Pre-Race Stress has started already....

This week’s runs have been hard (and I’m only 2 runs in), I’ve had a dramatic turn in events and now hate running again….so I’m giving up, not doing the half marathon and never running again!

Just kidding… I've invested too much time to give up now, plus I can’t give up this easily, and my running trainers are so damn cute I can't not wear them.

I need to carry on plodding (also known as ‘running’) along and get as close to 13.1 miles ready as I can in this time. But I’m absolutely stressing out about it, and it’s pretty much all I think off at the moment, it’s become my new unhealthy obsession. I’m spending more time on the runners world website than I am on BBC news (apparently something is going on in Scotland – or should I say not going on?). I’m going through, writing and re-writing training plans for the next 3 weeks. I’m working out all my potential times (which is complete guess work as who knows what I’ll be like on the day?) and the worse thing about all this stressing is that its interfering with my sleep. I keep dreaming that I can’t make the first mile – wake up at 4:00am, and then can’t get back to sleep. 

ARGHHHHHHHHH – who knew it would be this stressful? I’m a crumbling, sweaty mess – I’m not very good with stress.

So for the moment, I’m going to stop thinking about the end goal – and just focus on training for me, because I want to be able to run these lovely long distances, without the pressure of anyone timing me or watching me; just me in the park with my trainers and ipod, enjoying the fresh air, greenery and thinking off all the calories I’m burning off, so I can eat cheesecake.

This weekend’s runs are looking like this (there has been a slight change due to bad runs this week):

Friday – 10K

Saturday – Gym session; some cross-trainer and treadmill time (90 mins in total)

Sunday – the plan was to get to the pool, but it’s closed for a gala – so I’m going to enjoy the last of the warm weather and head out trekking around Oxford, in order to stretch my legs for a nice long run on Monday.

Slowly starting to love...

Hello – a little side note before I get into my ramblings. Sorry for the lack of posts, work has been busy and we’ve had a very very busy (& super fun!) summer, which is only just dying down. Now we've reached September and back into the swing of routine that September provides (even though no one in my immediate family runs on an academic calendar, I think it’s just programmed into our head from when we were children).

In a complete contrast to my post on the 7^th August, claiming I AM NOT A RUNNER – the last four weeks has seen a sudden turn of events in my running status. With just under 5 weeks to go to the half marathon I’ve only gone and fallen in love with the sport. My PE teacher would be so proud, gone are the days from ‘forgetting my sports bag’ to get out of exercise, to choosing on my own will to run 3-4 times a week.

I think (though I still don’t quiet feel like it) I AM A RUNNER – I’ve put it in a small font, as I’m just whispering about it at the moment, as some of the ‘real’ runners out may think I don’t quiet qualify.

I’m not a very good “runner”; the runs are slow, sweaty and hard – but I’m enjoying them and as soon as I’m finished with one run I’m planning the next one. I never ever thought I’d see the day that I look forward to exercise and plan my schedule around it, but the time has come. I  am embracing, loving and enjoying running.

I am also immensely enjoying the benefits of running;

• I’ve lost weight pretty effortlessly, which probably makes the runs easier and dieting is one less thing to worry about (unfortunately in today’s society it's every females unwanted hobby). 
• My skin is looking pretty good at the moment because I’m sweating out all the rubbish out of it.
• I’m toning up and finally the ‘blob’ that was my body is producing some kind of shape – though because of the legs tonning up quicker than any other part, it’s a little lollipop-ed shaped at the moment, though any shape is a step up from ‘blob’.
• I CAN EAT CARBS AND NOT FEEL GUILTY – this is probably the BEST benefit ever. I said previously that after the half marathon I’m going to give up running, but now that I’m liking running and I can eat carbs and not feel guilty about it I may just carry on. Life is so much better with pasta and potatoes.
• I feel SO ALIVE at the end of runs, not matter how long or short - I feel like I can face anything and take on the world (this feeling doesn't last too long, as usually when I get home I face a pile of never-ending laundry, that doesn't ever seem to be conquered).
• A combination of all the above and the endorphin's means I'm less stressed. I'm getting my 'me' time whilst running and it gives me times to think about things in life that I don't usually have time too, and also come to peace with a lot of internal conflicts. 

So happy running for now :-)

The first four...

