It’s Boston or bust.

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2. Do more Parkruns

I don’t run nearly enough Parkruns and that needs to change. I both love and hate Parkrun, I love pushing myself, I love the atmosphere and I love getting that little text message but I can get a bit worked up about it beforehand. In 2016 I want to try 5 new Parkruns and run my first sub 22 5k…ermm, I may need a pacer…please?!

This one will be starting bright and early tomorrow with a New Years Day Parkrun double!

Pre-Christmas party Chasers outing to Brockwell

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3. A new 10k PB

This one might be one to focus on later in the year given I can’t even run 5k at my 10k PB pace at the moment! Still, it was 2011 when I somehow managed to run 45:24 round Poole Park and it’s about time I make a serious effort to duck under 45…given my shocking pacing skills, I may need a pacer for this one too…anyone?!

4. Up the strength & conditioning work

Just over a year ago I took up a weekly yoga class and I’ve really noticed the difference, it definitely helps long run recovery and I’m sure it’s helped on the injury front. I’m even getting better at it, I can very almost, nearly, sorta do a headstand and everything!

In recent weeks I’ve also been adding a weights session into my routine, I was quite shocked at how strong my legs were in some places and embarrassingly weak in others. 2016 will be the year of yoga, weights and core…as well as all the running of course. I may need to quit my job…

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5. Stop being so hard on myself

In all honesty, this might be the most difficult for me, especially as I don’t even realise I’m doing it until someone points it out (usually Clare, thanks Clare!) The problem is, I run in a club where I am one of the slowest runners and it makes it very easy feel inadequate even when I get a PB. I’m never going to be the best runner but that doesn’t make my achievements less worthy of other peoples, they’re just different.

The last time I remember feeling genuinely elated with a run was at the Frankfurt marathon, next year I’m going to make sure I celebrate the way I celebrated in Frankfurt, be happy when I make progress and stop comparing myself to other people.

So, these are my 2016 goals and every one of them scares me. Can I do it? Errm, in the spirit of the above I’m going to say a big fat yes!

Happy New Year x

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All’s Fair in the London Marathon Ballot…isn’t it?

On May 4, 2015November 10, 2015 By Girl Running CrazyIn General5 Comments

The London Marathon ballot opened today, as it does every year a week after the big day. But this time there has been a fairly significant change, instead of closing the ballot after 125,000 entries (which only takes a few hours), it will remain open for 5 whole days with no limit on entries.

If you thought your chances of getting in were slim before, they’ve just gone to near-on impossible. How many people will enter the ballot? 200k, 500k, more? Who knows, but I do know that the usual 1 in 7 chance has just been dramatically slashed.

VLM has come under fire in recent years for the way they operate the ballot system. They never announce the time the ballot will open, which means people stay up until the early hours, and it can already be closed by 10 or 11 in the morning. That’s all well and good if you’re able to do that but if you’re a shift worker, a nurse, a fireman, you can easily be left disappointed at the first hurdle. So I understand why a change has been made, and the new system is certainly fairer, but going from around an 8 hour window to 5 whole days is, in my opinion, a little excessive and a little silly.

I believe anyone can run a marathon, but I don’t believe everyone has the drive and commitment to make it happen, it’s a shit load of hard work. The problem is the ballot opens when everyone is still high on the smell of sweat and Lucozade and still moved by all the emotional success stories, they want to be a part of it.

Marathon day is glory day, and it certainly doesn’t come much more glorified than in London. But a marathon isn’t just 26.2 miles, far from it, a marathon is made of hundreds and hundreds of miles over months of training. It’s tough early morning runs, late night tempo and wet, windy long weekend miles. A marathon is made of everything you don’t see.

What I don’t think is fair, and I’m aware it may be controversial, is that there are people who are lucky enough to get ballot places but, when it comes down to it they aren’t prepared to make the sacrifices and put in the time and effort to do the training. I don’t subscribe to the ‘proper runner’ theory, if you run you’re a runner, and I’m definitely not not saying you need to finish in a super quick time, but I am saying you need to put an honest effort into the training and do the best you can to prepare, because there are thousands of people that are willing to do it.

Some people enter the ballot just for the hell of it. They make a half arsed effort to get to the start line because they didn’t want to give up Friday nights in the pub, or give up their warm bed on a freezing January morning, and the people that are willing to do that are left on the sidelines cheering them on. Is that fair? I don’t think so.

I know I’ve run London more than once, and yes maybe it is someone else’s turn, but I’m sad I’m unlikely to be running next year and I’m angry with myself for not trying harder to get a GFA place. There are many people that would say I made a half arsed effort with training this year, that’s why I wasn’t good enough and I’m back in the ballot, maybe it is fair after all.

Quite frankly it would be a lot easier to score a London Marathon place by becoming a Z list celebrity for doing something ridiculous than through the ballot. Screw it, where are the reality show applications? That might even be quite fun…