London Marathon

Yay, I did it! I can't believe it's been almost a month since I wrote on this blog, but that month has been probably the most running-centric of my life. My training for this marathon was far more intense than the last time I tried, and thankfully it has paid off. Not so much in the time I took to get round, (4 hours 40) but because I feel great now, only two days later! Last time it took me a good few days to be able to walk down stairs, but today I am already itching to get back into my trainers.

Having said that, I must admit that my sunny disposition now is not a reflection of my feelings on the way round- on the day I hated the FLM and swore I would never do it again! I thought the race was hard psychologically, and I suffered from extreme back pain for the last third of the race which is not something I ever had on a run before and it wore me down. I didn't enjoy the crowded nature of the race and the constant jostling about and weaving between other runners, especially not when I got elbowed in the face at mile 19, when I was already feeling low and irrationally annoyed with everyone around me. The experience made me realise that I prefer quieter runs and the uplifting power of interesting scenery, and for my next challenge I think I will choose a smaller event. But at least I'm thinking about the next thing, which proves that I don't feel too bad!

Here are my overall highs and low for this years FLM:

Highs

• The organisation, especially the transport of kit bags, and the smiling staff were fantastic
• A blast of Bon Jovi around mile 22
• Running behind two guys dressed as Baywatch characters and hearing the crowd's response ("I'll be ready...")
• Glimpsing Buckingham Palace in the near distance and the yard markers counting down the remaining steps.
• Wearing my medal on the train home and being congratulated by strangers!
  

Lows

• Having to constantly weave around other runners/walkers and being pushed past
• Being elbowed in the face
  
• Dodging discarded bottles and other litter when your legs are dead tired
• Back pain and finding that I'd slowed right down from 10 to 13 minute miles without even realising around mile 17 (and never recovering)
  
• No shade to sit in at the end and struggling with my heavy bags on my own for ages before finding others- I just wanted to cry!
  

Exploring a new direction

Back to true exploring this week, as my long run took me in a new direction, by which I mean running southwards, into the centre of Devon rather than east-west along the coast. Living so close to the North Devon shore, it has been natural to run along the sea line but this week my running partner and I took a turn downwards, across the heart of the county towards Dartmoor.

We ran from Bideford to nearly Okehampton and back again. Looking at the map afterwards I was impressed by just how much of the countryside we had covered- almost half of the entire length of Devon, which means if we had run in a point-to-point route instead of turning around we could have run from coast to coast. Devon is the only county in England with two coastlines and we could have run from one to the other; from the Bristol Channel to the English Channel. I find that so satisfying! And it's given me an idea for another mission to do after doing the whole of the coastal path through North Devon. If I had ran the width and length of the land I think I would really be able to say I had run-explored in Devon.

Spring marathons or autumn?

On my run today, whilst being blasted with gale force wind and stopping to pick out bits of dust that kept being blown in my eye, I started reminiscing about training during the summer. Last year when I was training for Athens I did the bulk of the work during the long days in July and August, when I could head out for a run at any time that was convenient and always knew what to wear (i.e. something cool). Now, whilst the weather has given us some amazing runs lately (see my photos below for evidence!), these last twelve weeks of training for London have been much harder going, and harder to stay motivated for. Who wants to head out when it's cold, wet and windy? I never know what to wear on long runs because it fluctuates so much between sunny and sub-zero, and my runs have been affected by gales, hail, slippery roads, floods, snow, and having to plan routes around well-lit areas on dark winter's nights. Thinking back over it, I think autumn marathons will be the way forward for me in the future. There is something about a sunny day that makes me feel excited to go on a long run, hell I'll do it just for an excuse to be outdoors, so my training over the summer goes more smoothly, but in the gloomy days of February I sometimes found it hard to even get going.

