About
I’m Rachael (the one in the middle of the photo).
I ran the London Marathon in April 2010, with my sister Zoë, in memory of our lovely dad.
It wasn’t the fastest marathon ever run – in fact they were clearing up the course by the time I made it to the finish line – but I did it, and I got my medal.
This blog is on hiatus – for updates and more about me, visit my Tales from the Village blog about writing, gardening, and village life
Good stuff, I have no doubt you will be marathon runner. Race for life was enough for me. Tread mill is all I manage now but the addiction and euphoria of getting just a little further each time was fantastic. Sophie x
Thanks Sophie! I used to run at uni, and I’d forgotten how good it feels (mainly when you stop, mind you!). xx
I like this. You keep it up and you’ll get there easily.
Btw, what’s 1356?
Hi! I saw that you linked to me and headed over. I like your blog and I hope you get to run London next year! Definitely on my list of marathons to run before I die.
By the way, you can be a chocoholic AND a runaholic at the same time. I sure am.
Somehow stumbled onto your blog. I must say I admire you for tackling a marathon. When I am sitting on the couch I think that me doing a marathon is a super idea. When I go out for a run, I have second thoughts LOL.
My husband is also a natural athlete while I am more of a lump.
Good luck with your training!
Hello from California! I am on Week 3 of the Couch to 5K running plan – going from a couch potato to being able to run a 5K (I am up to 90 seconds followed by a walk and then 3 minutes straight, repeated. I don’t EVEN want to know what week 4 will bring, lol).
It is great to see your progress – I randomly clicked your blog from the list under Body Image on BlogHer… so glad I did. Being a non-runner my whole life, it is inspiring to read about the journey of others following the running path. Plus, I’m munching on some 72% dark chocolate right now…
Wow, I have to admire you. I am a mum of three kids, two girls and a boy. I bought a cross trainer last year with the intention of trying to get fit but I’m embarrased by the low use it has had. It probably has a light layer of dust over it right now. I justified the purchase by persuading myself that I could exercise without leaving my kids on their own in the house.
Maybe if I read your blog regularly I might just get that motivation to follow your good example. Until then I have a plate of dark chocolate and orange brownies to comfort me!
Thanks for your great blog
Great blog site!!!! I will post a link on my site: http://www.makedustoreatdust.com.
All the best!!!!
Bubba…..:)
Hummm, I’m a chocolate eater lazybones AND a superfit marathon runner. I find the two to be quite complimentary
. All the best on your marathon journey – there’s nothing quite as exciting as training for the first one.
Great blog. I did the same thing, well similar, 5 years ago when I just woke up one morning and decided to go for a run. Thought I was going to puke after 1/2 mile, turned around and walked home. But for some reason did it again the next day. I haven’t been inspired to run a marathon but have done 5 and 10K’s and continue to love running and the feeling that comes from knowing I am in good shape and climb a flight of stairs or run out to my car without getting winded.
Good luck.
Hello – I tried about four times to leave a comment on your blog to say how much I enjoyed your writing, but it just wouldn’t let me! I’m not planning to give up the chocolate, just maybe reduce the amount a little…!
Wow! You’re really going for it with the full marathon! I, too, love wine and chocolate and have four kids (all boys) my youngest is almost 1 year and I am running my first 1/2 marathon in October. I’m up to 9 miles, never thought I’d get that far, now I can’t imagine getting to 12-13 miles in one run! Crazy and kind of addicting, huh?! Good luck!
Hi, finally a running blog that matches my approach. I took up running a few years ago and, although I love it, I do need to force myself out of the house. I live in Japan but am originally from London, and the Japanese summer is hot, steamy and sweaty- great running conditions! I’m running a 10K in November and thinking about a 1/2 marathon in February, but not sure if I can make it!! I’ll be checking in with you for inspiration, it’s good to know wine, chocolate and running can go together!
Hi,
Wow your story so echo’s mine. I lost my Mum at 55 to cancer. Although it will be 10 years ago this year, time hasn’t really healed all wounds.
