Tired but happy

Yes as expected my muscles were sore yesterday and just as sore today. I managed to head out this evening (snow and all) and stretch them for 3 miles (34 mins). Was ok once I got going. After a run such as my first half marathon with as little training as i have had its to be expected that every time i stand up i resemble an 80 year old woman for a few seconds right??? :-)

Just got to keep going I guess as have the Reading 1/2 marathon coming up in less than 2 weeks and now I have a PB to aim at. cool!

Brighton 1/2 Marathon

This morning I ran my longest run to date the Sussex Beacon 1/2 Marathon in Brighton.

I had to set off at 7.30am this morning as guess what there were train disruptions (I know hard to believe). I was greeted at the station by another runner ready to brace a cold Brighton seafront. By the time we got to Clapham Junction there were more eager athletes. I was glad to see I wasn’t the only eejet out at that hour of the morning in the freezing cold.

Gloves, hat, tracksuit and two tops I was all set. By the time I got to the seafront though the sun was shining so I decided against wearing the hat and gloves. (and was glad I did). The race started pretty much on time. It was 2 mins 41 before I got across the finish line. Think there were about 2000 athletes but I was near the very back.

Starting at the Marina Drive we headed along the pedestrian path down around Hove Lagoon. I was plodding along, all going well, but ever aware that there were no markers. When I did finally get a marker @ 4 miles I was a bit like 'oh is that all. Wow I’ve a good bit to go yet.' They had water stop at 4 miles but only in a 1/2 filled cup. Thankfully I was carrying some with me. As the Brighton sun was hotting up. 6 mile mark I took a tiolet stop. Not long afterwards I was greeted by Dave as he encouraged me on.


Upper leg and hip muscles were starting to feel tired. But I was in good spirits.

When I passed through the Madeira Drive again it was quite strange (Start and finish) as the first guy was coming home to win in 1 hr 11 mins. I was only at the half way mark. They certainly left the best till last. Not only have I not trained beyond 8 miles and would have found it tough anyway but the sun went in and the wind picked up as we headed on a long incline as the course rises through a tunnel and zigzag paths to the top of the cliffs out to Rottingdean Windmill at the 10 mile mark.

We had a welcome water point here.

Although on the long road home and a lot of it downhill my muscles were tired for these last few miles and I could only really muscle up a plod as the cold wind chilled my face. The last mile into the finish line I passed those that had finished ahead of me and I gave it that last plod to cross the line in around 2.17 on the clock.


I later got a txt message that I signed up for with the following.

'Congratulations MICHELLE MITCHELL you have completed the Sussex Beacon Half Marathon on 20-2-2005 in a time of 02:14:54:30.'



Ok so I was well down the field and many of you will think this is a slow time. But for me (not only because it is my first 1/2 marathon) but because of my speed this is a very good time and really consistent with how things were going in training. I was really happy with myself.


I collected my medal and headed for a well deserved bowl of pasta before having to endure a 2 hour train journey home (think that was more painfully than the race itself).

Looking back on the event, and on my 1/2 half marathon I really enjoyed it. Listening to my music helped me a lot. I was still able to talk with a few of my fellow runners as they encouraged me and visa versa. I think I need a bit more distance and hill work to cope with those last couple of miles but I'm slowly getting there.

Job well done I think and now time for bed. zzzzzzzzzz (bet my muscle will be sore tomorrow)

So far so good...

Not the best of weekends it has to be said. My plans for a long run on sunday were out the window. Was not feeling at all good. My flatmate Janice came down with severe laryngitis last week and I think I caught the tail end of all these bugs that happened to be going around at the moment. So not a happy bunny!

Feeling alot better on Tuesday, I manage to get out and run 6 miles. Was happy with that.

Last night I also managed a 6 mile run.

Hat-check.
Gloves-check.
New Trainers-Way hey! Finally got a pair and taking great care not to get any blisters.

Although the time for my run last night was in and around the same time as the night before (68 mins) after the 3 mile mark last night I felt the going alot harder. I was really glad to come home to a big bowl of pasta and even went for seconds. Yum!

My muscles (hips) were sore after and takes a minute to loosen out each time I get up from the computer screen.