I also remember how hot it has been on occasions when I've been to watch the London marathon. If there is a heatwave on the day (which is apparently likely for this year too, yikes!) then it seems to me you get the worst of both worlds with spring marathons- slogging through training in the miserable cold and then risking your performance and health in the heat on the actual race day. At least if there is a heatwave while you are training in the summer you can choose to run in the coolest part of the day, but in a race there is no escape.

We're still a month away from the marathon, but as you can see, I like to get my excuses in early!

Yes it's Running Photography!

My training is now taking me all over the North Devon coastline, and by the end of the summer I have vowed to have run the entire length of the county, not all at once of course!
Here, for posterity, are some pics from recent runs:

(top to bottom: Morte point towards Lee; leaving Saunton; Looking back to Woolacombe)

Girls vs Boys!

Those sporty types at Nike + have issued a new running challenge; girls versus boys for one month to see who can clock up the most miles. One of the things I like most about the whole Nike + system is being able to see all the miles you have run add up on your computer and go towards your grand total, so I love the idea of seeing who can complete the most. I thought the girls would be in with a chance too, not just because many girls I know are good at going the distance whereas the boys are more often all about the speed (insert your own joke here.....), but because Nike opened the challenge to women first so that there would be time for more girls to register.

However despite these efforts, when I went to sign up for the women's team, the men's team was still waaaay bigger, meaning they will probably win based on sheer numbers. So I joined the challenge, keen to help show those boys who's boss, but disappointingly I then found that my contribution to the challenge will not be recorded because my Nike + plug in for my ipod has spontaneously died. I had stopped using it lately and something seems to have affected the sensor, so the girls will have to go on without me. I still think it's a great idea and a good way to motivate runners. Whether running or not, everyone can become fans of the team on facebook to help support them so please join in here: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Nike-Team-Women/123214320025

The swift half

Yesterday was my longest run since Athens, as I took part in the Bideford Half-Marathon. It was a good race, with a picturesque course and lovely supporters, although now that 24 hours have passed my lingering memory is not the actual race but the delicious homemade cakes available at the finish!

The start was rather underwhelming, with the line set up in a car park facing away from the quay. But the finish more than made up for it, showing that the course had clearly been designed with the end in mind rather than the beginning. There were some hills in the first half, but after mile 7 it was basically flat all the way home. The sun was shining the whole time, which added to the pretty scenery along the river and the general holiday atmosphere that seemed to have taken over the town as people turned out to watch the race.

I was not aiming for any particular time but got round in 2 hours 9 minutes, which is not far off my personal best for a half, so I came away very pleased, and still feeling that I had some life left in my legs. Enough in fact for a bit of a sprint finish for the last 100m!

Spreading my wings!

I've been a bit quiet on the blogging front lately, and that is because in addition to an exciting increase in my usual work I have been commandeered to write for another running blog on the fantastic Ransacker website. I have written about this site before as it is a great way to bag a bargain on running shoes, but it has recently been expanded to include blogs, training plans and other articles of interest to runners. I am contributing to their blogs under the names Mrs Motivator and Plodder's Diary, as well as posts in my name for running gear reviews. It's cool to be part of a larger site and one that has lots to offer for all kinds of runner. It even has a whole section for those who prefer to play with balls while they run - I think it's called football.........

So please check it out! www.ransacker.co.uk

Barnstaple to Instow

12 miles of the Tarka trail today, with a friend from the local running club. Last summer when I had just moved to North Devon I did the majority of my training on this trail, either taking the route westwards to Bideford or on the other side of the river to the villages of Braunton and Saunton, but today I found this route strangely difficult. It wasn't the distance or the wind this time, so much as the hardness of the ground along the trail. After the tenth mile the concrete seemed to be hitting me through my shoes, not the other way around, and my feet and knees took a battering. I am aware that I probably need new shoes but as I'm running low (pun intended) on cash I haven't got around to replacing them yet, and today's session seemed to hammer the need home. We've resolved next time to find some softer ground around the coast, maybe going onto the sandy beach for part of the way to give our soles a rest, but in the meantime I think I am going to have to be careful with my choice of runs for the rest of the week. I guess the dog poo park doesn't seem such a bad idea now....

