I last blogged 10 weeks ago as I started my 16 week training programme for Liverpool Marathon 2011.
That means that this time in 6 weeks I will (hopefully) have crossed the finish line of my 5th Marathon.
This is only my second blog for Liverpool 2011. I feel my lack of a weekly blog reflects what I feel has been a lack of commitment to my training.
That’s not to say I haven’t done any training, I have but I have allowed excuses to creep in and not keep to my train programme, my speed work has been nearly non exsistent, I have not crossed trained, gone swimming or done anywhere near the mileage I had planned to .
· Meeting the deadline for my ILM assignment, that took longer to complete than expected.
· Working with my brothers to redecorate my mum new flat and then moving her in.
· Picking up the pieces and supporting the kids when you know who was a total you know what
· Work, work, work
· Supporting Daniel with his GCSE
· Getting Adele ready for her school trip to Germany.
· Saying good bye to not just one, but two good friends, who after hearing me moan about a certain someone (mentioned below)for the last few years have both decided to leave the country . . .
· Hours sat night after night eradicating someone’s little visitors ( and if you work this out please don’t say anything to her as she would be devastated if you knew)
· Visiting Bev, my very good friend, who I haven’t seen for nearly a year.
· Winning “ the best carrot cake in the world” bake off at parkrun Leeds
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| My long suffering friends Harp and Vikki who have both left the country after listening to me moan on and on! |
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| The worlds best carrot cake competition Nicola and Me |
All the above I can justify as genuine and worthy excuses as to why my training has not gone to plan.
BUT arranging to see TSR when I should have been doing my interval sessions, shows I haven’t been 100% focused on the marathon.
AND choosing on occasions, to do housework over training, shows that maybe, just maybe I wasn’t enjoying my training.
I think part of me was in denial about my lack of training until a couple of weeks ago as I raced Newark Half Marathon and put in probably my worst ever half marathon performance. During this race I considered pulling out of Liverpool altogether.
I don’t think I’m really the sort of person who just gives up on things.
Though I can often be heard saying to the Kids with a big sigh “I give up” this is generally in relation to some such thing as getting them to put their clothes away or move their dirty pots!
I might procrastinate for weeks, I can be terrible at making decisions, I often leave things to the last minute and have to cram things to get them done, some jobs and tasks (with no deadlines attached) I never seem to actually finish, but I don’t give up on them. Sometimes I may weigh things up and decided to no longer pursue something because it no longer fits with me, but to just give up, nope that’s not me!
And so I got to thinking what was the main reason I entered Liverpool Marathon whilst I was still training for London 2011? It wasn’t to break 4.45 as I hadn’t done London at that point and I didn’t know that I wouldn’t achieve this in London. I decided last year that I wanted to do two marathons in one year to test myself, to see how my body would cope with the training, to see how I would handle summer training and if or how I would find the time and to see if I could just do it!
I chose Liverpool as my 2nd marathon for 2011 because Debra Brown is also doing it and it is my dream to one day beat Debra who encouraged me when I first joined my run club. She has always being faster than me and although I have closed the gap I am still chasing her tail, but (with the exception of when she was pregnant) every time I get a bit faster so does Debra. . but one day I will catch her, it’s just unlikely to be 9th October 2011!
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| Debra & I at Newark Half Marathon |
And so having thought about things as I plodded around Newark, my legs feeling like lead, an upset tummy (My mantra that day was I am Kay I am strong I am in control of my bowels - and yes thankfully my mantra worked) and the sun so hot I ended up looking like a tomato, I knew I would continue with my goal of running Liverpool Marathon 2011. Yes my goal has changed from a 4.45 and beating Debra to arriving on the start line as fit and strong as possible in the time I have left to train and then to simply get round and enjoy the day.
I have in true Kay style re worked my training programme, cramming as much as one can for a Marathon, as much running as I can.
Before Newark I had done a 16 mile long run but felt I needed to re do this and so as I was on holiday last week I had probably one of my biggest mileage weeks ever
Monday – 16 solo miles
Tuesday – rest
Wednesday – 5 slow recovery
Thursday – Training session in the park Rick had us doing hill repeats I worked so hard that in the words of Julia Roberts . . . I almost peed my pants! – not sure of mileage Approx 2 miles?
Friday – rest
Saturday – 3 parkrun ( first 2 tempo then my legs fell off)
Sunday -18 (10 miles with Sue Smith, Jaz Bangerh and Janice Marshall)
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/109971771
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/109971771
Total mileage for the week 44
In the next 4 weeks I will be running 4- 5 times a week, including Ricks boot camp sessions, a championship race, 2 x 20 milers, a 10k race, 22 miler followed by a shorter than normal taper of just 2 weeks.
Considering where I am this is going to hurt, I feel it is ambitious, it could even be seen as stupid, I know it’s a gamble and I may end up on the start line unable to even walk the 26.2 miles, but I’m going to give it my all.
For the next six weeks (outside of work) I will have just ONE thought
26.2 miles
If it’s not Marathon related, it or you, will just have to wait!
