Tag: half marathon

12 – I can’t f-ing do this – miles

Jess Guth3 Comments

It’s Sunday which means weigh-in day. Kath has done amazingly well and has lost 4 pounds. I’ve lost half a pound if you take pre run reading which I usually do or 2 pounds if you take post run reading. That’s it for good news.

I hated every single step of our run today, each and every single step. We set off on the flat. I had the backpack with water and a porridge bar to have around half way. The backpack was fine. I wasn’t. I felt really sluggish and tired from the start. We were running 90 seconds and walking 30 seconds. I really wanted to be able to do those intervals all the way. I was struggling much more on this route than I did when we ran it one way last weekend.

Nothing worked, counting didn’t work, my mantras didn’t work, my legs barely worked. I’m sure the canal was stunning, in fact Kath told me it was several times. I don’t remember. We got to Saltaire eventually, I hadn’t been able to think of a plausible excuse which is the only reason we made it that far. We kept going a bit to hit the 6 miles. Just over 6 miles we turned round, had some water and a chunk of a blueberry and honey porridge bar. We took one of the 90 second run intervals as a walk while we did that. Then we set off again. I made it back to Saltaire. So far so very slow and horrible, plodding but no real niggles. Not physical ones anyway. I was full of doubt though, full of ‘this is stupid, WTF am I doing?’. I got a tiny little boost as I passed a colleague running the other way and we recognised each other just in time to high 5 as we passed.

I asked Kath to tell me when we hit 8 miles so that I’d know when we had done two thirds. We’d already done 8 miles. That made me marginally hate the run less for about 30 seconds. We crossed over the canal, the little tiny tiny hill up onto the bridge was brutal. I swore under my breath. It’s followed fairly quickly by a slope up the side of one of the locks on the canal. More swearing followed by a shorter run because I ran out of steam as I got to the top and just managed a couple more steps. The longer walk was needed. I kept trying but I’d gone mentally and tiredness in my legs was giving way to niggles. My left knee didn’t hurt as such, it just felt  weak. My right calf felt tight and my lower back was starting to protest. We kept going taking the 90 second intervals one at a time and occassionally just running a minute walking a minute. At some point Kath also took the backpack off me although that made no difference really.

Melt down came at the Five Rise Locks. I just couldn’t do it. I was so disappointed. As we were coming up to the largest slope a women commented saying how we could always start again at the top. I snapped at her. She said something else and Kath did say thank you. I’m sorry if that was you. It’s just that you were tall and athletic and walking far faster than I felt capable of running. Sorry and thank you for taking the time to try and be encouraging. You did help!

At the top of the slope Kath suggested stopping at the cafe and getting a drink and having a rest as well as time to get myself together. That would have been too much like admitting defeat so I kept pushing and managed to get to crossflatts using 1 minute runs and 1 minute walks mostly. With roughly 2 miles to go I think I was in pain. The thing is, I don’t really remember. We walked almost all of the last two miles. Then, just because finishing a run with a walk is so utterly depressing we managed a little jog for the last 200 metres or so to the end.

So are there any positives? Well I guess I’m not still out there! I am not too broken now I’ve been home for a couple of hours, have done some yoga, had a bath and a roast chicken dinner and inspite of the 2 miles walking and the meltdown in Bingley which saw us actually completely stop for a few minutes we came home well within Disney pace requirements. We were at 14 and a half minutes per mile.

At mile 10 I was ready to give up and never run again. I was convinced it was a stupid idea to even attempt the marathon and wondered if I could persuade Kath to just run the half or ideally not run at all or maybe run it on her own – I’d be an awesome supporter. Now I’m disappointed and a bit anxious about distance and how I am going to manage those additional miles but I want to try. I am grateful that nothing is injured. The long runs will inevitably highlight weak spots and I’ll keep doing the yoga and the exercises I’ve been given. I am back to really wanting this. That doesn’t make me hate today’s run any less but it’s 12 miles ticked off the list, it’s 12 miles closer to where I need to be. 15 miles is next for the long runs – well I could have walked another 3 miles today – it may not have been pretty but it would have been possible. So, because today has to be all about me and I am feeling bitchy (mostly at myself), I leave you with this:

#RunningMeme Friday: I Don’t Know Who You Are… Be careful of Liam Neeson, y'all. He has a certain set of skills/ Have a running meme you want to see featured here? Click here to submit it.

Some ideas for a races bucket list

Jess Guth1 Comment

I was really hoping to be back at work today. I had a day of meetings and committees all of which are important and I have a writing deadline on Friday. However, my balance is off completely. Earache has thrown everything out and I find it quite hard to navigate through an open door. I also only have about 30-45 seconds between coughing fits whenever I try to speak, a brain like cotton wool and aches everywhere. I’m bored though which is probably a good sign as it means I am getting better.  I have tried to do some work and keep working on the book chapter that is due but I just can’t concentrate on anything that actually requires brain power.

