Today’s plan is to run at a faster pace for 2 minutes with 2 minutes recovery. They say….. ensure you pace yourself well in the early reps to ensure you are still feeling strong at the end of the session. These hard runs may be hard, but you will thank yourself on race day for getting them done!
It was such an hot day and really the last thing I wanted to do was to go for a run (again). I knew once I got started it wouldn’t be too bad and normally once I have done it… I feel absolutely amazing, although this feeling isn’t straight away!
Yes, yes, yes, I have managed to convince Jorge to go for a little jog as well. I tell him, we will feel so much better for it afterwards and we can reward ourselves with messing around in the swimming pool, or chilling in the outdoor spa.
Into the gym I go… to follow the plan:- 10 minutes warm-up followed by 5 sets of 2 minutes work at 5.6mph and recovery at 3.8mph. Again the warm-up is faster than my recovery time. Warm-up is set to 4.2mph but I end up setting it slightly faster as I had to pause to tie my shoe lace and was worried that I needed to catch up on time (why I thought this I have no idea as I had actually paused the treadmill but I forgot to pause my watch..)
I really do need to sort out my running music and not put it on shuffle. About 6 minutes into my warm-up…. Livin’ On A Prayer – Bon Jovi comes on….
‘whooah, we’re half way there- livin on a prayer… ‘You have got to be kidding me…. I am only 6 minutes in, I have another 14 minutes before I am half way there’…. “Gina dreams of running away’…, she isn’t the only one… oh no wait, I am actually running…. ‘We’ve got to hold on to what we’ve got, cause it doesn’t make a difference if we make it or not’….. Erm yes it does I am going to make it to the start line and the finish line of the London Marathon 2025!! Oh the silly things that goes through my head just to keep me going.
Chelsea Dagger by The Fratellis…. oh yes this reminds me of previous runs for Make A Difference Trust…. I start to think of all the good times that I have had over the years attending their numerous fundraising events and the many wonderful friends that I have made.
I have no idea when ‘One Voice’ by Barry Manilow came on but automatically this reminded me of Charlie. ‘Just one voice, singing in the darkness, All it takes is one voice, Singing so they hear what’s on your mind, And when you look around you’ll find, There’s more than one voice, Singing in the darkness, joining with your one voice.
Charlie was just that one voice that stood out and shared his traumatic story and had the support of the West End Community and has managed to set up his own charity/foundation to support others so that they are not alone.
During my cool-down I soooooo wanted to hit the stop button and walk off the back of the treadmill but again I was motivated to continue by Charlie singing with his West End Friends – You Will Be Found. It is amazing what the power of music can do to keep you going and it is a great way to remind yourself of your Why? Why am I running the London Marathon? I am running because Charlie Kristensen was that One Voice that has become the Change Maker.
