Yeah…. it is so nice to be back home running along the seafront. The sun was shining on my face but the air was still quite fresh on the legs! The sea was calm… it was like a mill pond. It was the perfect day to be out running…. although I felt I was slightly rushing my run as I had a really lazy morning and woke up naturally.
I planned my breakfast so that I was fulled appropriately for my run. I was driving to Herne Bay for my run today as I was going to the Whitstable Playhouse Pantomime in the evening. I thought this was the perfect opportunity to work out how to fuel my long runs as the drive home I took to be the amount of time it would take for me to get to the start line on marathon day.
I stopped off at the service station on route and got myself a bottle of water as I tend to drink before a run to ensure I am fully hydrated before the start of my run… whilst I was in Marks and Spencers… I treated myself to some Percy Pigs and I thought I would try a protein ball. I was pleasantly surprised as to how delicious it was!
I arrived home at my mum’s house quickly popped in to see her and told her I would be back for a quick shower and then I would take her out for dinner before we headed off to the pantomime.
By the time, I got out on my run… somehow, I found myself with an empty packet of Percy Pigs! Whoopsie. But fear not for I am super organised and I had little packet of mini piglets in the car plus snicker bars. I haven’t been brave enough to try the gels yet but I know I really need to explore how I am going to fuel my run on Marathon Day and need to start testing these things out as soon as…. I have flash backs to the time when my friend Zoe gave me a bar of some sort and then I spent the next god knows how long hugging the platform at a train station when we were supposed to be cycling! You know it is bad when the station master comes out to check on you with a bottle of water!
Anyway back to my run… and we are off. It is amazing to have the sun shining on my face, although it is slightly annoying as I cannot see as I am heading directly into the sun at the moment and the promenade is busy with a walking group. I am feeling absolutely amazing so far and I am so pleased that this run is so much better than last weeks one and I am not having to fight off crying! It feels like I have running forever and I feel really strong but then I look at my watch and I have only ran 1.73 miles…. Seriously, is that all I have done so far! I think it is probably because normally I start my run from my house, whereas today I started close to Hampton. The plan is to run for 1 hour 45 minutes and the aim is to achieve as close as possible to 9 miles during this time. I know I won’t be able to achieve it as I am not fast enough to complete that distance in this timeframe. My next long run I plan to go for the distance rather than the time even if it takes my 30 minutes longer and if I have to go at a slower pace… or even if I walk the last bit. It is all about time on my feet and getting the distance in.
Running is so sociable. As runners are going in the opposite direction, they give you a little wave, smile or a nod of the head. I am sure every runner appreciates this whether they are a seasoned runner or not. Everyone is looking so amazing on their runs. I wonder to myself…. are they also training for the London Marathon. I have total admiration for them whatever the reason they are running and am grateful for that encouragement gesture. The walkers are also supportive along the way.
I arrive at Whitstable by Whitstable Waterfront. My plan was to turn around here but I am well short of the mileage I want to complete so I carry on a little further to the end of the harbour and I run through it to turn around and head back towards Herne Bay. It is so nice to see the area buzzing.
Oh no…. a runner as just ran soooo fast past me. She looks so fit and strong and I love her style as she stops of to have a look at the cakes for sale! She has got the most amazing spring in her stride and an awesome pace… Yes, I am somewhat jealous of her but hey I am out here blowing out my arse… and I still have to get back to Herne Bay. It is amazing the mind games you have to play to keep going. I tell myself she looks really fresh and strong as she has only just started on her run! Who knows if she has ran 100 metres or 10 miles already but she is super fit! She turns into the harbour and ends up running along the beach whereas I opted to run the roadside and then we meet up again. I am not in total awe of her as she has included a really steep hill into her run and she power ups it as though she is running completely on the flat area… yes please note…. I am on the flat area… If I aded that hill into my running plan today… I would either be catching a Uber or phoning my sister and asking for a lift back to Herne Bay. I quickly lose sight of her as she is super speedy.
I pick out people in the crowd to think… OK let’s try and catch them up as I notice I keep looking at my watch and then I think,…. I am sure the distance has got stuck as I feel as though I have been running forever and have hardly got anyway. Obviously I have and I am feeling great but I am rubbish at working out how far roughly 1 mile is. I used to know the distances from when I have previously run along the coastline but that was over 12 years ago!! I also do not want to become a slave to my watch and just use it as guidance. I notice that I am also slowing down… There is no reason why I am slowing down as I feel great in myself (at this stage!) but I realise it is because of the music I have got in. It clearly influences the pace that I run at but I am worried if I have all too fast music I will burn out quickly and not be able to complete the distance. I think what I will do is look at having a few fast pace songs and then put in a short slower pace and then go back to fast pace again. The only reason I may consider this is because a track I was listening to says about taking a slower pace every 15 minutes as it can help. I still think about whether I should ‘Jeff’ the course or not but I am worried if do opt for this I may struggle to run again! Then I think I will listen to a podcast or perhaps like my music behind… Oh no decisions decisions…. Maybe I will take my AirPods with me but not use them unless I feel that I need to listen to something. I actually quite liked it the other week when I left my AirPods at home and just ran. I was there in the moment…. mind you I was running on a treadmill so it wasn’t too bad as I had already set the pace and only had to run at the speed to stop myself from falling off the back!
As I continue with my ran and I turn the corner, I am more exposed to the elements… I can start to feel my right leg go all stiff… I look at my hands and they both seem fine, my left leg feels perfectly fine, although it is a bit cold. I should really think about getting some layers on my legs but I have always found them to be uncomfortable and have always opted to run in shorts no matter what the weather. Maybe this is another thing that I need to reconsider…
Training for the marathon is so much harder this time round. I am not sure if it because I am older or whether it is because I work shifts! Obviously I am opted for the latter.
My pace is totally slowing down and my leg is getting stiffer and stiffer but at least I am not in pain. My lungs are not burning probably because I am going at such a slow pace! I keep telling myself do not worry about the pace/time/distance. You are doing a grand job. I am near to the start/end point of my run but oh no…. I am 5 minutes earlier than I expected so I do that natural thing of running past my car and then have to turn around! Wahoo 1 hour 35 minutes done…. It is not until I get back into the car do I realise that I have changed my 1 hour 45 minute run to 1 hour 35 in my head! I am a bit gutted but very pleased that I had an awesome run compared to last week’s long run where I nearly ended up crying my eyes out all the way home!
Quick dash home for a shower and then it is out for dinner before I had off to Whitstable Playhouse to the pantomime…..
It was one of their best pantomimes I have seen in a long time. Buttons stole the show for me. His stage presence was absolutely fantastic and his engagement with the audience was outstanding. Bravo bravo!