Blog: Not enough work and too much play!
The hardest thing for me about marathon training isn't the aching legs or boringly long runs (although they are not a walk in the park!) but finding time to do all the training. I know that the best way to cross the finish line in April in the time I want (I'm putting it in writing, I'd love it to be 4 hours 15 minutes) is by putting the hours in, but the last few weeks have made that tricky.
At the start of this year I was really "on it" in terms of training - getting up early before work to fit in runs, and fitting in long weekend training sessions. However, I always knew that February was going to be tough timing wise, as my niece turned two, I was on a week of early starts presenting GMB, my best friend had her hen night and my husband turned 30. Cue three weekends away (with varying degreeing of partying!) and a week of being so very tired.
My niece's birthday wasn't too bad on the running front. Although I was very nearly sick 4km in to my half marathon training run, after eating far too much chocolate cake...note to self, only eat cake AFTER the run!
I also thought I might be the first person ever to go on a run on a hen weekend, until I saw someone else in running gear as I left our cottage on the Saturday morning! But I have to confess that even though the scenery in Snowdonia National Park, where the Hen was, was breathtaking, I didn't want to miss the fun by doing a long run and kept it to about 5km.
And then last weekend I was in Copenhagen celebrating my husband's 30th. We did lots of walking around the beautiful city, but the trainers stayed at home! I did tell my husband I was grateful I hadn't brought them as it was so cold there, but little did I know what was heading our way back in Jersey!
So as you can see, running has been in short supply. That's not to say I haven't done any. My long runs are now up to 17 miles, but I just haven't been able to do as much running in between the long runs as I wanted to. That definitely needs to change in the next month, so that I feel confident enough to "taper off" my training during April.
The good news is that I have already started making those changes in the last couple of days, even in the cold weather, and I have been enjoying it. So am hoping the next month will be as successful as I hoped (although I do have my friend's wedding coming up...!)
I have also found that I find it easier running when I set the tracker on my phone to the amount of kilometres I want to run. Then after the halfway point it counts down for me, which I find more motivating for some reason. It's a small thing that has been making my running a little easier, and I'll take anything that makes those longer runs better!
Running aside, I am focusing on my last major fundraising event to raise money for Jersey Hospice Care - a quiz night at the Grand Hotel in Jersey on the 22nd March. Lots of people have already been getting in touch asking to put a team together and I am hoping to make a lot of money on the night. If you'd like to come, please get in touch!
Next stop for me is another 17 mile run on Friday morning. I am hoping the weather lets me... and if you do see me out and about, please give me a wave!
Speak soon!