Having a rest night today. Heading out for meal (Janice's birthday) and hope to do a 6 mile again tomorrow night. Rest on saturday and my first 1/2 marathon ever on Sunday. Stay tuned!

Hard work

Wed. 9th Feb. @7.20pm
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I managed to get out of work early for once. Endured the usual 45 minutes (when transport of London is running smoothly-anyone living in London will appreciate this song LONDON UNDERGROUND ) exciting tube and bus home and headed out for a run straight away.

Man it was windy out last night. Running in my RunLondon Nike luminous top, it took all of 20 seconds for the tears to roll down my face, and talk about a dose of the sniffles. Nice!

The energy just was not in my legs this evening and found the going tough from .5 miles. But I plodded on. Stopped for a minute, and then plodded on abit more. I plodded for four miles in fact and was surprised that my time was not a lot slower than 45 minutes.

I didn't particularly enjoy the run and the legs felt heavy during and after the run. I'll tell you something for nothing though, I slept like a baby lastnight.

Thur. 10th feb @6.15am
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Seriously what time of the morning do you call this? It's dark out and hey the birds are barely chirping-what chance have I?

As you might have gathered this is/was my first morning run ever. :-) So why this morning you might ask....well let me tell you...

Dave’s mate-Justin is heading off to Oz for 6 weeks (been there, done that and still a bit green eyed) and this evening at 6pm he is dropping into main street London for a few drinks before he heads off. Although the last 2 runs I have done were tiring - the last thing I now want to start doing is skipping training runs-so the alternative was to run this morning.

All was going ok, actually didn’t find the morning thing an issue, be it a bit heavy legged (sniffles and eyes watering included for no extra charge) when at 1.5 miles Dave's knee started to say no. I could have continued on my planned four miles, but instead figured that it was still to dark out on the path we do and opted to postpone the run till tomorrow evening.

I’m starting to realize the scale of my undertaking and how much is involved in it. Mentally and physically both the training and the charity fundraising work. It’s not like I’m doing a 10k where if you don’t feel like doing a few miles this evening it does not really matter. I know there are going to be a lot of tired days/evenings but I’m up for it.

"Running is the greatest metaphor for life, because you get out of it what you put into it." - Oprah Winfrey


Although I wont be drinking this evening (Lent) I think I'll enjoy my night out in the pub all the same.

Need new trainers
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I seriously have to set some time aside to buy a new pair. Just seem to be so busy with work and training and every weekend is booked up from here til the london Marathon with one thing and another. No excuse I know. I'll get it sorted.

I'm back....kind of...

Well it’s been a trying time these past few weeks, patiently waiting for my foot (pulled ligament) to mend. After 8 days rest I was itching to get out and see how the foot would hold up. Tuesday last the 1st feb. I ran 2 miles-foot still felt abit twingy so I didn’t tempt faith and left it at that.

Next day I was working from home as had dentist appointment (2 small fillings-all I can say is I can see why people hate going to dentists) I went to the gym in the morning and did a comfortable 4 miles in 44 mins. My foot felt fine so I thought I was back on track again. Not so on Thursday, just walking around the place brought back a small twinge around the angle. So it was rest time again :( until last night...

I gave it a trial run last night, but only did 3 miles (33 mins) not because of my foot (foot held up well) but rather lack of energy and bloated stomach from all the non nutritional food I ate a few hours earlier (see Shrove Tuesday post). Yup I know brought it on myself. When I stopped running my legs felt wobbly. Not a nice feeling and not a very enjoyable run.

There is light at the end of the tunnel though-as it’s officially lent today-so no junk for the next 40 days and my foot seems to be holding up well so I'm ready to put in a few miles over the next few days. Quite looking forward to it actually.

Strange how the tide turns and you go from not wanting to go for a run to being quite annoyed with yourself that you can’t get out there for one reason or another.

I noticed on the Metro (London underground news paper) a wee article titled 'Eight marathons in 8 days'-A mother of 4 53 year old Kathy Hearn is planning on running 8 marathons in 8 days (to beat Sir Ranulph Fiennes 7 day record). Beginning with the Paris Marathon on April 10th then running through France for 7 days to reach the London Marathon.

and i thought I was mad with 2 ½ marathons, a 16 miles and the London Marathon. :-)Anyway folks fingers crossed I think I’m back!