I am also getting a little anxious about the Scarborough 10km run now. I was feeling quite confident about being able to do it and run it in a reasonable time and enjoy it too. I am less sure now. I have a few days yet so we will see.

I have been catching up on reading blogs and enjoyed BritsRunDisney‘s Bucket List of races. I thought I might make my own little list. As I started thinking and looking online I realised that I am thinking far more about places I like which means I am quite probably missing some just because they are in places I haven’t been yet! Anyway, here are some of the races I fancy doing – not all in one year obviously and some of them are pipe dreams given the cut off times, the locations and the time of year…

Hamburg Marathon – This sort of feels like my home city marathon and therefore should be done if I am going to be crazy enough to attempt that distance again! It would be nice to run in places I recognise and to have some of those childhood memories to keep me going. In 2016 it falls on my grandad’s birthday but it also bang in the middle of lambing time for us so that’s not going to work

Berlin Marathon – I think I would love this. It’s got to be a pretty flat course, I don’t remember any hills in Berlin and at every turn there will be history to look at and think about. It also holds memories of a couple of good trips and it always has an energetic and fun atmosphere.

London Marathon – well who doesn’t, secretly at least, want to run this one?

Great North Run – Another iconic UK race and one that I have always had a soft spot for. I have watched it on tv over the years and always been in awe of the runners. I always watched it with completely detachment – that was never going to be me (although I sometimes wishes it could be) until this year where I suddenly felt such an urge to be part of it and be there. So maybe I’ll get to do it before I am 40. That would be cool.

Starwars the Dark Side at Disney World – There is something special about Disney and I will probably want to go do the Disney World Marathon again once the pain wears off! However, there are other race weekends which look a lot of fun. I like the look of the Starwars events both at Disney World and Disney Land and maybe even something like the challenge of 10km plus half marathon… ok I clearly have the flu!

Toronto (Half) Marathon – I love Toronto. I don’t know what it is about the city but if I need to be in a city then Toronto is up there on the list of cities I can cope with. So for that reason and because the course is desribed as downhill… However that comes with a downside – the website suggests a 12 minute mile minimum pace or you may be asked to move off the road. That’s too much pressure for me! I may have to see how this running journey goes before committing to that kind of pace! The half marathin may however be more realistic

Hadrian’s Wall Half Marathon – This does not sound easy but it sounds like it would be a gorgeous route. I like the idea of running off road rather than just on the road and this race seems to give you that without being a very scary actual trail race. While I’d like to run more in the wild I am also acutely aware that I am not fit enough – it’s a whole different game that! I’ll keep practicing on my own but not in a race just yet. This though looks amazing and doable. Just look at the pictures from the course!

There are then loads of more local 5km and 10km runs which I’d like to try – local inevitably means hilly though! So another day of more thinking about running than actually moving (never mind running!)

Trying to stay positive – more Disney than running

Jess Guth5 Comments

Well I am a proper little snot factory. I have needed to take yesterday and today off work – I have a slight but persistent fever, a nasty cough,  the runniest nose ever and at the same time my sinuses are completely blocked causing my face to feel like it has been punched from the inside. Urgh. I can’t walk upstairs without a major coughing fit never mind run. I’m grumpy about it. I have been trying to cheer myself up with thinking about our Disney holiday and previous running successes. So just to remind myself that I now have two half marathons under my belt – ok so they are 2.5 ish years apart but never mind – here’s the proof

And to remind myself that there will be a fantastic medal at the end of it, here’s us showing off the bling after the 2013 half.

Half Marathon Medals 2013 (and a silly pose)
Half Marathon Medals 2013 (and a silly pose)

I’m excited about the holiday now. I paid the balance yesterday and now it feels real. I just printed off some bits and pieces – the final invoice showing the 0 balance, the tickets to Cirque du Soleil’s La Nouba and all the dining reservations we’ve made so far. While I was looking for a couple of pictures from the half marathon I got sidetracked looking at the Disney pictures generally. Actually many of the pictures we have don’t really show the place – there are loads of us but here are some of the

Magic Kingdom entrance
Great for Breakfast
Crystal Palace, Magic Kingdom
View across Bay Lake
Magic!
Animal Kingdon Giraffe
Epcot
Tree of Life
New bit – was being built in 2013

places that I am very much looking forward to seeing again.

In other news, the weather has got autumnal. We lit a fire earlier for the first time and the change in weather has made me think about running through the winter. Unless it gets stupidly icey we are planning on going the distance outside. Neither of us likes the idea of training on a treadmill. I don’t want to miss the changing landscape and the chance to see winter wildlife going about its business.