I’m a 36 year old mum of two, who too is swapping chocolate, tasty rice puddings and a little too much pear cider for the Virgin London Marathon 2010!! I’m just doing the beginners program that was on the VLM website as I had orthopaedic surgery on my feet in June.
I have done many Race or Life and Cancer Research runs in memory of Mum but for the Marathon I will be running for St John Ambulance, the reason being it was my Mum’s favourite charity. Her reason – because as a teenager I was a St John Ambulance Cadet and my Mum was SO proud of me getting to the top in this organisation.
So I wish you all the luck and best wishes in the world. I hope you enjoy your training and am very happy to be at that start line next year with you. Take care of yourself and each other. Melissa x
Rachael,
I have been asked to track down your number on behalf of my dad (Peter Strange).
Please email your number, good luck with your run!!
Kind Regards,
Sam Strange.
sam.strange1@hotmail.com
hi there, indra (from uni) gave me this link. sorry to hear you lost a parent to cancer too. my mum died earlier this year and i am, in the words of husker du, hardly getting over it. i have three kids like you.
keep well.
clare rx
Thank you. All moral support gratefully received and appreciated!
I don’t know – what is 1356? Is this a secret running question?! Or has the number sneaked onto my blog without me putting it there…?
Ooh, thanks. I love stumbling on blogs – it’s one of my favourite time-wasting activities!
I am definitely in the lump camp…one day all of us lumpy types will take over the running world. Or maybe we’ll just sit on all the skinny runners and squash them into submission…
Hi there,
I’m glad you found me too – your blog is really interesting! We can keep each other company along the way – it’s nice to have someone else who can appreciate the pain of running for 3 minutes!
Hi Gina,
if it makes you feel any better, we have a super-expensive Reebok rowing machine in a corner of the sitting room covered in a fairly thick layer of dust! And yes, I justified the purchase for just the same reasons as you. I think signing up to run a marathon and then blabbing about it to everyone is the motivation I needed – I have no choice now, even though I’d secretly like to give it all up and lie on the couch eating cake!
I’m glad I’m not the only one keeping the exercise equipment industry in business!
We emigrated here two hours North of Sydney in October 05 (About the time we started our family blog) We lived in Northampton UK between 1996 and our big move and before that I was living in Dublin, Ireland where I grew up. We have loved every minute of our adventure here down under. We miss friends and family but have made a brilliant life here for the kids especially. No regrets!
Good luck with your countdown to the 2010 marathon. I look forward to egging you on via the comfort of my computer chair. Who knows, you might even inspire me to dust down the cross trainer in the garage!!!
Love your site,, very inspiring
http://www.leesdietjourney.com
You’re welcome! I’m glad people are reading it…it’s nice to know there’s someone out there!
Thanks! I just had a visit to yours and I love it – very inspiring!
Now that’s what I call good news. You can be my role model! I’m off to read your blog for some inspiration.
Hi Melanie (sorry for the late reply!)
It’s funny isn’t it – despite feeling like death, we go back for more the next day! And yes, I love feeling like I can run to catch up with my children without getting out of breath. Thanks for the good luck wishes, I’m off to have a read of your blog now!
Thanks Jenn.
Four boys…your house must be pretty noisy – our is loud with three of them! I’ve added a link to your blog, which I love! I tried to add a comment, because I loved your post about losing weight with children, but I got a 500 server error and it won’t let me. Thanks for the good luck, and I’ll look forward to reading about your 1/2 in October!
It’s always good to hear from a fellow chocolate lover! I’m impressed with your mileage – I’m nowhere near that, with 7 months to go. Illness, children and life keep getting in the way. I guess I can always pop over to Japan and do one of their marathons – five miles would suit me fine!
Hi Melissa, thanks for your lovely message. I completely agree, time doesn’t really heal the wounds, does it? It just helps you to deal with grief on a day to day basis. I think your Mum and my Dad would be really impressed with us – and something tells me the Marathon itself is going to be a pretty emotional day!
Good luck with the training – keep in touch.
Rachael x