London Marathon: The Big Jog

On April 29, 2015April 29, 2015 By Girl Running CrazyIn Marathon Chat, Race Reports9 Comments

I was disappointed not to run a London Good For Age qualifier last year but I was over the moon to be successful in in the ballot, it’s a rare occurance! Last Spring, the Rome Marathon didn’t quite go my way so I made a last minute decision to enter Manchester 2 weeks later. I ran better in Manchester, but it was tough knocking out that kind of distance again so soon and I believed myself when I swore I’d never attempt such a thing again.

Not expecting a place in London I had already entered the Brighton Marathon, but October rolled around and I came home to the coveted ‘You’re In’ magazine on my doormat…pain and consequence long forgotten, I wanted to do both. Obviously.

The London Marathon is hands down the best day of the year and if I’m not running, there’s nowhere I’d rather be than cheering on the sidelines. I first ran London in 2011, it was my first ever marathon and is completely responsible for giving me the bug. In 2013 I qualified for a GFA entry, I went off way too fast and suffered in the later miles, it was a tough run.

This year I really wanted to enjoy London for the spectacular 26.2 mile street party it is and I didn’t want my over ambitious dreams to ruin my enjoyment. The only way I could guarantee that was to make Brighton my A race because I really can’t be trusted!

I’ve been in limbo the last 2 weeks, it’s odd trying to strike a balance between recovery and taper and in a shockingly sensible approach I simply listened to my body. There was a bit of running, a lot of rest, a lot of early nights and a lot of hand sanitizer, I was really fun to be around.

On Sunday I woke up to the best good luck message ever! It immediately put me in a good mood despite the 5.45am alarm, how could it not be a good day? I was sooooo excited!

My new little niece Chloe. She’s going to be a runner 🙂

The weather was pretty damn perfect. It’s been getting warmer over the last few weeks and London Marathon day nearly always ends up just a bit too hot. But it was grey and drizzly on Sunday morning, it looked ideal! Zoe, my housemate, was running her first marathon this year so she was an excitable bundle of nerves, we made our way to the start at Blackheath in a sensible, calm manner…

It was actually pretty cold when we got there but there wasn’t too much waiting around after a couple of trips to the toilet and dropping off our bags. I met up with Laura who was in the same start pen as me and then it was time to line up. Whhhaaaaa, good luck!!

Me and Zoe before her first marathon

I usually know exactly what I’m going to do on marathon day – what my goal is, what my back-up goal is, what pace I’m going to start at, what I’m going to do if, if, if… What was different about today was that I didn’t have a game plan. I really didn’t. Today I was going to turn up at the start line and see what my legs would let me do.

Could I pull off another 4 hour marathon 2 weeks after Brighton? Maybe 4:15? 4:30? A bit slower? In my heart I knew I’d be disappointed at anything over 4:15 but I needed to be realistic that it was a very real possibility, especially if I was going to achieve my ultimate goal of enjoying every second. I wasn’t entirely sure how I would deal with a disappointment though.

Suddenly, the gun went off and we were moving forwards! It only took about 2 minutes to get across the line and there we were, running the greatest marathon in the whole world!!

The first few miles are always quite congested but not so much that you can’t run, if anything, being held back slightly is a good thing. I just went with flow and enjoyed the atmosphere, we’d only got up the road before someone was shouting, ‘3 cheers for Paula, hip hip…hooray!’

I didn’t want to go off as fast as I did in Brighton, I wouldn’t be able to hold it and I knew I’d be in for a tough ride later, but, although today was about having fun, I still wanted to do justice to all the winter miles. As Paula said:

You can’t come to the London Marathon and not give it an honest effort

With the image of little Chloe in her ‘Go Auntie Katherine’ outfit firmly in my head, all I knew was that I needed to be able walk away today knowing I did the best I possibly could. I didn’t want to feel like I let myself down and I didn’t want to be embarrassed by my effort.

I started off comfortably, I was running under 9mm but wasn’t pushing it. After a few miles I could tell my legs weren’t fresh, but I was still hitting a fairly good pace and I was happy. I remembered to high-5 a few kids and smiled at everyone who cheered me by name. Fun, remember, FUN!

By mile 10 I knew I was running slower but it felt much slower than the 9mm pace my Garmin was telling me so I was quite pleased. 9.04, 9.02, 9.04, they kept ticking by consistently, hey, I was doing OK and I was enjoying it!

The crowd support is pretty good in the first half, but it really thickens when you get to Tower Bridge between 12 and 13, you really know you’re in London when you turn the corner and see that Bridge! Running across the river is freggin awesome, the atmosphere is buzzing and I remembered to look up and take it all in, I almost forgot we were nearly half way already. My legs hadn’t forgotten though, they were starting to ache earlier than I would have liked…I ignored them.

I knew the Chasers would be somewhere around 15 miles and I couldn’t wait to see them, there’s nothing like a Chaser Cheer to give you a boost and I really needed a boost. Luckily there’s so many of them you can’t miss them and they let out a huge roar as I trotted past.

Chaser Support Crew…complete with Ingrid the inflatable Chaser (I find it best not to ask…)

Before I knew it I was at mile 16 and I re-evaluated how I felt, it was getting harder but I was still OK, it was the the flippin London Marathon! I was a bit slower by 18 miles but I told myself I absolutely needed to get to 20 before I could even consider a walk…I kept going.