I am a little concerned about clothes though. I have a couple of long sleeved runing tops and one which is a winter training top which I think will be ok and I think I will just need to get used to layers and taking something off part way through. Any tips?

Anyway, the only thing running here today is my nose so enough of my rambling

Post half marathon run and stupid little dogs

Jess Guth3 Comments

I have had a bit of time to reflect on the half marathon now. I can’t quite believe that I actually did it. I’m annoyed at myself for walking as much as I did and it somehow feels like life should somehow be different. I mean, hello people, I ran a half marathon, you can’t just carry on as normal.

So here’s what I think I could have done better: Not run the first mile at a stupid pace; settle into the intervals sooner and stick to them, have a banana – the potassium in them is good for avoiding cramp; being a bit tougher mentally when the running got hard – I need to work on those mantras!

Here’s what I think worked well: porridge pot roughly 2 hours before the run, drinking stupid amounts of water the day before so that I am really hydrated and don’t need to worry about it on the day, the little date/dried fruit energy balls that Kath made me; trusting the process – I can run for much longer than I think I can; having amazing friends screaming at me to run in the last 200 metres or so.

I haven’t been too sore. I am stiff and my right foot has a funny little niggle in the arch today but calf muscles and knees are behaving. If I stay in one position too long it takes me a little while to get going but it’s all ok. Still the idea of going for a run today was a little daunting. It is so easy to think ‘ah it’s fine, I ran a half marathon, I don’t need to go today…’ but I do. Training doesn’t stop just because I ran a stupid distance! I am gearing up for an even more stupid distance.

So, with a little proud smile I pulled on my Robin Hood Half Marathon top and headed out with the aim of completing a slow 45 minute plod. I planned to go past our sheep, down the golf course and along the canal. I didn’t take the Garmin because I didn’t want to do battle with it. I took my stopwatch for the timing thinking that I might drop to 2.5 minutes run and 30 sec walk just to take it easy. I felt ok though so I sort of forgot to walk. In fact I ended up just running for 47 minutes without a walk break because I felt comfortable slowly plodding along. My legs were tired so I really was going slow but it was sort of nice.

Nothing to report for the first mile. I waved at the sheep and then focused on the slope which I always find tough. It came and it went. I’d like to say I enjoyed the downhill down the golf course but I really didn’t. I didn’t feel very balanced going down on my tired legs but I got down in one piece. I turned right on the canal and after just a few strides a little dog came bounding up to me and nearly tripped me up. The owner didn’t call it back until I looked directly at her and said ‘Really?!’

I carried on and ran past a woman who had a Westie with her which saw me, growled, showed its teeth and then launched at my ankles as I ran past (no harm done, its aim wasn’t great and it bounced off me). I turned to shout at the woman but she was just bent double laughing. I carried on. It wasn’t long before I had to turn round and therefore run past her again. As I approached she laughed and said ‘If you run faster he won’t get you this time’. I told her to fuck off. I’m scared of dogs (no idea why) and incidents like this make me a little worried about running along the canal on my own.

I wasn’t sure how far the woman was walking and if she was turning round but I wasn’t going to risk her seeing me walking so I just kept plodding along. It was a slow plod because when 45 minutes came I wasn’t at the bridge I was aiming for yet. I just thought I might as well keep going to the bridge and tried to speed up a little. I managed a little mini sprint and got to the bridge in 47 minutes dead. I ran all the way without stopping (well other than tripping over the dog). That might be the longest time I have ever run continuously

Oh I also just remembered- we missed the Sunday weigh-in because of the half marathon so I got on the scales on Monday instead and I have lost 1.5 pounds. Getting closer to the next stone marker!

Ikano Robin Hood Half Marathon

Jess Guth9 Comments

I did it. I really really did it. I ran/walked my way round 13.1 miles. Just in case you were wondering – it’s a long way. It was an amazing weekend really. We drove down to Nottingham yesterday to stay with our friend Bex. We had a lovely day just chilling and chatting and being spoiled rotten. I drank so much water that I might as well have just stayed sitting on the loo while pouring more in at the top – but that super hydration yesterday really helped today. Bex made the most amazing lasagne and just being there and chatting really helped me to not stress out about the run. This morning I got up and dressed and then timed my porridge pot for roughly 90 minutes before the start of the run – that seems to work well. Bex dropped us off just a short walk from the start. I wondered around, looked at the finish line and tried to visualise me crossing it – couldn’t really see it.

