An epiphany - Coventry War Memorial 10K

I’ve had a revelation. Get this – training works.

It actually works! I started my training plan on the 4^th of November, and did my first race last Sunday. And I PB’d it! *does happy dance*

Clearly this wasn’t part of the training plan, and being honest, this wasn’t my first race (I’ve been very average in lots of races).

But anyway – it was my first race since starting my London marathon training. A 10km run through Coventry War Memorial Park.

It was a slightly odd race. For a start, it wasn’t sign-posted at all. We (me and t’other half) arrived at the park wondering if we’d gone to the right place. The only indication we had was the steady flow of Lycra-clad people emerging from the car park. With no signs to guide us, we followed the crowd.

After registering, stabbing myself with safety pins, and playing with a very fat dog called Rolo (an awesome Cavalier King Charles spaniel, very similar to my Mum’s little pup – cue gratuitous photo opportunity of Buddy), it was time to start.

Buddy 

Except we didn’t start. Instead we trudged through the park at a very manageable 20 minute mile pace, wondering what on earth was happening. Eventually (practically back at the car park) we stopped, and from up ahead an undecipherable noise - which turned out to be a man with a megaphone – delivered the race instructions. Three and a bit loops of the park (hence the walk), finishing back at the registration area.

Once the race actually started, it was great. The War Memorial park was beautiful, and being so close to Remembrance Sunday it was full of poppy wreaths and each tree was tied with a knitted poppy. The air was cool, and other than the puffing and panting of runners, it was very peaceful. I do love a nice park.

Now, for the past year I’ve very much been a run/walker. Since injuring my knee I’ve found it hard to sustain a decent pace, and the temporary relief of a walk break was all that would see me through. At least that was how I felt – in retrospect, I think a fair bit of that was my head saying ‘stop!’ Because on Sunday I ran the whole race. No walking. Not one step. I ran the race comfortably, keeping a fairly even pace (with the help of my Garmin. Have I mentioned how much I love my Garmin? Best present ever!) And I can only assume that the regularity of training actually works.

So there you have it! I’m a convert. No more going for a run and just taking it as I find it. I do enjoy the freedom of just running because I feel like it, and I’m fairly confident that my days of heading off to the local park to run and look at the ducks isn’t over. But structured training has shown me results in just two weeks. At least, that’s what I’m telling myself J

Every journey begins with a… rest day.

Every journey begins with a… rest day.

So says every marathon training plan written, ever.

All standard plans begin on a Monday. Looking further ahead than week 1, this does make sense. Sundays are set aside for long runs, so having a rest on Monday is a pretty sensible approach.

But for the first week, bounding with enthusiasm to get going, having a rest really wasn’t high on my priorities. But I was a good girl – I obeyed they plan.

Tuesday though! I laced up my trainers and hit the gym.

Now, I’m not a lover of the treadmill. Running in the gym is pretty dull. But I’m not a lover of the cold, dark streets either. I’m a bit of a wimp when it comes to running in the dark on my own. With other people, I’m fine. I have a head torch and I’m not afraid to use it! But on my own… well, I’m prone to a case of the collywobbles. So after work I headed to brightly lit, air-conditioned cardio-dungeon that is LA Fitness.

The plan I’ve started with comes direct from the London Marathon website. I can’t say I’m totally convinced by it – the plan includes easy runs, steady runs, Fartlek runs, intervals, etc. without giving any indication of what the different types of runs entail. What is an easy run? What is a marathon pace run? The plan is lacking in detail. Fortunately I’m not new to running, so I know these things. But I think I’ll find myself a new plan – suggestions welcome!

Anyway, day two said I should be running at an easy pace for 30 minutes, so that’s what I did.

I really do find treadmill running boring. I like that you can set the speed and you don’t have to rely on gadgets or perceived exertion to determine your pace, but beyond that – yawn!

Fortunately, there are ways of passing the time whilst plodding on a treadmill.

For a start, there are TVs at my gym. One was tuned to The Chase, and whilst there was no sound and no subtitles, the questions popped up on the screen so it was easy enough to play along whilst plodding along. From this episode I learnt that an elite athlete by the name of Stambolova specialises in hurdling. Probably one to remember for the pub quiz J

People watching is another option. Gyms are fascinating places. They attract all sorts of people, and I’ve been going to my gym long enough to recognise the different clans.

The Arnie wannabes dominate the free weights areas. This is an almost entirely male dominated zone. I think there may be some sort of invisible force field which can only be penetrated by those possessing a Y chromosome. I once tried to grab myself a spot on the benches to do some tricep  extensions, but the overwhelming smell of testosterone drove me back.

Man and puppy - for no particular reason :) 

The cardio zone is much more female oriented. There is a lot of Lycra to be seen, and whilst there is a mix of men and women, it seems to be mainly the ladies that frequent the cardio equipment. Of these ladies there is a distinct sub-group that I find fascinating.

They are immediately recognisable purely from the amount of make-up they wear. And this isn’t end of the day, straight to the gym from work make-up. This is purposefully applied, full-on slap. I can’t be doing with make-up at the best of times (I did for my wedding, but that was a special occasion), let alone specifically for a gym visit.  Why on earth would you go to the effort of applying mascara, blusher and eyeliner just to go and sweat it off?