True to my word, my legs made it to 20 miles and I rewarded them with a timed 2 minute walk, trying not to make eye contact with the crowd. They wanted me to run, they didn’t know about the deal I made with my legs, they didn’t understand, ohhh the shame!

I saw the Chasers again around mile 21 and they had split into smaller groups so there were more cheers (except Gary, Gary ignored me to talk about bananas with a stranger, even Ingrid gave me more attention…)

It’s all mind games after 20 miles. I don’t like 20 miles, it means there’s still 10 whole kilometers to go, I like 21 miles because there’s only 5 miles left…make sense? Of course not! But, by the time I’ve worked out in my head how exactly I feel about having 5 miles left I’m at 22, and, today, that meant another teeny little walk. Don’t judge me.

The walk didn’t last long, the crowds just wouldn’t have it, ‘you can do it Katherine, you’re nearly there!’, they didn’t come out to stand on the streets all day to watch me walk. People at home were tracking me, they’ll see my splits. Chloe’s wearing a special outfit, don’t let her down. There’s a sodding TV camera in my face, OK, MOVE.

The next few miles were a bit of a blur but I didn’t stop running, I couldn’t, not only was it too hard to get going again, at this point absolutely anyone I knew could be on the sidelines and I didn’t want to be seen walking, it’s the friggin London Marathon! The crowds are totally wild by this point, they cheer and shout and yell ‘go on Katherine, you’re looking awesome!’ Errrm, I’m really not am I, I’ve probably never looked less awesome, but thanks!

It was really starting to hurt along the Embankment but my legs were ticking over and I was still enjoying the atmosphere, I just wasn’t sure why the miles were getting longer, why would they do that?! Eventually I turned the corner to face the home stretch along The Mall, it was the best sight ever!

The flags were flying high, the crowds were roaring and I could actually see the finish line. Just. Keep. Running. I finally crossed the line in 4:05:52 and was totally overcome with emotion, I don’t know how I got through the last few miles, I just wanted to sit down.

Collecting my medal and shuffling along I quietly reflected on what I had achieved. It was slower than Brighton but it was well within ‘you-can’t-be-disappointed-with…’ time. So why was I a little sad? I really didn’t know. It wasn’t a bad time, especially after Brighton, but I have so many fast friends it’s hard not to think you’re a little bit rubbish.

I’d really enjoyed the run, enjoyed the atmosphere and loved the Chaser support, it had been a brilliant day. Plus, I genuinely don’t think I could have put more effort in, I couldn’t have tried any harder today, I had to be pleased with that.

I slowly made my way to the finisher area to wait for Zoe and hoped she would come in under her target time. When I saw her she looked in much better shape than I did at the finish and was really pleased with her time. I reckon she’s hooked!

Then it was a quick turnaround and off to the pub for Chasers marathon celebrations with cider and some sensible sambuka. Another weekend, another marathon and another London medal, that’s pretty awesome right?!

Whatever happens, the London Marathon is always a special day. It won’t be the last time I run it, not a chance.

The Power of Music in Sport

On April 25, 2015August 7, 2017 By Girl Running CrazyIn General6 Comments

Haile Gebrselassie is one of the greatest and most successful runners of all time. In 1998 Haile took the Indoor World Record for 2,000 metres…whilst ‘I’m the scatman, ski bi dibby dib yo da’ boomed into the Birmingham arena. At Haile’s request.

I’ve always enjoyed running with music, not only does it help me switch off and drift into my own thoughts, but it can also be a powerful motivator through the tough miles. My Dad always says running with music is for wimps. Well, I guess me and Haile have something in common…because apparently we’re both wimps!

But what is it about this rather odd track that Haile likes?

It’s nice music, it’s fast written, that’s why I could break a world record, by that music…’I’m a Scatman! Dum dum’ and then you know the timing and at the same time your style changes immediately.

Are there performance gains to be had from running with music? If so, why do you see so many faster runners listening to the sounds of their own bodies rather than their favourite tunes? Most importantly, could my Dad be wrong??

Last weekend, Currys invited me to a workshop that would help me find the answers to these very questions. With the rise of events such as Run to the Beat and the increasing frequency of live music along race routes, there must be some science behind the power of music?

I met some other fitness bloggers, and Dr Costas Karageorghis (who has spent years researching the psychological effects of music on running), for a fun afternoon learning how it can be beneficial to athletic performance.

A little warm up game!

There have been strong links between music and sport for a long time – the National Anthem is always played during international competitions, the All Blacks perform an intimidating Haka before playing rugby, and who doesn’t feel energetic as soon as they hear the theme tune from Rocky?!

So, everyone loves music but what exactly does music do during exercise? After explaining the different constituents, tempo, rhythm, melody etc, Dr Karageorghis revealed that listening to your favourite tunes on the run can have the following benefits:

Lowers perception of effort
Can trick your mind into feeling less tired
Encourages positive thoughts and mood
Can increase endurance by 20% if you sync your body to the music (that’s a BIG claim!)

