marathonmummy

I’ve been doing some fairly exhaustive research into the whole undergarments situation.

Option 1. Go commando.

Continue Reading »

The miracle isn’t that I finished. The miracle is that I had the courage to start – John Bingham

So. A long run is a learning experience, designed to iron out problems and help to focus your mind on the big day.

Lessons from yesterday:

Continue Reading »

Last night, when the children finished school, I drove them 16 miles so I could go shopping. I was really grumpy all day, because I’d decided to rest my leg until I’d seen the physiotherapist and I was all out of endorphins. I thought a bit of retail therapy might cheer me up.

We got to the shop, and having promised (threatened?) them with the delights of deeply unhealthy food from that place beginning with M, I got my fix at Sweatshop. I fondled trainers, I gazed at gels. I coveted coats. It was lovely. And then, I treated myself to these:

Playlist downloading onto iPhone as I type, meaning no more unexpected attacks to my ears by the Prodigy or Dire Straits.

I know what you’re thinking, but it’s not One Of Those Things, it’s a running waist bag. It’s official: I think I’m losing it. When you skip out of a shop full of excitement about an iPhone armband and a ‘running waist bag’ (snort) it’s not a good sign.

Ahem. In more serious news, I went to the physiotherapist today, where I am very pleased to report I didn’t have to wear shorts after all. I rolled up my capri pant things instead.

The good news: there’s nothing major wrong. A bit of soreness, nothing out of the ordinary. She did some ultrasound treatment on my sore calf/knee muscle, she poked around, I walked, I stood on one leg, I did lots of bending. It was quite relaxing, actually. Jo, the physio, said that mothers often find it hard to focus on their body and how it’s doing, ignoring pain or discomfort until it gets out of control. The gin probably doesn’t help.

Technical bit coming up: a few years ago when I sprained my ankle, I tore the ligaments on the outside of my foot. The same foot over pronates (collapses inward) slightly, so I have trainers which stabilise and correct that problem. However, doing that creates stress on the outside of my foot. It’s a vicious circle, and the way to break it is with an orthotic insole, apparently. So my next medical adventure will be with a podiatrist next week.

I’d like to point out that all this faffing about with medical people is seriously eating into my lying-on-the-couch-eating-chocolate time. My Sky Plus box is full of programmes I’ve missed, I have a mountain of books lying unread by the side of the bed and I’ve read more running magazines than any sane person every should. Oh yes, and I drove sixteen miles to buy a bum bag. I’ve lost it, haven’t I?

The Non Runners Marathon Guide for Women

I just found the author on Facebook and sent her a friend request, but I was so over-enthusiastic that I think she may just call the internet stalker helpline and have me arrested.

I downloaded it onto the Kindle App on my iPhone (look at me, that’s a sentence I thought I’d never write) before I went to Bulgaria, and read it on the plane. I was crying with laughter for most of the flight – proper, tears streaming down the face, can’t breathe laughing. It doesn’t matter if you don’t run, you should read it anyway – it’s the funniest book I’ve read. I know nothing about cycling, but I’m planning to buy her other book ‘The Non Cyclists Guide to the Century and Other Road Races’ because I’m sure it’ll be just as funny.

I can’t believe it’s taken me 9 months to discover the joy of running with music! Being a bit low tech, I don’t have my own iPod, so I borrowed Mr Marathonmummy’s MP3 player, hit shuffle and suddenly I can see what all the fuss is about.

run run run
Fall Out Boy (This Ain’t a Scene…oh, I love this song and I’m all fired up with marathon excitement)
run run run
Radiohead (Street Spirit, perfect song)
run run run
Placebo (Every You, Every Me – tempo matches my ultraslow running)
run run run
Elastica (Connection – haven’t heard this for years, can’t think about running because I’m reminiscing about university)
run run run
The Sundays (note to self: singing along uses up vital breath, also makes me look deranged)
run run run
Editors (Smokers Outside the Hospital Doors)
oh this song is sad. Now I’m crying and running. This is good training for the marathon. I miss my dad. When I did the Race for Life a few years ago the messages written on people’s t-shirts made me cry, and this marathon is going to be a box of tissues job.

run run run
The Proclaimers (Cap in Hand)
was feeling a bit tired, but am now fired up with Scottish fury
run run run
Deacon Blue (Dignity)
run run faster run, fired up with Scottish fervour and remembering being fifteen
run run Dire BLOODY Straits? Stop. Manic Street Preachers, that’s better. Home. Yay, love running with music. Must try not to get squished by a car though.

I only went out for a quickie for half an hour whilst no1 did ballet class – but the good news is that despite running faster, my average heart rate is 10 beats lower than it was the other day. I’m getting fitter, my Garmin says so. Yippee.

(PS please excuse slight bonkersness of this post. Still operating on Bulgarian body clock, spent the afternoon digging up the allotment of doom, and am completely exhausted and incoherent.)