Thoughtless Dog Owners

It is sometimes hard not to use blogging as an excuse just to have a rant at anything that has gotten up my nose. So far I have mostly refrained, but this week I am giving in to the temptation to moan after two events have ruined my training runs this week.

Both are because of people with dogs being inconsiderate. I am not a dog-hater, by any means, in fact I long to have my own house rather than renting so that my husband and I could get a puppy, and I always feel pangs of jealousy when I see a runner with a dog keeping them company in their training. But really the annoyances have occured because of their owners being selfish, not the dogs themselves.

The first was the obvious, stepping in dog doo on a run and having the smell follow me home despite me best efforts at wiping it off. This was in a park where there are signs asking owners to pick up after their dog and there are bins provided, and I had already been skipping around several simillar piles. I think that was what annoyed me rather than the actual stepping in it- the blatant display of multiple dog owners not giving a s**t!

The second event was when I was running in another public park when there were several people out walking their dogs. A man was coming towards me with two medium-sized dogs and one of them leaped at me, growling and baring its teeth. I sort of kicked it away, my heart pounding furiously because it had startled me and because it's more than a little frightening to be jumped on by a strange dog, and the owner stood there about a metre in front of me, doing nothing except giving me a look as menacing as his dog. He didn't apologise or even acknowledge that his dog had scared me and intruded on my personal space. GRRRR! It made me so mad, I fumed all the way home. What right did he have to just let his dog set upon me? If I had been a child I could have developed a fear of dogs for life. In fact for the rest of the week I have felt cautious about running past dogs, not knowing what they'll be like. It wouldn't have taken much for the man to just acknowledge his dog's action, or at least be more friendly rather than rude. Runners shouldn't have to put up with that - we have just as much right to be there (and to be undisturbed) as dog walkers, and people who choose to have dogs should take responsibility for how their pet behaves in public places.
Rant over.

Weather to run?

The single thing that has had the biggest impact on my running over the last few months has been the weather. Today when I was thinking about my run, amidst all the fuss about snow bringing the UK to a standstill, I couldn't help wanting to write about the snow and ice. But then I looked back at some of my old posts and see that I have already talked about running when it's too slippery, running in the rain, mud and wind. Nevermind becoming a running bore- I'm now a dull weather whitterer too!

I'm sure I didn't used to find my running affected by such extremes of meteorology, but I am not sure if it is because I now live in the countryside, rather than the city where conditions are muted by street lights and warming traffic, or because the weather has been so extreme for everyone this year, or even if it is because I have become more of a wimp. This last one is quite a possibility, as I am finding it much harder to get motivated in my training for my second marathon and could be subconciously using the bad weather as an excuse. I wonder if our country's reaction to the recent conditions is partly due to a collective increase in cowardlyness? We are so used to being comfortable it seems like too much of an inconvenience to got out in the cold and wet.

An elderly lady on the news this evening was moaning about schools being shut this week as "children should learn that you go out and face the day", instead of crying off when it's too nasty outside. She definitely has a point; In other countries children traverse dangerous ravines and avalanches to get to school, and even in this country a good portion of people grew up having to walk miles to school on their own, wearing woollen shorts regardless of the climate. And there are runners who are used to persevering in harsher situations too, in countries from truly chilly Scandinavia to the scorching sub-saharan. I really have nothing to complain about! Time to get running again.

More hills

Following my previous post about running up hills, this afternoon I am recovering from the effects of a major hill session in my training plan, and loving it!