Whilst the beat is important, and syncing your movements to the music has the most positive impact, the lyrics can also be very powerful. Words can carry strong personal messages that help to motivate and focus. I was surprised that several very successful athletes listen to specific tracks before they go into competition to help mentally prime them:

Michael Phelps got in the zone at London 2012 with Lil’ Wayne’s ‘I Am Me’ before taking home 6 medals
- “Ain’t nobody f**king with me man…I know the game is crazy, it’s more crazy than it’s ever been”

Iwan Thomas uses music as part of his pre-run routine on the start line with Prodigy, ‘Firestarter’
- “I’m the trouble starter, punking instigator, I’m the fear addicted, danger illustrated”

James Cracknell – favours Red Hot Chili Peppers, ‘Get on Top’
- Get on top, get on top, hit me, come get me, I bite but she bit me”

These are all very stimulating tracks and, generally, the more stimulating the music, the more active you feel. However, sedative music can also have a very beneficial & calming effect.

Before the 2004 Athens Olympics, Dame Kelly Holmes had been feeling very anxious following a period of injury. She used music to help control her pre-race anxiety and block everything out by listening to the soulful Alicia Keys.

Interestingly, Olympic gold medalist, Audley Harrison combated pre-fight nerves by listening to Japanese classical music to induce relaxation & focus, and Whitney Houston’s ‘One Moment in Time’ has been cited as the track used to calm the GB Bobsleigh team whilst still being mentally stimulating through the lyrics:

I want one moment in time
When I’m more than I thought I could be
When all of my dreams are a heartbeat away
And the answers are all up to me

It’s not just before and during sport where music can be helpful. There are also gains to be had from listening to slow, sedated music post exercise which can help slow the heart rate and reduce stress. I’m definitely going to be giving that a try!

By the end of the session I was left with no doubt in my mind that music is a very powerful tool and I’m absolutely convinced of the benefits (sorry Dad!)

We were then introduced to Monster headphones. Monster make a range of sports specific headphones, iSport, that are designed to stay in the ear, be sweat proof, shock proof and comfortable. There are several models available but they were keen to show us their wireless SuperSlim which are fairly new to the UK.

The iSport SuperSlim are a bluetooth headphone that claim to deliver exceptional sound quality and stay in the ear with a unique SportClip no matter activity your doing, despite being so small. We were all lucky enough to be given a pair to try! I’ll give these a full review when I’ve had a chance to try them properly after the London Marathon – no matter how powerful music is, it will never be as powerful as a London Marathon crowd!

There’s nothing I love more than an easy run in the sunshine with some upbeat tunes in my ear – here are my top 10 running tracks:

Til I Collapse – Eminem
Paris – Jay Z & Kanye
Party Right – Lethal Bizzle
Berzerk – Eminem
Eye of the Tiger – Survivor
What a Feeling – The Hughes Corporation
Not Giving In – Rudimental
Keep Your Head Up – Ben Howard
Don’t You Know who I Think I Am? – Fall Out Boy
Hitz – Chase & Status

I guess number 11 should probably be Scatman…!

I would like to thank Currys for the opportunity to attend this workshop, all views are my own.

Thanks for the awesome goody bag!

7 Reasons why I LOVE the London Marathon

On April 21, 2015April 21, 2015 By Girl Running CrazyIn Marathon Chat13 Comments

This weekend London hosts its 35th Marathon and some 36,000 people will line up for one of the most exhilarating experiences of their life. This is why I love the London Marathon.

1. The atmosphere is electric

I’ve run a lot of big races over the years, including several marathons in various big cities across Europe, but nothing, absolutely nothing, compares to the atmosphere of the London Marathon.

Energetic, upbeat, loud, happy, powerful, and ever encouraging, they’re not far wrong when they say the crowd will carry you the last few miles. They’ll pick you up when you’re down, go wild when you’re running strong and they’ll push you harder than you ever thought possible, it’s a 26.2 mile support crew. Soak up every second.

2. It’s the sightseeing tour of dreams

Starting in Greewich and Blackheath, the London Marathon takes you past Cutty Sark, Canary Wharf, the Tower of London, the Shard, St Paul’s Cathedral, the London Eye, Houses of Parliament, Big Ben and, of course, the magnificent finish along the Mall by Buckingham Palace. Quite frankly, London is one of the best cities in the entire world and I can promise you there is no better way to see it.

For me, running across the iconic Tower Bridge never fails to send shivers down my spine and it also means you’re nearly halfway!

3. We’re nice to each other (and not just because we’ve had one too many and it’s the last tube home…)

City life is pretty cold and unfriendly. You rarely get kindness from strangers and you certainly don’t get the warm smile and wave you get from a fellow runner in the country.

On Marathon day something changes. Londoners unite and flood the streets in their thousands to cheer and shout and wave banners in the air. Hell, they even come out of their houses to stand on the street in their PJ’s and bunny slippers to offer you a selection of fruit and sweets!

It’s one of the few days of the year when everyone rallies together to celebrate the achievements of others and it makes me proud to be a Londoner.

4. It’s the best street party you’ll ever go to

I don’t know how many spectators the London Marathon attracts but it’s a LOT. Whether people are out to marvel at the elites as they fly past, offer support and sweaty hugs to loved ones, or just admire the sheer grit and determination of the masses, they come out rain or shine to holla at you and enjoy the entertainment, often with a pint in hand.

