5 weeks to go!

Hoorah! Training is definitely back on course!!!!
I knew that the long run this weekend would make me or break me, and I’m happy to say it made me! After the last couple of weeks of getting myself down about training and the actual marathon, the prospect of doing an 18 mile run was not a good one. It would be the furthest we’d ever run before, so we were venturing into the unknown.
As there were only 2 of our normal group doing the run on Saturday, we set out at 9am to make sure we still got back fairly early. The pace was slow; to avoid burnout, but it was comfortable. I really wasn’t sure how my body was going to react to this distance as the last few weeks of training had effectively been a washout.
The route that we took was running from Guy’s house (Duston) to Zoe’s (Blisworth) and then back to Guy’s. Running through the countryside, including 2 MASSIVE hills (one near Gayton and then the other on the approach back into Duston). It was quite daunting to think of running all that way as we set off, but it had to be done – and there was no way back!
I decided to take my iPod along with me to see if that made a difference to my performance when I was struggling – also to see whether it was worth taking it along to marathon. Setting off to the rousing beat of PJ and Duncan’s ‘Let’s Get Ready to Rumble’ I couldn’t decide whether it was the right move!
Actually, in all seriousness, my iPod was really motivating when it came to the hilly sections, and when I really needed an extra push to keep going. There is something strangely exhilarating about shutting yourself off from the world and just concentrating on what is happening there and then. My playlist is somewhat random, with a mixture of dance, cheese and indie but it’s nice not knowing what’s coming next.
Research has found that if you can run/ walk/ cycle etc to the beat of a song, you can continue at the same pace for longer as it takes your mind off the pain or fatigue which would normally be the main thing on your mind – and I would definitely agree.
I was quite proud of myself after Saturday, there were a few times when I had to walk but I know that this will happen on race day too. I managed to keep myself well hydrated (thanks to Zoe for leaving refreshments outside her house!) and I think that really made a difference. I hate having to carry stuff when I’m running, because I feel it makes me slightly uneven so I have avoided taking water out on runs with me in the past.
The worst part about the 18 mile run for me, was the Sunday – I could not walk for toffee!!! As I’ve said in previous blogs, I suffer from muscle soreness quite badly and I was not let off this week. The past couple of days have been really tough, but I can feel the soreness easing.
This week – like every week – I’m trying to get down the gym a bit more, in preparation for next week’s mission!