Marathon completed in 5:52:30.
And a lot of pain.
Report to follow.
£2,211.30 raised for Diabetes UK (so far).
Succeeding and failing on the road to the London 2013 Marathon. Possibly falling to bits in the process.
22/04/2013
17/04/2013
15/04/2013
This Week I Shall Be Mostly Eating Pasta
Final run: 6 miles / 9.66 km in 1:05:22.
Injury check: Minor niggles.
Support crew: Ian, on bike.
______
My final 'long' run was on Saturday, and it was only 6 miles. From now on I might just do a couple of ten-minute jogs to keep my legs moving, but there won't be any more serious training runs. I might not even do that: my bad knee has been twinging a bit in the last week or so, and I'm inclined to rest it up in preparation for the big day.
Saturday was a good run: good pace, good route with a very little bit of gradient but nothing bad, in a new town so it had novelty, with a different training partner (who obviously didn't break any more of a sweat than my previous bike-riding partners) - and pretty nice weather for running. There was even blue sky and sunshine at the start. Again, something like that for M-Day would be good.
In other news: I have reached - and passed - my fundraising target! I will write more on that later, but for now I would just like to say THANK YOU to everyone who has been so generous in sponsoring me.
And yes, this week, I will be mostly eating pasta. Carbo-loading for Sunday. As well as making many lists in an effort to distract myself from The Fear of The Marathon...
1. Make list.
2. Run marathon.
3. And relax.
Injury check: Minor niggles.
Support crew: Ian, on bike.
______
My final 'long' run was on Saturday, and it was only 6 miles. From now on I might just do a couple of ten-minute jogs to keep my legs moving, but there won't be any more serious training runs. I might not even do that: my bad knee has been twinging a bit in the last week or so, and I'm inclined to rest it up in preparation for the big day.
Saturday was a good run: good pace, good route with a very little bit of gradient but nothing bad, in a new town so it had novelty, with a different training partner (who obviously didn't break any more of a sweat than my previous bike-riding partners) - and pretty nice weather for running. There was even blue sky and sunshine at the start. Again, something like that for M-Day would be good.
In other news: I have reached - and passed - my fundraising target! I will write more on that later, but for now I would just like to say THANK YOU to everyone who has been so generous in sponsoring me.
And yes, this week, I will be mostly eating pasta. Carbo-loading for Sunday. As well as making many lists in an effort to distract myself from The Fear of The Marathon...
1. Make list.
2. Run marathon.
3. And relax.
11/04/2013
Countdown
It's a little over a week to go until I run the London Marathon.
That is a very scary thought.
A better thought is that I am suddenly so close to reaching my fundraising target! >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
I could never have raised so much money if I didn't know so many kind, generous people. Each and every person who has sponsored me has given me a push towards the finish line.
Besides which, I wouldn't be able to actually run the marathon if it weren't for the rest of the team doing it with me - and for the same cause. It's been a help, all the times I had to go out running, knowing I wasn't the only one going through it all.
The rest of TEAM! are doing so well, both in their training and their fundraising. Some of them will beat my goal time considerably, some of them are training much harder than me, some are much more stylish than me - but all of them are raising money for Diabetes UK, Em's chosen charity.
It was a year ago that Emily died. I do hope that - wherever she is - she's getting some enjoyment out of watching us all slog our way to the marathon!
 |
| http://www.justgiving.com/RhianChapman |
A better thought is that I am suddenly so close to reaching my fundraising target! >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
I could never have raised so much money if I didn't know so many kind, generous people. Each and every person who has sponsored me has given me a push towards the finish line.
Besides which, I wouldn't be able to actually run the marathon if it weren't for the rest of the team doing it with me - and for the same cause. It's been a help, all the times I had to go out running, knowing I wasn't the only one going through it all.
The rest of TEAM! are doing so well, both in their training and their fundraising. Some of them will beat my goal time considerably, some of them are training much harder than me, some are much more stylish than me - but all of them are raising money for Diabetes UK, Em's chosen charity.
It was a year ago that Emily died. I do hope that - wherever she is - she's getting some enjoyment out of watching us all slog our way to the marathon!
07/04/2013
On The Slow Down
Today's run: 10 miles / 16.09 km in 1:50:26.
Injury check: Knee pain.
Support crew: Robert, on bike.
______
Today was a good day. 10 miles at a good pace and I'm actually feeling pretty ok afterwards.
Injury check: Knee pain.
Support crew: Robert, on bike.
______
Today was a good day. 10 miles at a good pace and I'm actually feeling pretty ok afterwards.
The spring weather undoubtedly helped: bright but not too sunny; mild rather than too cold (or too hot); with a light breeze on the air.