There were over 35 live music sets adorning the route last year, numerous charity cheer points that go nuts when one of their team runs by and 80 odd pubs which helpfully open early so spectators can enjoy a pint with breakfast, there’s never a dull moment.

Sure, Notting Hill Carnival has people shaking their jelly in bejewelled bikinis and feather headdresses but we have 7ft dinosaurs, Sponge Bob Squarepants, men in mankinis, enough superheros to save the world, and people running 26.2 miles with an actual friggin’ FRIDGE on their back.

Notting Hill ain’t got shit on the London Marathon

5. You run in the same race as some of the finest athletes in the world

As a World Marathon Major, London attracts some huge names to the start line, including current WR holder Kimetto who’s racing this year. And you get to run right there with them!

OK, so you’re unlikely to be keeping up with any of them, but everyone runs the same course at the same time with the same roaring crowd. It’s an honour.

6. You’ll be a hero

If you’ve ever come to watch the marathon, or even seen it on TV, you’ll know what I mean. Running the London Marathon is on the bucket list for many people but it takes true strength of character to be able to tick it off. Each year thousands are inspired by the relentless determination of those who make it to the finish line but most will never find the dedication needed to prepare for such a gruelling task.

Cold dark nights, rainy lonely mornings, endless tiring miles, it’s nothing but hard work and you just can’t cheat your way through. If you run any marathon you will be a hero to someone.

7. It’s HOME

I don’t know what it’s like to run across the finish line to win Olympic Gold at the Queen Elizabeth Park, or bang in the injury time winner at Wembley, but I do know what it’s like to do the thing you love the most, in one of the best events in the world, that’s televised across the globe, with all your friends and family around you, in the place you call home. And when that thing is the London Marathon, well, quite frankly, you’re buzzing off your face as soon as the alarm goes off.

The London Marathon? Yeah, it’s pretty special.

If you’re lucky enough to be taking part on Sunday, don’t forget to take a step back, look around, take it all in and appreciate how amazing it is because it will be over all too quickly. GOOD LUCK!

2011 – my first ever marathon, finished in 4.13

Two years later – finishing in 3.50

Back in the Game: Brighton Marathon

On April 14, 2015April 14, 2015 By Girl Running CrazyIn Marathon Chat, Race Reports7 Comments

I’ve never really been interested in running the Brighton Marathon. I always thought London was the only marathon worth running in the UK. But, last April I found myself signing up for the 2015 race after failing to run a London GFA and realising my ballot chances were incredibly slim. I knew my jealousy would know no bounds if I was the only one not training for a spring marathon.

Yesterday I realised how foolish and short sighted I had been because the Brighton Marathon is a well organised, high profile, worthy event in a vibrant seaside city with incredible crowd support. It’s an all round bloody brilliant race and I’m sorry I ever thought otherwise!

On the drive down to Brighton on Saturday the rain came down thick and fast and I was a bit concerned how the weather would pan out the next day. Heavy rain and inevitable wind on the coast would be challenging to say the least! It seemed to clear by the time I arrived and I headed to the Brighton Centre to pick up my number.

The expo wasn’t too busy, it was quick and painless so I found myself doing the usual fossicking through the various stands. I came away with a bright pair of coral shorts, 3 pairs of socks, 5 protein bars and 3 bags of Honey Stingers. What are Honey Stingers? Well, they look like little jellies…

‘Are these like Shot Bloks?’, ‘Yes, but better’, ‘Oh, OK, I’ll have 3 packs then please’

I then made a swift exit before I bought anything else…

My Mum and Dad were coming to support and my Aunt and Uncle, who live in a nearby village, had kindly agreed to let us stay for a couple of nights. I had my usual plain pasta for dinner and got an early night (despite my uncle trying to convince me to get on the wine!)

The alarm went of at a painful 5.40am but I had already been awake a while, it was marathon day! Again!!! I forced down my porridge (and chia seed, new addition to mara day brekkie) and banana and hurried out the door. Because I’m so clever I didn’t read any of the emails I was sent in the lead up to the run (well, none of the boring bits anyway) so by the time it came to planning the journey to the start I realised that you were supposed to book parking 2 weeks ago. And I hadn’t. Luckily my cousin lives not far from Madeira Drive and offered me a parking space for her awesomely located house. Perfect, thanks Carol!

It was a short walk to Preston Park where the race started and the sun was starting to feel warm in a nearly cloudless sky…I guess I didn’t need to worry about driving rain!

Marathon runners were milling around and there was the usual long queue for the toilets, but there was plenty of time to chow down some Honey Stingers and drop my bag off. I hadn’t seen anyone I knew so was delighted to bump into my friend Jasmine who was doing a wonderful thing and pacing her (super) mum round all 26.2 miles, a friendly face was just what was needed.

I was in the red start which seemed to be the first wave (the sub 3.15 runners were starting somewhere else) so I was over the start line in a couple of minutes. I was nervous. I knew I wasn’t going to get a PB, and I was fine with that, but I desperately hoped I would be able to finish in a strong time and shake off the Amsterdam demons. I didn’t know what was going to happen, what if I fell apart at mile 9 again?

The race was started by Jo Pavey and there was a fabulous atmosphere. I made a really conscious effort NOT to start too fast so was pretty pleased not to be running my 10k pace which I often seem to do in all the excitement. I tend to panic at the start and worry that the crowd will hold me back, but of course they don’t, I just go tearing off like a lunatic wasting a lot of energy stressing and weaving in and out.