It was a cold foggy morning in Nottignham and standing in the starting section next to the river Trent was a little chilly. 9.30am came and the elite runners set off. Slowly the rest of us made our way, section by section, to the start line. Off I went pressing the start button the the Garmin as I crossed the line just to be met with a beep and then a blank screen. Bother! No intervals for me then. I’d have to go by feel – something I have no experience of really.

The first mile was amazing. I kept thinking ‘I am actually running’. The first mile was also far too quick. I don’t know but I suspect it was less than 11 minutes based on what people around me were saying. I consciously slowed a little. The 2nd mile was less fun. The 2nd mile had hills – not just a little slope – a hill. Here’s the route so those of you who know Nottingham will know what I mean!

Half marathon routeI saw the hill, walked for 20 seconds before it and then powered up it, then walked for 30 seconds. I was fine. Onwards. The Garmin had come back on but only on the watch setting so I could sort of do the intervals and I tried to settle into them but it just doesn’t work as well when you have to keep looking. I often missed the walk breaks and they ended up being a bit random. I got some water at the first water station and was briefly cmpletely flummoxed by the little water packs. I had to ask how you opened them – there’s a little flap the the top you can tear off with your teeth and then you can squeeze water out easily. Really I just kept plodding like this until roughly mile 7-8. I tried to keep track of roughly how quick each mile was and I do wonder if I went a bit fast as I seemed to be hitting 12 – 12.5 minutes roughly. The 7-8mile was slower and my calf muscle was beginning to niggle. I started walking a bit more. First dropping to 2.5 minutes running and then 2 minutes running but keeping the 30 seconds. Eventually running for 2.5 – 3 minutes and walking for 1 ish. Then I saw the 10 mile mark (this is an odd course where all the mile markers seem to be located arounf corners so you can’t lock onto them from a distance). 10 miles! I slowly ran past it and kept going for about 4 minutes. Then my calf muscle popped. I pretty much stopped dead (I did check behind me first). I tentatively put my foot down and winced. It hurt – a lot. I was pretty much in tears. I’d got to over 10 miles and it didn’t look like I could finish. I took another step. And another and it didn’t get worse. Another step and then a few more and I thought I might be able to walk it. I was over 10 miles already – it was walk or wait for the sweeper that wouldn’t come for ages yet. I kept walking very slowly. Very very slowly. And then it was easing very slightly and I looked up and kept walking. Gritted teeth, a few tears but walking. I could see the 11 mile marker. 10.5 to 11.5 took over 20 minutes. I began to realise that while something might have twinged in my calf, the pain was just cramp. They just happened at exactly the same time.

Very tentatively I ran a few steps. My legs were tired but ok. I played games then to get myself to the end – 15 second runs folllowed by 30 seconds walk, just running to the next bus stop, catching up with someone I could see in front…Then I passed mile 12, then I could see the embankment. I’d been walking with a group of girls and we set off to run the last mile together. Two dropped off imediately, two of us kept going – I got cramp again and urged the other girl to keep running. She was going to walk with me but she looked strong and I told her to run. I only walked a few steps and then I followed her. I’d not been on the embankment long when I heard the shouts of encouragement. Bex and Abi had got the bus back down to support me. It made all the difference. It made me keep running. Abi ran alongside me in the spectators area and I think if she hadn’t I would have walked. My legs really really wanted to walk.

Then I turned right onto the finishing stretch. The realisation hit that I might actually do this. One foot in front of the other. I have never ever wanted to walk so much and yet kept running. As I turned round the last corner I could see the clock. It said 3.18.45. I pushed. I wanted to get there under 3.19. I didn’t know exactly when I had crossed the start line but thought that I might, just might sneak under the 3 hours for my time if I did that.

The official results took ages to appear online – ages ages. As the Garmin didn’t work I had no idea whether I made sub three hours not. It was driving me mad, totally mad. I’d decided that I probably hadn’t made it and was cross at myself for walking as much as I did throughout. I was second guessing where I could have pushed a bit harder, where it was mental and not physical… Then I logged on and saw this:

Ikano half resultsYep – sub three hours. Sub three hours by quite a way! I know I have been treating this all as a complete new running adventure but just for context: My half marathon time three years ago was 3 hours 29 mins 17 secs, I took 33 minutes and 28 seconds off that (Is that maths right, someone check, I can’t do it tonight!)

I want to say thank you to Kath for always always keeping me going. I also want to say thank you to Bex and Abi because I don’t think they have a clue how much of a difference they made today. I could only be awsome today because they are. When things got tough and I was walking at snails pace wondering if I could finish I remembered Donna telling me I was still lapping everyone on the couch however slow I was going. That made me smile and with every little smile the pain got a bit less.

I am always hugely critical of myself but today I think I did well. Did I enjoy it? Hell no. But I do absolutely totally love having done it.