I ran 2 miles from Winchester to a steep(ish) hill in a country park and ran 9 sets of sprinting up the hill for 1 minute followed by jogging back down. By the 8th set I was feeling a bit sick, but I persevered and as a result felt like I had worked harder than I have for a while in a solo training sesh. The problem normally is that I drift off whilst running alone and enjoy just looking at the scenery or mulling over my thoughts, so find that I am just plodding along for miles and miles. Which is mostly fine, because I enjoy it, but completing a structured session like hill sprints makes me more focused and spices things up a bit. Hopefully these sessions will soon see me on my way to conquering those hills!

A head for heights

My first race of the new year today, and the first time I've entered a running race in North Devon. The event was the Braunton 10m road race, a challenging route on country lanes between Braunton and Barnstaple and quite a shock to the system after several weeks of plodding through my training plan. The race experience could be summed up thus: an endless succession of thigh-burning hills during which you choose between walking for a while or your lungs bursting out of your chest, a couple of miles pleasant jog with fabulous views, then suddenly a glimpse of the end to take you by surprise and a fast downhill finish.

What I learnt from today's race was that I need to do more practise on hills. I'm not used to such extreme inclines, and even the sharp descents felt jarring, but the race today reminded me that incoporating more hills into training routes can be rewarding. The incredible views on reaching the top provided one incentive, but I also quite liked the increased challenge the course provided. I ran 10 miles last weekend too but on a flatter route and didn't feel nearly as satisfyingly tired afterwards as I do today and I know tomorrow I'll feel that I have earned having a rest day.

The race itself was brilliantly organised, with clear markers, lots of marshalls and two drinks stations, although the first one after just 2.5 miles felt a little premature. There seemed to be a good range of runners taking part from speedy to straggly, and a nice crowd waiting at the end. And as an extra bonus, as I passed the finish line I was handed a voucher for marks and spencers as a 'spot prize' which, for someone who is never going to get a real prize at an atheltic event, made me feel very chuffed. More places should have random gift giving I say!

The Blustery Day

OK, the really blustery day was yesterday, when the evening brought gale-force winds to our part of the world and in our living room we could hardly hear anything over the noise of the wind and rain, but this morning I still experienced a fair bit of a breeze on my run and started thinking about running in the wind: How much does it affect your performance? I know that a blustery day is probably my least favourite condition to run in - give me a downpour any day over running against a stiff breeze. Of course, it's ok if you are running with the wind, but when you are against it and your clothes are flapping around, your hair blowing in your face and the resistance is making you work harder for your mileage it's not good.

Unfortunately my favoured routes for long(ish) distances are all along the waterfront, where the wind is most severe. When I heard the gales last night I initially thought I might put off my run today, but this morning was bright and clear and the only trees I could see from my window didn't seem to be thrashing about too wildly, so I set off for my 10 miles and it was only when I crossed the bridge over the river that the full extent of the bluster became apparent. Although it's a terrible picture above, you might just be able to see how much the wind was moving the water about. I did a pretty lousy time for this run, my longest distance since Athens, and have decided the wind is a good excuse for it feeling so hard.

Secret Weapon

I have been meaning to write about this for a while but have never been quite sure whether it is just too deeply unsexy, and therefore off-putting to read about. However, over the last few days I have been using this product more than ever and it has reminded me it is about time I gave the makers my thanks! What I am talking about is a tool to tackle the dreaded runner's affliction of chafing. Recent wet runs in many layers of clothings (and perhaps some extra layers of post-Christmas blubber) have given me a reccurence of sports-bra rubbage and it is time to unveil my secret weapon:

Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula. This pot is full of a slippery, shiny, substance that, as the name suggests, is really quite like butter. Slathered on skin under straps it could help them glide more easily, but its main talent seems to be healing. I have found putting it on raw areas heals them up in just a day or so and relieves itching, whilst feeling and smelling far more pleasant than vaseline, and looking much more dignified than carrying a huge tub of the latter around with you!