Not today. Today I felt like a marathon grown up, totally in control and calm.

The pace felt comfortable. It felt easy and quite slow so I was surprised that I was averaging under 8.30 which was faster than PB pace. I tried to slow down as I knew there were a few hills on the way and wanted to hold the pace. The hills are in the first half as it takes you round Preston Park, past the Pavilion, and away from the sea for a couple of miles before running past Kemp Town and the Marina. There’s an almost continuous incline between mile 5.5 and 9 but there is a welcome decline for about half a mile or so. A turnaround at mile 9 brings the course back to the seafront along a fast stretch.

The crowds were truly awesome. I made a last minute decision to get my name printed on my Chaser top at the expo and was very glad I did because I’ve never had so many people cheering my name! I wasn’t expecting such strong crowd support so it was a real lift. I saw Mum and Dad at miles 3, 5 and 13 and I definitely heard some Chaser support along the route as well.

The water stations were frequent and well marshalled, the organisers made the decision to use cups this year which I know some people weren’t keen on but I didn’t mind. I think this change meant they could increase the frequency of the stations (which were almost every mile), I appreciated this on such a warm day.

At mile 16 the sun was getting to me and by mile 18 I had noticeably slowed…it was getting tough. By mile 20 I was adamant I was pulling out of London later this month, I didn’t want to do it again. Mile 20 to 23 were pretty dead miles as we ran towards Shoreham and past the power station, there weren’t many crowds around, just us runners focusing on the road. Why was I doing this?

The last 3 miles were thick with screaming crowds. They lined either side of us as we trudged along the sea front to the finish line and it was the only thing holding me together as I desperately tried to keep jogging. I saw Alex with the Chaser flag at mile 24 which gave me a boost and Mum and Dad saw me again at around 25 but I didn’t see them. I tried to smile at everyone cheering me but it was getting harder…and harder.

Finally, with the finish line in sight, I tried to calculate if I could finish in under 4 hours. It would be close. As I approached the mile 26 marker I picked up the pace, my god it hurt, why was it 100 degrees? The clock was ticking and I wasn’t going to make it, I couldn’t run any faster.

I crossed the line in a happy 4:00:12, certainly not a PB but definitely a time I could be proud of. I’d worked hard to get back here and it was a huge improvement on my performance 6 months ago, I was pleased.

Shuffling along, I picked up my medal and goody bag and headed to the Beach Village to meet my parents. It hurt. Everything hurt. I really wanted to sit down, to lie down, maybe to cry. That means I worked hard right??

Mum and Dad dragged me through the crowds and we made it to the pub with my cousin for a cold cider and a little sit down. Marathon number 8 was done! I didn’t want to do another one. I really didn’t.

But in the car on the way back to my aunt and uncles house I thought it might be silly not to do London…I could just jog round and enjoy the experience, I didn’t have to race did I? Yes, maybe I would do London if I recovered well.

That evening my Auntie Mareline cooked up a a delicious roast chicken with all the trimmings and Uncle Ken made sure my glass was always topped up with some kind of booze. Perfect recovery 🙂

It was an all round brilliant weekend seeing family, jogging round Brighton and collecting some more race bling.

Brighton Marathon. 4 hours dead. What did I learn? I’m baaacccccckkkk!

The Brighton Marathon 2106 is open for entries. I kinda want to sign up. SOMEBODY STOP ME. Please. Please?

The Road to Brighton

On April 2, 2015April 2, 2015 By Girl Running CrazyIn General2 Comments

With just 10 sleeps left until the Brighton Marathon I’m starting to get that familiar nervous, sickening, slightly uncontrollable panic that only the taper can bring.

How do you ever know if you’ve done enough? People ask how you’re feeling, if you’re ready, whether you’ll hit your target…I genuinely don’t know what to say. However, what I do know for sure is that the way I’m feeling now is worlds apart from how I was feeling this close to Amsterdam.

It’s fair to say my injury set me back more than I thought in October, foolishly I don’t think I ever really believed I was injured but, given it hurt to walk a lot of the time, I think it’s safe to say I was! My runs were slow and laboured, my legs didn’t work and I just didn’t enjoy running. Whilst Marathon day was nothing short of a disaster, it was a lesson well learned.

Coming out of Amsterdam my resolution was to remember why I love running and the most obvious way I could think of was to start running with my friends again. Training for the last marathon involved a lot of long, slow, solo miles, I wasn’t going to track, I wasn’t going to tempo, I wasn’t having fun, and it clearly showed.

I went back to basics. My PB still stands in Frankfurt 2013 and that was the marathon I went into with no expectations. It was the first time I had run 2 marathons in a year so I promised myself if I was going to do it I would only commit to 4 runs a week and I wouldn’t be a slave to the plan.

My approach to training for Brighton has followed these rules. Of course there is a plan, it’s actually a very carefully structured and beautifully colour-coded spreadsheet (I love a good spreadsheet me) but it’s pretty fluid and flexible.

Sometimes, you really, really don’t feel like going for a run after back to back meetings, and other times you love nothing more than a stress busting 10 miler after work. The body doesn’t always follow a plan, you have to roll with it.