If I could have today's weather on Marathon Day that would be pretty much perfect for me. I actually ran in only shorts and T-shirt. I couldn't even see my breath on the air! (The contrast with the last couple of weeks is just stunning.)
I'm on the taper down towards the marathon now: my long runs are shortening this week and next, hence only 10 miles today. Robert was with me on the bike today (as a last minute sub) and it was almost - almost - a fun activity.
It wasn't all completely cool runnings: The Knee was feeling a bit tender before we started and I could feel it from early on. By about 4 miles it was twinging, but luckily it didn't get anywhere near as bad as last week. It was hurting more through the last couple of miles and Robert observed a certain lopsided-ness in my gait, despite the fact that I was trying to keep an even stride.
Niggling pain aside, most of this run was pretty good. At the end I was tired but not exhausted. Almost as soon as I'd stopped running my knee stopped hurting - although I am icing it up now - and I didn't even need much TLC during my post-run recovery.
As you can see in today's photo, I ran in full race gear: Diabetes UK T-shirt and TEAM! cap. With the shirt tested (verdict: very comfy) I shall now add the iron-on letters to encourage people to cheer my name.
13 days to go...
If I could have today's weather on Marathon Day that would be pretty much perfect for me. I actually ran in only shorts and T-shirt. I couldn't even see my breath on the air! (The contrast with the last couple of weeks is just stunning.)
I'm on the taper down towards the marathon now: my long runs are shortening this week and next, hence only 10 miles today. Robert was with me on the bike today (as a last minute sub) and it was almost - almost - a fun activity.
It wasn't all completely cool runnings: The Knee was feeling a bit tender before we started and I could feel it from early on. By about 4 miles it was twinging, but luckily it didn't get anywhere near as bad as last week. It was hurting more through the last couple of miles and Robert observed a certain lopsided-ness in my gait, despite the fact that I was trying to keep an even stride.
Niggling pain aside, most of this run was pretty good. At the end I was tired but not exhausted. Almost as soon as I'd stopped running my knee stopped hurting - although I am icing it up now - and I didn't even need much TLC during my post-run recovery.
As you can see in today's photo, I ran in full race gear: Diabetes UK T-shirt and TEAM! cap. With the shirt tested (verdict: very comfy) I shall now add the iron-on letters to encourage people to cheer my name.
13 days to go...
06/04/2013
Ouch
Run: 17 miles / 27.36 km in 3:45:ish.
Injury check: The Knee struck early, followed by foot pain.
Training buddy: Dad, on bike*
______
Last weekend I ran my longest training run. It was not fun. My new most-hated weather is the bitter, biting wind.
We ran along the river, following the Thames Path towards Kingston. It sounds like a lovely route, doesn't it? And it probably is - in summer. It was not lovely this fine Easter.
The wind was against me on the way out and it made the first 8.5 miles very hard work. The return 8.5 miles was cold. I've worn layers while running; I've taken top layers off as I've warmed up. I've never had to put layers on during a run.
The pain was another problem. I've ached on long runs. I haven't hurt as much as this before. The most annoying thing was that the hurt wasn't actually caused by the extension in distance - the injuries made themselves felt far earlier than that. The Knee on the left, followed by the right instep, both within the first quarter of the run. I really wanted to get this distance down, however long it took, so I carried on. And (as you can see) it took a long time. The last couple of miles in particular were very slow, as I was run-walk-limping my way to the end.
With 17 miles done, I'm now on the taper down towards the marathon. And one day, in the near future, I won't have to run any more. Oh, happy day...
*Who probably regretted his kind offer of company at least once during the route: he had to listen to me being grumpy most of the way around!
Injury check: The Knee struck early, followed by foot pain.
Training buddy: Dad, on bike*
______
Last weekend I ran my longest training run. It was not fun. My new most-hated weather is the bitter, biting wind.
We ran along the river, following the Thames Path towards Kingston. It sounds like a lovely route, doesn't it? And it probably is - in summer. It was not lovely this fine Easter.
The wind was against me on the way out and it made the first 8.5 miles very hard work. The return 8.5 miles was cold. I've worn layers while running; I've taken top layers off as I've warmed up. I've never had to put layers on during a run.
The pain was another problem. I've ached on long runs. I haven't hurt as much as this before. The most annoying thing was that the hurt wasn't actually caused by the extension in distance - the injuries made themselves felt far earlier than that. The Knee on the left, followed by the right instep, both within the first quarter of the run. I really wanted to get this distance down, however long it took, so I carried on. And (as you can see) it took a long time. The last couple of miles in particular were very slow, as I was run-walk-limping my way to the end.
 |
| Grimace of pain outside Hampton Court, viewed from the river. I think the looming storm clouds set it off nicely, don't you? |
*Who probably regretted his kind offer of company at least once during the route: he had to listen to me being grumpy most of the way around!
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