Things&Ink editor Alice Snape is currently in training for the London Marathon 2015, she’s running for Sarcoma UK. Read more in her first Marathon diary entry. Here’s part five of her marathon diary…
“Marathon training is one of the toughest challenges I have ever taken on. I can honestly say that when I signed up to run the London Marathon 2015 for Sarcoma UK (read why here), I didn’t realise just how tough the training would be.”
“Even just fitting in the training around editing Things&Ink, working freelance projects and balancing everyday life is proving to be a challenge in itself. Especially as some training runs take over three hours to complete!
Here’s what a typical week of running looks like for me at the moment:
Monday: Rest day
Tuesday: 40 minutes easy running… easy running is running at a pace you can hold a conversation. Followed by a Hot Yoga Class… I love going to hot yoga classes. But I have realised the toll training is taking on my flexibility. It’s definitely decreasing as I am upping my running mileage. But I do think it’s important to do exercise other than running, and also include some strength training, including planks and thigh strengthening exercises.
Wednesday: 30 minute fartlek run. I dread interval and fartlek runs, as they involve running at speed (I am slow and steady – a plodder – my body was not built for running fast). A farlek run is running fast for random spurts (or at least this is how I like to do it), I might set my sights on a lamp post and run as fast as I can until I reach it, and then slow the pace… then set my sights on something else. This can actually be quite fun. Once I have worked up the motivation to do it.
Thursday: 60 minute steady run, mixed with some threshold pacing.
Friday: Rest day…
Saturday: Short run, with 10 mins at an easy pace to start, then 5x 2 min interval run, and ending on five minutes of easy pace running. Interval running is running with intense effort.
Sunday (now known as Long Run Sunday): Sundays are no longer rest days, they are there for long runs. At the beginning of my 17 week training schedule the long run was just 60 minutes (oh how easy that seems now), which has gradually been built on through the weekly training plan. Up to 18 miles so far, but I aim to run 22 miles before the big day!
I spend a lot of time on my own while I am training, so I have a lot of time to think. Here’s the things I’ve learnt about myself while training:
“I am VERY stubborn, if I set my mind to something, I find it really difficult not to do it. Which comes in extremely handy on long run days. ESPECIALLY when it is raining. For example, the first time I ran 16 miles, I did it in the rain – it was raining for the entire three hours. Which meant I ran it really slowly, and I looked like a mental person. BUT I did it. I logged the miles, and I wanted to give up for the entire run, but I didn’t. Because I knew I had to do it.”
“ANYONE can learn to love running. I hated running with a passion when I was at school. I would rather lock myself in a toilet cubicle than do the dreaded cross country run. And sometimes I still hate running (see above). But nothing makes you feel the way running does, I may dislike it intensely sometimes when I am running, but the way you feel after the run is amazing. You feel alive and healthy. Running makes life easier.”
“I talk about running a lot. But that is because it has taken over my life. I am sure anyone else training for the marathon – and their friends – understand this. Training has become such a huge part of my life that it is impossible not to talk about it ALL THE TIME (sorry family and friends). I guess it’s also because I want to validate what I am doing, and because I am completely terrified about marathon day.”
“Toenails are overrated. My feet look disgusting, I have a black toenail that is about to fall off – I am sure they will look even more hideous after that big day.”
“Running the marathon for a charity makes training that little bit easier. I know I have to complete the marathon for everyone who has donated to my charity – Sarcoma UK. And I also think about the person I running it for. My boyfriend’s sister Katherine, who I never met but so wish I could have.”
“I know I should be a little kinder to myself. It’s hard not to compare yourself to other runners. I can only dream of running 13 miles at a 7-minute mile pace. I have to channel my energy into being competitive with myself and not other people. I can only beat my own times. So if I shave a couple of seconds off my own runs that’s great. I ran my first ever half marathon in 2 hours 15, and last week I beat myself by running a half marathon distance in 2 hours 7 minutes. It may not seem like much but that is a huge achievement for me, and means the training is really starting to pay off. I also have a time in my mind that I would like to complete the marathon in, but if I don’t get that time, I must remember that’s ok, as running a marathon is a massive achievement in itself…”
I will update this marathon diary again very soon… I am running a 20-mile race in Kingston on Sunday, so I will let you all know how it goes, as this will be my longest training run yet! Wish me luck. To donate to Sarcoma UK, visit my justgiving page.