Step 1: Get some speed back

The first thing I did was reinstate club track and tempo sessions into my training. I had become painfully slow, for me, and these sessions really work to improve your pace.

Hard, sweaty, lung busting speed sessions are tough, but meeting the club at track on a freezing night to chase them round a set of 800s, or having a gossip with Ruth and Laura before knocking out a few tempo laps of Battersea Park in the rain, is infinitely easier and more rewarding than plodding the dark streets of SW London on my own.

An Inviting Battersea Park: The Stomping Ground

Step 2: Cross-Training

The next thing I did was commit to a yoga and spinning session each week.

I had forgotten how much I love spinning with it’s loud music and high energy. Combining intervals and hills, spinning is great for some additional low impact training, and I’ve used this as a substitute for a 5th run.

Yoga has also become an important part of my plan to improve core stability, posture and muscle tone. 60 minutes of sun salutations, lunges, cobras, triangles, back bends, and even head stands, yoga has been more challenging than I thought it would be but I’m really starting to enjoy it.

I’m now one of those people that gets up at 5.50am on a Tuesday to get bendy on a mat in Waterloo. I don’t recognise myself.

Me: Being a Tree

Step 3: Enjoying the LSR

Finally I wanted to start (sort of) enjoying the long runs again so, wherever possible, I’ve joined forces with some of the Chaser girls to tick off the miles together. That’s what friends are for right?!

I genuinely have no idea how race day will go. I feel so much stronger than I did 6 months ago but I have an ongoing cramp in my calf and I’m still running slower than before Frankfurt…I don’t know.

To Brighton…

Running from the Heart

On March 20, 2015March 20, 2015 By Girl Running CrazyIn Marathon Chat3 Comments

Standing on the start line, everything fades away

Excitement has been building, just waiting for this day

Now you stand on trial, there’s nothing more to do

You did your best to get here, you know that much is true

Lost in your own thoughts, there’s one more challenge ahead

But this will be a tough one, you slowly fill with dread

You slaved for hours and hours, the road was certainly long

But have you done enough? The doubts, they haven’t gone

It’s been a tough few months, nothing has been easy

But now the time has come, the gun sounds, you feel queasy

There’s no time left to worry, please don’t fall apart

The strength you feel inside you, it comes straight from the heart

26.2 to conquer, the prospect seems so daunting

‘You can’t do this, can you?’ the voice inside is taunting

One foot in front of the other, you remember how it’s done

A little kid high-5’s you, oh yeah, it should be fun!

Soaking up the atmosphere, a smile creeps over your face

The crowds roar all around you, you’re in a happy place!

The cheers are getting louder, the miles are rolling by

It lifts you higher and higher, you feel like you could fly

It’s starting to get tough now, you’re not feeling quite as strong

Everything’s turning hazy, where did it all go wrong?

It was always going to test you, you knew that from the start

The force that drives you forward, it comes straight from the heart

The crowds are going crazy, they scream as you run past

Your legs are feeling heavy, how much longer can they last?

The miles are getting slower, but the end is oh-so near

With the finish line in sight, you step it up a gear

Emotions they engulf you, from sheer relief to joy

You can’t believe you’ve done it! Those doubts have been destroyed

Riding high and giddy, you feel nothing but elation

Huge medal round your neck, it’s time for celebration!

What a day of triumph, what a day of awe

You feel a little tired, your body aches and more

But pain will fade in time, from every single part

Pride, it lasts forever, because you ran straight from the heart

By Katherine French

A long run shared is a long run…halved?

On March 13, 2015March 13, 2015 By Girl Running CrazyIn General1 Comment

The big 2-0 on the training plan is a daunting prospect to even the most seasoned marathon runner. Not only is it a very long way, but it’s as much a mental challenge as a physical one. It’s also the run that can give you the confidence that a marathon is actually achievable – if I can just get to 20 miles in training the last 10k will be fine…right?

Of course, it doesn’t actually work that way in real life because during last 10k of a marathon things can either miraculously come together, or spectacularly fall apart! I’ve definitely experienced the latter more than the former but it doesn’t stop the 20 miler giving me some confidence before race day.

On Sunday the Clapham Chasers hosted their annual Thames Riverside 20 mile ‘race or pace’ event (TR20) which is geared up with Spring marathoners in mind. We offer pacers from sub 7mm to 10mm so it’s the perfect training run to check you’re on track. For me, I just love the fact that I can focus on running with my friends around me rather than worrying about the distance.

A sunny race HQ in Bishops Park at 7.30am

It’s an out and back route from Putney Bridge to Richmond along the towpath which means you get to see some friendly faces as people start turning around and a friendly face can offer the same pick-me-up as a caffeinated salted caramel gel!

I find participating in an event like this really beneficial for several reasons:

There’s emotional strength to be found in not running alone. Even if you don’t know the runners around you, even if you don’t speak, they’re right there and going through the same thing you are (unless you’re Nathan who won the race in a new course record with a full 7 minute lead…but he’s pretty amazing).
Plenty of water stations mean you don’t have to carry your own
There are marshals all along the course to offer encouragement and a smile (and maybe a high-5 if you’re lucky)
When you’re wearing a race number other pedestrians seem more willing to let you past
If anything happens help is never far away
If it’s the TR20 there’s guaranteed to be a whole lot of cake at the finish!