If  you follow me on Twitter you would have known that from Monday 14^th July 2014 things got serious – serious in the sense that it’s just over 12 weeks to the half marathon. 12 weeks seems like ages right? That’s a whole 3 months, a quarter of the year, plenty of time to build up to 13.1 miles. But a big lesson I've learnt about turning a year older, is that time flies by…like literally you blink and it’s the next month (what happened to June?).

So it's time to step up the training, form a routine training plan and give up alcohol (except for my four scheduled alcohol-allowed events; this weekend, Machofest, Kyle’s birthday and Carnival), the rest of the time I shall be T-Total (and probably quiet grumpy and boring on weekends now).

The Training Plan:

I’m using a mix of training plans I've found online and fitting them in between my body pump classes (as we've got to keep the muscles strong and lean right?). As it’s just over 12 weeks, and I’m away this weekend (it’s a surprise trip, so I don’t know if I’ll be able to go for a run whilst I’m away, hence the '?' in my plan) I shall be repeating week 1 twice – it will also help build  the plan into my routine that I have to stick to for 12 weeks. I’m notoriously bad at sticking to things, so hopefully shouting out about this on my blog means that it’s making me accountable for it, and I have to do it, plus its for charity and I’m running with a team, and I've told loads of people, and spent a lot of money on running shoes etc, etc.

Monday's are the toughest day, and I originally had the 30 minute easy run on a Tuesday, but trying to move the day after a Body Pump session can be tough (I barely make it up the stairs at work), so I've put my two rest days the days after body pump. It's also an easy run on the Monday (as legs are still recovering from Sunday's long run), so I can do it just before my body pump class on the treadmill, in the comfort of an air conditioned gym.

As I have created the plan, and I’m not a fitness expert I shall be changing and adapting it as I see fit (with the 13.1 mile goal in mind). I should probably run this past someone who knows what they are doing; so if you are an experienced runner/athlete/personal trainer who is reading this and can see massive flaws in the plan – give me  a shout.

I’m not going to bore you with the full 12 week plan so far (partly because it scares me a little to look at the full 12 weeks at once), so I’m just going to post the first four weeks on here.

Want to join me? I mainly run just after work around 6:30 / 7pm in East Oxford - so drop me an email / comment / tweet and we can meet up :).

Hey, I put some new shoes on, And suddenly everything is right.

I LOVE SHOES, all types of shoes, heels, wedges, flats, boots, trainers. I've got shoes at the back of my wardrobe that I've never even worn, but do I part with them when it comes to our annual clothes/shoes clear out? HELL NO! Shoes are a wonderful work of art, and make legs look amazing, build confident and can make an outfit - and I will make an outfit out of all of them one day.

Getting into running, I knew I'd have to go buy some decent running trainers, as my old trusty gym trainers were just not up for the job long term. They are great, comfortable and reliable - but they were getting old (3 years) and a little worn. So I read up about looking for some new running trainers, but there are so many out there on the market, it was hard to know where to start. So instead of spending hours on the internet searching through the tonnes of running trainers, I thought (and as recommended by Dad), it's probably best to head down to a running specialist shop, so they can have a proper look at my feet and how I run etc.

So on Saturday morning, Dad (not my usual shoe shopping partner) and I  headed to the running specialist store in the village my parents live in. Now it's not a big village, but for some crazy reason this small running shop seems to attract people from everywhere, and for a Saturday morning in a sleepy village, this place was buzzing (I think less people attend the Saturday Service). Whilst we were waiting to be seen, I looked up at their display of trainers on offer and I was just as overwhelmed by it as I was when looking online...so it was over to the specialist. As soon as we saw the running specialist and I talked to him briefly about the distance I was currently running and planning on running etc, then mentioned how I wear insoles to re-align my feet - he had a trio of potential shoes lined up for me.

I tried each suggested pair on, and had a run with them on the treadmill. Honestly they all felt a lot better than my old Nikes, but one pair stood out more than the rest - the bright red Nike Fitsoles. Not only did the colour make them stand out, they are very lightweight but feel really firm at the same time. They have a built-in insole which seem to mould to my feet and keep my ankles and hips aligned. So £95 later, I was the owner of a new pair of bright red Nikes (my 3rd pair in my wardrobe). 

Now I've tried them out on a proper run, they just feel like a soft, firm extension to my feet. I'm in love.