The Walker With Heart

Well it happened, 5 days into the taper and it hit... Taperitis... Grade 2... No running, eat loads, throw a migraine in there for fun, and generally feel like I've run a marathon a day for 3 days (and yes I do know what that feels like)... One skipped run, a lot of calories eaten (not sensible ones either) and a general feeling that if this is psychosomatic then I have a hellishly powerful brain... So, as ever eliminate the impossible and whatever is left, however improbable, is often the solution... Drinks lots and take the tablets for the headache, take the hayfever tablets (cheery trees I hate you), try and eat a good mix (why is when you're ill there is nothing as good as a chilli burger, with chilli fries) and hold on tight because I know I will come out of it... The plan for today's run was a) get out there and do it b) keep as close to 12 min miles g pit stop... And it wasn't easy running that controlled at that pace, the desire to stretch the...

It's done, the last of the long LSRs... 20 miles.  The first time in a marathon training plan I've survived going out to 20 miles twice. The weather was entertaining, starting off warm enough that I was about to strip off my jacket, followed by a hail storm, followed by torrential rain... and repeat...about every 5 miles.  Soaked to the skin and then baked dry I'm seriously happy that I didn't chaff.  I'd have preferred to run the second half smoother, but hey ho - 20 miles in a PB is 20 miles in a PB.  And better lumpy than injured! It also bought up the 10 in 1 ratio I've struggled to reach in other years, so for every mile of the marathon I have run 10 in training... and I've a few more to go. A taper isn't a full stop, its an active period letting your muscles and tendons and mind get back to their best... That's the theory and whilst I know from experience that the muscles and tendons bit work mentally its bloody hard work... So hold o...

This is very late, but I've been having a week at work... Lots landing from a great height, limited dodging ability etc etc etc... Anyway, this is a bit of a catch up as I've skipped a blog posting as I've been running around the country, both for work and for fun... It's also a blog of numbers... It's also my 300th Blog - I've spouted on 300 times... Some of them have been written with a smile on my face, others with tears running down my cheeks.  Such is my life as a GUCH, and I hope that its not too boring. Since I've started this blog, I've gone from a nervous marathon virgin to a multi-ultra marathon runner, I've been invested as an MBE, and I've seen too many friends go through pain and too many die.  I've also seen many kids with heart conditions grow up and be what they want to be, or just grow up to be normal human beings. Having a heart condition doesn't make us good or bad, it just means we have something extra to deal wi...

Well, the miles are rolling out - two  mid week 10ks and then a 10 miler today.  Good solid, 10ks and a 5min negative split for 10 miles.  The amount of walking is dropping, the 900/100 split for the first 5 miles was mainly to get me warmed up and in the flow. And in a niceness of numbers - I've bought up 200 training miles on my 26th training run... They've not all been easy, they've not all been PBs, but they are relentlessly moving me forward.  It's getting scarily close - I've 3 LSRs until the big day; 13.1 (Cambridge half), a 16 and a 20 miler, then a two week active taper... Five weeks...   Five weeks to add some polish, to find the correct strategy for me - balancing that desire of running all the way with the simple fact that adding in a little walking in the first half is paying huge dividends in terms of both my overall speed and how I feel.  At Boot Camp there was an ideal espoused that we should make the first half feel li...