Chaser Pacers, a happy Garmin & an almost empty cake table!

I went off in the 9mm wave not really sure if I’d be able to hold it but, with Laura and Gemma by my side having a good ol chat, it felt surprisingly easy. We were a bit ahead of target which worried me, but I managed to hold the pace even though we split up on the way back – I made friends with some South London Harriers instead!

As I rounded the corner to the finish line I was greeted by the Chaser Cheering Squad shouting my name and cheering, I couldn’t help but finish with a little sprint and a big smile!

The best thing about the TR20 is that all I had to concentrate on was getting out of bed (at 5.45am!) and getting to the start rather than planning a route, carrying fluids and being mentally strong on my own.

Maybe sharing a 20 mile run won’t make it any shorter, but it’ll sure make it happier. I’ve got 18 miles to knock out this weekend and I’m more than grateful to have some Chaser ladies lined up to share it with!

Laura & I looking surprisingly perky post run.

Track FEAR

On February 19, 2015February 19, 2015 By Girl Running CrazyIn General5 Comments

Every week Tuesday rolls around and it’s time. With sweaty palms and a sickening feeling deep in my stomach, it’s time to check the Chasers website and see what track session is lined up for the evening. Peaking through my fingers I slowly scroll down to find the right date and what’s in store…

THE HORROR

I hate track. No matter what the session involves, track is the one thing that always makes me giddy with nerves long before I even get to Battersea…and then the nightmare unfolds.

As soon as I wake up on Tuesday I’m trying to find excuses to skip it. Maybe I’m ill, am I ill? I’m not ill… Is that a twinge in my leg? Maybe I’ll have to work late? Maybe, just maybe I’ll have something better to do? But it’s a Tuesday and, sadly, I really don’t have anything better to do. I’m scared.

When I first started going to track 2 years ago I was always last. I wasn’t last a little bit, I was last by a LOT. Everyone was just faster than me so I would have to beast myself on every rep, come in last, and then get killed on the recovery, which would obviously be shorter than everyone elses.

Basically I spent the whole session running like this desperately trying to hang off the back of someone else.

My problem was I always, always ran off too fast, I would literally run as fast as I could until I realised pretty quickly I couldn’t keep it up for longer than 100m. I ran off too fast because I was trying to keep up, but it was a strategy doomed for failure. Track Fear was born.

During one session that left me gasping and almost in tears Bryn told me that it was much better to skip a lap, or walk the last 100m, to get the recovery I needed for the next rep than to slow down. If you can’t do the full session at goal pace, cut the session, don’t drop the pace. Since then I’ve stuck to that principle.

This week was a 10 x 800m Yasso session (yep that’s 5 miles in total). The goal was to run each 800m in your target marathon time, so if you’re aiming for a 3 hour 45 marathon you should be aiming for a 3 min 45 sec 800m – whatever your goal, that’s actually a pretty achievable pace for track.

I had a good session this week, each rep came in just under target (although some were a tad fast) but I felt strong throughout so I was happy!

I learned the hard way that track isn’t about running as fast as you possibly can, that will only leave you knackered and open to injury – I’m a long distance runner, not a sprinter.

Track is one session in my training week, an important session, but one session and the reason I go is to build upon and improve my speed. Yes, it should be hard, it should be uncomfortable and it should leave you out of breath but it shouldn’t leave you in absolute bits.

I don’t hate track, not really, but I am scared of it and I do get so nervous my legs turn to jelly as soon as I step on that orange bouncy stuff. But, every Tuesday around 8pm, I walk out into Battersea Park with a sense of achievement and relief. It’s only a lil’ 400m loop after all, it’s not so bad is it?

Until Tuesday rolls around again…

Taking the Plunge: An Ultramarathon

On January 25, 2015January 26, 2015 By Girl Running CrazyIn General2 Comments

One cold November night in the pub my friend Frankie casually announced she wanted to up her game and run an ultra. The ultra in question is the UKanTrail St Begas Ultra (SBU35) a 36 mile off-road run round the Lake District, selected on the basis they gave you beer at the end…

Feeling slightly fuzzy a few pints of cider later I, of course, thought it would be an absolutely awesome idea to spend a weekend up in the Lake District running the furthest distance ever in my life…off-road…and piped up that I would love to do it too! So, after putting off the commitment for a couple of months, this week I finally took the plunge and signed up. Yes, I have signed up to run an ultra.

The SBU35 was apparently designed with new ultra runners in mind and they say it’s ‘as tough as you want it’. Following the route of a legendary Irish princess between 2 chapels, it starts at Bass Lake and finishes (36 little miles later) in the West Coast village of St Bees. Stunning views have been promised!

I’ve got several friends who frequently participate in ultras and they’ve often tried to convince me that it’s actually easier than running a marathon…and the more marathons I run, the more this seems plausible. Constantly chasing a marathon PB is a physical and mental battle that leaves you frustrated, disappointed and a little bit broken. With an ultra there’s no expectation – what’s a good time for a 36 mile off road race? Does anyone know? Just getting to the finish line would be a pretty awesome achievement, right?!