Jogging Photography

Recently I went to see the film 'Yes Man' with Jim Carrey (that's the film starring Carrey, not him munching popcorn next to me!) and I keep finding myself thinking about it when I'm running. You see, in the film Carrey's love interest (played by Zooey Deschanel) leads a 'jogging photography' class, where a motley crew of unlikely runners meet at 6am to jog around a park with these huge cameras and snap what they see. At one point they even host an exhibition of the resulting photos.

The reason I keep thinking about this is that so often when I'm out running I see something that makes me wish I had my camera on me. The other day it was a beautiful sunset over the frozen river, today a family of rabbits spaced out along the footpath like a relay team. There are so many scenes which we runners are privileged to stumble across, and having a pictorial record of these sights could be really neat. Even though in the film it was obviously designed to show how quirky and Deschanel's oddball character is, it really makes me want to build my own collection of runner's photographs- who knows, maybe I'll even start my own oddball club!

A Wintery Scene

Today, for the first time in a while I felt like an explorer on my run. The winter weather has transformed the scenery on one of my favourite routes and it was like running through unknown territory again. I ran a 6 mile there-and-back course along the river front and couldn't believe my eyes. Everything was grey and white; the sparse wintery trees and vegetation were iced with frost, and there were huge islands of ice along the water. With flocks of sea-birds resting on the floating ice and the only colour coming from the orange sun sitting low in the grey sky, I felt like I was setting out on an arctic voyage. Of course the sting of the freezing cold air across my cheeks and the numbness of my fingers did nothing to destroy this impression either.

Unfortunately I was so distracted by the landscape and my daydreams of arctic adventures that I trod in some dog poo. But I guess every expedition has it's mishaps.

The best time to run

It's amazing how your body gets used to a routine. I used to always run in the morning before eating breakfast, maybe just having some orange juice or a cup of tea before going, and enjoyed coming back and getting ready for the day with warmed-up legs. But then I moved to Devon and had more time during the day so I started running a couple of hours after breakfast or in the early evening and now when I try to run in the early morning everything feels wrong. I feel stiff at the start and light-headed after only a couple of miles so never feel like I am getting the most out of my runs. 'Proper' training runs like interval training or long runs have to be done at the 'right' time, that my body has gotten used to running at, or they tend to be disappointing.

But what is really the right time to run? Some people swear by running first thing and others would rather do it late at night. I have heard some reports that gym-goers are better in the afternoon when base body-temp is higher, and other reports that it is better to do sport in the morning to boost your metabolism for the rest of the day. Having been attempting early morning runs for the past week or so whilst away, I definitely have enjoyed the sense of achievement from getting it out of the way before everyone else is up and about. It certainly makes me feel less lazy! But then there is also something nice about donning your running gear at the end of a long day and using the run to get troubles out of your system or digest the day's events. I guess the answer is whatever fits in with your schedule best, as it is better to exercise at anytime than not at all, but what's really interesting is how you so quickly adapt to running at different times and get set in your ways. I wonder how much of it is psychological, and whether by persevering with early runs for a few more days I can reverse my routine and become one of those sprightly morning runners...

Control

It has now been two weeks since I have posted anything, and I have started to feel increasingly guilty with every missed day, which is a little ridiculous as I am writing this blog for fun, not to follow orders! But I was starting to feel generally unsatisfied about not posting anything, and I think it was largely due to having a lack of control over what I was doing. You see, I have been a guest in someone else's house and didn't feel able to even make a cup of tea according to my own whims. I don't like going for so long without being in control of when I can write and when I can run. I have (of course, since London is only 16 weeks away!) been doing some running in the last two weeks, but I have had to get up early and run before everyone else was up and before the day started being planned out for me or my ability to exercise started being dictated by heavy (social) meals. I suppose the loss of control is also partly because of the festive season interrupting day-to-day routines, and also the collecting together of different people who all have their own needs and ideas, but I can't wait to start being selfish again and training when I want to!

But I'm home now and about to start my new training plan for London, so there will be plenty of running-exploring to come.