And it’s not just the make-up. It’s the hair and the jewellery. Long flowing locks, perfectly styled into place. Big dangly earrings bobbing about with every minute move the head.

WHY??

Clearly there is no real intention to work hard. These ladies (and there is a male variant of the species, typically found wearing a tight white vest and a perma-tan) are not in the gym to work up a sweat. They are there on the prowl. Probably for the inhabitants of the Arnie-zone.

Whilst I’m schlepping away, red-faced and ‘glowing’, an internal commentary voiced by David Attenborough accompanies the sight of the preening ladies and the posing men.

So between the peculiar mating rituals of the gym bunnies, and the distraction of the tv quiz shows (if I’m lucky next time they’ll have Pointless on! I’m a little bit in love with Alexander and Richard), the monotony of the treadmill becomes bearable. I did my easy 30 minute run with no issues and enough energy to head straight to a spin class.

So it’s all going well! The rest day was a bit challenging, but I’m sure I’ll be grateful for it next time round J

Adventures in charitable plodding

Like many people, I have a list. In fact, I have several. Shopping, places I'd like to visit, general to-do and so on. 

But this is The List - things to do before I die.

There are lots of things on it. Learn how to fly (a plane, rather than Superman style, although that would be awesome); have tea with Stephen Fry; build a hobbit house; visit Iceland to see the Northern Lights; learn how to do the splits... I also want to run the London marathon.

Yes, I know there are other marathons. Like many regular runners I find it amusing how people refer to 'The Marathon' and somehow expect you to know they are referring to London. As far as the distance is concerned, it is one race among many.

But there is something about London that sets it apart. Possibly the fact that it's a big city marathon. Possibly the level of support from the crowds - the cheering, the music, the 'motivational' banners.

Maybe it's the ethos of the event. It's pretty much been taken over by charity runners (it's the biggest one-day fundraising event in the world), so there's no fear of being the slow person at the back. The bigger fear is being beaten by the runner dressed as a canal boat, or a rhino.

As an aside, the rhino dude is likely to be at home with his feet up long before I finish. Wearing that costume is not for the faint-hearted! They weigh about 25lb, and the head has to be held in position for the duration of the run.

Anyhoo, I digress.

There is something about London that I've always wanted to be a part of. This marathon for me is not just about covering the distance. It's not about setting a certain time. I want to be there and soak it all in, so when I'm old and grey I can reminisce about the day I ran through the streets of London with 35,000 other runners. As daft as that may sound, it's on my Bucket List!

But, alas, year on year I've been unsuccessful in the ballot. Last year I was Smurfed. This year Ironman landed on my doormat, proclaiming 'sorry!'.

Rather than being sorry though, I was a little miffed. It is a ballot, and you can wax lyrical for days about the fairness of it. But I wanted a place, damn it! So rather than give up for another year I decided to go down the golden-bond route and find myself a charity place. 

Golden bond places aren't actually that easy to come by. Big events such as the London marathon are massively oversubscribed (hence the ballot), and naturally so too are the charity places for these races. Fortunately, the charity VICTA accepted me. 

VICTA - Visually Impaired Children Taking Action - is a charity that works to support children and young adults who are blind or partially sighted, providing information, grants, residential weekends, skills training and so on, as well as improving access to appropriate educational support. 

I can’t imagine trying to navigate the world without sight. I’ve worn glasses since I was 10 years old – I have a fairly mundane case of short-sightedness. I would struggle to get myself out of the door in the morning without my specs on, let alone cope with a world of indistinguishable blurriness or total blackness. 

I'm not unfamiliar with adversity. I spent the first 18 years of my life in a wheelchair. I was very overweight, very inactive and life was passing me by. Juvenile arthritis really isn’t fun. I was fortunate though – my condition went into remission, and with a lot of hard work I got out of my wheelchair and learnt to walk again. With a lot more hard work I found I was able to do a lot of the things I'd never dreamed of. Running is one of them. 

So whilst my initial intent was to find myself a place at the London marathon, I've actually found myself, hands-on-heart, very passionately plotting how I can fund-raise to support this fantastic charity. I have pages and pages of ideas, drawings, and doodles and Pinterest boards littered with ideas stolen from the good people of the internet. 

In all honesty, I'm not sure why I've not done this before. 

It appeals to my nature in so many ways, it seems like the best idea I've ever had (other than cheese and Marmite pancakes. Seriously, you should try them). 

Fundraising for VICTA involves planning. I love planning. I like ideas, I like brain-storming (or should I say I like to have a 'Thought Shower' - a phrase I learnt in a corporate training session: I think it sounds vaguely dodgy...), I like to organise stuff. Fundraising requires a lot of planning, a lot of organisation, a lot of ideas. This is my calling! 

My first foray into the world of fundraising will involve baking. Lots and lots of baking. And for those who know me, you'll know that this is a very pleasing scenario :) I LOVE to bake. I'll be hosting a stall at a Christmas market on December 13th, selling my wares to the good people of Birmingham. 

So... I think I've rambled enough for my first blog post! I'll try and keep things updated so anyone with a vague interest in my adventure can see how things are going. 

Oh yes, and if you do pop by (please leave a comment!) please remind me that I actually need to train...

Much love,

Sarah

Donation page

VICTA