I’m aware 36 miles is a long way and will require some hefty training but, assuming all is well, I will come out of Spring marathon-fit after doing the double in Brighton and London and I aim to keep that fitness through the summer. Cat tells me the best thing about ultras (apart from the cake) is that it’s totally acceptable to walk sections of it, so I don’t need to be able to run 36 miles non-stop, I just need to be able to keep moving forwards.

I have no idea what’s in store for this one, has my head finally agreed to something my body just won’t do? Looks like I’ll find out soon. Errrr, cheers Frankie!

10 Things I wish I knew before I ran my first Marathon…

On January 13, 2015March 11, 2015 By Girl Running CrazyIn General, Marathon Chat21 Comments

1. It will hurt

Obvious? Maybe. But what I didn’t know was how much it was going to hurt long before race day.

Running more miles than you ever have before hurts. Speed sessions hurt, long runs hurt, short runs hurt, even rest days hurt…when you go to bed, when you wake up, when your alarm goes off at 7am at the weekend. It all hurts.

But trumping them all is when your friends stay in the pub for a late one on the jagerbombs, and you trundle off home with your tail between your legs because you need to knock out 9 miles in the morning. Nothing hurts quite like that.

It’s gonna hurt. Get used to it.

2. You will have bad days

There will probably be quite a few, marathon training is never plain sailing. When I was training for Paris I attempted a 15 mile run after work on a Friday night. I was under prepared, mentally and physically, I was in a rush and I underestimated the distance. I couldn’t do it.

That night I ran 12 miles. I came home in tears wailing ‘I had to cut my run short by 3 MILES and I’ve only run 12, whhaaaaa’. I thought it was the end of the world, my housemate thought I was mental. I probably was…I probably am…

If you have a bad day, or even a bad week, move on, don’t worry about it and definitely don’t give up.

3. You may never have a good hair day ever again

I’m afraid this one is serious. Morning runs will leave little time for a perfect blow dry and, by the time you’ve finished your run of an evening, you’re likely to be more concerned with filling the void in your tummy than sorting your hair out.

Unless you have a personal stylist on tap it’s gonna be a rough few months for your locks. Sorry

4. You will become really boring to your non-running friends

I mean, really boring. There you are, living, breathing, even dreaming about running and it’s all you can do to stop talking about all the miles you’ve run, the ache in your calf, the new gel flavour you’ve discovered, your new Sweaty Betty top…but the harsh truth is, the only people that will be vaguely interested are other runners.

Whilst your friends and family will be endlessly supportive…they really don’t care. They don’t care that you knocked 53 seconds off your Parkrun PB or that you ran your longest run ever, or that your toenail just fell off…

WHAT! You went for another run? Really?! Guess what…

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5. You need to have a little faith in you

There will be many times over the 16 odd weeks you’re training when you will think you just can’t do it. I still think that all the time! My friend Mike is always telling me I need to trust my training and he’s right, you need to trust all the hard work you’ve put in during the build up, it will pay off and it will see you through.

When I was struggling in the run up to Amsterdam Keith told me look back and write down my top 5 runs. What was good about them? Remember the positives (all negatives are banned…)

Most importantly, you need to have a little faith in yourself

6. You’ll talk about poo more than is socially acceptable

When you start running long distances you get to know your body very well and you’ll soon have a mental map of all the accessible toilets within a 20 mile radius. Tennis courts, pubs, coffee shops, churches, bushes-where-dogs-can’t-find-you, you’ll know them all.

Whilst it’s fine to talk stomach cramps and Imodium with other runners, your friends won’t understand and your work colleagues just won’t get it, so when you bust out the poo strategy chat on a Tuesday afternoon after a conference call…well…don’t.

To be clear: Poo talk is fine with other runners, but at work? NO

7. Respect the rest day

Would you disrespect the long run? No. So don’t disrespect the rest day! Rest days are when the magic happens, it’s when the body adapts and improves and gets stronger. Don’t try and make up for missed sessions by compromising rest days, just let it go.

Your days off are hard earned, put your feet up, put the kettle on and chill out. Enjoy it!

8. It’s Emotional

Nothing can quite prepare you for the immense euphoria, relief and triumphant joy you feel when you cross the marathon finish line. Weeks and weeks of blood, sweat, and tears all comes down to this very this moment and you’ve done it! Add to that the sheer exhaustion, more pain and raging thirst and you may very well just cry. But that’s OK…just don’t ruin your brand new shiny medal!

9. You’ll get the blues

What goes up must come down and after the high of finishing your first marathon there’s a fair ol way to come back down. When the celebrations are over and you’ve caught up on life it’s normal to feel like there’s a bit of a hole in your life. You spent so much time, energy and focus preparing for one day it feels a bit like when Christmas is over when you’re a kid.

I’m afraid the post-marathon blues are very real

There’s only one way I’ve found of picking myself back up again, and that leads us on nicely to…

10. It’s an addiction

Sure, you might not believe me now and you sure as hell won’t believe me just after you’ve crossed that finish line, but give it a week…maybe less…and you’ll be carefully dusting off your trainers secretly plotting when your next marathon will be. All of a sudden it’s not so secret and you’re lining up marathons like you used to line up sambuka on a Friday night.

Don’t say I didn’t warn you. Before you know it people will be all like…

And it is a problem. It’s a really big frigging problem…so good luck with that 🙂