Just six weeks to go

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 5^th 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

My long suffering friends Harp and Vikki
 who have both left the country
 after listening to me moan on and on!



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 2^nd 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 9^th October 2011!

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

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!