Ebay Marathon Items

Having a quick browse through Ebay this morning before I lunge into my 100 odd emails I carried a general search for 'marathon' here are a few things that were returned...

LONDON MARATHON OFFICIAL 2005 RUNNING JACKET. MEDIUM.
Current bid is £0.99

118 118 MARATHON WIG-MALE FANCY DRESS COSTUME
Buy it Now £9.99- there ye go lads! :-)

18 London,Paris,Boston Marathon/Great North Run Medals
Current bid is £13.50
'An assorted lot of genuine marathon and fun run competitor's medals from the 1980s and 1990s. The lot consists of: London Marathon medals for 1984, 85, 86, 87, 94, 96, 97 and 1999. The Great North Run medals are from: 1989, 90, 91, 92, 94, 96 and 1997. There's also a 1992 Paris medal, a 100th anniversary 1996 Boston marathon medal, an Egerton 1/2 marathon medal and a Hog's Back Road race medal.'

Shrove Tuesday

Its been awhile. I've got abit of catching up to do, both on my blog and on my running. :( So over the next few days I'll let you know how my ligament injury is doing...how much training I have and have not being doing and also how Nelson Mandela's speech in Trafalgar Square went on thurday last for Make Poverty History.

But today is Shrove tuesday so I'm going to write abit about that. For those that dont know Shrove Tuesday is the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday - Ash Wednesday being the first day of Lent.

In the old days it was a day of penitence, but also a day of celebration as the last chance to feast before Lent begins. (There is also the 1000 year old tradition whereby people in the week immediately before Lent shall go to confession and confess their sins). Quite alot has changed in the last decade but there are still those that go to confession and there are still those that panic because they dont have abit of lemon for their pancakes.

As a child growing up mom always made pancakes. We loved it. Bless her though, with 6 kids the pancake barely made it off the pan before it was scoffed. Yum!

The idea behind Shrove tuesday and Lent (as I understand it from my parents) was giving up foods but not wasting them. So going back to "the old days" again there were many foods that good olde Christians would not eat during Lent, such as meat, fish, fats, eggs, and milky foods.

When you think about it there could have been alot of food wasted had families not decided to have a good old feast on the Tuesday, and eat up all the foods that wouldn't last the forty days of Lent without going off.

So where do Pancakes come from?
Well, Pancakes became associated with Shrove Tuesday as they were a dish that could use up all the eggs, milk and fats in the house with just the addition of flour.

Tip!
Add abit of Jam, sometimes abit of sugar and a wee bit of lemon, very tasty!

Shall I be making pancakes myself this year?-right now the jurys out.

I am going to partake in the 40 days 40 night lenten tradition though (well my own variation). I'm giving up junk food. That means goodbye to all fizzy drinks (we have free drinks at work), crips, cakes, chocolate, chips, bugers, pizza. Pretty much a total detox.

Will it be hard going? You bet ya! I've got a really sweat tooth. I blame my mom, and you know funny enough she blames hers. But I've done it before and I'll do it again.

Today at work a few of us on my team (who are also going to do there variation of it (although I do question there commitment :-) ) held our version of the last supper-now most of you athletes out there are probably going to cringe at what I'm going to say so if so...skip down a few lines...now....

We headed to a RedVeg. RedVeg is yum vegetarian place that does a mean burger. So we all helped ourselves to Chips and burgers. Followed by desert white chocolate. Tasty!

See I warned you...:-)
No need to worry about my diet, I generally eat a balanced diet.. get my meat, fish, fruit and veg...but I dont deprive my sweat tooth either.

How to make pancakes
Ingredients: plain white flour: 8 oz, unsalted butter: 1 oz, milk: 1 pint, small pinch of salt, 2 medium eggs
Method: Mix the ingredients together to make a smooth batter and cook the pancakes in a hot frying pan until golden brown on both sides.

Anyway heres to the next 40 days and if your making pancakes this evening. Enjoy!